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
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
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
vpon these Thrones aboue Then let hope of this allay your cresses heere Lift vp your heades yee drouping Saincts for your releasse drawes neare I know Viators thinke their LORD makes long delay But with the weyght of endlesse blesse Hee 'll recompence His stay V. And art thou gone deare ghost C. Yes I haue stay'd too long For I must goe and beare my part of our triumphing Song Whereof I know one day yee shall sustaine your parts And sing the Praises of the Lambe with jubilating heartes Meane tyme present your selues with heaven erected eyes And recommend your faynting hearts your weakned hands knees To him whom GOD hath made Brabeutes of your host Hee heares your cryes Hee sees your teares not one of them is lost As wee haue joyfull proofe who are triumphers now The lyke estate vndoubtedlie Hee will vouchsafe on you Vnder the hope whereof I bid you all Goodnight Till yee enjoy what ye expect and Faith bee chang'd in sight ARTHURI IONSTONI M. D. MEDICI REGII EPIGRAMMA DE HOC TUMULO Quem Reverendissimo Patri PATRICIO FORBESIO IOANNIS FORBESII Filii pietas marmore aere perenniorem excitavit FORBESIOS hîc cerne duos sine compare patrem Et natum secli sidus utrumque sui Ante dedit vitam nato pater omine laeto Nunc patrem nati vivere cernis ope Plus meruit natus quam cepit clauditur aevo Quam dedit annorum limite vita caret Nobili Clarissimo ac Generoso Domino Domino IOANNI FORBESIO Domino à CORSE Baroni de ONEIL c. Universitatis Abredoniensis Rectori Magnifico S. S. Theologiae Doctori eximio ejusdemque in Academia Regia Professori dignissimo Musarum Abredonensium acerimo vindici ac protectori haec qualiacunque Oratoria Poetica variorum auctorum munuscula serio commendar IO. LVNDINVS in Academia Regia Humaniorâ—m Literarum Professor Facultatis Artium pro tempore Decanus MAgne Heros magni soboles generosa parentis Magna perantiquae spesque decusque domus Cui veterum assurgunt tituli juvenilibus annis A quo semidei nobilitantur avi Accipe quae sacrae mittunt tibi sacra Camaenae Accipe quae sacri praeses Apollo Chori Dona ferunt manibus nam sunt sua dona Poetis Parva licet magnis dona petenda Deis Hic laudes percurre tuas percurre tuorum Picta hic insigni laude trophaea feres Hic sua virtuti sua sunt hic praemia laudi Hic digesta leges fortia facta Patris Ut pia Pierides sic dulcia praelia miscent Arma parat Vates Rhetor arma parat Fervidus hic dubiis medius Mars errat in armis Stringit hic nivea tela Minerva manu Delius hic Clypeum laterique accommodat ensem Totaque Thespiadum saevit in arma Cohors Nulla prius traxit plures in praelia vates Palma triumphalis palma nec vlla trahet Quaeque suos confert pulchra in certamina vires Praestat officium quaeque Camaena suum Magnaque cum faciant se nil fecisse faâ—entur Maxima sunt meritis inferiora tuis Plura etiam nemo est qui se debere negabit Et majora animo vel magis aequa tuo Nostra vel imprimis quae jam sua rura Thalia Possidet auxiliis auspiciisque tuis Per te ruris opes mihi Mantua laeta ministrat Mantua sacrilegis nuper adempta Getis Hinc tibi serta parant sacrantque aeterna Camaenae Frigoribus nunquam depositura comam A SERMON Preached at the Funerall of the R. R. Father in GOD PATRICKE FORBES Late Lord Bishop of Aberdene In the Cathedrall Church of that Dioces the 9 of Aprill 1635 by ROBERT BARON Doctor and Professor of Divinitie and one of the Ministers of GOD'S Word in the Burgh of ABERDENE REVEL CHAP. xiiij VERS 13. Blessed are the dead which die in the LORD THis Sentence may justlie bee called an Heavenly Sentence and that not onlie in these generall respects for the which other passages of Scripture are so called but also for speciall causes or reasons For it was delivered to Saynct Iohn by a voyce from Heaven It telleth vs that perfect happinesse is not to be found in earth but in Heaven that none may exspect or attayne therevnto but these who liue and die in a League with Heaven and as it were in the armes in the bosome of the King of Heaven and that they can not come to it but by death which is to them Ianua Coeli the Gate of Heaven The LORD furnish vs at this tyme with a competent measure of heavenlie Grace and fill our souls with heavenlie thoughts that this our present exercyse may tende to the glorie of Him that dwelleth in the Heavens and to our benefit who exspect one day to see His glorious His beautifull and louelie Countenance there In this Sentence we haue onlie two things to consider to wit the persons of whom the Spirit of God here speaketh and the blessednesse attributed vnto them The persons who are the subject of this proposition are the godlie who haue departed this lyfe Yee haue a description of them in these words The dead who die in the Lord where by the dead wee must not with Ambrose and Alcazar vnderstand these who are spirituallie or misticallie dead to the world and to sinne neyther will we follow the phantasticall conceit of Aureolus who did vnderstand by the dead here spoken of these who by monastical vowes haue sequestrated themselues from the world and the ordinarie conversation of men But wee must here vnderstand these who are naturallie dead or whose souls are separated froÌ„ their bodies Neither must we limitate the subject of this proposition to those who were dead before S. Iohn heard this voyce in Pathmos as if blessednesse were here ascribed to them only others being excluded who were to die thereafter But the words of this propositioÌ„ must be vnderstood cum ampliatione terminorum as the Summulists call it that is they must be ampliated or extended to al differences of tyme. For the meaning of this sentence is not onlie that the dead who haue alreadie died in the Lord are blessed but also that these who hereafter shall die in the Lord shall by death attayne vnto perfect Happinesse and Blessednesse The description of the persons to whom Blessednesse is here attributed consisteth of a generall part coÌ„mon to all and of a particular part limitating this description to the Elect. To die is common to all it is the way of all the earth To die in the Lord is the way not of all but of some few or the last part of that narrow way which few doe finde And to this is another way opposite which is the way of manie even that broadway which leadeth to destruction in the which all doe walke who are not in Christ. So then if wee consider the generall part or the genus of this description together with the
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
free from his master Mors sceptra ligonibus aequat The third thing wherein men are sayd to die is in their sinnes This befalleth all the vnbelievers who die in vnbeliefe according to that saying of our Saviour I sayde therefore vnto yom that yee shall die in your sinnes For if yee belieue not that I am HEE yee shall die in your sinnes Where is not meaned that they shall cease to bee in their sinnes or in the stayne and guiltinesse therof as those who dying in worldlie wealth or povertie cease to bee in them anie more but hee that dieth in his sinnes his bones are full of the sinne of his youth which shall lye downe with him in the dust Now as Salomon sayth if the tree fall toward the south or toward the north in the place where the tree falleth there it shall be That is as Saynct Hierome expounds the place in what estate a man dieth eyther in sinne or in righteousnesse hee shall for ever remayne in that same estate The miserie of such a man is descrybed in the Evangell of Saynct IOHN with the felicitie of those who liue and die in the true fayth of the Sonne of GOD briefelie in these wordes Hee that believeth on the Sonne hath everlasting Lyfe and hee that believeth not the Sonne shall not see Lyfe but the wrath of GOD abydeth on him Therefore this Proposition Blessed are they that die in the LORD is reciprocall They die in the LORD who are blessed meaning of mortall men who die this bodilie death of whom none are blessed but onlie they that die in the LORD Neyther is there salvation in anie other for there is none other name vnder Heaven given amongst men whereby wee must bee saved To die in the LORD signifieth not that the LORD is the cause of our death as Adam to them that die in Adam but it signifieth that happie estate of a dying man that hee is in the LORD and consequentlie of the number of those of whom the Apostle sayeth There is no condemnation to those which are in CHRIST IESVS Neyther doeth dying in the LORD import ceasing from beeing in the LORD as they who die in worldlie wealth or povertie doe cease to bee in that estate anie more but to die in the LORD signifieth to die beeing and remayning in the LORD before death in death and after death The LORD is our lyfe even aeternall Lyfe He then that dieth in the LORD remayneth in Lyfe according to that saying of our Saviour Verilie verilie I say vnto you he that heareth My word and believeth on Him that sent Mee hath everlasting Lyfe and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death vnto lyfe Death may separate our soule from our bodie but it can not breake that Union which wee haue with IESUS CHRIST whose wee are whether wee liue or die I come nowe to a more particular consideration of this Union which wee haue with CHRIST in lyfe and death and in respect whereof wee are sayde heere to die in the LORD This Union is so strange and wonderfull that it can not bee sufficientlie expressed by anie one kynde of vnion and therefore the Spirit of GOD in the Scripture expresseth it by manie and those most diverse sortes of vnion or conjunction to wit by the vnion of conformitie telling vs that wee are praedestinated to bee conformed to the Image of the Son of God by the vnion of affectiō yea of most entire affection or friendship telling vs that wee are His Friendes Brethren and Spouse by the vnion of influence or reall operation telling vs that Hee is the Vine and wee are the Branches that Hee is the Head and we are His Members vvhereby is signified That as the roote of the Vine by reall influence doeth communicate lyfe nowrishment and growth vnto the branches and as the head by reall influence or operation doeth communicate sense and motion vnto the inferiour members and doeth direct them in their actions So CHRIST by the seret and most powerfull influence of His Spirit doeth communicate Spirituall lyfe sense motion and growth vnto the members of His mysticall bodie as also directeth them in their actions making them to walke circumspectlie and to worke out their salvation with feare and trembling And because thinges are vnited or joyned together two wayes by the vnion of influence to wit eyther so that they concurre together to make vp one totall or composed substance as for example The head and the members make vp one totall substance and so doe the roote and the branches vvhich sort of vnion is called a Formall Substantiall and Physicall vnion or else so that no totall or composed thing is made vp of them so the Load-stone and the yron which it draweth to it selfe are vnited together vvhich sort of vnion is called vnio effectiva an vnion of meere influence or efficiencie Therefore our conjunction with CHRIST is expressed in Scripture sometymes by a Formall and Physicall vnion as when Hee is called the Vine and we the Branches or when Hee is called the Head and wee the members of His bodie and sometymes by the vnion of meere inftuence as when Hee sayeth If I bee lifted vp from the earth I will drawe all men vnto Mee and Loe I am with you alwayes even vnto the ende of the worlde Nowe to apply all this to the present purpose The Godlie haue all these kyndes or sorts of vnion with CHRIST in death as well as in lyfe and therefore they are most justlie sayde to die in the LORD And first as for the Vnion of Conformitie although the Learned speaking of that conformitie vvith CHRIST vnto which wee are praedestinated doe onlie mention our Conformitie with Him in Grace and Glorie yet betwixt these two wee may verie well take in another part or degree of our conformitie with CHRIST to wit our Conformitie with Him in our death vvhich is the passage from Grace to Glorie For as wee resemble Him by an holie lyfe so also by an happie and victorious death This degree of conformitie which the Godlie haue with CHRIST is grounded chiefelie vpon three respectes For first as CHRIST died voluntarilie and by way of obedience to GOD His Fathers Commandement so the Godlie die humblie submitting themselues and all their desires vnto GOD'S will For although when that bitter Cuppe of deadlie sicknesse is presented to a Godlie man he sometymes say with CHRIST Father if it bee possible let this Cup passe from mee yet He ever doeth subjoyne this Neverthelesse not as I will but as Thou wilt Secondliie As CHRIST died to destroy the works of the Devil that is to take away our sinnes so the Godlie desire to die that they may bee fred from their sinnes and not offende GOD anie more saying with SAMPSON Let mee die with these my enemies Thirdlie as CHRIST died to
acquire a Kingdome to Himselfe so death is to the Godlie an entrance into that kingdome which GOD hath promised to those that loue Him and everie Godlie man may vvhen hee dieth say with PAVL Hencefoorth there is layde vp for mee a Crowne of Righteousnesse Secondlie As for the vnion of Loue or Friendship which the Godlie haue with CHRIST death can not ende or dissolue it for Paul telleth vs That nothing is able to separate vs from the loue of CHRIST and in the wordes following boldlie giveth a defyance to death affirming That it is not able to effectuatâ— this separation Manie yea great and inaesteemable benefits redound vnto the Godlie by vertue of this vnion in the houre of their death For first by reason of it CHRIST IESVS in that most dangerous houre pleadeth for them most earnestlie and effectuallie Our necessitie doeth require this For when wee are arreasted by Death and are going to bee praesented before that dreadfull Tribunall vvhere all our workes of Righteousnesse yea all our sufferings can not sufficientlie pleade for vs wee haue more nor neede that that Blood which speaketh better thinges than that of Abell should pleade for Mercy and favour to vs. His loue also and most tender affection which made Him to ware or bestowe His Blood and His Lyfe for vs can not but make Him to ware His Request for vt in that tyme of our great neede Hee vvho vpon the Crosse prayed for His cruell Tormentors vvill vndoubtedlie nowe vvhen Hee is in His Kingdome remember His Friendes and say Pater ignosce iis Father forgiue them Hee vvho in that last and most dolorous night of His lyâ—e when Hee made as it were His Legacie and declared His latter Will to His Father sayde concerning all the Elect Father I will that they also whome Thou hast given Mee bee with Mee c. Hee I say will particularlie for everie one of them at the houre of their death say Father it is My will that this My Servant whom Thou hast given Mee bee with Me where I am that hee may beholde that Glorie which Thou hast given Mee Secondlie in respect of this Union CHRIST doeth strengthen the Godlie vpon their bed of languishing and maketh all their bed in their sicknesse yea Hee maketh a Bed of inward joye and comfort vnto their soules wherein they may rest and bee refreshed when their bodily payns are most grievous and intollerable For then Hse speaketh to them by His Spirit Wordes of comfort or rather as Peter calleth them Words of aeternall Lyfe He sayth to them as Hee sayde to the poenitent Thiefe To day shalt thou bee with Mee in Paradyse Hee sayth to them as Hee sayde concerning Lazarus his sicknesse This sicknesse is not vnto death yea This death is not vnto death but for the Glorie of GOD and also for your glorie that by it yee may attayne vnto aeternall Glorie and Happinesseâ— and as He sayd to Iacob when hee was going downe to Aegypt Feare not to goe downe to Aegypt for I will goe downe with thee and will surelie bring thee vp agayne so sayeth He to His languishing and dying Servants Feare not to goe downe into the darke and silent Graue for I will goe downe with you and I also will surelie bring you vp agayne These and the lyke comforts Christ Iesus by the inward and secret language or testimonie of His Spirit doeth communicate vnto manie of His Servantes â—pon their death-beds but whether or not He doeth communicate them vnto all the Elect without exception I dare not determine as I sayd before One thing I firmlie belieue That all the Elect are in some measure strengthened by Him vpon the bed of languishing I meane vpon their death-bed yea so strengthened that all the Powers of Hell can not make them to die in that fearfull sinne of Desparation For GOD vvho is not deficient in thinges necessarie for our naturall lyfe and much lesse in thinges necessarie for our spirituall estate hath giveÌ„ vs this sweet promise I will never leaue thee nor forsake thee and consequentlie deoth ever conserue in His owne Children such a measure of Fayth and Hope as is sufficient for salvation Thirdlie As the Godlie in the houre of death are bolde to commende their spirites vnto CHRIST and as it were to breathe out their soules into His Bosome for this is the last sute of a departing Saynct LORD IESVS receaue my spirit so Hee also in regard of this vnion granteth their desire that is He receaveth their spirits He welcoÌ„meth them with this sweet Salve Intra in gaudium DOMINI tui Enter into the joye of thy LORD and Hee praesenteth them vnto His Father saying Beholde I and the Children which GOD hath given mee Iohn I am sure was glad vvhen CHRIST sayde to His Mother Beholde thy Sonne and to him Beholde thy Mother Howe much more shall mee rejoyce when CHRIST bringing our soules into GOD'S Chamber of Praesence shall say to GOD Ecce Filii Tui Beholde thy Children and to vs Ecce Pater vester Beholde your Father The third or last sort of vnion which the Godlie haue with Christ to wit the vnion of influence or reall operation and in speciall that vnion whereby the Godlie are vnited with Christ as members of his mysticall bodie and branches ingrafted in him not onlie continueth or endureth vnto death but in death and by vertue thereof the spirituall lyfe which is communicated vnto the Godlie in their regeneration and the vitall operations of the same are so effectuallie and reallie preserved that the Godlie may be sayd not onlie to liue when they die but also to come by death to a greater perfection of their lyfe For the Spirit of God in the holie Scripture telleth vs that the supernaturall lyfe which wee haue by grace is an everlasting lyfe as lykewyse that it is but imperfect here and shall be perfected hereafter For here we walke by fayth and not by sight and now that is in this present lyfe we see through a glasse darklie but then that is in the lyfe to come we shall see God face to face And therefore holie Augustine sayeth verie well that our lyfe which now is nothing but hope shall hereafter be aeternitie and that the lyfe of this mortall lyfe is the hope of an immortall lyfe Yee haue heard now that the vnion which the godly haue with Christ is not abolished nor yet diminished but rather augmented and perfected by death Whereby ye may learne first how firme and stable that vnion is which wee haue with Christ seeing as I haue shown you death it selfe is not able to dissolue it Happie are these then who count all thinges but dung that they may gaine Christ and that they may be found in him c. For with MARIE they haue chosen that good part which shall not be taken
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
and my selfe both with the debating and discussing of these quaestions which are too curiouslie agitated and too boldlie determined by manie Divines anent it I shall onlie show you what is and hath bene holden as certaine and vndoubtedlie true by the greatest part of Christians and what is called in quaestion by judicious and orthodoxe Divines concerning the estate of the Godlie after this lyfe First then it is certaine that these who die in the Lord shal in the day of resurrection and judgement attaine to perfect and consummate happinesse of soule and bodie for in that day the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue the crowne of righteousnesse vnto all these who loue his appearing Secondlie the greatest part of Christians haue ever believed that the blessednesse which we shall then attaine vnto consisteth in the vision and fruition of the glorious essence of GOD which the Schoole-men call visionem DEI per essentiam This is evidentlie revealed vnto vs in diverse places of Scripture For our Saviour promiseth this as a reward to the pure in heart that they shall see God And Paul telleth vs that this vision of God shall be a cleare immediate and intuitiue sight of his essence For he sayeth that we who now see God through a glasse darklie shall then see him face to face And Sainct Iohn lykewyse sayeth that when he shall appeare we shall see him as he is This also hath bene constantlie believed by the Fathers of the Ancient Church for none of them ever denyed this except some fewe Greeke Fathers following Chrysostome who in diverse places of his workes affirmeth that God his infinite essence can not be seene by anie created or finite vnderstanding Thirdlie as for the estate of the souls of men during that tyme which interveaneth betwixt death and judgement although some haue most fondlie and absurdlie believed that the soule perisheth with the bodie and that both soule and bodie shall be raised vp together at the day of judgement others no lesse foolishlie haue imagined that the soule after it is separated from the bodie hath no operation nor knowledge of its owne estate but lyeth as it were in a dead sleepâ— vntill the day of judgement for the which cause they are called Psychopannychitae neverthelesse the Spirit of God in the holie Scripture telleth vs that these who kill the bodie can not kill the soule and consequentlie that the soule liveth when the bodie is killed that in the heavenlie Hierusalem there are not onlie Angels but also the spirits of just men made perfect that the Godlie when they are dissolved are with Christ and in Paradyse Lykewyse that they are not there sleeping but haue vse of their vnderstaÌ„ding we may clearlie see by the parable of Dives Lazarus by the Storie of Christs transfiguration in the which we reade that Moses and Eliah talked with Christ and by that which we reade concerning the soules of Martyres crying vnder the Altar for acceleration of the punishment of their persecutions Herefore the Fathers constantlie taught that the souls of men when they are separated from their bodies doe remember of the things which they did vpon earth and that those of them who are glorified in Heaven are sure of their owne happinesse and sollicite or carefull for the weale of the Church militant and in particular are myndfull of their parentes children brethren and other friends whom they haue left behind them on earth longing to see them in that place of glorie where they themselues are Yea even these of the Fathers who believed that the departed souls of godlie men are not fully glorified as yet and that they shal not attaine to the perfection of that happinesse whereof they are capable before the day of Iudgement thought not that they are sleeping and senselesse during the tyme of their separation from their bodies but on the contrarie thought that they are in Abrahams bosome in a state of refreshment and joye Fourthlie although some few of the Ancients taught that the souls of the Saincts departed are not as yet rewarded but keeped in one place and in one estate and condition with the wicked not being as yet so much as assured of that glorie which shall be revealed in them yet the common opinion of the Church of God in all ages hath bene that they are in an happie and blessed estate and with vnspeakable joye doe exspect the accomplishment of their happinesse yea manie of them affirme that they are with Christ that they reygne with him and that they in some sort see Gods face This is also clearly revealed in Scripture for Paul wisheth to be dissolved and to be with Christ and telleth vs that when wee are absent from the bodie we are present with the Lord. Christ also sayde to the poenitent Thiefe To day shalt thou bee with mee in Paradyse and here a voyce from Heaven proclaymeth the happinesse of the dead who die in the LORD This trueth so manifâ—stlie revealed in the Scripture although as I haue sayde it hath bene constantlie professed in the Church yet it hath bene vitiated or corrupted by the admixtion of two erroneous doctrines For first although none before holie Augustine did talke of such a Purgatorie-fyre as our Adversaries doe mayntayne yet some Fathers who lived in the third and fourth age of the Church to wit Origen Lactantius Hilarie Ambrose Ruffinus and Ierome believed that there shall be a generall Purgatione of all souls by fyre at the day of Iudgement and that none shall bee free of it except Christ who is the Righteousnesse of GOD no not the blessed and glorious Virgine Marie This opinion is not nowe mantayned by anie at least it doeth not trouble the peace of the Church and therefore I will not meddle with it Secondlie since the 400 yeare of our Lord about which tyme Augustine flowrished some Fathers haue mentioned expressed in their workes a sort of purgation by fyre verie farre different from the former For they thought that all the Elect doe not vndergoe this Purgation by fyre but onlie they who die in some kynde of guiltinesse and that these begin to be purged immediatelie after their departure Saynct Augustine spake doubtfullie of this sort of Purgation Gregorie the Great did holde it as a thing certayne but hee knew no matter or cause of this Purgation except the guiltinesse of these smaller sinnes which are called veniall for hee dreamed not of that imperfect remission of mortall sinnes committed after Baptisme which Papists doe now holde as a mayne ground of their doctrine concerning Purgatorie But I haue alreadie confuted this fond conceat and haue showne that poenitentiall remission of sinnes committed after Baptisme is no lesse perfect and absolute than baptismal remission It is true indeed these who after Baptisme or after their first justification doe fall backe into grievous sinnes haue
in him Think not that I speak hyperbolicallie for I dare affirme that there was as great a varietie of God's graces in him as in anie Laicke or Clergie-man of this Kingdome These who knewe him well doe acknowledge this and these who doe not acknowledge it never knew him I will not enumer all his vertues and laudable carriages but omitting that which I might speake of his admirable wisdome his singular learning his most quick apprehension and conceaving of whatsoever purposes his solide or stayed judgement his mellifluous eloquence his wonderfull activitie his generous and noble or rather heroicke disposition so that I may justly say of him as Nazianzē said of Athanasius hee did imitate the nature both of the Adamant in respect no vnjust opposition howe violent soever could breake him and of the Magnes or load-stone because of the attractiue vertue of his pithie and convincing speaches as also of his gracious prudent and amiable carriage whereby hee was able to draw even the most refractarie spirits to the aequitie or trueth which hee did mayntayne omitting I say all these thinges I will onelie touch one thing which is chiefelie to bee looked vnto in one of that place to wit that he was an accomplished Prelate a most worthie Governour of the Church Gregorie Nazianzen excellentlie declareth how hard a thing it is to bee a Ruler in God's House and that in three respectes First because a Bishop must bee a man of singular holinesse and he must not thinke it anough not to bee evill but hee must excell in vertue For as it is the fault of a private man not to bee good so it is the fault of a Prelate not to excell others in goodnesse Secondlie hee must preach powerfullie and prudentlie dividing the word aright which as this Father there sayeth is not a thing incident to a small or base spirit For it requireth a mynde endewed with varietie of graces applyable to everie sort of Auditors Thirdlie hee must be a wyse and actiue Governour and this sayeth hee is the Arte of Artes and the Science of Sciences to governe men and direct them in matters of Salvation which hee declareth by comparing Pastors to Physicians and prosecuteth that comparison at great length These three properties or qualities doe make vp an accomplished Prelate and I thinke ye who heare mee will confesse with mee that hee had them all in a great measure and in such perfection that verie few in this Kingdome did aequall him in anie one of them For first his singular pietie kythed in this that although he was an Honourable Baron and of great respect in this Countrey yet hee was so taken yea so ravished even in the dayes of his youth with the loue of GOD'S Word and the care which hee had of saving soules and of the propagation of the Gospel that renouncing all other delightes and exercyses vnto which men of his qualitie doe whollie giue themselues hee desired one thing of the Lord and still did seeke after it to wit that hee might dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of his lyfe and that not onlie to beholde the beautie of the LORD but also to make others beholde it and to make their hearts enamoured therewith Secondlie as pietie shyned in his lyfe lyke lightning so it thundered in his Sermons Nazianzen sayde this of Saynct Basil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sermo tuus tonitru vitaque fulgur erat And it may justlie bee applyed to him For howe learned how pertinent how plausible and how powerfull a Preacher hee was I appeale to all your memories who oft tymes heard him with delight and admiration to your singular comfort and benefit Thirdlie as for his prudencie and fidelitie in governing this Dioces our famous Universitie wherof hee was Chancellour they can not be expressed or declared vnto you but by a particular induction or enumeration of his laudable actes which truelie I dare not vndertake because neyther doe I knowe them all and although I knew them I can not speake of them as their singularitie and excellencie doeth requyre For this cause then as Timantes the Painter to expresse the greatnesse of a Cyclop-Giant in a little table paynted the Satyres beside him measuring his thumbe with a wand so to expresse in some sort the greatnesse of his worth which hee kythed in the administration of that weyghtie Charge wherevnto he was called I shall onlie measure his thumbe and point at one effect of his wyse and happie Governement to wit the establishing of a setled Ministerie in these partes or which is all one of a setled course whereby the Gospell may be propagated in this countrey vnto subsequent ages by able and well qualified men Two thinges were requisite for this to wit convenient mayntaynance of Pastors and increase of knowledge in the studie of Divinitie Mayntaynance lest good and able men should want good Places or Benefices and increase of knowledge lest good Places should want able and good men to occupie and fill them The first of these two hee did effectuate by attending the Platt most diligentlie where hee had a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For hee fought there with the wilde beasts of the field and with the boars of the forrest who had wasted the Lord his Vine-yarde Hee fought I saye partlie by his owne personall diligence and paynes whyle hee was able to travell and partlie after hee had contracted sicknesse hee fought by his letters authoritie and moyen which were ever much regarded by the best of this Kingdome The second hee did effectuate by three meanes especiallie First by establishing a Profession of Divinitie which was a matter of great charges both to his Presbyters and also to himselfe Secondlie by procuring a foundation of a good number of Bursses for sustentation of Studentes in Divinitie and thirdlie by appoynting most exact and strict tryalls of exspectantes before their admission to the Ministeriall charge In these and manie mo things which hee did for establishing a setled Ministerie here and for the propagation of the Gospell vnto future ages the scope or ende at which hee aymed was that at which PAUL aymed before him to wit that hee might finish his course with joye and that in the houre of death hee might finde in his owne soule the answere of a good conscience towardes GOD. Truelie hee fayled not of his intention For to omit manie particulars which I might relate concerning the happinesse and tranquillitie of his death this one thing I will saye that I never sawe anie meete approaching death with such vndaunted cowrage such Christian confidence and such assurance of GOD his favour as hee expressed in his carriage whyle hee walked in the valley of the shadowe of death Manie speake stoutlie of death and agaynst the feare of it before it come but as SENECA wittilie sayth they forget these stout speaches when death draweth nigh
That noble and valorous Earle ROBERT DEVEREUX Earle of ESSEX who suffred in the yeare 1601 for his rebellion and died verie Christianlie as Historicians report being desired by the Pastors who were present at his execution to laye aside all feare of death ingenuouslie confessed that although hee had beene in manie extreame daungers and consequentlie had looked death oft tymes in the face yet hee had never looked vpon it without much horrour and feare But our worthie Prelate was so wonderfullie assisted and strengthened by the Spirit of GOD agaynst the terrours of death that in all these conflictes and wrastlinges which in his bodie hee had with death hee seemed rather to bee a spectator than an actor And this his more than ordinarie carriage continued still with him vntill hee breathed out his Soule into the Bosome of his Master To conclude then I haue spoken somewhat of this most Reverende Praelate but much short of his worth graces If any of you think that I haue said too much of his vertues truelie I will professe to you that I thinke farre more of them nor I haue sayde neyther dare I speake all that I thinke lest my speaches seeme to these who know him not or loue him not to proceede from a flattering humour I will not say of him as VELLEIUS PATERCULUS sayde of SCIPIO AEMILIANUS that in all his lyfe hee neyther did nor spake nor thought anie thing but that which was prayse worthie a speach not hyperbolicke onlie but impious but as Metellus Macedonicus sayde of the same man to his sonnes when they were going to his Buriall Goe my sonnes and celebrate his Exequies you shall never see the Funeralls of a greater Citizen so I will saye nowe to you Goe celebrate the Funeralls of our Venerable and moste worthie Bishop you shall never see the Funeralls of a worthier Praelate whyle you liue And so I ende beseeching God to giue to vs all as hee gaue to him grace to liue in the LORD to the effect that we also may die in the LORD AMEN A FVNERALL SPEACH In commemoration of the right Reverend Father in GOD PATRICKE FORBES of CORSE late Bishop of ABERDENE Chancellour and Restorer of the Universitie thereof one of his Majesties most honorable Privy Counsel a jewell both of Church and State Baron of ONEIL c. Delivered Apr. 12. 1635. by ALEXANDER SCROGIE Doctor in Divinitie and ordinarie Minister of Gods word in the Cathedrall Church of ABERDENE THE beholding of this place over-shadowed with a darke and dolefull countenance vpon this vnacceptable occasion GOD so ordering and disposing the wayes of men by his providence giveth vs just cause of heavines for the losse of that Graue and Reverend Praelate and ever worthie Diocesane a Man of eminent and best place amongst vs whom albeit wee had cum necessitate amittendi and haue lost him cum spe recipiendi and so are comforted with the will of the LORD that must be done yet not to haue feeling of that which so nearlie concerneth vs were not patience but blockish stupiditie contrarie the example of Heathen and Sayncts and the Lord IESUS mourning for Lazarus the destruction of Hierusalem and hard heart of the Iewes This is a praecursorie judgement and punishment So God maketh a way for his judgementes to come vpon a Church or kingdome when insensiblie and graduallie hee eateth out the heart and strength of a State and so by degrees weakeneth and praepareth it for a fatall blow that so without resistance hee may ruine it as pyking out and taking away nowe a prudent and experienced Counsellour and then another out of the way and those that pray for the welfare of the Nation and wrastle mightilie with God for the peace of it the Charets and Horse-men of the land the staffe and the stay and pillars of the house and so by degrees departing himselfe a new judgement in his anger entereth in rowme thereof Then Trueth and Holinesse commonlie depart and Ministers begin to bee corrupt the Prophet is a foole and the spirituall man is mad the power and puritie of the trueth and the good and olde way departeth and so idolatrie groweth and Sects encrease and a perilous desolation and change of all things enseweth What mischiefe followed the death of Samuel David Salomon and Iosias The Gothes after the death of Ambrose made in that same place irruption and setled the seat of their kingdome When Augustine ended his dayes in defence of the grace of GOD the Vandales crueltie and errours succeeded And after the death of blessed Martin Luther the bloodie Spaniards invaded Germanie and tooke Wittenberg And shall wee not wit when GOD departeth but bee as Sampson GOD by death hath taken away within this short space a great number of rare and worthie men both for wisdome and learning which were Ornamentes and Lightes in this Diocie and wee see no great evidenes howe to fill vp this gap It is an ancient proverbe Vivorum oportet meminisse and why then should there not bee made an honourable mention of them who haue died in the Lord because they liue to God Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Sayncts and shall it seeme vnto vs superfluous at such tymes as these are to heare in what manner they ended their lyues he hath so exactly recorded in Scripture in what sort they haue closed their dayes on earth that hee descendeth even to their meanest actions as what meat they longed for in their sicknesse what they spake to their Children or Friendes howe they framed their Testamentes where they haue willed to bee buried yea the verie turning of their faces to this or that side the setting of their eyes the degrees whereby their naturall heate departed from them their cryes groanes breathinges panting and last gasping hee hath solemnlie commended to all generations And GOD by the Prophet hath for ever commended to the Church David his Epitaph and Funerall Song of wicked Saull and Ionathan his sonne He decoreth them as if God from Heaven had said that the Captaynes of the Armies of Israell should not bee convoyed to the graue without honour and teares And no lesse they who haue deserved well of the Church and Common-wealth who haue put to flight the enemies with the sword of their mouth and of the Spirit than they which haue slayne them with the mouth and edge of the Sword and by Armies God maketh an honourable commemoration of them that did assist his service and cause and giveth them their glorie that doe any thing for him Which Christ applyeth to the woman that anoynted him So that it is not onlie lawful but also profitable that the godlie lyfe manners and vertue manner and forme of the death of the faythfull servands of God worthie of aeternall prayse bee recommended to future ages that they may bee acquaynted therewith So the care of the
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
him converted There Andrew shall present before the Iudge Achaia Iohn Asia Thomas India converted as Gregorie speaketh O that yee may bee with him in lyke manner with joye at the right Hand of the Iudge in that Day The LORD grant it for CHRIST'S sake To whome with the FATHER and Blessed SPIRIT bee all Prayse and Glorie for ever and ever AMEN A CONSOLATORIE SERMON Preached vpon the death of the R. R. Father in GOD PATRICKE FORBES Late BISHOP of ABERDENE By ALEXANDER ROSSE Doctor of DIVINITIE and MINISTER of the EVANGELL in ABERDENE in Saynct NICOLAS Church there Anno 1635. the xv of Aprill DAN xij 2 And manie of them that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to ever-lasting lyfe and some to shame and ever-lasting contempt IT may perhaps seeme strange that the noyse of my mourning for the death of our late Worthie Prelate was not these dayes by-past with the rest of my Reverend Colleagues heard in publicke This duetie had beene performed ere nowe were not Death fearing that my vnappeased griefe through sense of my great losse should haue made mee to burst out into bitter and Tâ—agicke Invectiues agaynst her and so haue brought you all in hatred with her as with that vvhich the Philosopher saieth is omnium terribilium terribilissimum Of all thinges that are terrible the most terrible did arrest mee by her mightie Herauld Sicknesse to the end that by neare communing with her I might knowe and impart the same vnto you also that shee is not so indeede as her grieslie lookes doe praetende not an enemie to the Godlie as nowe in our mourning shee is holden to be but a friende and herefore in your mourning you should bee comforted For by the death of CHRIST her nature is changed Through death Hee hath destroyed him that had the power of death that is the Devill and delivered them who through the feare of death were all their lyfe tyme subject vnto bondage Hebr. ij 14.15 Death is no more death I am sayeth our Saviour the Resurrection and the Lyfe hee that believeth in Me though hee were dead yee shall hee liue And whosoever liveth and believeth in Mee shall never die IOHN xj 25.26 By her the Godlie are bound in the bundle of Lyfe Shee is but the way that all flesh doeth goe to put an ende to their miseries Shee looseth them out of Prison gathereth them to their Fathers maketh them lay downe their tabernacle and putteth them into a sound sleepe from whence they shall bee awakened to ever-lasting Lyfe But because it were endlesse to showe you all the good we nowe obtayn by Death I haue bounded my selfe within the limites of this Text wherin we haue a sweete Cordiall for the reliefe of the heart of Man from two great evils to wit The ignorance of the nature of Death it selfe and the ectate of men after death Feare not to taste therof for it is praescrybed by the Greatest DOCTOR in Heaven or in earth GOD Himselfe the Soveraygne and onlie Physician both of Soule and bodie The Apothecarie by whose hand it was delivered was an Angell who gaue it for a strong Consolation vnto Daniel and hee who hath left it vnto vs for that same vse was this same Daniel Vir desideriorum A man greatlie beloved of GOD A Pen-man of holie Scripture who spake and writ as hee was inspired by the holie Ghost And it is of an immortall and never-fading Vertue flowing from the immortall and all-sufficient Worth and Merit of the death and Resurrection of IESVS CHRIST That Death by the ignorance of the true nature thereof doe not dismay you learne to knowe That it is but a sleepe That the estate after death doe not dishearten you learne that it is but a wakening and such a one as is to Lyfe and such a lyfe as shall haue no death an ever-lasting Lyfe a sweete Cordiall indeede but the comfort contayned in it doeth not indifferentlie concerne all All indeede shall sleepe all shall awake but not all to ever-lasting Lyfe The awakening of some shall bee to shame and contempt for Qualis vita finis ita Lyke lyfe lyke ende lyke awakening Who liveth in the LORD shall die in the LORD rest from their laboures and awake to ever-lasting Lyfe And who liveth in sinne their ende is destruction and their awakening is to shame For this Text hath its own both Extent Restraynt Extent all indeede shall sleepe all shall awake Restraynt Some to ever-lasting Lyfe some to shame and contempt There bee some I knowe doe not allow to it this just Extent in regard it is sayde onlie manie that sleepe in the dust For they thinke that all men shall not suffer death which by sleepe is meant heere Grounding themselues vpon the wordes of the Apostle 1. COR. xv 51 Beholde I showe you a mysterie Wee shall not all sleepe but wee shall all bee changed Hee distinguisheth all men vnto those who shall bee alyue and remayne vnto the comming of the LORD and those that shal be asleepe Which distinction importeth That those who then shall bee alyue shall not die but shall immediatelie or without anie death intenveaning bee caught vp with the rest of the Elect to meete the LORD in the ayre Tyme will not serue mee to speake of this mysterie as Paull calleth it at such length as I would onlie yee shall know that the ancient Fathers of the Church haue bene much divided in their judgemeÌ„ts concerning those whom the LORD at His comming to Iudgement shall finde alyue Chrysostome wryting vpon that place and diverse Greek Fathers following him haue thought that they shall not die but that they shall bee changed from the estate of Mortalitie vnto the estate of Aeternitie Of this opinion also were some of the Latine Fathers in speciall Tertullian and Ierome and diverse moderne Wryters both Papistes as Cajetane and some others led by his authoritie as also Protestantes as Calvine and some others following him But manie haue beene and are yet of another opinion that is they haue believed or at least thought it more probable That even those who shall bee alyue at the LORD His second comming shall truelie and reallie die that they may vndergoe the common punishment of Man-kynde and shall immediatelie thereafter bee raysed vp or quickened that they may compeare with the rest vnto Iudgement Of this opinion were diverse both of the Greeke Fathers as Dydimus one of the Doctors of Alexandria and Acacius Bishop of Caesarea as we may perceaue by Ierome his Epistle to Minerius and Alexander EPIST. 152. vvhere the judgement of them both in this particular is related and Oecumenius in his Commentaries expounding this place and also of the Latine Fathers as the Author of the Commentaries vpon Paul's Epistles attributed to Ambrose in Thes. Cap. 4. Augustine in some places of his workes as Lib. 20. De Civitate DEI Cap. 20. although in other places hee seeme to encline to
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
Charge as you haue heard hee worthilie did discharge himselfe provyding for Seminaries of Learning and nowrishment for seede to growe therein In these Seminaries the Youth as pleasant Plantes did aboundantlie spring vp in his tyme and he after due tryall of their worth planted them in the LORD'S Vineyarde yea after hee had planted them hee transplanted some of them from one part of it to another For as a wyse master Gardner sometymes hee plucked fullie vp vnprofitable trees out of their places that they should not trouble the ground anie more sometymes according to the nature of the soyle and the worth of the Plantes hee did transplant them that profitable trees might haue profitable rowmes And aboue all hee had a care that the pestilent weedes of Haeresie and Schisme should neyther abyde nor enter therein that almost heere by his meanes hee hath plucked vp Popish Superstition by the rootes And in the actes of Policie as a States-man hee did evidentlie declare that our mightie Prince did choose him out according to the wyse counsell of Iethro to Moses for an able man one that feared GOD loved the Trueth and hated covetousnesse Exod. xviij 21 And so hee discharged himselfe in all Employmentes of that kynde that with IOB hee might haue sayde of himselfe that hee was in such admiration amongst the Princes and Nobles that when hee spake they refrayned talking and layd their hand on their mouth they held their peace and their tongue cleaved to the roofe of their mouth Iob xxix 9.10 That such a man is taken away it can not bee denyed but that it praesageth some heavie judgement vpon this Land and that the rather as Esay in the lyke case complayneth because the righteous perish and no man layeth it to heart and merciful men are taken away none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evill to come Esay lvij 1 Oh if men would consider howe that such men are both Lightes and Pillars where they liue and what respect the LORD hath vnto them and howe from tyme to tyme Hee hath wonderfullie spared others for their sakes how all Israll was spared for one Moses and howe hee would haue spared Sodom and Gomorrah if there had beene ten righteous men therein Gen. xviij and how that the Angell could not doe anie thing agaynst them vntill LOT did escape to the mountaynes The consideration of this would make them to take to heart the death of the Righteous and in tyme by repentance praevent these judgementes which seeme to ensue This is the speciall vse should bee made of our Prelates death and not as we are all doing mourne or weepe for him For knowing the happie estate wherein hee is wee haue matter to rejoyce and bee glad His soule is convoyed to the bosome of Abraham wherein the glorious companie of Angels and blessed Sayncts hee is praysing the LORD His bodie nowe resting from manie toylesome travelles is layde in a sound sleepe out of which one day by the sweete voyce of his Saviour CHRIST IESUS it shall bee awakened and when Hee shall come in Glorie Hee will then bring him both in soule and bodie to Glorie with Him and then with other wysemen hee shall shyne as the brightnesse in the firmament and because he hath turned manie vnto righteousnesse as a farre for ever and ever DAN 12. Wherefore should wee then mourne for him For as Bernard sayeth Pro defunctis fidelibus non de bemus plorare sed DEO gratias agere quia eos de miseria hujus seculi dignatus est liberare eos ad loca refrigerii lucis pacis sicut credimus fecit transire that is wee ought not to mourne for the faithfull that are dead but giue thankes to GOD for them who hath vouchsafed to delyver them out of the miseries of this lyfe and as wee are perswaded hath made them to flit vnto the places of refreshment light and peace And I am assured if hee were now speaking to you hee would tell you of his Happinesse that hee resteth now from his laboures and that his workes haue followed him So that if wee mourne nowe wee may hurt our selues but not profite him Let those onlie carnallie mourne for their friends that are ignorant of the nature of Death and denye the Resurrection But let vs rejoyce who knowe they are asleepe and shall bee awakened to everlasting Lyfe First then you worthie Citizens cease now and leaue off your mourning for your Reverende Prelate bee no more lyke Rachel who wept for her children and would noo bee comforted nor with Ioash weeping over the face of Elisha and crying O my father my father the chariot of Israell and the horse-men thereof Albeit I must yeelde this much to your griefe that being depryved of him you haue these concurring judgementes There is taken from you the Iudge and the Prophet the prudent and the ancient the honourable man the counseller the eloquent orator ESAI 3.2.3 Therefore I cannot better speake vnto you than in the wordes of our Saviour to the women who followed him to the place of his sufferinges Weepe not for mee but weepe for your selues O yee daughters of Ierusalem So you haue no matter to weepe for him but onlie for your selues Weepe that when you had him you made not a good vse of him that you did not obey his doctrine follow his counsels and yet in this hee hath not left you comfortlesse for more carefullie he hath provyded Pastores for your instruction nor ever anie that went before him whose doctrine if you hearken vnto and obey when Death which may bee shortlie shall sease vpon you and yee shall bee gathered vnto him with comfort you shall see him and say Heere is hee that turned vs vnto righteousnesse and at the sight of you joyfullie shall hee say LORD loe heere am I and the children which thou hast given mee HEB. 2.13 Next you my Reverend Colleagues his much respected Presbyters why continue you your mourning lyke Orphanes destitute of a father you are not ignorant as these who haue not hope Remember you not how carefull hee was not to leaue you comfortlesse what testimonies at his death had we of his loue did hee not shortlie before his death communicate with vs alone in the holie Sacrament of the blessed bodie and blood of CHRIST IESUS which was the last testimonie of CHRIST his owne loue to his Disciples when Elijah was to bee rapt vp into the Heavens being desyred of Elisha saying I pray the let a double portion of thy spirit bee vpon mee It seemed hard this petition to Elijah yet how gladlie did our ELIjAH when wee Elisha-lyke on bowed knees did begge His blessing answere vs with his hand on everie one of our heades saying The LORD blesse you and double his grace and loue to you that ever hee granted vnto mee What can wee but hope for Vertue from that hand as Elisha receaved Vertue from the Cloake of
the Altar fall And doe divinelie worship as the Word Clearlie commands the Ever-living LORD His Sentences so sage so sweet and calme Flow'd from him flowantlie lyke Floods of Balme His Proaves and his Pedegree I passe That honourable and ev'r worthie was Yet vnto them and vnto all this Land His Lyfe lent Light and as a Starre did stand Praeshyning still and with so solemne Show That all the World his Christian carriage know Vnto the poynct and period wherein His Soule ascended from this Sinke of Sinne While softlie breathing from his Breast his Breath Hee sleeped sweetlie as disdayning Death And with vs left an Ever-living Fame A notable Renowme and Noble Name III. PASCH-DAY the Sonne of Righteousnesse arose And Hee the day before his course did close T' attend the triumph of that Glorious Day That all the Righteous should remember aye His Soule ascending boue the chrystall Coome While that its Reliques in this terren Tombe Heere lyes it there aye Haheluiah singes To magnifie the Mightie KING of Kinges And prostrate lowe before the Mercies Throne Duelie adores the TRINITIE-TRINE-ONE Enjoying justified the rich Reward To all the Pious promisd and prepar'd A Guerdon Great past Compasse and Compare For their blest Workes that follow them vp there Where Peace and Pleasure haue no period But endlesse are as th'Ever-living GOD And where with Heavēly Hoasts of holy Saincts Hee ev'r and ev'r there Haleluja chants Mr AL. GARDEN ADVOCATE Vpon the much-lamented death of the most Reverend Father in CHRIST BISHOP PATRICKE Late Lord Bishop of ABERDENE c. EPITAPH WIthin this Casket is inshrynd Who now triumphs ov'r Death's Assyze In whom with Skill Grace was combynde To make a Praelate of rich pryze A faythfull Steward hee was still Who sterved none through want of Food Dispensing all his Masters will Rejoycing in the peoples good In Church or Civill-Policie Few could to him bee parallell Day-starre hee was of the Clergie Nay Pillar of the Common-weall VVealth was not his Petition VVith gift of Heritage content Honour without Ambition His worth procur'd and good Descent And to bee short hee nothing wanted To make him Mirrour of this Age This trueth by all men must bee granted Few so victorious left the Stage VVhich makes vs act in mourning Verse Sad Interludes now ov'r his Hearse ANOTHER SOme holde it rare to finde voyde of deceat A wittie States-man or without oppression One bearing rule nay carelesse in conceat Of Coyne to see a Church-man by Profession Loe here intomb'd then doeth a Phoenix lye VVho liv'd all three and did vnspotted dye Mr IAMES GORDON Then Student New Minister of GOD'S Word at Kearne EPITAPH Vpon the death of PATRICK FORBES Late Bishop of Aberdene OF all this All the Universall frame The Beautie BRITANE is and ABERDENE Gives both a Grace and Grandour to the same For all is singular that there is seene But eminent aboue these all is One The chiefe and highest honour of that Towne Late Praelate PATRICK glorie of the Gowne BRITANE this All He grac'd ABERDONE And was an Ornament to all alone MISAKMOS Mr IAMES KEYTH A THRENODIE Vpon the Lamentable and ever to bee deplored death of the most Reverend Father in CHRIST PATRICKE Late Bishop of Aberdene One of the Lordes of Privie Counsell and Right Honourable Laird of Corse and Baron of Oneill HIs Birth sad Muse his lyfe his death passe by And all that follow'd these and doe not pry In these transplendent rayes of Vertues light Which looking to may thee bereaue of sight But in thy passing by take once a glance And make that glance his prayses to advance First in his birth which is but least of all But great indeede but here to mynde I call His vert'ous lyfe by all so still renown'd That with it as a Garland Birth was crown'd His godlie lyfe with glistring Winges of Fame Doeth to all ages eternize his Name As in his mortall lyfe to CHRIST hee liv'd So now with CHRIST vnto CHRIST he dy'd Wee doe our Neighbour misse but his hath found CORNELIUS wee cause for to resound The hills and dales with sorrow hee with joy Wee for our Sheepherds losse not hee for why His Sheepherd hee hath found hee now is crown'd VVhich fills his heart with joy makes ours to sound VVith griefe away from vs to PAUL hath gone Our TIMOTHIE his precepts everie one How hee hath kept to show which makes our heart VVith joy with griefe for him to burst to smart For vs. Ah ABERDENE Ah ABERDONE Thy Light 's eclyps'd from thee thy joy is gone My Muse wold speak but it doth blush for shame Not being worthie to sound out His Fame Mr ALEXANDER WHYT Student in Divinitie ON THE DEATH OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE AND REVEREND FATHER IN GOD PATRICK FORBES BISHOP OF ABERDENE WEE neede not bee lugubrious For this sweete holie One Who now from vs away is reft Vnto that heavenlie Throne For now hee weares the Diademe Of Glorie Immortall For his good workes in Heaven shyne Lyke Starres coelestiall But to the LORD Omnipotent Who him hath princelie crownd Let vs giue thankes and eke His prayse With heart and voyce resound A rarer Man could not bee found As this on earth to dwell For hee in Vertues all but most In WISEDOME did excell His vertuousnesse for to expresse It is but all in vayne Because to all are manifest His Vertues without stayne A Godlier could not bee found All mortall men among Who for his good and godlie lyfe Vnto the Heavens is gone IOHN IOHNSTON Student in Philosophie In the King's Colledge of Aberdene Raban's Regrate For the present losse of his very good Lord Patron and Master PATRICK FORBES Bishop of Aberdene Baron of Corse and Oneill Who most Peaceablie and Godlie departed hence to a Better lyfe vpon Easter-Even about 3 aclocke in the morning at his Pallace in Olde Aberdene adjacent to the Cathedrall Church in the 71 yeare of his Honourable Age and the 17 yeare of his Godlie Governament March 28. Anno 1635. BEholde Alace Here lyeth ONE VVho on this Earth Compare had none A Learned Patron Wyse and Graue A Consull good What would you haue Chiefe Orator of Scotlands North. The World can not afford his VVorth A Prelate and a Pastor good VVho in due tyme gaue Heavenlie Food At Morne at Noone and Evening tyde Vnto His Flocke sweet IESUS Bryde The Poore with Meat Hee fed also None hungrie from His House did goe A CROSSE into His Badge Hee bore And follow'd CHRIST who went before But halfe a day for to prepare For CORSE with HIM an Heavenlie Share Then Death Where is thy Sting Let see And graue Where is thy Victorie Your Honour in the Dust is spred PATRICRE now reygnes with CHRIST His Head Death 's but a Passage to convoy Such Sayncts into their Master's Ioy. The LORD prepare vs lesse and more To follow Him Hee 's gone before Good Sirs I am bihind the rest I
those who haue not learned it herefra as it was to the Athenians Mockerie Act. 17.32 And yet it is the onlie ground of our comfort For if in this lyfe onlie wee had hope in CHRIST wee were of all men most miserable 1. COR. 15.19 It is that which giveth vs confidence and hope For Resurrectio mortuorum est fiducia christianorum sayeth carnis· It is an speciall article of our Fayth which wee must holde vndenyable against all such wicked Hereticks who would denye the same wickedlie thinking that the bodies being resolved into their first principles shall lye without hope of restoreing to lyfe Or if there bee any bodies at all glorified they shal not be the same which were layde in the graue but some other made of the ayre or such lyke thing An impious Heresie most manifestlie against infinite testimonies of Scripture whereof this is one most evident Wherefore Augustine Lib. 20. de Civit. Dei cap. 23. showeth it to bee the same with that of our Saviour Iohn 5.28.29 For those whom the Angell sayeth that they sleepe in the dust are sayd by our Saviour to bee in the graues And what is to the Angell They shal awake It is to Christ They shal heare the voyce of the Sonne of man and come foorth The Angel sayeth Some to everlasting lyfe some to shame and eontempt Our Saviour sayeth Who haue done good vnto the resurrection of lyfe and who haue done evill vnto the resurrection of damnation So clearlie consonant that our Saviours wordes are a plaine exposition of the Angels Tertullian most learnedlie in his booke De resurrectione carnis refuteth this Heresie and the learned after him haue done it most fullie As for that they object That the bodie being a base vyle contemptible and corrupted thing how can it bee awakened to glorie they should haue considered That albeit in matter it be base yet it is made wonderfullie honourable By GOD Himselfe was man created to bee immortall and Hee made him an Image of His owne aeternitie And CHRIST IESUS now incarnate hath honored vs with this That wee are members of His bodie of His flesh and of His bones Ephes. 5.30 And by the glorification of His bodie our bodies His members are alreadie begun to be glorified And that Hee might present vs vnto Himselfe glorious hath cleansed our bodies by the washing of regeneration and made them temples of the holie Ghost and wee are fed by the bodie and blood of IESUS CHRIST to the certayne hope of this Resurrection according as our Saviour sayeth Iohn 6.54 Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall lyfe and I will rayse him vp at the last day And as that father well marketh Non possunt separari in mercede quos opera conjungit For who worketh together in justice should bee rewarded together In this poynt I marvell much how they dare derogate from the power of GOD for Hee who made man first of nothing what can hinder Him againe now to make him vp of some thing For Hee that calleth things which are not as though they were ROM 4.17 how easilie may Hee call backe those thinges that were and quicken the dead For what although the bodies bee burnt in ashes bee devoured of beasts eaten of fowles or fishes For Tertullian answering to this sayeth Habet et carâ— suos sinus interim in aquis in ignibus in alitibê° et bestiis The flesh also hath her own receptacles in the meane tyme in the waters in the fyre in the fowles and beasts Cum in haec dissolvi videtur velut in vasa diffunditur And when in these it is dissolved it is powred in as it were in vessels Si etiam ipsa vasa defecerint cum de illis quoque defluxerit in suam matricem terram quasi per ambages resorbetur vt rursus ex illa repraesentetur And if sayeth hee these vessels fayle and it flowe out thereof by turning againe it is drunken in into the earth and out of it it may bee refounded againe according to that which is wrytten Revel 20.13 And the sea gaue vp the dead which were in it and death and the graue delyvered vp the dead that were in them and they were judged everie man according to his workes Showing whatsoever kynde of death they died they must all aryse and giue presence at judgement Knoweth not the LORD by His infinite wisdome where the smallest part of the dust wherein their bodies are dissolved lyeth and by His infinite power is Hee not able to collect them altogether Shall wee denye Him that skill a master of familie hath in his owne house or a gold-smith in his shop who can readilie bring everie thing out of its owne place and as they ought in a perfect manner put them together This power of GOD is evidentlie witnessed in the Phoenix who albeit burnt in ashes returneth to lyfe in the Flees and Wormes dead in Winter reviving againe in Summer in the day buried in the night the nixt day returning And to affirme that those bodies which shall bee glorified with the soule shall not bee the same bodies which were layde asleepe it is to deny the Resurrection For who can call that a Resurrection that is a raysing vp of that bodie which was fallen a wakening of that which was asleepe It were meerlie ridiculous as the strength of the former argumentes evidentlie evinceth Wherefore we must vndoubtedly holde with Tertullian that Resurget caro quidem omnis quidem ipsa quidem integra In deposito est ubicunque apud DEVM per fidelissimum sequestrem DEI hominum IESVM CHRISTVM qui homini DEVM hominem DEO reddet carni spiritum spiritui carnem that is The flesh shall aryse and all flesh that selfe-same flesh whole and in its integritie For where ever it be it is in sure keeping with GOD through that faythfull Mediator betwixt GOD and Man CHRIST IESVS who will restore GOD to Man and Man to GOD the spirit to the flesh and the flesh to the spirit The same bodies then which were layde asleepe in the graue shall bee awakened and that by the ministerie indeede of the holy Angels who are ministring spirits for the good of the Elect but efficiently it shal bee by the voyce of IESVS CHRIST as Hee testifieth of Himselfe Verilie verilie I say vnto you The houre is comming and now is when the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of GOD and they that heare it shall liue IOHN v. 25 Hee is their Head and therefore will awake His owne members to the participation of His owne Glorie Hee is their King and will therefore call on them to share of the Happinesse of His Kingdome and to giue them a full and finall Evidence That Death is swallowed vp into victorie Hee will declare by His voyce what vertue is in Him to quicken them will possesse them with that which is the ende of
their awakening even everlasting lyfe This is that happie Estate which the Godlie both in their soules and bodies shall enjoy at the last day Happie I say because of Lyfe but more happie because Aeternall The happinesse of this Estate the wit of man can not conceaue no tongue can expresse it for no eye of man hath sene it no eare heard it nor haue entered into the heart of man the thinges which GOD hath prepared for them that loue Him 1. Cor. 2.9 And Gregorie speaking heereof sayeth Cùm homo mortalis de aeterna gloria disserit coecus de luce disputat that is When as a mortall man reasoneth of aeternall Glorie it is as a blinde man discerning coloures Yet because such is the eagernesse of man's desire to knowe somewhat of that Estate and such vnspeakable Contentment it bringeth to the heartes of the Godlie which haue the least glimpse of it therefore the Spirit of GOD in Scripture hath not left vs in this comfortlesse but is content to expresse it in some sort that at least afarre off wee may see that which one day wee shall enjoye Hee telleth vs That that lyfe is a lyfe of all brightnesse joye felicitie and glorie That therein wee shall get a Kingdome an Inheritance vncorruptible vndefyled that fadeth not away 1. Pet. j. 4 A Crowne of Righteousnesse 2. Tim. iv 8 A Crowne of Lyfe a Crowne of Glorie 1. Pet. v. 4 An exceeding aeternall weyght of Glorie 2. Cor. iv 17 That there shall bee Glorie Honour and Peace to everie man that worketh good Rom. 11.10 The bodies shall haue their glorie For wee looke sayeth the Apostle for the LORD IESVS CHRIST who shall change our vyle bodie that it may bee fashioned lyke vnto His glorious bodie according to the working whereby He is able to subdue all thinges to Himselfe Phil. iij. 21 That bodie which was sowen in corruption shall be raysed in incorruption that which is sowen in dishonour shall be raysed in glorie and that which is sowne in weaknesse shall bee raysed in power and what is sowen a naturall bodie shal be raised a spirituall bodie 1. Cor. xv 42.43.44 Wherevpon it is that the Schoole-men gather foure speciall Enduementes wherewith the bodie as with a most gorgeous Robe shall bee glorified It shall be impassible glorious agile and spirituall suffering no corruption shyning in brightnesse as the starres in the firmament with all readinesse and pleasure doing what the soule shall command free from all animall employmentes as eating drinking begetting of children neyther marrying nor giving in marriage but aequall with the Angels of GOD Luke xx 36 The soules agayne shall bee in perfect Happinesse in regarde of their cleare vision of GOD. Heere wee see Him but darklie as it were in a glasse but there wee shall see Him face to face Now we know but in part but there wee shall know even as wee are knowne 1. Cor. xiij 12 And next in regarde of their fruition of GOD For the Lambe which is in the middest of the Throne shall feede them and leade them to the fountaynes of living waters and GOD shall wype away all teares from their eyes Revel vij 17 And thirdlie in regarde of their perfect loue of GOD. Yea in a word man in that estate enjoying GOD shall participate of that same Happinesse wherewith GOD Himselfe is happie For as the Happinesse of GOD consisteth in the Vision or Contemplation of His owne Essence So our Happinesse shal stand in the viewing of the Essence of GOD or which is all one in beholding of the glorious and amiable Countenance of that LORD in whose presence there is fulnesse of joye and at whose right Hand there are pleasures for evermore Wherefore I may saye with BERNARD Et quis non illic habitare vehementer desideret propter pacem propter amoenitatem propter aeternitatem propter DEI visionem that is And who will not earnestlie desire to dwell there for the peace the pleasure the aeternitie and the sight of GOD there Having thus shortlie run through this CONSOLATORIE Text the doctrine whereof as it is at al tymes so nowe moste necessarie when your heartes are fraughted with griefe for the death of our late Venerable Prelate of whome albeit much hath beene worthilie spoken yet it is impossible for vs not beeing of aequall worth with himselfe to speake according to his worth Vt enim de pictore sculptore fictore nisi artifex judicare ita nisi sapiens non potest perspicere sapientem Plin. Sec. Lib. 1. Epist. 10. Onlie a wyse man sayth hee can fullie obserue a wyse man and hee must bee of aequall worth who can remarke in the Worthie what is worthie to bee observed Therefore I resolved to cover his prayses with silence and now onlie comfort you agaynst his death But fearing if too suddenlie I did stop the current of your griefe it should rather over-flow nor cease I can not but giue you this vent and with you acknowledge that great is the losse which both Church and Policie doeth sustayne beeing deprived of him For justlie may that testimonie of prayse bee given him which the wyse man giveth to David Eccl. 47.2 As is the fat taken away from the Peace-offring so was David chosen out of the children of Israell For albeit all the Peace-offering amongst the Israelites was by a speciall lawe consecrated vnto the LORD yet onelie the fat would the LORD haue given vnto Himselfe as the speciall chiefe and best part So albeit all the people of Israell were holie vnto the LORD yet DAVID in comparison with them was as the fat of the Sacrifice aboue others chosen of GOD and delectable vnto Him So may I say of our worthie Prelate As the fat taken away from the Peace-offering so hee a man full of fat that is of choyce and excellent giftes was speciallie chosen out by GOD to bee consecrated to His glorie in the good of His Church and Common-wealth heere For hee testified in all the actes of his lyfe that the grace of GOD had appeared vnto him and taught him to denye all vngodlinesse and worldlie lustes and to liue godlie righteouslie and soberlie in this present worlde still seeking for that blessed Hope and glorious Apperance of our LORD and SAVIOVR IESVS CHRIST And in particular in the actes of his Priestlie or Ministeriall Calling hee did testifie that hee was a chosen Vessell vnto CHRIST to carrie His Name For hee was a worke-man who needed not to bee ashamed rightlie hee could divide the Word of Trueth fled youthfull lustes and did followe Righteousnesse Fayth Charitie and Peace with them that call on the LORD with a pure heart c. In the actes of his Prelacie hee kythed that the LORD had separated him for this worke as a man fit to rule For hee was one that did rule his owne spirit and so in Salomon's esteeme better than one that taketh a Citie Prov. xvj 32 In which