that which did let or impede the present entrance of the godlie man into his Masters joy to wit his guiltinesse of veniall sinnes is removed by Gods gracious condonation in the verie dissolution of his soule his bodie as our Adversaries affirme And perhaps it is so yea that most learned and judicious Divine Doctor FIELD seemeth to haue beene altogether of this mynde But I dare not peremptorlie affirme anie thing in a matter so secret and hid from our knowledge for perhaps the remission of these veniall sinnes preceedeth the moment of dissolution as I haue alreadie marked onelie I maintaine this conditionall Assertion That if those sinnes bee remitted in the instant of death there is no punishmeÌ„t inflicted for them after death I know they will reâ—ly â—â—at although these sinnes bee pardoned yet the whole punishment due vnto them is reserved and no wayes discharged But this conceat is so fond that it needeth not anie refutation for it is repugnant to the verie nature of Remission and to the ordinarie conception which men haue of it for who would say that the King did pardon a Traytor if hee did inflict vpon him all the punishment due vnto him for his treason as also to that notable proportion which is betwixt our deliverance from sinne and from those miseries which are the consequents thereof For as I observed before the reason wherefore men are not fully delivered in this lyfe from those punishments or miseries which are the consequents of sinne is because they are not fully fred from sinne it selfe But in death as all doe grant the soule of a good man is fully fred from sinne nothing remayneth therein which displeaseth GOD and that which pleaseth GOD to wit inherent righteousnesse is perfect in it Hence wee justlie conclude That as it is fully fred from sinne so also is it from all the consequents of sinne and that in respect nothing remayneth in it which may offende GOD or provoke Him to doe that which Hee is vnwilling to doe I meane to punish This also ought to bee confessed by those Popish Wryters who doe teach concerning Inherent Grace That it is so amiable or louelie a qualitie in the sight of GOD that by it selfe or by its owne naturall force not for anie reference which it hath to CHRIST for whose merits it is infused it maketh GOD to accept those in whom it is found vnto aeternall Lyfe as His Children and Heyres Now if this be the naturall force and efficacie or the connaturall effect as Suarez calleth it of inherent righteousnesse even when it is imperfect or at least when it is conjoyned with originall concupiscence the reliques of vicious acquired habites the rebellious motions of the flesh and manie veniall enormities as they call them vvhat force shall it haue to make GOD to respect to loue to affect tenderlie the soule of a man after death and consequentlie not to torment and punish it when it is fullie fred from all those vicious inclinations and motions I haue showne you at great length and that because of the perverse opinions of our Adversaries That to die in the LORD is common to all the Elect. Nowe I come to that other poynt vvhich I propounded to bee handled anent the same wordes that is to showe you what this phrase To die in the LORD taking it as it is common to all the Godlie importeth All those who take it so agree amongst themselues anent the meaning thereof to wit That it is To die in that happie vnion which wee haue with CHRIST by true Fayth and other Theologicall vertues There bee foure thinges wherein men are sayde to die this bodilie death mentioned in holie Scripture 1. Men die in Adam 2. Men die eyther in prosperitie or adversitie riches or povertie or moyen â—ondition in high honour or in lowe degree in payne or without payne c. 3. Men are sayde to die in their sinnes 4. Men are sayd to die in CHRIST The first of these foure is simplie common to all the children of Adam by naturall propagation The second is disjunctiuelie common to all The third befalleth all who die without CHRIST The fourth appertayneth to them onelie who in in this Text are called blessed Blessed are they that die in the LORD The first hath a diverse manner of signification from the other three For to die in Adam signifieth not onelie the coexistence of a man's beeing in Adam and of his dying but also the meritorious cause of our death to wit That by the sinne of Adam in whom we all sinned and from whom wee bring with vs into this worlde originall corruption wee are all lyable to death As in Adam all die as sayeth the Apostle even so in CHRIST shall all bee made alyue This dying of all in Adam is explayned by the same Apostle else-where By one man sinne entered into the worlde and death by sinne and so death passed vpon all men for that all haue sinned Whereby is evidentlie overthrowne that errour of Pelagius and his followers who falselie denyed Death bodilie to haue beene brought in by Sinne affirming as Augustine relateth That altho Adam had not sinned yet hee had died bodilie death Which Assertion as verie pernicious and haereticall and brought in for denying of originall sinne was justly condemned and anathematized in the second Milevitane Councell The other three beeing vnderstood of bodilie death doe signifie rather the estate wherein a man is found when hee dieth For altho hee who dieth in his sinnes hath in his sinnes the merite of both the first and second death yet when a man is sayde to die in his sinnes is not so much poynted at the cause of his bodilie death beeing now common to all flesh as the miserable and dolefull condition wherin death findeth him and carrieth him away Which before wee explayne let vs speake a word of dying in prosperitie or adversitie c. One dieth sayeth holie IoB in his full strength beeing whollie at ease and quyet his breastes are full of milke and his bones are moystened with marrow And another dieth in the bitternesse of his soule and never eateth with pleasure They shal lye downe alyke in the dust and the worms shall cover them Here are two things to bee observed 1. That men are sayd to die in prosperitie or adversitie onelie in regard of their estate before they bee dead and not in respect of anie condition in and after death for the one so dieth in prosperitie and the other in adversitie temporall as by dying both hee leaveth his prosperitie and hee his adversitie 2. In regard of that transient estate they are made by death both aequall They lye downe alyke in the dust There the wicked cease from troubling and there the wearie bee at rest There the prisoners rest together they heare not the voyce of the oppressour The small and great are there and the servant is
whom this peaceable departure is had and what is the ground of the Godlie's assurance of the LORD' 's granting the same to wit His Word and Promise And last what is it that maketh the death of the Godlie to bee peaceable and by consequence so appetible to wit even the sight of the LORD'S Salvation For â—yne eyes sayeth hee haue seene thy Salvation First then wee see that as there is an oritur or an entrie into this lyfe by birth so there is a moritur or a departure out of this lyfe by death a Genesis wee haue by the one an Exodus by the other And this is grounded vpon that common Law by reason of Man's transgression Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne Wherevnto is agreeable tâ—at which is sayd by the Apostle It is appoynted for all men once to die and after this is judgement Therefore sayeth the Psalmist without anie exception What man liveth and shall not see death For we haue here no continuing citie sayeth S. Paul and our juorney is from the wombe to the worme carried in the swift chariot of tyme vpon the two restlesse wheeles of motion and mutation till we arriue at that innes in ende wherein wee shall say to corruption Thou art our Father and to the worme thou art our brother and our sister And as wee were made of the earth and liue on it so wee shall returne to it to rest in it till wee ryse from it age still wearing vs sicknesse preparing death arresting the graue expecting the wormes at last welcomming vs. Therefore well may it be saide of all as it was wittilie saide to a Grammarian that tho hee could decline a nowne in everie case yet death can not bee by any declined in no case WHENCE WEE LEARNE 1. Seeing our mansion place is not here but as Isai sayeth our age departeth and is removed from vs as a shepheards tent and wee must depart our selues at last and as the Apostle subjoyneth then come to judgement Therefore the rememberance of our departure should ever bee before our eyes and a daylie preparation for the same should ever be our practise praying with Moses Lord teach vs to number our dayes that wee may applye our heartes vnto wisedome acknowledging this only to be true wisedome to worke out the worke of our owne salvation in feare and in trembling therefore sayeth one Mors tibi semper sit in tua cogitatione quia ea semper est in tui expectatione Which moved Abraham to make a buriall place his first possession in the promised land and Ioseph of Arimathea to haue his tombe in his garden of pleasure Nothing being more powerfull than this daylie rememberance to kill sin quell pryd quench concupiscence convince auarice confound luxurie abate vaine-glorie and weane our hearts from all worldlie vanitie and therefore this having bene ever the godlies Arithmeticke the Saincts Geometrie and the Christians Philosophie Seeing we must depart from this world then let not our soules bee insnared and intangled with the loue of the world let vs eschew the serpents curse to bee still cleaving to the dust of the earth or with Esau to content with the fatte of the same let vs not bee so base as to be filii terrae onlie earth wormes who are borne anew to be children to God citizens of Heaven but in tyme separate our selues in affection therefra vsing the same as if wee vsed it not that our separation by dissolution therefra may bee the fruition of a better inheritance and considering that a little earth must once containe whom the whole earth can not content Seeing we must depart from hence and that wee know not how soone as the Lord sayde vnto Abraham Exi de terra tua we be in lykemanner charged to goe out of this earthlie tabarnacle let vs forecast with our selues and thinke of our after-estate which is not to bee for a short tyme but eternall for ever and therefore let vs be like that wise steward spoken of in the Gospell make friends to our selues with the mammon of iniquitie that when wee fayle wee may be receaved into everlasting habitations Prospice praemitte must bee the practise then of a prudent Christian that so he may know the reason of his cupio dissolvi to bee with the Apostle this confidence of his after-estate esse cum CHRISTO else dolefull will bee the sight of death lyke Iehues march be towards him when hee can onlie say this or worse with that heathen wretch Animula blandula vagula quae nunc abibis inloca And if it please the Lord in this lyfe to exercise vs with crosses or discontentments yet let vs not grudge with our lot but possesse our Soules with patience remember that our tyme of bearing the crosse after our Saviour is but short a tyme draweth neare wherein wee shall depart from them they in lyke manner giue an eternall farewell to vs the Canaanite shal no more be in the land the rod of the wicked shall be no more vpon the backe of the righteous the godlie shall no more sowe in teares but it shal be sayd to the soule by her blessed Bryde-groome as wee haue in the Canticles Aryse my loue my faire one and come away for loe the winter is past the raine is over and gone The flowers appeare on the earth the tyme of singing of birds is come and the voyce of the turtle is heard in our Land Vespera quos flentes ducit sata sancta ferentes Fasciculis gravidos aurora reducet ovantes Secondly this Text intimateth vnto vs that death or this bodylie departure is common to Gods servants as well as to the wicked therefore sayeth old Simeon Now Lord let thy servant depart in peace and accordingly doeth the Psalmist inquire without any exception saying What man is hee that liveth and shall not see death for which cause wee see that this is ever the common clausule of that record of the lyues of all those worthies from Adam to Noah Gen. 5. and â—ee died Howsoever then that Abraham bee commended for fayth Isaac for pietie Iacob for integritie Ioseph for chastitie Moses for meeknesse Samuell for vprightnesse David for zeale Salomon for wisdome and Iob for patience c. yet deaths sythe mowed them all downe as grasse and they slept with their Fathers The reasons of which the Lords doing are 1. For the manifestation of his trueth in that threatening of Adam and all his posteritie Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne 2. For declaration of his power 1. over sinne which brought in death wherein Gods wonderfull power is seene that hee maketh death which sinne brought in vtterlie to abolish sinne which bred and brought in the same so that thereof it may bee sayde Filia devoravit matrem and that sinne which in vs grace maketh moribundum death killeth out-right and maketh it to bee
which this Text offereth to our consideration is the reason of this wish of olde Simeon or what it is that maketh the death of the godlie to bee peaceable consequentlie so appetible to wit even the sight of the Lords Salvation for so calleth hee CHRIST and which word in the greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth as much as that hee is the author yea the verie treasurie and store-house where in all salvation is contayned as hee is lykewyse called so by the Prophet Isai. 52.10 and so clearlie distinguished from all others who in Scripture were styled by the name of Saviours Neyther is it that wee must thinke that a corporall sight heere is onelie meant for that was common but that with the eye of fayth also which is speciall and proper onelie to the elect hee sawe this blessed Babe to bee that salvation preordayned and appoynted by the LORD promised and now sent in the flesh for the redemption of mankynd Whence wee obserue In that it is formerlie sayde that this just and devote man Simeon wayted for the consolation of Israell had it revealed vnto him by the holy Ghost that before hee sawe death hee should see the LORD' 's Anoynted and now that his longing is satisfied and that promise which was made vnto him as hee confesseth is fulfilled wee see that as the Godlie hunger and thirst speciallie after spirituall things so they are ever heard in their Godlie desires and in such things that concerne their salvation therefore as in Davids words doubtlesse hee had sayde before O Lord I haue longed for thy salvation yea my soule faynteth for the same when wilt thou comfort mee and with the holie Patriarches as the Apostle showeth as hee had embraced the promise thereof spirituallie which was made vnto him there anent so now at last wee see hee getteth him who was promised to embrace in his armes corporallie and accordinglie acknowledgeth joyfullie that his eyes now did see the Lords salvation And so the Lords promise is performed his longing satisfied and his wayting accomplished Let vs then onelie with olde Simeon wayte patientlie and constantlie for his consolations rest assured that he is myndfull of vs and his owne promises and in his owne good fitte tyme will come vnto vs for our joye and will make no tarrying 2. Wee see the ground or cause of a peaceable and comfortable death to wit a preceeding sight of the Lords salvation which hee hath decreed to bee by the Sonne of his loue CHRIST IESUS and for whose sake and merit of his death hee hath admitted such of mankynd to lyfe as hee hath elected for the manifestation of the ritches and glorie of his grace This therefore is the right arte of dying well to get true fayth and to fix the eye thereof as the people in the wildernesse did vpon that true brasen Serpent CHRIST IESUS the Lord of lyfe Incorporate thy selfe in him then and there shal be no condemnation to them that are in CHRIST Wrap thy selfe in his righteousnesse and it shall bee lyke Elias mantle which devyded the waters of Iordan cleaue thereby to his crosse and it shall be lyke that tree that made the waters of Marah sweet or Moses rod which made a safe passage to Israell thorow the red sea Set the Arke of the Covenant in these waters and from the desert of this world thou shalt haue a patent and pleasant path to that heavenlie Canaan yea tho stones were flinging about thy eares to braine thee as was done to that protomartyr Steven yet looking vp with the eye of fayth getting a sight of IESUS CHRIST standing at the right hand of his Father readie to receaue thee thy departure shall bee most calme and comfortable and thy sinnes being silenced by him who is this salvation spoken of thou shalt heare nothing but the sweet voyce of that blood of sprinkling which speaketh better things nor the blood of Abell and dying as it were in the armes of thy Lord As Iacob sawe with joye of heart the chariots that Ioseph sent for him for his transportation so shalt thou see the glorious and blessed Angels sent for thee and thy good workes following thee the one to guyde thee and surrender their charge the other to gladden thee and receaue their reward 3. As wee see what is the ground of the peaceable death of the Godlie so on the contrarie wee may perceaue what is the cause of the terrour of death in the wicked and that the memorie thereof so much tormenteth them before the tyme that as Pharao did to Moses they bid it goe packing out of their sight even this is the cause thereof that being blinded by Satan all the dayes of their lyfe in committing sinne never once looking with a tearing eye of true repentance vpon them therefore in death they never get a sight of this salvation of the Lords nor haue they anie assurance that hee who is the Saviour of the world shall bee a Saviour to them but on the contrarie then they finde that hee who was their Tempter beginneth to bee their Tormenter then they begin to heare the clamours of their accusing conscience to see the vglie shape of their sinfull soules the dreadfull aspect of their haynous sinnes the wrathfull face of the angrie Iudge Heaven closed aboue to debarre them as Adam was from the tree of lyfe and hell opened beneath to swallow them as the earth was to swallow vp Korah then they beginne to feele the approaching flames of that infernall fyre paynfullie to scorch them the worme that never dieth drawing neare to guawe them the wrath of GOD that never shall bee appeased most furious to astonish them and the infernall fiendes who attende to terrifie and cruellie to torture them In which wofull estate to hyde themselues is impossible to avoyde these miseries inevitable and to endure them intollerable Hence the sting of death shall torment them the rememberance of judgement perplexe them the gulfe of despare without hope or helpe swallowe them and the apprehension of eternitie in easelesse endlesse payne confound them O! who can then expresse their sad sorrow for sinnes past their agonizing anguish for miserie present and their trembling terrours for the tormentes to come being justlie thus served as they haue deserved and finding at the dolefull parting of the sinfull soule from the wretched bodie whose meeting agayne and re-uniting to be a faggot in hell fire shall be much more dolefull and dolorous no comfort from Heaven nor earth the Creator nor the creature but matter of confusion The ground of all which deepe distresse beeing this Because the soule with olde Simeon here can get no sight of the LORDS Salvation 4. Wee see here a neare and cleare way howe to contemne all earthlie and worldlie thinges the bewitching loue whereof hath made manie to make ship-wracke of a good conscience and clogged their hearts so to the earth
in the Lord be sometymes taken as all one with for the Lord yet in phrases lyke to this which the Apostle here vseth such as to be in Christ to abyde in Christ to sleepe in Christ or to bee asleepe in Him it is not so taken but onelie importeth the vnion of the faythfull with Christ or else the continuance of that vnion so that the restriction of this text to Martyrs who die for the Lord is violent and repugnant to the natiue or ordinary sense of the phrase But although it were not violent yet we would haue sufficient reason to reject it for phrases of sacred Scripture ought not to bee restricted nor yet extended beyond their ordinarie signification except vpon solid evident warrand or reason frō the analogie of fayth or from the Text it selfe But no such reason can be brought to proue that the Apostle is here speaking onelie of Martyrs as some of the most famous Popish wryters doe confesse yea the Iesuit Cornelius à Lapide speaking of these wryters who extend the words of this text to all the godlie sayeth that they interpret this text plenius planius more playnlie and more fullie And as for the judgement of the best most famous interpreters of this book we haue manie of them for vs to wit Ambrose Primasius Andreas Caesariensis Beda Richardus de Sancto-Victore Ioachim Abbas Coelius Pannonius c. yea so manie that scarce can our Adversaries name one of them who strictly precisely adhereth to their exposition To them we may adde other ancient wryters who haue spokē occasionally of this text as S. Augustine in his 20 booke De civit Dei cap. 9. although the Rhemists imagine that hee favoureth their glosse Bernard in diverse places of his workes and others Thirdly I say al these who die in th' estate of grace are blessed whatsoever their spiritual estate or cōdition be in the hour of death for if they be in Christ there is no cōdemnation to them yea they cānot come to condemnation but are alreadie passed from death vnto lyfe And if they being fred from sinne made the servants of God haue had their fruit here vnto holinesse what can follow hereafter but the ende everlasting lyfe How then can they be condemned after death to grievous and intollerable payns in Purgatorie or what may hinder their present admission and enterance into their Masters joy for al their sinnes are pardoned to them yea so pardoned that God will not remember them any more to punish them I know our adversaries doe speak and think farre otherways of the remission of sinnes whether they be mortall or veniall as they call them For first concerning the remission of mortall sinnes they too boldlie affirme that although the elect whē they are first reconciled to God or justified in Baptisme they get a plenarie or full remission not onlie of their sinnes but also of the whole punishment due vnto them yet if they sinne mortally afterwards vpon their repentance they are fred indeed frō eternall punishment but in lieu thereof they must endure temporall paynes these most grievous in Purgatorie if they doe not free themselues from them by voluntarie satisfaction or penall exercyses in this lyfe And this they labour to proue partlie because we finde in Scripture that God after hee hath pardoned the great and enormious offences of his servāts hath inflicted many tymes great temporall punishmēts vpon them in special vpon Moses Aaron David and others and partlie because the ancient Church observed a severe discipline towardes those who were relapse in mortall sinnes imposing vpon them long and paynfull exercyses of repentance which they stiled by the name of Satisfaction It is no strange thing with our Adversaries to affirme that God pardoneth mortall sinnes committed after Baptisme with a reservation of the temporall punishment which is only a part of the punishment due vnto them seeing they are so bold as to maintaine that GOD after this lyfe pardoneth veniall sinnes with a reservation of the whole punishment that is discharging nothing of the punishment due vnto men for them And which is more strange that God de potentia absoluta might if he pleased pardon a man his mortall sinnes and yet punish him eternallie in hell for them Wee haue not learned to distinguish so subtillie betwixt the remission of sinnes and the remission of the punishment due vnto them But on the contrarie we hold that with most sufficient warrand both from Scripture and Antiquitie that when GOD pardoneth our sins he doth it not with reservation of a part of the punishment due vnto vs ex rigore justitiae much lesse of the whole punishment but dischargeth all punishment of malediction or pure revenge As for these calamities or temporal evils which manie tymes haue beene inflicted vpon the Elect they cānot serue for that which our Adversaries intende that is to proue that remission of sinnes in Baptisme is more perfect than it is after Baptisme or that the whole punishment is discharged in Baptisme and not thereafter For we see by experience that infants are not fred by Baptisme from sicknesse death and other miseries which were inflicted vpon man-kynde for sinne and consequentlie the whole temporall punishmēt is not discharged in Baptism more than after Baptism They answere to this That these are not properlie punishmentes but rather penalities as they call them and that because they are cōmon to all man-kynd haue their originall from the naturall constitution of mans bodie But first what is that to the purpose They were inflicted vpon man-kynd in the wrath of God for the cōmon transgression of our first parēts and vnto all these who are not in Christ they are most truelie and properlie punishments Secondlie we can easilie cloze vp this lurking-hole to our Adversaries For what if a mā baptized after he hath come to perfect age haue bene before his baptism plagued by God for his by-gone actuall sinnes with povertie blindnesse lamenesse or any other grievous sicknesse will our Adversaries say that by Baptisme hee shal be fred from them as they imagine that Constantine whē he was baptized by Silvester was fred from his leprosie I think they dare not say it for then as Aquinas and Durandus doe reason men would seeke the benefit of Baptisme for worldly respects to wit that they may be fred frō temporall miseries and not for the glorie of eternall lyfe Ye see then that this difficultie anent the reservation of temporall punishment after sinne is remitted concerneth our Adversaries as well as vs and that for ought we know of God his dealing with men in baptisme in penitential reconciliation after baptisme temporall punishment is alyke discharged in both so that if baptismall remission free a man from Purgatorie-fire after this life penitential remission must haue the lyke effect Wherfore as our Adversaries do say of these
penalities or temporal miseries vnto which the baptized are subject after baptisme that they are not truelie and properlie punishments they should say they are not punishmentes meerlie vindictiue for indeed they are punishments that the baptized are still subject to them for their own weale especiallie to the effect they may be conformed to Christ their head that although they remayne after baptismall remission yet baptismall remission is full and perfect no wayes exposing the baptized to a necessitie of suffering purgatorie-paynes after this lyfe that although men be not fred frō them presentlie yet by vertue of baptismall remission they shall in the world to come especiallie in the day of resurrection be fullie fred from them So we may say and ought to say of these temporall afflictions calamities vnto which the Elect are subject after their sinnes are pardoned in penitentiall reconciliation First that they are not punishments meerlie vindictiue or satisfactorie to the justice of God Secondlie that they are inflicted vpon them for their weale to wit that they may bee vnto them exercyses of their vertues and meanes wherby they are conformed vnto Christ their head Thirdlie that although they bee inflicted after penitentiall remission yet penitentiall remission is perfect and no ways exposeth penitent sinners to a necessitie of suffering purgatorie-payns after this lyfe And last of al that although penitent sinners be not fred from them in this lyfe yet by vertue of penitentiall remission and of Christs merits which by it are applyed vnto them they shall obtayne a totall and perfect deliverance from them in the lyfe to come when all the stayne or deformitie of sinne shall bee fullie purged out Here indeed such a deliverance cannot be expected For although our Saviour hath merited vnto vs a deliverance both from sinne and also from the punishmēts and consequents of it yet seeing it hath not pleased God to free vs fullie from sinne in this lyfe it is not to bee marveled that wee are not fullie delivered so long as wee liue here from these evils and miseries which are the punishments consequenrs of sinne But blessed be God as we are here fred from the dominion of sinne so also are we fred frō the malediction of the punishment And as we shall hereafter be altogether fred from sinne it selfe so shal we also be fred altogether from the miseries which are the consequents thereof But to leaue this and to come to that other argument which our Adversaries doe bring agaynst vs from the severe Discipline observed in the auncient Church towards those who had fallen into mortall sinnes after baptisme and from the long and paynful exercyses of repentance imposed vpon them truelie it is a wonder that our Adversaries should be so impudent as to affirme that that laudable custome of the Ancients doeth make for them seeing it maketh so manifestly against them For these penitential exercyses were not by the ancient Church imposed vpon men after absolution or remission of sinnes as means requisit for a removall of temporall punishments or for deliverance from purgatorie-paynes but were imposed ordinarily before it as means requisit for obtayning remission of the sinne it selfe deliverance from eternall damnation For the Fathers gaue not absolution to sinners vntill such tyme as they had accomplished penitentiall actions enjoyned and after absolution was given they did not anie more impose such pennance vpon them which I might easilie proue by a cloude of ancient witnesses but I need not seeing so manie of our Adversaries doe confesse it By this ye may perceaue that the Fathers of the ancient Church believed that in penitentiall reconciliation there is a full discharge of the whole punishment For if they had thought otherwayes they would haue imposed penall exercyses vpon penitentes after they were absolved to the effect that by them they might bee fred from these reserved or vndischarged punishmentes I know Bellarmine sayeth that those penal exercyses which in the ancient Church preceeded absolution were imposed ad poenam temporalem expiandam to the end that the penitents might be fred frō those temporall punishments which would haue bene reserved after the remission of their sins if those satisfactorie exercyses had not preceeded But this is flat contrarie to the mynde of those Fathers for they thought that if those penitentiall exercyses or satisfactions as they called them but not in that sense in the which Papists now take this word did not preceed nothing of the punishment should bee discharged vnto the delinquents and consequentlie that one part of it to wit the temporall punishment should not bee reserved Temporall punishment is sayd to bee reserved onlie when the aeternall is discharged or as our Adversaries speake when the aeternall is so remitted that in liew thereof temporall punishment is imposed But the Ancients thought that without praecedent satisfaction by poenall exercyses aeternall punishmēt is not discharged or which is all one sinne is not remitted and consequentlie they thought that when satisfaction doeth not proceede temporall punishment is not reserved Ye haue heard what Popish doctors say concerning the greater or mortall sinnes of those who die in the Lord and concerning the temporall punishment which they thinke is ever reserved when they are remitted after Baptisme Now I come to the smaller sinnes of the Godlie which they call Veniall Our Adversaries say of them that although a man die in the Lord yet he may die with the guiltinesse of these sinnes not having as yet obtayned pardō or remission of them especially if he die suddenly or in the rage of a fever and that in respect hee hath never retracted them by repentance nor craved pardon for them In which case say they he cannot enter into Heaven immediately after death because no polluted or vnclean thing can enter into that glorious Citie but must for a tyme be tormented in Purgatorie to th' effect he may be fully cleansed from the guiltinesse of those sinnes This comfortlesse doctrine of our Adversaries consisteth of three Assertions which we shall particularlie but verie shortlie consider The first is That sinne is never pardoned except it bee retracted by repentance or to vse their owne phrase except there bee some reall change in the sinner or some praevious disposition whereby he is fitted and prepared for receaving remission The second is That those of the Elect who die suddenlie or in a raging Fever can not haue this praevious disposition which consisteth in the acts of repentance and consequently they die without remission of their veniall sinnes The third is That they who die so must bee purged from their guiltinesse by suffering Purgatorie-payns The first of these Assertions if it bee taken in its full generalitie and extended to all Cases it ought not to bee admitted For although in that Great and Mayne Iustification whereby wee are translated from the estate of sinne into the estate of Grace mortall sinne is not remitted to those who are
come to perfect age without some reall and intrinsecall alteration in them or without some praevious disposition whereby they are disposed and fitted for it according to that of holy Augustine He who made thee without thy consent and concurrence doeth not justifie thee without thy consent and concurrence Yet it is possible yea verie probable that these smaller sins are sometyms remitted by our Gracious LORD to those who are alreadie justified without anie praevious change or disposition on their part especially when by suddentie of death and indisposition of bodie and mynde they are impeded from considering and acknowledging of their offences This should not seeme strange to our Adversaries seeing manie of their moderne scholasticke wryters and those of greatest note do teach First that God according to the fulnesse of his absolute power might if he pleased remit sinnes both mortall and veniall without anie infusion of grace yea without anie intrinsecall change or praevious dispositiō by repentance in those to whom they are remitted Secondlie that mortall sinnes not onlie may bee but also sometymes are remitted without anie act of contrition or formall repentance as they call it especiallie in the case of oblivion that is when a man is altogether vnmyndfull of them Thirdlie that veniall sinnes may bee and often are remitted without anie act of repentance whether formall or virtuall by aspersion of holie Water Episcopall benediction giving of Alms c. and that ex opere operato Now if God out of the fullnesse of his absolute power can remit anie sinne without repentance vpon our part and if hee sometymes doeth show this fullnesse of his power together with the greatnesse of his mercie in pardoning the mortall sinnes of the Elect without anie praevious act of contrition when they cannot be remembered as also in pardoning veniall sinnes without the same even when they may be easilie remembered shall we not thinke that he will dispense with the defect of repentance in them for their veniall sinnes and supplie it by gracious condonation when through suddentie of their departure or through indisposition of body mind they are not able to haue it Manie things in such a case pleade for mercie and favour to the godlie man yea pleade more powerfullie and effectuallie with GOD than aspersion of holie water Episcopall benediction or anie other of these things which Papists call Sacramentalia to wit inherent grace which is a habituall repentance for by it wee habituallie detest and forsake all sinne the prayer of the faythfull who are then present with him the prayer of the Church in generall which at all tymes recommendeth to God most earnestlie those who are in distresse and danger eyther temporall or spirituall and aboue all the intercession of our Lord and Saviour for him in the Heavens To these wee may adde the prayers of the godlie man himselfe who dieth so by which long before death preparing himselfe for death hee most frequentlie and ferventlie besought the Lord to grant vnto him a happie departure and a full discharge of all his sinnes before his dissolution The godly put vp this request to God ordinarilie in their prayers and consequentlie it is granted vnto them For seeing the effectuall fervent prayer of the righteous avayleth much and seeing Christ hath tolde vs that if wee abyde in him and his wordes abyde in vs wee shall aske what wee will and it shall bee done vnto vs it were great follie to to imagine that the godlie in vayne put vp this request to GOD. In the second Assertion of our Adversaries there is no certaintie at all For although a godlie man die suddenlie or in a great rage and distemper yet who knoweth what operation the Spirit of God hath secretly vpon his departing soule immediatelie before it bee loosed from the bodie or what communication hee hath with God after the passages of his senses are so stopped that hee can haue no communication with men It may bee when hee seemeth to thee altogether senselesse that then hee is most sensible of his spirituall estate and is crying Petcavi Miserere I haue sinned greatlie in that I haue done and now I beseech thee O Lord take away the iniquitie of thy servant It may be when hee is speachlesse and past conference with men that hee is then entertaining an heavenlie conference or Dialogue with Christ his Saviour that hee heareth Christ saying Surelie I come quicklie and is replying Even so Come Lord Iesus that hee is saying Lord remember me for now thou art in thy Kingdome and that hee heareth CHRIST rounding in his eare that which Hee sayd to the penitent thiefe To day shalt thou be with mee in Paradise I will not take vpon mee to determine whether or not these of the godlie who die suddenlie or in a raging Fever haue anie such exercyse of prayer and repentance after they haue lost the vse of their senses But this one thing I wil say If God haue decreed to pardon no sin how small soever but vpon subsequent repentance as our Adversaries affirme in their first Assertion it is more than probable that GOD granteth that benefit to al the godly before their departure whatsoever be the manner of their death or their carriage in death The third Assertion of our Adversaries which is drawne out of the other two as a cōclusion from its praemisses hath but two faultes one is that these praemisses vpon which it is grounded are not sure The other is that although they were infallibly true yet the conclusion it selfe might bee denyed For although wee should grant that repentance by Gods appoyntment and decree is absolutely necessary for remission of everie sinne how small soever and that manie godlie men die without it yet it will not follow that they must bee tormented after this lyfe in Purgatorie For the common and receaved doctrine of the Papists themselues anent the remission of these veniall sinnes with which a man dieth doeth shewe vs a fayre and easie way to eschew that melancholious and fearfull consequent For they all some few being excepted affirme that those venial sinnes from which the Elect are not fred before death are remitted to them in the verie instant of death or which is all one in that instant in the which the soule is separated from the bodie This doctrine was not onlie maintained by Alensis Thomas Scotus Durandus Almainus and manie other auncient Schoole-men who indeede doe differ verie much amongst themselues anent the meane or disposition whereby remission of veniall sinnes is obtained in that first instant of separation but also by their most famous late wryters who haue handled this matter partlie in their Disputes agaynst vs and partlie in their Commentaries and Disputes vpon the third part of Thomas his Summe Quaest. 87. Now if these sinnes bee remitted in the moment of dissolution what can followe after that moment but eternitie of blessednesse For
away from them And on the contrarie miserable and mad fooles are they who haue set their heartes vpon worldlie thinges and are vnited vnto them by affection For first they shall shortlie be divided or separated from these things Next that separation shall procure more griefe to them nor ever they had delight or contentment by enjoying these evanishing trifles And thirdlie which is worst of all in that dreadfull judgement which followeth after death they shall be condemned to everlasting torments for the inordinate loue which they carried to them Bernard sayeth verie wittilie that the death of the wicked man is evill in respect of the losse of worldlie things worse in respect of the vnhappie separation of his bodie from the soule and worst of all because of that double torment or vexation of the worme and of the fire Moreover the indissolubilitie aeternitie of that vnion which the Godlie haue with Christ maketh the vnion which they haue amongst themselues perpetuall and indissoluble by death They are louelie and pleasant in their lyues as David in his mourning Song sayd of Saul and Ionathan and in death they are not divided For although some of the members of Christs bodie be called out from this lyfe before others yet they remaine still vnited to one head and consequentlie are still vnited amongst themselues and albeit they be locallie separated for a tyme yet they shall shortlie meet together in their Fathers house and shall joyfullie sing for ever that Song of DAVID Beholde how good and how pleasant a thing it is for Brethren to dwell together in vnitie Yee then who are vnited vnto Christ by a true and lyuelie fayth be carefull by your godlie admonitions and good example to make these whom yee tenderlie affect to be participant of the same vnion Fot if yee effectuate this neyther death nor judgement nor anie other thing shall divide you But if it be otherwayes death and that judgement which followeth thereafter shall so divide you that yee shall never haue a joyfull meeting together agayne For when Christ shall come to judge the world two women shall be grinding together the one shall be taken and the other left two men shall be in the field together the one shall be taken the other left yea of two which shall be in one bed one shall be taken and the other left But what if they be both left and condemned to Hel fire shall they haue anie comfortable societie or fellowship together No. For as in Hell there is fire without light night without rest and death without an ende so there is companie without comfort yea those who were companions in sinne when they meet together there they salute each other with mutuall execrations and curse the day that ever they saw other Secondlie consider for your vse how sweete an effect this our vnion with Christ produceth seeing by vertue of it we spirituallie liue both in death and after death If lyfe be so sweet as we commonlie say if this mortal yea this momeÌ„tanie life be so much esteemed by vs as that a man will giue skin for skin and all that he hath for his lyfe how much should we esteeme and affect this spirituall lyfe and that blessed vnion with Christ by vertue whereof it is begun and also conserved in vs vnto all aeternitie HORMISDAS the Persian as I shew you before thought little of all the glorie and statelinesse of Rome and that because he perceaved that men were mortall there as well as in other cities of the world O but if GOD had given him grace to enter by fayth into that heavenly HierusaleÌ„ the Citie of the living God and if the eyes of his vnderstaÌ„ding had bene enlightened that he might haue known what is the hope of our calling and the riches of the glorie of GODS inheritance in the Saincts that is if he had known that GOD the Father of our LORD IESVS CHRIST according to his aboundant mercie hath begotten all these who are trueâ—lie and indeed citizens of this Citie in spem vivam vnto a lyuelie hope that is in spem vitae vnto the hope of lyfe as Ierome expoundeth it or in spem vitae aeternâ— vnto the hope of aeternall lyfe as Augustine readeth it and to an inheritance incorruptible and vndefiled and which fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for vs if he I say had knowne this singular praerogatiue of the citizens of heavenlie Hierusalem he would haue thought the glorie of Rome and of all other cities in the world to be basenesse in comparison of it and would haue sayd with DAVID Glorious thinges are spoken of thee O Citie of GOD or as he sayeth in another place Mount Sion is beautifull for situation and the joye of the whole earth Thirdly obserue I pray you how sweet and comfortable a thing it is to the Godlie in the houre of death to consider that they are in Christ and that the vnion which they haue with Christ is perpetual and indissoluble How comfortablie and joyfullie may the faythfull servant of Christ then say There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ I am now dying neverthelesse I liue yet not I but Christ liveth in me in Christ my Saviour I haue boldnesse and accesse vnto the Throne of Grace with confidence by the fayth of him O how excellent and happie a thing it is to a man then to haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 boldnesse with God to speake what he pleaseth and to propound all his sutes to say Lord strengthen me against all my infirmities and my feares perfect thy strength in my weaknesse put an ende to all my miseries and my pains and enter not into judgement with thy servant LORD walke with mee in this valley of the shadowe of death that I may feare no evill Father I comend my spirit into thy hands Heare me speedilie O Lord my spirit faileth hide not thy face from me lest I be lyke vnto them that goe downe into the pit The wicked cannot haue this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this boldnesse of speaking to God when death approacheth They shall then finde how true that saying of our Saviour is Sine me nihil potestis facere Without me ye can do nothing For they may well in that houre cry Miserere with their lips and say Lord let thy servant depart in peace but their heart shall contradict them and tell them that there is no peace to the wicked I come now to the consideration of that blessednesse or happinesse which is here attributed to these who die in the Lord in the handling whereof I intend not to fall out in a Theologicall discourse concerning that most noble and divine operation of our soule wherein our Summum bonuÌ„ consisteth I meane the vision and fruition of the glorious countenance of GOD nor yet to trouble you
mortâ—um the brood of this viper gnawing foorth so the wombe which hatched the same and Goliah's sword cutting off as it were his owne head Next hereby the Lord declareth his power over death as well as formerlie over sinne by death that altho death seeme so to prevaile over the Godlie as to turne their bodies into dust and to haue them surelie laid fast in his strong holde of the graue yet as Potiphars wyfe catched onlie and kept the vpper garment of Ioseph but himselfe went free and thereafter being advanced was royallie arrayed even so death layeth holde or elie on the garment whereof wee must bee vncloathed before our better part get free or that wee bee gloriouslie arrayed in that place of heavenlie advancement As also the power of our good GOD shall appeare yet more wonderfull when in the resurrection death and the graue shall render vp the bodies of his elect as being onlie there Depositum and as the Apostle sayeth that which was sowne in corruption and weaknesse shall aryse in incorruption in glorie and in strength And 4. This is done by the Lord for working a conformitie of the members with their head CHRIST IESVS that as he tasted of death and thereby entred into lyfe eternall so must they in lykemanner And last as Saynct Augustine sayth It is ad certamen and that by the strugling with the feare thereof and overcomming the same the strength and power of fayth may appeare the fortitude of patience and the victorie of the Godlie thereby may be the more compleet and glorious Therefore sayth that holie Ancient Si enim parva virtus esset fidei quae perdilectionem operatur mortis metum vincere non esset tanta martyrum gloria nec diceret Dominus majorem hac charitateÌ„ nemo habet quam ut animam suam ponat pro amicis suis nequaquaÌ„ ergo pro justitia in morte subeunda vel contemnenda landaretur praecipua patientia si mortis non esset magna multumque dura molestia cujus timorem qui vincit ex fide magnaÌ„ ipsius fidei comparat gloriam justamque mercedem The third thing which we haue to consider in this Text is how the death of Gods servants is called as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth vnto vs to wit that the same is a dimission from servitude or captivitie or a departure out of prison This prison being the bodie the doore whereof by death is opened that the soule may goe free and as Noah's doue returned to him who sent her foorth with an oliue branch in her bill so the spirit of man which came from God may returne as sayeth Ecclesiastes vnto God that gaue it Mors ergo obstretricatur animae Death then is but the midwyfe to the soule and as our first birth brought vs out of the prison of the wombe and our second out of nature and sinne so this third and last birth by death shall bring vs perfectlie the soule out of the prison of the bodie and the whole man out of the prison of all worldlie miserie the pangues of death-being but the showers or throwes of the bodies travelling before the foules deliverie and our sicklie groanes and dead rattle at last beeing but the sound of the jaylours key as it was opening the prison doore Death doeth then to the Godlie as GIDEON and his souldiours did to their earthen pitchers wherein the burning lamps were inclosed and as it were imprisoned their earthen pitcher is broken that the lampe of their soule may bee at libertie and shyne more brightlie in Glorie or as the fyre of that fornace wherein the three children were casten did onelie burne the fetters wherwith they wer bound without harming themselues even so death bursteth onelie that bond of naturall lyfe whereby the soule bodie are tyed together here in miserie but can not bereaue vs of our true lyfe eyther in Christ of grace or with Christ of glorie As Pharao's Butler then was glad at the ende of the three dayes to goâ— out of prison and comfortable was the incomming of the jaylour to him for his liberation so wheâ— the few and evill dayes of the pilgrimage and the imprisoment of the Lords servaÌ„ts in their bodies is at an ende O how joyfull is the comming of the messenger of death vnto them for as the wicked man dying may say vnto death as Ahab sayd to Eliah Hast thou found mee O myne enemie and trembleth lyke Felix at the hearing of the same so on the contrarie as Adoniah sayde to Ionathan the sonne of Abiather Come in for thou art a valiant man and bringest good tydings And as David in lyke manner sayde of Ahimaaz that hee was a good man and brought good tydings with him so death is a good messenger to them and bringeth good tydings with him even as the Angell sayde to the sheepheards at CHRISTS birth Tydings of great joye to wit that their soules are to be fred from all earthlie miserie and to enter into eternall joy and that as the blessed of the Lord they shall rest from their labours and their workes follow them Therefore as Laban welcomed Abrham's servant and sayd Come in thou blessed of the Lord even so the Godlie may justlie welcome death and invite him as it were to come in the curse and course whereof to them is turned to a blessing Seeing therefore the death of the Godlie is a freedome and delyverie out of prison and captivitie we see how farre we should be from the loue of this lyfe being the tyme onelie of such a painfull imprisonment such a languishing labour an Egyptian boÌ„dage a Babylonish captivitie a woful exile a stormy seavoyage a weariesome pilgrimage a dangerous warrefare fraile it selfe and having an hourlie and circular necessitie of such frayle things to support the pillars thereof whose foundation is in the dust which is nourished by dust and in ende the honour vigour whereof must be laide in the dust involved in a world of vanities and wrapped about with a cloud of vexations carnall lusts thornie cares and domesticke discontentments Satan â—empting without corruption betraying within the conscience stinging pleasures alluring feares affrighting adversitie fretting prosperitie flattering sickenesse assaulting and death ever at last as a burreau attending our execution besides who can recount the losses and crosses the cares and calamities disquyetings discontentments with the miseries mutabilities that are incident to this mortall and momentarie lyfe rightlie therefore compared to grasse which withereth a flowre which fadeth a buble or water bell which breaketh smoke which evanisheth a weavers shittle which passeth a traveller who posteth the fatte of lambes which consumeth a shepheards tent which fâ—itteth a fraile ship which floateth a dreame without soliditie a thought for celeritie a hyrelings tyme for miserie and in a word meere and onlie vanitie Wherein to be then is not to liue but to be daylie dying thoughts
tossing the mynde cares torturing the heart paines pinching the bodie pensiuenesse possessing the soule feares fretting crosses consuming and death at last consummating And wherein there is not any houre wherein we are not eyther in the remembrance of calamities by-past or the sense of some present or vnder the feare and foresight of some that are to come So that it is most true which Iob sayeth of man in this lyfe Man that is borne of woman is of short continuance and full of trouble Curasque subiisse molestas Sors homini connataetulit velut edita prunis Scintilla ignitis tenues vaga scandit in aâ—ras O then as sayeth Moses That men were wyse aâ—d would consider their latter ende and would thinke on the worlds vanitie to despyse it lyfes frayltie to contemne it deaths certayntie to expect iâ— judgements severitie to prevent it hells miserie to avoyde it and heavens felicitie to attayne it Seeing the death of the Godlie is a parting not a perishing a delyverie and not a destruction an annalysing not an annihilating In qua potius miseria Christiani quam ipse Christianus moritur Therefore the same is not to be feared by them who die nor yet excessiuelie deplored by vs who surviue praemitâ—untur enim non amittuntur oriuntur potius quam moriuntur eorumque funera sunt iis maximâ— foenera So that death vnto them is rather premiall nor penall lyfe nor losse and the day thereof lyke a birth-day to bee celebrated in respect of them rather with mirth nor mourning Therefore they rather desire nor dread the same saying with David My soule thirsteth for God even for the living God when shall I come and appeare before God Or with S. Paull I desire to bee dissolved and to bee with Christ. Or with Simeon here Lord now let thy servant depart in peace Or with the Sayncts saying How long O Lord which art holie and true Come Lord Iesu come quicklie And good reason they haue for doing so because three things concurre to them which are matter of great joye to vs in this lyfe a glad marriage a glorious triumph and a solemne coronation the marriage with Christ the triumph over all their enemies the coronation with a crowne of righteousnesse If poore Esther then and all her kinred were glad when shee was assumed by king Assuerâ—s to bee his Queene If David rejoyced when hee came backe triumphing after the slaughter of Goliah and if the earth it selfe rang for joye with the acclamations of the coronation of Salomon O how joyefull a day is that wherein the poore soule of a Christian is married gloriouslie with Him who is King of kings and Lord of lords and at the sight of that blessed Brydegroome as at Elizabeth's hearing of the blessed virgines salutation the Baptist did how doeth that soule spring and leape for joye O with what joyefull acclamations also doe these glorious spirits welcome the triumphant soule that is victorious over the enemies of Gods glorie and man's good and who so rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner much more shall they not at the coronation of a Saynct assumed vp to heaven associate to the Patriarches made equall with the Angels and conformed to Christ The fourth thing which this Text offereth to our consideration is the difference betweene the death of the Godlie and the death of the wicked the one is in peace the other not therefore sayeth the Prophet There is no peace to the wicked sayeth my GOD. But on the contrary Marke the Godlie and the vpright man sayeth the Psalmist For the ende of that man is peace for according to his soules estate as sayth Isaias hee entereth into peace and according to his bodie he resteth in the graue as a sweet sleeping bed so that hee may say with David I will lay mee downe in peace and sleepe And when I awake I shall be satisfied with thy lykenesse The cause of which death in peace is the lyfe of grace and because they lived the lyfe of the righteous therefore they die the death of the righteous But as for the wicked they depart not in peace because their life was destitute of grace both which the Apostls joyne as inseparable in their salutations grace and peace therefore sayth the Prophet of them The way of peace they haue not knowne and there was no vprightnesse in their goings but they made them crooked pathes wherein whosoever goeth hee shall not know peace wherefore they shall be in death as Balthassar was in his agonie seeing nothing but their guiltie conscience wryting bitter things against them sorrowing for their sinnes bygone being in anguish for their present miserie and in terrour for torments to come Satan now accusing them the conscience convicting them the lawe condemning them the Gospell forsaking them the Heavens debarring them and lyke Ionas whale hell gaping to swallowe them O dreadfull perplexitie when feare is so on everie syde a wrathfull judge aboue vnquenchable flames beneath a gnawing worme within a dreadfull dittie before fearfull fiends about and a dolefull doome at hand Whereas on the contraire the death of the Godlie hath peace for perplexitie solace for sorrow and for dreadour desire of dissolution their sinnes are silent their conscience calme the Law absolveth them the Gospell comforteth them their Saviour attendeth them Heaven is open to them the Angels accompanie them their good workes doe follow them O comfortable is the clayme that the soule maketh in that houre to God as a reconciled Father to Christ as her bryde-groome and Saviour to his blood as her ransome to his sufferings as her satisfaction to his promises as the covenant to Heaven as his purchase for her and to the societie of the Sayncts and Angels as fellow-citizens in eternall glorie with her 1. Seeing then that this is onlie the priviledge of Gods servantes to depart in peace let not Satan's slaues in their senselesse securitie clayme or expect the same For such a Pearle is not for swyne nor this Bread of God's Children is not to be given to doggs Therefore it may be sayde to them as Iehâ— sayd to Ioram What hast thou to doe with peace so long as thy impieties are so manie and thy impenitencie so great Or as the Lord sayth to the wicked What hast thou to doe to take my Covenant of peace in thy mouth that thou shouldest expect to die the death of the righteous who wilt not liue the lyfe of the righteous Seeing that Qui in vita moritur per vitiâ— certò in morte transire oportet ad aeterna supplicia 2. Seeing the departure of the Godlie is in peace that as the Prophet sayeth in that houre they enter into peace or into a joyfull and peaceabe estate resting from their labours it followeth then that they depart not with the terrifying expectation of a fyrie purgatorie wherein
their perplexed soules are to satisfie and suffer in those infernall flames no lesse torment nor the soules of the damned except onlie in shorter indureance For this were not to die in peace but perplexitie and in the fitt of such a pani◠feare as over-tooke Balthasser and by which their godlesse and groundlesse assertion whereby lyke the scorpion tailes of those locusts in the Revelation they stryke with the terrour of torment poore simple soules Gods mercie is marred CHRISTS merit maimed his trueth belyed his death debased his sufferings stained and his people abused by these who haue made gaine their godlinesse but not godlinesse to bee gaine turning Gods Temple againe into a Den of thieues and therein making merchandise not of doues but of mens soules as is fore-tolde of them being better seene as one sayeth in the golden number of actuall receat nor for their warrand in this poynt in the dominicall letter of sacred and holie Writ Out of these thinges also which haue bene formerlie spoken to wit that the death of Gods servants is a peaceable departure out of the prison of this bodie and miseries of this world wee may consider these three things in the same to wit the 1 necessitie of their death 2. The facilitie and 3. The felicitie thereof Necessitie which maketh resolution facilitie which giveth consolation and felicitie which causeth appetition Necessitie showeth it to bee in evitable facilitie easily tollerable and felicitie greatlie desiderable The necessitie is herein that it is our Posse-over that wee must depart out of the Egypt of this world before wee can enter into that heavenlie Canaan A dissolution it is called and therefore a separation must be of the soule from the bodie before that coelestiall vnion can bee effectuated with our Saviour Christ. A devesting of Mortalitie must be before we put on Immortalitie and a throwing downe of our earthlie tabernacle before wee get that better house to dwell in not made with hands eternall in the Heavens 2. The facilitie of the death of Gods servants is in this that their death is a peaceable departure death having lost its perplexing feare its paynfull sting and horrid shape and the soule being more ravished with that approaching sight of God than the bodie is payned with the sense of death the passion of mortalitie being so beaten backe with the impression of aeternitie that the soule is so farre from slackenesse to goe foorth as Lot was out of Sodom as on the contrarie it hasteth to bee in that place where it may truelie say with the disciples Bonum est nobis esse hic even as Abraham hasted to meete the Angels or Peter and Iohn hasted to the graue to see that CHRIST was risen And as willinglie they lay downe the bodie when death commeth for them as Peter did his shackels wherof he was vnloosed when the Angell came to bring him out of prison Hence it is called in Scripture onelie a falling asleep a giving vp the Ghost a gathering to our fathers a laying downe of this earthlie tabernacle and an vnclothing of vs lyke Ioseph of his prison garments or the prodigall of his beggerlie raggs to bee gloriouslie arrayed and highlie advanced to a heavenlie preferment where all losses are recompenced all wants supplied all crosses removed all teares wiped away all promises performed and all happinesse procured where Satan is trod vnder death overcome corruption abolished sanctification perfected and glorie at last obtayned 3. The felicitie also of the death of the Godlie in the bright sight of the Lords salvatiō is vnutterable when that eternall Sabbath commeth and joyefull jubile approacheth when the Lambes Bryde shall enter into that marriage Chamber to sight most specious in rowme most spacious and in beautie most glorious wherin to come is hghiest dignitie to dwel is greatest felicitie and to liue in is most joyfull eternitie the pleasures whereof are so plentifull that for greatnesse they can not bee measured so manie that they can not bee numbered so precious that they can not bee esteemated and so dureable that they can not bee limited which wee shall enjoye without wearinesse admire without ignorance affect without measure and feed on without loathsomnesse never to bee terminated impossible to be determinated where securitie is with safetie peace with all plentie light with all libertie rest with all rejoycing and tranquillitie with all felicitie where youth flowrisheth that never fadeth health continueth which never altereth beautie lasteth which never blasteth loue aboundeth which never abateth and lyfe endureth which never endeth The fift poynt is from whom this peaceable departure is sought to wit from the Lord who onelie can make it such by that inward assurance of reconcilement with himselfe wherein as wee see the practise of the Godlie ever for all good or comfort eyther in lyfe or death to haue their constant recourse to God onelie and to no creature Saynct or Angell whatsoever So wee see that the godlie are so farre from putting the memorie of death away as others doe from before their eyes as a tormenter of them before the tyme that they holde it ever in their sight and with olde Simeon here and the Apostle earnestlie desire the approach thereof saying with the Psalmist Bring my soule out of prison O Lord that I may prayse thy Name And so they can not onelie pray with Moses Lord teach vs to number our dayes that wee may apply our heatrs vnto wisdome but also can wish the acceleration thereof in GODS good tyme even as the workman longeth for the shadow or the hyreling for the ende of his worke And this they doe not out of a fitt of impatience as wee see in Ionas nor out of such discontent as wee perceaue even in Godlie Eliah but out of a longing with David to see Gods face with joye and of that happie conjunction with CHRIST whereof the Apostle speaketh Hence it is that they make not themselues for death when sicknesse commeth because they must die out of natures necessitie but because they would die out of graces desire manie things giving vp their last worke at death which make the godlie with the Apostle to crye out in life Who shall delyver mee from this bodie of death For then Satan giveth his last assault sinne leaveth her temptation the world its allurement corruption its repyning the conscience its accusing the bodie its painfull toyle and men their hurtfull injuring and then the soule in the strongest affection thereof set vpon Heaven and heavenlie thinges having gone before now in its purified substance is not so much thrust by deaths hand out of the bodie as Lot was out of Sodom by the Angell as it goeth foorth joyefullie lyke Noah out of the Arke and is pulled into that coelestiall Mansion by the hand of God as the Doue was taken into the Arke againe when shee could find no rest to the sole of her foote The last thing
anie but sinners Say not thou It is through the Lord that I fall away For thou oughtest not to doe things which Hee hateth Say not thou Hee hath caused mee to erre For Hee hath no neede of the sinfull man ECCLESIASâ—ICVS 15.11.12 Wee are so farre from believing say the Fathers of the second Arausican Councell Can. ult that anie man is appoynted to evill by the power of GOD that on the contrarie if anie will be so bolde as to belieue so great an evill cum omni detestatione in illos anathema dicimus let such bee most dreadfullie accursed Iustice it selfe should bee vnjust sayeth Fulgentius if it should not finde but make men guiltie that so they might bee punished The third degree is All His affections and actions are so exactly conforme to the rectitude of His aeternall Lawe that there is no possibilitie in Him of such evill For first His infinite perfection can not stand with anie possibilitie of sinfull defect All apprehende GOD as such a One that nothing better can bee conceaved Yea Hee exceedeth all good that can bee comprehended by thought or by vnderstanding Nyssen de Opisic hominis Cap. 16. Which should not bee if Hee were not out of all danger of falling and had libertie in respect of morall evill Secondlie GOD necessarily loveth Himselfe and all other thinges but secondarilie and with reference to Himselfe Therefore can Hee not loue anie thing but that which is louelie and which may bee referred to His owne soveraygne goodnesse Thirdlie As the rule cannot erre because of it selfe it is right and can not fall from it selfe But the hand may erre because not beeing it selfe a rule it may declyne from the rule and not bee conforme to the outward direction thereof So anie creature because it is not the rule may erre But GOD who is the rule and can not deny Himselfe is not subject to sinne or morall errour it is impossible that He should doe anie thing amisse It can not bee that Hee can bee the procurer or doer of anie evill worke that taketh to Himselfe and justlie the Name of Perfect Father and Iudge Light can not bee changed into darknesse nor Goodnesse it selfe become wicked Wicked Martion as crooked and perverse as his mynd was was affrayde to ascrybe evill to the good GOD and choosed rather geminare Deitatem and to divide it betwixt two one good and one evill The Philosopher affirmeth indeede That GOD and good men may doe evill thinges But hardlie can I thinke that hee speaketh there according to his owne mynde but rather according to the common opinion of those amongst whome hee lived Neither is this praejudiciall to the liberty of GOD. Possibilitie to doe evill is not necessarie therevnto This is a weaknesse of created Free-will which is flexible to evill and lyable to defect It is a blessed necessitie whereby GOD can not bee evill as Augustine teacheth vs. Not onlie can Hee not will or doe evill but also of necessitie Hee hateth it and that with an infinite hatred For 1. since necessarilie Hee loveth the rectitude of His aeternall Lawe of necessitie Hee must hate whatsoever is contrarie therevnto and such is all sinne 2. Hee necessarily loveth His goodnesse and perfection of His nature and therefore must needes hate sinne which is repugnant and contrarie therevnto As darknesse to Light and deformitie to Beautie and crookednesse to Strayghtnesse and defylment to Puritie The infinitenesse of His hatred appeareth first From that Hee depryveth a sinner for it of an infinite good to wit Himselfe 2. To blot it out Hee sent His owne Sonne both to take our flesh and to vndergoe death 3. Hee for it inflicteth infinite sorrowes and ignominie even aeternall tormentes And though one had innumerable good workes yet for one grievous sinne Hee forgetteth them all EZECH 18. For one sinne Hee thrust downe from Heaven so manie millions of Angels Hee cared not for their innumerable multitude nor for their eximious beautie nor for the excellencie of their nature most nearlie resembling His nor for their depth of engine pearcing comprehending so many things nor for that blessed sight which should for ever haue shyned in their mynds or perfect loue whereby they should haue loved Him aboue all thinges nor for the prayse thankesgiving and glorie which Hee should haue had for ever through saving so manie spirites Hee cared not for all the evill which Hee knewe could come by their condemnation their aeternall blasphemies and contumelies the fall of man-kynde and perverting of the whole worlde So hatefull infinitelie to His Holinesse was sinne that passing by all these considerations Hee did stryke them immediatelie with the Thunder-bolt of Condemnation The lyke terrible demonstration of His infinite hatred of sinne may also bee seene in His dealing towardes man Hence ISAI vj. in that mysticall vision the SERAPHIMS provoke Him as it were to punishment of that wicked people by a threefolde compellation of His Holinesse What man should not bee infinitelie punished by His Holinesse for sinne if Hee were not restrayned by His infinite Mercie Hence clearlie may appeare the errour of those vvho teach That GOD by an absolute will praedefyned and decreed from aeternitie all actions and positiue effectes of the creatures howe wicked soever so and so to bee done in particular with all their circumstances and That accordinglie in tyme Hee moveth pusheth and physicallie praedeterminateth them to those effectes This praevious motion beeing such that without it no creature can doe anie thing But it beeing present they must needes doe that wherevnto it carrieth them This doctrine at once destroyeth both the Libertie of men and Sanctitie of GOD. The first For that praemotion or praedetermination is independent from our libertie It is not in our power though it bee simplie necessarie to our actions according to the authors thereof when wee haue it not therefore wee can not worke some necessarie thing beeing deficient to vs which GOD alone can giue If it bee present wee must needes doe that wherevnto it impelleth and this necessitie is antecedent which playnlie overthroweth Libertie as Anselme observeth 2. It destroyeth the Sanctitie of GOD For if Hee so moue push and praedetermine the will to evill that it can not doe otherwayes nor in another manner howe can Hee bee more effectuallie and powerfullie the author of evill Which is an horrible blasphemie To advyse and command sinne should not make Him so truelie and effectuallie the author thereof as by this doctrine Hee is made according to which Hee directlie willeth the evill act and inwardlie moveth applyeth and praedetermineth the will that it may bee done Advyce and commandement moue onlie objectiuelie and may bee resisted but this Praedetermination pearceth the essence of the will and inwardlie frameth it to worke so that no way it can bee resisted or the worke hindered If you say that GOD is to bee esteemed in these
c. Thou hast manifested vnto mee and Lord make it more and more manifest and grant that in this manifestation I may continue sober vnder thy winges If yee vrge yet more that even the power of sinning given by GOD and the permission of sinne seeme to derogate from His Holinesse in His works because as the Ethnicke sayeth in Iustin. Martyr Hee that may hinder and permitteth in effect doeth what hee permitteth I answere first concerning the power of sinning that if wee vnderstand thereby a licence to doe evill it is not from GOD for this is an vnbrydled disorder of the will importing in it permission impunitie and a formall or virtuall approbation of him that giveth this libertie Thus it is not from GOD Ecclesiasticus 15.20 Hee hath commanded no man to doe wickedlie neyther hath Hee given anie man licence to sinne But if wee vnderstand by the power of sinning a naturall power that may bee exercysed well or evill it can not bee denyed that so taken it is from GOD and so with Augustine the Schoole-men teach Neyther is there anie blame in this for if it were not our libertie would not appeare The free power of doing one thing is joyned with the power circa oppositum in vs as the Philosopher teacheth and August with him When it is in our power to doe it is also in our power not to doe c. So Thomas there Therefore this power of sinning is not evill but good and hath a good vse to wit to make vs free Hence Tertullian Basil and others grant it when having to doe with those that made GOD the author of sinne I meane not that the power of sinning belongeth to Libertie taking libertie in the largest amplitude therof for that is false as we are taught by Thomas and others and it is manifest in GOD who is most free yet can not sinne This Anselme meaned when in his Dialogue de lib. arbit cap. 1. hee sayde that the power of sinning is neyther libertie nor a part thereof yet can it not bee denyed that this power belongeth to mutable libertie The act of sinning is a free act So the power whence it proceedeth must bee actus primus liber 1. There can not bee a second act without the first proportionable 2. If this were not true the power of desisting from sinne should not belong to Libertie for the libertie of one contradictorie includeth the libertie of the other This indeede is a defect and imperfection but so also is the mutabilitie of the will and therefore the Divine Libertie excludeth this as well as that Secondlie as for the permission of sinne I answere 1. GOD is not bound to hinder 2. Hee hath most just and holie reasons for which Hee permitteth the evill of sinne for it is fit that the Universall and Supreame Governour having furnished all thinges perfectlie and most sufficiently for every good should suffer them to be carried freelie with their owne motions Otherwayes the helpe given might seeme not sufficient and the good worke done forced not worthie of prayse Therfore Basil having propounded the question Why GOD did not take from vs the power of sinning answereth As wee thinke not our servantes duetifull when wee haue them bound and in chaynes but when they doe willinglie that which they ought So hee is gracious to GOD not who doeth of necessitie but of vertue and vertue is of election sayeth hee and not of necessitie and election is of that which is in our power and that which is in our power is free 2. It becommeth men to waken vp themselues to the doing of good and avoyding of evill and ever to bee sollicitous and attentiue that they bee not inlacking to the grace of GOD but if GOD would permit no sinne there should bee no neede of this solicitude 3. Hee can drawe great good out of evill as first The manifesting His goodnesse and patience suffering the contempt of His Majestie by sinne 2. The manifesting of His Divine Mercie pardoning it wherevnto belongeth the Misterie of the Incarnation of the Sonne of GOD and whatsoever Hee hath done and suffered for vs. All this is by occasion of sinne whereby He hath manifested His Glorie farre more than if sinne had never beene 3. The good of His Chosen Hee draweth even out of this evill Thus the crueltie of Tyrants served to the encrease of glorie to the Martyres Hence Vincentius the Martyr sayde to his torturer Dacianus Nunquam quisquam adeo bene servivit mihi vt tu Thou hast beene the best servant that ever I had So the wickednesse of Heretickes serveth for the proving and clearing the fayth of the Church Nunquid perfectè de Trinitate tractatum est antequam oblatrarent Arriani Nunquid de panitentia tractatū est antequam obsisterent Novatiani August Psal. 54. Baptisme sayeth hee there was not so perfectlie handled before the contradiction of the Rebaptizers or the vnitie of Christ and His Church before the separation of Schismatickes Thus GOD maketh sometymes a man 's owne sinne to bee occasion of amending his coldnesse and presumption and of greater care and humilitie in tymes coming Saynct Peter and manie of the Sayncts haue beene by occasion of some fall ever thereafter more warie fervent and humble 4. This manifesteth the greatnesse of His Divine Majestie which is such that one sinne committed agaynst it is worthie of aeternall death 5. Hee manifesteth heereby His Divine Iustice whyle Hee chastiseth one wicked man by the wickednesse of another as Hee did to His people Israell by the Assyrians ISAI x. 5 or whyle Hee permitteth one's sinne for the punishment of another in the sinner himselfe ROM 1. Thus sinne is called the punishment of sinne not that it is properlie a punishment for it is not intended by GOD the Punisher but because the permission of it is a punishment willed by GOD for revenge through which permission by accident another sinne falleth out For when a man by former sinnes maketh himselfe vnworthie of the inspiration and protection of GOD Hee withdraweth it from him that is Hee giveth him it not as other wayes Hee would haue done and so hee falleth into other sinnes which by the grace of GOD hee would haue eschewed Lastlie The splendor of His justice shall appeare when sinne shall bee revenged with aeternall punishment So Hee draweth many folde good out of sinne Allmightie GOD sayeth AUGUSTINE who hath power of all thinges since Hee is infinitelie good would suffer no evill at all to bee in His worke except Hee were so powerfull and so good as that Hee can draw good out of evill So neyther doeth His permission derogate from His Holinesse nor yet from His Providence Hee is not an ydle spectator of sinnes and sinners but everie-where His Divine Providence over-ruleth them Though they preasse to drawe themselues from His Disposition and Providence yet can they not for whyle they withdraw
thousandes saying with a loude voyce Worthie is the Lambe that was slayne to receaue power and riches and wisdome and strength and honour and glorie c. And as th'Apostle witnesseth 2. Cor. v. 8 being absent from the bodie they are present with the LORD And Phil. j. 23 his desire was to depart and to bee with CHRIST And expresslie Augustine sayeth Lib. 13. de Civitate Dei Cap. 8. In requie enim sunt animae piorum à corpore separatae impiorum autem poenas luunt donec istarum ad aeternam vitam illarum ad aeternam mortem quae secunda dicitur corpora reviviscant The soules of the Godlie sayeth hee being separated from the bodie are at rest and the souls of the wicked are punished vntill that tyme the bodies of the one bee awakened to aeternall lyfe and the bodies of the other to aeternall death which is called The second death The bodies then onlie of the Godlie doe sleepe in the dust of the earth The souls of men may haue and haue their owne actions without commerce with the bodies For in that the death of man is called a sleepe it evidentlie signifieth That the soules of men are not as the souls of other creatures who lose beeing with their bodies their death being no other than a destruction of both But as when the bodie sleepeth the soule will bee then thinking meditating and discoursing so when the bodie is lying asleepe in the graue the soule then is exercysing its owne heavenlie and spirituall functions That nowe then wee may knowe the nature of the death of the Godlie we haue to learne wherefore speciallie it is resembled to sleepe This appellation it getteth in Scripture is to testifie what good what happinesse the Godlie gayne by Death And to omit manie other resemblances betwixt them I will show it in this Even as a man all the day long wearied with toyle and travell when the night commeth laying aside all traffique of the world hee vncloatheth himselfe goeth to bed willingly yeelding to Nature where the senses beeing tyed vp by sleepe hee resteth from all his travels and sense of evill by which rest hee is more enabled agaynst his awakening for better exercyses as the Poët sayth of it Pectora duris Fessa ministeriis mulces reparasque labori So the Godlie when the night of death commeth or when death approacheth they lay aside all worldlie thinges and prepare themselues for it with Ezekiah they set their house in order knowing that they must die they yeeld to the God of Nature saying vnto them Returne yee children of men Psal. xc 3 They vncloathe their souls and put off their earthlie tabernacle Then their bodies are layde downe in the dust as in a sweete sleeping bed and as Iob sayeth as the waters fayle frrom the sea and the flood decayeth and dryeth vp So man lyeth downe and ryseth not till the Heavens bee no more they shall not awake nor bee raysed out of their sleepe Iob xiv 11.12 Where they are delivered from all cares all toyle and sense of evill wherevnto before they were subject and therin they are fitted and prepared for all Happinesse By this resemblance we may perceaue first that the death of the Godlie putteth an ende to all miseries For by it wee are delivered both à malo culpae and à malo poenae from sinne it selfe and from the punishment of sinne After death the Godlie doe not sinne anie more Howe great Happinesse this is may bee easilie vnderstood by that groaning petition vttered by the Apostle Rom. vij 24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver mee from the bodie of this death By death they are delivered from it for he that is dead is fred froÌ„ sin Rom. 6.7 delivered froÌ„ the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of GOD Rom. viij â—1 Yea from all occasions and temptations to sinne Desiit peccare desiit jactari desiit miser esse He ceasseth to sinne or to bee tossed with anie winde of temptation to sinne In a word Hee ceasseth to bee miserable and therefore I sayde also that hee is fred à malo poenae In this lyfe man that is borne of a woman is of few dayes and full of trouble Iob xiv 1 And Salomon acknowledgeth That there is nothing vnder the sunne but trouble and vexation of spirit The bodie of man is morborum seminarium a seed-plot of all diseases No sooner yea before wee begin to bee borne wee begin to bee sicke Quis ille qui non aegrotat in hac vita Quis non longum languorem trahit nasci hic in corpore mortali incipere aegrotare est Aug. in Psal. cij ante med Who is hee sayeth hee that is not sicke in this lyfe Who is hee that languisheth not To begin to bee borne in this mortall bodie is to bee sicke The mynde and soule of man is subject vnto griefe and anguish which is an intollerable miserie David compareth it to arrowes Psal. xxxviij 2. For thyne arrowes sticke fast in mee and thy hand presseth me sore Consonant wherevnto is that of Iob Chap. xvj 13 His archers compasse me round about hee cleaveth my reynes asunder and doeth not spare And A wounded spirit sayd Salomon who can beare The sense of it made CHRIST Himselfe say My Soule is exceeding sorrowfull even vnto death Matth. xxvj 38 The estate of man is subject to Povertie and Want a grievous punishment for ridiculos homines facit the poore are the object of mockerie Salomon sayeth Prov. xiv 20 The poore is hated even of his owne neyghbour And Prov. xix 7 All the brethren of the poore doe hate him howe much more doe his friendes goe farre from him Hee persueth them with wordes yet they are wanting to him The name of man is subject to shame and contempt which even evill men abhorre more than death Saul did rather choose to fall on his owne sworde than to bee matter of sporte to his enemies The wicked at the day of Iudgement ere they endured the indignitie of this evill would rather that hills and mountayns should fall vpon them Yea besides to howe manie miseries daylie is man lyable to hunger thirst heate colde inaccommodation in dwelling much travell vaine hopes c. howe manie are his private crosses his publicke calamities and evils which wee bring vppon our selues injuries done to vs by others Yet when Death commeth it freeth vs of all these By Death wee lye still and are quyet wee sleepe and are at rest Iob iij. 13 And Blessed are the dead that die in the LORD they rest from their laboures Rev. xiv 13 Before Death come there can bee no perfect freedome from these evils for as Bernard speaketh Liberatio plena atque perfecta ante diem sepulturae esse non poterit quod maneat jugum gravè super filios Adam à die exitiuâ— de ventre matris ipsorum vsque in diem sepulturae in matrem omnium In