Lorde The blessed state of them that dy in the lord is permanēt they may hereby learne that not onely immediatly after their death they shal rest from their labours and enter vppon their rewarde and so bee blessed but that also this their state is certaine without any falling backe from it and therefore still their reward is called life euerlasting in the scriptures And surely if this be their state immediatly thenceforth without euer any dāger of falling backe to worse then of the contrary it must needs follow that quite contrary immediatly after their death shal be the state and condition of al that die not in the Lord and that there is no hope for euer for them to attaine vnto a better What neede there then a general iudgement will some say I answere for two causes that the bodies thē may be restored to their soules againe that both the ioies of the faithful paines of the faithles to the ful manifestatiō both of gods mercy iustice may be cōsummate and ful that so god thē may outwardly solemnly iustify before al the world his former particular iudgemēt which imediatly before at euery mās death he had laid vpon them Lastly we are not to passe ouer or forget how our aduersaries the Papistes abuse this last clause of the text For they hearing that workes follow such thereupon inferre that works merit eternal blisse The abuse of this place therby to prooue that workes merite confuted Indeed hereupon it followeth as I haue noted before that none haue a right faith in Christ but those that haue also good works to accompany them whensoeuer they dye in the Lord which I would not haue forgotten But hereupon to gather that our workes merite heauen we may not For then they should go before our being in the Lord be a cause therof whereas here it is only sayde that they follow and accompany such Which it should seeme that Augustine had obserued li. de Fide operibus ca. 14. when he said that good workes goe not before iustification but they follow a man iustified Let them therefore followe in Gods name as a fruit of a man in the Lorde but let them not step before as a cause of his being in the fauor of the Lord. And vnderstād that this argument is stark naught good workes shal be rewarded with heauēly blisse therefore they merite it Is no man rewarded but he which hath merited and deserued it first The heire when he commeth to his fathers lands is then wel rewarded for his paines he took in his fathers time yet hee hath not his inheritance for those his paines for then rather some seruant oftentimes should haue the inheritance but for that he was his fathers son heire before Euen so it is in this case we are born the sons of God by faith in Christ Ioh. 1.12 13. so coheires with him of heauen Rom. 8.17 thereby first and then follow good workes in vs not as a cause why we shal haue this inheritance but as a fruit effect flowing frō our thankful mindes to our heauenly father for this notable inheritance thus freely prepared for vs. And yet when we come to the inheritance because it cōmeth after these our works after a sort we may say that euē there by our paines in working are rewarded yet we haue not that reward for our workes but for that we working so were the sons heires of God But for the better loosing of al such popish knots vnderstād that it is not al one to say good works shal be rewarded and to say good works haue merited that rewarde For there are rewards giuen of mercy and so is this as well as of debt and duty Rom. 4.4 Againe there is great ods betwixt these two questions who shal bee saued and why man shal bee saued To the former we answere the well worker to the latter only for Christs sake apprehended by faith And therfore take this for the conclusion we shal be iudged Secundū operum indicium non propter operum meritū according to the testimony y our workes giue of vs not for the merit of our workes For it is writen Ephe. 2.8.9 We are saued by grace through faith that not of our selues it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast himself And yet this doctrine neither letteth nor staieth at al frō good works but is y◠only fountain indeed from whēce al true works do spring flow And therfore y◠Apo. Paul as you may obserue throughout al his epistles first laboreth to set down this doctrine then thereupon after buildeth exhortation to godlines of life the like course tooke Peter as you may see in his first epistle And yet these knewe how to prouoke to good works and in no case may be counted teachers of a doctrine enemy to good works Yea there is none indeed that hath grace to imbrace this doctrine effectually but therby he feeleth by experience his hart so enflamed with loue towardes God for his infinite mercy hereby displaied vnto him both in sauing him frō perishing and in thus freely preparing heauē for him that frō that loue of his there floweth riuers flouds of al thankfulnes in al true obedience to his God wherin he walketh chearfully cōfortably But the Papists being bastards no lawful children of the Lorde beeing not assured of this full and free fauor of his towards thē of a slauish feare with a seruile mind to earn heauē at his hands doe the good which they do Which indeed in matter maner of doing is such that though it carrye the shew of godlines yet it is not so indeede For the matter of good works they wil not fetch warrāt only frō gods reuealed wil in his word but matter good inough with thē For a good worke is any thing for the which they can alleage a traditiō of the elders or their own good intent Which kinde of works the Lord reiecteth as stincking in his sight Isa 29.13 Mat. 15.9 Co. 2.20 c. And as for their maner of doing it is like the Pharises ioyned with a conceit that therefore they may despise others trust to be heard at Gods hands for the merite of their works Which kinde of doing Christ hath cōdēned Mat. 6.1 Luk. 18.9 c. in forbidding vs to do our workes as the Pharisees did in sending home the proude Pharisee vniustified And therfore in very deed as they are without all true christian faith so are they without al true good works And therefore whosoeuer hath any thing to comfort himself by this place it is none of thē No doubt of it this noble mā whose body lieth here amongst vs to be encōbed though euen in outwarde shew of almes giuing other good works he ouermatched most merit mongers yet seeing he trusted only to the meries of Christ and neuer to his owne workes but did them only of loue and thankefulnesse towas his God is among those of whome it is here said Their workes accompany them and therfore now is in ioyful fruition of the reward thereof Whose example as wee that bee of the same faith are to followe that so with him we may bee in euerlasting remembrance both with God and good men as no doubt hee shall so it is an example to stoppe the mouths of the aduersaries that lyingly crye out that they that bee of our religion haue no good woorkes following them The secōd conclusiō Thus at last right honorable and dearely beloued we haue runne thorow this portiō of scrpture and considered both the generall and particular vse thereof And so first we haue heard how strongly it is warranted to conteine nothing but soūd truth namely that not whosoeuer knoweth or cōmeth ny but whosoeuer is by a true a liuely faith vnited vnto Christ dieth in him which is neither a miraculous historicall temporarie dead or popish faith but a faith seeking and apprehending saluation onely in Christ Iesus shal thēceforth be blessed immediatly in resting from all woe in body and soule and in entring vppon possession of their euerlasting rewarde and then thereby more particularly we haue obserued that therefore the body riseth againe and that the soule is neither mortall nor sleepeth that there is no popish purgatory nor any thing that can be done by others for soules departed that can doe them any good to ease or better their estate and finally that though here bee offered vs great encouragement to good workes yet here is nothing to proue that woorkes merite any thing at Gods hand All which doctrine and lessons our honourable friend here departed as I haue from point to point shewed you hath already found true by experience God of his mercy giue vs all grace so to set his example before vs that wee may so followe him that we may euery one of vs one day also to Gods glory and our own euerlasting comfort feele and finde the trueth thereof in our selues This O Lorde we beseech thee to grant vs all for thy onely sonne Iesus Christes sake to whome with thee and the holy Ghost three persons and one euerliuing God be all power honour might and maiestie nowe and for euer Amen September 22. An. Do. 1594. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of God the Father and the most comfortable fellowship of the holy Ghost be with vs all now and euer to direct sanctifie and gouerne vs in all our waies works thoughts Amen FINIS
then whether these be not the greatest and include not the rest They cannot deny but these are punishments due for sinne that the greatest also including all other If therefore the Scripture teach vs that Christ hath freed vs from these then it is euident that he hath freed vs from all Wherefore marke that it is thus written Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnatioÌ„ to those that are in Christ Gal 3.13 Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law when he was made a curse for vs. If it were not thus that they that beleeue in Christ were assured that Christ had freed them both from all their sinnes and also from their penalty due therefore how coulde it be true that we read Rom. 5.1.2 that they that are iustified by faith haue peace with God through Christ accesse to his grace wherin they stand reâ—olce And if there were not yet enough done to satisfie the iustice of God why did Christ say giuing vp the ghost cosummatum est it is finished Ioh. 19.30 And why is the promise to al Gods children vttered in these wordes Ierem. 31.34 I will forgiue their iniquitie and remember their sinnes no more Yea how can it stand with Gods iustice that hauing for-giuen to the beleeuer all his sinnes hee yet should punish him for them and cause him to satisfie for them Will God punish and driue to satisfaction where the cause is already taken away when he hath been satisfied at once already to the vttermost farthing as it is euident he hath beene in Chryst for al that beleue in him For other wyse Christ hauing taken vpon him to satisfie the iustice of his heauenlye Father shoulde not nor coulde not haue risen agayne ascended into heauen and sit at the right hand of his father Thereby it is euident that by his abasement he hath fully satisfied his father gone through with the work he took in haÌ„d is now able to apply the same to those the be his Yea but all this letteth not wil they say but that we may hold still that by our satisfactions God in part is satisfied seeing we graunt that they are made auailable satisfactions by Christes satisfaction Yea but that were yet to say that Christ purgeth his from their sinnes not by himself but by the helpe and sufferings of others the plaine contrary whereof wee reade Heb. 1.3 in these words He hath by himself purged our sinnes How say you then to manyfold afflictions and in the ende to death laid vppon them that beleeue say they I answeare that these are no satisfactions to God for sinnes already committed but they are his fatherly chastisements to admonish vs to repent vs of sinnes paste and to take heed of sinne hereafter And they are both occasions to them to exercise their vertues and to those that are without instructioÌ„s to take heed of going on in wickednes seeing the Lord so chastiseth his owne house And as for death the stinge thereof is taken away in respect of such soy howsoeuer it be remain the rewarde of sin to the vnbeleeuer yet to theÌ„ the beleeue it is but the last strok of the battel as the dore thorow which they passe froÌ„ this worlde full of misery to the next full of ioy and felicity It is a pitifull thing that of these they cannot tell what to make vnlesse they make them meanes to derogate from the most sufficient and infinite satisfaction made by Christ If the glory of Christ were deare vnto them as it ought they were perswaded as they should that he was both able willing to go thorow with the worke which he tooke in hand that is to be a perfect and a ful Sauiour in himselfe and by himselfe whatsoeuer they thought of theÌ„ they would not once dare to cause theÌ„ to encroch thus vpon his office Alas it is lighter then vanitie it selfe for them to say that by the vertue of Christ there is deserued for them that beleeue in him that eternall punishments due to theÌ„ should be turned into teÌ„porall y for his sake God will coÌ„tent himself with these For first it is a mere deuise of their owne head vtterly without warrant froÌ„ Gods reuealed wil in his word secoÌ„dly howe can it staÌ„d with any reason that he the for Christs sake wil forgiue the greater wil stick at the lesse that he that will forgiue the eternal punishment wil not for-giue the temporary And lastly what a toy is it to imagine that Christ tooke so much paines to satisfie the iustice of his heauenlye father to leaue the accomplishment thereof to the vncertainty of mens satisfactions And truely as you see by this that I haue said their vanity contrariety to the word writren in this particular pointe of their faith concerning remission of sinnes so if you will listen but a while you shall finde their fault as great in the next concerning their iustifying vp or making of themselues righteous by their owne righteousnesse done after faith Concerning which point you are to vnderstand dearly beloned that the quistyon betweene vs and them therein is not as they woulde make the woorlde beleeue whether Chryst be of power in them that beleeue aftertually to cause them to dye to sinne lyue to righteousnes For as you haue before hearde I haue already betermyned that vnlesse it be a faith arcâ—â—panyed with that power it is a deade and 〈◊〉 fayth And therefore wee as earnestlye 〈◊〉 them that beleue to bring forth fruits worthy of forth as they can doe for their lyues But herein lyeth the questyon whether fayth iustifye for the worke it bryngeth foorth or for Chrystes 〈◊〉 whom it apprehendeth and so whether wee may trust to these good fruites when wee haue brought them foorth as that the reby wee may thinke and beleue we are iustyfied before God 〈◊〉 maâ—ited to be saiâ—ed We say wee may not account other wyse of them then as of fruit as and â—â—â—rctes of out full iustification appreâ—â—â—ded in Christ seruing to the glory of God Mit. 5.16 and to testifie both to our seâ—â—â—â— and others that soluation is prâ—pâ—â—â—d for vs in Christ in heauen Iohn 13.35.2 Peâ— 1.5 And in no case â—arâ— we make them any cause eyther of our iustification or saluation But we say with Saint Barnard ser 1 de annâ—â—â—â—â—tione Mariâ— that thou canst not deserâ—e et â—â—â—all life by any woorkes 〈…〉 merites are not such that â—rerâ—all life 〈…〉 as that God shoulde doe man wrong if therefore he shoulde not giueÌ„ it for our good woorkes are Gods giftes and so for them wee are indebted to him and not hee to vs. They accompt of them as of a meritorious cause of their saluation and as of the formall cause of their iustification and therefore to that end they doe them and trust in them Wheras we hold that wee bee in the state of iustification onely for Chrysts sake apprehended by faith
all nor any like hee not prefixed yet no doubt it is necessarily to be vnderstood â—he proâ—â—sition is â—iuersall For the propositioÌ„ being indefinit the latter part therof so vndoubtedly vnseparably belonging to the former as it doth it must needs be equiualent to an vniuersal proposition therefore all one in effect with this All they that dy in the Lord are blessed theÌ„ceforth besides the vsual maner of the scripture which is to set down vniuersal propositions indefinitely confirmeth the same as Ioh. 3.6 18. By the Lord is meant Christ And by the Lord we haue here to vnderstaÌ„d our Lord sauior Iesus whose vsual title in the scripture this is as Ro. 1.3 1. Co. 1.2 2. Cor. 1.3 yâ— worthily both for that he is our creator also redeemer What it is to die in the Lord. it is coÌ„fessed of al denied of none But what it is to dy in the lord here in this place al interpreters be not of one mind Some vnderstaÌ„d it generally of al those which die in the state of grace tauour of the Lord through a souÌ„d and right christian faith in him other some take it yâ— onely hereby Martyrs are meant therefore these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with word for word sound in the Lord they translate for the Lord or for the Lords cause Which later interpretatioÌ„ the papists best like of as appeareth in the Rhem. notes vpoÌ„ this place For the place so takeÌ„ say they it maketh not at al against our doctrine of purgatory For we neuer taught yâ— martyrs weÌ„t thither but haue alwaies confessed that such are immediatly after their death blessed Of whoÌ„ with Aug. sermone de verb. Apost 17. Cap. 1. wee say they haue alwaies said that he doth iniury to a martyr that praieth for a mâ—rtyr Wherfore it shal be very necessary to coÌ„sider whether of these interpretations is the rather in this place to bee followed They that folow the later vrge this as the only reason of their so doing that the circumstaunces of the place leades them to take it as spoken only to the comfort of those that through the tyranny of Antichrist shall loose their liues for the profession of the pure doctrine of Christ That it is spoken to the comforte of such yea and especially to the comforte of such I will easilie graunt but onely to the comfort of such and therefore onely of such I cannot in anie case think For no doubt of it the Lord hauing foreshewed vnto Iohn the fall of Antichristes kingdome and the maner how and consequently hauing let him in spirite foresee howe he woulde free and chafe against all those that beeing admonished by the Gospell shoulde fully seperate themselues from him to rest onely in and vpon Christ as he did thereupon foresee that he would raise cruell persecution against theÌ„ that through the feare thereof he mihgt reclaime them so hee without all peraduenture in spirite foresawe that no faire meanes or subtile perswasions would be omitted to heale vp the wound of the beast again withal that the saints of god should finde is as hard a matter to staÌ„d stedfast in Christ vnto their liues end against those assaultes as against the other that is his cruell persecutioÌ„ For daily experieÌ„ce teacheth that this way he preuaileth more a great deale than by the other And therefore if there were cause why these words of my text should be vttered recorded to animate incourage men in the time of persecution to stand stedfast in the truth against Antichrist there was as good cause why they shoulde bee so also to the streÌ„gthning of meÌ„ to liue die in the same truth what faire allurements subtil deuises or cuÌ„ning perswasioÌ„s soeuer were vsed to draw them froÌ„ the same So that as wel he is told here that he is blessed that dieth in his bed a right souÌ„d Christian faith notwithstanding these meanes vsed to him before to seduce him as hee that dieth in the fire for the profession of the same faith And yet though they haue it graÌ„ted them that the words especially concerne Martyrs yet vnderstanding the words generally they serue aswel to the coÌ„fort of them rather better than if they were true only in them For this argument followeth strongly whosoeuer dieth in the Lord that is in a right souÌ„d christian faith he is thenceforth immediatly blessed therfore martyrs who not only dye in the faith but for that faith Further who knoweth not that it is an vsuall thing in the scriptures in all other good learning to proue particulars by generals And therfore what reason is there to the contrary but that here to the comforting of them that dye for the Lord the blessed state generally of al that dye in the Lord should be set foorth wherein they might see themselues of al other vndoubtedly included Hereby then it appeareth that their reason of restraining the words to theÌ„ only that dye for the Lord is taken away therfore also the consequent which they wold infer therupon falleth to the ground Besides this diuerse reasons I haue which inforce me to vnderstand the woordes generally of all that die in the Lord when and wheresoeuer and they are these first it is somewhat harde to translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is in the Lorde for the Lorde Secondly when the circumstance coherence of the text wil wel suffer as in this place that it cary a sense to the generall coÌ„fort of Gods Church then vnnecessarily to restraine it to some sort of members therof only caÌ„not be but a fault For it is as it were a needlesse shrinking vp of the sinnews and pulling in of the armes of the holy scripture And lastly in the interpreting of scripture it is a rule greatly to be commended If the question of the sense arise vpon a phrase of speech as here it doth to consider the vse of the same or like phrase in other places of scripture and to take it in that sense that best agreeth with the vse therof in other places of scripture Now in this case we neither finde that to liue in the Lord or to die in the Lorde are taken in any other place for to liue or die for the Lordes sake but to dye in the Lorde to bee taken in this generall seâ— seâ— to depart this life in a sounde and right Christian faith wee finde elsewhere in the Scripture For 1. Thessal 4. where it is euident that the Apostle speaketh generally of all those that shal haue a ioyfull resurrection hee calleth them first those that sleepe in Iesus vers 14. after those that be dead in Christ verse 16. where it were absurd to restraine these phrases to those only that dy for Christs cause For it were to restrain the comfort of the generall resurrection only to such These and some other such like reasons as it should seeme haue
but to eat the flesh of the son of mā to drink his bloud is nothing else but to eat the bread of life wherupon it directly followeth that therfore it is nothing else to eat the flesh of the sonne of mā to drink his bloud but to beleue in him Which also is euident in that you shall find in that chapter within the compasse of the foresaide verses the same thinges both promised to the eaters and drinkers of Christes fleshe and bloude and to the beleeuers in him and also the same things threatned to the not eaters and drinkers thereof which are to the not beleeuers in him Which argueth that they are both one especially seeing the one is put for the other in the Chapter following verse 37.38 In the former whereof we reade thus Nowe in the last and great day of the feast Iesus stood and cried saying If any man thirst let him come vnto me drinke but in the latter whereas if he had continued the metaphoricall speech wherein he beganne he shoulde haue saide he that commeth vnto me and drinketh of mee changing his phrase and yet retayning his former meaning to shewe vs that to drinke him is nothing else but to beleeue in him hee saieth in the steed thereof Hee that beleeueth in me as saith the Scripture out of his bellie shall flowe riuers of waters of life And therefore not without good ground said Augustine Crede manducasti Beleeue and thou hast eaten Tract 25. vpon Iohn And Tertullian de resurrectione carnis 29. writeth that Christ is auditu deuorandus ruminandus intellectu fide digerendus that is to be deuoured by hearing to be chewed on by vnderstanding and to be digested by faith So that by all these proofes laide together wee see that Christ is receiued by faith that wee growe in him by faith yea to a perfect man in Gods sight and lastly that hee is as surely apprehended of vs by faith to our spirituall maintenance in the worde preached and sacramentes ministred which are the dishes wherein one and the selfe-same Christ is offered vnto vs as meate and drinke being set before vs is taken in by eating or drinking thereof to our temporall nourishment Whereof the Sacrament of Christes body and bloud is a most effectuall ratification and particular confirmation to euery right receiuer thereof by faith If it were otherwise that wee coulde not get to be in Christ and hee in vs by faith in him but to accomplishe this it were necessary bodily to take him into vs by the mouth of our bodies then forasmuch as there were neuer any that died that coulde be blessed that died not in him all the good Patriarkes Prophets and other seruantes of GOD that died before hee had an humane body must bee condemned But the contrary thereof is euident in that Abraham is placed in state of saluation by Christ Luk. 16.24 c. Yea and with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen Luk. 13.28.29 And therefore Paul is bolde 1. Cor. 10.3.4 to say of them that were before Christ that they all ate one spirituall meate and dranke the same spirituall drinke that we doe Christ which coulde not be otherwise effectually but by beleeuing aright in CHRIST to come Let vs therfore labour by diligent vse of the meanes that GOD hath appointed vs for that purpose to attaine to a right and sounde faith in Christ and to nourishe it still by the vse of the same meanes seeing thereby wee see it commeth to passe that wee put on Christ and be vnited vnto him so that wee may bee saide according to the vsuall phrase of the Scripture to bee in him and consequently alwaies found ready to dye in him Of which number I count as well them that died before Christ in a right faith in him to come as since in him already come But not by euery kind of faith But nowe least wee deceiue our selues in thinking we haue attained vnto this faith and so are in Christ when it is nothing so wee are diligently to consider what manner of faith that is and of what nature it is that worketh this great and glorious effect And the rather are wee diligently to consider hereof because this woorde Faith is not alwaies taken in one and the selfe-same signification in the Scriptures for there are diuers sortes and kindes of faith Not by the miraculous faith Vnderstande therefore Righte Honourable and welbeloued in our Sauiour Iesus Christ that it is not fides miraculosa a faith to woorke miracles by that is a resolution by some extraordinarie meanes of Gods will to worke a wonder and therefore thereupon to attempt it in his name and to bring it to passe that maketh vs haue this fellowshippe with Christ For of such as haue this faith we reade thus Mat. 7.22.23 Many wil say vnto me in that day saith Christ Lorde Lorde haue we not in thy name prophecied And by thy name cast out Diuels And done many great workes And then will I professe to them Not by the historicall faith I neuer knewe you depart from me you workers of iniquitie Neither is it an historicall faith onely whereby wee assent to the trueth of those thinges that are written in the Scripture For no doubt of it the very diuels of hell are enforced to yeeld thus much to their smart and woe And therefore we read Iames. 2.19 The diuels beleeue and tremble Not by the temporarie saith Neither is it a temporary faith fleeting in the conceite of man not firmely setled and rooted in his heart For such as haue that kinde of faith onely are compared by our sauiour Christ Mat. 13. to the thornie and stonie ground wherein though for a time the good seede of the woorde seemed to make faire promise of a plentifull haruest yet ere due time of haruest came either through the cares and pleasures of this life it was so choaked and ouer growen or through the scorching heate of persecution so burnte vppe that it came to no good And therefore you haue hearde that it is sayde heare not without cause Which dye in the Lorde to shewe vs that it must bee a continuing and perseuering faith vnto the ende howsoeuer in the meane time it bee assaulted that must serue the turne in this case to make vs such as of whom the LORDE here speaketh Not by the dead faith I say further that a faith though seeming to be neuer so liuelye in woordes yet if it be fruitlesse in good woorkes it is not the faith that canne make vs to be in Christ For both immediatlye before the woordes of my text and in the ende thereof it is euident that a faith accompanied with good woorkes is heere required For before you reade that Iohn set downe these woordes Heere is the patience of Saintes heere are they that keepe the commaundementes of GOD and the faith of Iesus And my text concludeth that
Lorde speaketh of For he was no timeseruer or dissembler none that either in forehead or haÌ„d bare the marke of the beast but that hated theÌ„ least ragge relicke and clour of the Romish harlote euery day more and more vnto his death O you Nobles and others of what calling soeuer learne and seeke to bee like to him liuing that ye may bee like to him dying Assure your selues that hee loued Gods sincere trueth vnfeynedlye thet hee made not his religion a stepping stone to clime vp to promotion by nor his drudge to serue his turne to coÌ„passe his worldly fetches and deuices by No no hee was no vaine and prophane politike that fauoured and countenanced religion for his own turne his vnfeyned loue appeared towardes it in that euen the feete yea the very feet of them that were messengers therof vnto him were alwaies beautifull in his eiâ—â— insomuch yâ— he tooke pleasure to reason coÌ„ferre with them most familiarlye curteously taking it as great honour vnto himselfe to patronise theÌ„ in their good cause â—â—â—â—mes and to further to his vtmost their honest sutes Truly when I consider of the one side how faithful acounseller her maiesty hath lost of him of how trusty â—patron the coÌ„monwealâ— is by this his departure froÌ„ vs hereaâ—ed and of 〈◊〉 and teÌ„der a father this our Church is therby also depriued and when I haue done enter into a consideratioÌ„ on the other side of the blessed and happy change that hee hath made which followeth here in my text I cannot tel whether we haue grater cause to mourne in respect of this threefold losse to vs thaÌ„ to reioyce in respect of the blessed happy state hereby befallen to him Sure I am we may now wel conceiue yâ— in this threefolde respect there is great cause why we sâ—â—â—ly mourn but I â—eare we shal euery day more and more perceiue this threefold misse and losse of him and therfore our mourning is rather likely to bee increased than otherwyse Howbeit to moderate it let vs proceed in yeâ—eâ—t that we may see thereby again what cause there is euen of loue towards him to make vs in his respect to be ioyful again In the handling whereof I wil be the briefer because I haue beene the longer in this Wherfore leauing him most certainly enrolled euen by Gods â—wne hande within the number of those that be vndoubtedly deaâ—â— in the Lord let vs see what is here saiâ— concerning the state of such aâ—d therefore consequently of himsâ—â— The secoÌ„d part of the general diuisioÌ„ wherein first is set down the method true sense of that part of the text with proofes thereof as followeth It followeth Blessed are they immediately thence forth Yea saith the spirite they rest froÌ„ their labours and their works accompany theÌ„ Wherin first their state is fer boâ—â—e by yâ— he â—â—â—â—ly voice what it is and when they enter vpon it and then the same is iterated somwhat explaned by the approbartion assem of the holy Ghost in that forthwith they resto froÌ„ their labours and their works accoÌ„pany them Their state is blessed As for them entraÌ„ce coÌ„tinuance in that state 〈◊〉 pressed in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the etinâ—â—â—logy of the word the vse of the word in the best Greeke authours and the very circumstance of the tâ—â—â— considered cause me to traâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—hâ—s Immediatly thenceforth Which to he the sense that it haâ—h in this place vnderstanding the place of maâ—â—yrs the Rheâ—ists themselues in the notes vpon this place â—ilâ—ingly confesse Yea they vnderstanding the place also generally of al diseased in â—ate of grace confesse it may theÌ„ also though they say it dothâ—â—â— properly so signifie in this place which they 〈◊〉 neuer proue â—efo takeÌ„ here vndersaÌ„ding it only of these that so deceased after Christs asceÌ„sioÌ„ vnles that impedimeÌ„t be in theÌ„selues Wherby it is euident that not the properly of the word but a desire to maintaine first their limbus patrum for those that departed in faith before Christs ascension and their purgatory for some that depart so since maketh theÌ„ vnwilling to yeeld that the natural sense of the word here is as I haue rendred it But who so coÌ„sidereth that the scope of the place is to coÌ„fort the godly and sincere seruants of god against the manifold assaults afflictions procured them in this life by Antichrist eueÌ„ with this that if these notwithstanding they perseuere vnto the end they shal presently so forth for euer be blessed shal therby perceiue that it must needs here haue that sense For to take it any otherwise would minister vnto them a colde comfort as for example say vnto them but in their sense which they would faine vtter for the sense if they durst for shame be of good cheare be constant vnto the end and then perhaps presently thou shalt go to blisse and perhaps to purgatory there to feele paines that exceede all the paines of this life at the least vntil thou hast satisfied vp for thy sinnes partely by thine owne bearing of those paines and partly by such other reliefe as good men shall prouide for thee when thou art gone and then thou shalt go to blisse and the comfort that it ministreth is as cold as lead Answereth this the circuÌ„stance of the text Nay tendeth it not rather to the plain contrary that is to their discomfort Well it seemeth they will not striue with vs for this sense of the word so we would be content to vnderstand it of al that die in grace since Christs ascension only and but of so many of those also as before their death haue fully satisfied for their sinnes but we may not graÌ„t them either of these limitations not the first because they that dyed in faith in Christ to come as well as those that dy since in faith in Christ come found their faith auailable to their saluation For Christ hath bin the selfe same slain lamb for euer in the sight of his heauenly father Reuel 13.8 and is one and the selfe same yesterday to day and for euer Heb. 13.8 And he himself to the plain confutatioÌ„ of this grosse opinion that the faithful that died before his ascension went not to ioy blisse placeth AbrahaÌ„ Lazarus with him in ioy blisse before his death Luk. 16.24 c. and promiseth the thiefe that day when he died that he should be with him in paradise Luk. 23.43 And as for the later the vainnes of the addition hath bin laid opeÌ„ already in that we haue learned that there is no other satisfaction for the sins of the faithfull but that which Christ made in his owne person once for al yet they are so loth that this place should be vnderstoode generally of all that depart in a right faith in Christ when where and howsoeuer that mistrusting belike that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would not serue their turns in the
next clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they traÌ„slate Now where as they know it is an aduerbe of affirming and not of time and signifieth Yea Also neuer now Why doe they not translate the saine word Mat. 5. Iam. 5. so also Which if they did theÌ„ we should read there for let your yea be yea let your now be now for let your speech be yea yea let your speech be now now But they found that their vulgar translation readeth it Iam. that is now Yea but they were not ignoraÌ„t that is now Yea but they were not ignoraÌ„t that truely the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 could not be so translated but that they cared not for as long as thus to craÌ„ state it though against al reason seemed to souÌ„d better to countenance their Limbus PatruÌ„ for so they gather of it Now saith the spirit c. that is since Christs ascension that it in thus with them that die in the Lord as thought it had not beene so before And it would be noted that the Greek word that is translated labors doth not signify any aâ—tion or operatioÌ„ whatsoeuer but such labor as is wearisome tedious to the doer or sufferer For we must not thinke that the soules of the righteous separated from their bodies liue in idlenesse without exercising theÌ„selues in any kind of action For no doubt of it they are occupied in the contemplation of God wherin their felicity lieth and in praysing him with ioifulnes But we are therby to vnderstand that such is the case of them that die in the Lord that thenceforth immediatly for euer al wo griefe paine whatsoeuer ceaseth to theÌ„ both in body soule with is one part of their blessednes happines here spokeÌ„ of But because blessednes lieth not onely in a not feeling of wo paine but especially in fruition of some present permanent ioy comfort therfore the better to explane vnto vs what blessednes it is that they that die in the Lord thenceforth for euer haue atteined vnto immediately vppon the dissolution of their soule and body it is farther added that the workes of such accompany them that is that presently all the good works of such eueÌ„ vnto the giuing of a cup of cold water to one of gods little ones in the name of a disciple shal be rewarded in heauen with vnspeakeable ioy and felicitie Mat. 10.42 I read it rather And their workes accompany them because so traÌ„slated the force of the greeke is the better expressed For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not signify to follow a far off but to follow hard at the heeles therfore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a hand maid besides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is more properly read with theÌ„ thaÌ„ after them Also thus reading it according to the sense of the greek the circumstaÌ„ce of the place is better answered which was to animate those that liued in the Lord also to die in the lord with hope of present blisse vpoÌ„ their death Wheras if it were read And their works follow them a cauiller to their discoÌ„fort might say that may be so though it be not before the end of a thousaÌ„d yeres after their death so in the meane time they may fry in purgatory And thus it is confirmed likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must here import immediatly theÌ„ce forth For if the reward of their workes followe them so that it is present at their heeles then there is no mean space betwixt And yet I would not haue it hereupon inferted that my meaning is that souls departed in faith haue streight their consummation and full crowne of glory that is prepared for them For I know that that shall not be before the generall resurrection and that the setting of the crown vpon their heads is deferred vnto Christs 2. comming And therfore Iohn in a vision Apo. 6.10 heareth the blessed soules in heauen cry aloud for that day though so that they are contented wtout griefe for to obey the Lord is all their ioy theÌ„ to tary the Lords leasure to abide his pleasure But hereby I would haue it gathered for so it may wel that straight their blisse is such shal be theÌ„ceforth the neither body nor soule shal euer feele the least grief or pain again that presently the soule is in possession fruition of so excellent an estate in heauen in respect wherof it may worthily thinke it selfe right blessed and happy and so fully rewarded for all the workes done by it in the body that it shal not haue cause to coÌ„plaine that any one worke is forgotten not rewarded Euen this therefore hath the Lord from heaueÌ„ in by this word blessed expressed which is a word of greatest importaÌ„ce that he could vse For in blessednes and happinesse both Philosophers and diuines hold that mans chiefe felicity consisteth whereunto in his whole life hee must aime Wherefore no doubt of it euen this state of them that die in the Lorde that by this word and the phrases following to explane it is ment is such a state that the state of princes Emperors in this life let theÌ„ be otherwise as happy as it is possible for meÌ„ to be in comparison hereof is but a misery For what state here is euer was or shal be so happy which is not intermingled was or shal be with some labor paine Yea euen in the delights here greatest ioyes of this world there is saciety wearisomnes and there is no certainty nor vnchangeablenes in states here the best most florishing are so subiect to mutability and alteration but in this there is no griefe of mind nor sickenes or paine of the body no Gangrena nor any other woe Apoc. 21.4 And in the ioies there is continuall comfort delight without wearisomnes and that such as is euerlasting vnutterable and vnconceiueable by the tongue or heart of man And this is now the state and hath bin euer since his departure of this Noble Earle our honourable brother and shal be thenceforth as both God and angels ful wel know we men need not once to doubt this shal be ours also if we liue and die in the Lorde as he hath done It is told vs all so from heauen it is recorded so by a faithful witnes and approued and ratified by the spirit of God God grant vs al grace to beleue it one day to trie the truth certainty of it in our own persons by experience In the mean time let vs somwhat further consider of the doctrine and of the words as they lie wherin it is vttered that we may not only see thus as we haue done hither to the generall principall lesson therein taught vs but also euery particular truth coÌ„firmed therby error confuted therin that we may make the vse of it fully for which it was writen The particular lessons to be learned herein
Because no doubt of it there are fooles in the world Psal 14.1 which in their hearts thinke though they dare not for shame with their congues say there is no God and consequeÌ„tly that there is neither Hell nor Heauen resurrection of the body nor immortality of the soule let vs marke The same body shall rise againe in the meane time resteth in peace what doctrine this text teacheth vs to the coÌ„trary to the stopping vp for euer of the mouths of such prophane Atheistes Wherefore to begin with all I say how could it be here said that they that die in the Lord are thenceforth blessed vnlesse in respece of the whole man it were so in some force Euident it is that if either the body were vtterly perished so that it should neuer rise againe or the soul dead that it could feel no ioy they could not at al be sayed to be blessed For blessednes as you haue hard confirmed vnto you eueÌ„ out of my text it selfe consisteth not only in ceasing from labor woe and paine but in a possession and fruition of a most heauenly reward Nay it is most certaine that if either the body in the meane time vntil the resurrection were not at rest and peace or in the end should not rise again the soule coulde not bee said to be blessed to enioy the reward of works done by it in the body For it were a kinde of misery vnto it to haue the body disquieted especially to be without hope of beeing euer restored and ioyned to the body again Wherfore in that they that dy in the Lord are here pronounced blessed first for the bodies of such we learn that they are in rest and as the scripture speaketh as it were a sleepe in the bosome of their mother the earth Acts. 7.1 Thess 4.15 and therefore free from all woe and pain and not to be disquieted by diuels enchanters or witches any manner of way and that most certainely they rest in hope of a blessed resurrection which according to the Scriptures Mat. 25.1 Thess 4.1 Cor. 15. at the last general day of iudgment by the power of the Lord shal be brought to passe Wherof we must needs be perswaded in that otherwise God shuld not be perfectly merciful nor Christ a ful sauior And why should Christ take vnto his godhead vnite therwith in person as wel the body of man as the soul of man vnlesse he ment to be a ful sauior of both He our head rose again in his own body one in substance with that it was before though altered in properties and so shall it be with his members 1. Cor. 15.1 Thess 4. Notable therefore was Iobs faith his time considered I know saith he that my redeemer liueth that I shal see God in my flesh though after this skin the wormes destroy this bodye whom I my selfe shall see mine eies shall behold none other for me Iob. 19.25.26.27 Euen the dying of the corne first in the earth and the after growing vp of the same the reuiuing of diuerse worms and other creatures at the spring towardes suÌ„mer the laye for deade all winter are glasses in nature our God hath set before vs to make vs ashamed of this point of infidelity and Atheisme once to call the truth of the resurrection into question The soule is immortall And as touching the soul that it dieth not but if it depart out of the body in the Lorde that it passeth streight to the Lorde with whome it not only ceaseth from al woe and pain but also enioieth the reward of blisse hereby also we are plainly taught For otherwise how should it bee true that immediatly thenceforth such as die in the Lord are blessed in not only ceasing froÌ„ their labours but also in present receiuing rewarde of their works For hereupon it must needs follow to be most true which wee reade Eccl. 12.7 that the soul returneth to him that gaue it And that also Mat. 10.28 that tyrants cannot kil the soul Wherfore we may with Peter count death but a flitting of the soule out of the tabernacle of the body 2. Pet. 1.14 and with Paul a going from an earthly house to an heauenly It sleepeth not nor is without feeling of ioy assuredly vntil the resurrectioÌ„ 2. Cor. 5. c. and therefore with him vpon good cause desire to be dissolued to be with the Lord Phi. 1.23 and when we dye dying in the Lorde with Christ Luk 23.46 and with StepheÌ„ Act. 7 59. coÌ„meÌ„d our souls into the hands of God Whereupon it followeth that there is a soule and that it dieth not when the body dyeth but is immortal Yea further in yâ— as we perceiue by Christs placing of Lazarus immediatly in present fruition of ioy after his death in Abrahams bosom Luk. 16. the souls of such as die in the Lord are sayd here to haue their works accompany them hereupon it followeth that the reward thereof is not drousie sleepe but a ioyfull feeling of heauenlye blisse and that therefore the soules of such departed sleepe not but are awake and in a liuely feeling of ioy in heauen Which fancy of these sleepers is confuted also in that Ioh. Apo. 6. seeing in visioÌ„ soules in heauen heard them cry a loud vnto the Lord to hasten his second coÌ„ming Herevpon also in that of contraries there is contrary condition may well be gathered in that the state of those that dye in the Lord is blessed that the state of those that dye not in the Lord That is no purgatory for any that dy in the Lord to goe vnto is accrused Now in that it followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immediately thenceforth and their works accompany theÌ„ and they cease from their labours by three most euident reasons it must needes follow that to such as dye in the Lord there is not any meane place or Purgatory and therfore to none other by our aduersaries owne confession For they themselues hold as wel as we that al that dy out of grace and fauor of our God they for their sins in soul go straight to hel and that none go to purgatory but such as dye in the Lord which yet before their death haue not sufficiently satisfied for their sins But here I say this their doctrine is flatly confuted first in that they are imediatly after their death thenceforth without any exceptioÌ„ said to be blessed SecoÌ„dly in that it is said They rest from their labours Thirdly in that it is said Their works accompany theÌ„ None of all which could bee true if any of them went to purgatory And yet our Rhemists vpon this place are not ashamed to write in their notes notwithstanding it be their known and receiued doctrine that the pâ—ines that souls suffer in purgatory be equal to the paines of hel for the time that one principal torment there is the gnawing worme of conscience that soules in purgatory may well be
and that therefore wee shal bee saued for his sake onely and not for our workes at all Let vs now therefore heare what the Scripture sayth to the determination of this question That saying of Christ to his Luke 17.10 is directly contrary to their position where hee sayth when ye haue doone all those thinges that are commanded you say wee are vnprofitable seruantes wee haue doone that which was our duetie to doe For heereby not in way of curtesie as some of them haue sayde but in sadnesse we are taught that if wee kept the whole lawe in euery pointe which neuer man did but Christ that yet we are to account our selues so farre from hauing merited any thing thereby at Gods handes that we are to thinke we haue but payde him that which we ought him and therefore merited no more at his handes than an olde ill better may say he hath merited at his creditours handes when he payeth him but his hare owne How much more stronglye then doeth this place bynde vs from hauing that conceite of our woorkes when wee haue doone them that thereby we are iustified and merite heauen Seeing that the very best woorkers of vs al when wee haue doone what we canne yet finde our selues scarce able where wee owe God golde to paye him leade where wee owe him thousandes to pay him hundredes yea to aunswere him one of a thousande Iob. 9.3 in so much that the righteousnesse of the righteous is but as a steyned cloath Isa 64.6 And therefore Paul though hee wrote the Epistle to the Phillippians a litle before his death when hee was full of sufferinges for CHRIST and of all kinde of good woorkes yet he in the 3. Chapter therof protesteth not onelye in the preter tense that hee counted all his pharisaicall righteousnesse before his conuersion but all then in the present tense but doung that hee might winne Christ and might be founde in him not haning his owne righteousnesse which is of the Lawe but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnesse which is of GOD through fayth verse 8.9 Wherefore hee boldlye concludeth Titus 3.5 thus Not by the woorkes of righteousnesse which no doubt are woorkes doone in fayth for otherwyse they were not to be called woorkes of righteousnesse but rather woorkes of vnrighteousnesse which wee haue doone but according to his mercy he saued vs. Now to make it cleare that by this righteousnesse of GOD whereby Paule through faith in Christ woulde bee righteous before GOD is ment not an inherent righteousnesse in mans owne selfe Paul opposeth it to that righteousnesse in himselfe And besides Romanes 10.1.2.3 they are seuered in that the one is called the righteousnesse of God the other mans owne righteousnesse But most cleare is that Romains 1.17 where hee affirmeth that that righteousnesse which is called the righteousnesse of GOD is reuealed by the Gospell from faith to faith For it is written The iust shall liue by fayth Whereby it is most euident that this inherent righteousnes which they would haue to make theÌ„ righteous by is reuealed by the morall law And therefore you shall finde that Paul Rom. 10.5.6 7.8.9 distinguisheth the righteousnes of the lawe from the righteousnes that commeth by faith And Rom. 3.21 that hee in plaine tearmes thus determineth this matter Now is the righteousnes of God made manifest without the law hauing witnesse of the Law and the Prophetes to witte the righteousnesse of God by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vppon all that beleeue Which coulde not bee if the righteousnes of God were the good workes that are in men for we come to the knowledge of theÌ„ by the Lawe This is called the righteousnesse of God in an excellencye because the righteousnesse of Christ is the righteousnesse of one that is God and is indeede a righteousnesse absolute before God for the which he cannot but account them righteous to whom it is imputed by fayth In an inferiour sort the godlynesse in Gods children maye be called a righteousnesse of God because it is wrought in them by his spirite but yet as appeareth by these places it is not that righteousnesse whereby we may dare perswade one selues that wee are made righteous before hym but onely a fruite proceeding from that applyed first vnto vs and then testifiyng thereof Further howe could it be sayde truely that life euerlastyng is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the free gift of God Ro. 6.23 if it come at all by meryte To imagyne that it may come of grace and also of workes it is flat agaynst Paul Rom. 11.6 where he sayth If it be of grace it is no more of works or else were grace no more grace but if it be of works it is no more grace or else were work no more woorke In which woordes he deâ—ermineth saluation to come by merite of workes and by grace to bee so contrarye the one to the other as if it come the one way it cannot come at al by â—he other It cannot bee sayde to the shifting off of this place with any reason that here by works are meant workes onely done before faith for he speaketh generally heere of woorkes without distinction And therefore very well saide August contra Pelag. Caelest lib. 2. cap. 24. Gods grace shal be grace no way vnlesse it be free euery way and the drift of the Epistle to the Galath is flatly and directly against such as would be saued partly by grace through faith in Christ and partly by their workes following faith For they were neuer taught by the false Apostles neithee did they then holde iustification by workes done before faith or by workes alone And yet Paul speaking to the purpose to confute them saith If righteousnes come by the lawe Christ died in vaine Gal. 2.21 Chap. 5.4 ye are albolished froÌ„ Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the lawe ye are fallen from grace Vpon which ground said Augustine in his preface vppon the 31. Psal If thou wilt haue nothing to doe with grace boast thy merits and Chrysostome 3. ad Gal. saith thus â—hey saide accursed is hee that leaneth onely to faith Paul sheweth that hee that so doeth is blessed And Ambrose also vpon the same warrant 1. Cor. 1. affirmeth that it is appointed of GOD that he that beleeueth in Christ shal be saued without woorkes onele by faith freely receiuing remission of his sinnes And least they should cauill and say as they are not ashamed to doe that by workes of the lawe are vnderstoode onely workes done before faith by the direction of the Lawe without the infusion of the speciall grace of GOD through Christ marke how notably to preuent that popish shift chap. 2.15.16 he saieth Wee that are Iewes by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles know that a man is not iustified by the workes of the Lawe but by the faith of Iesus Christ Euen we I say haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that we