the fulnes of thy ioy Thus much of the manner of our change liuing againe Now to the time when I meane when these vile bodies shall be fashioned like vnto his glorious bodie fined from the graue redeemed from the earth and bought from men whereof I hold for the negatiue that there shall bee no full change or restauracioÌ„ of any vntil the generall resurection of all and that before the last day and doome of all the world there shall be silence in the graue no ground stirred no body raised and if raised for a time by diuine dispensation to confirme the glorie of Christ his resurrectioÌ„ at what time Sheol shold be shakeÌ„ yet layed downe againe by like ordination to expect a further refreshing from the Lord when all thinges shall be restored So as I may safely say against our aduersaries presumption in checke of their assumption of the body of the blessed virgin that except the humane bodye of her Son Christ the pawne and pledge of our Inheritance theâ—'s not a glorified body in heauen it 's true it 's true vppon our disclution the dust of our bodies resolueth into earth from whence it came and the spirit returneth to God that gaue it And as the heauens must holde the body of one Christ till hee come againe so the graues shall holde the bodies of al his saints till al things be restored earth to erath ashes to ashes dust to dust is for all flesh vntil our changing shall come for thou Lord turnest man to destruction againe thou sayest come againe ye children of men And that this is true let these Scriptures waigâ— with you Iob in the precedent verses of this my text hath it and you may beleeue him in that as in the rest man sleepeth and riseth not hee shall not awake againe nor be raised from his sleepe till the heauens be no more where I take his meaning to bee generallie of all without exception of any other then as formerly I haue said of Christ his perfect glorification for euer and some of his Saints by dispensation for the time and againe layed downe to sleepe til the heauens be no more that is til all thinges be restored Christ himselfe a witnes omni exceptione maior hath said likewise that no man hath ascended vp to heauen but he that hath descended from heauen that Sonne of man which is in heauen the doctrine is positiue Catholike and absolute without exception of any and exclusion of al speaking by a coinonie for the present as attributing that to the diuinitie which is proper to the humanitye but expressing as de futuro for the time to come that no man should ascend in his humanitie before the Sonne of man who did descend in his diuinitie to fetch it vp And heereunto accordeth Paul when he saith as in Adam all dye euen so in Christ shall all bee made aliue but euerie man in his owne order The first fruites is Christ afterward they that are of Christ at his coÌ„ming shal rise againe whence I reason thus in the first Adam we all fel by sinne to die once In the second Adam we shall all rise by his righteousnesse to liue euer but in sorte different he as the first fruite we as an after crop at his comming shall rise againe euen at his comming shall rise againe so saith the text and not before so say I. The inferrence is good else were the order inuerted wherat principallie the Apostle aymeth which is that Christ might haue the prehemineÌ„ce prime and pride of the resurrection if I may so say Againe it is said by the same Apostle that at the Lords comming such as remaine shall not preuent them that are asleepe noâ— they that are asleepe shall preuent them that are aliue but the Lord shall preuent both and togeather all shall be caught vp in the cloudes to meete the Lord in the ayre and so be euer where he is The diuision is perfect good for at the comming of Christ to iudgement all bodies shall eyther sleepe in their graues dead or bee abiding vppon the earth aliue and for their passage into heauen none shall bee before or after other The time was when that other Disciple did out runne Peter to the Sepulchre and euen now wee see one hasteth to put another in the graue but then when the Trumpet shall blowe and the dead shall rise all shall goe froÌ„ their Sepulchers at once vp together meete together and so for euer be with the Lord. Further for better proofe of this Doctrine there is set downe by the Apostolicke Author a choise register of Gods Saints from Abel the iust downe to the daies of the Machabees by the honorable Patriarches worthy Iudges renowned Kinges inspired Prophets who all through faith obtained good reporte but receiued not the promise God prouiding a better thing for vs that they without vs should not be made perfect I say receiued not the promise at full as inioying their desired Christ not fullie come in the day of grace by his death to purge their soules from sinne nor come in the day of glorie by his life to fine their bodies from corruption God prouiding this good for vs that they without vs neyther in grace or glory should bee fully perfected How be it I deny not but their soules were fullie saued by the vertue of Christ his death and resurrection which they foresawe and felt in their hearts and therefore vpon their dissolution were taken vp in soule into the very heauens where now they are with Abraham Isaac and Iacob Mat. 8. 11. But their flesh doth rest in hope so as I may say of them and of all the dead as Peter did of the Patriarch Dauid Dauid is not ascended into heauen And if not Dauid the roote how may Mary the branch or any other straine of Adam nay nay the possession is there giuen by one God and taken by one Christ in right of al thus Sit thou on my right hand vntill I make thine enemies thy foote-stoole thou alone to pleade their cause thou alone to purchase their place thou alone to keepe possession til al thinges be restored and then make good thy purpose with thy promise I goe to prepare a place for you and if I goe I will come againe and receaue you vnto my selfe that where I am there may yee bee also But if all these Scriptures like nailes of the sanctuarie will not fasten thee to this holde then search the heauens for thy better resolution see into that secret and who be there Hebr. 12. 22. c. Mencion is made of Mount Syon which is the celestiall Ierusalem and the Cittie of the liuing God to which blessed assemblie the elect of God are incited to ioyne themselues as free Denisons to be Infranchised Now who be there tell if thou canst let the Spirit speake and all flesh
THE Christians Watch OR An Heauenly Instruction to all Christians to expect with patience the happy day of their change by death or doome Preached at Prestbury Church in Cheshire at the Funerals of the right worshipfull Thomas Leigh of Adlington Esquire the 16. of February Anno 1601. By William Leigh Bacheler of Diuinitye and Pastor of Standish in the Countie of Lancaster Math 24. verse 42. Watch for you knowe not what hower your Master will come LONDON Printed for E. White dwelling neer the little north doore of S. Pauls Church at the Signe of the Gunne 1605. To the Right VVorshipfull Sr. Vrian Leigh Knight grace and peace bee multiplied with increase of all heauenly comforts heere and happines in the world to come IT is with me Right Worshipfull Sr. in this my labour as it was with Phineas wife at the birth of her Ichabod who when they said to comfort her thou hast borne a Sonne she answered not nor regarded it in respect she thought so small a gaine could neuer redeeme so great a losse This poore Posthumus borne at your Fathers funeralls I haue euer since regarded the lesse for that my losse was in it life nor should it euer haue seene more light had not your place ouer-awed me and much instance drawne it on vrging it often as a pledge of my loue towards him that gon is and a Christian kindenes to those that remaine In lieu of both I could not but bring it foorth and lay it in the lappe of your fauourable protection yet accounting it my hard happe I should with the poore Gadaren thus still haunt the graues of the dead and wound my selfe with the stones of their Sepulchres How be it if it be better to goe into the house of mourning then of mirth and that who sowe in teares shal reape in ioy I wil repose my selfe in this that since I could discerne what it was to loose a friend I haue had my part of such dolefull Musicke and therefore may expect a ioyfull croppe of that sowing But to leaue the dead and to come to the liuing your zeale to God good Sir with the loue of his truth in the Religion of his Sonne Christ for which neither your arme hath been wearie to fight abroade nor your tongue to pleade at home ouer and besides your vndelayed prouision of a skilfull Bezaleel to build vp your owne house and neighbors souls about you As these may be much to your comfort so are they greatly to my ioy for that in sorte I may say with the Apostle in Christ Iesus I haue begotten you These blessed buds of religion appearing in Oxford when first I knewe you and had the care of their groth committed vnto mee from your carefull Father that gone is now spreading as Ceders in the readie and ripe practise of pietie and Godlines doe make mee not onely thankefull to God therefore but right ioyfull I may vndergoe any duetie to answere your loue or further your faith and therefore haue made bolde sith so you will haue it to put into your Religious heart bosome this Christian Watch. The watch is Iobes onelie the winding vp is mine as God hath directed the finger so it goeth and as I trust truelie to all such of Gods Saints as expect with patience the blessed day of their change by death or doome And if I haue failed in the compasse of any wheele as it may bee I haue for what am I but dust and ashes to pleade with my God yee which are spiritual reforme it and restore mee with the Spirit of meekenes considering your selues least ye also bee tempted And the Lord of his mercie multiplie his blessings more and more vppon you keepe you euer vnder his holy and helping hand of prouidence and protection with my verie good Lady your Vine and all your O liue branches From Standish the 1. of Ianuarie 1602. Your Worships in all kindenes to commaund W. Leigh The Christians Watch. OR An heauenly Instruction to all Christians Iob. 14. 14. If a man die shal he liue againe then all the dayes of mine appointed time will I watch vntill my changing shall come WEe are heere assembled this day as I trust in the feare of GOD and loue of our CHRIST not to pray for the dead or sorowe euē as other that haue no hope being taught by the Spirit that who dye in the Lord rest from their labours and are fully blessed But we are assembled rather to gaine by the seueritie of death that which for the most parte we loose in the securitie of our life viz A true touch and feeling of our owne frailtye taken from the dailye doomes of this declining worlde whose flower as you heere see is fading beautie but a blossome For surely it is true in the steddie bole of all the worlde which is heere falne out in a tender branch There is an appointed time for all thinges vnder the Sunne a time to plante and a time to plucke vp a time to build and a time to pull downe a time to gather and a time to scatter a time to rent and a time to sowe a time to speake and a time to keep silence a time to laugh and a time to weepe a time to liue and a time to dye yea to dye there is no remedie Uni Deo nunquam senectus atra nec mors imminet sed alia miscet domitor aetas omnia Onelye God neither olde age nor blacke death can ouertake but for al other things deuouring time hath and will turne them topsie turuye In regard whereof holy pacient Iob after much debate many pleadings with the sinnes of his soule and sorowes of his heart doth at last as you may heere see demurre vpon the plea with death doome thereby bringing vnto him selfe in solace of his soule a state of inheritance indefeazible with a Crowne of glorye that withereth not And this is done by a thrreefolde necessitie laid vpon all flesh 1. The first of dying and that 's but once 2. The second of liuing againe and that 's for euer 3. The third and last of watchfulnes and that 's but for a time euen till the day of our changing shall come The necessitye of our dying is the doore of life the necessitye of our liuing againe is the doome of death the necessitye of our watchfulnes is the Calender of our daies to witte how we haue liued how we doe liue and how we purpose to liue vntil our changing shall come Or thus that of death we deeme it the day of miserye That of life againe we holde it the day of glorye That of watchfulnes we reckon it for the day of grace And so as one floud puts on an other these three hale and help vs on to happy dwelling whereof if you loose a linke you break the Chayne and silken thrid should winde you out of the laberinth of this
let vs chearefullie vse the creatures as in youth Let vs fill our selues with costly wine oyntments and let not the flower of youth passe by vs Let vs crowne our selues with rose buds before they be withered let al be partakers of our wantonnes let vs leaue some token of our pleasure in euerie greene field as for rigor rage tiranny what 's that to vs when we are dead come let vs oppresse the poore that is righteous let vs not spare the widdow nor reuerence the white haires of the aged but say they haue liued too lōg let our strength bee a law and let the thing that is feeble bee reprooued as vnprofitable Thus did the Atheist speake in the daies of old out of the error of their soules thus did they practise from a graceles resolution the Lord deliuer the land from such a burden his church from such pelfe our Prince from such a people to whome I may say if any there bee that so remaine yet vnreformed after so acceptable a time and free offer of all grace and Godlinesse I may say without repentāce they are a damned crew and depriued of glorie who for that they will not finde out the Lord in his mercies whilst they liue shal be sure to be found out in iudgement by him when they are dead for if a man die he shall liue againe O it shal not be then with the beastlie Epicure whose bellie is his God eate drinke dye and so an end it shall not bee with the wastfull wanton whose lust is his GOD spend sue pursue speede die and so an end it shall not bee with the greedy cormorant whose gold is his God greeue grate grind the poore oppresse the needy then die and so an end it shall not bee with the distemperate Spirits of bloody Tyrants whose reuenge is their God loath kill stabbe murder the Godlie massaker the Saintes then die and so an end it shall not bee with the idle minion whose pride is her God pricke pinne paint frisle the haire then die and so an end it it shall not be with the desperate ruffian whose villanie is his God sweare forsweare teare the heauens and tire the earth with bloodie oathes and blasphemies then die and so an end it shall not be with the grosse Idolater whose image is his God bow bend crosse creepe to the creatures then die and so an end finally it shal not be with the disloyal subiect whose treasons is his God plot complot practise at home and abroad on this side the seas and on that side the subuersion of a blessed state the deposing of a most gracious Prince as they did by their owne confession The best natured and moste heauenly qualified Queene that euer liued in England it shall not be Grieue her curse her depose her and depriue her of life crowne dignity thē die so an end for thē is but the beginning of sorrows after death commeth iudgement when to hide thy selfe with these sinnes it will bee vnpossible and to appeare it will bee vntollerable Lazarus to Heauen Diues to Hell both shal rise againe the one to death euerliuing the other to a life neuer dying for the Godlye shal haue boldenes in that day but the wicked shall crie vnto the mountaines fall vppon vs fall vppon vs. And so to leaue the wicked in their sins and with their brand to close with your religious hearts seeing you looke for better thinges be dilligent that yee may be found of him in peace without spot and blameles at the comming of our Lord Iesus christ to iudgemēt bee wel assured ye that are the elect of God christ his peculiar that though the wicked shal rise to their confusion yet shal ye liue againe as in soule so in bodie to your vnspeakeable ioy and consolation Which heauenlie Doctrine likewise of your liuing againe to beate out hath been the proper workeof all the Godlye from time to time in their succeeding ages Patriarches Prophets Apostles yea Christ himself as the fountaine whose streames if I should follow to the full it would bee tedious for you to passe ouer vnpossible for mee to keepe the current Onely Paules plea for life againe shall stand as a ground for all the rest whose seueral reasons to proue the resurrection layed downe to the Church of Corinth I referre you vnto resting vppon the first as a butteris or binding stone for all the rest which is this Christ is risen againe the first fruites of them that sleepe wherupon I inferre if he be first wee must second him if he be gone before we must follow after if he be risen we may not rest for where the head is of congruence must all the members follow And now that Christ is risen againe from the dead it is apparant by these seuerall proofes First it is promised in Paradice so to be when God said to Sathan hee shall breake thine head and thou shalt bruse his heele bruse he may by death but breake he may not Thine it is ô Christ to breake sathan sinne and death not in the heele but in the head neuer to rise vp in judgement against vs. 2 Secondly his resurection from the dead was prophecied in Iudah by old Iacob Gen. 49. 9. by a Lyon couchant vnder a painefull passion yet passant too by a glorious resurection so said Iacob as a Lyons whelpe shalt thou come vp from the spoile my Sonne Iudah meaning in a misterie from the spoile of Hell sinne and death to the glorie of Heauen life and immortalitie our english Iudah hath this honor in her armes and wee owe her homage our heauenly Iudah hath this honour in his person we owe him adoratiō al ye faithfull of Iudah take this honour to your soules blesse your christ in the scutchin of your hearts carrye him ô carrie him foorth in your Christian marche against all incounters and say terror hic est hominum quique hunc gerit est Agamemnon which I may english thus This Lyon heere of Iudah tribe a terror is to men and Diuils desperat debar'd of blis Who beares him as his Crest more puisant he then Graecian guide with all his chiualrie 3 Thirdly his resurection was figured by Sampson Iudg. 16 who at midnight rose conueyed away the gates of Azzah and bare them vp to Hebron The gates of Azzah are the bands of death which our true Sampson did breake in the night silence of his resurrection and in despite of death bore vp his blessed body to Heauen where now it abides a pledge of our inheritance Haue I not power to lay downe my life haue I not power to take it vp againe 4. Lastly it was signified in the heaue offering shaken vp shakend vne and shaken vp againe so was our Christ in body the substance of this shadow tost to and fro in
assured hope to all Gods Children of a ioy ful resurrection to come it remaines we presse the Doctrine yet further to your comfort and tell you how wee shall bee changed and when For the first rise we shall with these verye bodies of flesh skin blood bone nor shal the least ioynt sinew or Artery bee lost but found and fashioned to the rest of the members to giue the body all feature grace and beautie There shall bee no transubstantiacion from one substance into another but an alteration of quality tending to further perfection and therefore wee say with one who said well Gloria non tollit sed perficit naturam our glorie shall not destroy our nature but perfect it And for distinction of ages there shall be no more there as saith the Prophet a Childe of yeares nor an olde man that hath not fild his daies that is in this wonderfull worke of restauration there shal be no weakenes of youth not infirmities of age but all shall bee fresh and flourishing for as when GOD first created man and woman hee made them not eyther Infants old crooked or deformed but strong ripe and beautifull so in the resurrection which is called a new creation It is not like but shal be conformable to the first if not much more excelleÌ„t nor doe I doubt but as the Apostle saith wee shall all meete together vnto a perfect Man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnes of Christ so fully blessed with daies glory and immortalitie This so wonderful change and excellent state is shadowed out vnto vs by Christ his transfiguration vppon the holy mounte when the fashion of his countenance was changed and his garments white and glistred splendor infacie splendor in vestimentis sic gloria in capite gloria in membris brightnes in the face of Christ with brightnes in his garments is nothing else but glorie in the head and glorie in the members This sawe the disciple whome the Lord loued when with a feeling soule and spirit he said dearely belooued now are wee the Sonnes of God but it is not yet made manifest what we shall bee for we knowe that when he shall bee made manifest meaning Christ wee shall be like him for wee shall see him as hee is like him see him and see him as hee is ô excellent state of immortallitie and soueraigne dignitie of Gods elect to bee like him is much to see him is more but to see him as he is moste of all Paul saw the like when he longed after a deliuerance and said wee looke for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ who shall change our vile body that it may bee fashioned like vnto his glorious bodye according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all thinges vnto himselfe whereuppon I may inferre to your further ioy and greater wonder thus That wee shall bee changed is much that our vile bodies shall bee changed is more but that our vile bodye vppon the change shall bee fashioned like vnto the gloryous body of Iesus CHRIST is moste of all Manye fashions there are in this worlde and all weare out of fashion There 's but one suite for the Saints of GOD and for that it 's cut after the best Patterne viz. after CHRISTS it neuer weareth or waxeth olde but is alwayes faire fresh and glorious had wee been apparelled like Aaron in his holyeâ—obes or like Salomon in his Royall array had wee put on the brightnesse of Angells vpon our change wee might haue thought our selues sufficientlye graced but as and if all that were not sufficient The Lord hath changed our vile bodie that it might bee fashioned like vnto his glorious bodye And this will hee doe when our case is most desperate euen finde vs out when we are lost take vs vp when wee are furthest fallen from him when our woundes are deepest then rediest to power in oyle and to binde them vp when no eye pityeth vs I say when by blacke death we shall be made vile base and despicable Then will he fashion vs like vnto himselfe and as the Psalmist saith make vs glorious by deliuerance For it is an excellencie in our Christ and a mercie infallible found true in the practise of his pyetye euen then to shewe mercye when wee are mosse miserable then to feele him nearest when wee deeme him furthest gone his graces to abound when our sinnes doe superabound I say his mercies are preuentions euer meeting with our miseries and then when wee are moste wofull and wanting When the Scepter was gone from Iudah then Shiloh came when the diseased woman had spent all without remedye then came CHRIST and cured without cost when the poore Paralyticke had laine eight and thirtye yeares by the Poole of Bethesda and none would helpe to put him in Then Iesus said rise take vp thy bed and walke when the Disciples said vnkindely send the people away nay saith Christ giue ye them to eate What should I say more The Lord raysed Lazarus when he stunke in the graue and whilst Martha mooued and Mary mourned he grieued in heart and was troubled in Spirit put to his hand tooke him out deliuered him said now loose him and let him goe So wil he doe in the day of our redemption when our sinnes shall bee full and miserie moste abound then mercie shall bee more full and grace superabound and as at his first coÌ„ming of his aboundance we al receaue grace for grace a chereful refreshing to our sinful soules so at his coÌ„ming againe wee that dwel in the dust shal awake sing at the shoute and shower of his glorie as also of the aboundance of his glorie receaue glory for glory Thy dew ô Lord is as the dew of hearbs for euen as hearbes dead in winter florish againe by the raine in the Spring tyme so shall they that liue in the dust arise vp to joy when they feele the dew of Gods grace as the hony droppes that water the earth And then shall wee say with a Godly â—uation now death is swallowed vp in victorie for our drie bones are moistned our forlorne hope is recouered we were cleane cut off but now are wee growne againe our bed is precious and our withered branch is glorious the Lord hath opened our graues wee are come out of the Sepulchres and he hath brought vs into the land of the liuing where wee shall see no sinne nor feele corruption any more Hasten thy iudgements ô Lord bowe the heauens and come downe discharge the graues of their dead the world of it doome our soules from sinne and our bodies from corruption ô hasten the daie of our deliuerie that wee may see in glorie what we feele in grace euen the beholding of thy face in righteousnes that when wee shall awake from death wee may be satisfied with thy likenesse and fild with
and drinke thy fil spare him not whome thou hast spilt stop his breath couer his face tye his handes binde his feete imbalme his bodye bury his corpes lay on the stone and seale vp the sepulchre yet Christ is at Bithinia greeuing at the graue and me thinkes I heare him crie with a lowde voice to him and all the dead arise and come to iudgement Evomuit prophetam marina bestia quem deglucierat et tu Humbertum reddes quem videris in tuo vastisimo ventre conclusisse So said Barnard of his friend Humbertus and so may I of this our deere deceassed The Maritine beast pickt vp Ionas whome hee had deuoured And thou earth shalt redeliuer this flower of gentrie whome thou seemest to haue closed vp in thy vaste vault In the last day ô Death thou shalt stand like a foole beguild of the dead when the Saint here fallen shall euer liue and thou his destroyer shalt euer die And nowe to that which thou canst not spil which is the sweete perfume of his life past I will bee the more sparing to speake thereof for that loue can keepe neither meane nor method The rule is good say nothing but well of the dead it is better say nothing but truelye of the dead And the truth is hee hath bin true to this my text for he hath bin watchfull watchfull of his place to performe it with good conscience to God and loyalty to his Prince watchfull of his family to gouerne it withall descretion and godlinesse watchfull of his Golde that the canker thereof should not rust his soule watchfull of his ground that the furrowes should not complaine against him the vniust detaining of the laborers wages watchfull of his building that neither the stone out of the wall should cry or beame out of the tymber should answer it with oppression And for this place and charge where nowe I stand my selfe can witnesse how watchfull and carefull hee hath been of it good with whome hee often dealt to furnish him of an able man as an assistant to ayde and helpe the pastor heere which I know ere this had bin effected but that the Lord delt with him as hee did with Dauid in the Fabricke of the Temple Euen put it of to Salomon his Son by him to bee perfected which I doubt not but he will performe and that readilie in the feare of God according to the zeale of his heart and good conscience towards this great people for thou ô Lord hast put fire in his heart and what is thy desire but that it should burne Besides all these the sweete balme of his hospitalitie was an honour to God a reliefe to the poore a credit to his place calling wherof I may say he was watchfull watchful as Abraham who laye in his Tent doore vnder the oake at Mamre to gather in strangers and at the last God was his guest watchfull as Lot who sat in the gate of Sodome to call in pilgrimes and at last hee receaued Angells Rich Christ is in his poore members and hiâ— ioyfull message is tyed to his word and Ministrie he relieued the one and countenanceâ— the other A good aduertisement to al christians that they beware against whome they barre their doores least happily cui Domum clauseris cui huminitatem negaueris ipsâ— sit deus Least happilye as Augustin saith it be God himselfe against whome thou shuttest thy doore and denyest thy curiositie The rule is Apostolic be good to all but especiallye to those that are of the housholde of faith And nowe to winde vp all with the watch of his last farewell at what time with good Ezekias seauen yeares before to my knowledge he set his house in order and prepared to die recommeÌ„ding then as now his soule to God his bodye to the earth his Land to hiâ— heire his goods to the world with much kinde remembrance of his friendes and many prayers for his enemies if hee had any Not so wicked Alcimus of whome it is said that at the time of his death he was plagued so as hee could neither speake to God or giue order concearning his house And for his Funerals nowe next in place and last in action you see they are not without forme like Ioachims of whome the Lord said by the Prophet They shall not lament him saying ah my Brother or ah my Sister neither shall they mourne for him saying oh Lord or ah his glorie For this so great a concourse of Christian people honouring his buriall following his hearse and giuing him the last duetie of obsequi doth argue they loued him liuing whome they honour thus dead nor is it done without compassion for oh husband oh father oh maister oh friend is in the lamentatioÌ„ of all ye see their teares ye heare their groanings God knowes their griefe To whom I leaue them as to the alone comforter doe further pray that the Lord wold teach vs to nuber our daies that we might apply our hearts vnto wisdome so at his comming may bee found watchfull with our oyle readie and our Lampes light Amen Amen FINIS 1. Sam 4 21. c. Mark 5 2 3. 4 5. Eccles 7 4 Psa 126. 5 Exod. 31. 2 1. Co 4 1 Ge 18 2 Gal 6 â— 1. Th. 4. 13 Reuel 14. 13. Eccles. 3. 1 Sophocles The crie of death Ps. 89. 48. Gen. 2. 17. Heb. 9. 27 Dan. 6. 8. Wisd. 2. 24 The reward of sin is death Reu. 10. 6 Ch. 22. 29 Sermo 48. ad â—ratres in Eremo Amos. 6. 2 Isai. 13. 19 Iam. 2. 13 Psal. 49. 1â— Phil. 3. 8. The Herâ—enger of death Eccles. 12. â— 3. c. Old men must die and young men may die Isaiah 40â— 6 7. 8. Exod. 14. The plea of death 2. co 5. â—â— 2. Pe. 3. 14 Phil. 2. 15. â—â— Iohn 5. 2â— 29 Re. 20 13. c. 2. Pe. 3. 13 Isa. 30. 33. Isa. 22. 13 Old Atheisme New Atheisme D. Parie Heb. 9. 27 Lu. 16. 22 1 Ioh. 4. 17 â—â—â— 23. 30 â— Th. 5. 23 The plea of life 1. Cor. 15. that christ is risen Gen. 3. 15. Iudg. 16. 3 Ioh. 10. 17 18 Exo. 29. 24 Mar. 16. 6. 7. Luk 24 5 10 20 17 1 Cor 15. 4 c. That we shall rise 2. co 4 14 Iohn 6 3â— 40 Rom 1. 4. Heb. 2 1. â— Heb 6 1â— Ez 33 11 Ioh 5 25 2. â— 13 2â— Iohn 11. 43 44 Iud. 14 Iob 19. 26 27 Isa 26 19 〈…〉 â—7 4 Dan 12. 2 2 Macc. 7 11 1 Cor 15 42 Phil. 3 21 1 Ioh 1. 1 Iohn 20 24 c. Not sore but open Iohn 5. 28 29 Reu. 6 9 10. 11. Heb. 11 40. Ro. 8. 11 Math. 27 52. 53. Ioh. 14. 3. Ro. 8. 34 Hebr. 9. 24 Re. 21 21 Eph. 2 2 3 A dangerous sect of whome we reade few â—r none to haue been called ma 22. 23 29 2. Tim. 2. 17.
worlde to the porte and paradice of your God For no blessed life without a blessed death and no blessed death without a blessed life and then are we blessed in both when we stand vpon our guard and are found watchfull 1. Now for the first I say with the Psalmist What man liueth and shall not see death shal he deliuer his soule frō the hand of the graue no no the decree of death is an imperial lawe acted in paradice vpon Gods fayrest Creature where sinne no sooner seizd but death entred and hath euer since like the lawes of the Medes and Persians bene irreuocable And though happily from the first death there lye an appeale to a better life in the prerogatiue Court and high consistorie of our Christ dead for our sinnes but risen againe for our iustification yet is there no repeale of that first lawe by any latter acte I say no parliment to disanull the doome of death No place priuiledged no person exempt no time to interrupt the decree therof but like an omnipotent Queene and regent of al the world where sinne hath kist she euer killeth There is no safetie any where If Angels in heauen sinne downe they must If Adam in Paradice transgresse out he must If Iudas faile at the side of Christ away hee must where is a practise of sinning there is euer a necessitie of dying without either priuiledge of place person or presence for thorow enuie of the Deuill came death into this world they that hold on his part shall prooue it I say then dare avouch that the matter of our sinning is the cause of our dying and that needes must needes shall Must thou needes sinne then surely shalt thou die sinne and death are hereditarie they dwel in one house like Hipocrates twins they laugh togeather they weepe togeather they liue together they die together And so shall till time bee no more for no time of sinning no time of dying In the interim our Fathers haue eaten a sower grape and the Childrens teeth are set on edge the Ceders are fallen how can the shrubbe stand the Patriarches before the Flood the Patriarches since the Flood the holy Priestes and honorable Kings of Iudah and Israel haue all sinned and are all dead And why should we liue Ieremiah cryed and so may I O earth earth earth heare the word of the Lord young earth old earth middle earth faire earth strong earth rich earth heare the cry your moulde is earth your flesh is sinfull and your condition is mortall Ye Kinges of the earth ye are but kinglie earth sinne is your shame death is your due you honorable mē you are but honorable earth you Gentlemen you are but gentle earth you learned men you are but learned earth you meane men you are but meane earth I say of you all sin is your shame and death is your doome and when the graue hath it due then treade out the ground giue me the difference who is Princely who is honorable who is poore base and beggerlie It may be your Tombes Hearses and Sepulchers doe set out your state and shine to your praise but vnder within what 's your rottennes better then others what 's your dignitie aboue the meanest This Augustin sawe with his Mother Monicha standing by Caesars Tombe at Rome whē vpon the view he said I beheld the Corpes of Caesar as he lay in his Sepulchre there and loe they were blackish and fallen to rottennes I looked vpon his belly burst swarmes of wormes issued out In the hollowes of his head where once stood his christal eyes two hungry Toades were feeding The locks of his head were fallē his teeth appeared but his lippes were wasted the gristle of his nose being consumed the very ground thereof was discouered This when I saw I said deare Mother where is now the beautie of Caesar where is the worlde of his wealth where be the troupes of his Nobles Knights Barons where are the armies of his fighting men Where is the prouision of all his delights his hunting dogges his coursing Steeds his chaunting Birds his guilt Palace his Iuorie bed his Princely Throne his royall Wardrobe where where are his goulden Lockes and his faire feature long it is not O Caesar since all men dred thee all Princes feared thee all Citties did honour thee yea all the world did thee homage Ubi nūc quaeso sunthaec omnia quo abijt tua magnificentia Where I pray thee now are all these honors whither is thy puissance gone To which my deere Mother answered with all pietye and reuerence O my sonne all thinges fayled him when life left him And now his possession is heer in a Tomb of three Cubits long with corruption and rottennes in the kingdome of darknes Such my deer bretherē no better is the condicion of all flesh The meanest the mightiest as you see are al of one molde there is no difference in the graue and as of men so may I say of Cityes Kingdomes and Monarchies of this worlde They had their pride and they haue their period for goe ye as saith the Prophet to Calneh and see and from thence goe you to Hamath the great then goe downe to Gath of the Philistims look vpon Ioppa behold Tarsus wonder at Niniuie the pride of Assur gaze vpon Babilon the beautye of all the Chaldees honor and as you passe by cast your eye vpon the ruines of Ierusalem that virgin daughter Syon and when you haue viewed them al tell those renowned places of the worlde tell them that euen they are mortall that sinne hath sackt them and therefore they are fallen likewise in their decayed places yea and withall say that the very best thinges of this worlde so desired of all are but vaine and vile for what 's your golde and siluer other then as one termeth it terrae immundicia the slime filth of the earth what are your rich Furres of Sables Budge or Ermins but the skinnes of sauage beastes what 's your softe veluet silke and sattin but the excrements of vyle wormes what 's your sweete muske and Ciuet but the ordure of vermin what are your perpetuityes of fayre houses Castles Honors cal'd after your names but Nimrods Statues and monuments of former future confusions Of all which when ye haue most then haue ye least and neuer so freed as when you are loosed from them and can say with a perfect heart as did the Apostle I counted all thinges but losse and did iudge them to be doung that I might winne Christ. But leaue we a little these dead carkases of elder times with the cause of their ruines which was their sinne come we neerer home euen to that which wee feele in our bones and finde in our flesh as harbengers of deathes approach and deeper printes of our mortalitye You that are of yeeres olde
which we haue heard which wee haue seene with our eyes which we haue looked vpon these handes of ours haue handled declare wee vnto you Hands haue handled what meaneth that Woe is mee to tell doubtfull Thomas demur'd vpon the Doctrine till his itching fingers had fetched it out of the prints of the nailes his sinful hand out of his sore side How bee it vpon the touch his heart resolu'd into sighes his eyes into teares when hee said with an holy resolution my GOD my Lord my God I am thy creature my Lord I am thy redeemed I finde thee risen and I feele I shal be raysed Thy woundes are deepe enough to pleade thy death sufficieÌ„t wide to purchase life for me and all the worlde For conclusion of all let Christ his witnesse bee instar omnium and stand for all who to take away the doubt forbids the wonder of our new repaire saying maruell not at this for the houre shall come in the which all that are in graues shall heare his voice and come forth 5. Fiftly we are well assured that we shal rise againe by double pledge or hostage 1. First of the soules of the Saints now lodgers in Heauen vnder the Altar killed for the word of GOD and testymonye which they maintained whose loud crye is after a deliuerance of their owne bodyes and of vs their long detayned bretheren to whome silence was inioyned for a while that they should rest vntill their fellowe-seruants and bretheren that should bee killed euen as they were were fulfilled 2. Secondly of their bodyes lodged in their graues there to remaine as lodgers for vs likewise vntill the time that all thinges bee restored God prouiding this good for vs that they without vs should not be made perfect 6 A sixt assurance is the pawne of the Spirit of God within vs for as the Apostle saith if the spirit of him that raised vp Iesus from the dead dwel in you he that raised vp Christ froÌ„ the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you And now my bretheren how this spirit hath entred wimbled into your soules to make passage for this Doctrine I know not reade the caracters of your own hearts you are spiritual I feele no spirit but mine own yet I hope well that the cheareful spirit of God mooueth within you lifteth vp your sad peÌ„siue spirits this day from the dead graue to the blessed hope of immortalitie 7. Seauenthly we are secured per Arram when the earnest is giuen it strikes the bargaine part of the debt is paied so was it wheÌ„ vpoÌ„ the resurectioÌ„ of Christ the graues yeelded part of their dead as an earnest of the generall resurrection and full payment to come then contracted betwixt Christ and the graue binding both alike the graue to deliuer the rest of her dead and Christ to receaue all to life and immortalitie 8. The eight and last yet not the least Anchor of our sure hope and hold is our possession of heauen already taken whither our head is gon before and there sits in potioribus Dei at the right hand of the Father in the best place of heauen that the head and the members might be togeather So then I say in the Man Christ we make our claime in the Man Christ hath euerie one flesh blood bone and portion I beleeue I shall liue where my flesh liueth I hope I shall reigne where my head reigneth and I knowe assuredly that I shall bee glorified where my portion is exalted These groundes of faith my bretheren are so many nailes of the sanctuary to fasten vs in hope to the hold where Christ our redeemer is they are so many Chrysolits Saphiers and Emeralds to support the wall of the holy Cittie where wee shall dwel and so many Pearls they are to garnish the gates of the holy Temple for the Saints entrance where the light of the Lambe is the people which are saued shall walke in the light of it and as Iohn saith the glorie and honor of the Gentils whereof you are shall bee brought into it Lord what is man that thou art so mindefull of him or the Sonne of man that thou shouldest thus visite him in mercie and prouide for him in glory And yet my beloued I know not howe but notwithstanding all these proofes and this my text yet hath not the tempter ceased from the beginning of the world vnto this day eyther like a roaring Lyon feircely to assault or like a Serpent by deceite craftily to impugne the same yea it is a woe and a wonder to see how mightily the Diuell hath preuailed in the Children of disobedience to worke their iust condemnation through mis-beleefe euen in this point of the resurrection of our liuing againe whereof I haue thought good to giue you a taste of their different errors the rather to season you in the knowne truth The Saducâ—s say there is no resurection at all erring as Christ tolde them in that they knew not the Scriptures nor the power of God Hymeneus Philetus say yâ— resurectioÌ„ is past alreadie the Heluetian Heretickes say It is dayly in there generation The ArchaÌ„tici that the soule liueth but not the bodye The Hirarchits that the flesh liueth againe but not this flesh The Maniches that we shall be turned into an other substance but into what they knowe not The Marcionits say wee shall bee turned into the nature of Angels and the Ualentinian Heretickes into the nature of Deuils the Appelleits thinke the flesh shal simbolize into the Spirit that the spirit shal vanish into the sostayre the Chiliaste w e are called the Millenarie Heretickes doe dreame of a ciuil gouernmeÌ„t for a thousand yeares heere on earth wherein they thinke the Godly shall liue with Christ in all delights delicacie then goe to heauen in the eight thousand yeare of the world But all these different errors and Heresies are mightily confounded by the alone spirit of God in these words of my text If a man die hee shall liue againe as and if the truth should say that graue that shutteth shall open againe that bodye which falleth shall rise againe that man which dyeth shall liue againe not in part but in whole not another from that it was but the verie same that now it is These my feete shall treade in his Courts these my handes shall bee lift vp to his praise these mine eyes shal behold his glory these mine eares shall be filled with that heauenly melodye yea and this my spirit shal reioyce in God my maker my sauiour my redeemer my glorifier I say this my bodye and this my soule once feuered on earth with a wofull farewell shall meete againe in heauen neuer to part but followe the Lambe whither euer he goeth And thus hauing cleered in some measure the necessitie of our liuing againe with an
bee silent There saith the text are the companie of innumerable Angels and the congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen There is God the Iudge of all and the Spirits of iust and perfect men there is Iesus the meadiator of the new Testament and the blood of sprinckling that speaketh better thinges then the blood of Habel Whence I inferre to passe the rest and to come to that which more neerelie concerneth the matter in question that there are onely the spirits of iust and perfect men but neither bodie blood or bone other then that of Iesus Christ the mediator of the new Testament whose blood speaketh better thinges then that of Habels For the blood of Habel cryed reuenge but the blood of Christ euen there sprinckling as it were in his Fathers face cryeth pardon pardon I might to confirme this Scripture cote that of Iohn and open vnto you the first seale with the Altar of God the soules of the saints lying there vnder I might tel you of their inioyned silence to pray or pleade for any further repaire or perfection in body vntill the number of their fellowe seruants gone before and of their Bretheren to follow after dead as they were were fulfilled but I leaue the Doctrine to your further search and examination because the time hasteth on and for the present onelie content my selfe and I hope you to with the assoyling of some few doubts which happely might incounter the Docttrine deliuered First say some if there bee no bodies in heauen but that of Christs where then are the bodyes of Henocke and Elias the one taken away before the Flood and the other after in a fiery Chariot I answere with the learned whose iudgements I reuereÌ„ce as to inquire where they became is meere curiositie so to say they bee in heauen is ouer bolde presumption and if I should say with Dauid Kimhi not the meanest interpreter of the Hebrues that in the taking vp of Elyas his garments were consum'd with fire except his Mantell which fell from him yea and that himselfe was extinguished so as euerie one of the Elements of his body dissolued and return'd to the Element whereof it was but that his Spirit passed to heauen it were no singular opinion for of the verie same minde Oecolampadius seemeth to bee in his exposition vpon the last of Malachie But for vs it is sufficient that their translation shew there is a better life prepared if wee make it a Sacrament eyther of our resurrection froÌ„ the dead or last taking vp into heauen if we make it a testimonie of the immortallitie of soules bodies I holde it may well stand with the Analogie of faith and be as TertulliaÌ„ sayth documents of our perfection to come for the rule is good multa tribuuntur Symbolis quae tantum sunt rerum significatarum many things are said of figures which are onely true in the thing they signifie Therefore if any man say they are taken vp and glorified in body as in soule it is onely true in that they signifie and not in Symbole Heerein if I be deceiued I dare not say with the Prophet Lord thou hast deceaued me Ieremiah 20. yet may I say ye learned of this age Caluin Fulke Grenam Bale c. ye are deceaued and erre with me It sufficeth vs saith Caluin that their taking away meaning Henocke and Elias was a certaine extraordinarie death nor may we doubt but that they put of corruptible and mortall flesh that with the â—est of Christ his members they might be renewed into a blessed immortalitie might bee renewed saith hee therefore not yet renewed and with the rest of the members of Christ ergo not single by themselues The Rhemistes vpon the same place charge vs Protestants to bee Sectaries for that wee holde this Doctrine their words are these heere it appeareth that Henocke yet liueth and is not dead against the Caluinistes Mr. Fulke answereth the charge and layeth downe his iudgement in these wordes It appeareth not that Henocke yet liueth in bodye more then Moses or Elyas but that he was translated by God out of the world died not after the coÌ„mon maner of men with this marginall note more fully to expresse his minde in the point Enocke not still liuing But as for any passage into heauen that Enocke or Elias had in bodie or locall being there which is the maine point in controversie he is so farre from that opinion as in an other place he is bolde to vouch the contrarie in these verie wordes It is euident indeede that Elias was taken vp aliue but not that hee contynueth aliue yea because it is said expreslye that he was taken vp into heauen it is certaine that his bodye was not carryed into heauen for Christ was the first that in his whole humanity ascended into heauen Ergo say I with Mr. Fulke whose learning iudgement and authoritie I much reuerence and so may the Church of England that yet there is no Bodye in Heauen but that of Iesus christs for hee is the beginning and the first begotten of the dead as the Apostle saith that in all thinges he might haue the preheminence Exiled Bale in his image of both Churches and in his chaste Paraphras vpon the cited place Reuelation 11. inferreth thus against the Popish schoole Doctors who wold haue the two witnesses there mencioned to be Enocke and Elias vnlike it is saith he that God should call witnesses from the dead And what Godlie wise man can giue more to the figure then to the veritie more were they not priuiledged from death then Christ was though God wold not then haue it so to be knowne to declare his wonderfull worke Onely that which may deceaue is the Originall word Lakac which found in other places of Scripture else where doth implye rather a taking away by death then any traÌ„slation from death as in the 4. of Ionah where the prophet prayeth that God wold take away his life and Ezech. 44. 16. where the Lord saith beholde I will take from thee the pleasure of thine eyes meaning his wife the same original in both places is all one with that of Enocke Gen. 5. And therefore I see not yet why it may not inure to the same sense and signification vnlesse we may deeme that Ionah prayed for any such translation or that Ezechiels wife was so translated indeede which may not be for that the Prophet liued longer after and Ezechiels wife was found dead at euen and for the newe testament it is familiar with Christ and his Apostles to call death a translation or taking away to blessednes as Luke 9. 51. Iohn 13. 1. and 17 1. In all which places the Greeke will beare it to be a translation or taking away to a better life yet euer by a true and certaine death And therefore I answere to that of the Hebrues where it is said by faith Enocke
was translated that he shold not see death that though happily his departure out of this life was extraordinary without passion sickenes or greenance yet was it a dissolution and such as left a bodye behinde else why saith the Text that these whereof Enocke was one without vs should not bee made perfect had hee been taken vp and glorified in bodye as in soule hee had been perfect without vs but because the Scripture plainely saith that hee without vs should not bee perfected I holde as yet in bodie he is no more glorified then wee or the rest of that Calender It is recorded by Iude that Michaell th'a arch Angell stroue against the Deuill and dispuâ—ed about the bodye of Moses nor doe I doubt but the contention was anenst the funeralles The Deuil would haue them solemne Michael would haue them secret to auoide idolatrie and loue of religques least the succeeding age mâ—ght commit the sinne in adoring his dead bones of whome whilst hee liued they had so great a reputation of all pietye and holines So may I say of Henocke and Elias in that as the text saith they are gone not seene or found they are taken rom buriall and from all vsage of this world least succeeding ages might adore them dead whom they so honored aliue for not found not seene we say of meÌ„ rather lost on earth then gone to heauen Againe when Christ was transfigured vpon the Mount it is said that Moses and Elyas talked with him and tolde of his departure which hee should accomplish at Ierusalem and shall wee say that the one was more translated then the other more perfect or more glorified then the other pardon mee if I pleade a like perfection in both If Elias then Moses if not Moses then not Elias but it is plaine in the Scripture that Moses dyed and so it is of Enocke and Elias in the generall otherwise how should that sentence of Scripture bee veryfied Hebrues 9. 27. It is appointed to men that they shall once dye if wee shall then conclude and say from the premisses that by diuine dispensation and for the time Moses Elyas tooke vp their bodies to associat Christ in the glorification as did the Saintes who ryse with him to accompany him in the resurrection when hauing performed that which they were appointed to doe they were dissolued againe as before I holde it may well stand with the Anolagie of faith for that the Scripture saith concerning Christ. Act. 13. 34. God raised him vp from the dead no more to returne to corruption as and if others might twise returne where Christ should but once see the graue As for the Fathers doubtfull iudgement there anenst I say as I haue euer said I reuerence their gray haires but I blesse eternitie nor dare I subscribe to all the Fathers in the present point for that they are variable nor to any one of them further then hee hath good warrantie out of the word which is euer like it selfe and stable in al truth The Rhemistes would prooue in their annotations vpon the 11. of the Apocalips two speciall pointes of Doctrine against vs to make good their Antichriste yet to come 1. First that Enocke and Elias yet liue shall preach in the time of Antichrist and suffer martirdome theâ— that they now liue in Paradice and for denying of these two positions they say weâ— Protestants are too contentious and incredulous the matter being cleare as they auer in the opinion of all antiquitie and to that ende they presse vs with the sway oâ— the Fathers both Greeke and Latine T 〈…〉 whose quotations in that place I referr 〈…〉 you as also to the variable iudgement o 〈…〉 antiquitie there anenst whence I resolue and conclude To say with some of the fathers concurring with our aduersaries that Enocke and Elyas be yet in Paradice is idle to say they shall fight against Antichrist in the ende of the world and suffer Martirdome is more idle to say they be yet aliue is dangerous but to say they be dead as all others are is without all danger and whereupon neuer grew schisme in the Church of God neuer greefe to conscience or checke to the Royall dignitie of our Christ whose sole and soueraigne preheminence of being in heauen bodily I holde as an excellencie in him and a blessing to vs yet so as to beleeue or not to beleeue that Enocke Elyas be there may bee no barre to our saluation for that I doubt not but milions of soules shall bee saued who neuer heard or sought into that secret And now that I haue said God will witnesse with mee before whome I stand in the sight of men and Angels that I haue spoken nothing to the touch or preiudice of any contrarie iudgement or out of the pride or singularitie of my owne heart but in right and prerogatiue of my Christ whose peculiar yet I take it to bee alone to pardone our sinnes to pleade our cause and purchase our place whither first he is entred in body to make passage for all and as the Apostle saith Now to appeare in the sight of God for vs and so to conclude with Origen sicut ex mortuis primogenitus christus it a primus carnem euexit in caelum As Christ is the first borne of the dead so hee first caried his flesh into heauen 2. A second doubt encountering this Doctrine riseth from such as make question what became of the bodie of Lazarus after it was raised as also of the bodyes of those saints which at christ his resurection came out of their graues went into the holy citty and appeared vnto many To which I answere that all was done by myracle and diuine dispensation onely for that time to confirme and ascertaine vnto vs the resurection from the dead as in the head so in the members And well it might stand with faith and religion both that as by like dispensation Christ himselfe being yet mortall was transfigured vpon the holy Mount and glorified in body and beeing risen againe and gloryfied tâ—oke an impression of his mortalitie as the print of the Nailes in his hands and wound in his side to confirme the weake faith of Thomas So I say by the verie like dispensation hath he disposed of the bodies of those his Saints for that time to confirm the doctrine of the resurection who hauing performed that which they were appointed to doe by the iudgement of Augustine and diuers others settled in their graues as they did before for Christ being raised from the dead dyeth no more as and if the Apostle were resolued that manye raysed to life haue dyed againe of which sorte I take these to be 3. The third and last encounter is with our aduersaries who to aduance the bodye of the blessed virgin vp into heauen haue mightily abased the blessed bodye of Christ on earth pulling downe the one