is some euill for the righteous to dwell among ill neighbours It greatly greeueth them to see others commit sinne and dishonour God Lot being righteous and dwelling among the Sodomites in seeing hearing their vnlawfull deeds vexed his righteous soule from day to day And Dauid said Mine eyes gush out with riuers of water because they keep not thy law And also woe is me that I remaine in Meshech and dwell in the tents of Keaar Hee which is truelie grieued for sin in himselfe wil also be grieued for sinne in others Now the world is so fraught with sinners that if a man would not keepe companie with fornicators or with the couetous or with extortioners or with idolaters then as Paul saith he must go out of the world Death therefore frees men from this euill because it taketh them out of the world and suffereth them not to behold eyther the sinnes which men commit against God or the euils which God doth bring vpon them yea death doth carrie them into heauen to the holie angels and spirits of iust and perfect men which sinne not at all but fulfill the will of God in all perfection They shall haue cause to reioyce for them and not to be grieued at them There be also extraordinarie euils from which the righteous are deliuered by death and those are extraordinarie iudgements which the Lord bringeth vpon the people and countrie where they dwelt for some late and grieuous sins Thus was a young child of Ieroboam dealt withall The Lord threatned to bring euill vpon the house of Ieroboam and to sweepe off the remnant of his house as a man sweepeth away dung til it be all gone Yea the dogs should eate him of Ieroboams stocke that died in the Citie and the foules of the aire should eate him that died in the field yet that childe should die in his bed and all Israel as it is said shall mourne for him for he onlie of Ieroboam shall come to the graue because in him there is found some goodnes toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Ieroboam Thus also was good king Iosiah dealt withall The Lord told him before hand because thine heart melted and they hast humbled thy selfe hast rent thy clothes and wept before mee behold therefore I will gather thee to thy fathers and thou shalt be put in thy graue in peace and thine eyes shall not see all the euill which I will bring vpon this place And thus was Luther dealt withall as some haue obserued who was taken away in peace not long before the Lord brought that miserable calamitie vpon Germanie which he had often foretold would come vpon that people for the contempt of the Gospel Who also desired that hee might be called out of the world before he saw those grieuous punishments which hee greatly feared Though this be no perpetuall law for sometime the righteous perish in the common destruction among the wicked as Ionathan did with Saul other Israelites in battell against the Philistims And in the Pestilence Christians haue dyed with the Infidels Sometime God spareth the wicked for the righteous mens sake which liue among them The Lord promised Abraham that if he could finde ten righteous men â—n Sodome hee would not destroy the citie for those tennes sake And Iob sayd The innocent shall deliuer the yland and it shall be preserued by the purenes of his hands Yea wheate and tares must grow together till the haruest that is good and bad must liue together in the world vntil the end of the world Yet oftentimes God pluckes his children out of fire which shall consume the wicked and prouides a place of safety for them in heauen before he powre forth his iudgements vpon the earth Lot was commaunded to make haste vnto the citie of Zoar to saue him there because the Lord could doe nothing vnto Sodom till hee was come thither And when the Lord would destroy Ierusalem for the abominations committed in it he shewed to the Prophet in a vision the destroyers comming forth with their weapoÌ„s to destroy yet they must not touch any vntill they were all marked in their fore heads which mourned for all the abominations done in the midst of it And the destroying Angels must not hurt the earth neither the sea nor the trees till the seruants of God were sealed in their foreheads As the righteous are carefull to serue the Lord so is he carefull to preserue them As they haue not bin partakers with the common sort in the practise of sin so shall they not bee partakers with them in suffering punishment He takes them from among the wicked and then executeth his iudgements vpon the wicked alone The Egyptians did vse to gather their corne out of the fields and laid it vp in their barnes and then caused the Israelites to gather the stubble to make bricke withall and in some Countreys Farmers first carry the corne into their barnes and then burne the stubble in the field where it growes so the Lord first gathereth the righteous into the kingdome of heauen and then consumeth the wicked on the earth It is farre from the iudge of all the world to slay the righteous with the wicked 1. In this respect those which suruiue the righteous haue iust cause to feare some present euils and labour by vnfained repentance if it be possible to preueÌ„t them Their death is a plaine prognostication of some euils to come and should be as a trumpet to awaken others out of the sleepe of sinne Many of the wicked reioyce when the godly are taken away froÌ„ them they loue their roomes better then their company they hated them and their profession in their life time because as they say they are not for our profit and they are contrary to our doings they checke vs for offending against the law it grieueth vs to looke vpon them for their liues are not like other men and therefore at their death they are glad that they are rid of them when indeede they haue greater cause to howle and weepe for the miseries that shall come vpon them The righteous need not to imitate the vngodly practise of Herod who being ready to dye thinking that his death would be a great ioy to many shut vp in prison some noble men of euery towne and required his sister Salome her husband Alexa that so soone as he was dead they should kil those noble men and then all Iudaea would lament his death The Lord himselfe doth often make the death of the righteous to be lamented by sending of extraordinary iudgements immediatly after their death When Noah enters into the Arke the world is drowned with the floud when Lot departs out of Sedome it is burnt with fire 2 In this respect also yâ— righteous haue no cause to feare death but rather to desire it for what is it
professors In Sionis gaudium Anglo-Papistarum luctum Amen Amen FINIS A BRIEF DISCOVRSE OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE and death of Mistris Katherin Brettergh late wife of Master William Brettergh of Bretterghoult in the Countie of Lancaster Gentleman who departed this world the last of May. 1601. With the manner of a bitter conflict she had with Satan and blessed conquest by Christ before her death to the great glorie of God and comfort of all beholders Micha 7. 8. Reiovce not against me O mine enemies though I fall I shall rise againe And when I sit in darkenes the Lord shall be a ligâ—â— vnto me Psalm 37. 37. Marke the vpright man and behold the iust for the end of that man is peace LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston 1602. TO THE CHRISTIAN Reader grace and peace in Iesus Christ. WHen Achimaaz the sonne of Zadoc requested that he might be the messenger to bring Dauid word of Absoloms death Ioab would not suffer him Thou shalt not saith he be the messenger to day but thou shalt cary newes another time but to day thou shalt cary none for the Kings sonne is dead He knew Dauids affection was such that the newes of his childs death would be most heauie to him and the messenger himselfe not welcome for his message sake This is all our infirmity no tidings more grieuous to vs then when wee heare of the death of those whom wee loue The Parent bewayles his Child the Husband his Wife the Friend laments the death of his Friend and we thinke it the losse of another friend to depart with this our griefe Iacob mourned for Ioseph his son that he would not be comforted of a long season but thought he would weepe for him as long as he liued When the Amalekites had burned Ziklag and led away captiue the mens wiues and their children Dauid and his company wept till they could weepe no more When Lazarus dred his sisters Martha and Mary were much discomforted for him Gâ—egory Nazianzen reports that when Basil the great died euen the wisest men in the city stroue to exceede one another in weeping and complaining for his death And as for my selfe saith he now I am bereaued of the fellowship of such a man what shall I do but either dye or liue in miserie Which way shall I turne me What shall I do What counsell shall I take now I haue lost him that was my comfort So heauy a thing we see it is to be seuered for a time from those that are deere vnto vs. One only thing there is which is able in this case much to temper our affections when we see our friend to die in the Lord that is in comfort of conscience assurance of saluatioÌ„ through Christ. And this his comfort he expresseth outwardly vnto vs by performing those duties which are required of a man when he dyes and so he makes a ioyfull and a holy end When our friend departeth this life in this maner we haue iust cause to take his death the more comfortably And thus it pleaseth God many times to stirre vp some especiallie such as in their life time haue a care to pursue Religion and to keep themselues vndesiled of the world at their death to expresse wonderfull comfort of spirit and to shew forth such fruit of Religion that we wonder at it and acknowledge the extraordinary worke of Gods spirit in them They wrastle against temptations they confesse their faith feele the assurance of their saluation condemne their sinnes exhort the beholders praise God sing Psalmes wish to dye that in their death they are better Christians then euer they were in their life This blessed departure God giues to many for diuers good purposes 1. That the world may know that peace is the end of the iust and comfort in death is the portion of the righteous 2. That his eternall truth in our holy profession may appeare to be able to comfort vs not onely in our life but in our death also when all other comforts forsake vs. 3. That our enemies may see our faith is not in vaine 4. That the weake by their example may be incouraged to a holy life when they see it bring with it so happie a death and that they may be strengthened against the feare of death seeing it is alwaies comfortable to those that leade a godly life 5. and finally that the friends of the departed by their heaueÌ„ly departure may be admonished not to mourne so much for their death as to reioyce for their life and to thanke God that euer it was their lot in any degree to be ioined or matched with so blessed seruants of God This Gentlewoman Mistresse Katherine Brettergh was one of this number her life as long as God continued it was deere to those among whom she was as the life of a friend might be Her husband friends kinsfolks brethren sisters and all the godly that knew her inioyed a great blessing of God of her and her death no doubt was grieuous to her husband as the death of a vertuous yoke-fellow And if worldly affection would haue holpen it it was the same in him that Dauids was to Absolom his sonne when he mourned for his death O my sonne Absolom my sonne my sonne Absolom would to God I had dyed for thee ô Absolom my sonne my sonne But sure her death was such her behauiour in her sicknes so religious her heart so possessed with comfort her mouth so filled with the praises of God her spirit so strengthened against the feare of death her conquest so happy ouer her infirmities that such as loued her most haue greatest cause to reioyce in her death and by seeing the wonderfull worke of God in her to learne to renounce their owne affections This is the thing I thought with profit might be presenâ—â—d to the view of others also that knew her not for when I had for my own priuate vse and the vse of my friends faithfully collected out of the fresh memories of those that were present and eye-witnesses as wel as my selfe and set downe the manner of her sicknes and death I considered that the knowledge thereof could not but be welcome to al those that desire to die the death of the righteous And so the same causes that moued me to collect it gaue me also occasion to publish it I remembred the saying of one That it is great pietie to set foorth the vertues of the departed if they haue excelled therein yea it is a meanes to increase grace in our selues I thought so great mercie of God shewed to one among vs ought not to be forgotten but should remaine to vs our childre an example to teach vs how good God is to them that loue him and to assure vs that he will neuer forsake vs but in like manner as he did her helpe and comfort vs when we shall by death be called vnto him I considered the vngodly
C. BRETTERG DEATHS ADVANTAGE LITTLE REGARDED AND THE soules solace against sorrow Preached in two funerall Sermons at Childwal in Lancashire at the buriall of Mistris Katherin Brettergh the third of Iune 1601. The one by William Harrison one of the Preachers appointed by her Maiestie for the Countie Palatine of Lancaster the other by William Leygh Bachelor of Diuinitie and Pastor of Standish Whereunto is annexed the Christian life and godly death of the said Gentlevvoman The second Edition corrected and amended PHIL. 1. 21. Christ is to me both in life and in death aduantage REVEL 12. 17. Then the dragon vvas vvroth vvith the VVoman and vvent and made vvarre vvith the remnant of her seede vvhich keepe the commaundements of God and haue the testimonie of Iesus Christ. AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston 1602. TO THE CHRISTIAN Reader grace and peace in Christ be multiplied IF any doe wonder why I would presume to publish this rude Sermon in these bright Sun-shine daies of the Gospell wherein so many learned bookes profitable treatises be alreadie set forth by others and yet are little regarded by the people I wish them to vnderstand that I was drawne hereunto by the importunitie of some who hearing it preached earnestly desired to haue it printed their request being importunate and yet reasonable I could not well deny it And yet I hope it wil not be hurtful to any but profitable to sorâ—e I know that speaking hath alwaies been accounted more powerfull than writing and therfore Papias a companion of Polycarpus thought he did not profit so much by the writings and bookes of the Apostles followers as by the authoritie of the persons and the liuely voyce of the speakers And Hierome said that the liuely voyce had a secret force and being powred from the mouth of the speaker into the eares of the hearer hath a stronger and more powerful sound Whereupon Aeschines when he had read the oration which Demosthenes had made against him and perceiued that the people did greatly wonder at the force and excellencie of it answered them What would you haue thought if you had heard him pronounce it with his owne mouth Yet writing hath his vse and profit both for the instruction of those which did not heare the doctrine deliuered by liuelie voyce and also for the helpe of their memories which before heard it Our Sermons are like an vntimely fruite which dieth so soone as it is borne they are forgotten so soone as they are heard And therefore as Paul was not grieued to write the same things to the Philippians but thought it a sure thing for them so wee neede not to be ashamed to write those things which before we preached that the people may the better vnderstand and remember the same Moreouer I was willing to giue a publike testimonie of that godly Gentlewomans death at whose buriall it was preached to cleere her from the slanderous reports of her popish neighbors who will not suffer her to rest in her graue but seeke to disgrace her after her death It is not vnknowne to them which either reade the histories of these later times or are acquainted with popish practises that the religioÌ„ of Papists was first set vp and is still maintained by crueltie and lyes By crueltie in murthering the Martyrs in persecuting the Protestants and now of late in these parts in beating and wounding the bodies in killing spoyling the cattell of those which withstand them by publike authoritie By lyes in teaching forged miracles to confirme their owne doctrine and in spreading abroad false reports against our best professors to hinder our doctrine as they haue bitterly reuiled them for the course of their liues so haue they most shamefully slaundered them for the manner of their death It would make a mans eares to tingle to heare what malitious slaunders and manifest vntruths some of the Romish faction haue published concerning the death of Luther of Caluine and Bucer worthie instrumeÌ„ts of Gods glorie and faithfull teachers of his truth As also concerning the death of the Lord Cobham of Richard Hunne of Thomas Bilney and of Perotine Massie holie Martyrs which sealed the truth of Christ with their owne blood Yea haue not some of that sect scattered abroad slaunderous Libels of Master Beza his reuolting at his death when he was liuing and able to answere them with his own hand-writing No marueile therefore though their followers treading in their steps do now vniustly reproch them which professe the same doctrine and being dead indeede cannot answere for themselues It were better for them with Balaam to desire to die the death of the righteous then thus to slander them after their death I will not blame them with cursed speaking seeing Michael the Archangell would not so deale with the diuell but I shall pray vnto the Lord to forgiue them and to open their eyes that they may see his truth And God grant that we which now professe his truth may so liue and die as that we may giue them no occasion to speake euill of it Amen Thine in the Lord WILLIAM HARRISON Analysis of Deaths aduantage little regarded Concerning the death of the godly meÌ„tioned Isai 57. vers 1. these 4. points may be obserued 1. The persons which dyed who are described by two titles 1. The righteous where wee may consider 1. The causes by which they are made righteous namely by 1. Faith applying Christs merits to make them righteous before God 2. Sanctification and the fruites thereof to make them righteous before men 2. The markes whereby they may bee knowne to bee righteous which be foure 1. The generalitie of their obedience if it extend it selfe to the whole course of their life 2. The end of it if it be directed to Gods glory 3. Their perseuerance if they continue therein vnto the end 4. Their affection to righteousnesse in others which is shewed in Labouring to make them righteous which yet be not Louing them which be alreadie righteous 2. Mercifull men so called Passiuely because God hath receiued them to mercie Actiuely because they shew mercie vnto others both to their Bodes and Soules 2. The manner of their death expressed by two phrases 1. Doe perish which must be vnderstood Not in regard of their soules for they are immortall and incomptible But in regard of their bodies for they perish yet only for a time and during that time remaine members of Christs mysticall bodie by vertue whereof they shallrâ—e againe 2. Are taken away and that is in respect of their Soules anâ— so their death differeth much from the death of he wicked Bodies anâ— so there is no difference betwixt them and the vicked 3. The careles regarde in others which is declared by two seuerall sentences 1. No man coÌ„sidereth it in heart 2. No man vnderstaÌ„deth it Concerning which consideratioÌ„ 3. points are obserued 1. The reasons why all
should consider their death 1. Because it is Gods worke 2. Because it is a thing precious in Gods sight 3. It tends to Gods glorie 4. It serues for the instruction of theÌ„ which remaine aliue 2. The matter what thinges we should coÌ„sider at their death 1. The certaintie of our owne death 2. The nature of death in all defacing Gods image and making a separation betwixt them and those things which they loued most deerely 3. The cause of their death for they are taken away either in Iudgement or Mercie 4. The manner of their death for thereby we may learne how to dye 3. The abuse of it which is committed by Not considering their death at all CoÌ„sidering it amisse and that Fondly through naturall affection when our friends and kinsfolke are taken away Frowardly thinking theÌ„ to die il because 1. Their death is sudden and extraordinarie 2. They are strangelie assaulted with temptations 3. They speake idlâ—e and blasphemously by reason of their disease 4. The ende of their death to free them froÌ„ euils to come which euils be Ordinary and that either Corporall as diseases losses and all maner of crosses Spirituall in their soules namely 1. Their combat with the diuell 2. Their practise of sin 3. Their societie with the wicked Extraordinarie to wit those iudgements which for some late and grieuous sinnes the Lord was readie to bring vpon the people amongst whom they liued W. Harrison Deaths aduantage little regarded ISAI 57. 1. The righteous perisheth and no man considereth it in heart And mercifull men are taken away and no man vnderstandeth that the righteous is takeÌ„ away from the euill to come THe holy Prophet of the Lord in the 9. verse of the Chapter immediatly going before hath fore-told of a fearefull iudgement which was like to fall vpon the Iewes He calles for the wild beasts of the field and the forest to come and denoure them meaning thereby the Gentils which should bee the executioners of the Lords iudgements vpon them And because the Lords iudgements are alwayes righteous hee afterwards shewes the causes which would prouoke him to inflict them The first cause is set downe at large in the rest of the verses following in the same Chapter the blindnes idlenes couetousnes and securitie of them which were appointed for teachers among them the neglect of their dutie being a speciall occasion of the peoples sinne is alleadged as the first cause of the iudgement ensuing The second cause was in the common people set downe in the first verse of this Chapter and that was their carelesse regard of the death of righteous men though many of them were taken away to forewarne them of some strange iudgement to come yet they regarded it not but still proceeded forward in their sins and therefore were like to caste of some miseries from which the righteous were freed by their speedy death In these words foure seuerall circumstances are to be obserued 1. The persons who did dye 2. The manner of their death 3. The contempt and carelesse regard of their death 4. The end of their death 1. The persons which dyed are described by two properties 1. the righteous 2. mercifull men 2. The manner of their death is set foorth by two seuerall tearmes perisheth are taken away 3. The contempt and carelesse regard of their death is also set downe by two phrases no man considereth it in heart and no man vnderstandeth it Lastly the end wherefore they dyed was to preuent future euils the righteous is taken away from the euill to come of these in order 1. For the persons which dyed the Prophet saith the righteous perisheth Concerning whom two things are to be considered first the meanes by which men are made righteous secondly the markes by which wee may know who are righteous For the former you must know that by nature all are corrupt and vnrighteous but yet may be made righteous by iustification and sanctification for there is a righteousnes of imputation and also a righteousnes of sanctification the one to make vs righteous before God the other to make vs righteous before men The righteousnes of imputation is the righteousnes of Christ imputed vnto vs by faith for our iustification Our owne inherent righteousnes is not sufficient to make vs truely and perfectly righteous before God and therefore this Prophet saith afterward in the name of himselfe and of all the people All our righteousnes is as filthie cloutes And Daiud one of Gods faithfull seruants thus framed his prayer vnto the Lord Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall none that liueth bee iustisted And Paul thus speaketh of himselfe in regard of his Apostleship I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified Nothing can satisfye the iustice of God and make vs appeare righteous in his sight but onely the righteousnes of Iesus Christ imputed to vs. And therefore the same Saint Paul said I haue counted all things losse and do iudge them to be dung that I might winne Christ and might be found in him not hauing mine owne righteousnes which is of the lawe but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnes which is of God through faith The same doctrine he taught vnto others whose saluation he desired as well as his owne As by one mans disobedience saith he many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many bee made righteous Whence we may reason as Augustine and others haue done against the Pelagians that as Adams eating of the forbidden tree was imputed to all his posteritie though they neuer tasted of the fruit with their lips so the righteousnes and obedience of Christ shall make all them which are of him righteous before God though they themselues haue as yet practised no righteousnes Againe hee saith that God hath made him sinne for vs which knew no sinne that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him As therefore Christ was made sinne for vs not by infusion of sinne into his person but by imputation of our sinnes vnto him so must we be made righteous before God not by infusion of righteousnes into our owne persons but by imputation of Christs righteousnes vnto vs. As the Moone and all the Starres borow all their light from the sunne so the Church and euery member of it borow all their righteousnes from Christ the sunne of righteousnes If this he true then the heathen Philosophers and wise men which liued most vprightly in the sight of men and yet wanted the knowledge of Christ and faith in him could not be righteous before God They wanting the law did by nature many things contayned in the law yet could not be made righteous thereby that was but a righteousnes by which an vngodly man is lifted vp that he might fall into punishment And in this respect the Iewes which reiected Christ how holy soeuer their
members of his body And as the husbandman doth make as great reckoning of that corne which he hath sowne in his field and lies hid vnder the clods as he doth of that which he hath laid vp safely in his garner because he hopeth it will come vp againe and yeeld increase so Christ Iesus doth as highly esteeme of those bodies which are laid in their graues as of those which yet remaine aliue because he knowes that one day they shall rise againe vnto glory They are sowne in dishonour but they shall rise againe in honour Their life is but hid for a time and will be found out againe Christ is able to restore that which nature hath destroyed God doth herein deale no otherwise with the bodies of the righteous then a Goldsmith will deale with a picture of gold or a peece of plate that is brused and worne out of fashion he will cast it into the fire and melt it not to destroy it or suffer it alwaies to lie in the fire but to make it a better picture or peece of plate then it was before and therefore will take it out of the fire againe and fashion it according to his mind Wherefore let not the condition of our bodies after death make vs vnwilling to dye If any man entending to reedifie an old rotten house doe first put the inhabitants out of it and then pull down the house and prepare for the building of it againe haue the inhabitants of the old house any cause to be grieued Will they not rather be glad that it is pulled downe because they hope that it will be made better then euer it was before and they may dwell in it with more safty and delight Now our bodies are as old rotten houses for our soules to dwell in if God cause our soules to depart out of them for a time and then destroy them that afterward he may reedifie them and make them fitter habitations for our soules what cause haue we to lament Nay rather if we looke not so much on the present estate of our bodies after death as vpon the glorious estate which they shall haue after the resurrection wee may reioyce and praise God for this his worke towards vs. 2 But another phrase is here vsed to expresse the death of the righteous are taken away The Hebrue word doth sometime signifie to be gathered though as some obserue it be neuer spokē of things scattered and in that sense it is vsed for the death of the righteous whē the place whither they be gathered is mētioned As it is said of Abraham that he died in a good age and was gathered to his people and likewise of Isaac As also the generation which entred with Ioshua into the land of Canaan is said to be gathered vnto their fathers Sometime this word doth signifie to take away as when Rachel said God hath taken away my rebuke and the Lord saith by Ieremie I haue taken my peace from this people And so it is rather to be expounded in this place because it is set downe without any addition Wee may here obserue a seuerall doubling of the same things in this verse two words to set forth the persons which died two words to declare the manner of their death afterward two words also to shew the careles regard of their death among the wicked It was vsual with the Hebrues to repeate things diuers times together either in the selfe same or in the like words Yet we must not thinke that there be any vaine repetitions in the Scriptures seeing Christ forbiddeth vs to vse vaine repetitions in our praiers and will call men to account at the day of iudgement for euery idle word that they speake Wee may not imagine that the holie Ghost did vse any vaine repetitions or idle words in penning the bookes of Scripture These repetitions serue for good purposes In prayers they shew the seruencie of him that prayeth and his earnest desire of the thing which he asketh In Prophecies they declare the certainty speedines of the execution as appeareth by Pharaohs dreame which as Ioseph told him was doubled vnto him the second time because the thing is established of God and God hasteth to performe it In narrations they serue either for cōfirmation to assure the hearers that the matter is true of great importance and worthie to be heard and marked or els for explication the latter clause expounding the former For as nature hath giuen vnto mans bodie two members of the same kinde and vse as two eyes to see withall two eares to heare withall two hands to handle withall and two feete to walke withall that if the one should faile in his office the other might help it so the holy Ghost hath giuen two words of the same kind and signification to many sentences of Scripture that if the one shal faile in his office and not fully expresse the meaning the other might help it And this is the reason why the words are so often doubled in this verse least any should gather by the former phrase that the righteous so perisheth that he hath not any more being at all he now saith that he is but taken away And he may be said to be taken away both in respect of body and also in respect of soule In respect of body for although his body be not translated in such a manner as the body of Henoch was that he might not see death nor as the body of Moses which the Lord took and buried no man knowes in what Sepulcher nor as the bodie of Elias which was carried from the earth in firie Chariots nor as the bodies of them which shall be found aliue at the comming of Christ vnto iudgement which shall not die but be changed and presentlie ascend with Christ into heauen yet is the body of euery righteous man taken from amongst men to be laid amongst wormes from the liuing vnto the dead from aboue the earth to be laid vnder the earth from his house to his graue from a place of watching to a place of sleep frō a place of care labour and trouble to a place of ease and rest from a place of pleasure and pain of ioy and sorrow mingled together to a place where he shall be void of sense to feele any of them 2 In respect of his soule consider terminum à quo terminum ad quem whence and whither he is taken From his body to be brought vnto God from an house of clay to an house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens from men to Angels from sinners to them which be perfectly righteous from his greatest enimies to his best friends from the Church militant to the Church triumpliant from earth to heauen from a strange countrie to his own home from a prison to a place of libertie from bondage to freedome from miserie to happinesse from sorrow to ioy Whence
lie is taken you all do well know which haue any experience in the world whither he is brought the Apostle teacheth when hee saith Ye are come to the mount Sion and to the citie of the liuing God the celestiall Ierusalem and to the companie of innumerable Angels And to the congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen and to God the iudge of all and to the spirits of iust and perfect men and to Iesus the mediatour of the new testament Who would be vnwilling thus to be taken away And why should the righteous be afraid of death by which they are thus taken away Had the Israelites anie cause to be vnwilling or to feare to be taken out of the land of Egypt the house of boÌ„dage and to bee caried as it were vpon Eagles wings into the land of Canaan a land that flowed with milke and honie No more cause haue the righteous to feare death which would carie them from the bondage of this world to the heauenly Canaan a place of eternall rest And why then should we mourne immoderately for the death of the righteous WheÌ„ Ioseph was taken from prison to be made a chief ruler in Egypt if his father Iacob had bin in prison with him and had beene acquainted with his preferment should he haue had anie iust cause to be grieued So soone as hee heard of it he reioyced and was willing to go vnto him When Saul was takeÌ„ froÌ„ seeking his fathers asses and annointed to be king ouer Israel had his father Kish any reason to lament WheÌ„ Dauid was taken from following the Ewes great with yong ones and ordained King to feed the Lords people had his father Ishai anie iust occasion of sorrow No more cause haue anie of vs to bewaile the death of the godly seeing they are as highly preferred as any of theÌ„ When Hester was takeÌ„ from Mordecai who had brought her vp as his own daughter to be maried vnto king Ahashuerosh and crowned as Queen did he lament it was he not most willing to leaue her Why then should anie man be so vnwilling to leaue either daughter or wife though neuer so deare vnto him seeing that shee is but taken vp into heauen there to be maried vnto Christ the husbaÌ„d of his Church and there to be crowned as a Queene to raigne in glorie with him But in this taking away there is great difference betwixt the godly and the wicked They are also taken away but why The godly are taken out of the world because the world was not worthie of them but the wicked are taken away because they are vnworthie to liue in the world Those are taken away in mercie these in iudgement those in the Lords fauour and these in his displeasure And whence are these taken or whither They are taken from the practise of sinne to suffer punishment for sinne from ease to torment from the first life to the second death from men to diuels from earth to hell from prison to the place of execution In a woful taking shall they be when they are thus taken away Their lamentable taking away is described in him that will not in time be reconciled to his brother The iudge deliuereth him to the sergeant the sergeant takes him and casts him into prison whence he must not come till hee haue paide the vtmost farthing Likewise in him that would not forgiue his fellow seruant an hundred pence his master being wroth deliuered him to the iayler who tooke him and cast him into prison till he should pay all that was due Also in him that wanted the wedding garment at the marriage feast of the kings sonne the king saith to his seruants binde him hand and foote take him away and cast him into vtter darkenes there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Likewise in the vnprofitable seruant which would not imploy his maisters talent the talent must be taken from him he must be taken and cast into vtter darkenes where is weeping and gnashing of teeth Lastly in them which would not suffer their king to raigne ouer them he shall say those mine enemies which would not that I should raigne ouer them bring hither and slay them before me It is a grieuous thing for one that is making merrie among his companions to be sodainely apprehended by a sergeant or officer for a traitour theefe or murtherer and presently without baile or mainepâ—ise to be taken from his companie and carried to prison and from thence to the place of execution As grieuous is it for a wicked man that liues in the pleasures of sinne to be taken away by death which is the Lords sergeant to apprehend him and bring him to the prison of hell As his entrance into the world was euill and his continuance in the world was worse so his taking out of the world shall be worst of all Oh then let vs take heede least we be thus taken away Let vs learne to liue in the world as the righteous doe and then shall we be taken away as the righteous are Balaams wish is vsed by many Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his And yet they will not liue the life of the righteous but few of these obtaine their desire Looke what way a tree boweth while it stands and groweth the same way it commonly falleth when it is cut downe euen so looke how men are inclined in their life time to righteousnes or vnrighteousnesse so shall they fall at their death Men can hardly begin righteousnesse at their last end Late repentance is seldome sound repentance Men drawing neere to their end shall be so affrighted with death so troubled with paine and grief that they shal not be able to set themselues to repent soundly They shall then rather seeke ease for their bodies then mercie for their sins or grace for their soules The beginning of euerie thing is hardest and therefore he which hath begun wel is said to haue done halfe his worke As it is in other things so is it with repentance it is a harder matter to begin repentance at the first then to renue it afterward therfore the fittest time should be taken for the beginning of it that is rather the time of our life then the time of our death rather the time of our health then the time of our sicknesse In the time of our life and of our health we be scarse able and fit to begin serious repentance but much more vnable and vnfit shall we be in the time of sicknes death We read in scripture but of one which became righteous at his last end the theefe on the Crosse wee reade of one that no man might despaire though hee haue deferred his repentance so long we reade but only of one that no man might presume to deferre it so long The surest and safest way is to begin
in time make no delayes least afterward it be too late 3 The third circumstance to bee obserued in the text is the carelesse regard of the righteous mans death No man considereth it in heart It seemes that manie godly persons were already dead their death did declare that God had some speciall worke in hand yet the common people which were left behind them did little regard it This carelesse contemning of their death doth shew that the harts of the commō people were possessed with great securitie to make so small reckoning of such a strange worke of God All the workes of God are carefully to be regarded of vs who are set in this world to take a speciall view and to make an holy vse of them And therefore Dauid thought the wicked deserued to be broken downe and not built vp againe because they regarded not the workes of the Lord nor the operation of his hands Now the taking of the righteous away is one of his speciall workes For to him belong the issues of death It is he that turneth man to destruction The number of his moneths are with him he appointeth his bounds which he cannot passe If a sparrow shall not fall on the ground without our father in heauen then the righteous which are of more value then many sparrowes cannot perish without his will and appointment Certaine it is that none die sooner or later then he sends for them The works of Princes are much considered and often talked of among the people and ought not the Lords workes be much considered of vs Their works may be done foolishly rashly and vniustly but the works of God are done in number waight and measure in wisdome iustice and mercie Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of all his Saints and shall their death bee vile and contemptible in our eyes People most commonly do highly esteeme those things which are deare and precious among Princes and shall the death of the righteous which is so precious in the Lords sight the Prince of all Princes be lightly esteemed of vs his people None of them liueth to himselfe neither doth any die vnto himselfe Whether they liue they liue vnto the Lord or whether they die they die vnto the Lord whether they liue therefore or die they are the Lords Yea they do glorifie God both by life and by death And therefore we should not lightly passe ouer their life or their death But consider how they haue glorified God by their death and by their life and praise him for the same But why are we to consider their death What may we learne thereby We learne these foure things First the certaintie of death Secondly the nature of death Thirdly the cause of death and lastly the manner how we must die First by considering their death we may learne the certaintie of death in our selues that we must dye as well as they in which respect Salomon saith it is better to goe to the house of mourning then to goe to the house of feasting because this is the end of all men and the liuing shall lay it to his heart That is to say hee which remaineth aliue by seeing one dead shall consider in his heart that all men shall so die and that he himselfe shall die as well as others The death of others is as a looking glasse wherein we may clearly beholde the vncertaintie of our owne liues We may call their death as some doe the sacrament visible verbū a visible word or sermon teaching vs our owne mortality for we haue no better assurance of our liues then they had what we now are they haue beene and what they now are wee may be and we know not how soone He which hath taken them away now may within a while if it please him take vs also away and bring vs vnto them As death assaulted them so will it assault vs and we cā no more resist it then they could but must yeeld as they did We are ready to forget death and the forgetfulnesse of death maketh vs to forget our dutie vnto God let vs therefore consider the death of others thereby to be put in mind of our owne 2 Secondly by their death we may know the nature of death in al others for it deals with all alike We may there see how death doth deface that image of God which was in the bodie and how it doth destroy the bodie which was a temple for the holie Ghost to dwel in If one see a faire house of a noble man to bee much defaced fallen to ruine so as one stone is scarce left vpon another it will pitie his heart so should we be moued in our hearts to see the bodie of a righteous man which was an house for the holie ghost to dwel in to be so pitifully ruinated by death Againe we may see what strange separations death doth make The soule and the body which haue a long time liued together as two familiar cópanions are put asunder by death and no man knowes how long it shal be before they can meete together againe Besides this death makes a separation betwixt old louing friends The husband is separated from the wife of his youth with whom hee reioyced the wife is separated from her husband who was her vaile to shield and to saue her parents are taken from their tēder childrē which they leaue as orphans in the world not knowing what will become of them children are taken from their kind parents who could haue beene content to haue gone in their steed yea familiar friends whose soules were knit together in affectiō whose loue exceeded the loue of women as did the loue of Dauid and Ionathan are seuered one from another by death the knot of their friendship is broken their mutuall kindnes can be no more shewed by one to another W 〈…〉 griefe it is for louing friends to depart one from another we may see in Pauls friends and hearers when he tooke his leaue of them and told them that they must not see his face any more They wept all abundantly and fell on Pauls necke and kissed him being chiefly sory for the words which he spake that they should see his face no more We had need therfore by the death of others to be put in mind of this separatiō before-hand y◠when it comes we may be the better prepared for it Lastly death makes a separation betwixt the rich man and his wealth We brought nothing into this world neither must we carry any thing out of this world Yea men leaue their riches they cannot tell vnto whom If that question be asked many that are ready to die which was demanded of the rich man who had laid vp store for many yeeres This night shall thy soule be taken from thee then whose shall these things be which thou hast prouided they might truly answere that
they cannot tell Men heape vp riches and cannot tell who shall enioy them they bequeath them to some and others goe away with them We had neede to thinke of this before hand that we may vse this world as if we vsed it not and when we haue foode and rayment to be therewith content and to be more willing to leaue these things when death approcheth If a man doe not in his heart deeply and seriously consider of these things a long time and often before death he shall be as vnwilling to leaue all these things at the howre of death as the young man was to sell his goods and giue them to the poore when he was commaunded by Christ. In things that be of waight and importance and yet very difficult it is needful to vse preparation before hand for without it we shal be vnfit when we come to the pinch Souldiers which be chosen and appointed for the wars do exercise themselues with their weapons before hand and are content to be trained by others which haue better skill experience that so they may learne in time of peace how to behaue themselues in time of war So had we need in time of our life to learne how to die and to be taught by others which die before vs what we must do at the howre of death 3 Thirdly we must coÌ„sider the cause or end of their death Some of the righteous are taken away in iudgement and some in mercie In iudgemeÌ„t when God in displeasure doth strike them with death to correct them for their sinnes Thus was the man of God taken away which came out of Iudah and cried out against the Altar in Bethel that Ieroboam had set vp because he beleeued the lie of an old prophet in Bethel and did eate and drinke with him there contrarie to Gods commandement a Lyon met him by the way and slew him Thus also were many of the Corinthians taken away for abusing the Lords supper For this cause many were sicke and weake and many did sleepe yet they were righteous persons as Paul before had testified of them Ye are washed yee are sanctified yee are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of our God afterward he reputeth them which were sicke and did so sleep to be iudged of the Lord because they should not be condemned with the world The Lord is sometimes so sharp with his owne children that for the example of others hee will inflict a bodily death vpon theÌ„ as a correction for their sinnes That should be regarded of all others that their harmes may make them wise moue them to speedie repentance least they be more sharpely dealt withall For as Christ saith If these things be done to a greene tree what shall be done to the dry And as Peter saith If iudgement first begin at the house of God what shall the end be of theÌ„ which obey not the Gospell of God If the maister of a family do sharpely correct his owne children for their faults let not the seruants thinke that they shal escape vnpunished if they coÌ„mit the like faults If any one which sitteth at table with vs by eating of some dish or drinking of some cup do surfet or fall sick or into a swoune or die presently it will greatly moue vs and we cannot bee perswaded by anie to tast of that dish or drinke of that cup for feare of the like Euen so when we see Gods children that liue amongst vs to bee taken away by death for practising of some sinne it should greatly moue vs and wee should so abhorre that sinne that nothing in the world could perswade vs to practise it Againe others are taken away in mercy for their benefite and for a reward of their righteousnes to free theÌ„ from those iudgements which the Lord intendeth to bring vpon the world and thus were these righteous men taken away which here are mentioned Their death should be considered as a warning giuen vnto men of some fearfull iudgement to come therfore should cal theÌ„ to repentance that they might preuent the iudgement but of this I wil speake more afterward in the last circumstance 4 Lastly we must consider the manner of their death for thereby we may learne how to die it may be as a patterne or example to direct vs in our death The wicked die either sottishly or impatiently or else desperatly Sottishly like blocks idiots hauing neither penitent feeling of their sins nor comfortable assurance of saluation Being like vnto Nabal whose heart ten daies before his death died within him and he was like a stone Such men die like lambes and yet shall be a pray for the deuouring Lion they go quietly like fooles to the stocks for correction Others dye impatiently who doe not willingly beare the Lords correction deserued by their sinnes but rage fret and murmure as if God dealt too rigorously with them and through impatiencie will vse vnlawfull meanes for their recouery as Ahaziah did who being sicke sent messengers to enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron if he should recouer of his disease Others dye desperately their consciences accusing them most terribly for their sins without any hope of pardon as Caine who said my sinne is greater then can be forgiuen or Iudas who despairing of pardon for his sin in betraying our Sauiour went and hanged himselfe The consciences of many wicked men lye quietly and neuer trouble them all their life time but are stirred vp at their death and then rage and torment them like a mad dog which is lately awaked out of sleep But the righteous die most comfortably they beleeuing in Christ and hauing repented of their sinnes are assured in their owne soules that all their sins are pardoned in Christ they will make confession of their faith and giue testimonies of their repentance vnto others for their comfort and example They will patiently indure all the paines of their sicknes â—s Iob did knowing that al comes from the Lord and that it is his fatherly correction and a signe of his loue because he chasteneth whom he loueth yea they receiue their sicknesse as the Lords messenger speaking to their soules as the Prophet Isaiah did to Hezekiah Put thine house in order for thou shalt dye and not liue and therefore they prepare themselues for another world Yea further in their sicknes they can pray most feruently as king Hezekiah did Isai 38. and then they will giue most fruitfull and comfortable instructions to those which they leaue behinde As the Swan sings most sweetly a little before his death so the righteous speake most diuinely a little before their end Whosoeuer searcheth the scriptures may reade the diuine prophecy of Iacob vnto the twelue Patriarches Gen. 49. the holy blessing of Moses vpon the twelue tribes Deut. 33. the godly exhortation of Ioshua to the people of Israel placed by him
we may best commend saylers whē they arriue at the hauen and souldiers when they haue gotten the victorie These praises may profit the liuing they may comfort the friends of the deceased assuring them of their happie exchange by death And for this cause the Fathers in their consolatorie letters written to them which lost their friends haue inserted large praises of them they may stirre vp others to praise the Lord for them and likewise prouoke thē to follow their good example As fire whē it is raked into wil cast forth some heate and light and precious oyntment if it be stirred wil cast forth a sweete smel to thē which be neere so y◠praises of Saints departed being mentioned will yeeld some comfort and profit to those which heare them I may the more boldly speake somewhat of this godly Gentlewoman whose soule I doubt not God hath taken vnto himselfe and whose body is now to bee committed vnto the earth because I knew both the course of her life and the manner of her death It pleased God betime to season the vessel of her heart with heauenly liquour whereof it did alwayes tast afterward good seede was sowne in her soule at the beginning which budded and brought forth good fruite vnto the ende She was by nature very humble and lowly not disdaining any very louing and kind shewing courtesie to all very meeke and milde in forbearing euery one so as they which did daylie conuerse with her could neuer see her angrie and hereby she got the loue of all For matters of religion few went before her She gaue her selfe much to reading as Paula did traine vp her maides to read and learne euery day some thing in the Scriptures so did she accustome her selfe to reade euery day eight chapters in the bible and would not suffer any occasiō to hinder her in that taske yea and moreouer at conuenient leasure would reade ouer other godly bookes for her further instruction She was also much giuen to prayer for besides that shee would both morning and euening ioyne in prayer with the family she was espyed to seeke out solitary places for priuate prayer and meditation She did most dutifully frequent the publick exercises in the Church had a speciall care to sanctifie the Sabboth and was greatly grieued if shee might not heare one or two Sermons on that day Although she dwelt farre from the Church yet would she neuer be absent if shee were able either to goe or ride Yea she might be found in the Church when others which dwelt neerer and were able to haue come might haue bin found in their houses or vnfit places for that time By these meanes shee did greatly increase in knowledge not being like those women which are euer learning but are neuer able to come to the knowledge of the truth But rather like Dauid who vnderstoode more then the ancient She had a very tender conscience and would often weepe not only for her owne sins but also for the sins of others especially if she espied a fault in those which were neere vnto her whom she loued dearely had a dangerous conflict yet a ioyfull conquest Not long after the beginning of her sicknes being a weeke before her death I comming to visit her found her some what troubled in conscience the enemy had then begun to assault her but within a while by conference with me and others and also by prayer she was comforted But after our departure the enemy did more strongly strangely assault her againe as might appeare to them which were present for she neither would nor yet could conceale it Though I was not present at this conflict yet was I present at the conquest I comming to her the day before her death found her exceedingly rauished with the ioyes of heauen praysing God most cheerefully for his great mercies and wonderfull works of God toward her repeating many verses of the Psalmes and other places of Scripture to expresse the worke of the Lord vnto her and to set forth her thankfulnes vnto him She said the path was smooth and strowed with flowers where she did treade that she was as it were in Paradice and felt a sweete smell as in the garden of Eden that the ioyes which she felt were wonderfull wonderfull repeating that word oftentimes together I cannot rehearse the least part of those heauenly speeches which then shee vttered She often desired others to pray and to praise God for her and when I had once ended prayer within a while after she would desire me to pray againe The next morning which was the day of her death I saw her continue in the like sort though not able by reason of her weakenes to speake so much she then desired our prayers againe for her and when prayer was ended and I gone out of the house toward the Church she caused mee to bee called backe to pray once againe with her and whē I departed wished some faithithfull Minister to help me and thus continued in godly speeches and prayers vntill her last end This was the manner of her death I haue heard that some speake very vncharitably of her by reason of her temptation and thereupon mutter much against religion it selfe but such should remember that which I haue spoken before that the Deuill most assaulteth them which be most godly thinking to hinder all religion if he may preuaile with such and if you yet doubt of this point I could shew the testimony of the best learned to approue it And in temptation the best may quaile to shew how weake wee are and to keepe vs from presumption Yet seeing that as Iacob spake of the tribe of Gad An host of men shall ouercome him yet he shall ouercome in the end so it came to passe in her her enemie for a while seemed to preuaile but in the end was troden downe vnder her feete Wee should rather praise God for the victory then speake euill of her for the combate feare least he who tempted her so strōgly will also tempt vs and therefore let vs put vpon vs armour of proofe that we may be able to stand in the day of tryall I pray God that those which speake euill of her death doe not die worse then shee did Howsoeuer it was I will say with Paul Who art thou that iudgest another mans seruant the standeth or falleth to his owne maister I hope she resteth with the Lord and therefore let ill tongues rest and speake no more against her Although her mother haue lost a dutifull childe her husband a chast a louing and discreet wife her brethren a deare and kind sister her nighbours a peaceable and courteous neighbour her friends a religious kinswoman her familiar acquaintance a vertuous companion the poore a charitable relieuer and I my selfe one of my best hearers Yet I will say to all as Hierom did to Eustochium concerning her
heads burning the corn of the Philistims whilest Israels sheaues staÌ„d vpright I meane consuming themselues whilest they cauill with vs about a birth of no being for if they could but agree at home ere they warre abroade 1. where the place is 2. when it began 3. how long it shall continue 4. who is there punished 5. what is the paine 6. and lastly who be the tormentors happily it might make vs to sound a retreate and moue a parley But when in all or most of these they are at ods with themselues I trust by the grace of God they shall neuer be at euen with vs or with any that feare the Lord in truth It would require a longer discourse then now I can stand vpon to descend into each of these particulars beeing limited with the time mine owne weakenes and your wearines yet if any man doubt let him demurre with mee vpon a further tryall and conference when I shall if God will satisfie him to the full that in all these seuerall points they doe nothing else but agree to disagree in the meane time I dare auouch as first I did that purgatorie is not at all 1 That is was neuer knowne in the Church of Israel or a doctrine sprinkled vpon that people with the blood of the old couenant by Moses who was faithfull in Gods house and deliuered all hee saw vpon the mount 2 That purgatorie hath no foundation in the new testament and that the blood of Christ neuer taught it in that couenant but was of it selfe sufficient to purge and preserue tam à poena quam à culpa though our aduersaries say contrarie 3 That neither the Primitiue Church nor the Fathers of the same for the space of manie ages did euer acknowledge the purgatorie of the Church of Rome I say God neuer ordained Scripture neuer taught spirit neuer guided father neuer agreed vpon such a doctrine but as they that were conuerted to Christ at the first whether from Iudaisme or froÌ„ Paganisme did bring with them eyther their ceremonies or their opinions so in this errour as in others Plato taught it in his schooles Virgil in his rythmes both Pagans Papising Bonauenture at all aâ—enture and Durand not dangerous of the doctrine haue taken it vp both Papists Paganising To iustifie what hath bin said of old Pictoribus atque poetis quidlibet audendi semper fuit aequa potestas To Painters to Poâ—ts to Papists of skill Hath euer bâ—â— graunted to same what the will For the proofe of al these assertions I referre you to the worthie writings of that noble Berrean Lord Phillip of Mornay lumen Galliae maâ—tix Romae in his treatise of purgatorie laid downe in his third booke of the sacrifice pretended in the Masse And now for conclusion of this point in clearing of the truth pitifullie dearned with these clouds of errour let these few Scriptures and Fathers dispell the fogge so as the sunne of righteousnes may shine in your hearts and beget you to a better hope A voice from heauen hath said it you may beleeue it Blessed are the deaâ— that die in the Lord Amodo euen now for they rest from their labours In blessednes is no pain in rest is no toyle if this happinesse be Amodo Euen straight vpon the dissolution there is no daunger by the way there is no delay by purgatorie Paul hath said it you may beleeue it Christ is to me both in life and in death aduantage desiring to be loosed and to be with Christ which is best of al as if he should say neuer can I lose by Christ in life hee is my grace in death he is my glorie when I am gone I shall bee where he is not in paine but in blis where no fire shall purge nor water wash hauing alreadie dipt my stole in the blood of the lamb Christ hath said it you may beleeue it his word is a warrant to your wearie souls Father I will that they which thou hast giuen me be with me euen where I am that they may behold my glorie which thou hast giuen me It is his will and who dares wrest it the head will haue his members the bridegroome his spouse God his elect and Christ his redeemed and where will he haue them but where he is and that is in heauen Popish purgatory is no Palace for Christ his abode ergo no place for Christians to behold his glorie Nor hath Christ said it but sworne it to in supplementum fidei to help faith that by two immutable things wherein it is impossible that God should lie First promise and Secondlie oth wee might haue strong consolation His oth is this neuer to be reuersed Verilie verilie I say vnto you he that heareth my words and beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life O happie hearers but thrise happie beleeuers for whose cause the Lord hath sworne in certaintie of your saluation and speedie passage from death to life without tuch of fire meede of merit or need of Popish indulgence One saith well velox est sermo dei velocem desiderat habere sequentem The word of God is swift and it requireth a speedie follower if speed in following much more in attaining if speed in the bodie much more when it hath put it off if vnder the crosse we grone and goe forward with how much more speede shall wee haste to the crowne when teares shall bee wiped from our eyes and wee shall be translated out of this world to raigne with God for euer And if it bee true of a glorified bodie that Augustine hath corpus est vbi volet animus The bodie is straight where the minde will how much rather shall a sanctified soule disburdened of the bodie passe with speed to him that gaue it Lazarus died and was straight waies caried into Abrahams bosome The theefe vpon the crosse died was that verie day in Paradise Stephen called and said Lord Iesus receiue my spirit and shall we doubt of his desire euen then answered Christ cryed vpon the tree father into thy hands I commend my spirit and gaue vp the Ghost not downe the ghost speedily and without delay yea and I am perswaded that it is with euerie Saint of God in his particular death as it shall be at the generall doome all shal be chaunged at the twinckling of an eye at the last trumpe for the trumpet shal blow and the dead shall rise so all shall be changed at the last gaspe euen in the twinkling of an eye shall the bodie turne to earth from whence it came and the soule to God that gaue it Nescit tarda moliâ—â—â—a spiritus dei gratia The gifts and graces of God are without delay no delay in the creation no delay in the redemtion no delay in