stand together they die and not die because their death is but a translation but a removing There are two persons two men in every penitent and godly man there is somewhat of a righteous man and somewhat of a sinner somewhat of the flesh and somewhat of the spirit so according to these two both lawes are kept the Law of commination that is kept thou shalt die the death there is the reward of sinne the law of promise that is kept thou shalt live for ever there is the reward of righteousnesse Mortalitie giveth the reward to sinne immortalitie to pietie Though they die they are but taken away The word implies these two things First it implies that their death is but a temporarie death Taking away is not a finall translation it doth not implie a nullitie Death though it cut the knot of nature yet not of grace It is true there is the sharpe Axe of Death there is no knot so Gordian but it will cut it asunder It is a great knot that was first knit betweene the body and the soule it cutteth that asunder It is a sure knot which is the Conjugal knot between man and wife it cutteth that asunder There is a naturall bond and union betweene Parents and children it cuts that asunder There is a civill union betweene friend and friend it cuts that knot asunder it takes one friend from another But there is the misticall union betweene the head and the members betweene Christ and the Church it cannot cut that knot asunder But looke as Christs body in the Grave it was not deprived of the Hypostaticall union so likewise the body of a Saint when it lies in the grave in corruption it is mellowing for immortalitie and eternitie yea then it enjoyeth the benefit of the misticall Union there is somewhat of a member of Christ that lies in the grave that dust that the body of a Saint is resolved into it is holy Dust because that misticall Union is not cut asunder Death cutteth not that knot It perfecteth the misticall Union in respect of the soule and it is but an interruption of the manifestation of the union in respect of the body it is never severed As the Husbandman hath some corne in his ground and some in his Barne the Corne in his ground is of no lesse value and account then that in his house and Barne Nay it is of more for that that is in his Barne shall not multiply so many bushels he putteth up and so many hee receiveth but that which is in the ground multiples therefore it is in as great account So it is with God There are many bodies of the Saints walking on the earth and those that are laid in the grave that are sowen as the Apostle saith for immortalitie The bodies of the Saints in the grave are of no lesse account with God then those which walke up and downe in the world and glorifie him with workes of pietie why the body is sowne to immortalitie there is still somewhat of Christ. That is the first thing it implies They are taken away it argues that their death is temporary Secondly it sheweth it is deliberate that their death is not sudden For there is a difference betweene these two to be snatched away and to be taken away Impenitent men when they are taken away in judgement they are snatched away in displeasure The godly man God takes him away removes him it is as gentle a word as could be used there cannot be a better word to expresse it in our translation then for God to take him away Iob and Moses expressed it so and so Isaiah here to shew that Death is never sudden to the mercifull and righteous man why because he is alwaies prepared It may bee sudden in respect of others but not to himselfe The stroke of Death may be the same to a righteous man as to an impenitent man they may both fall by the prevalencie of the same disease the same duration of sicknesse the same warning given them the same sympathy but there is a difference in regard of the suddennesse If it be a sudden stroke that overtakes an impenitent man then it is two wayes sudden even a premeditated death is sudden to him because he is not prepared sudden death commeth not to a prepared man because he lookes for it it may as I said be sudden to others but it is not to himselfe why because he expects Death he dieth daily hee dieth in his thoughts before hee dies in act he dies in meditation before he dies in passion I die daily saith the Apostle Death when it came to the Apostle it found him dying it could not come suddenly to him Death findes him setting open the dores therefore though it seeme sudden death it cannot be sudden because he is taken away the stroke of Death may be sudden but the issue of death is not sudden the stroke may be sudden to his body but not to his mind because he fitteth himselfe still for it There is the deliberation implied in the word his death is not sudden in that he is prepared God awaketh his heart to make him looke for it therefore when Death commeth though sooner or later it doth but take him it snatcheth him not away that is the meaning of the second The third word is the extent of this act from the evill to come that is a word that is not specified in the former part it makes both this and that the more full it makes a greater demonstration of Gods goodnesse hee is not only mercifull in taking away but he takes away from that that is evill hee takes from a bad estate to a better An evill that is present that is simply so an Evill for the time to come God takes righteous and mercifull men from both That I may lay a fit path for my proceeding in it Saint Austin devideth the nature of Evill well to those two heads there is the Evill of doing and the evill of suffering that is the evill of sinne and of punishment The first of these the Evill of sinne is opposite saith Aquinas to the increated good The second the Evill of punishment is opposite to the created good God takes away mercifull men from both these First from the Evill of suffering Two wayes he is tooke from that Hee is tooke away from the Evill of suffering that hee shall not see it and that he shall not undergoe it and endure it First that he shall not see it that he shall not bee a spectatour that is one part of taking away For righteous and mercifull men have tender affections and yearning bowels when they see Gods judgements extended over any place or person they sympathize with them they weepe with those that weepe and mourne with those that mourne God takes them from this sorrow and mourning It hath alwayes beene accounted one part of the happinesse of a godly man to be taken from
Luke 7. and Iairus his Daughter Luke 8. and Lazarus here in this chapter And at his resurrection also hee manifested this his quickning power in that he rose not alone but raised the bodies of many of his Saints with him many of his Saints arose with him and as they rose with Christ their head so also they ascended to glory together with Christ their head and the resurrection of these it was an effect of the resurrection of Christ it was by the power of Christs resurrection Of these we may reade Mat. 27. 52. 53. The graves opened and many bodies of the Saints that slept arose and came out of their graves after his resurrection and went into the holy Citie and appeared to many Thus you have the first conclusion proved that Christ is the Author of the resurrection of the body Now in the next place the second conclusion is this that Christ is the Author and Fountaine of spirituall life also Hee is the Author of the Resurrection of the soule and the resurrection of the soule it is this when the Spirit of grace of which we were all deprived in Adam returnes againe to the soule of a naturall man and so quickens the man that the man begins to rise out of the Grave of sinne and to lead a new life a spirituall life the life of grace this is the resurrection of the soule Now that Christ is the Author of this Resurrection also of this spirituall Resurrection wee may demonstrate this by a multitude of Divine testimonies but wee will single out some few of the chiefe wee need goe no further then this Evangelist which affords plentifull testimonie for the confirmation of this truth As in Ioh. 4. 10. There Christ speaking to the woman of Samaria he said unto her If thou haddest knowne the gift of God and who it is that said unto thee give me drinke thou shouldest have asked of him and hee would have given thee living water Here the Spirit of Christ it is compared to living water by an allusion to the water that continually springeth out of a Fountaine And the Spirit of grace is compared to living water from the effects of it because the Spirit of grace restoreth spirituall life to the soule and then preserveth this life therefore it is living Water and Christ is as the Fountaine of this water that yeeldeth and giveth this living quickning water of the Spirit Againe in Ioh. 5. 21. there Christ chalengeth this power to himselfe As the Father raiseth up the dead and quickneth them so the Sonne quickneth whom hee will As Christ when he was upon the earth hee raised whom he would from the death of the body so now being in heaven hee raiseth whom he will from the death of the soule Yea the voyce of Christ sounding in the ministrie of the Word accompanied with his quickning Spirit is of power and efficacie to raise those that are dead in sinnes as wee may see Ioh. 5. 25. Verily verily I say unto you saith Christ the houre is comming and now is when the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that heare it shall live Againe in Ioh. 6. 35. there Christ stileth himselfe the Bread of life and the Living bread Iesus said unto them I am the bread of life and in verse 48. I am the bread of life and againe verse 51. I am the living bread Christ is the living bread the bread of life who as he hath life in himselfe so he communicates spirituall life to all those that feed upon him And here is a broad difference betweene this Bread of life and ordinary bread ordinarie food for though ordinarie food can preserve naturall life where it is yet it cannot restore life where it is not but Christ is such living Bread that he restores life to those that are dead in sinnes and preserves that life that hee hath restored thus hee is the living Bread Againe Ioh. 15. 1. there Christ compares himselfe to a Vine and the faithfull to so many branches I am the true Vine saith Christ and my Father is the husband-man And in verse 5. I am the Vine yee are the branches Now as the branch of the Vine sucks juyce and sappe from the stocke and roote of the vine so all the faithfull receive spirituall juyce and life from Christ their head As Adam hee is a common root of corruption and spirituall death to all that come from him so Christ is a common roote of grace and spirituall life to all those that are his members And in this regard Christ is compared to a head and the faithfull to his members Collos. 1. 18. Christ is the head of his body the Church Christ is the head and the faithfull are his members therefore as in the naturall body the head that is the principium the fountaine of sense and motion it is the head that by certaine nerves and sinewes conveyes sense and motion to all the members of the body so in the mysticall body the Church Christ is the head that conveyes spirituall life and motion to all that are his members to all the faithfull Thus you see the second conclusion explained and proved also that as Christ is the Author of the resurrection of the body so hee is of the resurrection of the soule too it is he that raiseth the soule to spirituall life Now in the third place we are to shew you the reason why this double quickning power is here comprehended under one terme I am the Resurrection Now that this double power of quickening is to be understood here under this one terme wee need not I hope spend time to prove for that Christ speakes here of the spirituall resurrection and the spirituall life this I take to be evident from Christs owne exposition in the words following Hee that beleeveth in mee though hee were dead yet shall hee live Hee that beleeveth in me though he were dead in sinnes and trespasses before yet hee shall live the life of grace therefore I am the Resurrection Againe that the resurrection of the body is not here excluded it may appeare from the scope and intent of these words of Christ for the scope of these words here is to perswade Martha that hee was able of himselfe by his owne power to raise up her dead brother to restore him to life saith hee I am the resurrection I have power to restore spirituall life to the soule that is dead in sinne and this is the greater worke therefore I am able to restore naturall life to the dead body to restore the body that is dead in the Grave to life againe Now the reasons why this double power is here comprehended under one terme I am the Resurrection the chiefe reasons I take to bee these two First this double quickning power is here comprehended under one terme in regard of the Analogie and proportion betweene these two betweene
what world with the world of ungodly men God hath borne with the world many Ages of yeares many thousand yeares already and yet beareth still with the world The most holy God that perfectly hateth wickednesse yet to shew his Patience he beareth with ungodly ones Yea and he beareth with men too the mighty God that is able to destroy all the world with the very breath of his mouth that as with a word hee made the world so with a blast he is able to bring it to nothing yet this mighty God beareth with men this holy God with ungodly men yea and this God that might suddenly destroy the earth as hee did the old World with water he beareth so many thousand yeares with the world of ungodly men that his Patience and long-suffering may appeare You have God for an example then And Christ for an example too and you are predestinated for this very end to be like the Image of the Sonne to be made conformable unto Christ Wherein In all imitable and necessary graces I say in all those graces that are necessary by vertue of a rule and that are imitable wherein we may or can follow him Amongst the rest this is one his Patience See the Patience of Christ. In his carriage toward his Father how he bore the displeasure of his Father In his carriage toward men when hee might have commanded fire from heaven yet you see how hee bore with them and rebuked his Disciples You know not of what spirit you are Hee was lead as a Lambe dumbe before the shearers and hee opened not his mouth Againe you have the examples of the servants of God Take my brethren saith Saint Iames the Prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an ensample of suffering affliction and of Patience The Prophets suffered long and endured the frownes of the world and the rage of Princes they endured a thousand miseries and all to discharge their duty But amongst all the servants of God You have heard of the Patience of Iob and what end the Lord made with him Every man can speake of the patience of Iob but this was written for our ensample to teach us to be patient as hee was Whatsoever things were written afore-time were written for our learnings that wee through Patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Againe secondly as it is necessary for a Christian to strive for the perfection of Patience in the degrees of it because of the conformitie that should be betweene him and those examples of God of Christ and of the Saints betweene God the Father and beleevers his children betweene Christ the head and beleevers his members betweene the Saints of God children of the same Father and servants of the same Master that should honour him in the same grace of Patience So there is a necessitie likewise of it in respect of the tryals whereunto a Christian may be put you had need to strive that you may be perfect in Patience because you know not what tryals yee shall be put to what times yee are reserved to Every man must expect troubles and afflictions they are called Tribulations and you know what Tribulum was the Iron ball that was full of pikes round about so that wheresoever it was cast it did sticke an Engine used in warre Tribulations are unavoydable they will fall and sticke yee cannot escape them on any side by any turning to the right hand or to the left It is the will of God that through many tribulations wee should enter into the kingdome of heaven and whosoever will live Godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution Now beloved is this so that this is a Statute in heaven decreed and ordained by God and will not be reversed like the lawes of the Medes and Persians that every man must passe to heaven through tribulation and affliction upon earth then it concernes every one to be armed to get such a measure of patience as may support him in such afflictions Yee know not what afflictions yee may have what particular tryals God may put yee to In what a miserable case then is a man if he be to seeke of his armour when he is in the middest of the pikes if he be then to get patience when he is in the middest of tryals when he is disturbed and distracted with vexation of spirit What foolish disorderly speeches proceed from men in the time of affliction We may see it in David so foolish was I and ignorant and in this point a beast before thee What foolish sensuall beastly speeches unreasonable absurd passages proceed from men in those times of trouble if they have not got to themselves before hand this grace and are not fitted to a Christian caraiage in time by patience Thus yee see the necessitie of patience to the perfection of a Christian and the necessitie of the perfection of patience to the ornament of a Christian. Now we come to make use of both these together First it serveth for the just reproofe of Christians that are carefull for other parts and acts of religion and are not so seriously mindfull of this duty of Patience as they should be but are so farre from striving for patience that they seeme rather to strive for impatience that make their crosses more heavy and their afflictions more bitter then they would be Indeed we make Gods Cuppe that of it selfe is grievous enough to nature and to sense by putting into it our owne ingredients that are inbred in our owne passions and pride and selfe-will and our owne earthly mindes farre more bitter then else it would be But how doth a man make afflictions worse There are divers wayes that men take wherein they are so farre from perfecting patience in themselves that they wholly destroy patience The first is by their agravating of their afflictions by all the severall circumstances that possibly they can invent All their eloquence is used in expressing the grievousnesse of that crosse and affliction that is upon them They that in the times of mercy could scarse ever drop a word in thankfulnesse and acknowledgement of Gods goodnesse to them now they can poure out flouds of sentences in expression of Gods bitter and heavie dealing with them in such afflictions and crosses and distresses that befall them As the Church speakes in the Lamentations Consider all that passe by is there any Affliction like my affliction wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me The like speech you have ordinarily in the mouthes of persons Is there any affliction like mine there is no body so wronged in their name as I nor hath such paine in their body nor never went with such a heavy heart as I never any man suffered so many injuries by friends and enemies and all sorts of people as I have done as if all the afflictions in the world the flouds and waves of tryals were
you are sealed by the spirit of Promise to the day of redemption Eph. 1. 13. Secondly in regard of possession they are now already in present possession not in full possession but in present possession A possession not in themselves but in Christ by vertue of the union and communion they have in him By the union and contract that is betweene Christ and the soule Christ is become the Husband the Christian the Spouse So that as a Wife if her Husband should travell into a farre Countrey and in her name should take possession of those lands that were left her by her Father the Wife now is possest of those lands in her Husband who in her name hath taken possession of them so Christ entring into heaven hath tooke possession of heaven which is given to us by the will of God It is your Fathers pleasure to give you a kingdome Christ hath possessed it in our name I goe saith he to prepare a place for you and it is my will that they bee where I am I goe to my Father and your Father to my God and your God All that Christ hath in heaven Hee hath it for us Hee is gone before that wee may follow after wee cannot possibly lay claime to heaven wee cannot hope hereafter fully and personally to professe it if Christ had not first taken possession of heaven for us The Use of this in a word shall bee to stirre up every one to looketo his hope of heaven It is usuall for men to possesse their hope to be saved and scarse any but they will say they hope if they die they shall goe to heaven Yea but thou must now possesse it if ever hereafter thou meane to enjoy it and thou must possesse it first in Christ thou must be united to him by faith and love those are the bonds whereby the Spirit of God tyeth us unto Christ therefore Christ is said to dwell in our hearts by faith Which shewes the horrible presumption of many and how they adde to their other sinnes this that they presume that they have right and title to heaven and yet are not united to Christ by faith as if a man should give out that he were the heire apparant to a Crowne or the sonne of a King and yet neverthelesse should indeed be the sonne of a Beggar and have nothing to shew for his pretended title to the Crowne and kingdome what would this be accounted but high treason against the King What a height of sinne is this that is in many men which to their other sinnes adde a presumptuous claime to heaven when they have no right to it I Remember that in the time of Ezra we shall read of many that laid title and claime to the Priesthood but Ezra searched the booke of the Genealogies and finding none of their names Registred there he presently concluded that they were none of the Priesthood therefore they were accounted polluted and put from the Priesthood If any man lay claime to heaven God will search his booke of Genealogies as it were he will search the Register of heaven and if he find that his name be not inrolled there if hee be not found to have interestin Jesus Christ all will be nothing he shall bee cast out to his greater confusion This should therefore stirre up euery one to make good his claime to heaven now either now to bee possest of heaven now to sit in heavenly places with Christ or else looke not to come to heaven afterward But to leave this and to come to that I mainly intend namely the Argument or reason or ground of the Apostles heavenly conversation Our conversation is in heaven from whence wee looke for the Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ. The Apostle observeth here a kind of speech and that which seemes not so Grammaticall that he may thereupon build a sound and substantiall truth in Divinitie He had said before Our conversation is in the heavens in the Plurall number but now when hee speakes of Christs comming thence he speakes of it in the Singular number Our conversation is in the heavens from whence from which particular place Wee looke for the Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ. Of purpose to shew us thus much that though Christ in respect of his Deitie and divine nature he be in all places filling heaven and earth yet in respect of his bodily presence hee remaineth now and so will till his second comming which the Saints looke for in heaven Against those Vbiquitaries that will have the body of Christ to be every where In Heaven say they visible in this place invisible The Papists hence build the Doctrine of Transubstantiation they will have the body of Christ even that very body that was borne of the Virgin to be now Bread and the bread turned into it The Lutherans will have the same Body about the bread No saith the Apostle there is no such matter from thence from that very place that very individuall particular single place from the third heavens where the body of Christ is Wee looke for the Saviour hee remaineth there and so will continue till his comming to Judgement So againe in another place Collos. 3. 1. Set your affections on things above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Above that is in heaven where Christ sitteth and continueth and will remaine till his second comming Our Saviour told his Disciples in the dayes of his flesh that the poore they should have alwayes with them but me saith he you shall not have alwayes If this be true that they say then Christ hath not said true for hee is still in respect of his bodily presence and hath beene alwayes with us But I let passe that The thing I note hence is this That that which most soundly and effectually settleth the heart of a man in a heavenly conversation upon earth is the looking for the Saviour of the world even the Lord Iesus Christ to come from thence I say there is nothing that so settleth the heart of a man in a heavenly conversation upon earth nothing that makes him so heavenly minded nothing that ordereth him in so heavenly a course as this if hee rightly looke for Christ to come from thence That you may conceive this the better you may please to take notice that there are two things included in this point First that all the Saints of God while they are on earth their continuall expectation is for Christ to come from heaven Secondly that nothing is so effectuall to settle a man in a holy course while he liveth on earth as this expectation These two things I will open to you at this time The first I say is that the Saints and servants of God while they are on earth doe continually expect and looke for the Saviour of the world even the Lord Iesus Christ to come from heaven By the comming of Christ you
vapours from a malecontented spirit Did they not account these afflictions their Justs and Barriers and Turnaments and exercises of honour and chivalrie at which Angels and Archangels were present with their Euges and approbations God himselfe the chiefe Spectator and rewarder of these exercises they themselves tryumphing and boasting in their tryalls with the impresse of the Apostle on their shields of faith Wee are perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus They were more Eagle-eyed by the strength of grace to pry into the nothingnesse of the creature then all the Philosophers by the strength of nature they did mortifie and crucifie and keepe under the body with the lusts thereof and more truly detest the corruption of the outward man then any Platonist whatsoever but were these the grounds the rise of this celestiall affection nothing lesse to see God to enjoy God to dwell with him to converse with him to be bee dissolved to be with Christ these transported their affections not the emptinesse of the things below but fulnesse of things above not the basenesse of earthly things but the glorie of celestiall things not the miseries of this life or of this crazie vessell but the happinesse of the life to come they had but a glimpse of this strange light darted into their soules and the whole world was darknesse unto it they had a gust of sweetnesse cast into the palate of their soules and all things else were bitter and unsavorie Christ was placed in the summitie and height of their soules and the desire of the full fruition of him caused that fainting that earnest longing in their spirits You will say if this be so what will become of the greatest part of Christians who are afraid to die who are so farre from groaning to depose this Tabernacle that they groane at the least intimation of dissolution It is true that all men receive not this saying neither is it for every one to attaine to this perfection As there are two sorts of faith so there are two forts of Christians there is a strong faith and a weake faith and there are strong Christians and there are weake Christians the strong Christian is willing to dye and patient to live the weake Christian is willing to live and patient to dye hee goes when God calls but he could wish that God would deferre his calling hee hath good hopes of heaven but he desires a little more to enjoy the earth he loves God more then all yet his affections are not fully taken off from all hee is not perplexed with the feares of Hell yet hee is not ravished with the joyes of Heaven hee hath much strength but knowes it not as many a Spectator of a prize is better able to performe it then he that undertakes it but either through faintnesse of heart or ignorance of his owne strength dare not put it to the hazard but had rather commend another mans valour then trye his owne whereas a strong Christian a man growne in Christ sends a challenge to this Gyant Death singles him out as a fit object of his valour grapples with him not as with his match but as his underling insulteth over him setteth his foot on the necke of this King of terrours and by conquering him captivates with great facilitie all other pettie feares of ignominie povertie and the like which therefore are dreadfull because they tend to Death the last the worst the end the summe of all feared evills this is the unconquerable crowne of Faith this is the glory of a Christian this is the Diadem of honour wreathed about his Temples advancing him above all other men whatsoever But you will say may a man desire death Is this now a question what meanes the agony of the Apostle I desire to bee dissolved and to bee with Christ. What meanes the earnest longing of the Spouse Apoca. 22. The Spirit saith come and the Bride saith come and let him that heares say come What meanes her fainting in the Canticles I am sicke of love let him bring mee into his chamber Let mee see his face I am sicke unto death Let mee dye lest I dye that I may see him for ever What meanes the character of a true Christian As many as love the appearance of the Lord which cannot be without death What meanes the incredible contempt of death in ancient Christians insomuch that it was a received Maxime with the Heathen Omnis Christianus est contemptor mortis What meanes the heroicall encouragement of old Hilarion Egredere anima egredere quid times Goe out my soule goe out why tremblest thou What meanes the words of old Simion in the flames Thus to die is to live What meanes the rapture of Saint Chrysostome that hee would thanke that man that would kill him as transmitting him more speedily to those unconceivable Joyes What meanes this groaning and thirsting in my Text Doe not these demonstrate that it is lawfull to desire death Not simply in it selfe or for it selfe it is the separation of those two whom God hath coupled it is a cessation of being it is an evill of punishment the daughter of sinne to desire it simply were to desire evill which is abhorrent to nature much lesse ought wee to hasten our death by violent meanes Let their memories bee buried in perpeturall silence as the botches and ulcers of Christianitie who out of impatience have perpetrated this heinous sinne a sinne against God and man against nature against grace against the Church against the common-wealth against all things The Heathen man could say that we are the possession of God to be disposed of by him not by our selves the body is the structure of God the worke of his hands the Tabernacle which hee hath made and not to be removed or to bee taken downe but by his command while we live we may advance the glory of God the good of others wee may impeople heaven make up the ruines of Angels to hasten our death were to envie this glory to God this good to others In that distraction of our Apostle betweene two good things his owne glory and the good of others you know which way the scales inclined to the good of others as if he had said Let my glory be deferred so Gods glory be increased let my joy be increased let my joy be suspended so the joy of Angels and of the Court of heaven be intended by the conversion of sinners Nay more this is a small thing Let me be an Athema so Israel be blessed let me be blotted out of the booke of life so thousands bee inserted let the bowels of Christ be streightened to me so they bee enlarged to others this is life indeed this is the end of our life this will comfort
we be not profited by them But I say brethren this is that which God hath respect unto in all his provisions for his people in the Institution of all his ordinances their profit and benefit and when he findeth any ordinance that is not for the benefit of his people though they bee of his owne institution yet hee takes them away therefore the Apostle speaking concerning the Mosaycall Rites and institutions of the Ceremoniall Law he calleth them unprofitable and beggerly rudiments and so God himselfe counted of them and for their unprofitablenesse there was a gracious disanulment of them But especially and above all this will be most apparant if we cast our eyes upon the Lord Jesus who is indeede the substance of our preaching and of our receiving the Sacrament and of all the ordinances of God and of all his promises it is with respect to our profit that the Lord hath beene pleased to ordaine him both in respect of his person and the constitution of that and in respect of his offices and all his fatherly administrations concerning him a gracious respect hee hath had in all to the profit of his Church as might appeare in the severall particulars A body hast thou prepared for mee saith hee in the Psalme why That Christ might be the more profitable to his people sitted thereby to converse with and to communicate himselfe unto them The Word was made flesh and therefore made flesh that he might dwell among us that there might bee a meete cohabitation with him And as this was the respect God had in his incarnation so it was in all his humiliation What was the reason that hee was acquainted with sorrowes and griefes and miseries both from God and men but that hee might be the more for our profit that wee might have a mercifull High Priest that he might the better know from experience the way to commiserate and compassionate his people in their distresse Yea in his death in his resurrection in his ascention in his preferment at Gods right hand in all these administrations of God the Father concerning his Sonne hee had a gracious respect to the good and profit and benefit of his people Againe secondly consider all the appointments of God his injunctions and commands to his people hee doth in all ayme at their profit as it is in Deut. All these things I command thee for thy good The Lord requireth nothing at his peoples hands but it is for their profit He calleth upon us to believe it is that wee might have the profit of his word and promises Hee calleth upon us to repent and to leave our sinfull wayes if thine eye offend thee plucke it out if thy hand offend thee cut it off for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish and not that thy whole body should bee cast into hell he hath an ayme at our profit wee thinke hard of it as wee are naturally apt to doe through a deepe affection wee beare to our base lusts that God should come so neare to us and deale so strictly with us as to command us to plucke out our eyes and cut off our hands that is to part with our dearest corruptions Alas my brethren if God saw that it were good for us that it were for our profit to keepe our lusts he would not take away one of them from us but we should have them as I may say with all his heart but hee knoweth that as they are not for his glory so they are not for our profit he seeth that there is not any good to be gotten by our retayning of them therefore it is I say that he is so strict in his impositions that hee so often calleth upon his people to repent and to cast away their sinnes Thirdly and lastly consider all the administrations of God to his people and wee shall see that in them all hee hath a respect to their profit As for instance he is pleased to suffer sinne and corruption to remaine in his servants all the while they are in this life he could wholly take it away and free them from it even in this world But he knowes that it is for their profit to suffer these Inmates these Cananites to remaine that they may be as prickes in their eyes and thornes in their sides to make them the more weary of the world and the more desirous of heaven He is pleased many times to suffer his people to have sinne not onely tirannizing and usurping but prevayling against them but it is that thereby they may attaine to a greater degree of humiliation He suffereth them sometimes to fall for this very purpose that he might exalt them Hee is pleased to permit the Divell to buffet them and to use them very hardly were it not for their profit hee would tye him up in Hell and give him no such leave as this but as he sayd to Saint Paul least they should be exalted above measure the messenger of Sathan is sent to buffet them Yea the Lords withholding of his spirituall comforts his deserting of his people the hyding of his face from them the withdrawing of those sweet and gracious manifestations of himselfe unto them it is all with respect to their profit that they may be taught the more to prize the comforts of his spirit and to walke more worthy of them when they doe enjoy them He is pleased sometime to suspend his answering of their prayers and to hold them long in the expectation of the returne of their requests it is for their profit that they may bee thereby stirred up to ply the Throne of grace with more frequent and earnest praiers that so the greater their adventure is as I may say the greater their returne may be It being in this case with them as it is with Merchants the greater adventure they send forth and the longer their ship is out the greater and more advantageous is the returne Many times againe hee is pleased not onely to suspend his answer to their prayers but to deny the granting of his peoples request in the very kinde they sue for But even in this too hee hath respect to their profit hee heareth them as one well sayd according to their profit thou gh not according to their wills so he dealt with Moses concerning his request of entring into the Land of Canaan Againe the Lord is pleased to keepe his people many times in a low condition and in meane estate to put them into bare commons and hard pastures while others are grazing in full meddowes it is with respect to their profit to teach them the more to depend upon him to enable them the better to live by Faith Againe for this purpose hee takes from his servants deare blessings the Wife from the Husband the Children from the Parents as wee see verified this day in this place concerning our friends here the mournefull
a glasse with good keeping may last as long as an earthen Pot but both brittle Now notwithstanding this Sex bee brittle and the weaker yet to be honoured and that upon this ground because partakers with Men and as well as Men of the greatest priviledge the grace of life Were this a meeting for the solemnization of a Mariage I might further descan upon this plaine-song that ariseth from the inference of Mens honouring of Women What have I said if it were a Mariage solemnitie surely howsoever here bee before our eyes the eyes of our bodies a visible object of mortalitie yet notwithstanding here is before us an invisible occasion of rejoycing as at a Mariage solemnitie to the eye of our soule understanding and faith for while here we live in the world Jesus Christ our Spouse hee hath his friends friends of the Bridegroome his Ministers and messengers that in his name come to us wooe us use all the meanes that may be to move us to accept of Christ for our Lord and Husband When a man accepts of this offer there is then the contract consummated in regard of the mutuall consent that passeth betweene the one and the other Christ having his Proxies here wee the Ministers being for him and every beleeving soule for himselfe This contract continueth so long as here wee remaine in this world when wee depart the body is laid in the Bride-bed quietly to rest and sleepe till the Bridegroome be pleased to come and awake his Spouse and it will be a blessed voyce that hee shall come withall Come yee blessed of my Father receive the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world As for the soule that goeth immediatly to Christ and is in his Fathers house with him the Spouse in that part with her Husband the Lord Christ enjoying an eternall inviolable communion and sweet societie But howsoever this is thus to the invisible eyes of the soule we now must looke upon the object here before us and answerably order our matter and therefore with this touch I let passe the inference and come to the substance of the Text. You heard the summe you heard the parts But wee must here proceed Huesteron and Proteron and cleane invert the order of the words as I hope your selves will discerne if you doe but well marke the order and method Life is in the last place Grace before it the right that commeth before it and the extent of that right before all I suppose therefore you will thinke that first it is meet to lay forth the priviledge it selfe Life and then to speake of the ground of it then of the right that we have and then of the Extent of that right and this order I purpose to follow First therefore concerning the Priviledge it selfe Life For brevities sake I forbeare to speake much of the divers acceptations of life and distinctions thereof as it is in the Creatour the onely true God Father Sonne and holy Spirit or as it is in the invisible and glorious creatures the Angels or as it is in men who are animated by a reasonable soule or as it is in those creatures that are guided only by sense Beasts Fowle Fish or otherwise as it is in Trees and Plants that come forth out of the earth having a vegetative life onely The life here meant is that wee call eternall life consisting in our communion with Christ our Spouse and this is a life proper to the Saints proper unto them because comming from the grace of God extended unto them alone proper unto them because they are heires of it And in this extent there is a restraint howsoever the extent bee in divers considerations yet a restraint a qualification onely beleevers onely sound true Christians to them it is proper And this life is to be considered either in the Inchoation and beginning thereof or in the consummation and accomplishment thereof In regard of the Inchoation of this speciall life of the Saints it is here begun in this world I now live saith the Apostle speaking even of this life by the faith of the Sonne of God And the Iust shall live by faith This life it is by Christs dwelling and living in us I now live yet not I but Christ liveth in me saith the Apostle in the place before quoted The other it is in the world to come and it is by a sweet feeling and fruition it is by our abiding with Christ and living with him in which respect saith our Lord Christ to the penitent beleever upon the Crosse This day the very day that he died shalt thou be with me in Paradise and so Saint Paul saith of himselfe I desire to bee dissolved and to be with Christ implying that upon the dissolution immediatly there is a fruition a communion with Christ And the same Apostle speaking of those Saints that shall be upon the earth at the very moment of Judgement when the dead saith he are raised then shall wee also that are alive and remaine be caught up together with them in the cloudes to meet the Lord in the ayre and so shall wee ever be with the Lord. Now then marke here you see the soule hath present communion with Christ upon the dissolution of the body and the body also shall have communion with him at the great day of the Resurrection of all flesh Now this life and communion with Christ is proper to the Saints by vertue of their union with Christ A misticall union For Christ the Sonne of God hee is life originally in himselfe for as the Father hath life in himselfe so hath hee given to the Sonne to have life in himselfe Hee is also Life communicatively communicating life unto us therefore hee is said to be the Bread of life and in this sence because hee is that Bread which commeth downe from heaven and giveth life unto the world The Use of this point my brethren is manifold I will but touch it First it doth instruct us in the great love and good respect that God beareth to us children of men that of his owne good pleasure hath written our names in the booke of life and hath sent his Sonne to purchase life for us and to bring us also to this life Behold what love the Father hath shewed to us in Christ Secondly this is a demonstration of the wofull plight wherein naturally men are in this world they may seeme to be of some account they have a life that is farre different from the life of Plants and also from the life of Beasts they have a reasonable soule to animate them Oh but this this is is not the life Naturall life indeed is a death compared to this life that is here noted to bee proper to the Saints which commeth by grace whereof wee are heires and therefore of all naturall men it may bee said as the Apostle saith of the wanton
hee was in publicke but what was hee in private wee have seene him in the Sunne how demeaned hee himselfe in the shade True Religion is like the precious stone Garamantites which casteth no great lustre outwardly but semper intus habeat aurâ—…as gâ—…ttus but wee may discerne as it were golden drops within Three of these after I have presented to your view I will then set free your patience and give your sorrow full scope to vent it selfe in teares The first of these was tendernes of conscience which is one of the most infallible tokens and markes of the Child of God so tender was hee that he would undertake no businesse before hee was fully perswaded of the lawfulnesse thereof both by cleare texts of Scripture and the approbation of most learned and conscientious Divines hee made scruple not onely of committing the least knowne sinne but of imbarking into any action which was questionable among those that love the truth in sinceritie And therefore although God blessed him with great wealth and store of coyne yet hee never put it to Usurie or Interest thereby to increase it for he held the tolleration of the Law in this Kingdome to bee no sufficient warrant for any violation of the divine Law the distinctions lately coyned of toothlesse and biting Usurie hee no way allowed judging truly that all Usurie according to the Hebrew Etymologie is biting and hath not onely teeth but Adders teeth envenomed for all Usurie if it biâ—…e not our Brother as per accidens sometimes it may not yet it biâ—…eth the conscience of all such who have any remorse of sinne The second aurea gutta was Christian compassion whereby he tooke to heart the afflictions of Ioseph and miserie of Lazarus whose sores hee cured with the most precious balsamum hee could buy for his money What Plinie writeth lib. â—…2 c. 8. Attalus usus est Thynni recentiores adipe ad ulâ—…era on the Fish in Latine Thynnus that it is a soveraign remedie against many diseases and cureth all kinde of ulcers was truly verified in him for hee furnished himselfe with the best cordialls and the rarest medicinall receipts and when hee heard of any poore sicke or hurt hee not onely sent them money but Bezar and balsamum thinking nothing could cost him too deare whereby he might save the life or recover the health of the poorest member of Christ Jesus In the yeares of dearth and sicknesse he sent provision to all the Parishes about him and thrice a weeke relieved a hundred atleast at his gate neither did his compassion dye with him for in his Will and Testament confirmed by him the day before his death hee bequeathed divers Legacies to the poore whereof these following came to my notice To Saint Margarets in Westminster 10. pound To Kempsford 60. pound To Cosley 60. pound To Froome and the Woodlands 100. pound To Warmester 100. pound To Deverill and Mounten 100. pound The last aurea gutta which I shall present to your view at this time was his fervencie of zeale for the truth of the Gospell in all the Benefices which hee bestowed hee tooke speciall care to make choice of men sound in the Faith no way warping either to Popish superstition or 〈◊〉 seperation as he made greatest accompt of those Ministers of the Gospell who were serveâ—… iâ—… spirit zealous for the truth so hee hated none more then 〈◊〉 and luke-warme Laodicaâ—… he â—…eldome spake of any Romanist without expressing a great deteâ—…tation of their idolatrie and superstition the night before he changed this life for a better after an humble confeâ—…ion of his sinnes ingenerall and a particular 〈◊〉 of the Articles of his beliefe in which hee had lived and now was resolved to die he added I renounce all Popish superstition all mans merits trusting only upon the merits of the Death and passion of my Saviour and whosoever trusteth on any other shall finde when hee is dying if not before that hee leaneth upon broken reedes Here after the benediction of his Wife and Children being required by me to ease his mind and declare if any thing lay heavie upon his conscience he answered nothing he thanked God yet like an obedient child of his Mother the Church of England both heartily desired and received her absolution and now professing that hee was most willing to leave the world he besought all to pray for him and himselfe prayed most â—…ervenely that God would enable him patiently to abide his good will and pleasure and to goe through this last and greatest worke of faith and patience and the pangs of Death â—…oone after comming upon him he fixed his eyes on Heaven from whence came his helpe and to the last gaspe lifted up his hand as it were to lay hold on that Crowne of righteousnesse which Christ reacheth out to all his children who hold out the good fight of Faith to the end and conquer in the end Which crowne of righteousnesse the Lord who hath purchased with his blood after we have finished likewise our courses of his infinite bountie bestow upon us all Cui c. FINIS TEMPVS PVTATIONIS OR THE RIPE ALMOND GATHERED A SERMON APPOINTED to be Preached at the Funeralls of the Right Honourable the Earle of EXETER in the Abbie Church at Westminster SERMON XLII GEN. 15. 15. And thou shalt goe to thy Fathers in peace thou shalt bee buried in a good old Age. IT was the manner of the Egyptians and Greekes to embalme the dead bodies of great Personages and anoynt them all over with Honey which kept them a long time from corrupting and putrifying in their Sepulchres Thus the Macedonians preserved the Corpes of Alexander as some Historians report above a hundred yeares from rotting in his Coffine But Gemistus Phleton being to performe a like Rite to Agesâ—…laus for want of Honey layd his Corpes in Waxe made of Honey-combes I am sorâ—…e I am at this time to give the Motto to this Embleme A Person of qualitie a Person of wealth a Person of noble birth a Person of Honour a Person of fame and renowne whose soule is alreadie bound up in the bundle of life is now to hee brought with Honour to his long home and though not his Bodie yet his name to bee embalmed and preserved as it were in honey in the sweet Commemoration of his Vertues and the first Standard-bearer of Religion under his Majestie and the great Master of these sacred Rites and Ceremonies was designed to doe this office and hee richly provided for it of whom I may truely say as Homer of Nestor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cujus ex ore melle dulcior fluebâ—…t oratio But siâ—…h it hath pleased the Divine Providence whose footsteps are not knowne to take away for a time the use of his feete who should at this time have stood on this holy Mount Bounden dutie and service hath layd upon mee Genistus Phletons taske and I am constrained as hee was in-apia
they were dead would bee loath to bee taken at their word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke signifieth praemiâ—…m a reward as well as senectum old age and doubtlesse old age in generall is so to be accompted for it is reckoned among the blessings which God bestowed upon Iob Isaac David and 〈◊〉 who are all sayd to have dyed in a good old age or full of dayes riches and honour For howsoever to some men in some case contraction of their dayes hath proved an aduantage by abridging their present and preventing their future sorrowes as it was to good King Iosiah who was timely taken away that he might not see the evill which after his death fell upon his people and to Saint Austine who died immediatly before Hippo was taken Yet length of dayes ordinarily is a blessing and promised to such as obey their Parents honour thy father and thy mother that thy dayes may bee long as on the contrary shortning the dayes of life is threatned by the Psalmist as a curse to the blood-thirstie and deceitfull man and Ely tooke it for such when Samuel from God told him there should not bee an old man in his familie Howsoever if old age be not perpetually and simply a blessing in it selfe yet as it is here qualified with bona I am sure it is The Almond-tree is beautifull of it selfe how much more when it is hung with jewells and precious stones as Xerxes his Platinas was and crowned with health riches honour and the comfort of a good conscience These make old age such a burthen as bladders are to him that swimmeth which beare him up or feathers to a bird which though they have some weight yet by them she raiseth her selfe up and flyeth By this time you expect I know the application of this Scripture but it is made alreadie not in word but in deed not by mee but by him whose emptie Casket wee behold with teares yet rejoycing that God hath taken out the jewell to adorne his Spouse the triumphant Church in Heaven He is alreadie gone in soule to his Fathers and is now going in bodie to them to be buried in their Sepulchre his bodie and soule are now distracted and wee for his distraction his soule is gone and our hearts are gone I ever held sighes the best figures and teares the fluentest rhetoricke in a Funerall speech if I had better known this honourable Personage I could have spoken more in his praise yet no more then the Citie and Countrey will prove to bee true by the misse of him Desider antur reliqua 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS 10 PAEAN OR CHRISTS TRIUMPH OVER DEATH A FVNER ALL SERMON Preached at Lambeth August 3. 1639. SERMON XLIII 1 COR. 15. 55. O Death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victorie IFeare lest some here present that are of a more melting disposition stung with the sense of their present losse and overcome with griefe and sorrow for it may frame an answer with a deep sigh to the interrogations in my Text saying here is Deaths sting here is the Graves victorie here is Deaths sting for it hath stung him to death who was the stay of my comfort and joy of my life here is the Graves victorie for it holdeth the corpse of my dearest friend captive and close prisoner in his Coffin If any thus troubled in mind heare mee this day let them stop the flood-gate of their teares and lengthen their patience but to an houre and by Gods assistance in the explication and application of this parcell of Scripture I â—…ll make it appeare to them that their friend is not dead but sleepeth and that death hath not swallowed up him but he hath swallowed up death into victorie and that already in soule hee insulteth over Death in the words of my Text O Death where is thy sting and shall hereafter in body when this corruptible shall put on incorruption insult in like manner over the grave saying O grave where is thy victorie This sentence is like a Ring of gold enameled or cloth of Tissue imbrothered or a peece of rich plate curiously wrought and engâ—…aven materiam suâ—…abit opâ—… the workmanship seemes to goe beyond or at least equall the mettall for this sentence consisteth of three figures at least First an Apostrophe which by a kind of miracle of art giveth life to dead things and eares to the deale like to that O earth earth earth heart the voyce of the Lord. Secondly an insultation like to that in the Prophet Esay Where are the gods of Hamar and the gods of Arphad or the gods of the Citie of Sepharvaim Thirdly a double Metaphor the former taken from a Serpent Bee Waspe or Hornet the latter taken from a Conquerour for Death is here compared to a Bee Waspe Hornet or Serpent without a sting the Grave to a Conquerour that hath lost his bootie or prisoner O Death c. Such Drawne-workes wrought about with divers colours of Art we find often in the Sacred context especially in the Prophecies of the old Testament and the Epistles of Saint Paul in the new If we looke up to the heavens we finde in some part of the skie single starres by themselves in others a Constellation or conjunction of many starres so in some passages of holy Writ you may observe one figure or trope as namely a membrum Or similiter cadens as I was hungry and you gave mee meate I was thirsty and yee grave me drinke I was naked and you clothed me I was sicke and in prison and you visited mee or an Allegorie as Where the body is there the Eagles will bee gathered or an Apostrophe as Heare O heavens and hearken O earth or an exclamation Oâ—… that they were wise then they would understand this Oh that my people would have hearkened to my voyce and that Israel would have walked in my wayes In other passages a conjunction and combination of many figures and ornaments of speech as in that Text of the Prophet Ieremie Is there no balme in Gilead no physitian there Why then is not the health of my people restord In which one verse you may note foure figures First an interogation for more empheticall conviction Secondly a communication for more familiar instruction Thirdly an Allegorie for more lively expression Fourthly an Aposiopesis for safer reprehension and the like wee may observe in our Saviours exprobration O that thou knewest in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace O Ierusalem Ierusalem which killest the Prophets and stonest those that are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy children as a hen doth her chickens and thou wouldst not Here is a posie of rhetoricall flowers an exclamation O si cognovisses à reticentia at least in this thy day saltem in hoc die tuo A repetition Ierusalem Ierusalem an interogation how oft would I quoties volui And lastly
held Secondly in his members by changing the nature of it to them and making it of a curse a blessing of a losse a gaine of a punishment either a great honour or a speciall favour or a singular advantage a great honour as to the Martyrs who thereby acquired so many Rubies to their crowne of glory as they shed drops of blood for their Saviour A speciall favour as to Abraham Iosiah and Saint Austin who were taken away that they might not see and feele the miserie that after their death fell on the postarity of the one the subjects of the other and the diocesse of the third A singular advantage to all the faithfull who thereby are discharged from all cares feares sorrowes and temptations and presently enter into their Masters joy For blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them Now the meanes whereby Christ conquered death and utterly destroyed it are diversly ser downe by the learned some argue a contrariis contraries say they are to bee destroyed by their contraries as heate by cold moysture by drought sicknesse by health Death therefore must needs bee destroyed by life as the contrary but Christ is the resurrection and the life in him was life and life was the light of men Saint Austine declareth it after this manner Life dying contended with Death living and got a glorious and signall victory Nyssen thus the Devill catching at the flesh of Christs humane nature as a baite was caught by the hooke of his divine Saint Leo and Chrysologus thus if a Bayliffe or Serjeant arrest the Kings sonne or a privileged person and lay him up in a close prison without commission hee deserveth to bee turned out of his place for it So Death Gods Serjeant seizing upon his Sonne in whom there was no fault without warrant or commission was justly discharged of his office Is Death thus discharged hath Christ changed the nature of Death and freed all his Members from the sting of the temporall and feare of eternall death hath hee of a Posterne made it a street-doore of an out-let of mortall life an in-let of immortalitie why then are wee so much afrayd of death which can no more hurt us then a hornet or waspe after her sting is plucked out Christ fought with a living death wee with a dead death which doth not so much severe our soules from our bodies as joyne them to Christ not so much end our life as our mortalitie not so much exclude us out of the Militant as render us to the Triumphant Church Nothing is more dreadfull I confesse to the naturall man then Death which dissolveth the soule and bodie and the Grave which resolveth the bodie into dust and ashes To cure this maladie of the minde there is no vertue in any Drugge of nature the Philosophers in this case are Physitians of no value they tell us that sicknesse and death are tributa vivendi and the Grave the common house of the dead But of what of this what comfort is here doth this speculation discharge us from the tribute or make the payment thereof the easier doth it enlighten the darknesse of these prisons of nature or take away the stench from these under-ground houses no whit Yet God bee thanked there is a magazen in Scripture to pay these tributes there is light in Goshen to enlighten these houses there is Spicknard to perfume these dankish roomes there are 〈◊〉 in holy Scripture to strengthen the heart not onely against deadly maladies but also against death it selfe For there we heare of a voyce from heaven not onely affirming the happinesse of the dead but confirming it with a strong reason for they rest from their labours and their works follow them we heare of Tabernacles not made with hands but eternall in the Heavens wee heare that when wee are absent from the body wee are present with the Lord wee heare the Lord of life opening the eares and chearing the heart of the dead and saying I am the resurrection and the life whosoever beleeveth in mee though hee were dead yet shall hee live There wee heare death not onely disarmed of his sting but also slaine downe right O Death I will bee thy death O Grave I will bee thy destruction Secondly hath Christ destroyed Death and hath hee both the keyes of Death and of Hell then beloved when wee lye on our death-bed let us not have recourse after the popish manner to any Saint or Angell no not to the blessed Virgin her selfe but to her Sonne who is the Lord of life who satisfying for our sinnes at his death thereby plucked out the sting of death and after his resurrection quite destroyed this serpent In which regard he is styled stella matutina the Morning starre because hee ushereth in the day of eternitie and primitiae dormientum the first fruits of them that slept because in him the whole lump is sanctified When therefore the fiery Serpent hovereth over us to sting us to eternall death let us looke upon the Brazen Serpent and the other shall not hurtus Lastly hath Christ conquered Death and Hell and that for us let us then give him the honour of the greatest Worthy and noblest Conquerour that ever the World saw Cyrus and Alexander and Caesar were no way to bee compared to him for they subdued but mortall enemies hee immortall they bodilie hee ghostly they with great Armies and power of men but hee alone they when they were alive and in their full strength and vigour but hee at the houre of his death and afterwards I conclude therefore with Saint Ierome his insultation over Death and thanksgiving to the Lord of life O Death thou didst bite and wert bitten thou didst devoure and art now devoured by him whom for a time thou didst devoure by his death thou art slaine by his death wee live everlastingly thankes bee rendred unto thee O Saviour who hast subdued so powerfull an adversary and put him to death by thy death and passion The Ethiopians as Herodotus relateth make Sepulchres of glasse for after they have dryed the corps they artificially paint it and set it in a glazed Coffine that all that passe by may see the lineaments of the dead body but surely they deserve better of the dead and more benefit the living who draw the lineaments of their minde and represent their vertues and graces in a Mirrour of Art for I am not of their judgement among us who properly and deservedly are called Precisians because out of the purity of their precise zeale ita praecidunt they so neere paire the nayles of Romish superstition that they make the fingers bleed who out of feare of praying forsooth for the dead or invocating them are shie of speaking any word of them or sending after them their deserved commendations for it is pietie to honour God in his Saints
saith the spirit Or because this asseveration concerning the condition of the Saints departed is propositia necessaria as the Schooles speake we will cloath the members of the division with tearmes apodicticall and in this verse observe 1. A conclusion sientificall whereof the parts are 1. The subject indefinite mortui the dead 2. The attribute absolute beati blessed 3. The cause propter quam the Lord or dying in the Lord. 2. The proofe demonstrative and that two-fold 1. A priori 1. By a heavenly oracle I heard a voyce c. 2. A divine testimonie So saith the spirit 2. A posteriori by arguments drawne 1. From their cessation from their worke They rest from their labours 2. Their remuneration for their workes Their workes follow them Where the matter is pretious a decision of the least quantitie is a great losse and therefore as the spie of nature observeth the Iewellers will not rubbe out a small clowde or specke in an orient Rubie because the lessening the substance will more disadvantage them then the fetching out of the spot advance them in the sale Neither will the Alcumists lose a drop of quintessence nor the Apothecaries a graine of Bezar nor an exact Commentatour upon holy Scriptures any syllables of a voyce from heaven the eccho whereof is more melodious to the soule then any consort of most tuneable voyces upon earth can be In which regard I hold it fit to relinquish my former divisions and insist upon each word of this verse as a Bee sitteth upon each particular flower that wee may not lose any drop of doctrine sweeter then the honey and the honey combe any leafe of the tree of life any dust of the gold of Ophir 1. I there were three men in holy Scriptures tearmed Iedidiah that is Beloved of God Solomon Daniel and Saint Iohn the Evangelist and to all these God made knowne the secrets of his Kingdome by speciall revelation and their prophecies are for the most part of a mysticall interpretation This Revelation was given to Iohn when hee was in the spirit upon the Lords day and if wee religiously observe the Lords day and then bee in the spirit as hee was giving our selves wholly to the contemplation of Divine mysteries wee shall also heare voyces from heaven in our soules and consciences Heard with what eares could Saint Iohn heare this voyce sith hee was in a spirituall rapture which usually shutteth up all the doores of the senses I answer that as spirits have tongues to speake withall whereof wee reade 1 Cor. 13. 1. Though I speake with the tongues of men and Angels so they have eares to heare one another that is a spirituall facultie answerable to our bodily sense of hearing The Apostle sayth of himselfe that hee was in the spirit and as he was in the spirit so he saw in the spirit and heard inthe spirit and spake in the spirit and moved in the spirit and did all those things which are recorded in this Booke When Saint Paul was wrapd up into the third Heaven and heard there words that cannot be uttered and saw things which cannot bee represented with the eye hee truely and really apprehended those objects yet not with carnall but spirituall sences where with Saint Iohn heard this voice A voyce from Heaven The Pythagoreans taught that the Calestiall spheares by the regular motions produced harmonious sounds and the Psalmist teacheth us that the Heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy worke and that there is no speech nor language where there voyce is not heard but that was the voyce of Heaven it selfe demonstrately proving and after a sort proclaiming the Majestie of the Creatour But this is vox de coelo a voyce from Heaven pronounced by God himselfe or formed by an Angell so Gasper Melo expresly teacheth us Saint Iohn heard a voyce not sounding outwardly but inwardly framed by that Angell who revealed unto him the whole Apocalypse Saint Iohn here heard a voyce from Heaven commanding him to Write and Sain Austin heard a voyce from Heaven commanding him to Read Tolle lege and most requesite it is that where Heaven speakes the earth should heare and where God writes that man should reade There never yet came any voice from Heaven which it did not much import and concerne the earth to heare The first voice that came from Heaven was heard on Mount Sinai and it was to confirme the Law to bee of divine authoritie and establish our faith in God the Creatour A second voice from Heaven we heare â—…o in Saint Peter on the holy Mount when the Apostles were there with Christ and it was to confirme the Gospell and to establish our faith in Christ the Redeemer A third voice or sound was heard from Heaven in the upper roome where Christs Apostles were assembled in the day of Pentecost and it was to confirme out faith in the holy Ghost the Comforter A fourth voice that came from Heaven was heard by Saint Peter in a vision and it was to confirme our faith in the Catholike Church and the Communion of Saints and the incorporating both Iewes and Gentileâ—… in one mysticall bodie Lastly a voice was heard from Heaven by Saint Iohn in this place to establish our faith in the last Article of the Creed concerning the happinesse of the dead and the glorious estate of the Tryumphant Church and the life of the World to come If wee desire to bee informed concerning the affaires of the Abissens or those of China Sumatra or Iapan wee conferre with those that are of the same Countrey or have travelled into those parts and for the like reason if wee desire to bee instructed concerning the state and condition of the Citizens of the Heavenly Ierusalem their infinite number their excellent order their singular priviledges their everlasting joyes their feasts their robes their palmes their thrones their crownes wee must enquire of them who either are inhabitants there or have brought us newes from thence nothing but a voice from Heaven can enforce our assent to these heavenly mysteries Now as all words of Kings are of great authoritie but especially their Edicts and Proclamations so all voices from Heaven are highly to bee regarded and religiously obeyed but especially Decrees and Statutes which are commanded by the authoritie of the high Court of Heaven to bee written for perpetuitie such as this is in my Text I heard a voyce from Heaven saying Write with a Pen of Diamond in letters never to bee obliterated write it so that it may bee read of men in all succeeding Ages even to the last man that shall stand upon the earth Here I cannot sufficiently admire the boldnesse of Cardinall Bellarmine who to disparage the necessitie of holy Scripture and cry up unwritten traditions which are the best evidence hee can produce for his new Trent Creed blusheth not to publish it to the World in
hath beene and feare for what hee shall bee mingles and sowers all the joy and delight in that hee is And what is hee at the best a poore tennant â—…t â—…ill of a ruinous cottage of loame or house of clay readie to fall about his eares with a Grashoppers leape in a spot of ground His apparell is but stolne ragges his wealth the excrements of the earth his dyet bread of carefulnesse got with the sweat of his browes and all his comforts and recreations rather as Saint Austine tearmes them solati a miserorum quam gaudia beatorum sauces of misery then dishes of happinesse For albeit a good conscience bee a continuall feast and the testimonie of the Spirit an everlasting Jubile in the soule yet the most righteous man that breathes mortall ayre either by frailty or negligence or diffidence or impatience or love of this present life or suttletie of perswasions or violence of temptations so woundeth his conscience and grieveth the Spirit of grace that this feast is turned for a time into a fast and the Jubile into an ejulate or howling All things therefore layd together the scornes of the World assaults from the flesh temptations from the Devill rebukes from God checks from conscience sensible fayling of Grace spirituall dissertions with many a bitter agonie and conflict with despaire I cannot but perfectly accord with the Poet in his dolefull note Faelices nimium quibus est fortuna peracta jam sua they are but too happie whose glasse is well runne out and with the Evangelist in my Text beati mâ—…rtui blessed are the dead for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them they rest from those labours which tyreus that live and the workes which wee are to follow follow them A threefold cable saith the Wiseman is not easily brokn and such is this here in my Text on which the anchour of our hope hangeâ—…h 1 The testimonie of Saint Iohn Yea 2 The testimonie of the Spirit so sâ—…th the Spirit 3 A strong reason drawne from their rest and recompence they rest from their labours and they receive the reward of their labours they are discharged of their worke and for their worke If they were discharged for their worke and not discharged of their worke they could not bee said blessed because their tedious and painefull workes were to returne And much lesse happie could they bee tearmed if they were discharged of their worke but not for it for then they should lose all their labour under the Sunne they should have done and suffered all in vaine but now because they are both discharged of their worke for they rest from their labour and discharged for their worke for their workes follow them they are most blessed The Spirit here taketh the ground of this heavenly musick ravishing the souls of the living and able to revive the very dead either from the labourers pay or the racers prize If the ground be the labourers joy for their rest and pay the descant must bee this our life is a day our calling a labour the evening when wee give over our death the pay our penny If the ground be the racers joy for their prize the descant may bee this the Church is the field Christianitie is the race death is the last poste and a garland of glory the wager let us all â—…o run that we may obtaine Yea sayth the Spirit Wee read in the Law and the Prophets Thus sayth Iehovah the Lord in the Gospell Thus spake Iesus But in the Epistles and especially in the Revelation thus sayth the Spirit now the Spirit speaketh evidently heare what the Spirit sayth unto the Churches hee that hath an eare let him heare what the Spirit sayth unto the Churches and the Spirit and the Bride sayth come While Christ abode in the flesh hee taught with his owne mouth the Word of life but now since his Ascention and sitting in state at the right hand of his Father hee speaketh and doth all by his Spirit By the Spirit hee ordainâ—…th Pastours furnisheth them with gifts enlighâ—…h the understanding of the hearers and enclineth their wills and affections and so leadeth the Church into all truth In which regard Tertullian elegantly tearmeth the Spirit Christi Vicarium Christ his Vicar preaching in his stead and discharging the Cure of the whole World Secondly so sayth the Spirit not the flesh the earth denies it but Heaven avereth it when a man removeth out of this World the flesh beholdeth nothing but a corpes brought to the Church and a coffine layd in the Grave but the spirit discerneth an Angel carrying the soule up to Heaven and leaving it in Abrahams bosome till the Father of spirits shall give her againe to the bodie arrayed in glorious apparell There is no Doctrine the Devill the flesh and the World more oppose then this here delivered by the Spirit concerning the blessednesse of the dead for all Atheists all Heathen all carnall men all Saduces and sundrie sorts of Heretickes deny the Resurrection of the bodie and the greater part of them also the immortalitie of the soule A wicked and ungodly person beleeveth not his soule to bee immortall because hee would not have it so hee would not that their should be another World because hee can have hope of no good there having carried himselfe so ill in this faine hee would stifle the light in his conscience which if hee would open his eyes would clearly discover unto him a future tribunall yet sometimes hee cannot smother it and therefore as Tully who saw a glimering of this truth observeth hee is wonderfully tormented out of a feare that endlesse paines attend him after this life Well let the flesh and fleshly minded men deeme or speake what they list concerning the state of the dead the Spirit of truth sayth that all that dye in the Lord are blessed But where sayth the Spirit so In the Scriptures of the old and new Testament and in this vision and in the heart and conscience of every true beleever First in the Scriptures let mee dye the death of the righteous and let my last end bee like unto his refraine thy voyce from weeping and thine eyes from teares for thy workes shall bee rewarded and there is hope in thine end saith the Lord precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints the righteous shall wash his foot in the bloud of the wicked so that a man shall say verily there is a reward for the righteous Christ is in life and death advantage for I am in a straight betweene two having a desire to depart and to bee with Christ which is fâ—… better Secondly in this vision for Saint Iohn heard a voyce from Heaven saying Write it as it were with a Penne of Iron upon the Tombe of all that are departed in the Lord for so saith the Spirit Lastly the Spirit speaketh it in the
droppe of his grace and mercie this setteth upon his spirit a heavenly thirst he sayth come hee would have more hee is never quiet till hee have the promise accomplished to him These are the persons every particular member of the Church that hath the Spirit the whole Church in generall not onely the particular part of the Church now in the World or in any Age but the severall parts of the Church in severall Ages whosoever is a thirst that hath tasted of Christ must needs say come Even so come Lord Iesus These are the persons The second thing is the matter of this acclamation of the Church First the matter contained in it it is a vehement and earnest desire of the people of God after Christs most happie returne in these words Amen even so come Lord Iesus The matter of it therefore is either infolded and implicite in the word Amen even so or unfolded and explicite in the latter words come Lord Iesus It is infolded I say in the word Amen This word signifieth in the Scripture either the Author of the truth himselfe or else it is an affirmation of the truth In the Revelation thus sayth the Amen the faithfull and true witnesse here Christ himselfe is called Amen because he is the Authour of all truth and veritie the faithfull and true witnesse Sometime this word is used and most frequently in Scripture for the affirmation of the truth either witnessing of the truth or wishing the truth For the witnessing of the truth as in all those vehement speeches of our Lord and Saviour Christ Amen Amen I say unto yee or verily verily I say unto yee this is a vehement asseveration and a witnessing to the truth which a man ought to beleeve or would have to bee beleeved Or otherwise for a wishing and earnest desiring of the truth to bee accomplished So in the conclusion of the Lords prayer and all our prayers we adde this word Amen that is So be it or Let it be so we wish it with earnestnesse of affection and desire and with a confidence and faith of our hearts wee hope and beleeve that this shall bee so This is that wee professe when wee say Amen In this place this word is used both for affirmation and witnessing of the truth and likewise it is a vehement wish and desire of the accomplishment of these promises with an earnest and certaine hope and expectation of faith that all these promises and good things shall bee accomplished to the soule of a Christian. Againe the matter of this Acclamation is unfolded and explained in the latter words Come Lord Iesus Where there is both the Action and the Person to be considered The Action Come Christ commeth to his Church many wayes Hee commeth in his Word Hee commeth in his Spirit He commeth in his mercies He commeth in his Judgements and Justice None of these are here meant But he commeth to his Church in person and appearance even in the appearance of his body and humane nature Thus Christ commeth two wayes to his Church in person First in his Incarnation he appeared to the world in the similitude of sinfull flesh he came in humilitie he came to suffer to die That is not here ment for that was past when as the Evangelist Saint Iohn wrote this prophesie But the Second comming in person of our Lord and Saviour Christ is his comming in the flesh in glorie in exaltation to judge the quicke and the dead to shew himselfe a mightie God from heaven This is the comming which is here meant Christs second comming to Judgement in glory That is the Action The Person is described by these two Titles Lord Iesus Wherein the Church desireth that he may come both as a Lord and as a Iesus That hee may come as a Lord to vindicate the Church and revenge him upon his enemies to destroy the kingdome of darknesse the kingdome of the Divell the kingdome of Antichrist which hath beene a great argument in this booke of the Revelation And not only come thus as a Lord but as a Iesus to save his Church to vouchsafe to her comfort and peace and joy that he would come to cloath her with immortalitie and glory which she cannot expect on earth in a mortall state This is the summe and substance of this Petition and request that the Lord would come in Majestie and glory both as as a Lord against the enemies of the Church to destroy them utterly and as a Saviour to bestow upon the Church even all saving mercies especially that great mercie of everlasting blessednesse that is not mixed with sinne and corruption that is not mixed with any infirmitie and defect whatsoever This is the summe and substance of the Text which I have in few words shortly explained to yee Whence the point I observe wherein wee will insist by the grace of God at this time is this That it is the nature and propertie of every true member of the Church of God earnestly and longingly to desire the second comming of Christ for the full redemption of his Church The Spirit saith Come and the Bride saith Come and whosoever heareth saith Come whosoever is a thirst saith Come therefore every godly man that hath the Spirit of God that is a part of this Bride that is partaker of those promises that hath a taste of Jesus Christ every one of these most necessarily say Come Even so Come Lord Iesus This is so proper to beleevers and to every one of them as they are all of them described by this propertie in Scripture 2 Tim. 4. 8. The Crowne which the righteous Iudge shall give mee at that day and not only to me but to all them that love his appearing The Apostle he might have said to all Saints and godly whatsoever and to all faithfull beleevers but he makes choyce of this Epithite hee describeth them by this that they are such as love his appearance Heb. 9. 28. Unto them that waite for him shall he appeare the second time for salvation The godly are there described by this very propertie they waite and long and desire after his appearance the second time In the 24. of Saint Matthews Gospell it is made the propertie of a good and faithfull servant there that he waiteth for his Masters comming and prepareth all things in a readinesse it is opposed to the slothfull servant that doth cleane otherwise Yee see the truth of it in Scripture But yee will say Is this the propertie of the Elect and faithfull Doe not ungodly men and sinners beleeve the comming of Christ and that he shall come to judge the quick and dead Doth not every man make this profession of his faith I beleeve that Iesus Christ shall come to judge the quick and the dead Why then doe yee make it the propertie of Beleevers since every man beleeveth and lookes for it To this I answer There is a twofold expectation of Christ his returne to
their soules This is a third Reason even the expectation of the full accomplishment of all the promises The Lord hath dealt with us as he dealt with his own Israel in their wildernesse he gave them a taste of the fruit of the good land he caused the searchers to carry some clusters and bunches of the fruit to the Israelites in the Wildernesse that they tasting of it might hie themselues to that rich and goodly and fat countrey so the Lord giveth us some drops of grace and onely giveth us a taste of that happinesse that wee waite for that we may hie our selves so much the faster through this wildernesse to enjoy it This therefore is a strong reason wherefore the people of God must needs say Come Even so Amen let it be so because I say they know till Christ come the second time they must not expect the accomplishment of their hope and the perfection of their happinesse The fourth and last Reason of this Point may be this because we are taught by our Lord and Saviour Christ to pray Thy kingdome come That is not only that the kingdome of grace may come into our hearts while we are here but that the kingdome of glory may hasten upon us and we are sure that this Petition shall never be granted to us till Christ his returne againe to judgement till he come to accomplish this maine promise of all for then only Christ commeth as our Lord and Iesus Then he commeth as a Lord and makes an end of all the warres of the Church then he shall throw downe all enemies before him treading Sathan and all his instruments under his feet then he shall manifest to the world that he hath the Keyes of hell and of deâ—…th then he shall destroy the kingdome of Antichrist that must be abolished by the brightnesse of his comming And then and not till then he shall come as a Saviour to performe perfect salvation for his Church to deliver his Church not only from condemnation but from the molestation of sinne not only from tyrannie and oppression of enemies but even from all the presence of enemies that at that day a separation being made it may be said to the Saints of God as Moses said to the Israelites when they were afraid of the Egyptians stand still feare nothing the enemies that your eyes have seenâ—… to day yee shall never see them more they shall be so farre from oppressing the Church that they shall never molest the Church not so much as by their presence then hee shall dispose the kingdome to his members as the Father hath disposed the kingdome to him These are strong and effectuall reasons to prove this point to us that the members of the Church true beleevers cannot possibly but waite and expect and vehemently desire the comming of Christ the second time for the salvation of his Body the finall salvation of his people Here one objection may be made by the way and so wee will descend to the Use and Application of it Here it may be said But why doe the people of God thus expect and waite for the comming of Christ in all the Ages of the New Testament for the space of 1600. yeares and yet hee commeth not What reason have they to be commanded to expect and wish and waite for the comming of Christ when he commeth not in so long a time Have not all beene frustrate of their expectation And may not we as well as they that lived in the Ages before us for wee see no appearance of his comming no more then was many hundred yeares since To this we answer That the patient abiding and waiting of the just never miscarrieth the Saints of God never lost nor shall lose for their expecting and waiting for Christs second comming to Judgement The Saints of God in former ages 1600. yeares agoe waited for Christ comming but were they losers by it though he came not This expectation of his comming it kept them in the exercise of their faith of their hope of their patience of their watchfulnesse it kept all their graces a working therefore they were no losers by it though they had not the accomplishment of the maine promise in expecting the promise they were savers and no losers because all their graces were kept in exercise Besides this in the second place the very expectation of Christ in the Ages of the New testament though he came not it is fruitfull and usefull to draw up the hearts and mindes of the godly to heavenly thoughts and to a heavenly conversation and so in the very first Ages of the New Testament the Apostle tells us that this is the use of their expectation Phil. 3. 19. Our conversation iâ—… in heaven from whence wee looke for a Saviour they looked for a Saviour then when he was but newly ascended was it fruitlesse because he came not of 1600. yeares after No but Our conversation is therefore in heaven because we waite for his comming In all ages since this expectation hath beene a meanes to raise the heavy mold of earth the heart of man to heaven and heavenly-mindednesse therefore this expectation doth not faile because it is of use to helpe them to the full fruition of it in the time of it Besides the Saints of God never murmure because Christ commeth not they never murmure as those that shall lose their hopes and expectation because they are taught to frame their mindes and wills to the will of God and of Jesus Christ their head Now the will of God is that wee should still waite though Christ come not because hereby the Lord doth glorifie himselfe in the gathering in together the number of the faithfull The number of the Saints must be gathered in and none must be neglected Now is there any Saint of God and beleever in the world that desireth not that every Saint should be gathered in and the whole body of Christ perfected in the whole members of it before Christ come to judgement None must be neglected and every beleever must frame his will to the will of God God hath revealed that the number must be gathered in and when it is so Christ will come and gather all together under his wing Now the Saints of God thinke not much that the number should be gathered in they are well contented with it So likewise God hath revealed his will that though hee be exceeding patient to wicked men yet he is not forgetfull of his promise God will bee contented though he be provoked every day infinitely by the highest sinnes of the world patiently to endure all this and to offer conditions of peace and mercy even to the worst to shew himselfe rich in mercie and so full of goodnesse that he makes offer even of goodnesse to the worst Now the Saints of God here frame their will to Gods and are content still to waite because God still putteth forth his patience and still offereth Conditions of