of a wall as those eighteene men slaine by Siloam Tower some by the cast of a stone as Abimelech some of a paine in their head as the Shunamits sonne some of a paine in their belly as Antiocâ—hus some of a Gowte â—n their feete as Asa â—ome by the priuate corruption of their owne distemperate humors some by distemperature of publicke humours which are corrupt lawes In a word so fraile a vessell is man that easily by innumerable wayes hee is broken and all these haue we seene before vs that for aâ—l them wee might be prepared making readie our selues to die referring the kinde of our death to the good pleasure of God Non est multum curandum necessariò morituro qua morte moriatur sed quò post mortem ire Compellatur since of necessity wee must die let vs not care much for the kinde of death but rather of the way which after death wee are to goe And for this cause did our blessed Sauiour vndergoe a cursed death that euery death might bee made blessed to them who die in the faith of the Lord. Be dissolued Last of all wee obserue here that the word which the Apostle vses being passiue wee are taught that men shold not bee violent Actors of their owne death but patient sufferers at the good pleasure of God In all the Booke of God there is not asillable allowing selfe-murther The law which forbids to kill dooth first of all forbidde to kill thy selfe I wil require saith the Lorde your bloode at the handes of Beastes at the handes of a man himselfe at the hands of euery brother will I require it And heereby that storie of the Maccabâ—es commending RAZIS for selfe murther may bee knowne to bee but a bastard breath being so discordant fâ—om the rest of Scripture breathed by diuine inspiration of the holy Ghost Ethnikes counted it magnanimity in desperate troubles to dispatch themselues but indeed it is pusillanimity that is a great mind which can endure trouble with patience and it is but a feeble spirit which being impatient of trouble seekes by selfe-murther to eschue it Properly did Ierome call such Martyres slultae philosphiae As to Samsons fact it was singular no more to bee followed then Abraham his offring of his sonne or Israels policie in spoyling the Egyptians which had their owne warrants but cannot warrant vs to transgresse the knowne and common commaundements of God Wee haue a building Now followes the second part of the verse conteyning the vantage we get by that exchange wee make in death to wit that by it wee are translated into a better building where before we enter into the wordes if it bee demaunded what then Is there no more to bee done to the bodie When it is dissolued must it lie still in Dust and Ashes And haue wee no further comfort concerning it The aunswere is that the comfort which here is giueÌ„ doth only concern the soule but if we wil conioyne with this other places of Scripture wee shall finde full and perfite comfort both for body and soule For not only know wee that our bodies shall bee raised vp againe in the last day but that when they shall sleepe in the graue the holy Ghost who now dwelles in them shall watch ouer them to preserue them to immortality from the time wee be dead our bodies are neglected and forsaken of these who loued vs most deerly in our life after that they haue laid vs in the graue they returne to eate and drinke and in their wonted manner to refresh themselues and within short time they quit all remembrance of vs But as to the Lord our God he will neuer nâ—glect nor forsake nor forget that body which he honored to bee his owne Temple dwelling in it by his holy spirite but wil keepe the very dust thereof till he restore it againe to life An example whereof wee haue in the fauourable dealing of God with Iacob who dyed in Egypt and was conueyed to Canaan by Ioseph and Pharaoh his Chariots yet vnto none of them wil God giue the praise of the buriall of Iacobs corps hee is not ashamed to take to himselfe according to the promise hee made vnto his seruant that he would not onely go with him downe to Egypt but also would bring him vp againe to Canaan therby declaring how pretious in his sight the death of his Saints is and how honorable he esteemes these bodies which haue bin the Temples of his holy spirit Now in these words wee haue three things to be considered first what is meant by this building secoÌ„dly how saies the Apostle that we haue it Thirdly what are the properties by which it is described By this building some vnderstands that immortall and glorified body which shal be giuen vs in heauen the same body in substance which now wee haue but transformed and made like vnto Christs glorious bodie and indeede vnto it agrees this description for that body is of God not made with handes not preserued by the helpe of secondarie meanes as is this body which was begotten by our father conceiued by our mother nourished and brought vp to the state wherein now it is by the helpe of hands and again where this mortall body is a temporal Tabernacle the immortall shall bee an eternall habitation All these are true but because our soules shall not dwell in these bodies till the resurrection they cannot bee meant here by this building to the which wee are transported incontinent after death By this building then wee are to vnderstand that place of glory which in the third heauens God hath prepared for his children called in the Gospell the euerlasting habitations and by our Sauiour his Fathers house wherin are many Mansions called by Saint Paul a Citie hauing a foundation whose builder and maker is God and by Saint Iohn called the New Ierusalem a City hauing the glorie of God in it a Citie foure squared in leÌ„gth breadth and height equall a Citie wherein al the Citizens sees the face of God through the streets wherof runs the water of life and in euery side thereof the tree of life this is the glorious building into the which our soules are carried by Angels so soone as they depart out of the body The second thing we proposed here to speak of was how is it that the Apostle saies We haue this building hee saies not we shal get it but that presently wee haue it The reason is because presently wee haue the rights and securities If worldlings account theÌ„selues sure enough of earthly inheritances wheÌ„they haue the charter seazing coÌ„firmation and possession of them how much more arewesure of that heaueÌ„ly building who haue already receiued all these rights and securities thereof from the Lord our God The Charter of our heauenly inheritance is the good worde of God wherein the
the Lord from the seruant the indweller from the lodger â—or in the iudgment of Gods spirit the body is no more but the house the man is hee that dwelles in the bodie and looke what difference there is betweene a house and him that dwelles in it such are wee to put betweene the soule and the body in exteriall dangers thogh the house bee burnt and blowne downe with windes if the indweller be safe we account that the losse is the lesse and much more if the soule escape when the house of the body is throwne downe by death are we to esteeme that the losse is but small It is reasonable indeed that the soule should loue the body but so that it neglect not the owne selfe let Aâ—am loue his Euah but so that hee hearken not vnto her voice more then to the Lords if we seeke the welfare of our bodies with neglect of our soules we shall lose theÌ„ both but if we subdue the body by discipline that the soule may be safe then shall the body also bee partaker of her glory Earthly The second general obserued here is that the Apostle cals our body an house of earth and this he doth for two causes first in regard of the matter for it was made of the earth next in regard of the means by which our bodies are continued and vpholden for they are earthly As to the first that man is made of earth which is manifest out of the second of Genesis it doeth highly commend the great power of the Creator to doe great thinges by great meanes is no great matter but when by smallest meanes greatest things are done it doth argue without all doubt the great excellency of the worker as that God made all things of nothing and that of the basest matter he had made before man hee made man a more excellent creature then any other that hee had brought out before him hee made him of clay but in many respects more honourable then that whereof he made him in this that he hath giuen to man Vt sit aliquid sua origine gloriosius Hee hath set out the glorie of his power and wisedome As likewise in that hee hath placed such a Grace and Maiestie in that same face which hee framed of Clay that the feare and terrour of him was vppon all liuing creatures which they acknowledged by their first comperance before him at his calling to receiue names from him as it pleased him to improue them and yet euen after the fall by the benefite of restitution wee haue in CHRIST they so reuerence man that albeit in nature there can bee none stronger then the Elephant stowter then the Lyon fiercer then the Tygre yet all these dooth seruice to man Et naturam suam humana institutione deponunt Secondly we learne heere GODS Soueraignty ouer man he is but a vessell of earth framed by the hand of God therfore VVoe must be vnto him if he striue with his Maker a vessell of clay is not so easily broken by the Potter as man is confounded by his Maker if once his wrath kindle in his breast against him It were therefore good for man before hee enter into enmitie with God to bethinke himselfe of an answere to that question of the Apostles Do ye prouoke God vnto anger are yee stronger then he The Sidonians would not make warre with Herod because they were nourished by the kings land and it might more iustly be a reason to keep vain man from waging battel with the Lord that he holds his life of the Lord that if he do but take his breth out of our nostrils wee fal incontinent as dead vnto the ground Surely of all follies in the world this is the greatest for a man to cast himselfe in danger of Gods wrath which he is neyther able by flying to eschâ—e nor yet by suffering to endure Thirdly the consideration of our originall learnes vs humility siâ—ce wee are of the earth why shal we wax proude specially for any quality of our body which was taken from the earth and must returne to earth againe Therefore God gaue vnto the first man the name of Adam signifying redde earth that as oft as hee heard his name he might remeÌ„ber his originall and and his posterity also considering the Rocke froÌ„ whence they came might let fall the comb of their naturall pride Which if we cannot learne by looking to our originall let vs at least remeÌ„ber our end it shall learne vs that we are but dust yea much more vile then common dust for as beautifull Snow when it is resolued into water whereof it was congealed becomes fouler water then any other else so man being turned again into earth it becomes viler earth then any other earth whatsoeuer so that the flesh which in life is most beloued death causes to be most abhorred Abraham loued Sarah well but froÌ„ the time that her soule departed from her bodie hee was glad to entreate the Hittites for a Sepulchre that hee might burie his dead out of his sight And truely if as Gregory councels vs Vnusquisque hoc quod viuum diligit quid sit mortuum pensaret euery man would pondâ—r what that creatur is being dead which so greatly man loueth while it liueth it would serue to represse in vs the immoderate desires of our affections O man why wilt thou bee bewitched with that which in the bodie seemes worthy to bee loued Is it for the strength or the beautie or stature therof that thou art delighted with it I pray thee consider what these are Is not the strength of the body weakenes Ere it be long the grashopper shall be a burden to the strongest And as to beauty is it not deceitfull All flesh is grasse and the glorie thereof as the flowre of the field As a wall of clay plastered ouer and painted after that a little winde and raine hath beaten vponit the Lime fals away and the clay appeareth so is it with the most pleasant bodie which now being trimmed with the colours of God seemes very beautifull but after that the storms and showers of diseases hath beaten vppon it then shall it appear that which it is to wit but Clay indeede and though for stature thou were like to the sonnes of Anack yet neither art thou for that the more pretious for the highest trees are not most fruitfull the mightie Oakes of Basan beares fruit for Swine where the little Vine-tree renders comfortable fruite for man neither can thy height protect thee against death for euen gold thristy Babel which grewe vp like a great tree so high that the fowles of heauen made their nests vnder it was at leÌ„gth broght to the graue like an abhominable branch so shall it bee with the pompe of all flesh the wormes shall be spread vnder thee and the Wormes shall couer
more shall it bee so in the last recoÌ„pense that either of themshal become a griefe and burden to others Here is then to bee taken vp that greate difference which is between the death of the Christian and of the worldling in the death of the wicked all sorts of deathes concurres â—hereas the Christian suffers but Aliquid mortis a peece of death to wit the dissolution of his earthly house the Serpent can doe no more to him but manducare terram eius fasten his teeth vpon his earthly parte as to the heauenly soule it falles not vnder the danger of death So that the vantage is greate which the Christian hath ouer his enemies in that the death which the wicked shall die the Christian is exempted from it but that parte of death which hee shall suffer and they are able to inflict vpon him they themselues shall shall not escape it Iezabel may make her vow to haue the head of Elijah but how little effect there is in such furie of flesh is manifest in that same example for God preserued his seruant safe and her own head was giuen in a prey to the dogges and they like the Burrios of the Lord deuoured her leauing nothing but the skull of her head and palms of her hands why then shall we bee affraid of them who are not exempted from that doome which in their greatest anger they giue vpon vs when it was tolde Anaxagoras the Philosopher that by his enemies meanes he was condemned to die he neuer troubled himself for the matter but made this answere Iam olim istam sententiam tulit natura in illos aeque ac in me that long since nature had giuen out the sentence of death vppon them as well as vppon him If such strength was in any Ethnik what should there bee in any Christian But beside this the excellent benefits wee receiue by death should confirme vs against all the terrors and paines thereof for first it relieues vs of much euill for by it our dayes of sinne are finished and wee are deliuered from the miseries of this life If wee had beene immortall in this this miserable mortality our estate had been most lamentable euen the Ethniks by the light of â—ature vnderstood that it was a great benefite that the bodie was but Mortale vinculuÌ„ animae a temporal or mortall band of the soule and they gaue the reason Ne semper huius vitae miserijs anima tener etur least the soule should be for euer deteyned vnder the miseries of this wretched life but praised bee God this comfort is made sure to vs by a clearer light that our soules shall not for euer be deteyned in the bodie as in a house of bondage but that shortly they shall bee deliuered and that in so wonderfull a manner that death which is the daughter of sinne shall become the destroyer of her owne mother for vnto the Christian death is a perfite mortification of all his earthly members Neither are we by it onely deliuered from euill but also entred to the fruition of our greatest good for as a cloud dissolued giues vs cleare sight of the Sun which before was obscured froÌ„ vs or as the doors of the prison being opened by the Angel made a faire way to Peter to come out and enter into IerusaleÌ„ so is it dissolutio corporis absolutio est animae the dissolution of the body is the absolution of the soule as the snare being broken the bird escapeth so the body being dissolued Euadit reclusa intus columba hoc est anima the soule hath a readie way to the face of God There is wrought by death as saith the Apostle both a dissolution and a coniunction The cause why death seemes terrible to many is for that they look to the dissolution and not to the coÌ„iunction the dissolution is of the soule froÌ„ the body the coniunction is of the soule with Christ if theÌ„ we be affraid when wee looke to the dissolution let vs also looke to the coniunction and be comforted I desire to bee dissolued there the dissolution and to be with Christ there the coniunction VVe vse commonly to call death a departure and so it is a departure from them who are deere vnto vs but to them who are more deere and therefore should we not so much be grieued at our departure from that company we leaue behinde vs as reioyced by thinking of that blessed fellowship which is before vs for we returne to our father from whom we came to our eldest brother whom we haue not yet seene but long to see him because we loue him to the company of innumerable Angels to the Congregation of the first borne and to the Spirits of iust and perfite men But here two things must bee remooued which impaire this comfort and makes death seeme much more terrible then it is indeede The first is the fear of punishment after death but in verie deede quid hoc ad mortem quod post mortem est Why shall death bee blamed for that which falles out after death Acerbitas non mortis est sed culpae the bitternesse is not in death but in sinne let a man therefore purge his conscience and death shall neither bee fearefull nor bitter vnto him As a Serpent wanting the sting may be put in our bosom without perrill so if sinne which is the sting of death be taken away wee may boldly welcome death yea embrace it without feare it cannot hurt vs. The other cause is that men apprehend death to be the destruction of man but in very truth it is not so but rather as I said the absolution of man it is neyther totall for it onely dissolues the bodie nor yet perpetuall Some Ethnikes falsly called it Aeternus Somnus it is a sleepe indeed but not eternall for in the resurrection the body shall bee wakened and raised vp againe so then Non mors ipsa sed opinio de morte est terribilis it is not death it selfe but an opinion of death which is terrible for since it translates vs from this present euill world vnto euerlasting life I know not said Nazianzen how it can be called death it being Nomine magis quaÌ„ re sormidabilis fearefull in name rather then in deede The separation of the soule from God that is death the separation of the soule from the body Vmbra tantummodo est mortis is onely the shaddow of death and therefore such as are dead not in â—he soule but in the flesh non vera morte sed vmbra tantum mortis oâ—eriri dicuntur are not said to be truely dead but only couered with the shaddow of death VVe are not then to looke vpon death in the glasse of the lawe but in the mirrour of the Gospel life looked vpon with the eyes of nature seemes a better thing then it is couered as it
shame and confusion should be vpon vs and if wee preuent it not we may certainly looke for it Quo enim diutius expectat Deus eo districtius indâ—cabit The second reason that hath mooued the godly sometime to desire a prolongation of their daies is that they might doe the greater good in the body and therefore Dauid considering that they who are gone to the graue cannot praise God to witâ—punc as we doe who are clad with our bodies on earth â—e praies God to releeâ—e him of the heauie sicknesse vndeâ— which he lay And this same also made the holy Apostle to doubt what he should chuse whether to liue in thâ— flesh or to bee loosed from the body thâ— one beeing best foâ— himselfe the othâ—r better for the Church oâ— God And herein alsâ— we are admonished to embrace the Apostleâ— counsell while ye haue time be doing good to all men eâ—pecially to them who are of the family of faith and our Sauiours warning that wee should worke so long as the twelue howers of the day laste But this conuinces thâ— blockish stupiditie of many whom God hath suffred to liue but they do no more praise him nor if they were dead and buried And the thiâ—d motiue is the loue of the body Ineffahilis enim est animi ad corpus affectus And no maruell is it that the soul be loath to sunder from the owne body consâ—dering that the body was created in the greate wisedome and goodnesse of God to bee a companion to the soul and this reason the Apostle touches heere in the subsequent words while he saith because wee would not bee vnclothed for heerein hee declares that the cause why with sighing hee desired to bee clothed with his hoâ—se which is from heauen was not any mislâ—king hee had of the body for hee protests now if it might please the Lord he desired not to want it And this desire in it selfe is not euill otherway it could not bee in those soules which are glorified in heauen for euen they long for their bodies as beeing imperfect without them for by the first creation â—s I said they were made companions and therefore the one of them without the other cannot rest in contentment the body without the soule it is as we see but a dead stocke or carrion of flesh whatsoeuer thing is pleasant in the body be it quicknesse of sense agilitie colour or beauty it hath it all of the presence of the soul in it the soule againe suppose glorified in heauen yet rests not in full contentment till it bee revnitâ—d againe with the body declaring therby that without it it cannot be perfited Consortium enim carnis spiritus non requireret si absque illa consummaretur The soule would not desire the fellowship of flesh if without it it could be perfited but God hath so prouided that souls without their bodies nec velint nec valeant consummari neither will nor can be consummat And therefore is it that the souls while they haue their bodies desire not to want them and while they want them are not content till againe they receaue them And of al this we are warned what great neede wee haue to prepare our selues in time with willingnesse to remoue out of the body for since the Apostle protests that it was greuous to him to suffer the want of his body wee may easily thinke that in regarde of our greater infirmities it wil be much more greeuous vnto vs and therefore are wee to endeuour by grace to make our selues willing to die since by nature we are so vnwilling to it And to this end let vs reuerence the working of our God who seasons the pleasures of our life with many paines and giues vs much bitternesse as Nahomi spake of herselfe to abate the comfort of our beauty while as by heauy troubles crosses hee makes our life vnpleasant and our bodies a burden to our selues This the Lord doth for no other ende but that wee may bee made coÌ„tent willingly to quit our bodies for a time whereas other way if they continued in their vigour and health we wold be loath to want them That mortality might be swallowed vp The Apostle makes cleare in these words that which he hath spoken before obscurely hee wishes so to enter into life if it might please the Lord that he went not to it by the way of mortality but so that mortality might be swallowed vp of that life hee desires not then to keepe still the body and sinne and death in the body this were to put on a garment of immortality vpon the rotten ragges of mortall flesh this were to desire to be glorious without while in the meane time filthy rottennesse and corruption is within the Apostle craues no such thing neither indeede can any such thing be but his desire is so to haue his body preserued and translated into that life that sinne in the body and mortality flowing from sinne were swallowed vp in such sort that no footestep neither of the one nor of the other were â—emaining in the body And this desire also at the length wil be performed in all the children of God when â—his triumphant song shall bee put in their mouthes O Death where is thy Sting O' Graue where is thy victory The Sting of Death is Sinne the strength of Sinne is the Law But thankes bee to God who hath giuen vs victory through our Lord Iesus Againe wee are to marke here the excellencie of that life whereunto wee are begotten againe that it is such a life as shall swallow vp all mortality and not suffer so much as any antecedent or consequent of death to remaine in vs The Apostle saieth that death hath raigned from the dayes of Adam like a tyrant swallowing vp in the wide mouth gulfe of mortalitie al generations that haue beene sensyne like the great depth of the Ocean supping vp in her bosome al the riuers of the earth but there wil be a chaÌ„ge for that life for which we hope shal at length swallow vp Mortality death in her bosome all the paines and dolors that goes before it all the rottennesse and corruption that followes after it yea not so much as a teare shall be left in the face of Gods children far les shall any remanents of that poyson wherewith Satan infected our nature bee left in it the Lord shall so illuminate vs with his light that no darkenesse shall be left in vs he shal so reuiue and quicken vs with his life that death shall vtterly bee abolished and he shall so refresh vs with the ioy of his countenance that all sorrow shall flye away yea so wonderfull shall the change be that as a drop of water powred into a great quantity of Wine doth lose the vâ—ry nature of it dum saporem vini inauit colorem and
except they bee sent I will not so be content with preaching that I neglect prayer because the ministrie is of men but the grace is from God neither will I so depend on prayer that I despise preaching for hee can neuer receaue grace froÌ„ God who despises the means by which it pleases God to giue it Now as to the fourth whereof wee promised to speake it is a point most necessary to bee knowne for our comfort how we may know whether if or not wee haue receiued this spirit there are many in this age who haue heard the Testimony of God in his Gospell who as yet haue not receiued the seale and Testimony A very lamentable thing indeed for albeit the Gospell be a doctrine of ioyful tydings yet what comfort can it bring to theÌ„ who are not assured they belong vnto theÌ„ The Apostle writing to the Corinthians thaÌ„ks God not onely for that they had hard the word but because the testimony of God was confirmed vnto theÌ„ suchlâ—ke to the â— phefiaÌ„s he thaÌ„ks God not onely for that they heard the word of truth which is the Gospel of saluation but álso for that after they had beleeued they were sealed with the holy spirit of promise but truly as the disciples at Ephesus being asked if they had receiued the holy Ghost answered we know not if there be such a thing as an holy Ghost so is it with many in this age who haue heard the gospel which is the testimonie of Gods loue if they bee asked whether if or not they haue receaued the earnest of the Spirit which is the seale and confirmation of the testimonie shall bee found not to knowe what the earnest of the Spirit is But now to shew in one worde how it may be knowne wheâ—her if or not wee haue receaued him let vs remember that the same holy Spirit which is heere called the earnest of God is also called the seale of God Now the nature and vse of a seale is that it leaues behinde it in that which is stamped by it and impression of that same forme which it hath in it selfe Euen so also the Spirit of God imprints the very image of God in the hearts of so many as are sealed by him in which sense the Apostle sayes that the Romanes were deliuered vnto a forme of doctrine whereunto from the heart they had been obedient thereby declaring that euen as wax is made conforme to the print of the seale vnto which it is deâ—iuered so the hearts of the Godly are made conforme to the Image of God so soone as they are stamped with his holy spirit So that they who liue licenâ—iously after the lusts of the flesh declare themselues to be of their father the deuill because as our Sauiour said to the carnall Iewes they doe his workes and it is but a lying presumption when the like to these men dare say that they haue receiued the earnest of the spirit VER 6. Therefore we are bold FOllowes now the 2. conclusioÌ„ which the certain knowledge of that glory to come wrought in the Apostle to wiâ—te a contentment with boldnes to remooue out of the body that hee might dwel with the Lord and this hath in it more tâ—en is in the former for where in the 1. he protested only he had a desire to that glory yet so that he had no wil to want the body but now hee goes further considering that hee was not able to enioy them both together he protests he was gladly conteÌ„t to remoue out of the body that hee might dwell with the Lorde This meaning of the wordes shall bee cleare if after the sixt verse wee reade the eight passing by the parenthesis which is in the seuenth verse The word the Apostle vses heere signifies such a boldnes as stout-hearted men vse to set against great daungers for where there is no cause of feare where can the praise of boldnesse be there is then will the Apostle say matter of great feare in death I see before mee a terrible deepe and gulfe of mortality through which I must goe many fearefull enemies with whom I must fight before I wonne to my Lord yet am I not affraid to encounter with them Against me is Satan with his principalities powers and spirituall wickednesse but I know that the seede of the woman hath brused the head of the Serpent Against mee are a greate multitude of my sinnes â—nd the terrors of a gilty conscience but I know that Christ hath once suffered for sinnes the iust for the vniust that â—ee might bring vs to God so that now there is no condemnation to tâ—em which are in him Against me stands in my way dreadfull death with the horrors of the graue but I know my Lord hath taken away the sting of death and spoiled the graue of victorie Shall I then bee afraide No certainely but through the vally of death will I walke with boldnâ—s â—ill I come to the Lord my God And this boldnesse against death in the godly proceedes not onely from the sure knowledgâ— of a better life but from the present sense and feeling of the same life begunne in them which they know cannot be extinguished by death Notable examples haue we therof in all ages to proue that it is no vaine content but the effectuall power of God working in his children Ignatius Bishop of Antioch beiâ—g brought to Rome in the third persecution which was vnder Traian gaue a proofe of his boldnesse for being condemned to be cast to the beasts to bee deuoured by them hee gaue this answere nihil visibilium nihil inuisibilium moror modo Christum acquiram I stand sayes hee vpon nothing visible nothing inuisible so that I may finde and obtaine the Lord Iesus let fire come let the crosse let beasts let the breaking of my bones the convulsion of my members the grinding of my body yea let all the torments of Satan come vpon me I care not for them so that I may inioy the Lord Iesus And Policarpe who suffered in the fourth persecution vnder Aurelius Antoninus beeing brought to the place of execution and desired by the Emperours Deputy to blaspheme Christ and he would let him goe answered these fourescore and sixe yeares haue I serued Christ and haue found him a good Master to mee how then can I curse my king who hath saued me But if ye will not saide the deputy I will cast thee to wilde Beasts who shall teare thee Call them when thou wilt said the Martyr it is fixed and determinat with mee that from good thinges by repentance I will neuer goe back vnto worse But if ye feare not beasts said the Deputy I shall bridle and danton you with fire thou boasts me said the Martyr with a fire that burnes for an houre and shortly after will be extinguished but knowes not that fire of the iudgement to
presence of euill whereof now we would faine be releeued and yet it lyeth still vpon vs. Concerning this last it is a notable saying the Apostle hath we are now in heauines through manifold tentations that the tryall of our faith being much more precious then Gold when it is tryed by fire might bee found to our praise honour and glory at the appearing of Christ there we see that the end of euills which now are suffered to lie vpon vs is the tryall of our faith and thaâ— for our owne greater praise and glory for where no fire is how can gold bee purged where no trouble is how can faith be tryed and where faith is not yet tryed how can it be praised And as to the other when these good things which God hath promised are not seene of vs but hidden from our eyes and delayed to bee performed vnto vs this is also for the tryall of our faith for where we see saluation what praise â—s it to beleeue but where we can neither see nor feele thâ—â—e good things which God hath promised but rather are exercised with contrary terrours and feares if yet wee still cleaue to the truth of the wordofgod that certainely is an argument of a great faith and such was the faith of that woman of Canaan who beeing not onely refused but as it were disdainefully reiected by Christ did so trust vnto the truth of Gods word that constantly shee looked foâ— mercy at the hand oâ— Christ who strongly by word had denied it vnto her and therefore receiued this commendation in the end O woman great is thy faith Thus we see how in â—he children of God all these hinderances which wee hâ—ue to stay vs from beleeuing do so much the more commend and approue our faith vnto God Wee loue rather Of two loues wee see in the Apostle the stronger ouercomming the weaker he loued his body protested before he had no will to want it but he loued the Lord Iesus better then his body and therfore perceiuing that hee cannot now enioy them both together for while hee was in the body he was absent from the Lord he is now very wel content to remoue out of the body that he might dwell with the Lord there is nothing naturally a man loues more then his body nothing he feares more then death because it imports a dissolution of his body but where the loue of Christ is strong in the heart it casts out not onely the feare of death but ouer comes also all other loue whatsoeuer And here haue wee a point of holy wisedome discouered vnto vs by which we may cure that vnquietnesse of minde which arises in vs of the wandring of our affections after secondary obiects the best way to remedy it is to set our affections vpon the right obiects if the loue of the creature haue snared thee set thy loue on the Lord and bend thy affection toward him and the otheâ— shall not troble thee If the feare of men terrifie thee learne to sanctifie the Lord God in thine hart make him thy feare and and thou shalt not feare what flesh can doe vnto thee and if the care of the world disquiet thee cast thy care vpon God and labour by continuance in prayer how to feele the sense of his loue toward thee in Christ and thou shalt finde that where the one care like thornes did pricke thee with sorrowes the other shall bring contentment peace and ioy vnto thee But to returne when we consider this strong loue of Christ that was in the Apostle wee we haue great cause to be ashamed of that weak and little loue which in our heartes wee feele towardes our LORD how many this day professe that they loue him who for his loue will not want the superfluities of this life and what hope then is there that for his sake they will lay down the life it selfe if smaller crosses be vnpleasant to vs and his loue be not so strong in vs as to make vs reioice in them how shall death be welcommed of vs wherin there is a concurse of all crosses into one Wee must therefore learne for the loue of Christ to inure our selues with the beginnings of mortification not onely to slay the vnlawful affections but also to want ouâ— wills euen in those things which are lawful that so by degrees we may be inabled willingly to want the body and all that euer we loued in the body for Iesus Christs sake To remooue out of the body Two manner of waies in this treatise doth the Apostle discribe death first in regard of that which it doth to the body and then he calleth it a dissolution of our earthly Tabernacle Next in regard of that which it doth to the soule and so he calles it a remouing out of the body so that if we will think of death as the spirit of God doth teach vs there is no cause why wee should bee discouraged with it Againe we see heare that the death of the godly is a voluntary remoouing out of the bcdy to dwell with the Lord as to the wicked like as they liue in disobedience so they die in disobedience their death is involuntary that which is spoken of that one wicked rich man O foole this night they will take thy soule from thee is true in all the wicked their spirits are taken from them against their will exeunt istinc necessitatis vinculo non voluntatis obsequio whereas the Godly willingly commend their spirits into the handes of GOD offering vp both soule and body to him in death in a full free and voluntarie oblation This difference betweene the death of the Godly and wicked men may be commodiously shadowed by the fourth comming of Pharao his Butler and Baker out of prison whereof the one knew he shold be restored to serue the king his Master and therefore went out with ioy the other knew by Iosephs Prophesies hee should be hanged within three dayes and therefore if it had beene giue to his choice would still haue remained in prison rather then to haue come foorth to be hanged euen so is it with the godly who are certified before hand that they are receiued into fauor and after death shall haue plaâ—â— to stand about the throne of God there to serue him by praising him continually are well content wheÌ„ the Lord cals them to remoue out of the body whereas the other having receiued a sentence of condemnation within themselues no maruaile they go out of the body with feare and trembling like malefactors going from the prison to the place of execution vincti impliciti catenis variorum peccatorum ad terribâ—le illud iudicium trahuntur Or otherway if at any time the wicked bee willing to dye it is not for any loue or knowledge they haue that they shall be with the Lord but either els because they are impatient of
must looke to other of the Fathers who dâ—ed the common course of death Gen. 27.1 Gen. 49.33 The godly also aliue at Christs comming shal not be dissolued But we haue no warrant that wee shall be of that number For before Chriâ—ts comming the Iâ—wes must be recallâ—d Rom. 11.24 It is out of al doubt our bodies must be dissolued by death Heb. 13.14 Al fortification against death is in vaine Deu. 28. marg As Adam was the first liuing man so the first that died by the course of nature But now so many haue gone through death before vs that it is a shame for vs to scare at it Seneca By the earthly house our body here is to be vnderstood For two causes is our body called an house I For the câ—mly and orderly workmanship thereof Other creatures were made by the word of God but to the making of man God put too his hand also And consultation among the persons of the blessed Trinity goes before Basil hexam hâ—m 10. Tortul de resur car This preparation before shewes that some great thâ—ng was to follow as it did indeed Aug. de ciuit Dei l. 10. cap. 12. Man an excellent workmanship euen iâ— respect of his bodie Gregor mâ—ral l. 32. Sect 13. Bernard A short view of the excelleÌ„t workmanship of mans body as it is giuen by Salomon Psal. 139. Man euen in regard of his body is a world of wonders Eccles. 12. VVe should not dâ—shonour the bodie which God hath honouredso highly 2 The bodie is called a house in respect of the soule dwelling in it Man for his two substances whereof he consists is a compend of all Gods creatures But the coniunction of these two substances is more marueilous Bern. in die â— Natal dom er 2. Nazian That flâ—sh and spirit should agree so well together That the soule shâ—uld be kept in the bodie by blood and breth yet not liuing by them Carnal men so liue as if they were nothing but flâ—sh onely Ierem. 15. VVhâ—reas the body is but the house the man is he who dwels in the bodie Let vs so care for the house that much more wâ—â—â—re for him who dwâ—ls in it The bodie is called an earthly house First because it was made of the earth And herein appeares Gods power and wisdome that of so base a matter hath made so excellent a creature Tertul. de resurrect car Gen. 2. Ambros. hexam l. 6. cap. 6. The soueraignty of God ouer man is more thâ—n that which the Potter hath ouer his clay 1. Cor. 10.22 Therefore wo to him who liues in â—nmity with God Act. 12 20. The consideration of our originall does leâ—rne vs humility They who will not learn it by their originall â—et them looke to their end and they shal see no cause of pride Gen. 23.4 Greg. moral l. 16. sect 105 Neither is there strength nor beauty nor stature of the body to be delighted in Esa. 40.6 The body like a wall of clay plastered ouer and painted with colours Esa. 14.11.19 Remâ—mbrance of that which we haue bin should keepe vs from waxing proud for that which we arâ— Secondly the bâ—dy is called an earthly house because it is vphoâ—den by earthly meanes Our body is called a Tabâ—rnacle first because we haue here a couering but not a foundation Ber. parui Sermones Esa. 4.6 Heb. 11. Ibid. Sâ—condly because we should vse it as a Sconse or Tent for the warfare Basil. ser. 10. in Psal. qui habitat Thirdly because it is not fixed in one place as an house but is made for transporting That death whâ—rein all deaths concurre is the proper punâ—shment of sinne Aug. de ciuit Dei l. 13. cap 12. Of the two kindes of death mentioned in holy scripture Eph 4. Eph. 2. 2. Tim. Reuel 3. Death of the whole man what it is It is demanded seeing the soule and body of the wicked shâ—ll be vniâ—ed in the resurrectâ—on how shall they be punished with the second death Gregor moral l. 15. Sect 55. It is answered that this â—nion of their â—oule and body is for their greater punishment Aug. de ciuit dei l. 13. c. 13 A great difference betweene the death of the Christian and the wicked The Christian shall neuer die that death which is the punishment of the wicked And the wicked cannot free themselues of that death which they inflict on the godly â— beside that a worse abides them By death we get deliuerance from our present euils Aug. de ciuit Dei l. 9. cap. 10. VVhat a great benefit it is that our bodies are mortall By death we are set at libertie to enioy our greatest good Aug. de ciuit dei l. 9. c. 20. Athanas in qâ—estionibus quaest 18. Many lookes to the dissolution but not to the coniuction made by death and therefore are affraid at it Two things remoued which make death fearefull 1 The feare of punishment after death Ambr. de bono mortis c. 8 But indeede death is not to be blamed for thatwhich comes after it 2 An apprehension that death destroyes man Ambros. ibid. Death it self is not terrible but the opinion of death Nazian orat de funere patris Greg. moral l. 4. sect 47. Death should not be looked vpon in the glasse of the law but in the mirrour of the Gospell Comfortable phrases by which death is described by the spirit of God Gen. 25.8 Deu 31.16 Psal. 16.9 Luke 2. Pet. 1.14 S. Paul expresses the nature of our death by thrâ—e similitudes 1. He compares it to the changing of a garment To the sowing of seed in the earth thaâ— it may grow againe 1. Cor. 15. 3 To a flitting from one house to another Albeit death be certaine yet the time place and kinde thereoâ— is vncertaine Many dreame of more daies theÌ„ they haue are far deceiued at the length Aug. Ber. de fallatia vitae praesentis Time of our death left vncertaine to make vs the more vigilant Gregor The life of man is but a life that turnes vpon seuen daies and in one of them man must die Therefore shâ—ld he take heed to them all The place of death vncertaine VVe can come to no place in the which some haue not died before vs. Bernard The kinde of death is also vncertaine that for all deaths we might be prepared VVe come all into the world by one way but we go out of it by many VVe should not much care for the kind of death but for the way we goe after death Aug. de ciuit dei l. 1. c. 11. Men should not be violeÌ„t actors of their owne death but patient sufferers Gen. 9. 2. Mac 14. A selfe murtherer neuer allowed but condemned in holy scripâ—â—re The second parâ— oâ—â—he verse conteynes the vantage we â—aue by death The comfort giuen here against death concernes the soule onely Comfort concerning the losse of our bodies by death is to be sought â—n other places of Scripture The Lord will noâ— forsake that body whiâ—h was