presence of euill whereof now we would faine be releeued and yet it lyeth still vpon vs. Concerning this last it is a notable saying the Apostle hath we are now in heauines through manifold tentations that the tryall of our faith being much more precious then Gold when it is tryed by fire might bee found to our praise honour and glory at the appearing of Christ there we see that the end of euills which now are suffered to lie vpon vs is the tryall of our faith and thaâ— for our owne greater praise and glory for where no fire is how can gold bee purged where no trouble is how can faith be tryed and where faith is not yet tryed how can it be praised And as to the other when these good things which God hath promised are not seene of vs but hidden from our eyes and delayed to bee performed vnto vs this is also for the tryall of our faith for where we see saluation what praise â—s it to beleeue but where we can neither see nor feele thâ—â—e good things which God hath promised but rather are exercised with contrary terrours and feares if yet wee still cleaue to the truth of the wordofgod that certainely is an argument of a great faith and such was the faith of that woman of Canaan who beeing not onely refused but as it were disdainefully reiected by Christ did so trust vnto the truth of Gods word that constantly shee looked foâ— mercy at the hand oâ— Christ who strongly by word had denied it vnto her and therefore receiued this commendation in the end O woman great is thy faith Thus we see how in â—he children of God all these hinderances which wee hâ—ue to stay vs from beleeuing do so much the more commend and approue our faith vnto God Wee loue rather Of two loues wee see in the Apostle the stronger ouercomming the weaker he loued his body protested before he had no will to want it but he loued the Lord Iesus better then his body and therfore perceiuing that hee cannot now enioy them both together for while hee was in the body he was absent from the Lord he is now very wel content to remoue out of the body that he might dwell with the Lord there is nothing naturally a man loues more then his body nothing he feares more then death because it imports a dissolution of his body but where the loue of Christ is strong in the heart it casts out not onely the feare of death but ouer comes also all other loue whatsoeuer And here haue wee a point of holy wisedome discouered vnto vs by which we may cure that vnquietnesse of minde which arises in vs of the wandring of our affections after secondary obiects the best way to remedy it is to set our affections vpon the right obiects if the loue of the creature haue snared thee set thy loue on the Lord and bend thy affection toward him and the otheâ— shall not troble thee If the feare of men terrifie thee learne to sanctifie the Lord God in thine hart make him thy feare and and thou shalt not feare what flesh can doe vnto thee and if the care of the world disquiet thee cast thy care vpon God and labour by continuance in prayer how to feele the sense of his loue toward thee in Christ and thou shalt finde that where the one care like thornes did pricke thee with sorrowes the other shall bring contentment peace and ioy vnto thee But to returne when we consider this strong loue of Christ that was in the Apostle wee we haue great cause to be ashamed of that weak and little loue which in our heartes wee feele towardes our LORD how many this day professe that they loue him who for his loue will not want the superfluities of this life and what hope then is there that for his sake they will lay down the life it selfe if smaller crosses be vnpleasant to vs and his loue be not so strong in vs as to make vs reioice in them how shall death be welcommed of vs wherin there is a concurse of all crosses into one Wee must therefore learne for the loue of Christ to inure our selues with the beginnings of mortification not onely to slay the vnlawful affections but also to want ouâ— wills euen in those things which are lawful that so by degrees we may be inabled willingly to want the body and all that euer we loued in the body for Iesus Christs sake To remooue out of the body Two manner of waies in this treatise doth the Apostle discribe death first in regard of that which it doth to the body and then he calleth it a dissolution of our earthly Tabernacle Next in regard of that which it doth to the soule and so he calles it a remouing out of the body so that if we will think of death as the spirit of God doth teach vs there is no cause why wee should bee discouraged with it Againe we see heare that the death of the godly is a voluntary remoouing out of the bcdy to dwell with the Lord as to the wicked like as they liue in disobedience so they die in disobedience their death is involuntary that which is spoken of that one wicked rich man O foole this night they will take thy soule from thee is true in all the wicked their spirits are taken from them against their will exeunt istinc necessitatis vinculo non voluntatis obsequio whereas the Godly willingly commend their spirits into the handes of GOD offering vp both soule and body to him in death in a full free and voluntarie oblation This difference betweene the death of the Godly and wicked men may be commodiously shadowed by the fourth comming of Pharao his Butler and Baker out of prison whereof the one knew he shold be restored to serue the king his Master and therefore went out with ioy the other knew by Iosephs Prophesies hee should be hanged within three dayes and therefore if it had beene giue to his choice would still haue remained in prison rather then to haue come foorth to be hanged euen so is it with the godly who are certified before hand that they are receiued into fauor and after death shall haue plaâ—â— to stand about the throne of God there to serue him by praising him continually are well content wheÌ„ the Lord cals them to remoue out of the body whereas the other having receiued a sentence of condemnation within themselues no maruaile they go out of the body with feare and trembling like malefactors going from the prison to the place of execution vincti impliciti catenis variorum peccatorum ad terribâ—le illud iudicium trahuntur Or otherway if at any time the wicked bee willing to dye it is not for any loue or knowledge they haue that they shall be with the Lord but either els because they are impatient of
the Temple of hâ—â— spirit â—ut will keâ—pe the dâ—st thereof Iâ—cobs dead body honourably buried by God Three things to be considered here The fiâ—st thing to be considered here is what is meant by this building By this building is not to be vnderstood our glorisied bodies for those we get not till the resurrection But that place of glory into which we are transated aftâ—r death Luke Ioh. Hebr. Reuel The second thing to be considered here is how saies the Apostle we haue this building The reason is because presently we have the rights and â—ecurities of it which are Charter Confirmation Seazing and Possession Of the Charters of our heauenly building Luke 12.32 Most comfortable Meditations Ioh. Psal. 2. Of the confirmation we haue receiued vpon our Charter Heb. 6.17 Of our seazing and inuestment in our heauenly building Of our present possession we haue of that building The 3 thing to be considered here is the description of the building wherein are foure things Fiâ—st God is called the Authour and maker of this building and theâ—efore it must be a glorious house Ahasuerus made a royal banquet in a very pleasant place to shew his glorie Esth. 1. VVhat shall we then thinke of that building and banquet God hath prepared for declaration of his glory The glorie of Sa'omons Temple may lead vs to consider of the glorie of our heauenly building 1. K. 7.14 It is taken for a sure â—ule that the inuisible works of God are most excellent This we may see in the workemanship of man The same is to be vnderstood in the Fabric of this world which is very pleasant and yet but a figure in respect of that which is aboue How farre this visible world is inferiour to that invisible building The 2. thing in this description is the manner of the building Mat. 25.34 The Lord hath prepared that house for vs and also prepares vs for it The glory of both the creations belong to God only Iob. 38.4 Of all Gods workes he craâ—es no more but the praise giues vs the profite Psal. 116. The third thing in the description of this building is the eternity thereof Our present life is but for a moment Basil. in Psal. 143. Our life is finished by many deaths This is made cleaâ—e by parting our life into â—oure ages euery one whereof doth die before we enter to another Since by nature wee loue a long life and care for it why wil we not loue an eternall life The last thing in the description of this building is the situaâ—ion thereof Psal. 16 Dwelling places assigned to men according to the disposition of their persons If such comforts be on earth what may we looke for in heauen Cant. The place of our dwelling admonishes vs that we should be holy and heauenly 2. Pet. The Apostle now comes to shew a threefold fruit of godlines which the knowledge of the glory to come workes in the children of God The first is â—n earnest desire of that glory to come The nature of the liuely knowledge wrought in vs by the Gospell It is not only a mirrour whereby we see God but it is his power whereby we are carried after him How the two lights of heauen shadow two sorts of knowledge in the minde of man The knowlâ—â—ge of many woâ—kes nothing but their conuiction 2 Pet. 2.21 T. â—â—godly while they sigh for things that are to come do thereby declare that they finde no contentment in these which are present Desires in the godly goe besore satisfaction Psal. 145.19 Our perfection vponâ— earth consists rather in desiring to doe as we should then in doing it Aug. in Ioan. tract 4. Rom. 7. God accepts our desires for deeds â—ut this is to â—e vnderstood of true desires which aâ—e discerned from vâ—ine desires two waies 1 True desires are ay the longer the greater 2 True desire uses all meanes lawfull to bring vs to the thing desired An example thereof in Zacheus Luk. 19.2 The desire which worldlings haue of Christ is described The 〈◊〉 of glory â—o come is shâ—dowed to vs by sundâ—y similitudes Rom. 8. No glorious thing but glory it selfe is promised vnto vs. Beâ—â—de fall ac pâ—â—sen vitae The spirit of God vses many similitudes to declare that no similitude can expresse that glory The godly speake oâ—â—e glory to come like men transported For no order of words can be kept in speaking of that which passes vnderstanding Psal. 36.8 The Apostle expones what he meant by wishing to be clothed vpon The Godly in desiring things not absolutely promised submit their will to Gods will Vnlawfull desire of things simply agaâ—nâ—t Gods will shâ—uld be sâ—r srom vs. All Gods children shall come to one end suppose not in one maner Reuel 14.13 The Apostle dâ—sires not â—to want the body if it might stand with the Lords dispâ—nsation How this plâ—ce agrees with Philip. 〈◊〉 where hee dâ—sires to bee dâ—ssolued and loosed from the body Delay of of death is som time desirâ—d of the Godly for three respects 1. That thâ—y may bâ— bâ—tter prepaâ—ed to 〈◊〉 Psal. 39.13 Nazian od suum Animum Nazianzâ—ns doubt whether he should desire life or death A meditation how as Dauiâ— spared Saul sleâ—ping in the campe So God maâ—y â— time hath found vs sleepâ—ng in our sins and hath not sâ—â—ine vs â—ut waknâ—d vs. But our wakâ—ng hath beene no bâ—tter nor Sâ—â—ls working in vâ— a tâ—mpoâ—all râ—pâ—nâ—ance 2 Pet. 2.22 How we should vse the time of life granted vs on eâ—rth is shâ—wâ—d by tâ—e example of Dauidâ— ambaâ—sadors Aug. 2. They desire delay of death that they may doe the greater good in the body Psal. 6. Phil. 1. Gala. 6.10 Iohn 11.19 3. Thâ—y desire delay of death for the â—oue they haâ—e to the body wâ—ich they desire not to want This loue of â—â—e body is not euill in it selfe For â—uen the glorified soule rests not in ful contentment so long as it waÌ„ts the bod Ber tract de diligendo deum Ibid. Vhat great need there is to prepare our selues to die with willingnesse For this cause God seasons to his children the plâ—asurs of their life with bitter paines Yet the Apostle wishes not to kâ—epe the body with the sin and mortality of the body But so that sin and mortality might be swallowed vp in the body by that life as at length it shall be 1 Cor. 15.55 The excelleâ—sy of the life to come it shall not leauâ— any remanent of sinne or death in the body Death like a tyrant hath deuoured al since Adam but shall be deuoured by that life Reuel 21.4 This is expressed by the similitude of a little water turned in to wine â—â—r ser. de diligendo Deo Comfort against the feare of death He prooues that this desire which he had was no vain desire by two reasons 1. First because by Gods ordinance we are appointed to tâ—at immortall liâ—e both in the first and second creation Neitherâ— hath God only
shame and confusion should be vpon vs and if wee preuent it not we may certainly looke for it Quo enim diutius expectat Deus eo districtius indâ—cabit The second reason that hath mooued the godly sometime to desire a prolongation of their daies is that they might doe the greater good in the body and therefore Dauid considering that they who are gone to the graue cannot praise God to witâ—punc as we doe who are clad with our bodies on earth â—e praies God to releeâ—e him of the heauie sicknesse vndeâ— which he lay And this same also made the holy Apostle to doubt what he should chuse whether to liue in thâ— flesh or to bee loosed from the body thâ— one beeing best foâ— himselfe the othâ—r better for the Church oâ— God And herein alsâ— we are admonished to embrace the Apostleâ— counsell while ye haue time be doing good to all men eâ—pecially to them who are of the family of faith and our Sauiours warning that wee should worke so long as the twelue howers of the day laste But this conuinces thâ— blockish stupiditie of many whom God hath suffred to liue but they do no more praise him nor if they were dead and buried And the thiâ—d motiue is the loue of the body Ineffahilis enim est animi ad corpus affectus And no maruell is it that the soul be loath to sunder from the owne body consâ—dering that the body was created in the greate wisedome and goodnesse of God to bee a companion to the soul and this reason the Apostle touches heere in the subsequent words while he saith because wee would not bee vnclothed for heerein hee declares that the cause why with sighing hee desired to bee clothed with his hoâ—se which is from heauen was not any mislâ—king hee had of the body for hee protests now if it might please the Lord he desired not to want it And this desire in it selfe is not euill otherway it could not bee in those soules which are glorified in heauen for euen they long for their bodies as beeing imperfect without them for by the first creation â—s I said they were made companions and therefore the one of them without the other cannot rest in contentment the body without the soule it is as we see but a dead stocke or carrion of flesh whatsoeuer thing is pleasant in the body be it quicknesse of sense agilitie colour or beauty it hath it all of the presence of the soul in it the soule againe suppose glorified in heauen yet rests not in full contentment till it bee revnitâ—d againe with the body declaring therby that without it it cannot be perfited Consortium enim carnis spiritus non requireret si absque illa consummaretur The soule would not desire the fellowship of flesh if without it it could be perfited but God hath so prouided that souls without their bodies nec velint nec valeant consummari neither will nor can be consummat And therefore is it that the souls while they haue their bodies desire not to want them and while they want them are not content till againe they receaue them And of al this we are warned what great neede wee haue to prepare our selues in time with willingnesse to remoue out of the body for since the Apostle protests that it was greuous to him to suffer the want of his body wee may easily thinke that in regarde of our greater infirmities it wil be much more greeuous vnto vs and therefore are wee to endeuour by grace to make our selues willing to die since by nature we are so vnwilling to it And to this end let vs reuerence the working of our God who seasons the pleasures of our life with many paines and giues vs much bitternesse as Nahomi spake of herselfe to abate the comfort of our beauty while as by heauy troubles crosses hee makes our life vnpleasant and our bodies a burden to our selues This the Lord doth for no other ende but that wee may bee made coÌ„tent willingly to quit our bodies for a time whereas other way if they continued in their vigour and health we wold be loath to want them That mortality might be swallowed vp The Apostle makes cleare in these words that which he hath spoken before obscurely hee wishes so to enter into life if it might please the Lord that he went not to it by the way of mortality but so that mortality might be swallowed vp of that life hee desires not then to keepe still the body and sinne and death in the body this were to put on a garment of immortality vpon the rotten ragges of mortall flesh this were to desire to be glorious without while in the meane time filthy rottennesse and corruption is within the Apostle craues no such thing neither indeede can any such thing be but his desire is so to haue his body preserued and translated into that life that sinne in the body and mortality flowing from sinne were swallowed vp in such sort that no footestep neither of the one nor of the other were â—emaining in the body And this desire also at the length wil be performed in all the children of God when â—his triumphant song shall bee put in their mouthes O Death where is thy Sting O' Graue where is thy victory The Sting of Death is Sinne the strength of Sinne is the Law But thankes bee to God who hath giuen vs victory through our Lord Iesus Againe wee are to marke here the excellencie of that life whereunto wee are begotten againe that it is such a life as shall swallow vp all mortality and not suffer so much as any antecedent or consequent of death to remaine in vs The Apostle saieth that death hath raigned from the dayes of Adam like a tyrant swallowing vp in the wide mouth gulfe of mortalitie al generations that haue beene sensyne like the great depth of the Ocean supping vp in her bosome al the riuers of the earth but there wil be a chaÌ„ge for that life for which we hope shal at length swallow vp Mortality death in her bosome all the paines and dolors that goes before it all the rottennesse and corruption that followes after it yea not so much as a teare shall be left in the face of Gods children far les shall any remanents of that poyson wherewith Satan infected our nature bee left in it the Lord shall so illuminate vs with his light that no darkenesse shall be left in vs he shal so reuiue and quicken vs with his life that death shall vtterly bee abolished and he shall so refresh vs with the ioy of his countenance that all sorrow shall flye away yea so wonderfull shall the change be that as a drop of water powred into a great quantity of Wine doth lose the vâ—ry nature of it dum saporem vini inauit colorem and
except they bee sent I will not so be content with preaching that I neglect prayer because the ministrie is of men but the grace is from God neither will I so depend on prayer that I despise preaching for hee can neuer receaue grace froÌ„ God who despises the means by which it pleases God to giue it Now as to the fourth whereof wee promised to speake it is a point most necessary to bee knowne for our comfort how we may know whether if or not wee haue receiued this spirit there are many in this age who haue heard the Testimony of God in his Gospell who as yet haue not receiued the seale and Testimony A very lamentable thing indeed for albeit the Gospell be a doctrine of ioyful tydings yet what comfort can it bring to theÌ„ who are not assured they belong vnto theÌ„ The Apostle writing to the Corinthians thaÌ„ks God not onely for that they had hard the word but because the testimony of God was confirmed vnto theÌ„ suchlâ—ke to the â— phefiaÌ„s he thaÌ„ks God not onely for that they heard the word of truth which is the Gospel of saluation but álso for that after they had beleeued they were sealed with the holy spirit of promise but truly as the disciples at Ephesus being asked if they had receiued the holy Ghost answered we know not if there be such a thing as an holy Ghost so is it with many in this age who haue heard the gospel which is the testimonie of Gods loue if they bee asked whether if or not they haue receaued the earnest of the Spirit which is the seale and confirmation of the testimonie shall bee found not to knowe what the earnest of the Spirit is But now to shew in one worde how it may be knowne wheâ—her if or not wee haue receaued him let vs remember that the same holy Spirit which is heere called the earnest of God is also called the seale of God Now the nature and vse of a seale is that it leaues behinde it in that which is stamped by it and impression of that same forme which it hath in it selfe Euen so also the Spirit of God imprints the very image of God in the hearts of so many as are sealed by him in which sense the Apostle sayes that the Romanes were deliuered vnto a forme of doctrine whereunto from the heart they had been obedient thereby declaring that euen as wax is made conforme to the print of the seale vnto which it is deâ—iuered so the hearts of the Godly are made conforme to the Image of God so soone as they are stamped with his holy spirit So that they who liue licenâ—iously after the lusts of the flesh declare themselues to be of their father the deuill because as our Sauiour said to the carnall Iewes they doe his workes and it is but a lying presumption when the like to these men dare say that they haue receiued the earnest of the spirit VER 6. Therefore we are bold FOllowes now the 2. conclusioÌ„ which the certain knowledge of that glory to come wrought in the Apostle to wiâ—te a contentment with boldnes to remooue out of the body that hee might dwel with the Lord and this hath in it more tâ—en is in the former for where in the 1. he protested only he had a desire to that glory yet so that he had no wil to want the body but now hee goes further considering that hee was not able to enioy them both together he protests he was gladly conteÌ„t to remoue out of the body that hee might dwell with the Lorde This meaning of the wordes shall bee cleare if after the sixt verse wee reade the eight passing by the parenthesis which is in the seuenth verse The word the Apostle vses heere signifies such a boldnes as stout-hearted men vse to set against great daungers for where there is no cause of feare where can the praise of boldnesse be there is then will the Apostle say matter of great feare in death I see before mee a terrible deepe and gulfe of mortality through which I must goe many fearefull enemies with whom I must fight before I wonne to my Lord yet am I not affraid to encounter with them Against me is Satan with his principalities powers and spirituall wickednesse but I know that the seede of the woman hath brused the head of the Serpent Against mee are a greate multitude of my sinnes â—nd the terrors of a gilty conscience but I know that Christ hath once suffered for sinnes the iust for the vniust that â—ee might bring vs to God so that now there is no condemnation to tâ—em which are in him Against me stands in my way dreadfull death with the horrors of the graue but I know my Lord hath taken away the sting of death and spoiled the graue of victorie Shall I then bee afraide No certainely but through the vally of death will I walke with boldnâ—s â—ill I come to the Lord my God And this boldnesse against death in the godly proceedes not onely from the sure knowledgâ— of a better life but from the present sense and feeling of the same life begunne in them which they know cannot be extinguished by death Notable examples haue we therof in all ages to proue that it is no vaine content but the effectuall power of God working in his children Ignatius Bishop of Antioch beiâ—g brought to Rome in the third persecution which was vnder Traian gaue a proofe of his boldnesse for being condemned to be cast to the beasts to bee deuoured by them hee gaue this answere nihil visibilium nihil inuisibilium moror modo Christum acquiram I stand sayes hee vpon nothing visible nothing inuisible so that I may finde and obtaine the Lord Iesus let fire come let the crosse let beasts let the breaking of my bones the convulsion of my members the grinding of my body yea let all the torments of Satan come vpon me I care not for them so that I may inioy the Lord Iesus And Policarpe who suffered in the fourth persecution vnder Aurelius Antoninus beeing brought to the place of execution and desired by the Emperours Deputy to blaspheme Christ and he would let him goe answered these fourescore and sixe yeares haue I serued Christ and haue found him a good Master to mee how then can I curse my king who hath saued me But if ye will not saide the deputy I will cast thee to wilde Beasts who shall teare thee Call them when thou wilt said the Martyr it is fixed and determinat with mee that from good thinges by repentance I will neuer goe back vnto worse But if ye feare not beasts said the Deputy I shall bridle and danton you with fire thou boasts me said the Martyr with a fire that burnes for an houre and shortly after will be extinguished but knowes not that fire of the iudgement to