well Isaac sonne of the free woman as Ishmael sonne of the bond woman as well Iacob whom God loued as Esau whom God hated as well chast Ioseph as incestuous Ammon as well meeke Moses as rayling Rabshekah as well zealous Phineas as the luke-warme angell of Laodicea as well Dauid a man according to Gods owne heart as Saul from whom God tooke his spirit and mercy as well Salomon the wise as Nabal the foole as well tender hearted Iosiah as hard harted Pharaoh as well the humble Publican as the proude Pharisie as well poore Lazarus to bee caried into Abrahams bosome as the rich glutton to be caried into hell as well Iohn the beloued disciple as Iudas the traytour as well Simon Peter the Apostle as Simon Magus the sorcerer Mercilesse death doth exercise her crueltie vpon all alike Why should this be so Hath not Christ dyed for the righteous why then should they dye Death is the reward of sinne Christ hath satisfied for all their sinnes wherefore should they beare this penaltie of sinne The righteous must dye the first death though Christ haue died for them and suffered for their sinnes His death shall free them from the second death but not from the first death which is the separation of soule and body He hath onely altered the nature and vse of the first death but not quite taken it away Whereas at first it was ordained for a punishment of sinne he hath made it a passage into heauen it was threatned and inflicted as a curse but he hath turned it into a blessing It did at first depriue men of good but now it putteth them in possession of good Christ hath taken away the sting of it and therefore Paul saith O death where is thy sting So as it can no more hurt vs then a Bee which hath lost his sting It doth not hurt vs but help vs not hinder vs but further vs in obtaining of glory Iacob not long before his death pronounced this as a curse from the Lord vpon the tribe of Simeon and Leui for their crueltie I will diuide them in Iaakob and scatter them in Israel Yet when the children of Leui shewed their zeale and obedience in killing the idolaters at Moses commandement the Lord turned this curse into a blessing Their scattering was a furtherance vnto them to make them more fit to teach the people in euery citie and receiue the tythes of euery tribe So at the first the Lord threatned death at the punishment of sin but by faith in Christ it is made the end of sinne and beginning of glorie He who could at the beginning bring light out of darkenes could afterward bring a blessing out of a curse If Phisicians by their arte can extract an antidote or preseruatiue against poyson out of poysonfull things why may not God by his infinit power and wisdome drawe good out of euill a mercy out of iudgement and a blessing out of curse Yea and as Augustine teacheth death remaineth still for the righteous to exercise their faith withall If immediatly vpon remission of sin there should follow immortality of the body faith should be abolished which waiteth in hope for that which is not yet enioyed Yea the Martyrs could not testifie their faith their patience their courage their constancie and loue vnto Christ in suffering death for his sake But now let vs more particularly consider the titles giuen to the death of the righteous First it is said that he perisheth which must not so be vnderstood as if he were quite destroyed brought to nothing and had no more being as it befalleth bruite beasts at their death whose soules being traduced with their bodies are mortall and perish with their bodies the righteous hath a being euen after death yet may be said to perish in regard of outward appearance in the iudgement of flesh and blood he seemeth to perish Yet we must know that the righteous consists of soule and bodie his soule being immortall cannot perish by any meanes it can liue out of the bodie as well as in the bodie When it leaues the bodie it goes vnto the Lord. This Salomon taught Dust returnes to the earth as it was and the spirit returnes to God that gaue it This Paul wished desiring to bee loosed and to be with Christ. This Lazarus enioyed at his death being carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome And this Iohn in a vision saw performed to the Martvrs vnder the Altar hee sawe the soules of them which were killed for the word of God But the bodie of a righteous man may bee saide to perish because it loseth the forme the nature and propertie of an humane body It is within a short space eaten vp of wormes and turned into dust and ashes so as there can appeare no signes of a body Though wee make neuer so much of our bodies yet can wee not keepe them from perishing though we feed them most daintilie clothe them most costly and cherish them most carefullie yet at last they will become a thing of naught the beautie of them will fade they shall be deformed and most ougly to behold The strength of them will be taken away so as they shall not stirre an hand or a foote the agilitie of them will be lost they shall remaine stiffe and be nummed the parts and members of them shall perish and fall away one after another The flesh blood and bones shall be so strangely turned to dust and earth that there shall not remaine any propertie or qualitie of them and a man if he knew it not before would neuer iudge that dust and earth to haue been flesh and blood and bones of a liuing man yea so greatly shall our bodies be altered that men shall not be able to discerne which dust came of them and which came of the earth Yet one thing I must needs adde for the comfort of the righteous that although his body seeme thus to perish in the iudgement of men yet it still hath a being in the sight of God and doth euen at that time and in that case remaine a member of Christs mysticall body For the vnion betwixt Christ and the faithfull is not of soules only but also of bodies the body of euery faithfull man and woman is truely vnited to Christs bodie And this vnion cannot be broken death cannot dissolue it though death doth breake the vnion betwixt man and wife yet it cannot breake the vnion betwixt Christ and the faithfull As death did not make a separation betwixt the two natures of Christ at the time of his suffering but his soule and bodie being farre distant the one in heauen the other in the graue were at that time and in that case personally vnited to his godhead no more can death make a separation betwixt Christ and the faithfull though their bodies doe putrifie and lie rotting in their graues yet stil they remaine
should consider their death 1. Because it is Gods worke 2. Because it is a thing precious in Gods sight 3. It tends to Gods glorie 4. It serues for the instruction of theÌ„ which remaine aliue 2. The matter what thinges we should coÌ„sider at their death 1. The certaintie of our owne death 2. The nature of death in all defacing Gods image and making a separation betwixt them and those things which they loued most deerely 3. The cause of their death for they are taken away either in Iudgement or Mercie 4. The manner of their death for thereby we may learne how to dye 3. The abuse of it which is committed by Not considering their death at all CoÌ„sidering it amisse and that Fondly through naturall affection when our friends and kinsfolke are taken away Frowardly thinking theÌ„ to die il because 1. Their death is sudden and extraordinarie 2. They are strangelie assaulted with temptations 3. They speake idlâ—e and blasphemously by reason of their disease 4. The ende of their death to free them froÌ„ euils to come which euils be Ordinary and that either Corporall as diseases losses and all maner of crosses Spirituall in their soules namely 1. Their combat with the diuell 2. Their practise of sin 3. Their societie with the wicked Extraordinarie to wit those iudgements which for some late and grieuous sinnes the Lord was readie to bring vpon the people amongst whom they liued W. Harrison Deaths aduantage little regarded ISAI 57. 1. The righteous perisheth and no man considereth it in heart And mercifull men are taken away and no man vnderstandeth that the righteous is takeÌ„ away from the euill to come THe holy Prophet of the Lord in the 9. verse of the Chapter immediatly going before hath fore-told of a fearefull iudgement which was like to fall vpon the Iewes He calles for the wild beasts of the field and the forest to come and denoure them meaning thereby the Gentils which should bee the executioners of the Lords iudgements vpon them And because the Lords iudgements are alwayes righteous hee afterwards shewes the causes which would prouoke him to inflict them The first cause is set downe at large in the rest of the verses following in the same Chapter the blindnes idlenes couetousnes and securitie of them which were appointed for teachers among them the neglect of their dutie being a speciall occasion of the peoples sinne is alleadged as the first cause of the iudgement ensuing The second cause was in the common people set downe in the first verse of this Chapter and that was their carelesse regard of the death of righteous men though many of them were taken away to forewarne them of some strange iudgement to come yet they regarded it not but still proceeded forward in their sins and therefore were like to caste of some miseries from which the righteous were freed by their speedy death In these words foure seuerall circumstances are to be obserued 1. The persons who did dye 2. The manner of their death 3. The contempt and carelesse regard of their death 4. The end of their death 1. The persons which dyed are described by two properties 1. the righteous 2. mercifull men 2. The manner of their death is set foorth by two seuerall tearmes perisheth are taken away 3. The contempt and carelesse regard of their death is also set downe by two phrases no man considereth it in heart and no man vnderstandeth it Lastly the end wherefore they dyed was to preuent future euils the righteous is taken away from the euill to come of these in order 1. For the persons which dyed the Prophet saith the righteous perisheth Concerning whom two things are to be considered first the meanes by which men are made righteous secondly the markes by which wee may know who are righteous For the former you must know that by nature all are corrupt and vnrighteous but yet may be made righteous by iustification and sanctification for there is a righteousnes of imputation and also a righteousnes of sanctification the one to make vs righteous before God the other to make vs righteous before men The righteousnes of imputation is the righteousnes of Christ imputed vnto vs by faith for our iustification Our owne inherent righteousnes is not sufficient to make vs truely and perfectly righteous before God and therefore this Prophet saith afterward in the name of himselfe and of all the people All our righteousnes is as filthie cloutes And Daiud one of Gods faithfull seruants thus framed his prayer vnto the Lord Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall none that liueth bee iustisted And Paul thus speaketh of himselfe in regard of his Apostleship I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified Nothing can satisfye the iustice of God and make vs appeare righteous in his sight but onely the righteousnes of Iesus Christ imputed to vs. And therefore the same Saint Paul said I haue counted all things losse and do iudge them to be dung that I might winne Christ and might be found in him not hauing mine owne righteousnes which is of the lawe but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnes which is of God through faith The same doctrine he taught vnto others whose saluation he desired as well as his owne As by one mans disobedience saith he many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many bee made righteous Whence we may reason as Augustine and others haue done against the Pelagians that as Adams eating of the forbidden tree was imputed to all his posteritie though they neuer tasted of the fruit with their lips so the righteousnes and obedience of Christ shall make all them which are of him righteous before God though they themselues haue as yet practised no righteousnes Againe hee saith that God hath made him sinne for vs which knew no sinne that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him As therefore Christ was made sinne for vs not by infusion of sinne into his person but by imputation of our sinnes vnto him so must we be made righteous before God not by infusion of righteousnes into our owne persons but by imputation of Christs righteousnes vnto vs. As the Moone and all the Starres borow all their light from the sunne so the Church and euery member of it borow all their righteousnes from Christ the sunne of righteousnes If this he true then the heathen Philosophers and wise men which liued most vprightly in the sight of men and yet wanted the knowledge of Christ and faith in him could not be righteous before God They wanting the law did by nature many things contayned in the law yet could not be made righteous thereby that was but a righteousnes by which an vngodly man is lifted vp that he might fall into punishment And in this respect the Iewes which reiected Christ how holy soeuer their
liue are subiect vnto these as wel as others yea oftentimes more then others He which will bee Christs Disciple must take vp his crosse daylie and follow him Through manie tribulations wee must enter into the kingdome of heauen Iudgement begins at the house of God The Lord doth chastise his children by his iudgements least they should be condemned with the world A father hath two sons the one offends and is corrected the other also offendeth is not corrected why is the one corrected and not the other because the father hath hope of his amendment and reserues the inheritance for him but he hath no hope of the other and therefore will not correct him but doth disinherite him and cast him off so doth God deale with men Those which hee seeth incorrigible hee letteth alone though they offend yet he seldome correcteth them but casts them off but others which may by correction bee brought to repentance and kept in awe he often correcteth and for them is reserued an inheritance immortall and vndefiled in heauen yea the world hateth them because they are not of the world yea among men they shall oftentimes suffer euill for righteousnes sake And God hereby will make triall of their faith of their patience constancie and herein make them examples vnto others so that they must looke for afflictions so long as life lasteth but death makes an end of them al. Life and miserie are two twins which were borne together must die together And therefore Iohn heard it from heauen was commaunded to write it for the comfort of men on the earth blessed are the dead which die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their works follow them Then shall God wipe all teares from their eyes then shall there be no more sorrow nor crying nor paine Then shall they haue euerlasting rest and no labour continuall ioy and no sorrow perpetuall pleasure and no paine great plentie of all good things and no want all manner of happines and no miserie The spirituall euils from which they are freed by death are three First their combat with the diuell Here we are in continuall warfare this is the militant Church so long as wee liue and abide in it wee must fight as the Lords souldiers not against flesh and bloud but against principalities against powers and against worldlie gouernours the Princes of the darkenesse of this world and not for a naturall or temporall but for a spirituall and eternall life not for an earthlie but for an heauenlie kingdome And in this battell there is no time of truce If the diuell be ouercome at one time he will on a sodame and none knowes how soone giue a fresh assault againe but death ends tho battell not as if the diuell got the victorie by our death as it is commonly seene among warriours on the earth if the one die in fight the other getteth the vpper hand but the faithfull at their last end get a finall conquest and then ascend to heauen there to triumph The diuell cannot assault them there He may compasse the earth but he cannot enter within the lists of heauen He neuer came thither to assault any since he was first cast out though he tempted Adam in the earthly Paradice and got him thrust out of it yet can he not tempt any in the heauenly Paradice to cause them to be thrust thence And therefore as a souldier which hath endured an hard and dangerous battell a long time doth greatly reioyce when he hath gotten the victorie so may the faithfull reioyce at the houre of their death because then they make a finall end of their spirituall enemies and begin their triumph ouer them 2 Another miserie from which they are freed is the practise of sinne Who liueth and sinneth not as Salomon saith In many things we offend all Though we be â—ruely sanctified yet it is but in part and therefore we may say with S. Paul I allow not that which I doe for what I would that I doe not but what I hate that doe I. And further I delight in the law of God concerning the inner man but I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde and leading me captiue vnto sinne And nothing is more grieuous vnto a true Christian heart then the practise of sinne and therefore euerie one in this case will cry out with the same Apostle O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death But death destroyes sinne Sinne brought in death and death driues out sinne After death all the righteous shall be perfectlie sanctified and made like the Angels to do the will of the Lord readilie willinglie and cheerefullie As herbs and flowers breed wormes in them yet those wormes at last will kill the hearbes and flowers so sinne bred death in it selfe but at last death will kill sinne And as Sampson could not kill the Philistims who were his greatest enimies but by his owne death no more can the righteous kil sin which is not their least enimie but by their own death At the first death was ordained as a punishment for sinne but now it is vsed as a meanes to stop the course of sin It was then said vnto man if thou sinne thou shalt die the death but now it is said thou must die least thou sinne that which theÌ„ was to be feared that men might not sin must now be suffered least they should sinne Sinne hath taken such deepe roote in our bodies that it cannot be destroyed vnlesse the bodie be as it were quite plucked vp by the roots least any roots remaining new buds of sinne doe sprout from the same If a wild figgetree doe grow in the walles of a faire temple and spread the roots of it al along ouer all the stones of the whole building it will not cease from springing till all be pulled downe if the stones be pulled downe they may afterward bee set vp a gaine in their owne places and the temple made as faire as euer it was and so the fig-tree may be pulled vp by the rootes will grow no more this comparison haue the learned vsed In the same manner the Lord a skilfull workeman hauing made man for his temple there sprung sinne in him like a wilde figtree which was spread wholie ouer all parts of man and it could not be destoryed vntill the bodie was destroyed by death and God hauing destroyed the bodie by death that so hee might quite roote out sin will build it vp againe to be a new temple vnto him yea mans bodie was in this respect like vnto a faire and beautifull picture of gold which an enuious and ill disposed person doth so mangle and disfignre as that it cannot be brought vnto the same forme and beautie vnlesse the owner doe melt it againe and fashion it all a new 3 Furthermore it
members of his body And as the husbandman doth make as great reckoning of that corne which he hath sowne in his field and lies hid vnder the clods as he doth of that which he hath laid vp safely in his garner because he hopeth it will come vp againe and yeeld increase so Christ Iesus doth as highly esteeme of those bodies which are laid in their graues as of those which yet remaine aliue because he knowes that one day they shall rise againe vnto glory They are sowne in dishonour but they shall rise againe in honour Their life is but hid for a time and will be found out againe Christ is able to restore that which nature hath destroyed God doth herein deale no otherwise with the bodies of the righteous then a Goldsmith will deale with a picture of gold or a peece of plate that is brused and worne out of fashion he will cast it into the fire and melt it not to destroy it or suffer it alwaies to lie in the fire but to make it a better picture or peece of plate then it was before and therefore will take it out of the fire againe and fashion it according to his mind Wherefore let not the condition of our bodies after death make vs vnwilling to dye If any man entending to reedifie an old rotten house doe first put the inhabitants out of it and then pull down the house and prepare for the building of it againe haue the inhabitants of the old house any cause to be grieued Will they not rather be glad that it is pulled downe because they hope that it will be made better then euer it was before and they may dwell in it with more safty and delight Now our bodies are as old rotten houses for our soules to dwell in if God cause our soules to depart out of them for a time and then destroy them that afterward he may reedifie them and make them fitter habitations for our soules what cause haue we to lament Nay rather if we looke not so much on the present estate of our bodies after death as vpon the glorious estate which they shall haue after the resurrection wee may reioyce and praise God for this his worke towards vs. 2 But another phrase is here vsed to expresse the death of the righteous are taken away The Hebrue word doth sometime signifie to be gathered though as some obserue it be neuer spokē of things scattered and in that sense it is vsed for the death of the righteous whē the place whither they be gathered is mētioned As it is said of Abraham that he died in a good age and was gathered to his people and likewise of Isaac As also the generation which entred with Ioshua into the land of Canaan is said to be gathered vnto their fathers Sometime this word doth signifie to take away as when Rachel said God hath taken away my rebuke and the Lord saith by Ieremie I haue taken my peace from this people And so it is rather to be expounded in this place because it is set downe without any addition Wee may here obserue a seuerall doubling of the same things in this verse two words to set forth the persons which died two words to declare the manner of their death afterward two words also to shew the careles regard of their death among the wicked It was vsual with the Hebrues to repeate things diuers times together either in the selfe same or in the like words Yet we must not thinke that there be any vaine repetitions in the Scriptures seeing Christ forbiddeth vs to vse vaine repetitions in our praiers and will call men to account at the day of iudgement for euery idle word that they speake Wee may not imagine that the holie Ghost did vse any vaine repetitions or idle words in penning the bookes of Scripture These repetitions serue for good purposes In prayers they shew the seruencie of him that prayeth and his earnest desire of the thing which he asketh In Prophecies they declare the certainty speedines of the execution as appeareth by Pharaohs dreame which as Ioseph told him was doubled vnto him the second time because the thing is established of God and God hasteth to performe it In narrations they serue either for cōfirmation to assure the hearers that the matter is true of great importance and worthie to be heard and marked or els for explication the latter clause expounding the former For as nature hath giuen vnto mans bodie two members of the same kinde and vse as two eyes to see withall two eares to heare withall two hands to handle withall and two feete to walke withall that if the one should faile in his office the other might help it so the holy Ghost hath giuen two words of the same kind and signification to many sentences of Scripture that if the one shal faile in his office and not fully expresse the meaning the other might help it And this is the reason why the words are so often doubled in this verse least any should gather by the former phrase that the righteous so perisheth that he hath not any more being at all he now saith that he is but taken away And he may be said to be taken away both in respect of body and also in respect of soule In respect of body for although his body be not translated in such a manner as the body of Henoch was that he might not see death nor as the body of Moses which the Lord took and buried no man knowes in what Sepulcher nor as the bodie of Elias which was carried from the earth in firie Chariots nor as the bodies of them which shall be found aliue at the comming of Christ vnto iudgement which shall not die but be changed and presentlie ascend with Christ into heauen yet is the body of euery righteous man taken from amongst men to be laid amongst wormes from the liuing vnto the dead from aboue the earth to be laid vnder the earth from his house to his graue from a place of watching to a place of sleep frō a place of care labour and trouble to a place of ease and rest from a place of pleasure and pain of ioy and sorrow mingled together to a place where he shall be void of sense to feele any of them 2 In respect of his soule consider terminum à quo terminum ad quem whence and whither he is taken From his body to be brought vnto God from an house of clay to an house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens from men to Angels from sinners to them which be perfectly righteous from his greatest enimies to his best friends from the Church militant to the Church triumpliant from earth to heauen from a strange countrie to his own home from a prison to a place of libertie from bondage to freedome from miserie to happinesse from sorrow to ioy Whence
in time make no delayes least afterward it be too late 3 The third circumstance to bee obserued in the text is the carelesse regard of the righteous mans death No man considereth it in heart It seemes that manie godly persons were already dead their death did declare that God had some speciall worke in hand yet the common people which were left behind them did little regard it This carelesse contemning of their death doth shew that the harts of the commō people were possessed with great securitie to make so small reckoning of such a strange worke of God All the workes of God are carefully to be regarded of vs who are set in this world to take a speciall view and to make an holy vse of them And therefore Dauid thought the wicked deserued to be broken downe and not built vp againe because they regarded not the workes of the Lord nor the operation of his hands Now the taking of the righteous away is one of his speciall workes For to him belong the issues of death It is he that turneth man to destruction The number of his moneths are with him he appointeth his bounds which he cannot passe If a sparrow shall not fall on the ground without our father in heauen then the righteous which are of more value then many sparrowes cannot perish without his will and appointment Certaine it is that none die sooner or later then he sends for them The works of Princes are much considered and often talked of among the people and ought not the Lords workes be much considered of vs Their works may be done foolishly rashly and vniustly but the works of God are done in number waight and measure in wisdome iustice and mercie Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of all his Saints and shall their death bee vile and contemptible in our eyes People most commonly do highly esteeme those things which are deare and precious among Princes and shall the death of the righteous which is so precious in the Lords sight the Prince of all Princes be lightly esteemed of vs his people None of them liueth to himselfe neither doth any die vnto himselfe Whether they liue they liue vnto the Lord or whether they die they die vnto the Lord whether they liue therefore or die they are the Lords Yea they do glorifie God both by life and by death And therefore we should not lightly passe ouer their life or their death But consider how they haue glorified God by their death and by their life and praise him for the same But why are we to consider their death What may we learne thereby We learne these foure things First the certaintie of death Secondly the nature of death Thirdly the cause of death and lastly the manner how we must die First by considering their death we may learne the certaintie of death in our selues that we must dye as well as they in which respect Salomon saith it is better to goe to the house of mourning then to goe to the house of feasting because this is the end of all men and the liuing shall lay it to his heart That is to say hee which remaineth aliue by seeing one dead shall consider in his heart that all men shall so die and that he himselfe shall die as well as others The death of others is as a looking glasse wherein we may clearly beholde the vncertaintie of our owne liues We may call their death as some doe the sacrament visible verbū a visible word or sermon teaching vs our owne mortality for we haue no better assurance of our liues then they had what we now are they haue beene and what they now are wee may be and we know not how soone He which hath taken them away now may within a while if it please him take vs also away and bring vs vnto them As death assaulted them so will it assault vs and we cā no more resist it then they could but must yeeld as they did We are ready to forget death and the forgetfulnesse of death maketh vs to forget our dutie vnto God let vs therefore consider the death of others thereby to be put in mind of our owne 2 Secondly by their death we may know the nature of death in al others for it deals with all alike We may there see how death doth deface that image of God which was in the bodie and how it doth destroy the bodie which was a temple for the holie Ghost to dwel in If one see a faire house of a noble man to bee much defaced fallen to ruine so as one stone is scarce left vpon another it will pitie his heart so should we be moued in our hearts to see the bodie of a righteous man which was an house for the holie ghost to dwel in to be so pitifully ruinated by death Againe we may see what strange separations death doth make The soule and the body which haue a long time liued together as two familiar cópanions are put asunder by death and no man knowes how long it shal be before they can meete together againe Besides this death makes a separation betwixt old louing friends The husband is separated from the wife of his youth with whom hee reioyced the wife is separated from her husband who was her vaile to shield and to saue her parents are taken from their tēder childrē which they leaue as orphans in the world not knowing what will become of them children are taken from their kind parents who could haue beene content to haue gone in their steed yea familiar friends whose soules were knit together in affectiō whose loue exceeded the loue of women as did the loue of Dauid and Ionathan are seuered one from another by death the knot of their friendship is broken their mutuall kindnes can be no more shewed by one to another W 〈…〉 griefe it is for louing friends to depart one from another we may see in Pauls friends and hearers when he tooke his leaue of them and told them that they must not see his face any more They wept all abundantly and fell on Pauls necke and kissed him being chiefly sory for the words which he spake that they should see his face no more We had need therfore by the death of others to be put in mind of this separatiō before-hand y◠when it comes we may be the better prepared for it Lastly death makes a separation betwixt the rich man and his wealth We brought nothing into this world neither must we carry any thing out of this world Yea men leaue their riches they cannot tell vnto whom If that question be asked many that are ready to die which was demanded of the rich man who had laid vp store for many yeeres This night shall thy soule be taken from thee then whose shall these things be which thou hast prouided they might truly answere that
heads burning the corn of the Philistims whilest Israels sheaues staÌ„d vpright I meane consuming themselues whilest they cauill with vs about a birth of no being for if they could but agree at home ere they warre abroade 1. where the place is 2. when it began 3. how long it shall continue 4. who is there punished 5. what is the paine 6. and lastly who be the tormentors happily it might make vs to sound a retreate and moue a parley But when in all or most of these they are at ods with themselues I trust by the grace of God they shall neuer be at euen with vs or with any that feare the Lord in truth It would require a longer discourse then now I can stand vpon to descend into each of these particulars beeing limited with the time mine owne weakenes and your wearines yet if any man doubt let him demurre with mee vpon a further tryall and conference when I shall if God will satisfie him to the full that in all these seuerall points they doe nothing else but agree to disagree in the meane time I dare auouch as first I did that purgatorie is not at all 1 That is was neuer knowne in the Church of Israel or a doctrine sprinkled vpon that people with the blood of the old couenant by Moses who was faithfull in Gods house and deliuered all hee saw vpon the mount 2 That purgatorie hath no foundation in the new testament and that the blood of Christ neuer taught it in that couenant but was of it selfe sufficient to purge and preserue tam à poena quam à culpa though our aduersaries say contrarie 3 That neither the Primitiue Church nor the Fathers of the same for the space of manie ages did euer acknowledge the purgatorie of the Church of Rome I say God neuer ordained Scripture neuer taught spirit neuer guided father neuer agreed vpon such a doctrine but as they that were conuerted to Christ at the first whether from Iudaisme or froÌ„ Paganisme did bring with them eyther their ceremonies or their opinions so in this errour as in others Plato taught it in his schooles Virgil in his rythmes both Pagans Papising Bonauenture at all aâ—enture and Durand not dangerous of the doctrine haue taken it vp both Papists Paganising To iustifie what hath bin said of old Pictoribus atque poetis quidlibet audendi semper fuit aequa potestas To Painters to Poâ—ts to Papists of skill Hath euer bâ—â— graunted to same what the will For the proofe of al these assertions I referre you to the worthie writings of that noble Berrean Lord Phillip of Mornay lumen Galliae maâ—tix Romae in his treatise of purgatorie laid downe in his third booke of the sacrifice pretended in the Masse And now for conclusion of this point in clearing of the truth pitifullie dearned with these clouds of errour let these few Scriptures and Fathers dispell the fogge so as the sunne of righteousnes may shine in your hearts and beget you to a better hope A voice from heauen hath said it you may beleeue it Blessed are the deaâ— that die in the Lord Amodo euen now for they rest from their labours In blessednes is no pain in rest is no toyle if this happinesse be Amodo Euen straight vpon the dissolution there is no daunger by the way there is no delay by purgatorie Paul hath said it you may beleeue it Christ is to me both in life and in death aduantage desiring to be loosed and to be with Christ which is best of al as if he should say neuer can I lose by Christ in life hee is my grace in death he is my glorie when I am gone I shall bee where he is not in paine but in blis where no fire shall purge nor water wash hauing alreadie dipt my stole in the blood of the lamb Christ hath said it you may beleeue it his word is a warrant to your wearie souls Father I will that they which thou hast giuen me be with me euen where I am that they may behold my glorie which thou hast giuen me It is his will and who dares wrest it the head will haue his members the bridegroome his spouse God his elect and Christ his redeemed and where will he haue them but where he is and that is in heauen Popish purgatory is no Palace for Christ his abode ergo no place for Christians to behold his glorie Nor hath Christ said it but sworne it to in supplementum fidei to help faith that by two immutable things wherein it is impossible that God should lie First promise and Secondlie oth wee might haue strong consolation His oth is this neuer to be reuersed Verilie verilie I say vnto you he that heareth my words and beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life O happie hearers but thrise happie beleeuers for whose cause the Lord hath sworne in certaintie of your saluation and speedie passage from death to life without tuch of fire meede of merit or need of Popish indulgence One saith well velox est sermo dei velocem desiderat habere sequentem The word of God is swift and it requireth a speedie follower if speed in following much more in attaining if speed in the bodie much more when it hath put it off if vnder the crosse we grone and goe forward with how much more speede shall wee haste to the crowne when teares shall bee wiped from our eyes and wee shall be translated out of this world to raigne with God for euer And if it bee true of a glorified bodie that Augustine hath corpus est vbi volet animus The bodie is straight where the minde will how much rather shall a sanctified soule disburdened of the bodie passe with speed to him that gaue it Lazarus died and was straight waies caried into Abrahams bosome The theefe vpon the crosse died was that verie day in Paradise Stephen called and said Lord Iesus receiue my spirit and shall we doubt of his desire euen then answered Christ cryed vpon the tree father into thy hands I commend my spirit and gaue vp the Ghost not downe the ghost speedily and without delay yea and I am perswaded that it is with euerie Saint of God in his particular death as it shall be at the generall doome all shal be chaunged at the twinckling of an eye at the last trumpe for the trumpet shal blow and the dead shall rise so all shall be changed at the last gaspe euen in the twinkling of an eye shall the bodie turne to earth from whence it came and the soule to God that gaue it Nescit tarda moliâ—â—â—a spiritus dei gratia The gifts and graces of God are without delay no delay in the creation no delay in the redemtion no delay in
the righteousness of God is reuealed from faith to faith He tels the Ephesians that they must grow vnto perfect men euen vnto the age of the fulnes of Christ As also that they must know the loue of Christ which passeth knowledge and so be filled with all fulnes of God He tels the Philippians how he longeth after them from the very heart roote in Iesus Christ and in longing falles a praying and what is the matter of his prayer but that their loue might abound yet more more in all knowledge and in all feeling With whom I will conclude and close with my text As you haue receiued Christ Iesus the Lord so walke in him rooted and built in him and established in the faith as ye haue beene taught abounding therein with thanksgiuing Where obserue my brethren that not rooting building establishing teaching nor abiding in the faith is sufficient without abounding for frustra nititur qui non innititur And he that continueth not to the end shall not be saued Take heed then my brethren and be not high minded but feare you that are come out of Sodome Remember Lots wife go not back nay looke not back you are of Iudah tribe and haue taken a profession vpoÌ„ you and be not like the children of Ephraim which being harnessed and carying bowes turned themselues backe in the day of battell Iames said well Ye aske and haue not because ye aske amisse So may I say many walke obtaine not for that they walke amisse Some in such idolatrous and superstitious heresies some in such clyming and presuming ambition some in such greedie and vnsatiable couetousnes some in such biting gnawing vsurie some in such swearing and forswearing of themselues some in such extrauagant and vagabond lusts of the flesh some in such rebellions conspiracies of harts and hands as of whom I may say as I haue told you often and now tell you weeping they are enemies to the crosse of Christ their end is damnation their bellie is their god their glorie is their shame and they but mind earthly things As for such as creepe with the Crab and slow it with the Snayle I say they walke amisse for creeping Christians are no Christians And cursed â— be that doth the worke of the Lord negligently An Aldermans paâ—e is too solemne for a Saint of God O that Iehu his walking might be a mirrour to all Magistrates Ministers and people how to walke of whom it was said vpon the sight The marching is like the marching of Iehu the sonne of Nimshi for he marcheth valiantly or that Caesars faculty of performance were in the most of vs of whom Lucian thus writeth Caesar in omnia praeceps nil actum credens cum quid superesset agendum Instat atrox Which I may english thus Caesar is forward to all good and thinketh nothing well done whilest any thing is left vndone And so for the conclusion of all Now way the fruit this tree benreth and consider the crop this haruest yeeldeth I meane the blessing they gaine who are faithfull to their Christ and walke before him Is it â—mperiall rule in this world Is it wealth riches or aboundance of earthlie happinesse Is it health strength or beauty These haue their times but they perish with the possessor nor to this end came Christ into this woful world that he might giue to the faithfull walkers fading and vanishing delights but an abiding solace euen life and life in abundance with peace to the soule and rest to the bodie I meane eternall blessednesse to both wherein is the auoydance of all euill the fruition of all good the societie of all Saints the fulfilling of al desires with vnspeakable glory which neuer shall cease whither God bring vs for his Christs sake to whom bee honour and praise both now and euer Amen Amen And now brethren beloued and longed for I say now that I haue finished my course ended the text and closed vp the booke giue me leaue a little to turne me to the dead and to say vnto you on her behalfe this Scripture is fulfilled in your eyes and eares this day Peace shall come nay Peace is come For she entertained in her heart the father of Heauen which is the God of Peace and she loued Christ the King of Peace and in braced in her soule the Comforter which brought that Peace to her that passeth all vnderstanding And for that I may say no more I can say no lâ—sse she kept the condition of my text on earth and therefore her estate is vndefeasable in heauen She did walke before him in life therefore she hath Peace nor did she forsake him in death and therefore now hath she found rest to her wearie soule To walke in the word is to walke with him and to goe by the light thereof is to walke before him Let her painfulnesse in reading and practise in following euen from a child speake to her commendation in that behalfe You heard in the former Sermon how eight chapters a day was her taske each daies reading a full weeke of Sabboths to sanctifie a Saint So sanctifie vs good Lord with thy truth thy word is the truth And to make good the practise I haue crediblie heard that not eight but many eights a day haue been her sighes sobbes and gronings for the breaches of the lawe she read both by her selfe and others euer opening the booke with these words A good God a bad people much mercie offered little receiued for euery one seekes his owne and fewe the things that are of Iesus Christ And still clasping the booke thus The glorie of God is to conceale a thing secret but the Kings honour is to search it out And what are wee but a kingly people and a royall priesthood Besides her priuate reading I might heere speake of her priuate prayer and much meditation with Isaac in the field with Dauid in the night I might tell of her weekely repayre to heare the word in the great congregation of her monthly communicating with his Saints there with her feete euer shodde to the preparation of the Gospell of peace and neuer well but when she was â—o walking before him But I leaue her life and come to her death whereunto as I am tolde she walked as Christ did to Caluary with much care and many agonies compelled with Simon of Cyrene to beare his crosse thereby to helpe out the sufferings of her sweete Sauiour and to beare in her bodie and soule the markes of Christ Iesus like spangles of golde to grace her in her triall whereby in the end she became more glorious both to God and man It is said of the kings daughter that she is all glorious within and that her rayment was of needle worke peace within but prickings without Multi vident punctiones sed non vident vnctiones Many see