of an asse Jer. 22.19 which implies that the civill interment of the body and committing of it to earth was honourable And as the old Law was full of types and ceremonies so they whose soules wereseparated to severall mansions as if they would expresse this truth in a type the faithfull were buryed by themselves from whence was that phrase to be gathered to their Fathers Gen. 25.8 As Jacob gave commandement concerning his bones that he would not be buryed in Egypt k Gen. 47.29 Gather me not with the wicked prayes the Prophet Psal 26.9 not to take notice of the solemnities used at their funerals and to passe the customes from hence derived to other Nations looke we onely to our own They who deny the common faith or whose more vileactions have been a scandall to their profession we eyther bury them not at all or dishonourably but they who live and dye in the faith of Christ and their good conversation hath given us to hope that their bodies shall one day be partakers with their souls in bliffe we give them a more decent buriall in places set a part for that use the Church yard which the Germanes call l Godw. ant Gods Acre or his field where the bodies of his Saints are sown corruptible to spring and arise again incorruptible and immortall 2 The resurrection though our bodies doe moulder and resolve into yet they doe not lose themselves in the dust they onely leave their weaknesse and corruption which adheares unto them by the contagion of sin from which being purged the substance of the body returns again to prove that there is a resurrection were too large a digression and a needlesse labour it being so cleere a constat among Christians that we hold it an article of our faith We are baptized not onely for the remission of sins but also into the resurrection of the flesh 1 Cor. 15. from whence I conceive the Greeks call baptisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the clothing or putting on of immortality and again we lay down out bodies in the dust in the sure and certain hope thereof It was an ill reading of that Text the wicked shall not arise in judgement Psal 1.5 which strained that glosse m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyr. Hier. cat 18. Theoph. in Joh. 3. not to judgement but to condemnation the true reading is they sholl not stand in judgement according to the * Stare in judicio Latine phrase they shall not be acquitted but fall when they are judged For as Aquinas rightly argues n Suppl 3. partis qu. 75. art 2. that which is taken from the nature of the species is alike found in every individuall of the same species the resurrection is such and therefore it belongs to every particular Every one must arise the most wretched liver and the false beleever but here is the difference o Resurrectio incredulis parata est gloria autem resurrection is sola credentibus repromissa est Eus Em. hom 1. de Symb. though all arise yet the glory of the resurrection is onely promised unto the faithfull Which was that Saint Paul so earnestly endevoured after if I may by any meanes obteine the resurrection of the dead Phil. 3.11 that of the wicked not deserving the title being but an upstanding to everlasting death Here the body being raysed by the power of GOD out of the dust meets it soul again and are conjoyned together to the righteous a joyfull meeting one of them being happy in the other and both of them in a full expectation of a never ending felicity Sad to the wicked soul being fettered again to the body like malefactors accessories in the same guilt to receive together a just but fearfull recompence of reward 3 Judgement is an act of justice terminated upon man A sentence given by GOD upon his actions There is a twofold judgment assigned by Divines a Session and a grand Assize a particular and a generall For every man is to be considered as he is a singular person in himself and as his sins have had influence into others And as he is a member of mankind 1 As he is an individuall and particular person so is he adjudged by God presently after his death when he is doomed according to what he hath done in the body although not fully because not in the body but onely in the soule that onely appearing and having its sentence the body lying asleepe in its dust 2 As he is a part of mankind so he is called at the great and generall day when there shall be a full summons and an universall appearance of all the living that ever were and as generall a sentence neither yet does God judge twice for the same thing and inflict double punishment for one sin but that which before was not compleatly inflicted then shall the wicked be given up to be tormented and the good glorified in soule and body both and thereseems to be in this equity that the body which hath been a fellow worker with the soul either of holinesse unto life or unrighteousnesse unto death should have her part proportionable in the reward by which generall judgement the righteousnesse of God shall be acquitted and vindicated from all slander not onely from the testimony of every guilty conscience but also by the cleere acknowledgement of every one summoned to appeare at the barre Righteous O God art thou and just are thy judgements The secrets of all hearts being then revealed and the full number of each mans sins being then made up for wicked men finish not their sins with their dayes some mens sins following after judgement 1 Tim. 5.24 they give while they live bad examples which are drawn into practice they leave behinde them the memory of unrighteous deeds which multiply to posterity and acknowledge them their first and proper parent So the vertuous lives of good men lead others by the hand unto holinesse and their faith is filed for posterity Abraham is long since in blisse yet is his faith impressed in the hearts of his children who walke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the steps of the faith of that holy Father Rom. 4.12 how will it adde to the crown of rejoycing as glory of that blessed Saint to see so many trails after him in that tread of faith and righteousnesse which he hath before trodden out how will it blisse those faithfull dispensers of the word and other holy men who by their devout faith and religious practice have converted many unto righteousnesse to appeare with those they have brought to fight under Christ his banner might I rather in the rerelead up but one convert then to march in the van of all the worlds happinesse or triumphant glory The Son of man being mounted on the throne of his Majesty then follows disquisition of actions Heavens records shall be brought forth the books shall be opened the book of life and according to their
works written in that book the dead shall be judged Apoc. 20.12 Not to enter into any nice School disputes concerning this book what it is how mens actions are therein registred and enrolled when the Holy Spirit is pleased to besilent I will not over-sawcily determine It is enough our actions are all therein recorded not a good work word alms-deed prayer but it is there noted not a tear of contrition for sin that fals to the ground but GOD latches it Put thou my teares in thy bottle are not these things written in thy book Psal 66.8 As on the other side not a wicked action idle word vile thought but they are there recorded likewise These things thou hast done and I kept silence and thou thoughtest I had been such an one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them inorder before thine eyes Psal 50.21 He now unseen sees and observes what afterwards openly he will produce when he shall sit in righteousnesse to judge the world When hee shall come to try our actions and accordingly sever the good and bad with his discriminating fan in his hand parting the chaffe and soyle from the cleaner grains where the good wheat shall be layd up in Gods granery and the evill like the tares cast into the fire Having thus spoken of what betides man after death I now come to close with the ordinary reading and discover unto you the ultimate period the last end of the righteous man The LORD hath taken him unto himselfe to be with him eternally blessed blessed to eternity but the difficulty will be to describe unto you what blessednesse is p Futura beatitudo acquiri potest aestimari non potest Eus Em. though here wee must labour and lay earnest for it yet we cannot rightly esteem of it to say it is q Est status omnium bonorum congregatione perfectus Boet. de cons Phil. 3. lib. 3. pros 2. a perfectstate consisting in the aggregation and collection of all good things While we take it thus up in the grosse it lesse affects us And to take it up in particulars thinking thereby more fully to explain it wee shall fall as short When as Saint Paul who was rapt up into the third heaven sits down in an extasie neyther eye hath seen neyther eare hath heard neyther hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive the good things that GOD hath layd up for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 It were I think impudent temerity in any one to go about to determine None I am sure did ever yet by a Jacobs ladder scale Heaven and make fuller discovery of that land of the living that hee might make us a more perfect relation r App. ad Aug. tom 9. The kingdom of GOD is greater then all report it is better then it can be praysed it surpasses all knowledge it is more excellent then all glory that can be imagined neyther ought I therefore to be silent in what I can say because I cannot what I would neyther because we say GOD is ineffable therefore may we not speak of him what we are able so that we beleeve more then we speake And ever bound our words with fear and piety What we cannot conceive GOD hath revealed unto us by his Spirit 1 Cor. 2.10 But it is observable where the Spirit hath revealed unto us these unconceivable things condescending to our understanding to move us it hath set them forth under the notion of temporall goods which wee make great account of Which yet in our conceits thereof if we rest we are as far beneath them as earth is heaven The Spirit sayth the righteous shall have a Kingdom and weare upon their heads a crown of righteousnes they shall be clothed with long white robes of innocence they shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob at his table in that Kingdom which shall be richly furnished to do the will of GOD ſ Delectatio erit cibus Paris and our delight in him shall be our meat and he shall give us to drink of the rivers of his pleasure This kingdom shall be theirs by a sure inheritance being coheirs with Christ the eternall Son of GOD. They shall enter into their masters joy where they shall bear a part in that heavenly quire to sing perpetuall hallelujahs unto the Lambe that sitteth upon the throne Heaven shall be theirs a treasury of riches and all wealth and to adde to the perfection of these of that kingdom there shall be no end The crown of glory shall bee immarcessible it shall not breed like Jonahs gourd a worm to eat it our garment of immortality no moth shall fret it those riches no canker shall destroy them those joys shall have no alloy of grief to abate them Those delights shall breed no surfet Those streams of pleasures shall not run dry but be mayntained by a continuall spring that day shall know no night the Sun shall not be ecclipsed nor clouded by darknesse for the Lambe is the light of the new Hierusalem that eternall city affords all things eternall and they shall be for ever to enjoy them The righteous shall enter into everlasting life t Aug. Ser. 74. because men love to live here on earth life is promised them and because they are affraid to dye therefore eternall life is promised them What doest thou love to live thou shalt have it What dost thou feare to dye thou shalt not suffer it ô living life and everlastingly blessed where is rest without labour wealth without losse health without languishing abundance without want perpetuity without corruption life without death where is light without darknesse knowledge without ignorance understanding without errour reason without obscurity memory without forgetfulnesse where what ever is desirable is to be enjoyed and nothing shall be desired that is not meet Where GOD shall be seen without end loved beyond measure praysed without wearisomnesse who in that he is the perfection of being shall satisfie the understanding perfection of goodnesse shall satisfie the will and truly amiable shall fill our affections Wee shall be amazed at his justice admire his mercy be ravished with his goodnesse What shall I adde more The righteous shall sit at the right hand of Christ they shall not onely enjoy GODS presence but shall be ever happy in a gracious union and constant communion with the Godhead u De cons Phi. lib. 3. pros 9. Boetius rayses a high pitch because by the gaining of blessednesse men are made blessed and blessednesse is the divinity it self it is manifest men are blessed by obteining the divinity and as by obteining of justice men are made just and by obteining of wisdom men are wise so says he by obteining the divinity men are made gods every blessed man therefore is a GOD who though but one by nature it hinders not but that there may be many by participation GOD promises himselfe indeed to Abraham an
eternall reward are not to be equalled in number to mine which perish Oh what a sad thing is it that although Christ hath done daily does and hath promised to doe so much for us yet we should voluntarily leave his service whose yoake is so easie and put our necks under the tyranny of Satans subjection the professed enemy of Chrisl the underminer of our salvation the adversary of our souls eternall blisse who makes himselfe mirth at our misery and onely triumphs in our torment let us therefore withdraw subjection from such a vile tyrant draw our necks out of the yoake of so wilfull so wofull a slavery Let us dead sin in our mortall bodies that death may have no dominion over us So may our departure be in peace we may have a happy end a gloriors resurrection a gracious acceptance an acquitting sentence a crown of righteousnesse and to help us the better in these two to live and dye the life and death of the righteous Be 3 In a continuall meditation of death e Plato Which is the life of a wise man and surely considering the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the time he wants discretion who doth not frequently thinke upon it Strange it is the Devill should yet foole us after so long an experience with the like temptation that hee flattered our first parents yee shall not dy onely here the difference they did take that at once which wee doe at smaller portions as thou shalt not dye this yeare this moneth this day so we receive in smaller pils what they received in one bole and all of us swallow the same dose but a surer word tels us we are here of no continuance like a poast that stayeth not a bubble a smoake a vapour a dream a shadow wee are somthing wee are nothing wee are here wee are gone f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pind. Pyth. Od. 8. the very dreame of a shadow and yet that we should dote of a long stay here of a truth the life of a Christian is hereafter in the mean time the mediation of death makes a life it draws us neerer and sets us in view as it were of our life and certainly makes a holy life for he that continually thinks he must die will so live as he is willing to dye he that looks upon every day that passes not as one of that number of his dayes which his desiring hope may promise him but as his last he fits himselfe accordingly for it as Eumolpus if he spake not better then he did g Ego sic semper ubique vixi tanquam ultimum diem nunquam rediturum consumerem Petron. Sat. I have so every where lived and at all times as if I had spent my last day never again to have been recalled and surely we never spend a day so well as that which we thinke to be our last those three vertues sayes the h In Clim sca parad grad 6. Scholiast are effects of this meditation 1 That we are without passion 2 That wee pray without intermission 3 That we keepe our selves unspotted from sin 1 That we are without passion 1 It unlinkes our love from the world so transient so uncertaine so unsatisfying to the soule of man so unworthy of our affection while we looke of it in a deepe consideration of our own and its mortality we discover its vanity we conclude it s nothing and we loath it 2 It allayes our anger i Hi motus animoruma tque haec certamina tanta pulveris exigui iactu compressa quiescunt Virg. Georg. 4. as the tetchy Bees which fight in troops in their bitter conflicts cast up a little dust among them and you part them presently nothing sooner cools those hotter distempers of choler then the dust of mortality remember thy end and let emnity cease Eccles 28.6 that which kils them utterly would kill them instantly were it well applyed death which shall destroy them with the body the thought of it would soon dead them in the body were it serious Oh how sedate and peaceable would we be were we christianly mortified 3 It abates the feare of death A fore-warning is a fore-arming against miseries he that acquaints his thoughts with them before they come is better able to endure the shock As Palladius reports of an Eremite who being neere his death was merry and cheerefull his disciples about him trembled and mourning said unto him Doest thou suffer and art nothing moved and we but suffer with thee and weepe to whom hee replyed I am quiet because I have often walked this way by meditation I have often dyed so no new thing happens unto me k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clim sca parad grad 6. The memory of death is a daily death and he that dies daily dies not discontentedly nothing betides him but what he hath before thought and he is well provided for it hee knows how to dye before he dyes and it nought amates him 2 It quickens our prayers as a spur to our devotion the soule the more it is abstracted from the body the neerer it draws to God and taking heat and warmth as it were from that fountain of light and life it is more active and vigorous in fervent affection 3 It is a sentinell upon the soule and keepes the good man that he consents not to any sin Titles of honour may court but they shall not coozen him Pleasures of the world may tempt but they shall not entangle him Affections of the flesh may flatter but they shall not entise him l Facile contemnit omnia qui semper cogitat se moriturum Hier. Ep. ad Paul Hee slights them all he is resolved to persevere in his integrity and to preserve himselfe unspotted as the spouse of Christ And cast an eye yet a little further thinke on judgement when thou must give an account m Luke 16.2 of thy Stewardship Not an evill action which thou hast unjustly committed but thou must answer for which though thou happily hast forgot yet are they not slipt out of the divine memory Dost thou not watch over my sin My transgression is sealed up in a bag and thou sowest up mine iniquity Job 14.17 When the Pharisees brought the adulteresse and accused her unto my Saviour he wrote upon the ground he speaks not but yet he writes sinner observe although God is silent yet he writes he seems to dissemble thy sin yet he records it and at last those records shall be produced and according to those things written in that booke shalt thou be judged Thy idle words vanish not nor dye in the aire they are breathed out into Yea thy vile thoughts shall not be smothered in thine own breast but as they are manifest and known to him who tryeth the heart and reines so shall they be filed upon thy account to answer for To conclude Thinke on the death of the righteous who lies down in peace