the foundation of our Religion are lesse affectionate to follow the Lord and to giue themselues to piety and iustice And we must not doubt but the wicked who abandon themselues to all impiety against God who without remorse of conscience doe exercise all sorts of wickednesse against their neighbours they doe it by so much the more freely as they perswade themselues that so they escape the iudgement and punishment of men they shall heare nothing of it after this life For seeing that to auoyde onely the vengeance of the Magistrate in this world they hide as much as they can their iniquities and giue such good colours to their misdeedes as possible they can to the end not to be conuicted wicked how much more doe you thinke they would be bridled from doing euill if they were perswaded that although their bodyes die yet their soules shall remaine immortal and shall endure the iudgement of God which it hath deserued and that one day their bodies shall rise againe Heb. 10. that both body and soule may be eternally tormented in hell by the iudgement of God so horrible and fearefull Heb. 10. whereupon we may see how necessary it is to know that the dead shall rise againe being this doctrine the principall vpholder of Christian Religion of the which if a man be not altogether perswaded all the rest is nothing And it is impossible to perseuere amongst so many difficulties and afflictions which are daily present at the seruing of the Lord for if the hope of the resurrection were not we should be the most miserable of the earth seeing that in this world the faithfull are ordinarily more afflicted then the infidels 1. Cor. 15. but our consolation is the promise of Iesus Christ that although the world shall reioyce for a time and that we shall weepe Ioh. 16. Rom. 8. Psal 37. 73. the time will come that our Head will visite vs and reioyce our hearts with a ioy that shall neuer be taken from vs. Now for to vnderstand this Article of faith we must well vnderstand these three points First we must now know whether the soule dieth with the body or no. Secondly whether the body returnes so into the earth that it cannot rise againe Thirdly if it doth rise who it is that doth raise it and in what estate it shall be being risen THE FIRST POINT AS for the first part The Lord for to declare vnto vs the immortality of soules compares death to the sleepe of man and sayeth that those that are dead sleepe assuring vs that euen so as when the body doth sleepe the soule doth not sleepe as appeares by so many dreames which men haue that also although the body shall be put into the Sepulchre as in a place of sleep neuerthelesse the immortall soule shall be gathered and assembled in its place from the which it shall come againe at the day of iudgement to put on her body that therein she may enioy the happy life or suffer eternall punishment The Apostle speaking of the daughter of Iairus Rom. 2. Mat. 25. Luc. 8. whom the Lord did raise againe sayth That the spirite did returne into her shewing that it was not dead like the body but onely that she was gone to the place from the which by the commandement of Iesus Christ shee came againe to re-enter into her body as also that of Lazarus of Bethleem Ioh. 11. For euen so as the body doth returne to the earth from whence it was taken so the spirite doth returne to God who gaue it The same Euangelist declares that the soule of dead Lazarus liues in heauen Luc. 16. and that of the euill rich man in hell The Lord dying to shew that the soule was not subiect to death as the body Luc. 22. Act. 7. did recommend his soule to his Father Saint Steuen that first Martyr recommended his to Christ Saint Paul desired to be dissolued and to be with Iesus Phil. 1. knowing that after his soule should be deliuered out of the prison of his body it should goe to the ioy of the children of God Vnto the theefe it was said This day thou shalt be with me in Paradice Luc. 23. which cannot be vnderstood of the body but shewes that the faithfull dying Ioh. 5.6 make the passage from death to life The which ought only to be vnderstood of the soule seeing that the body must first be brought to earth and that it must put off all corruption for to rise at the last day incorruptible and in glory Iesus Christ against the Saduces who denied the immortality of soules shewes Mat. 22. that for as much as GOD calles himselfe the God of Abraham of Isaacke and of Iacob Exod. 3. infallibly the soules departed doe liue for hee is not the God of those that are dead in such sort that they are no more but he is the God of those that are and that liue and doth good to the posterity of those that are and not of those that are not which cannot be vnderstood but of their soules seeing their bodies were returned to the earth Whereby we see that they deceiue themselues greatly that say that their soules die and vanish with the body where they sleepe also those likewise who thinke that they enter into other bodies Mar. 6. Luc. 9. Euen the Pagans by naturall apprehensions haue beleeued that the soules were immortall as we see that Euripides in the Tragedy which hee intituled Hecuba doth declare it when he brings in Polixena speaking to Hecuba and dying saying to her What shall I say to Hector thy husband who was dead she answered her tell him that I am the most wretched in the world And in that which he intituled The supplicants he sayes The spirite shall returne to heauen Likewise Pholicides sayes That the soule is immortall and liuing alwayes waxeth not olde Pythagoras in his golden verses said If when thou hast left the body thou commest into heauen thou shalt be as God liuing alwayes and being no more mortall Cicero likewise writes of it in his booke of friendship and in that which he writ of age in some sort comforting himselfe in the hope which he had of the immortality of his soule We see then that it is a thing most assured that the soule is immortall as the Lord by his word which is the infallible truth of heauen doth shew it vs and likewise the Pagans how ignorant soeuer they were of the true religion haue well vnderstood it Wherefore those that denie the immortality of soules accuse God of lying make themselues in worse estate then the Pagans This knowledge is a great consolation to the faithfull in all their afflictions and doth take from them the feares of death knowing that their soules being separated from their bodies liue in heauen 1. Ioh. 2. in which they are admonished not to settle themselues vpon the transitory things
shackled to Ierusalem to the end to prosecute against them to cause them to be condemned to death And neuerthelesse although he was so horrible a blasphemer of Iesus Christ and his Church and by that meanes vnworthy not only to bee of the number of the Apostles as hee himselfe confesseth but also of the sheepe God forgetting in an instant all these iniuries which had beene done to him and to his Church made an elected and chosen instrument of him and a trumpet chosen among all his fellowes for to publish his Gospell throughout the world Who will say that hee had any regard to his merit and to the dignity of his gestures and actions when hee raised him to such a degree of honour and hath done him as much or more fauour then to any of all his fellowes Seeing that hee himselfe doth so highly magnifie grace whereunto hee attributeth all that hee euer thought said or did that was commendable It is then the only grace of God that is the foundation and meanes of the life which wee hope for as it also is of iustice and holynesse by the which wee attayne it Which Iesus Christ plainely teacheth vs when speaking of his sheepe hee saith that they heare his voice Iohn 10. and follow him and in the meane time that hee giueth them eternall life signifying thereby that it is freely graunted vnto them and of meere gift and not in contemplation and respect that they haue heard his voice and followed his steppes Which also cannot bee gathered by the wordes of Moyses in the twentieth of Exodus Exod. 20. where God promiseth to continue his mercy to a thousand generations towards those that loue him and keepe his commandements Whereupon wee must note that he promiseth no other recompence to his seruants for all their seruices but to vse mercy towards them and their posterity As much may we obserue in the foure and twentieth Psalme where the Prophet speaking of those that shall goe vp into the mountaine of the Lord saith that it shall be a man Whose hands are harmelesse Psal 24. and whose heart No spot there doth defile His soule not set on vanity Whose heart hath sworne no guile And addeth afterward Him that is such a one the Lord Shall place in blessefull plight And God his God and Sauiour Shall yeeld to him his right This is the broode of Trauellers In seeking of his grace As Iacob did the Israelites In that time of his race For to giue to vnderstand that what duty soeuer wee haue done in obeying to God in washing our hearts from all euill thoughts and affections and our handes from all euill workes in humbling our selues vnder the hand of God and presuming nothing of our selues nor of our vertues neuerthelesse that for all that we shall not goe vp into the mountaine of our Lord but that it shall bee only in fauour of the grace which hee giueth vs and of the mercy that it pleaseth him to shew towards vs. And it is much better to comfort and assure vs our hope entirely that it be grounded vpon his mercy and truth which are firme and immoueable then vpon the dignitie of our workes and vertues which are so imperfect Now when yee shall see the sicke well resolued of the remission of all his sinnes and that in his heart there shall no more remayne any feare of them that doth any more trouble his conscience then you must proceede farther and arme him against the horrour and apprehension that hee may haue of death in shewing vnto him out of the word of God that it hath bene done away and swallowed vp by the death of Iesus Christ who speaking by the mouth of the Prophet sayeth to Death Ose 13. 1. Cor. 15. O Death I will be thy death For seeing that the sting of death is sinne and the power of sinne is the law Iesus Christ accomplishing the law for vs hath by that meanes taken away the sting of death so that it can hurt vs no more And likewise broken the power of sinne so that it can no more condemne vs. And although the decree and ordinance of God beares that all men must die and that being come out of the dust they shall returne to dust againe neuerthelesse to speake properly the separation of the bodie and the soule in the faithfull man ought not to bee called death Also IESVS CHRIST speaking to his Disciples of Lazarus Iob. 11. who was dead tolde them that hee slept This manner of speaking is very vsuall in the old Testament to signifie the death of the Fathers St. Paul vseth it also when hee writeth to the Corinthians and Thessalonians 1. Cor. 15. 1. Thessa of those that shall be departed before the day of the resurrection which be calleth sleeping But he speaks yet more magnificently in the Epistle which hee writeth to the Philippians where he calles the departure of soules from bodies Phil. 1. dislodging Which agreeth well with the saying of Iesus Christ who being desirous to aduertise his Disciples of his approaching death said vnto them That the howre drewe neere Iohn 13. that hee was to passe from this world to goe to God the Father calling the corporall death a passage by the which we must passe out of this vale of misery for to enter into the fruition and possession of a Paradise that is to say of a place of assured rest and full of delectation The which the ancient Greekes haue also taught by the name which they haue giuen to death calling it Thanaton which is as much to say according to the Tymologie which Temiste hath giuen of it that ano eis ton theon in French is now vp to God and Telutin eion ei teletin consecration as if he would say that death is like vnto a solemne ceremonie by the which the faithfull are altogether consecrated and dedicated to God for afterwards to apply themselues to no other exercise then to sing the praises of God and to sanctifie his holy name And for that regard Iesus Christ did also call it Baptisme Mat. 20. because that by death we passe as by a port and thorow a water to arriue in a place of rest and pleasure whither we pretend And if the bodie which the Greekes call Soma to shew that it is a sepulcher to the soule which they call by a name comming very neere to the other to wit Sima where it seemes that during this life it is as it were buried and interred when it pleaseth God to take it away is it not as if he made it to come out of a tombe and that he raised it What occasion then can men haue to flie from bodily death and to abhorre it so seeing that separating the soule from the bodie it puts the soule out of prison and sends it in libertie to heauen there to be received into the bosome of Iesus Christ and to enioy with him and all the
happie spirits the euerlasting consolations which are there promised and reserued for the elect And the bodie on the other side in the earth as in a bed there for to sleepe and rest at his ease without that his slumber be any more interrupted or troubled neither by troublesome dreames nor by cares and solicitudes nor by feares nor by alarmes and violent noyses nor by any other occasion whatsoeuer and that vntill the day of the resurrection in the which it shall be awaked by the sound of Gods trumpet reunitted to the soule hauing lost his mortalitie corruption 2. Cor. 15. dishonour and weakenesse in the earth and bing clothed againe with glory force immortalitie and incorruption Wherin we may see that it is without reason that men are so greatly affraid of the bodily death the which for a time separates the body from the soule to the great profit of the one and the other For the bodie is by that meanes out of all danger not onely of sinne and of miseries which it draweth along with it but also of all temptation lying resting in the earth in assured hope of the resurrection and euerlasting life And although it seeme to be altogether depriued of life in the earrh because that the soule departing from it leaues it without any mouing or feeling and also that it rots and is reduced to dust neuerthelesse being alwaies accompanied with the spirit and infinite vertue of God who quickneth all things it is not altogether separated from life as saith St. Paul If the spirit of him that hath raised vp Iesus Christ from the dead dwelleth in vs he that hath raised him vp wil also quickē your mortal bodies because his spirit dwelleth in you And it is the reason for the which elsewhere he being willing to giue vs a picture of the resurrection to come of our bodies doth propound it vnto vs vnder the figure of a seed put into the groūd which hath life in it selfe although that being in a garner it hath no shew of any and that holding it in our hands we can iudge no otherwise of it but that it is a dead thing neuertheles whē it is put into the earth where it might seeme that the life which should be in it should there bee quite stifled and smothered it shewes it selfe and comes forth euen as out of the rottennesse from whence we see spings the stalke which afterward taketh nourishment and growth which are effects and demonstrations of the life which was hid therein before it was put into the earth And albeit that God in the Scripture calles himselfe the God Abraham Mat. 22. euen after his death and that he is not the God of the dead but of the liuing from thence it followes that not onely the soule of Abraham which he hath redeemed by the death of his Sonne is yet liuing after it is separated from the body but that also the body which doth participate in this same redemption and which is vnited and incorporated with IESVS CHRIST for to bee of his members and which finally hath beene consecrated and dedicated vnto God to the end that hee should dwell in it as his Temple is not depriued of life 1. Cor. 3. euen at that time when it is rotted in the earth Because that it is alwaies accompanyed with the grace of God and comprehended as well as the soule in the euerlasting alliance which hee hath made with his people the which alliance is a spring and veine of life not vnto the soules onely but vnto the bodies also of all the faithfull And if as saith St. Iohn in his reuelations those are happy that die in the Lord Reuel 14 and there is no beatitude without life from thence wee must conclude of two thinges the one eyther that the beatitude commeth not to the bodie or if it doth reach to it that it is not exempt from life lying in the earth For although that beeing all worme-eaten it doth not in such estate shew any appearance of life yet doth it alwaies retaine as it were a seed thereof and budde which shall appeare at the day of the resurrection when the Spirit of God powring his infinite vertue vpon our bodies it shall raise them and shall adorne them with glory and excellency which God hath promised to his elect And euen as in an egge there is a chicken Simil. and life hidden the which is put in euidence when the hen commeth to heate and broode it with her heat so the immortality and life to the participation whereof as well our soules as our bodies haue bene called from that time that by faith we haue receiued the Gospell which is a word of life and an incorruptible seed shall be as it were disclosed at the latter day by the power of our God who will reuiue vs as the heauen 2. Peter 3. the earth and all other creatures which thē shal be deliuered quite from the bondage of corruption Rom. 8. Whereof we are also assured by the Baptisme which hath bene communicated vnto vs in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost for the water which hath bene powred on our bodies which the Scripture calleth the washing of regeneration is not to assure vs that our soules onely are washed and cleansed in the bloud of Iesus Christ by the remission of our sinnes but also our bodies And that both together being couered and cloathed with the iustice and innocency of the Sonne of God and ouer and aboue sanctified by his Spirit are presently put in possession of life and altogether freed and deliuered from the bondage of death which hath no power as we haue said but there onely where sinne reigneth which is the onely cause of death The Lords Supper in the which by faith taking the bread and wine which therein are administred by the M◅ster we are receiued to the participation of the flesh and bloud of Iesus Christ and so vnited and incorporated with him that for euer as saith St. Iohn he dwelleth in vs and we in him Ioh. 6. doth it not also assure vs that being inseparably conioined with life and the meanes of life wee cannot die neither in soule nor in body by the meanes of this vnion which is common to both of them The bodily death then should not seeme so horrible and feareful vnto vs as it is to many who are affrighted with it Simil. as are children with a maske and false visage for if a mother did present her self before her child in a shape mōstrous and hideous to behold he would be affraid of it and crying would runne from it but as soone as she hath lifted vp her maske and that he knoweth her againe he will runne towards her to embrace and kisse her We also to be deliuered from this naturall feare and fright which we haue of death we ought to vnmaske it and looke vpon it now in
the forme whereunto Iesus Christ by his death hath brought it for eueÌ„ as by his crosse he hath discharged vs of the curse vnto the which we were bound and hath conuerted it into a blessing for vs also by his death hath he not onely oâ—â—rcome it in vs but also quickned our death insomuch that now it is a hand of health vnto vs and a port to enter into the kingdome of heauen and to take possession of the most happy life which God hath promised to his children That which maketh vs so to feare it is that we behold it in the loking glasse of the law which represents it vnto vs a fearefull figure to behold and in guise of a Sergeant armed with the wrath of God all the threatnings and curses propouÌ„ded in his law against all those which transgesse it who comes to do his exploit and to adiourne vs presently to appeare before his iudgement seate and there to heare a sentence of the last soueraigne Iudge by whom we may be sent into an euerlasting fire without hope of consolation nor to haue euer other company but that of diuels to torment vs. Which happening it is not possible when death presents it selfe so before our eyes but we must haue such an apprehension that it were sufficient altogether to confound cast vs headlong into the gulfe of despaire if it did continue long But for to turne it from vs we must do as they that haue their sight dimmed dazelled which being too long setled vpon a colour too glistering for to get it againe Simil. they turne and cast it vpon another which is more cheerefull geâ—enish delightsome Also to get our spirits againe when we feele them straied from vs because of the apprehension which the law hath giuen vs of death we ought to behold the image therof in the looking glasse of the gospell in the which Iesus Christ propounds it vnto vs as faire and more gracious and amiable Act. 2. then Moses in his law had shewed it vs vgly and fearefull without that she hath any more sting to pricke vs nor cordes chaines or bands to retaine vs vnder her power For Iesus Christ rising againe hath broken them as Sampson in times past by a meruellous strength brake as if it had bene a small twined flaxen threed the great cords and cables wherewith the Philistines thought they had so straitly bound and shakled him that he could neuer haue escaped them And neuerthelesse they found themselues deceiued when thinking to haue set vpon him with great fury and impetuositie they saw him breake them as easily as another man would a towe threed halfe burnt So death thinking by causing Iesus Christ to die that he had ouercome all and brought all vnder his power and so assured his Empyre that it should neuer bee shooke found her selfe vanquished and beaten downe in such sort that she shall neuer be able to rise againe as the Apostle writes to the Corinthians that death hath bene swallowed vp of victory 1. Cor. 15. to wit that which it had thought to haue obtained when it caused Iesus Christ to die Then death ought not to be fearefull for the reasons which we haue deduced but to be wished for for those which we shall deduce hereafter For first it puts our soules in libertie and deliuers them from the torments anguishes feares mistrustes cares and desires wherewith they are cruelly tortured whiles they are inclosed in the filthie prisons of our vicious mortall and corruptible bodies And deliuers likewise our bodies from innumerable dangers whereto they are exposed as well by sea and by land as in all places where they are to be found Item from so many sorts of diseases and languishings which do vndermine and consume them with insupportable dolours Item from the necessitie and paine of labour vnto the which they are made subiect by sinne And finally from a continuall care which they haue to enquire and seeke after the meanes to be nourished cloathed lodged and fitted with all things necessarie for their entertainment But all that is nothing in regard of the good which it doth vs putting vs out of the danger of sinning any more and of being any more tempted of the diuell of the world and of our owne desires which cease not to solicite vs to do euill and to prouoke vs incessantly to offend God and by that meanes to draw vpon vs all the curses where with he threatens in his lawes all those that transgresse them and disobey him With what heate and vehemencie with what sighes and gronings did the Apostle desire and demaund of God that he would deliuer him from that pricking which he felt in his flesh 1. Cor. 11. from that Angell of Satan that buffeted him And after that long and lamentable complaint which he maketh of this law Rom. 7. which he saw in his members against the law of his vnderstanding rendering it captiue to the law of sin which was in his members vpon the conclusion of his discourse what a lowde crie commeth he to cast from the bottome of his heart Miserable man that I am who shal deliuer me from the body of this death whereby a bodie may know the mourning which this holy man made to see in himselfe the tyranny of sinne and to feele the violence which it vsed towards him constraining him to doe the euill that he would not to forsake the good which he desired to do with all his heart O then happy death who puttest vs out of so cruel troblesome a bondage Who shall also consider what a miserie it is to liue euen in the middest of the Church amongst barbarous people and such as the Apostle foretold should come in those latter times â— Tim. 3. to wit people louing themselues couetous boasters proud scandalous disobedient to father and mother vnthankfull contemners of God without naturall affection backbiters without temperance cruell hating the good traytours rash puffed vp louers of their pleasures rather then of God hauing a shew of godlinesse but denying the forme thereof And to be on the other side inuironed and besieged on euery part by people coniured and mortall enemies of the Gospell of Iesus Christ and of his Church mad and rauening dogs and wolues phrenticke dispiting God and his graces curious violent outragious prophane blasphemers hauing neither faith nor law nor feare nor conscience that can reproue or retaine their malice who I say shall regard what an anguish it is to conuerse in the middest of a nation so wicked and peruerse and to be constrained to see their abhominable impieties and sacriledge and heare their horrible blasphemises which without feare and shame they disgorge against heauen against the throne and Maiesty of God and will not complaine of the length of his life and say with Dauid Alas too long I slacke Within the tents so blacke Psal 120. Which Cedars are by name By
Gen. 1. hee did not make you to destroy you for he is the Sauiour of all men 1. Tim. 2. and desires not the death of a sinner but that hee turne and liue Wherefore I pronounce vnto you in the name of God Mat. 9. Marc. 2. that by his great goodnesse and mercy hee hath giuen you a pardon and full remission of all your sinnes Luc. 5. Titus 3. through the onely merite of his sonne IESVS CHRIST our Lord in the shedding of his most precious bloud Tim. 1. Act. 4. Reuel 1. 1. Iohn 2. for hee is the propitiation not onely for your sinnes but for the sinnes of the whole world Mat. 17. B. S. N. Iesus Christ saith with his owne mouth that all things are possible to him that beleeueth Beleeue then without doubting at all Rom. 1. Phil. 2. 1. Pet. 1. that Iesus Christ putting on our flesh made himselfe perfect man whereby hee died for you hauing borne all your sinnes in his bodie to abolish and blot them out Present vnto God the precious death of his Sonne Iesus Christ and by the merite of that death and passion aske him forgiuenesse and mercie saying from the bottome of your heart in all humilitie and repentance LOrd God Almightie be mercifull to mee poore miserable sinner for the loue of thy Sonne IESVS CHRIST my Lord and Sauiour Rom. 3. Iohn 14. and through the merite of his death and passion that it may please thee to receiue my soule Mat. 26. the which I recommend into thy hands B. S. N. Put your firme confidence in God for seeing hee is with you Rom. 8. no man will bee against you Iesus Christ who is the imaculate Lambe hath ouercome all for you Isa 61. Heb. 7.8.9 hee hath offered himselfe once for you and by that onely oblation hath quite done away all your sinnes he hath done away your folly vnrighteousnesse abhomination and obligation with this good Lord IESVS CHRIST God the Father hath giuen you all things B. S. N. Strengthen your selfe in IESVS CHRIST Rom. 8. who calleth and inuiteth you by his Prophets Apostles and Euangelists to addresse your selfe directly vnto him saying All that are thirstie Isa 55. Mat. 11. come to the great fountaine Isa 55. Mat. 11. Come to me all yee that are heauy laden and I will refresh you B. S. N. Beleeue stedfastly that IESVS CHRIST hath discharged you of all your sinnes 1. Iohn 5. and hath reconciled you to God his Father vnto whom in all humility and repentance say from the bottome of your heart Rom. 3. Iohn 14. LOrd God Almighty be mercifull vnto mee poore miserable sinner for the loue of thy Sonne IESVS CHRIST my Lord and Sauiour and by the merit of his death and passion Mat. 26. Psa 30. that it would please thee to receiue my soule the which I commend into thy hands B.S.N. Bee in hope for for a certayne hee will receiue your soule as his owne for the loue of Iesus Christ his Sonne our Lord Marke 16. Deut. 18. Psal 2. Isa 53. Genes 3. 22. Mat. 9. who is the Sauiour and Redeemer of all those that beleeue in him Moyses and all the Prophets haue testified that all people shall receiue saluation and blessing through Iesus Christ The Apostles and Euangelists testifie that Iesus Christ is not come to call the iust Iohn 10. Luke 22. but sinners to repentance and to giue his soule for the redemption of many for hee hath shedde his bloud for the remission of sinnes Beleeue then and doubt not at all for IESVS CHRIST hath made the purgation of all your sinnes Heb. 1. hauing promised that all those that beleeue in him and in his Father that sent him shall haue eternall life Iohn 5. and shall not come to iudgement but shall passe from death to life Got to then B. S. N. Take courage in Iesus Christ for hee hath loued you Isa 53. Reuel 1. and washed you from all your sinnes in his bloud Rom. 5. haue this firme faith to fight valiantly against the aduersarie haue no other buckler to defend you but that precious bloud of Iesus Christ who by vertue of his death and passion hath reconciled you to God his Father vnto whom from the bottome of your heart in all humilitie and repentance present this prayer LOrd God Almighty be mercifull vnto mee poore miserable sinner Rom. 3. Iohn 14. for the loue of thy Sonne Iesus Christ my Lord and Sauiour and by the merit of his death and passion that it may please thee to receiue my soule the which I recommend into thy hands Math. 26. Psal 30. B. S. N. Haue this hope and stedfast saith that this good God full of mercy will receiue your soule as his into his handes for the loue of his Sonne Iesus Christ Iohn 10. Act. 4. for there is no other name vnder Heauen giuen to men whereby wee must be saued and there is no saluation in any other but in IESVS CHRIST Then arme your selfe well with Iesus Christ For hee hath done all for you he hath accomplished the law for you Rom. 8. Rom. 10. he hath ouercome all for you Go to then B. S. N. Reioyce in God be alwaies stedfast in this liuely saith follow and imitate the holy Patriarkes Heb. 11. Prophets and Apostles who are all saued in this faith who do all assure you that the aduersarie cannot in any wise hurt you for your cause is gotten through IESVS CHRIST Iohn 5. 1. Iohn 2. who is your Iudge and your aduocate likewise wherefore say alwaies in this firme faith Although I should walke in the middest of the shadow of death yet would I dread none euill Psal 22. for thou Lord God art with mee B. S. N. Also bee neuer wearie with saying from the bottome of your heart in all humilitie and repentance LORD God Almightie bee mercifull vnto mee poore miserable sinner for the loue of thy Sonne IESVS CHRIST my Lord and Sauiour Rom. 9. Iohn 14. and by the merite of his death and passion may it please thee to receiue my soule Mat. 26. Psalm 36. the which I recommend into thy hands So be it A singular Prayer for a bodie greatly afflicted with sicknesse who is more likely to die then to liue With a little Catechisme made expresly to instruct the sicke and to make him by faith behold the mysterie of our redemption ECCLESIASTICVS 18. Before sicknesse take Phisicke and before iudgement examine thy selfe and in the presence of God thou shalt find propitiation NOw the Lord doth admonish vs to pray continually Mat. 26. principally when wee are touched with his correction Wherefore all such parents and faithfull friends as visite the sicke bodie ought not onely to visite and solicite the bodie Mat. 6. but also seeke after and desire the spirituall Phisicke for their soules Which ought
temporall things wherein he sees and discouers so much inconstancy and such sudden and frequent mutations or changes and that by such a despising of vncertaine casuall things he should stir vp himselfe vnto a contemplation of those that are diuine and heauenly And forsaking that which is heere perishing and transitorie vnto worldly men hee should chuse his part in heauen and should stay himselfe at that which is permanent and eternall For the like reason Philip the father of Alexander the great a man of good vnderstanding and of very great consideration to the end that in the middest of his great prosperity he should not forget himselfe in his dutie gaue order that one of his Gentlemen should eeuery day at his awaking come and speake these words vnto him King haue in remembrance that thou art a mortall man Iesus Christ also our Sauiour and Maister tending to the same end doth exhort vs to watch to lay vp treasures in heauen and not on earth where all things are vncertaine and changeable Wee see by that that during our life we cannot doe better then to thinke vpon death and our bodie being vpon the earth to accustome our selues to haue alwaies our spirit and heart in heauen Now because that the remembrance of death is a fearefull thing to many I haue bethought my selfe to passe away my griefes and to recreate my selfe from my other studies and also to giue you a testimony of the Obligation which I thinke I haue towards you as well for the good which you haue done vnto mee as for the friendship which you beare me to write vnto you and to present this small Treatise wherein I haue briefely touched certaine points wherewith the faithfull may arme themselues against death which hee ought to doe in time and prepare himselfe to receiue it with assurance at such time as it shal please God to send it for that which doth astonish many is that the comming thereof is suddaine vnto them and that they are surprised vnlooked for We see by experience in a frontier towne that when it is well victualled and prouided of all things necessary for to withstand a long siege those within are a great deale the more assured and bold whereas if it were vnprouided they would stand amazed and tremble with feare if they should chance to see the approaching of the siege It is easie to iudge by that of what importance it is to haue preuented a danger and to bee prepared for it Then to prouide and arme the faithfull man against death wee must note that there are two sorts of it the one is temporall of the body which Christiās ought to desire the other is eternall of bodie and soule which they ought not to feare perfeuering in the faith of our Lord. That it is so all feare presupposeth euill and danger we doe not feare that which is good but long after desire and pursue it and when it offers it selfe we receiue it ioyfully But an euill we apprehend and feare we flie from it and when it happens vnto vs we sorrow and do complaine If then it doth appeare by good and euident proofes that the faithfull man is not in danger of this second death may we not then conclude that if we feare it it is foolish and without occasion And surely if we had iudgement and neuer so little faith it were sufficient presently to take away the feare of it from vs. For first the proper nature of faith is to animate and quicken our heart so soone as it is receiued in vs. The iust saith the Prophet shall liue by faith Now euen so as the bodie whiles the soule is in it liueth and dieth not vntill such time as it be separated from it no more doth the faithfull man perseuering in the faith which hath bene inspired and put into his heart by the grace of God Although saith Dauid I should walke in the middest of the shadow of death I will not feare for thou art with mee O Lord. What was the cause of this assurance was it not faith wherewith we ought no more to feare death then wee doe sicknesse when we are in perfect health well disposed and in good liking or pouerty when we haue plenty and abundance of all good things Secondly by faith we haue remission and an abolition of all the faults which we haue done why doe wee then feare death There is no death where there is no sinne by sinne death came into the world saith St. Paul and else where The reward of sinne is death sinne causeth God to be angrie with vs and that in his anger he condemnes vs to death Now all seedes doth bring forth euery one according to their sort and qualitie The wheat bringeth forth wheat and the Rie Rie and we must not hope for any fruit if there be not seede before hand That being true and witnessed in a thousand places of the Scripture that vnto a Christian all his sinnes and debts are quitted him by the grace and mercy of God that they are forgotten that they are couered that they are not imputed and that they are remitted and pardoned that they are cast as farre from vs as the East from the West Prouided that there be no more seede thereof we neede not looke for any fruite That is to say if there be no more sinne there is no more anger of God nor of death and by consequent that also there ought to be no more feare Thirdly by faith wee haue the word and the promises of God whereupon it is grounded Among others this Who so beleeueth shall not die but is passed from death to life Now this promise can no more faile then he that gaue it vs. It is eternall And all that God saith is as sure and permanent as heauen or earth For this cause when wee looke into them wee ought in them to consider the vertue and power of this word by the which they were once created and euer since preserued and maintained in that estate wherein now we see them and to inferre thereupon that being of the same power and efficacy in all other things nothing is impossible nor vncertaine of all that which God doth say and promise vnto vs. And therefore as St. Iames saith Receiuing his holy word by faith in our hearts and the promises which hee hath made vs to giue vs eternall life wee ought to assure our selues of it and take away all feare and apprehension of death What was the cause of the ruine of vs and our forefathers was it not because they did decline from the word of God to follow their owne fancies and the counsell of Satan If then to the contrarie wee will cleaue to it without leaning any iot neither to the right hand nor to the left wee shall liue by it and in it Hearken vnto mee saith God speaking by Esay and your soule shall liue And Zacharie in his Canticle Hee hath giuen vs a science
Christ crucified Let death come let it take vs let it binde vs yet shall wee breake the bonds as easily as did Samson those of the Philistines his enemies let it swallow and deuoure vs as the Whale did Ionas yet shall it be faine to disgorge and cast vs vp againe if in the middest of the depth wee doe remember God and call vpon him Let it bury vs as it once did Iesus Christ yet shall wee rise againe as hee did and it shall be impossible for this Tyrant to retaine vs vnder his power After hauing shewed how wee should arme our selues against the apprehensions of eternall death let vs also shew that we ought not only nor to feare the temporall but also desire it and when it pleaseth God to send it vnto vs to thanke him for it to reioyce at it to embrace it and to sing for ioy whether it be that we behold the misery the mishappes and euils of this life from which it doth deliuer vs or else the ioy and contentment of eternall life wherto it doth bring vs. As for the pouerties miseries incertitudes fragilities accidents and mutabilities of this life not onely the Scripture but also diuers wise and great Philosophers doth shew them vnto vs And there is one amongst them who declaring the originall of the Greeke phrase signifying life sayeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is that life hath beene so called of the Greekes because of the violence of the assaults excesse pains and outrages which therein we suffer which are innumerable both in body and soule Our bodies are subiect to colde to heat to hunger to thirst to time to age and to so many diseases that there is no part but hath his particular infirmity the feete are subiect vnto the goutes the belly vnto gripings the sides to pleurisies the stomack to rawnesse the lights to the cough the head to a thousand diseases we neede but a Spider or other little worme to kill vs wee neede but a haire or a crumme to strangle vs in summe the flesh with all it strength is nothing else but grasse Is it to day greene and pleasant let but the Sithe passe it will cut downe a thousand leaues at once which in an howre will be drie and withered The Greekes doe call the body of man in their language Soma and Demas whereof the one is taken from a phrase which signifieth to binde and the other comes neere to that which signifieth Sepulchre for to shew vnto vs in what estate and disposition soeuer he be he doth represent rather death vnto vs then life and seruitude then liberty As for the soule it is first subiect to all the euils and diseases of the body for it is vnpossible if that be ill but that for the coniunction amity which is betweene them it must endure and feele paine Moreouer shee hath her owne as ignorance sinne mistrust suspicion iealousie hatred enuie loue lust ambition and passions the which as tormentors do hale her the one one way the other another as if they would pull it to pieces I leaue a million of importunities which she hath and which man taketh to attaine to his purposes to liue in rest and at ease to be in honour to maintaine his alliances and friendships to beware of his enemies to encrease his house to maintaine and keepe it in it greatnesse the which doe torment vs oft-times in such sort that we can neither eate nor sleepe at ease And we must not thinke that there is any estate exempt from this misery begin at the highest Prince or Emperour that euer was in the world and so discoursing descend to the poorest begger that euer the earth did beare and you shall not finde one content neither the Artificer nor the Merchant nor the Aduocate nor the Gentleman nor the Duke nor the King enter into their closets there you shall often finde them as said Menander laid vpon their beds with a mournfull voyce and pittifull crying Alas alas Valeriê° speaketh of a King vnto whom the Scepter and Diademe were offered before he put it on his head he tooke it in his hands then hauing looked long vpon it he cryeth out O Diademe if one knew the miseries and incumbrances which thou doest bring there is no man that finding thee vpon the ground would once take thee vp shewing by that exclamation that the life of Kings is lesse happy then that of priuate persons Tiberius Caesar vnder whom Christ was crucified and who commanded that he should be worshipped as a God also as Tertullian recordes it after the death of Augustus his predecessour who by will had left him heire as well of his goods as of the Empire which being offered him by the Senate according to custome doubted a great while whether he might accept of it by reason of the feare that hee had of the weight of this charge and of the paine that he was to suffer in the vndergoing of it Dioclesian after hee had held the Empire some twenty yeares left it of his owne accord chose for the rest of his time to liue a peaceable and domesticall life wherin after the great agitations and stormes of trouble which he had had during the time of his gouernement he found the rest to be so sweet and pleasing his minde so contented and freed that many times amongst his familiars he did witnesse that the time had neuer seemed so good to him nor his sun-shine daies so pleasant shewing by these wordes how he did abhorre the imperiall life although that few Emperours before or after him had had such honours in victories and other prosperities as he had These examples do sufficiently shew that the life of Kings is not so happy as some men sometimes esteeme them more by errour then by reason and they are so farre from being at quiet and without trouble that by reason of the great care and trouble that they haue the auncient Greekes surnamed them anacas dia tô anacôs échin sayth Plutarke in expounding the words which is as much according to his exposition as who should say carefull By how much a tree is planted and seated in higher place by so much the more is it subiect to the winde also are the great men more then the commons to diuers fortunes and accidents the thunder-bolts and the tempests fall ordinarily in high places so do the great and pittifull misfortunes vpon men of state and renowne And if in this world the estates which wee esteeme most of are subiect to so many mishaps what may we thinke of others which we our selues by reason of the discommodities which are ioyned vnto them doe flie from the esteeme vnhappy So wee see that there is not any estate that of it selfe doth make a body happy or contented and as in estates besides the common miseries euery one hath his owne particular also haue all the ages of man euils which are proper vnto them In his child-hood he is
bodies which are in it and death and hell those which are in them for as much as the Lord hath the keyes of hell and of death hauing power ouer them Moreouer God cannot be true Reue. 1. nor truly wise nor Almighty nor Iust if he doth not raise the dead and by consequent cannot be God And so who denieth the resurrection denieth also that there is a God for seeing by his word he promiseth to raise vp the dead if he doe it not he is not true And seeing that he declares that he will haue it if he doth it not it followes that it is for want of knowledge and of power and so shall neither be truly wise nor Almighty Also he shall not be iust if he doth not render to euery one that which he promiseth him for the Author to the Hebrewes saying that God is Heb. 11. Mat. 10. Marc. 8. Luc. 9. saith also that he is a remunerator to those that require it Now in this world the children of God haue nothing but afflictions euery day being set out for a shew as men condemned to death and being made a spectacle to the world Cor. 4. John 16. to the Angels and to men As our Sauiour also saith to his disciples that it shall come vnto them You shall weepe and lament and the world shall reioyce 2. Tim. 3. The Apostle declares that whosoeuer will liue holily in Christ he shall endure affliction Act. 5.20.21 Col. 1. Heb. 10.11 Mat. 6. Marc. 14. 1. Cor. 10. 11. 1. Thes 1. 3. Psal 37. We see that the Apostles those which receiued their doctrine haue almost alwaies bene in continuall afflictions In our time the afflictions of the faithful haue bene notorious that there is none so simple but may see them On the contrary part the wicked in steed of receiuing punishment in this world are ordinarily better at their ease then the faithfull and doe flourish like the bay tree as saith the Prophet Wherefore there must necessarily be an other place where the good shall be recompenced with ioy the wicked with sorrow otherwise God should not be iust and Christ should haue died in vaine But will some one say God doth accōplish his promises vpon the soules of the iust his threatnings vpon those of the vniust and by that meanes God shall not let to be iust although he should not raise againe the bodies of men With this we must consider that if it be so that a free retribution is done to the soule as according to the promise of God it ought to be done to the iust and punishment is iustly inflicted vpon the soule of the reprobate to the end that the iustice of God may be safe so must it of necessity be that the bodies be remunerated some with honour others with disdaine to the end that God may remaine iust for euer For euē so as the soule of the man renued by the holy Ghost giueth it self to serue God so doth the body whē it ceaseth frō euil doing Reue. 12 and being euen readie to be martyred for professing the Lord seruing to iustice holinesse For example we haue the Prophets Rom. 6. Act. 7. St. Stephen the Apostles so many Martyrs and true seruants of God Reue. 6. 8 whose bodies haue greatly giuen themselues to serue God also in like manner as the spirit of the wicked doth employ it selfe but only to offend God likewise they employ their bodies to serue to filthinesse iniquity and to doe all euill which is so apparant that there needs no example to proue it By that meanes who so denies the truth of God Rom. 6. 7 his wisedome his power his iustice and so takes God from being God and as much as in him lieth maketh him the father of lies and he makes no conscience to make the incarnation and bodily passion of Iesus Christ vnprofitable For if the bodie doth not rise againe what needed he to take humane nature vpon him and to suffer in it to deliuer our bodies from the euerlasting curse Seeing that if it were so that the bodies being dead should so returne to the earth that they should haue no more being and so could neither enioy the ioy nor suffer paines and sorrowes had it not bene enough that he had onely suffered in soule Marc. 14. being heauie to the death for to deliuer the soules from hell Whosoeuer then denies the reestablishment of bodies through ignorance makes the humanity of Christ vnprofitable and accuseth God the Father of cruelty as if he had taken pleasure to see his welbeloued Sonne so cruelly entreated without hauing for his part deserued it and without that it should serue to the elect he maketh him also for his part in blaspheming a lyer with his father because he saies that he will raise his at the latter day Iohn ◠In like manner doth he accuse the holy Ghost of vanity which by the mouth of the Prophets hath prophesied foretold the resurrection of the dead Then he disanulleth Christian religion for if the dead do not rise againe Christ also is not risen and so the preaching of the Apostles should be false and we should be abused to beleeue their doctrine and those which are dead in Christ should be cast away Cor. 15. The Lord fitting himselfe to our capacity as the mother nurse to the child teacheth vs the celestiall things by the comparison of the things terrestrial to the end we may comprehend that which otherwise is incomprehensible vnto vs. And touching the matter which we haue now in hand the Prophet Esay declares vnto vs Esay 19. that euen as in Winter the grasse of the field seemes to be dead and in the spring after it hath felt the dew it springs and waxeth greene againe also likewise our bodies being dead shall rise againe when at the latter day they shall feele the dew of the grace of God hearing the voyce of the Sonne of man The Apostle saith that as the seed must die before it be quickned Mat. 24. 1. Thess Iohn 5. 1. Cor. 15. and then it riseth by vertue of the sap which it hath had in the earth in greater glory then it was sowen so likewise all men must die seeing they rise againe the elect in greater glory then they were set vpon the earth Rom. 8. Thess 4. by the vertue of the eternall Spirit of Iesus in whom they died the reprobate in greater dishonour then they were before by the vertue of the immortall spirit of Satan in whom they are departed For seeing the Lord doth so excellently vnfold his power towards the insensible creatures we ought not to doubt but he hath at the least as much will to shew his power in making them to rise againe for whom Christ died to the end to crowne them with glory and his enemies to be charged with shame and infamie seeing they
then assayled with many and sundry feares and tyred with many cares it is good to thinke vpon it in good time and foreseeing it make a good prouision in our minds of that which may comfort and strengthen vs against all the apprehensions that either may any way trouble or disturbe them in vs. Whereunto nothing is more necessarie then to haue the word of God alwayes ready and at hand thereby to strengthen our faith on euery side where the diuell would either breake or make breach therein as wee see our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST did who by this meanes sent backe Satan confounded who came to present himselfe vnto him in the wildernesse to tempt him And it is an vndoubted thing that a faith so grounded vpon such rockes as are the promises of God and Iesus Christ who is the warranty thereof can neuer be beaten downe what shockes soeuer the diuell and our other enemies can hit against it Which is the reason that hath induced mee to write this little Treatise of the comfort of the sicke wherein I haue briefly gathered the passages of the Scripture which haue seemed mee most fit to treate and deduct this matter well If it may profit and bring any edification to the Church of God it is all that I haue pretended or desired in the writing therof A TREATISE TO COMFORT THE SICKE AND TO ASSVRE THEM AGAINST THE FEARES AND APPREHENSIONS OF THEIR SINS OF DEATH OF THE DIVEL of the Law and of the Anger and Iudgement of God THE life of all men that liue in the world is besieged on euery side with many aduersities whereof some are particular to some and the others are generall and common to all as are Death and the diseases which tend therevnto the which ordinarily astonish vs by so much the more as they are more dangerous and that there is lesse meanes to auoid them For although that Kings Emperours and other Princes and great Lords can sometimes with the helpe of God and the great meanes which hee hath administred vnto them preserue and warrant themselues from many dangers yet none of them can saue or exempt themselues but in the end they must die either in the warres by the sword or in their beds through age or sicknesse or elsewhere by such accidents as God by his prouidence euen before they were borne had appointed vnto them which Dauid teacheth vs in many places as in the 82. Psalme where he speakes of Princes Psal 82. I had decreed it in my sight As Gods to take you all And children to the most of Might For loue I did you call But not withstanding yee shall die As men and so decay Psal 49. Though Princes you yet must you passe As others cleane away Item elsewhere where he speakes in general of the condition and end of all men Psal 89. What man is he that liueth here And death shall neuer see Or from the hand of hell his soule Shall be deliuered free or And againe in the Psalme following Thou grindest man through griefe and paine Psal 90. To dust to clay and then And then thou sayest againe returne Againe yee sinnes of men So here we see it is an inuiolable decree and ordinance of God that all men that come into the world come with this charge not to stay there long like vnto trees which are fastned to it by the rootes but to thrill lightly through it as doth the water 2. Sam. 14. and to goe forth of it as soone as it shall please the Lord to call them And although that the most part of vs indeauour as saith the Prophet to make alliance with death Isay 28. or at the least to haue some truce or respit with it for to put backe and stay the comming thereof we experiment neuerthelesse euery day that our time being come and the day of our assignation past we must appeare before the Iudge at the houre present and at the very instant to heare from his mouth a diffinitiue sentence by the which life or death is adiudged vnto vs. Then the first and principal care which we ought to haue Psal 62. is not too seeke as did the King Asa for the Phisitions 2. Chro. 16. and to vse the recreates and directions which they appoint vs to arme vs against the diseases which may befall vs nor yet presentatiues as vsed Metridates to auoide the danger of poisons which our domesticques or others may prepare for vs nor finally a strong horse Psal 33. a well tempered sword a corslet of proofe to assure vs againe the hazards of a battaile for there is nothing of all these that can breake the ordinances of God or warrant vs from his anger nor in briefe in any sort turne the effects and executions of his will But the first thought that should present it selfe before our eyes whether it be that we will anticipate the euils which wee foresee may happen or turne away those which are already happened vnto vs is to desire and seeke after the fauour and grace of God which is the most soueraigne and fittest remedy that men can choose sodainly to preuent all their aduersities Now by reason that I haue beene prayed by some brethren my friends to gather together set downe in writing some passages and places of Scripture to comfort the Sicke and to strengthen them against the terrors and apprehensions which then they may haue as well of their Sinnes as of Death of the Diuell and of the Iudgment of God Rom. 13. 1. Cor. 13. 1. Cor. 12. Ephes 4. which is yet more fearefull then all the rest knowing that charity binds mee vnto it by the which as with a band all the members of the body of IESVS CHRIST are straightly tyed together and that also it was one of the parts of the charge which God did impose not only vpon the Ministers of the Gospell but also vpon the ouerseers which are giuen and associated vnto them for helps and assistants I would not refuse them although I am not ignorant that diuers of my fellowes vnto whom God hath imparted more of his graces are more sufficient to deale therein then I am neuerthelesse seeing that the members in what rancke or degree soeuer they bee ought not to denie any labour to the body which is in their power I will assay with the helpe of my God what by his grace I can doe for to content them and satisfie to their desire Leauing then apart all other sorts of affliction wherewith it pleaseth God to chastise and exercise his children Let vs here only speake of sicknesse and of death and let vs propound briefly the meanes and consolations the fittest we can for to instruct and accustome men to take and beare them wisely and moderately beginning at sicknesse which is not a casuall thing and which happens rashly now to some then to others as it fals out but we must thinke that it is sent
ready to excuse and couer all his faults doth not he deceiue himselfe to thinke that he is faithfull hauing no better faith then that of Diuels nor that can any more assure them at the day of iudgement then doth theirs Item doth not faith take away from vs the iudgement and condemnation of God Iohn 3 â— 5. Rom. 8. as saith Iesus Christ that he that beleeueth commeth not to iudgment and S. Paul that there is no condemnation for those that are ingrafted by faith into the body of Iesus Christ Now those which liue according to the flesh and that haue no feare to doe that which God forbiddeth and to the contrary to omit that which he hath commanded how can they auoide the sentence of death and malediction giuen and pronounced in the law against all those that transgresse it seeing withal that they doe it wittingly and willingly of set purpose Iohn 3. Psal 44. Rom. 3. If their consciences condemne them God who is more then their consciences and who knowes and sownds their hearts to the depth how can he be able to absolue them Item faith when it is true doth clothe vs with the iustice and spirit of Iesus Christ which doe hold together and follow each other in such sort that the one is neuer found without the other As then albeit that the spirit of God cannot reside in vs but it must doe his worke that is to say but it must illuminate sanctifie quicken guide and gouerne in our counsailes thoughts affections wordes and actions what faith doe wee thinke wee haue if wee doe not shew it by a holy and laudable conuersation Gal. 5. Ephes 4. mortifying and crucifying our flesh with all the hists thereof putting off the old man with all his affections shunning and detesting all sorts of vices and applying our selues on the other side to all sorts of vertue 1. Thess 5. abstaining not only from euill but also from all things that may haue any shew of it And for conclusion continuing this exercise without any interruption vntill he end of our life Mat. 10. For if any one as saith the Prophet hauing done his duety by liuing well for a while Eze. 33. comes to stray and to decline from the strayte way before they bee gotten to the end God will haue no remembrance of all his precedent iustices and will not approue one of them when he shall come to heare his accompt for he doth not promise saluation and life to those that haue begunne well but to those only that with all alacritie and a heart inuincible haue continued vntill the end And giueth not the crowne of prise and immortality but vnto them that shal runne to the end of the race 1. Cor. 9. and haue duely fought all the dayes of their life Simil. For what good doth it to a Merchant that goeth to Sea towards the Indies to lade his shippe with some precious commodities if after he hath escaped many perils and sayled happily some fourteene or fifteen Moneths hee comes to split his shippe and to suffer ship-wracke before hee arriues at his port All those that went out of Egypt vnder the conduct of Moyses did not enter into the land of Canaan for the most part stayed by the way and were excluded from the rest which God had promised to their fathers by reason of their incredulity and other vices which the Apostle repeates in the first to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 10. Also wee must not hope once to enioy the happy euerlasting life which God hath promised and kept for his elect if we doe not perseuere vntill the end in the faith of his word and the obedience of his holy will the which is giuen to very few Moreouer faith when it is true is it not alwaies accompanied with a heate and vehemencie of Spirit which brings it forth for to confesse the name of God to sing his praise publikely Rom. 10. to preach and announce his Miracles euery where also for to make a publike confession and profession of Iesus Christ and his Gospell and without any feare shame or dissimulation to maintaine and defend the truth constantly against all those that resist and will contrary it But if wee will well examine our selues and iudge truely and without any flattery of all our actions wee must acknowledge and confesse that amongst the most of vs there is a maruellous slacknesse to doe our dutie in this behalfe and that we haue bene very cold and timorous when it hath bene question to oppose our selues against the wicked whom we haue heard and seene to blaspheme the name of God Iesus Christ religion and the truth holding our peace and suffering that in our presence the honour of God was not onely stained and offended but troden vnder foot without opening our mouthes to speake one word in the defence thereof Ah what zeale haue we also shewed to redresse the Tabernacle of Iacob which was quite throwne downe What pitie and compassion haue we had seeing the ruines and horrible desolations happened so long since to the poore Citie of Sion Is there any man that can say that he hath employed himselfe and meanes as he ought to reedifie the Temple of God and close againe the breaches which the enemie had made on euerie side of his Church How many is there of vs to whom it cannot be iustly reproached that hee hath bene too much more curious in building againe and repayring his owne house then Gods Aggee 1. For indeede there are very fewe that haue in such recommendation as they ought the pure and legitimate seruice of God for to reestablish it when it is broken and prophaned and to preserue it when it is whole And neuerthelesse although that wee are so cold and negligent to procure that the Order and Estate of the Church should be put into her first dignitie and splendour and that God may be there preached knowne and worshipped in spirite and truth as is required in his word there is none but thinke themselues faithfull and Christians yea of the most perfect although that they seeke not the kingdome of God and his iustice Mat. 6. but after other things and then onely when there remaines nothing of his smallest businesses to be done If to be short the most certaine iudgement that can be giuen of a good tree is the goodnesse of the fruite which it bringeth forth we may also iudge of faith that it is good when it sets our conscience at rest Rom. 5. and that in it we feele neither feare nor inistrust nor scruple nor doubt nor sorrow nor torment that can trouble or call it in question before God but are altogether resolued and assured to be absolued in his iudgement and iustified of all the faults and accusations which the diuell may there propose against vs by the meanes of the ransom which Iesus Christ hath these paied by his death and his bloud for
stony nature the spirituall seede were not able to take roote therein nor to fructifie no more then the bodily seede cast vpon a stone for a land vntilled The sicke being then thus resolued of the remission of all their sinnes neede not in any sort to doubt but that they are in the grace and fauour of God and that from thence they may infallibly hope for eternall life For there is nothing that can exclude vs from it but sinne only the which being not imputed vnto vs but being couered and quite blotted out what is it that can hinder or keepe backe God from vs And if by faith as hath been said we remaine conioyned and vnited inseparably with him who is a fountaine of life Ephes 3. and the scope of all good things what can we desire but we shall presently finde it in him Psal 56. What mishap or misery can wee feare being in his fauour If he be with vs who shall be against vs Then are we assured that the good will that hee beares vs shall be continued for euer and that there is no creature in the world that shall be able to turne it from vs as writeth S. Paul to the Romans I am assured that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principallities nor Power nor things present nor things to come nor heigth nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which he beareth vs in Christ Iesus our Lord. And a little before this passage What shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall it be tribulation or anguish or persecution or hunger or nakednesse or perill or sword All men then that haue beene ingrafted once by faith into the body of Iesus Christ and by consequent adopted of God and receiued into his fauour and into his house as his child neuer departs from thence afterwards But as he is assured of his election by his vocation and iustification which haue followed Rom. 5. also is he of his glorification which is the conclusion and as it were the crowne of his saluation For the gifts and the vocation of God are without repentance which the Apostle writes very plainly to the Romans Rom. 8. Those that he hath predestinate he hath also called and those that he hath called he hath also iustified and those that he hath iustified he hath also glorified And although that there are alwaies many vices and infirmities in vs and that it euen happens sometimes vnto vs to fall very heauily as it happened to Dauid S. Peter S. Paul and almost to all the Saints yea the perfectest that euer were neuer he lesse there is a point vpon the which we should be alwaies grounded and which ought greatly to comfort vs and vphold vs against all the assaults and temptations of Sathan which is that which Saint Iohn saith 1. Iohn 3. Whosoeuer is borne of God doth not sinne meaning to death for the seede of him remaines in him and hee cannot sinne because he is of God which he declares yet better else where 1. Iohn 5. All iniquity faith he is sinne but there is some sinne which is not to death we know that whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not For by that hee giueth sufficiently to vnderstand that faith and the word of God which is in the soule and in the foundation are neuer altogither drawne away and exterminate out of the hearts of the elect and that by that reason they cannot commit that sinne which S. Iohn cals to death For although that faith bee sometimes as it were buried in them hauing not any mouing nor feeling no more then a dead thing neuerthelesse it is not altogither quenched no more then a fire couered in the ashes Simil. although it neither shew his light nor heate nor likewise dead no more then a tree in winter when the sappe being drawne to the roote bringeth forth neither flowers nor leaues nor fruit that shew any life which neuerthelesse is clasped vp within and hidden in the roote There is the reason for the which Dauid speaking of the faithfull man in the 27. Psalme saith Though that he fall Psal 37. yet is he sure Not vtterly to quaile Because the Lord stretcheth out his hand At neede and doth not faile And eeke his seede I will sustaine Psal 89. For euer strong and sure So that his seate shall still remaine While heauen and earth endure If that his sonnes forsake my law And so beginne to swerue And of my iudgments haue none awe Nor will not them obserue Or if they doe not vse aright My statutes to them made And set all my commandements light And will not keepe my trade Then with my rodde will I beginne Their doings to amend And with scourging for their sinne When that they doe offend My mercy yet and my goodnesse I will not take him fro Nor handle him with craftinesse And so my truth forgoe But sure my couenant I will hold With all that I haue spoke No word the which my lips haue told Shall alter or be broke Psal 23. And finally while breath doth last Thy grace shall me defend And in the house of God will I My life for euer spend Psal 30. For why his anger but a space Doth last and slacke againe But in his fauour and his grace Alwaies doth life remaine Though gripes of griefe and pangs full sore Shall lodge with vs all night The Lord to ioy will vs restore Before the day be light Psal 65. The man is blest whom thou doest chuse Within thy courts to dwell Thy house and temple he shall vse With pleasures that excell Psal 119. Of thy goodnesse still shewd to me Thou wilt not Lord I frustrate be All these passages and others like out of the Scripture must be alleaged to the sicke to strengthen their faith on euery side and to furnish and arme it strongly against the inflamed darts and arrowes of the Diuell to the end that on which side soeuer hee may shoote them hee may not finde any place bare where hee may reach or wound him For wee must not doubt but then hee will vse all his forces and all his sleights for to shake our faith and to ouercome vs. But the meanes to defend our selues is to keepe our selues alwaies in our fortresse and neuer to depart from the promises of God whatsoeuer hee can alleadge to the contrary Let vs propound vnto him that which I say saith that Israel is saued by the Lord with an eternall saluation Isay 45. and that we shall not be confounded nor ashamed from this time forth for euermore And elsewhere Isay 51. The heauens shall vanish away like smoake and the earth shall bee worne out like a garment and the inhabitants thereof shall likewise bee abolished But my saluation shall be for euer and my iustice shall neuer faile And to the end that the demonstrations which
for euer and of his people promising also neuer to change but to continue in his alliance for euer without euer departing out of his seruice nor to make any other reckoning after but only to honour him and to celebrate and sanctifie his name Although that such assemblies of the Church militant whereof hath beene seene some pictures in these latter times and should yet be seene if Antichrist and his adherents did not hinder it be the goodliest excellentest and most to bee wished for thing that can bee seene vpon the earth as saith the Prophet O God thy house I loue most deare Psal 26. To me it doth excell I haue delight and would be neare Whereas thy grace doth dwell Item else where Psal 42. Like as the heart doth breathe and bray The well-spring to obtaine So doth my soule desire alway With thee Lord to remaine My soule doth thirst and would draw neare The liuing God of might Oh when shall I come and appeare In presence of his sight Psal 92. It is a thing both good and meete To praise the highest Lord And to thy name ô thou most high To sing with one accord To shew the kindnesse of the Lord Betime eare it be light And eke declare his truth abroade When it doth draw to night All these passages and many other sufficiently shew in what estimation hee had the holy assemblies which he preferred before all other pleasure And to say true all men that know and feele in themselues what the loue the goodnesse gentlenesse mercy clemency benignity wisdome faithfulnes patience verity power greatnesse maiesty iustice liberality and other soueraigne and infinite vertues of God is they can neuer sufficiently content themselues with thinking on them with preaching and celebrating them with worshipping and admiâ—ing them and summoning not only the Angels all the hosts of heauen but also all the elements all the plants euen the vnreasonable creatures to magnifie his name to reioyce infinitly when they heare him exalted and glorified Although that neuerthelesse the praises that men liuing yet in the world sing vnto God caÌ„not be so holy nor so well framed but there will be much more to be desired for being alwaies vnperfect as we are to what degree of faith or charity soeuer we haue attained besides hauing a flesh the which fights incessantly against the spirit and holds it backe and hinders it when it would lift it selfe vp to God it is impossible that we should heare the word of God with such zeale attention as might be required nor likewise that wee should make our confessions prayers and thansgiuings with such humility as we ought So it is yet that when we heare the singing of Psalmes spirituall Hymnes Canticles and Songs to eccho sound in the middest of the assembly out of the mouthes of the faithfull although they be infirme weake poore and miserable sinners we doe not let to be rauished transported out of our selues with the great ioy that we feele in our harts what may we then think of the pleasure which we hope to receiue in heauen when that our soules separated from our bodies being then mounted shall heare that sweet musicke and harmony of Angels and other happy Spirits singing with one accord the praises of God with such a melodious sound that the contentment and ioy which they shall conceiue thereby shall make them in an instant to forget not only all displeasure but also all other pleasure Like as a Tubbe of water is no more seene so soone as it is cast into the Sea nor the brightnesse of the Starres when the Sunne beginnes to shine and to cast his beames vpon the earth Moreouer when we die in the faith of our Lord we are euen at the same instant most happy that is to say that then we haue no more desires but such as are holy and which at the selfe same houre of our death are fully glutted and satisfied Which is not a small felicity that wee hauing no more flesh to contrary the spirit nor rebellious appetites to reason nor law in our members disagreeing to the law of God but that all tumults and troubles ceasing in our hearts we may haue a soule altogither spirituall calme peaceable liuing wholly to God and which may be so fastened and vnited vnto him that neither by temptations nor any occasion it can be distracted neither from his loue and seruice nor from the beholding of his face Is there any thing more pleasant to behold then a well gouerned city where all the citizens and inhabitants are of one minde and streightly bound togither by a true and firme amity that giue no way to contentions annoyances debates quarrels partialities diuisions tumults and seditions but hold togither and liue all in an amiable concord Is there likewise any thing more to be wished for then to see a house well ordered where the Father and Mother of a family with the children and seruants walke altogither in the feare and obedience of God contayne themselues within their bounds without exceeding nor yet forsaking the rule and measure which God hath giuen in his law St. Paul in many places of the Scripture propounds vnto vs the sweete harmony which is betweene all the members of mans body Rom. 12. 1. Cor. 12. and the mutuall communication which is betweene them of their faculties and powers without being enuious of the dignity the one of the other or that the other contemnes his fellow for his basenesse being desirous by this comparison to teach the Church the fraternity and iust proportion which ought to bee in the members thereof for the good and conseruation of euery one in particular and of all the body in generall which is the goodliest thing and most agreeable that is to be seene if it might bee seene amongst men It is also a very pleasant thing to heare a good lute well tuned when it is touched by a skilfull player But yet there is nothing more pleasant then a soule well tuned in all her faculties when the vnderstanding thinkes no more vpon any thing but God and our will loueth desireth nor aspires after any thing but him and finally our memory hath no other remembrance but of him as it happeneth vnto it when hauing forsaken the body it is receiued in Paradise For then it is all filled with God 1. Cor. 15. who is in her all things afterwards as saith the Apostle that is to say all her thoughts all her loue and desires all her delights all her remembrance Briefe all her good her part her wishing and contentment is in God Seeing then that by death wee attayne to a good which wee cannot finde in this world in what state soeuer wee are and what commodities soeuer wee haue for there is no King nor Prince nor Plowman nor Merchant nor Aduocate who liuing in this world doth not often complayne and who hath not great occasions to complayne many
things happening to all of them contrary to their liking desire and hope are not wee then much beholding to death when in a moment it maketh vs to enioy the soueraigne good which consisteth in the perfect rest of our mindes and in the satisfaction of all our desires the which indeede vaine men in vaine seeke for in the transitory thinges of this world There is yet an other point which ought to make vs to embrace death willingly when our houre is come which is that it putteth vs in possession of all the good thinges which Iesus Christ hath purchased for vs. For whiles we liue in this world we are saued as saith S. Paul but by hope only But when by death wee depart out of it then we shall enioy the euerlasting life and that so great good which the eye the eare the vnderstanding and the heart of man cannot conceiue nor apprehend the greatnesse of it It was a great pleasure to the children of Israel when after so long and hard a bondage in the which they had bin detained in Aegypt after so many crosses and euill encounters which they had had in the deserts of Arabia the space of forty yeares they saw that they were arriued at the riuer of Iordan and that they wanting nothing but the passage therof to enter into the possession of the land which God had promised to their Fathers and which they had so long looked for A yong man also that hath beene a long time vnder the keeping and protection of a rigorous and inhumane protector that hath vsed him hardly and hath suffered him to endure very much without administring those things that were necessary vnto him hath not he great matter of reioycing seeing the time approch in the which hee is to be emancipate and to goe out of his keeping to bee at liberty and to enioy his goods and pleasure and that without any more controulement The yong children of good house that are with a King or in the house of a Prince and great Lord vnder the hand and conduct of a seuere and sharpe Rider or Tutor who nourisheth and entertaineth them vnder a good and rigorous discipline are so glad when they are discharged of being Page and that they goe out of the feare and bondage in the which they haue beene long and stricktly detayned The young Maidens likewise that haue beene very shortly curbed in their Father and Mothers house during the time of their child-hood and youth leape for ioy when there is speech of marrying them and reioyce yet more when they are affianced but the scope of their pleasure is when they are espoused and giuen into the hands of a husband that loues them and is agreeable vnto them for by this meanes they are wholly satisfied We also that here below by the preaching of the Gospell of Iesus Christ and the faith which we haue added to his promises haue as it were affianced or betrothed him what occasion shall we haue to reioyce when our soules departing from their bodies shall flie vp into heauen to marry him and to celebrate the nuptiall feast with an alacrity and contentment that shall neuer end nor be interrupted nor troubled neither by death nor by sicknesse nor by any other accidents that may euer happen vnto vs It shall be then that our spouse comming to meete vs shall say that which is written in the booke of Canticles Come hither my loue enter into the closet of thy friend that thou and I may peaceably and without feare enioy our loues Thy winter is passed and so are likewise the Raine the Snow the Haile the Cold and Frost and all this sharpe and cruell season which thou hast beene faine to endure till now with much paine but the spring wherein thou doest now enter shall last thee for euer and likewise all the pleasures that accompany it Enter then my loue into the ioy and rest of thy Lord then shall it bee that the saying of the Prophet shall bee accomplished Psal 126. Full true it is That they which sow in teares in deede A time will come When they shall reape in mirth and ioy They went and wept In bearing of their precious seede For that their foes Full oftentimes did them annoy But their returne With ioy they shall sure see Their sheaues home bring And not impaired bee And that being out of custody and wardship and taken from vnder the hands and discipline of our Tutors wee shall bee set in full liberty and possession of the heritage which God our good Father hath promised and destinated vnto vs when hee adopted vs for his children that is to say of eternall life and of the Kingdome of heauen which is a good that here may well bee hoped for but for to speake of it or thinke it it is impossible what tongue or eloquence soeuer should bee imployed therein for the greatnesse of it passeth all humane capacity Now hauing fortified the sicke against the feare that hee may haue of death hee must also bee assured against the feare of the Diuell who holds the Empire of death Hebr. 2. For it is then as at a last assault that hee vseth all his indeauours and that hee prepares all his engins against vs to assay to carry vs away but being in the safe keeping of our Pastor who is vigilant and watchfull to keepe vs and stronger to defend vs then can be the Wolfe and the Lyon to assault vs wee ought not to feare for who can snatch vs out of his hands Iohn 10. seeing that hee and his father who is greater then all are but one in essence in power glory and maiesty VVee then are assured that as there is no subtlety that can surprise or beguile his wisedome that also there is no force sufficient to combate and resist his power Let vs then keepe our selues vnder the shaddow of his wings and assure our selues that he will keepe vs well and surely and will hinder that the Diuels nor other creatures shall be able to hurt nor offend vs as saith the Prophet Psal 91. He that within the secret place Of God most high doth dwell In shaddow of the mightiest grace At rest shall keepe him well Thou art my hope and my strong hold I to the Lord will say My God is he in him will I My whole affiance stay And after hee hath spoken of some euils from the which he doth assure the faithfull that they cannot come neare them at last he comes to the Diuels ancient and mortall enimies to mankinde and speaketh of them in this manner Vpon the Lyon thou shalt goe The Adder fell and long And treade vpon the Lyon yong With Dragons stout and strong For he that trusteth vnto me I will dispatch him quite And him defend because that he Doth know my name aright Where we see the victory which he promiseth vs ouer the Diuels And the example of the Apostles Luk. 9. vnto
to be done by good prayers confession of sinnes and Christian exhortations according to the word of God Mat. 4. without the which man cannot liue And to that end that all things may be done in good order and with zeale first it shall bee conuenient to fall downe before the Maiestie of God and pray vnto him beginning Our helpe is in the name of the Lord who hath made both heauen and earth Then present vnto him the generall confession of sinnes and consequently this present prayer as followeth LOrd God Almighty and father of mercy we heere assembled in the name of thy welbeloued Sonne our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Mat. 18. Iohn 14. in his fauour haue bene so bold as to present our selues before thee to call vpon thy holy name hauing our onely refuge to thy soueraigne goodnesse the which we doe not onely desire to feele and taste in our selues but also in the necessitie of thy poore creature being afflicted with sicknesse in body Iames. 5. affliction and calamitie of minde We know Lord that thou hast iustly visited and chastised him with thy rod 1. Cor. 11. to make him to vnderstand thy fatherly affection But thy great mercies the which thou hast vsed towards our fathers Psal 78. are not quenched and consumed For thou art the great God euerlasting Mat. 26. Psal 102. propitious and mercifull that neuer alterest Thy holy word teacheth vs plainely that the whole earth is full of thy mercies the which do much surmount this iudgement wherefore Lord appease thy wrath towards thy creature Haue pitie and compassion on him for the loue of thy Sonne IESVS CHRIST our Lord Looke not vpon his sinnes Iohn 14. Heb. 7. 9 but looke vpon the face of thy Christ who hath sufficiently satisfied thee for him in offering vnto thee the great Sacrifice of his bodie on the Crosse VVee beseech thee then O God most benigne and full of mercie to make him to feele thy grace which thou diddest neuer refuse to thy children And because thou art our eternall Father Mat. 6. knowing well what is expedient and necessay for our saluation wee doe not pray thee to prolong his life or to abridge it For wee relie vpon thy holy will vnto the which onely wee desire to please Rom. 11. Thou art wise without counsell to dispose of thy creature according to thy good pleasure If it please thee to call him who is it that can resist Rom. 8. Iohn 11. If thou please to restore him to health againe who is it that can reproue thee For all thinges are in thy handes and nothing is done without thy will and holy prouidence Neuerthelesse Lord if by thy fauour thou doest prolong his daies Psal 22. thy rod shall serue for a chastisement vnto him to amend and conuert him vnto thee and wee with him will render thee thankes and praise But if thy will bee setled to make him passe into a better life wee beseech thee in the fauour of thy Sonne Iesus to forget all his faults and sins the which it was thy will to haue blotted out Reuel 1. and washed in the shedding of his precious bloud May it please thee by the merite of the death and passion of thy Sonne to receiue his soule into thy handes Mat. 16. Psal 20. when it shall please thee to call him out of this world Lord God doe not despise the worke of thy handes Psalm 137. Psal 129. Psal 51. for behold thy poore creature almost consumed who calleth vpon thee out of the bottome of his sorrowes presenting vnto thee his sorrowfull and penitent soule with his humbled heart which wee beseech thee to accept in good part for the loue of thy Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord Iohn 14. in whose name thou hast promised to grant our requestes Wherefore Lord wee beseech thee to receiue vs into thy holy keeping illuminating our hearts and vnderstandings to addresse our selues towards thee and to call vpon thy holy name Mat. 6. as thy Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord hath taught vs to pray vnto thee for all our necessaries saying Our Father which art in heauen c. Finally O God most benigne Father and full of mercie that it may please thee alwaies to sustaine vs by thy grace and vertue to the end that through the infirmitie of our flesh wee doe not fall And because that of our selues wee are so weake that wee were not able to remaine stedfast one minute of time may it please thee to fortifie vs by thy holy Spirit and to arme vs with thy graces that wee may constantly perseuere in faith without the which it is not possible for to please thee Heb. 11. May it please thee then to confirme vs from day to day in it whereof we will make a confession with heart and mouth saying I beleeue in God the Father c. The prayers ended you may looke how the sicke bodie doth and inquire of his health with friendly wordes and Christianlike speeches And if you perceiue that hee declineth and that no signe of health doth appeare a little after you may chuse a fit time to speake to the said sicke bodie and aske him whether hee hath a good minde to talke of God and to hearken to his word whiles hee is yet in his good sence that if hee bee of God Iohn 8. you may beginne this little Catechisme that followeth A SHORT CATECHISME which is not only to instruct the Sicke but also to refresh their memories with the great mysterie of our redemption Eccles 18. the which well to vnderstand and keepe in his latter dayes hee ought to make Confession of his faith before the assistants of the faithfull whereof one of them in the absence of the Minister ought to examine him as followeth THE MINISTER B.S.N. EVery man that knoweth himselfe well and is not ignorant of his condition and quality surely he ought to confesse that notwithstanding that he is created after the Image and likenesse of God Genes 1. neuerthelesse that he is conceiued and borne in the sinne of old Adam Psal 51. Ephes 2. Rom. 5. whereby he is made a poore miserable sinner ignorant inconstant and full of iniquity and consequently subiect to all miseries afflictions aduersities and finally to death All which sinne hath caused which because God would not leaue vnpunished he afflicts vs daylie and to speake better he chastiseth vs in this world to the end not to damne vs with the world wherfore 1. Cor. 11. Psal 31. B.S.N. Bee patient in your sicknesse and you shall possesse your soule in spirituall ioy Acknowledge your sinne and accuse your selfe before the Maiesty of God vpon whom you must looke by faith making confession thereof with heart and mouth before all the assistants for it is written Rom. 10. that men beleeue in heart to righteousnesse and with their mouth confesse to saluation Hearken
Iesus Christ Mat 26. Hebr. 1. by the shedding of his precious blood in the which I assure my selfe to bee sufficiently and intirely washed and purged which is the greatest good and contentment that I could euer receiue And such is my faith Mat. 10. in the which I will liue and die by the grace of the holy Ghost The Minister Seeing you haue receiued such a great good from God by the meanes of his Sonne Iesus Christ it is also fitting that you should doe his commandement for euen as he doth pardon you and maketh a remission of all your sinnes Mat. 11. likewise you must also pardon with all your heart all those that may haue offended you Mat. 15. Otherwise you shall not walke according to God The Sicke In that I haue knowne the faith of Iesus Christ to bee alone holy and perfect Mat. 19. commanding vs to loue our neighbours friends and enimies as our selues wherefore I beseech all those to whom I may haue offended Luke 23. either in thought word or deede to pardon mee with as good a heart as I forgiue all those that haue offended mee desiring to doe them pleasure and seruice as to my good Brethren and Friends The Minister Then seeing it is ordayned of God that all men must die Hebr. 9. Genes 3. we cannot resist his ordinance but wee ought alwaies to conforme our selues to his holy will Wherefore Brother you must not finde it strange if I say that to you which the good Prophet Isay said to King Ezekias speaking from the Lord Isay 38. Dispose of thy house for thou shalt die and shalt not liue This good counsell ought to stirre you vp to fit your selfe spiritually in your conscience That is first to conuert your selfe to God and to bewaile your sinnes Jsay 55. as did that good King desiring his mercy asking him forgiuenesse and saying alwaies in your heart Lord God bee propitious and mercifull vnto mee poore miserable sinner for the loue of thy Sonne Iesus Christ my Lord and Sauiour Afterward you must not forget your house and familie the which you ought so well to order and dispose of by a good will or last Testament that afterward it may bee in peace and tranquility But to make you better to vnderstand the disposing of your house you ought to giue euery man his owne without deceiuing any man You must leaue your wife your heire your children and friends in good friendship and charity to the end that after your decease 1. Iohn 2. they may haue no occasion of discord That done you must forget all the troubles and sorrowes of the world which passeth away with the lust thereof But who so doth the will of God Mat. 26. endures for euer Touching your children you ought to be only a natural father for a time but God is their spirituall Father for euer hauing them in his holy keeping and protection to conserue preserue and nourish them from all euill prouided that they will walke in his waies Moreouer seeing you are a Christian regenerated by the holy Sacrament of Baptisme you know long since that wee haue not here a permanent Citty Hebr. 13. for wee waight for a better which is euerlasting Wherefore I pray you in the name of God not to vexe your selfe with any sorrow for this world For here wee are all but strangers Psal 38. as were our Fathers When then God shall appoint that you must dislodge and goe before vs will you not conforme your selfe to his holy will and ordinance Also if hee finde it expedient for your saluation to prolong your life Isay 38. as hee did to good Ezekias will you not bee contented with what soeuer it shall please him to doe with you Yes surely for hee is Lord and Master you are but his seruant Hee is your Creator you are his creature and the workemanship of his hands By that meanes then he will dispose of you at his will vnto the which onely you ought to conforme and humble your selfe saying vnto him with all your heart LOrd God thou knowest my necessitie if it please thee to prolong my life thy will be done If also it please thee to call me vnto thee thy will be done for thy creature Lord hath no other will but thine Now Brother comfort your selfe in God whom if hee hath appointed to call you your calling shall bee happie for you must beleeue and hope with a stedfast faith that hee will cause you to rise againe in your owne bodie 1. Cor. 5. in immortalitie and glorie for to make you reigne with him in euerlasting life the which is purchased for and giuen vnto you in the vertue of the pretious bloud of our Lord and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST Reuel 1. In whose name the Lord GOD blesse and preserue you and make his face to shine vpon you and bee propitious vnto you The Lord turne his fauourable countenance towards you and maintaine you in good prosperity so be it THat done if you see the sicke body to waxe worse and to draw neare to his death as desirous to tend to his appointed end presently in his mortall agony you must not faile to repeate before him with a loude voice the Christian Comfort which is here before set downe Which doing God will giue him the grace to die well and faithfully Amen L. S. V. FINIS A TREATISE TO TAKE AWAY THE FEARE OF DEATH AND CAVSE IT TO BE DESIRED OF the faithfull man WITH A SHORT DECLARATION OF THE RESVRRECTION OF THE DEAD AND with certaine Prayers and Meditations LONDON Printed for Richard Bankeworth 1611. To the Reader FRiendly Reader the first of these Treatises being come forth of his Countrey of Aniou to be communicated to other nations at the last it fell into my hands And seeing that diuers did greatly desire it as well for the vtility as for the breuity thereof I was also willing that it should be communicated to those of our nation adding vnto it an other little Treatise of the Resurrection of the dead and some good Prayers and Meditations fitting to this matter that we might all learne betimes to die well which is the lesson which therein as learnedly as briefly is taught vs. Wherefore if I finde that my intention be agreeable I will indeauour to goe on from good to better to serue to the publike good Farewell this 21. of March 1583. A TREATISE TO TAKE AWAY THE FEARE OF DEATH AND CAVSE IT TO BE desired of the faithfull man PLATO said that the Philosophie wherein man liuing in this world should principally exercise himself is the meditation of death that is to say of her conditions fraile diseased and mortall of the diuers accidents of this humane life and of her houre so vncertaine and vnknowne to the end that considering these things hee might withdraw his affection and trust from this world that he might despise it and all
of saluation And Saint Peter speaking to IESVS CHRIST Thy wordes are wordes of eternall life If God the Prophets and Apostles doe assure vs that the word of God receiued by a true faith in our heartes doth there quicken keeping and retaining it what occasion haue wee then to feare death Moreouer by faith wee dwell in IESVS CHRIST and haue him dwelling in vs who hauing life in himselfe as his father doth quicken vs and all those vnto whom he doth communicate himselfe Wherefore then being his members flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones briefe being one with him shall wee feare death Hath not hee power ouer it and not onely for himselfe but also for vs He saith St. Cyprian who hath once ouercome death for vs will alwaies ouercome it in vs. Hath not hee beate downe dispossessed chased and spoyled Satan the Prince and Lord of death hath not hee accomplished the law and by this perfect obedience which hee hath borne to God his Father appeased his anger satisfied his will and abolished the malediction of the law which is nothing else but death Did not hee die to make it die when hee rose againe hath not he broken and dissipated all the torments plucked downe the gates of Hell and triumphed ouer her and all her power Say not henceforth saith St. Paul who shall go vp into heauen or who shall descend into the depthes for to bring life vnto vs for IESVS CHRIST is dead and risen againe from the dead for to deliuer vs from death and risen againe to restore vs to life Hee is our Pastor And for this reason wee ought not to feare that any creature should snatch vs by violence out of his handes or can hinder him from giuing vs eternall life He is our Aduocate we ought not then to feare to be ouerthrowne in iudgement nor that by sentence we should be condemned to death He is our Mediator we neede not to feare the wrath of God Hee is our light we neede not to feare the darkenesse He is our shadow and our cloude we ought not then to feare the heate of the fire eternall no more then did the children of Israel the heate of the Sunne in the Wildernesse being hidden vnder the pillar Let vs then for these reasons forsake and cast behinde vs all feare of death the which hauing had no power nor aduantage ouer the head shall haue no power ouer his members Item By faith we haue with Iesus Christ God his Father and are allied ioyned together with him as he saith by his Prophet I will marry thee if thou wilt promise me thy faith and Iesus Christ in St. Iohn Hee that loueth me will keepe my worde and I and my Father will come and dwell in him for this reason we are also called his Temples because we are consecrated and dedicated vnto him by his holy spirite that he should dwell in vs. Now seeing God is with vs we haue the originall the fountaine the cause the beginning and the author of life we haue the great Iehouah of whom all things depend by whom all things are and moue in whom the Angels Arch-angels Principalities the heauens and all the elements consist we haue him that is the true Zeus from whom al creatures visible and inuisible take their life and their being by the participations which they haue with him We haue him who is the true Promitefz most perfect and soueraigne worke-man of all things who by his breath doth quicken and make them to liue We haue ton Theon that is to say he who discoursing all things by his power infinite doth preserue them Wee haue to make short AEL that is to say he who onely can satisfie and by his presence cause that of life of all other good things we shall haue and thinke we haue enough Shall we then feare death in such company If as S. Augustine saith God is the soule of our soule we cannot die but by being separated from him the which Dauid doth confirme in one of his Psalmes saying Those shall perish O Lord who doe depart and go from thee which being considered let vs striue onely to keepe him with vs by faith and obedience and besides let vs take away all the feare which we may haue of death Againe by faith wee haue the spirite of God you are not carnall sayth S. Paul writing to the Romanes but are spirituall for who hath not the spirit of God are none of his And else-where speaking to the Galathians Haue you not the spirit of God by faith Now this spirit is the spirit of life if God withdrawes it from his creatures they die they perish and come suddenly to nought to the contrary when he pleaseth to send and powre it vpon them he raiseth and restoreth them in an instant euen as we see a Hen brooding of her egges by a secret vertue doth disclose and bring them to life albeit that before they were without soule or feeling Euen so doth the spirit of God al creatures by his diuine power He giueth testimony and doth assure vs in our hearts that we are the children of God to the end that from him as from our father by a certaine and assured hope wee should waite and looke for life He is as a pledge vnto vs for feare left wee should doubt Hauing such earnest of life hauing testimony from him who being the spirit of truth cannot lie nor abuse hauing him himselfe who is the preseruer of all creatures shall we feare death It is as much as who should feare the darkenesse at none-day the spirite of him who hath raised againe Iesus Christ and who hath vp-held him because he should not be ouercome of death being in vs will quicken vs also saith Saint Paul and wil preserue vs from it let vs then put away all feare of it Faith also causeth that God doth adopt and repute vs for his children you are all children of God by faith saith S. Paul and S. Iohn he hath giuen power to al those that shall receiue him and beleeue in his name to be made the children of God then being children we are the heires co-heires with Iesus Christ and we are by the meanes of this adoption certaine once to come vnto life vnto the rest and vnto the glory wherein we shall reigne eternally with his Father Moreouer being children of God we are of his houshold and it is not in his house where death dwelleth it is in hell in the diuels house in heauen and the place where God abides there is an vnspeakeable light so great a beatitude and happinesse that in the contemplation thereof Dauid crying out said O that they are happy that doe inhabite and dwell in thy house And else-where In this consists all my good Lord that I may be neere vnto thee Again being children we are at liberty free from sinne free from death free from the condemnation and rigor of the law freed from
the seruice and force of the diuell what do we feare being then children of God and consequently brothers of Iesus Christ Is it possible that he can euer denie or abandon his flesh and blood or suffer them to die hauing power to saue them Conclusion Being the children of God our Father hee loueth vs with a loue vnfained and fatherly And if as saith S. Paul during the time that we were his enemies hee had such a care ouer vs that not sparing his onely begotten Sonne he hath deliuered him ouer to death to preserue vs from it and to reconcile vs vnto himselfe now that wee are his friends and in his fauour will he not saue vs Who is that man who considering these reasons will not presently assure himselfe and doe away all feare which he had of death That which also ought to assure vs against death take away all feare which we haue of her and the dishonour of the tribulation of the horror and anguish prepared for the reprobate and damned is our calling that God of his grace hath vouchsafed to withdraw vs out of the darkenesse wherein we were and to illumine vs by his holy spirite teaching vs by his holy word wherein we ought to trust and wherein lieth our saluation and so what we ought to doe to please and obey him to the end that walking in his law and seruing him in all iustice and holinesse we might after we haue a little suffered in this world be faithfully glorified with him in the end for that which God beginneth he will accomplish and when he hath determined to call any one to him and to saue him hee neuer changeth his counsell neyther doth repent himselfe of the good that he will doe vnto him He is vnchangeable and so stedfast in his purpose and determination that that which he once willes and ordaines he doth execute without being turned from it If then we feele in our selues that God hath giuen vs the grace to heare to beleeue and to loue his word and to flye from and reiect all that which is contrary to it and to haue an affection to obserue that which he commandeth vs and a dislike if haply by infirmity or otherwise we chance to commit any thing against his law let vs not doubt but we are regenerate elected and predestinated to eternall life and consequently out of danger of death Let vs then take away all feare and let vs say with Saint Paul What shall separate vs from the loue and charity of God what shall make vs to thinke that he hath not a will to saue vs It shall not bee paine affliction hunger persecution nor any aduersity nor death nor any creature whatsoeuer shall make vs to doubt that hee doth not loue vs in the fauour of Iesus Christ and that hauing chosen called and iustified vs in him but that finally he will also glorifie vs by him The Sacraments which IESVS CHRIST hath left vs for the confirmation of our faith ought likewise to assure and strengthen vs against the feare of death First Baptisme by the which wee are buried and die with Christ that wee may rise againe with him in the which wee are washed from all our sinnes and clothed with his innocency to the end that presenting our selues to the Father so adorned and couered with the robe of our elder brother we may receiue his holy blessing and be saued from the great deluge wherein all the infidels perish as Noe was in his time by the Arke Hauing then the promises of God as we haue said before and ouer and aboue his signe by the which he is bound to render that life to vs which we haue lost by our sin wherfore doe we feare death doe we thinke that he wil reuoke or that he wil denie and disauow his signe Secondly the Lords Supper where wee take the bread and the wine for to be receiued into the Communion and participation of the body and blood of our Lord Iesus Christ and by consequent into the fruits of them that is to haue part in his obedience in his iustice in his satisfaction and redemption in the Testament and new alliance and generally in all the promises of God the which by his death haue beene ratified It remaineth now to conclude our purpose and to inferre vpon the precedent things that if we feare death it is for want of considering them or if wee doe consider them it is for want of beleeuing them for there is no man so timorous being firmely perswaded of that which is spoken but will take away all feare of death and will say with Dauid I shall not die but alwaies liue to declare perpetually the workes of the Lord and praise him And who will not scorne at it with S. Paul and insult vpon it saying O death where is thy victory where is thy sting where is thy strength where is the terrour and feare which men had of thee Iesus Christ our Sauiour perceiuing the time of his death draw neare said that in short time hee should passe from this world to goe to his Father calling death a passage which should greatly comfort vs. We haue almost all this opinion rooted in vs and it is that which doth so discourage vs that it is a dangerous passage vneasie Now for to take it from vs and to stirre vp our hearts he would needes passe it before vs and as it were sound the depth to the end that we seeing that he did not sticke at it should take courage as also we see before and after him the Prophets Apostles Martyrs and other holy personages haue done it who hauing passed it without any apprehension of danger and being escaped safe and well doe now reioyce with God that they are gotten to the land and to the port where they did aspire Shall we then be such cowards shall we be so faint-hearted and of such render and effeminate courage as to feare to goe by a place so frequent and a way so great and beaten that men go it as said some of the Auncients blindfolded Likewise we see that not one alone of those that trusted in God calling vpon his ayde that put themselues to passe it did euer miscarry when the children of Israell did feare at the passage of the redde Sea Moyses did shew vnto them that if they would trust in God they should see his glory and power which they did see passing safely through the middest of the danger whereas their enemies did remaine so shall all the faithfull through the straights of death prouided that they commend themselues to God and doe onely set their trust vpon him They being in the desarts although they were bitten by the Serpents yet were they preserued from the danger in looking vpon him that Moyses had caused to be erected although also that the cursed and enuious serpent hath tainted vs with his venome yet shall we not die if by faith we looke vpon Iesus
full of infirmities without vertue without vnderstanding without the vse of reason and speech and without wit and he must be fifteene yeares olde before he is capable to know onely what estate is fittest for him wherin oftentimes he deceiues himselfe chusing that whereunto he is least fit Is he come into his youth he is rash aduenturous foolish passionate voluptuous prodigall drunkard gamester quarrelsome whereby it hapneth oft that in this age hee falleth into great inconueniences and dangers to be imprisoned to be hanged to lose his goods and euen to bring his parents with sorrow to the graue When this great heate by little and little begins to coole and diminish and that hee waxeth a perfite man then he must labour night and day for to entertaine his house nourish his children and prouide for them for time to come he is besieged now with desire and coueteousnesse then with feare lest his children should remaine vnprouided for lest they should behaue themselues ill and lest they should doe some dishonour to their house The age of vertue and perfection declining behold in our sight old age comes creeping on in the which man is sickly vnwieldy cold and forsaken and as among the seasons of the yeare the last is Winter and the most troublesome so amongest all the ages of man is the olde age That which I haue said is not the hundreth part of all the euils whereunto the sicke man is subiect and neuerthelesse that little which wee haue spoken of it is sufficient to shew that in all estates and in all ages it is miserable and as said Menander life and misery are two twinnes for they are borne grow they are nourished and liue alwaies together the which nature teacheth vs in two things First in that the little children comming into the world they alwaies crie as presaging the euill which they are to endure if they liue long Secondly in that coming forth of their mothers belly they are all bathed in bloud and are more like vnto a dead man whose throate had bene lately cut by murtherers then to any thing else Two ancient Philosophers considering these things said the one That God did loue those which hee takes out of this world in their childhood the other That it were good neuer to be borne or else to die presently Surely it is a wonderfull thing and which sheweth well that we haue want of vnderstanding that although life were neuer so vglie and disfigâ—â—ed and that in all her partes there were neither grace nor beauty that could commend it we neuerthelesse should be so in loue with it that we alwaies desire to keepe it and neuer to change But we are much abused for it is more vncertaine then it is miserable for to shew vs the vncertainty of it the Auncients called it a shaddow and a dreame which are the two things in the world the most vaine and least setled in our estate Pythagoras being once demaunded what humane life was spake neuer a word for his custome was to answere and instruct more by signes then by wordes but went into a chamber and came forth againe presently signifying that the life of man is but an entring in and going out And IESVS CHRIST exhorting vs to watch grounds himselfe vpon nothing else but vpon the inconstancie and vncertaintie of this life Watch saith hee for you know not at what houre the Lorde will come And who is that man in how good disposition and happinesse soeuer hee bee that can promise himselfe to continue in it but a day Those in Samaria doubted of nothing when in an instant they were destroyed by the ruines of the Tower of Syloe In the time of the flood they did build and made marriages and banquets when suddenly contrary to the expectation and opinion of all the world the raine fell in cleere weather which raine did ouerflow the whole earth The rich man wherof mention is made in the twelfth of LVKE though hee was very secure who hauing so much wealth that hee knew not where or whord it made acount to giue himselfe to pleasure and to liue after that time at his ease when while hee was standing vpon these termes beholde the Sericant of GOD comes and arrests him to appeare the same day to giue vp an account vnto him of all the precious things and goods which hee had left and which hee had gathered with such great labour But it is labour lost to goe about to prooue a thing so manifest and which we experiment and see daily For in this world there is nothing more ordinary nor more frequent then that which Ouid saith that the life of man and all humane things are hanged and doe hold but by a little threed Let vs behold then seeing on the one side the great euils whereof it is full and on the other side the inconstancy of the good which it hath if we haue great occasion to desire of God that he would prolong it vnto vs or to complaine or discontent our selues at death when it taketh it away from vs Wee haue vnderstood the euils from the which death doth deliuer vs Let vs now come to consider the good which it bringeth vnto vs from thence we shall yet better know that we ought not onely not to feare shune and auoid it but also desire it with all affection For one of the goods only which we enioy by deathes meanes is greater then all those which we can haue in the world liuing in it for euer By it first we rest as saith St. Iohn in his Apocalyps And after that we haue endured and are almost consumed with innumerable troubles and labours dying our spirit goeth into heauen our bodie into the earth as into a bed there for to rest and refresh it selfe The poore artificers are so glad when euening drawes neere and that it is almost night that they may be paid for their labor and goe home to rest themselues or when after they haue laboured the sixe daies in the weeke that Sunday comes when they hope to recreate themselues and recouer the force and vigour as well of their bodies as of their mindes we ought not to be lesse ioyfull when the time of our death draweth neere which wee ought to waight for and desire as a holy day in the which wee hope to rest and by the pleasure which therein we take presently forget all the sorrowes and troubles which wee haue had in this world The end of all that we doe and of that which we purpose is it not our rest Why doe we gather goods with a thousand troubles and as many dangers why doe wee studie why doe wee fight why doe we labour why doe we all other things Is it not by that meanes to come to ease and to a rest which we pretend and seeke as a soueraigne good What is the principall reward which God doth promise to his people and to all those that serue him faithfully
death to those that were not succoured and warranted by Iesus Christ But in the kingdom of God and of Paradise we shall eate of the fruit of the tree of life which shall alwaies keepe vs yong and fresh and which more is will make vs incorruptible and immortall There is that which wee shall taste VVhat shall we smell A hall of perfumes the garments of the bride and the bridegroome perfumed with all odoriferous and fragrant things It shall be then that the Church shall triumph that the vine being blossomed shall giue such a pleasant odour that the whole heauens shall bee filled with it There shall be no stinke for there shall be no corruption wee shall there plainly smell the sweetenesse of the Sacrifice which Iesus Christ made for vs on earth so great and pleasant that the Father for the pleasure which he tooke to smell it was reconciled with the world and his anger towards vs hath bene appeased What a pleasant Sacrifice and precious Incense is also the praises of the Saints who with one accord doe glorifie God and sanctifie his holy name Moreouer what an odour giues that faire flower sprong from the root and sappe of Iesse now that it is in it force strength To conclude we cannot misse there to smell good odours for our Winter shall then be past we shal be in a perpetuall springtime wherin all things shal grow and flourish for the delectation and pleasures of the Church For to satisfie our desire and content the lust of our selues we shall touch no more neither shall we be touched of any thing that may hurt vs. VVe shall be gathered vp by IESVS CHRIST our Lord and Sauiour who will come at the entrance to receiue vs saying Come hither faithfull seruant thou hast serued me faithfully in the world while thou hast beene in the world enter now into the ioy and rest of thy Lord. He will kisse and embrace vs and will keepe vs neere to his person without suffering vs to depart or go farre from it Now if the greatest good that vnto the which all others are referred be this felicitie which doth consist in a possession and enioying of all good to the contentment of our will and of all our sences with what a desire should wee waite for death by the which we attaine it Moreouer death doth deliuer vs out of all dangers In this world night and day within and without we are alwaies in feare of perill Our life is a cruell and bloody warre we haue a great many enemies that kill vs continually and doe assay by all meanes to destroy vs the diuels watch for vs and cease not compassing about like deuouring Lyons and rauening Wolues to see whether they cannot surprise vs and carry vs away the world sometimes by enticings and allurements sometime by threates and violence endeuours to trie and turne vs out of the right way Our flesh on an other side doth flatter and tickle vs and the better to vndermine vs with great cunning doth propound and lay before vs things wherin wee haue most delight It weepeth also sometimes to stirre vs vp to pittie it all to the intent to winne vs and cause vs in all points to yeeld vnto it and that it may maister vs. Now if we consider our infirmitie our stupiditie and negligence the little warinesse and watchfulnesse that is in vs wee may iudge in what danger we liue It is impossible that we should liue in this world among so many that are infected and that with so great a contagion without falling often into sicknesse Is it possible that wee should so often grapple with such strong and mighty enemies without being sometimes staggered and ouerthrowne Is it possible that we should go in such durty and muddy waies without being durtied We see it in good Saints of old time who could not gouerne themselues so well but the serpent who alwaies dogs vs at the heeles hath reached them with his venome but that they haue fallen in diuers faults some in incredulity others in Idolatry others in adultery others in excesse and drunkennesse others in murthers there is none of them but had his fall yea sometimes so great heauie that they had bene altogether bruised if God had not vpheld them with his hand Ought not we then follow the example of St. Paul and as he did crie Who shall deliuer vs from these dangers wherein we liue whiles our soule is in this miserable mortall body Let vs confesse that it is our gaine and profit for to die that by death we may be fully deliuered from all mortal things Againe death puts vs in full possession of all the promises of God and of those goods which Iesus Christ hath purchased for vs that we hope for of him He in dying hath freed vs and purchased our liberty and neuerthelesse wee see our selues still in great seruitude We are Kings Lords Iudges heires of God coheires with Iesus Christ the Prince of heauen and earth yet it seemes not so whiles we liue in this world for there wee are beaten and vsed like seruants like children vnder age we haue as yet no vse nor managing of our goods Kings and great Lords though we bee we are often in such necessitie that we haue neither bread to eate nor water to drinke nor wooll to couer vs. Moreouer IESVS CHRIST hath purchased for vs the grace of God a perfect Iustice life eternall an immortall incorruption glorie and vertue to our bodies and to our soules an assured peace and quietnesse a ioy and a contentment but this good hath not yet bene deliuered vnto vs for often times wee experiment the wrath and iudgement of God Wee feele the concupiscences and vicious desires of our flesh In our bodies there is corruption mortality and weaknesse and in our spirit troubles anguish and as it were a studious and intestine warre betweene our good and bad desires which fight the one against the other and because these euils are more grieuous so are the abouesaid goods more great more to be desired If then although they be already purchased for vs and that they bee ours we neuerthelesse cannot come to the possession of them but by death are not we for this reason much bound vnto it Ought not we to loue and desire it The children of Israel being arriued at the riuer of Iordane seeing on the other side thereof the fruitfull land which God had promised them and that being passed they should beginne to enioy it and to rest had they not great cause to reioyce and to passe the riuer with great alacrity And why not we when we shal come nere vnto death that is to say to the passage beyond the which is our country our house or City our friends kinsfolks our rest our ioy and our pleasure The child who during the time of his minority hath alwaies liued in feare base seruitude doth he not reioyce
and esteeme it as an incomparable good Epaminondas at the houre of his death perceiuing his friends about his bedde weeping comforted them saying Reioyce O my friends for your friend Epaminondas is going to begin to liue Is death then an euill which hath nothing else of that which we esteeme death but the name and reputation for indeed it is a life Also is this life a good which hath but the name of it for in effect it is a very death both the one and the other as saith Saint Iohn Chrysostome is masked and haue both false faces Life which is so euill fauoured hath the faire which maketh it to be beloued death which is so faire hath the vgly which maketh it to be feared and hated When it presents it selfe vnto vs so masked at the first it seemes fearefull but if wee put vp the maske wee shall finde it vnderneath so faire and beautifull that presently wee shall bee inflamed with the loue of it Let vs then take away this vaine feare of death let vs beleeue that which is true that it is the greatest good that can happen vnto vt That which anciently Apollo answered to Pindar being questioned what thing hee did esteeme the most healthfull profitable to man To die answered he It is said of Cleobis and Biton that God would recompence them for their piety and obedience respect which they had borne towards their mother Now hauing giuen them leaue to demaund what they would they referred themselues to his iudgement as knowing best what is most profitable and necessary for vs then our selues What came of it the same day they died Whereby did appeare that there is nothing more profitable vnto man then death by the which we are ledde into a place of pleasure where we begin to liue In the olde time the Sepulchres were built in gardens which was done not onely for to bring into our mindes our end in taking of our pleasures and delights and by that meanes to moderate them but also for to instruct vs that death is a consecutiue after pleasure and Paradice and is as a passage for to enter into a pleasant Orchard it is the reason for the which at Athens when they buried the dead bodies they turned their faces towards the East and not towards the West to shew that in death our life and light begins Why doe we put our bodies in Sepulchres as in chests if it be not to shew that they are not lost but layed vp as pretious vessels of the holy Ghost that in time they shall be taken forth and shall be put into light for the decoration of the house of their Lord. These things considered let vs take away all feare and apprehension of death let vs reioyce and sing as doe the Swannes when they are neere their death let vs say with Dauid Lord I haue beene glad when it hath beene said vnto me Goe to let vs goe into the house of our Lord. It remaines now before we end this present Treatise to shew how we should behaue our selues at the death of our friends and how to mittigate the sorrowes which we conceiue for them which to do we must consider that which followeth First the vnauoidable necessity of al men the which cannot be remedied neyther by counsaile nor any other meanes Dauid hauing a regard thereunto did comfort him-himselfe after the death of his little childe for whom hee had wept and prayed so much during his sickenesse when there was yet some hope to impetrate of God by humble prayers that he would restore him to health but when he saw that it was too late that all teares were now vaine and vnprofitable he left his mourning and began to reioyce Iesus Christ saith that euery day hath afflictions enough of it selfe to trouble vs without that we should heape on those of others or of those that are gone renuing it by the remembrance of them or of those which are to come anticipating by feare and coniecture It is an instruction most necessary and which we ought all to take for the rest and tranquillity of our mindes Secondly we must consider whē our friends die that it is the will of God which doth nor ordeyneth nothing but for the good of his children as saith S. Paul to those that are loued of God all things succced turne to their profit if we do not beleeue that we are vnbeleeuers if we beleeue it we ought not to grieue for any thing that befals vs for all is profitable to vs. Now there is no great reason that we should hide vs from our profit The soueraigne wisdome of God is cause that there is nothing better done then that which he doth and his goodnes that there is nothing better if there be nothing better nor better done then that which he ordeyneth and disposeth and he disposeth of vs and of our affaires and generally of all that which hapneth vnto vs why do we 〈◊〉 row why doe we desire any thing else For we cannot haue any thing that is better why do we complaine For all is well and cannot be better done We must thirdly thinke that to dye is a thing general and common to all We passe and flye away as doth the water of a brook and it is an act and statute of our God that we must dye all if then that happen vnto vs which is common to all is it not a great folly and pride in vs to desire to be exempt from the common condition and to wish for a particular What are we the worse that our friends are dead so doe those of our neighbours die Menander writing to a friend of his to comfort him alleadged this reason vnto him Thou shouldest haue sayth he iust occasion to grieue if thy fortune and destiny were worse then other mens but if it be alike why dost thou complain There are more that if we would diligently consider and make an intire comparison betweene vs and others we should finde there are an infinite many worse fortuned then we are And that is true which Anaxagoras said as reporteth Valerius the great that if it were possible to assemble all the miseries of the world on a heape for afterwards to part them by equall portions there is not hee but would rather chuse his owne then his part of the whole heape Seeing that we are not alone losing our friends and that if we will looke into it wee shall finde that there are enough more ill at ease then we let vs content our selues that so it pleaseth God and let vs not desire immortall friends where we see those of others to be but mortall Againe let vs thinke that it is a naturall thing to die as it is for winter to be colde and sommer hote Our bodies saith S. Paul are mortall Then let vs not maruell if in winter there be raine frost and snow for the season brings it Let vs not maruell that the night
lye hid in him so that at the day of the separation of our soules from our bodies wee may finde it wholly in heauen waiting with assured rest and ioy the happy resurrection of this flesh in the which all corruption infirmity and ignominie being abolished and death being swallowed vp of victory wee shall liue eternally with thee in an incomprehensible happinesse in thee by the which thou shall be glorified Maintaine then thy children O Lord in this faith and hope finishing thy worke in vs vntill they be altogether with thee for to enioy the inheritance and the glory which thine onely Sonne hath by his merit purchased for them Amen Prayer LOrd Iesus Christ Creator and Redeemer of mankind who hast said I am the way the truth and the life I do beseech thee by this vnspeakable charity which thou hast shewed in yeelding thy selfe to death for vs that I may neuer stray any iot from thee who art the way nor that I doubt of thy promises seeing thou art the truth and dost accomplish that which thou promisest Cause that I may onely take pleasure in thee who art the eternall life beyond the which there is nothing to be desired neyther in heauen nor earth Thou hast taught vs the true only way to saluation because we should not abide erring like strayed sheep in the lost waies of this world shewing vs so clearly that nothing can be more that which wee ought to beleeue to do to hope and wherein we ought to yeeld settle our selues It is thou that hast giuen vs to vnderstād how cursed we are in Adam and that there is no way to escape from this perdition in the which we are all plunged but by faith in thee Thou art that faire light which doest appeare to those that walke in the desert of this life who hauing drawen vs out of the darknesse of the spirituall Egypt hast driuen away the darknesse of our vnderstandings and doest enlighten vs to the end we may tend towards the promised inheritance which is the life euerlasting into the which the mistrustfull doe not enter but those that haue assuredly relied vpon thy holy promises O what a goodnesse that thou hast vouchsafed to descend from thy Fathers bosome and from the euerlasting throne to the earth to put on our poore nature of master to become seruant to the end that by thy doctrine thou mightest doe away the darkenesse of our ignorāce to guide our feet into the way of peace to make plaine the way of saluatiō vnto vs a way made vnto vs the which if we follow we cannot stray nor wax weary seeing that thy grace power do accompanie vs therin all the daies of our life Moreouer by thy spirit thou doest strengthen vs in it and double our courage Thy word is bread which nourisheth vs therein thy promise is the staffe which vpholds vs. Thou thy selfe by thy secret and incomprehensible vertue doest beare and maintaine vs in it in an admirable manner to the end that both in faire and foule weather we may walke with all alacrity vnto thee And as in preseruing vs thou hinderest that we do not fall into the snares of Satan the world also seeing thou art the truth thou takest away all doubts scruples mistrusts which may trouble let vs or turne vs during our course thou causest vs to behold the supernall vocation the misery and vanity of the world the frailty of this present life the gate of death the most happy life which is beyond that And as thou art this true life euen in this world thou dost quickē by thy truth vs that are poore wretched and dead in sinne thou doest augment that life by the ministery and efficacie of thy holy Gospell and doest confirme it by the vse of the Sacraments which thou hast established to confirme the faith of those that are thine vntill that our corruption what we haue of mortality in vs being abolished by the resurrection we shall bee and liue euerlastingly with thee both in bodie and soule when thou shalt be all in all Life euerlasting is to know the true God and thee his Sonne which wert sent vnto vs. Now we see thee by faith in a glasse and in obscuritie but one day we shall behold thee face to face and shall be transformed into thy glory and wholly reformed vnto thy image I doe beseech thee mercifull Sauiour to increase my faith that I may be so well grounded in the doctrine of my saluation that nothing may turne mee from it increase in my heart the reuerence which I owe thee that I may neuer turne from thy obedience strengthen mee in such sort that the allurements nor threatnings doe neither intrappe nor astonish mee but that constantly I may cleaue vnto thee who art my life till death Cause that in vertue of thy holy promises and of thy Spirit I may heate my selfe more and more in thy loue and leauing behind mee the things of this world I may tend to that which is firme and perfect Increase thy grace in mee that euery day I may die in my selfe for to be quickened and guided by thy fauour fearing no other but thou God Almighty louing nothing but thee as there is nothing but thee to be loued boasting my selfe in nothing but in thy onely grace and mercy which is the glorie of all thy seruants seeking no other good but thee nor desiring any thing but thee who art the full and entire felicity of all the faithfull Amen An other LOrd Iesus who art alwaies mercifull who doest not sticke to be my Sauiour as well in aduersitie as in prosperity giue me the grace in all humble obedience to yeeld vnto thy will when it shall please thee to mingle bitternes amongst so many sweet things which thou causest me to taste in liuing vnder thy protection Thou art admirable and most good in the time of afflictions In that by such meanes thou doest heale spirituall diseases and in visiting of vs in this world thou disposest vs to meditate of a better life hauing thy selfe shewed vs the example thereof True it is that I find it verie hard to digest but thou hast beene brought to a more strange condition when for to draw me out of hell thou wentest downe into it thy selfe and for to reconcile mee to thy heauenly Father thou hast vndergone his curse by reason of my sinnes I haue so often deserued hell and the fiery torment and thou deliueredst me assuring mee that I haue part in the merits of thy death and thy obedience and that I am one of thy coheires for to reigne one day with thee in thy kingdome and at this present in the middest of so many afflictions to be neuerthelesse set in the heauenly places Hauing part in so many good things why shall I vexe my selfe for a little endurance by the meanes whereof thou wilt awake mee and make me better and draw mee so much
glory I doe beseech thee to fortifie my soule against all temptation enuiron me with the buckler of thy mercy to beate backe the darts of Sathan as for me I am weakenes it selfe but I relie vpon thy strength and goodnesse I cannot alleadge any good thing before thee whereof to boast to the contrary alas my sinnes infinite in number accuse and torment me but thy merite assures me that I shall be saued for I hold for certaine that thou wert borne for me that thou wert tempted that thou hast obeyed to God thy father that thou hast taught and bought life euerlasting for me seeing thou hast giuen thy selfe to mee with all these good things let not such a gift be vnprofitable let thy blood wipe out the filth of my faults thy iustice couer my iniquities thy merites make me to finde grace before the heauenly Throne If my euils doe increase augment thy grace in me so that faith hope and charity may not die but rather waxe strong in me that the apprehension of death doe not daunt me but that euen after this body shall be as it were dead cause that the eyes of my soule may lift themselues vp to heauen that the heart may then crie feruently vnto thee Lord I commend my soule into thy hands fulfill thy worke for thou hast bought me I am thine by the gift of thy Father to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be euerlasting glory AMEN TO THE MOST ILLVSTRIOVS AND PVISSANT PRINCESSE THE Lady Iagueline of Rohan Marquiso of Rothelin Princesse of Castelaillon c. THat which hath giuen me occasion Madame to write this Treatise of the Resurrection in the which consisteth all the hope of our saluation is to warrant the faithfull against the impiety of those who desiring neuer to giue accounts of their workes ordinarily scoffing at this doctrine and say with those that were in the time of the Prophets Isa 21. 16. Let vs eate and drinke for to morrow we shall die Wisd 2. Which is cause that they not onely abandon themselues to all impiety perswading themselues that after this life there is neither pleasure nor sorrow but also doe stirre vp others to doe the like perswading them that the Lord doth so abide in heauen enioying of his happinesse that he cares not for the gouernement of men of whom there shall be no more mention after death then of other creatures Which heresie taking away all hope of euerlasting happinesse doth also take away from those that follow it the courage to liue wel holily for in all actions as saith Chrysostome whether corporall or spirituall Mat. 22. Hom. 41. that which causeth to doe is the hope of the prise to come for he that tilleth tilleth to reap he that fighteth fighteth for victory Seeing then that it is so difficult in this life to keepe holinesse and iustice who is he that would take it in good part to fight daily against himselfe if he had not some regard to the hope of the resurrection wherefore who so taketh away this hope taketh with it all the reuerence due to piety and iustice Now so it is Madam that hauing seene the booke which is dedicated vnto you of the preparation of death and hauing knowen the pleasure that you take in the reading thereof for the singular deuotion which you haue to the heauenly countrey where through Iesus Christ our common hope you looke for your perfect and soueraigne beatitude I haue perswaded my selfe that for to increase in you this holy desire it would not be to ill purpose that I did offer vnto you this my little Treatise yet the better to mitigate the horror that we haue all naturally of the separation of the soule from the bodie knowing that there is no doctrine that can cause vs to seeke for heauen with a better heart and to despise the world then this and that all the reasons that may bee alleadged for to prepare vs to goe willingly out of this miserable age are of very little power if they be not grounded vpon this Article of faith as also hee that is well perswaded cannot but must desire with the Apostle to be out of this world Phil. 2. for to be with Iesus Christ his Sauiour Wherefore knowing the singular graces which God bestowes vppon you in ratifying his dilection vnto you and giuing vnto you a full resolution of your saluation in his Sonne by a liuely faith shining in you by the most ardent desire that you haue to perseuere in his seruice in the middest of his Church I present vnto you this my little labour in the which you shall finde a liuely Image and true and certaine description of that euerlasting happines vnto the which God calleth you for the which you haue learned to despise the vanity of the world and to settle your hart altogether vpon the inestimable treasures of the kingdom of heauen It is true that in describing the felicity to come of the iust and the euerlasting condemnation of the vniust I haue taken the similitudes and comparisons which the scripture vseth not only when it speaketh of the future felicity and beatitude of the elect and condemnation of the reprobate but euen those which it vseth to specifie the prosperity which God giueth his in this world and the punishment wherewith he threatneth and punisheth the wicked euen in this life But I haue done that because that according to my opinion the felicity of the one and the ill hap of the others which are incomprehensible vnto vs in this life are more liuely represented vnto vs by such holy circumlocutions or examples Now Madam I humbly beseech your excellency to receiue this little present with as good will as it is presented vnto you by him who all his life shall be your obliged seruant And so Madam after I haue commended my selfe very humbly vnto your excellencies good graces I will beseech our eternall God Madam that in giuing you and all yours health long and happy life he will augment vnto you from day to day the gifts and graces of his spirit that you may better and better serue to the aduancement of his glory and to the edification of his people So be it A BRIEFE AND CLEERE DECLARATION OF the Resurrection of the DEAD FOr as much as in all times there haue beene some who haue mocked at the Resurrection and haue vtterly denied it Mat. 12. Act. 17. 1. Cor. 15. it is not without good cause that the Apostle S. Paul doth so carefully teach vs that the dead shal rise againe for euen as this knowledge doth bring vnto vs a soueraigne ioy and consolation and doth giue vs a will and affection to follow vnto the end IESVS CHRIST our head and Spouse Eph. 5. to bee crowned with him with that eternall beatitude which God hath prepared for his children Also likewise those that are not assured of the resurrection Mat. 25. which is
haue so much dishonored him When a nut or the kernel of a peare or apple is rotted in the ground God causeth it to rise againe to a great tree for to beare much more fruit being risen againe then it did before and a graine of wheat being put into the ground Iohn 12. and dying brings forth much fruit doe wee thinke that the Lord hath not as great power to raise vp men as he hath to raise these things so small and as it were of no value shall it not be as easie for him to raise vs againe as it hath bene easie to him to draw vs forth of the matrix of the mother aliue where before we were borne we were as it were in a sepulcher If the Prophets and Apostles in the name of God haue raised vp the dead Psal 18. 2. King 4. Act. 9. shall it be impossible to the Lord by his power to raise them Let vs assure our selues that nothing can separate the bodie and soule of the faithfull from the loue which God beareth them neither hinder but that hee shall make the wicked both in bodie and soule to bee his foote-stoole Now by reason that the Apostle saith Iohn 6. Heb. 10. 1. Cor. 15. that the bodie which is sowen is not that which riseth againe there are that will infer therupon that at the resurrection our soules shall not returne into those bodies which now we haue but into other bodies which the Lord shall giue vs. He himselfe in that place sheweth vs that he speakes not that but onely to shew vs that although our bodies shall rise in the same substance which now they haue they shall notwithstanding be changed in quality glory seeing that this corruption must put on incorruption and that this mortality shall be swallowed vp of life and shall put on immortalitie 2. Cor. 5. declaring that they shall be these selfe same bodies in substance but diuers in qualities St. Paul saith Christ will transforme this vile bodie Phil. ◠that it may be made like vnto his glorious body according to the power by which he is able to make all things subiect vnto himselfe Mat. 27. Luc. 24. John 20. Whereon followeth that as Iesus Christ rose againe in the same bodie which was crucified for vs being cleansed and discharged of all infirmitie also we shal rise againe in the same bodies which now we haue in this world hauing in them cold heat hunger and thirst pouerty sicknesse banishment Heb. 10. 11. imprisonment and such like aduersities being cleansed and disrobed of all that which by sinne did cause vs any griefe for the iustice of God cannot consist without remunerating the bodies of those that haue fought for his glory in crowning his graces in them punishing those which haue laboured to offend him Moreouer we see that those which the Prophets and Apostles and Iesus Christ himselfe haue raised againe Mat. 27. it hath bene in the selfe same bodies in the which they had liued before Who doubts but those that rose again at the death of our Lord did rise in the selfe same bodies which they had before for otherwise how should they haue bin knowne by those to whom they did appeare The Apostle puts vs out of doubt of it saying 1. Cor. 15. That if the Spirit of him who raised Iesus from the dead doth dwell in vs he that hath raised vp Christ frō the dead will also quicken our mortall bodies because his spirit dwelleth in vs he saith moreouer that the body which is sowen in corruption shall rise againe in incorruption It is sowen in dishonor it shall rise againe in glory it is sowen in weaknesse it shall rise againe in force it is sowen a sensuall body it shall rise a spirituall body Wherefore wee ought to beleeue that the bodies which now we haue shall be the selfe same which shall rise again in the same substance but the earthly qualities shall be changed into heauenly which is no small consolation seeing that we loue our bodies so much although that in this world they be lodē with so many miseries The third point AS concerning the Author of the resurrectiō the scripture doth declare vnto vs that God the Father in the beginning made man by his word which is his son Gen. 1. 2. Iohn 1. Gen. 2. Psal 33. 2. Cor. 4. 1. Cor. 15. hauing made his body breathed into him a liuing soule by his spirit so in the resurrectiō of the dead he shal raise vs againe by his Son in a quickning spirit And when the Sunne of iustice shall come Mal. 4. in iudgement for to iudge the quicke and the dead Mal 4. Reuel ◠2. Tim. 4. the Sunne shall waxe darke and the Moone shall not yeeld her light and the brightnesse of the Starres shall be seene no more then if they were fallen from heauen and the vertues which are in the heauens as the Starres the Planets and other celestiall creatures Mat. 24. Luc. 21. Reue. 6. 2. Pet. 3. with heauen and earth shall be shaken then the Sea and her waues shall roare after an vnaccustomed manner and when the order of nature shal be changed those shall bee signes of the comming of the Son of man And when that Iesus Christ Mat. 16. Luc. 1. Act. 1. the son of God shal come who tooke humane nature vpon him in the virgines wombe he shall come in the same bodie wherewith he did conuerse here below vpon the earth before and after his death as he himselfe declares calling himself the Son of man Mat. 24. Marc. 13. Luc. 24. Iohn 5. Marc. 16. 24. 1. Thess 4. Reue. 1. Mat. 24. sent of God his Father who gaue him power to do iudgement in so much as he is the Son of man set aboue the clouds at the right hand of the power of God accompanied with cries of exhortation with the voices of Archangels of Angels with Gods trumpets all eyes shall behold him for he will cause his signe to appeare in heauen his voice to be hard the which at the 1. Cor. 15. last tromp shal be hard of those that haue bin Put into the Sepulchres to the end that first they may rise againe 1. Thes 4. and those which shall be found liuing shall heare it also to the end they may be translated which vnto them shall be a kinde of death being changed from mortal and corruptible to immortall and incorruptible bodies 1. Cor. 15. and shall rise againe and shall be changed in a moment and twinckling of an eye This day shall not surprise the elect that are in the light because it shall be the day which they haue so long waited for 1. Thes 5. 1. Iohn 1. and wished with the other creatures but to those who haue ouercome Sathan by the blood of the Lambe 1. Cor. 1. Rom. 8. 1 Ioh. 2.4.8 5. Reu.
12. 21. and by the word of their testimony and haue not loued their liues to the death it shall bring vnto them an vnspeakeable ioy making them to lift vp their heads aloft seeing their perfect deliuerance come For their Sauiour shall send his Angels with great sound of Trumpets Esay 35. Zach 9. Luc 22. Rom. 8. Mat. 25. to gather them together how farre in funder soeuer they be from the foure windes from the end of the earth to the end of heauen and then they shall be altogether caught within the cloudes to meete the Lord in the Ayre for to be ioyned with their head 2. Thes 4. as members of his body and shall be alwayes with him who will separate them from the reprobates as the shepheard doth the sheep from the Goates Mat. 25. to put them both in body and soule in full possession of the euerlasting heritage and happinesse by them so long hoped for The estate of the elect that are risen againe THen their bodies which shall be risen againe in triumph shall be changed not in substance but in quality being discharged of the earthly heauinesse for to be made spirituall bodies 1. Cor. 15. to the end to be fit for the heauenly habitation where they shall haue no need of meats which doe corrupt Reu. 7. for they shall be no more hungry nor thirsty and they shall die no more but shall vse of the heauenly food which is the word of God Luc. 20. they shall also be deliuered from the bondage of sinne for to serue euermore to iustice For these are the two principall things which hinder man from beholding the face of God this heauy earthly body and infectious sinne As for the first we see that the Lord said to Moyses Exod. 33. who was desirous to see him Man shall not see me vpon the earth and liue As for the other it was cause that the wicked Angels were cast downe from heauen and man out of Paradice Gen. 3. for there is nothing common betweene God and a sinfull man Wherefore the faithfull shal haue a spirituall body discharged and purified from al sinne There shall also be no defect in their bodies nor imperfection and all deformity and vice which commeth of sinne shall be done away for the Lord will transforme their vile and contemptible bodies make them conformable and like vnto his glorious bodie Moreouer Phil. 3. 1. Joh. 3. they shall no more suffer any torments paines sickenesse nor any other aduerse thing because there shall be no more mourning nor weeping nor laboring for the Lord will wipe away all teares from their eyes And there shall happen no more corruption to them by death Reu. 21. Isa 25. Reu. 7. 21 whereof there shall be no more remembrance but being made immortall they shall be made incorruptible deliuered from al suffering for to be in a happy estate for euer Their soule which before was a liuing soule shal be changed into a quickening spirit Gen. 2. then it shall be deliuered from all sorrowes griefes annoy 1. Cor. 15. perturbatious and feare which came through sinne and shall bee set in rest Psal 61. ioy consolation happinesse good hope and perpetuall assurance without being any more troubled nor defiled with troublesome affection Then being put in so excellent estate both of body and soule the image of God shall truely shine vpon them hauing this power to serue God being perfectly wise holy pure irreprehensible innocent without spot 1. Cor. 1. Ephes 5. Col. 1. good iust true immortall and incorruptible being resplendant in glory and honour before the Throne of God The which shall be the white vesture wherewith S. Iohn sayth they shall be clothed Reu. 14. 21. Reu. 3 4.6.7 which is the pure and shining Sipirs which are the iustifications of the Saints that shall hold the palmes in their handes in signe of victory after that the bookes being opened Reu. 19. they shall heare the voyce full of meekenesse grace and mercie receyuing in the presence of the wicked Reu. 7. who iudged them the out-casts of the earth the sentence of eternall blessing Reu. 10. being found written in the booke of life which is the booke of the Lambe Sap. 4. 5. 1. Cor. 4. Reue. 13. 21. 2. Cor. 5. Gal. 3. Apoc. 14. being clothed with the innocency of Iesus Christ and hauing the name of their Father written in their forehead they shall be with Christ the Spouse crowned with the incorruptible crowne of life and eternal glory being pronounced the sonnes and heyres of God and co-heyres with Iesus Christ Reu. 2. 2. Tim. 4. 1. Pet. 5. Rom. 8. Gal. 4. and Iudges with him of all the Apostate Angels and of all the reprobate for all power and iudgement is so giuen to the Sonne that he wil receiue the Saints to participate in this honour as his assistants Wisd 3. Mat. 19. Luc. 22. 1. Cor. 6. Iohn 5. they shall be put in possession of the Kingdome of heauen hauing praise of God which is the incorruptible heritage which cannot contaminate nor wither and which is preserued in heauen for them they shall shine therein as the firmament and as the Sunne Reu. 2. Mat. 25. 1. Cor. 4. Pet. 1. Dan. 12. Mat. 13. Wisd 3. Reu. 2.21 22. and as the starres for euer Then they shall haue their right in the tree of life and shall enter into the new celestiall Ierusalem in the which there shall be no temple for the Lord Almighty is the temple thereof and the Lambe They shall be in it euerlasting Kings and high Priests offering sacrifices of praise and thankesgiuing vnto the Lorde Then being in the house of God Reu. 15. 7. which is the blessed house which the faithfull haue in heauen which is not made with handes 2. Cor. 5. they shall be filled with the magnificence of the Lord and shall budde like the Oliue branch and blossome like the Palme and like the Cedar which is in Lebanus Psal 16.17.52 92. being immortall and incorruptible and shall not be importuned by Sathan to sinne and offend God The face of God which is the fountaine of light 1. Cor. 13. Psal 16. Reu. 22. the brooke of pleasure and sea of good hap they shall see it which shall giue them such a great and perfect ioy that all the ioyes which may be compared to that Marc. 9. are but as a sparkle compared to a great fire It will make them forget all terrestrial Heb. 11. 12. what pleasure soeuer they could take in them in the world and they shall not remember any thing that may bring them sorrow or griefe They shall be ledde to the mountaine of Sion and to the citie of the liuing God which hath no need of the Sunne nor Moone to shine in it Reu. 21.22 for the light of God hath
lightned it and the Lambe is the candle thereof and of thousands of Angels and of the assembly of the first borne which are written in heauen and to God which is the Iudge of all 2. Cor. 11. Col. 1. Eph. 1. Reu. 19. and to the sanctified soules of the iust and to IESVS CHRIST their head and their Spouse mediator of the new alliance and of the bloud shedde preferring better things then that of Abel then with all this company and all the other Saints with whom they shall be fellow Citizens being domestickes of God and with Mary and the other Saints they shall bee called to the nuptiall banquet of the Lambe and shall enioy the Kingdome of God their Father Reu. 19. the felicity which Iesus Christ by his death hath conquered for them in whom they haue put their whole trust Heb. 2.5.9 10. Gal. 3. 4. Rom. 4 5 Eph. 1.5 Rom. 5.9 10. Ioh. 12.14 17. for the which also they shall not be confounded as he himselfe promiseth saying Father I will that those which thou hast giuen mee bee with mee and see my glory which thou hast giuen me and then I dispose the Kingdome vnto you as the Father hath disposed it vnto me to the end you may eate vpon my table in my Kingdome The Apostle saith Luc. 22. if we die with him we shall liue with him and if we suffer with him we shall reigne with him and shal be glorified with him 2. Tim. 2. Rom. 8. Of these promises the children of God neede not doubt for seeing that the Lorde when hee died gaue Paradice to the theefe can hee not more easily giue it to those to whom hee hath promised it when hee shall come into such great glorie and Maiesty Now being with him Luc. 23. and seeing him as hee is 1. Ioh. 3. they shall haue a much more greater ioy then had the Disciples seeing him transfigured they shall be so vnderstanding Mat. 17. Marc. 9. Luc. 9. that they shall know all the Saints that euer haue beene and euen those with whom they haue conuersed in this world ioyfully and according to God For if it be so that in the transfiguration of our Lord which was but a little demonstration as well of the glory of the body of Iesus as of the estate and condition in the which the children of God shall be in heauen for their meanenes and infirmity could not haue beene able to see the incomprehensible Maiesty of the Lord without being destoyed the Apostles although they had neuer seene the body of Elias and of Moyses neuerthelesse they knew them How much sooner shall the elect know themselues when they shall be endued with this perfect knowledg and intelligence of the image of God which shall be in them That if Adam in his first estate which was a great deale lesse why shall not that of the sanctified by Christ 1. Cor. 13. Did hee know the beastes which God brought before him 1. Cor. 1. and did properly impose a name to each one and euen knew Eue to be bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh Gen. 2. although that the Lord tooke the ribbe from him without his feeling it shall not we in this admirable glory haue more wisedome to know each other Luc. 16. Now this knowledge shall be disrobed of all carnall and corrupt affection for the elect shall not be knowne for louing the one more then the other or hating one reprobate more then another in calling to minde the iniuries and displeasures which they may haue receiued in this world But they shall loue directly without respect of persons those which God loueth and shal hold in abhomination those which God shall detest For then all Paternity brotherhood and mariage shall be abolished and there shall be but God alone Father of all whose children we shall be and brothers and sisters one to another the children of God shall be made partakers of the diuine nature Marc. 12. Eph. 4. 2. Cor. 6. 2. Pet. 1. 2. Thes ◠for God shall be glorified in his Saints and shall be made admirable to those that haue beleeued Wherefore seeing God will communicate his glory vertue and iustice to his elect imparting himselfe vnto them let vs know that this benefite containes the soueraigne good of man which all desire which the wisdome of man could neuer comprehēd And indeed when by all the similitudes which the Scripture doth teach vs we shall haue said and learned much of the excellency of the children of God it is almost nothing in comparison of that which shall then appeare then the Apostle with the Prophet hath good reason 1. Ioh. 3. hauing tasted in spirite the inestimable glory of the elect in the heauenly life to say the things which eye hath not seene nor care hard and which is not come into the hart of man are those which God hath prepared for them which loueth him which are vnspeakeable it is not possible for man to tell them 1. Cor. 2. Isa 64. 2. Cor. 12. For although Adam was created in a very noble estate yet so it is that if the elect were to re-assume that estate they should be miserable in regard of the soueraign excellency in the which they shal be set Gen. 2. 1. Cor. 14. 1 He had an earthly sensuall body the elect shall haue spirituall celestiall bodies 2 He had a liuing soule they shall haue a quickning spirit 3 Hee could faile and render himselfe subiect to death they shall not be able to faile 1. Cor. 15. nor fall in danger of death the which then shall be abolished 4 Sathan had power to tempt him and to make him to fall but he shall not haue power of eyther of both to them 5 He was husbanding in an earthly Paradice they shall be in rest and enioy the heauenly Paradice 6 He had command ouer the birds of the ayre Gen. 2. the fishes of the Sea the beastes of the earth they being in greater power shal condemne Sathan all the wicked and the holy Angels shall be their companions Mat. 22. shall haue power in the kingdom of their Father 7 Adam had such great wisdome that he named euery beast according to their property 1. Cor. 9. Rom. 2.3 5. 1. Pet. 3. 2 Cor. 1. Rom. 15. Rom. 3. 4. Mat. 3. et 17 they shal be endued with such wisdom filled with such a perfect knowledge that they shall be ignorant of nothing Briefe we ought to be much moued and stirred vp to worship and serue God who without any desert of ours will for the loue of his welbeloued Sonne so admirably vnfolde his incomprehensible goodnesse vnto vs. The estate of the reprobate NOw this day shall surprise the wicked and reprobates which are in darknes Rom. 2. 9 whom the Lorde hath borne and suffered with great
The Apostle saith that they shal feele a feruentnesse of fire which shall deuoure them S. Iohn declareth that they shall bee cast into the lake of fire brimstone which is the second death For although they shal liue yet by reason of these incredible torments they ought rather to be called dead then aliue Now although that by all these similitudes it is demonstrated vnto vs that the damned shall be grieuously and euerlastingly tormented yet neuerthelesse man cannot thinke nor comprehend how great the euerlasting sufferings shall be no more then he can comprehend the ioy of the children of God Marc. 9. 1. Cor. 2 Hebr. 10. Wherefore with good cause the Author to the Hebrewes saith that it is a terrible and fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God For although that we should see one continually knawed with wormes and burnt with fire that torment should notwithstanding be as nothing in regard of that which is prepared for the wicked For besides that their bodies shall be horribly afflicted their soules shall be in incredible distresses and sorrowes This ought wel to stirre vs vp to watch and pray and to refraine from doing euill Reu. 3. Mat. 24. 1 Thes 1. Psal 25. 51. Iere. 31. Lamen 5. Cant. 1. Luc. 17. Ioh. 3. Wisd 4. 5. and to moue vs to serue God and to desire him with the Prophets and Apostles to change reuiue and increase our faith that so being made new creatures we may escape this place of torment and be numbred amongst the sonnes of God Which the Lord grant for the loue of his welbeloued Sonne our Sauiour to whom be all honor and glory for euer and euer AMEN A conclusion of this booke conteyning an exhortation to all estates to prepare themselues to die well for feare least the vncertaine howre of death should surprise them MOreouer my brethren friends it remaines that this booke be not onely in our hands but also in our hearts and if we haue any desire to amend ous liues let it not be deferred till to morrow for when to morrow shall come wee will yet referre all to the next day and so consequently the whole yeare shall passe yea our whole life If then at this present howre there bee some little good affection in vs let vs not suffer it to be quenched let vs not kill that grace which God hath giuen vs but to the contrary by all meanes which shall be possible to vs let vs endeuour our selues in such sort that from howre to howre it may not onely be confirmed but also augmented God is mercifull enough and liberall to grant vs our requests but he will be importunated not in his owne regard but ours for he knoweth how backward we are to pray and call vpon him and how soone we are weary of it although we should desire nothing more in this world for it is no small thing to speake vnto God And which ought yet more to moue vs is that he doth willingly hearken vnto vs and neuer puts backe those which come vnto him I speake this because I see not that by any other better meanes we can preuent confusion than by prayer Surely if euer men had need of this aide we are in great necessity of it in these last daies and olde age of the world for we must not doubt but that Satan now doth set himselfe in armes perceiuing well that the howre drawes neere that he shall not be able to doe that which hee hath done heretofore and that the Sonne of God must be manifested to all creatures and that then the perfection ought to come of the blessed and the finishing of their happinesse of the which hee knoweth well hee hath no part If then for his part he sets himselfe forth in his strength it remaines that we should do the like for vs that wee may be furnished with all celestiall armour and that we bee not daunted with all his plots and treacheries for surely the victorie is in our handes so that we fight against him and not with him as doth almost all the world at this day although that the most part thinke the contrary for so they haue the name of a Christian and be without reproch before men who are no better then thēselues they then thinke themselues very well assured Others thinke that they shall need but a good sigh as they say at the last howre for to blot out all the rest of their life passed and presently to transport them into the kingdom of heauen but who hath assured them that God will giue them the grace to make that sigh and to haue a true repentance of their sins at the howre of their death Where haue they had pattents and good assurance that they shall not die a sudden death Is not that to mocke God openly If that may serue verily St. Peter and St. Paul and the other Apostles should haue bene much deceiued to labour and to toyle so much and to beare so grieuous a Crosse if it were so easie a matter to enter into the kingdome of heauen I meane by the meanes which those Libertines doe pretend Let vs assure our selues that the way is straite which leadeth to saluation and that there are few that go therein These words are no lies but I pray God that we may not experiment the truth of them to our great paine and griefe I know well that the mercie of our God is incomprehensible and infinite but it is towards his seruants it is towards those that feare and reuerence him Besides I know that among the children and seruants of God there are many infirmities euen a great imperfection in all vertue and iustice and which endures till death but there is a great difference between your life O worldlings and the life of the elect of God The iust man sinneth seuen times a day but he shall be raised seuen times Now you continue in your euill and goe to bed with your sinne as with your friend and companion Men will say an Aue Marie beat themselues on the breast or perhaps will haue some distaste of their sinne and wickednesse But if we neerely looke into all we shall finde that it is nothing but meere hypocrisie If our friend or kinsmen dies if we loose our goods if wrong or iniury be offered vnto vs if our good name be taken away if we be stricken or hurt behold we are presently in choller or very extremely sad our hearts euen closed vp with melancholy but if our spirit dies and if we loose the euerlasting riches by our transgression we make no account of it we are not moued with it we grieue more for the losse of this world which is nothing then we doe for the losse of God which is all In seeing all which cannot such men yet feele their griefe can they not yet know how much the opinion which they haue of their vertue and prudence is vaine and friuolous Can they not see how farre they are from their reckoning Certainly the world is full of such people that haue no feeling of their sinne but the prophesies must needs be accomplished to the end when the Sonne of man shall come he may finde no faith vpon the earth Verily this howre commeth on a pace the signes thereof are very manifest But because we should not bee dismaid seeing such a danger round about vs let vs be sure that the Lord will bee with vs till the end of the world prouided that our Lampes be burning and in steed that the wicked euery day shall be worse and worse for our parts let vs endeuour to goe forward in all holinesse and iustice I know well that they will mocke at vs and at our simplicity that we shall be cast out of their companies But we shall be exalted of God and receiued of the most blessed assembly VVherefore let vs with all patience waite for the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ and let vs labour that so we may be found of him without spot and without reprehension Surely that day ought to be very fearefull to the wicked but as for vs we ought so much the rather desire it knowing for a certaine that there is no cōdemnation for those that are in Iesus Christ knowing well the great goodnesse and kindnesse of him which is to come with whom God grant wee may liue for euer and euer Amen A Prayer vnto God on the same subiect ALas when shall wee come before the face of God our Father and when shall we haue a dwelling in his house and vntill when shall we be in this exile wherunto by sinne we haue bin regenerate But how shall the sinner cōsist before this great God How shall this poore flesh be able to go vp into this heauenly euerlasting Paradise O how vncertaine should our hope be if we had not the true promises of our God how miserable should we be if we did relie vpon our selues But O great God thou wilt that all things be possible to beleeuers for the beleeuers do trust only thy promise in thy mercy Do not then O Lord regard so many sins which are in vs. Remember rather that we are thy creatures the worke of thy hands VVe are vnworthy to be called thy children but it pleaseth thee to be our Father It was thy will that thy Sonne Iesus should come downe to vs here beneath to make that we should go vp to thee We feare not death O Lord for thou hast promised to bee with vs death lost her strength when thy deere Sonne died so that when our bodies shall be knawne with wormes in the sepulcher our soules shall reioyce in heauen with the holy Angels We desire then to die to see thy amiable and glorious face to liue with Iesus Christ out head O our God open vs then the gates of thy Kingdome Cause vs to heare that sweet speech which was spoken to the poore theefe vpon the crosse which is This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Alas Lord we are vnworthy of it but thy mercy and thy promises do giue vs assurance Giue vs also O heauenly Father the strength to perseuer and desire the immortall and glorious life to come which thou hast purchased for vs through thy Sonne Iesus Christ to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour praise and glory for euermore So be it FINIS
God tooke him as he did Enocke for feare lest by the malice and corruption of this age he should change When the fruit is ripe must it not be gathered for feare lest it should rot on the tree Others say hee died in the prime of his age by so much the happier is he for as said Anacharsis that shippe is happiest which arriueth first at the port Moreouer there is no certaine time determined for all men to die but as we see in fruit time some are gathered sooner then the others so is it amongst men There are some also that say we must honour the dead by mourning for them falling into the superstition of the Iewes who holding this opinion did hire certaine singers musitians to sing pittifull funeral songs for the death of their friēds which Iesus Christ did reproue in the house of the Prince of the Synagogue not without cause for it is not good in praise of a body to mourne for it complaints teares are rather signes of miserie then any thing els We do not now weep for the holy Martyrs which yet we should doe if in teares there did consist any honor but we honor them by a remembrance of them with blessing thankesgiuing and by paine and study we endeauour to follow them If likewise wee haue a friend whom we will honor after his death it must not be with teares and lamentations but rather by an honorable mention which we are to make of him and of his vertues and by a desire which we haue to imitate and follow his good and laudable fashion It is time to conclude this present Treatise and to resolue the precedent reasons that wee must neither feare nor flie from death but rather loue and desire it more then life and preferre the day of our death before the day of our birth for by our birth we come to paine and affliction and dying we goe to God and to a perpetuall rest Which the Greeks haue very fitly shewed vs for in their language the day of our natiuity is called Genethlia that is to say in the same language Genesis ton athlon and in our French tongue beginning of troubles and death is called Thanatos which is as much as to say according to the interpretation of Themiste Now vp to God Let vs then strictly examin them iudge of them that wee may take away the feare of the one the excessiue loue of the other God through his holy spirit giue vs the grace to do it So be it Prayers and Meditations touching Life and Death THE life of Christians ought to be occupied in considering the things that follow and to put them in practise to wit to haue alwaies in remembrance the benefits which they haue receiued at the hands of God to giue him thanks for them without ceasing both wih heart and mouth to loue him who is the goodnesse it selfe to feare and worship him seeing he is the Almightie and onely wise to be stirred vp by the loue which they beare to God also to loue their neighbours The loue of God drawes vs from the loue of corruptible things lifts vs vp to heauen and inflames our hearts to a holinesse of life The loue of our neighbour turnes vs from all troublesomenesse in will or in deed doth stirre vs vp to integrity and well doing An other LET vs often thinke what we are The principall part of vs is the Soule the which is endued with vnderstanding with reason and with iudgement to know the soueraigne good which is God to loue him to adhere and vnite our selues vnto him that we may haue part of his immortality and happinesse Now we forsake and contemne this great good for to grouell vpon the earth and to goe downe into the pit of carnall desires applying the vigour of our vnderstanding and iudgement to things that are not worth the paines that we employ in them We burie our selues quicke by manner of speaking of heauenly we become earthly and of men created for eternall life we endeuour as much as in vs lieth to set our selues in the ranke of brute beasts God doth not forsake vs neuerthelesse although that our ingratitude hath well deserued it but calles vs vnto him by his word presents vnto vs infinite testimonies of his grace continues it daily he supports exhorts counsels chides and fatherly chastiseth vs Neuerthelesse we continue blinde deafe and negligent despising his goodnesse or vse it not as we should or indeed abusing it which is worse we loue vaine and transitory things better and haue our mindes too much fixed and setled vpon them God stretcheth forth his hand to conduct vs we draw back ours and flie when he calleth vs. If he put vs into the way of saluation we grudge and repine for the worlde we looke behinde vs deferring and remitting our desire to dwel til to morrow Let vs awake then let vs not alwayes stick in the mire let vs strengthē ourselues in the vertue of him that supports succours vs let vs a little vndertake to despise corruptible things and to desire those that are truly good and euerlasting When God calleth vs let vs hearken if he guides vs let vs follow him that we may come to his house let vs receiue his good things and himselfe too for he giues himselfe vnto vs in the person of his Sonne He shewes vs the meanes to get to heauen let vs then desire of him to giue vs the will and the courage by faith repentance charity and hope to ayme thither and that he would maintaine his grace in vs vntill the end to sigh in this mortall life and to waite through the assurance of his mercy for our departure out of this world and our last day which shall be the beginning of our true life Prayers and Meditations HOW great are the illusions and impostures of the enemy of our saluation He sheweth vs a farre off things that are ridiculous and vaine and perswades vs that it is all good and happinesse he scares vs with things that we ought not to feare makes vs to flie from those things which we ought to embrace Hee calleth inticeth and flattereth vs by the intermission of our desires if that will not serue he roares and stormes and endeuours to astonish vs within and without O eternall light and veritie O Lord and mercifull Father disperse those clouds of ignorance and errour illuminate our vnderstandings and doe not suffer vs to come neer to that which thou hast commanded vs to flie from and which is hurtfull and pernicious vnto vs let vs not desire but what is truly to be desired to wit thy selfe who art the spring-head of all goodnesse of our life and of eternall happinesse All flesh is grasse and the glory of man is like the flower of the field cause then that we may seeke for our firmenesse and contentment in the grace which thy Sonne hath brought vs let our life
of this life and not to loade their soules with the burthen of sinne to the end that dying they may bee raised vp towards God our Father and IESVS CHRIST our Sauiour vnto whom we ought with a stedfast faith recommend them Now euen as the faithfull doe reioyce at it the vnfaithfull on the other side knowing the soules to bee immortall Jam. 1. 1. Pet. 1.4 are so much the more fearefull of death seeing the eternall paines and torments to bee prepared for them at their going forth of this world So that which serueth to the elect for ioy and instruction is vnto the wicked nothing but sorrow and occasion of despaire THE SECOND POINT TOuching the body it is all apparant that it is subiect to die as well because that we know that those that were in times past are dead and that we see that those of our time die one after another as principally because that the Lord declares to Adam that by reason of his sinne Gen. 3. he with his posterity shall be subiect to returne into the earth from whence he was taken The Apostle sayes that by a man sinne came into the world Rom. 5.8.6 and by sinne death and so death came vnto all men by reason that all haue sinned and the reward of sinne is death whereof the houre is vncertaine vnto vs. Luc. 12. Although we are certaine that it is the iourney that euery man must go Jos 12. 1. King 2. by reason that vnto them all it is ordeined to die once and that the Lord hath set bounds for mans life the which he will neither aduance nor put backe Heb. 9. Iob 14. The Scripture is full of testimonies vpon this matter although it be well enough knowne of all by euery dayes experience The Pagans themselues without instruction of the word of God haue well vnderstood that vnto man it is a thing that cannot be auoyded as Euripides shewes it in the Tragedie of the Supplicants saying that euery part of man must returne from whence it came the spirit into heauen the body into the earth which is the mother nurse thereof Wherefore it is a noted thing to all that we must die and all the faithfull ought to be perswaded that the Angels wait for the departure of men for to carry their soules into their place The holy Angels carry away those of the faithfull according to the charge which they haue for their saluation into Abrahams bosome and into the place of the happy and the euill Angels those of the wicked into hell That is the reason wherefore men often heare and see many things when a man is to die the Angels giuing to vnderstand therby of their presence and the neere departure of men But there is this difference that that which is seene before the departure of the iust is lesse fearefull comming from soft and peaceable spirits and seemes to serue but for an admonition to those that are neere to the sicke for to stirre them vp to pray vnto God and to comfort their brother and to exhort and encourage him to prepare himselfe for the will of God to go cheerefully out of this world that he may be with IESVS CHRIST his Sauiour Then the faithfull being departed all such things cease although it may happen that the faithfull shall be in all extremity assaulted by Sathan to make him fall from faith if it were possible for him but those are extraordinary things and in the meane time the Lord giueth victory to his 1. Ioh. 5. Mar. 16. 1. Thes 1. Gen. 24. 31. and makes them the better to know the power of their faith and the assistance of the holy Angels But ordinarily that which is seene and heard at the departure of the wicked is fearefull comming from the destroying Angels and enemies of men Authors of troubles the which do all they can to bring the vnfaithfull to desperation and to keepe thē in it endeuour as much as in them lieth to hinder and trouble the praiers of the assistāts for the feare that they haue lest their damnation should bee prolōged knowing well that the prayers of the iust made for the sicke are of great power and efficacy towards God for the faith which they haue in Iesus Christ Then after the departure of the wicked Satan returnes Iames. 5. Iohn 11. appeares and makes a noyse in the place which he did enioy before him that was his Mat. 12. willing as it were to keepe the place of his child deceased and take possession and enioy of that which he had gathered him together And we see that the Scripture declares that the habitations of the wicked after they shall bee hunted out of it shall be the habitations of diuels Apo. 18. Ier. 51. Isa 13. Ier. 50. and a resort for all euill spirits and of all filthy and execrable fowle wherefore it is a great folly and abuse to thinke that the soules of the children of men appeare in this world after their death for those of the faithfull do enioy such and so great felicity Mat. 17. and find that it is so good remayning where they are Marc. 9. that although they could they would not nor desire not to returne hither Luc. 9. but rather forgetting that which is of this life are continually rauished in the praise and seruice of the holinesse of the Eternall Apo. 4. 7. and in the contemplation of his glory Mat. 17. Psal 16. which is their soueraigne good Those of the wicked would faine come againe and haue so much respit but they cannot otherwise the euill rich man would very willingly haue done his message to his brothers himselfe Luc. 16. which hee did request to be done by the Lazar. For the Scripture doth not know this third place which Antichrist hath forged contrary to the declaration of Iesus Christ Mat. 7. for to inrich himselfe purge the substance of the world for the intertainment of her creatures Satan being very glad thereby to suggest vnto him some matter and colour after the decease of the Infidels and Idolaters Now by how much it is easie to beleeue that necessity to die is imposed vpon vs by so much is it more difficult to beleeue that our bodies being returned to dust shall rise againe and indeede the sensuall man cannot comprehend any thing therein neyther hath any thought of it as we see that the Pagans neuer thought of it although that they haue disputed of the immortality of soules But the man that is regenerate by the Spirite of God doubts not but that the Lord can raise the dead seeing he will haue it and that nothing can hinder his will For as sayeth the Prophet Psal 115. Apoc. 4. he doth what he will We must then see how the Scripture doth assure vs that the bodyes as well of the good as of the wicked shall rise againe the first to be
crowned with glory the other with perpetuall infamy For to teach vs the Resurrection it compares death to a sleepe Dan. 12. as hath beene already sayd to the end we may be certaine that as the bodies after they haue laboured shall rest by sleepe that they being awaked may with so much more alacrity returne to worke so when wee shall haue made an end of this present life our bodies shall be brought to the tombe as in a bed of rest for to rise againe from thence at the latter day and be put into their place Iob prophecying of the resurrection the which he did firmly beleeue saies Iob. 14. 19. I know that my Redeemer liueth and that he wil stand vp at the latter day vpon the earth although after my skin this body shall be deuoured by wormes yet with my flesh shall I see God I shall behold him my eyes shall looke vpō him and none other for me although my reines are consumed within me Dauid foretels the resurrection of Christ Psal 16. by whom we shall rise againe Ion. 2. Mat. 12. the which was figured by this that Ionas was three daies and three nights in the whales belly as Iesus Christ himselfe declares it The Prophet Esay in the 26. chap. speaking of the elect Isa 16. saith vnto the Lord with faith Thy dead shall liue rise again with my body Awake reioice ye habitants of the dust for thy dew is as the dew of the fields the earth shall cast forth the dead The Lord willing to assure his people Israel that deliuering thē from the captiuitie of Babylon he would bring them backe into the land which he had giuen them he said vnto them in a vision by the Prophet that as certaine as the dead shall rise so certainly will he deliuer them from the captiuitie of the Babylonians Eze. 37. for to set them in peace in their owne land Daniel saith that those that sleepe in the dust shal wake some to eternall life and others vnto perpetuall shame and infamy and those which haue bene wise Dan. 12. shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and those which doe perswade many to righteousnesse shall bee as starres for euer and euer Iesus Christ shewes the Saduces that the dead shall rise againe Mat. 22. because that God is their God Iohn 6. In St. Iohn he saith that the will of his father who sent him is that he shall lose nothing of all that he hath giuen him but that he shall raise it vp at the latter day The Apostle declares that Christ is risen againe for our iustification Then he saith that euen as we die in Adam so we shall rise againe and shall be quickened in Christ Rom. 4.5.6 1. Cor. 15. For seeing that he who is the life when he was put into the Tombe thereby made many to rise againe Iohn 19. Psal 36. Matth. 27. Thess 4. by much more reason now being risen againe and glorified will he raise vs againe In like manner he declares that hee that raised vp the Lord Iesus will raise vs againe by Iesus and will cause vs to come into his presence And euen so as God is eternall so he will cause that the bodies of his children which are his temples 1. Cor. 3.6 14. 2. Cor. 6. Iohn 5. shall be eternall Briefe the Scripture is full of testimonies of the resurrection wherefore to end I will bring in one which ought to serue in steed of all St. Iohn saith that the howre shall come wherein all those that are in the graues shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of man and those that haue done well come forth in resurrection of life but those which shall haue done euil shall come forth in resurrection of condemnation All humane wisedome which is folly before God cannot perswade themselues Mat. 24. 25. 1. Cor. 15. Phil. 7. 2. Cor. 5. Act. 2. 4. 1. Thess 1.4.8 1. Pet. 1. 1. Cor. 1. that the bodies which are returned into dust can rise againe nor those which haue bene burned whereof the ashes haue bene dispersed by the winds nor those which haue beene deuoured by birds and by beasts and digested and reduced to doung nor those which haue perished in the waters which haue bene made foode for fishes But the Lord by that which he had done before plainly sheweth that hereafter it shall be very easie for him to do what he will with our bodies for seeing he hath made all things of nothing can he not make that to returne to life Gen. 1. Psal 33. Gen 1. which hath already bene And as he made man first of the earth can hee not as well make him to rise againe from it In the beginning the earth was so obediēt vnto him Gen. 1. that when he commanded it to bring forth the bud of the hearbs that seedeth seed the fructifying tree and the liuing creature beasts wormes c. it of it selfe by and by brings forth that which before had neuer bene how much more easily by the commandement of God may it restore many which haue already bene shall be returned into it Iohn 11. We see that although that Lazarus of Bethania had already bene three daies in the earth neuerthelesse when the Lord commanded him to come out of the earth presently it was done He himselfe also rose again from the earth the third day for to assure vs that he will raise vs againe Mat. 28. Apoc. 1. for as death could not ouercome Iesus Christ but that he is risen so shall it not be able to hinder his members from rising againe Rom. 14. Gal. 1. 1. Thess 1. 4. because that he hath as much power ouer the dead as ouer the liuing If God hath raised the head it followeth that he will also raise his body which we are if we beleeue When we consider that he did hinder the so hot burning furnace from doing any hurt to any one of Sidracke Misake and Abednego Eph. 4. Dan. 3. we shall not finde it an impossible thing to God to make them rise againe which haue bene buried that they may bee reunited vnto their soules And he that shut the Lyons Iawes because they should doe no harme to Daniel Dan. 6. shall be able to raise those againe which haue beene deuoured And as he commanded the fish to cast vp Ionas Ion. 2. also can he easily cause that the sea shall obey him when he shall commaund it to cast vp his dead In briefe the faithfull cannot doubt of his resurrection knowing that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present Rom. 8. nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature can separate him frō the loue which God beareth him in IESVS CHRIST our Lord. Reue. 20. For also the sea must cast vp those dead
patience to the end to bring them to repentance as the theefe by night stealeth vpon the Master of the familie while he sleepeth they shal be foūd without clothes and shall walke naked Reu. 2. Reu. 16. 1. Cor. 5. their shame shal be seene for when they shall say peace and security then shall sudden destruction come vpon them like to a woman in trauell and they shall not escape 1. Thes 5. but shal be marueilously affraid by reason that it shall be a day of darkenesse vnto them Amos. 5. and not of light an obscure and not a cleere day and then they shall be condemned by their owne consciences like vnto Caine giuing praise to God seeing the Lord with his Saints come which are by millions for to giue iudgement against those that haue not had the feare of God before their eyes and to the end to conuince all the wicked of all the euill workes which they haue wickedly done and of all the rude speeches which the wicked haue preferred against him Sap. 4. 5. Gen 4. Rom. 14. Iude. Rom. 3. Reu. 19. Eph. 5. then for to weigh downe the Wine-presse of the anger and wrath of Almighty God because they haue persecuted Iesus Christ in his members which are bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh so that they shal be in such great agonies and afflictions feeling the terrible iudgment of God to come vpon them Heb 10. Rom. 2. that they shall hide themselues in holes and betweene the stones of the mountaines and shal say to the mountains stones fal vpon vs Reu. 6. and hide vs from the face of him who is set vpon the throne from the wrath of the Lambe for the great day of his wrath is come Reu. 9. and who is it shall be able to subsist They shall seeke for death and shall not find it and shall desire to die but death shall flie from them they shall strike themselues with despaire and shall be as dead for feare by reason of the expectation which they haue of those things which shall come suddenly vpon them Luc. 21. they shall lament before the Lord who shall haue a flame of fire to doe vengeance and iudgement according to truth and iustice vpon those which haue not acknowledged God and who haue not obeyed the Gospell of the Lord Mat. 24. Reu. 1. 2 Thes 1. Rom. 2. 3. Ioh 5. 1. Thes 4. and shall punish them in body and soule with eternal perdition in the face of the Lord and in the glory of his strength The bodies of those which were dead before shall come out of the earth and of those which shall be found liuing shall be changed and put on immortality and shall be charged with oprobrious infamie before God and his Saints for hee shall make cleare the things that are hid and shall manifest the counsels of hearts of tremblings and incomprehensible sufferings Reu. 16. Dan. 12. Isa 66. 1. Cor. 4. Reu. 20. being charged with the burthen of their sinnes for afterward to be throwne downe into the bottomlesse pit Their immortall soule shall bee loaden with feare with sorrow with frightnings with griefe with desolation Mat. 24. Luc. 21. Marc. 13. Reu. 1. and with such despaire that it is vnpossible for vs to comprehend it Then being in such opprobry in body and soule the image of Sathan their head shall appeare vpon them that is to say infidelity iniquity wickednesse abhomination filthinesse hatred cruelty tyrannie periury lying enuie and all that is of impiety and vniustice which is the blacke roabe of the reprobate and euen so as the elect haue Christ for their head of whom they are the body 1. Cor. 11. 12. Eph. 1. 5. Mat. 25. vnto whom they shall be made alike so likewise the reprobates haue Belzebub for theirs vnto whom they shall be made conformable For although that all the Diuels are all apostate Angels neuerthelesse the Scripture in sundry places attributes the principality to one alone to the end to gather all the wicked vnto him as members in one body for to be put to perpetuall ruine Then the wrath indignation of God shal shew it selfe cleerely vpon all the infidelity and vniustice of the fearefull 2. Cor. 4. Ephes 2. Mat. 9.10.12 25. Marc. 3. Luc. 11.21 Rom. 1.2 Rom. 2. Reu. 21. 17. Rom. 9. vnbeleeuers and execrables which shall not be found written in the booke of life for which they shal receiue sentence of condemnation being separated from Christ shall be driuen from before the presence of the Lord as the dust before the wind cast like dogs forth of the Citie of the children of God sent with their Captain Satan his Angels who did accuse the elect before God night and day in perpetuall malediction Psal 1. Isa 17. Reu. 21. 22. Reu. 12. Mat. 25. for to drinke of the wine of the wrath of God yea of the pure wine filled into the cup of his wrath and shall be tormented with fire and brimstone before the holy Angels and before the Lambe and the smoke of their torments shall mount for euer Reu. 14.15 16. and they shall haue no rest neither day nor night Now this place of torment for the wicked is so horrible 2. Thes 1. that it is incomprehensible vnto vs and euen as God is eternall also this ruine shall be eternall The Scripture for to declare it vnto vs Psal 55. Reu. 9. Isa 30. vseth many comparisons Dauid saith that the wicked shal be cast into the pit of ruine and of the bottomlesse pit Isay saith that the torture is already prepared for the wicked which God hath made deep large the building of it is fire much wood the breath of the Lord like vnto a brooke of Brimstone doth kindle it Isa 66. then he saith that the worme of the wicked shall not die and therefore shall not be quenched and they shall be hatefull to all flesh Dan. 12. Daniel sayeth also that they shall bee in perpetuall shame and contempt Malachy declares that the day of the Lorde shall come Mal. 4. burning like an Ouen and all the proude and those that doe wickedly shal be like the stubble and the day of the Lord shall burne them and shall leaue them neither root nor branch Mat. 3. S. Iohn Baptist saith that the chaffe shall be put into the fire which shall neuer be quenched Mat. 13. The Lord saith that they shall be cast into the Furnace of fire which is the euerlasting fire Mat. 25. Luc. 16. Saint Luke sheweth that the euill rich man whose soule is in hel is in such great heate that he greatly desires to haue a drop of water which he shall neuer be able to get how much more shall he be tormented when hee hath put on his body Heb. 10. Reu. 19.20 21.