1.1 2 3 4. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten Son of the Father full of grace and truth That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life For the Life was manifested and we have seen it and bear witness and shew unto you that eternall life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also might have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ And these things write we unto you that your joy may be full Exod. 20.2 Eighthly Again in the old Testament we have the Law given by Moses But in the new Testament we have Grace and Mercy brought unto us by Christ Iesus And of all his fulness have all we received Iohn 1.16 and grace for grace For the Law was given by Moses Iohn 1.17 but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ Ninthly Again by the Law we have the knowledge of Sin and of Gods curse which followed thereupon and of the Iudgements denounced against sinners and that not only of a death temporal but even of a death eternal both of body and soul And the Lord God took the Man Gen. 2.15 16 17. and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it And the Lord God commanded the Man saying of every Tree of the Garden thou mayest freely eat But of the Tree of knowledg of good and evill thou shalt not eat of it for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die And unto Adam he said Gen. 3.17 19. because thou hast hearkned unto the voice of thy Wife and hast eaten of the Tree of which I commanded thee saying Thou shalt not eat of it Cursed is the Ground for thy sake in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the daies of thy life In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return unto the ground for out of it was thou taken for Dust thou art and unto Dust shalt thou return For the wages of sin is death Rom. 6.23 For when we were in the flesh Rom. 7.5 the motions of sin which were by the Law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death What shall I say then Rom. 7.7 8 9 10 11. is the Law sin God forbid Nay I had not known sin but by the Law for I had not known Lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not covet But sin taking occasion by the Commandement wrought in me all manner of concupiscence for without the Law sin was dead For I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandement came sin revived and I died And the Commandement which was ordaiued to life I found to be unto death For Sin taking occasion by the Commandement deceived me and by it slew me But by the Gospel we have the knowledge of the free Pardon and full forgiveness of our Sins purchased for us by the death and passion of Christ our Saviour and conferred unto us by his grace and favour he undergoing the full vial of Gods wrath and judgement denounced against sin and Sinners even the whole curse of the Law he endured for us who died for our Sins and rose again for our justification that we should dye unto sin and live unto righteousness Rom. 5.6 8. For then when we were yet without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were Sinners Christ died for us Who was delivered for our Offences Rom. 4.25 and was raised again for our justification Much more then being now justified by his blood Rom. 5.9 we shall be saved from wrath through him For if when we were enemies Rom. 5.10 we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Who was delivered for our offences Rom. 4.2 and was raised again for our justification O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. The sting of Death is Sin and the strength of Sin is the Law But thanks be unto God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ Who his own self bare our sins 1 Pet. 2.24 in his own body on the Tree that we being dead to sin should live unto righteousness by whose stripes ye were healed But he was wounded for our transgressions Isaiah 53.5 6. he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our Peace was upon him and with his stripes are we healed All we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all If God be for us Rom. 8.31 32. who can be against us He that spared not his own son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Rom. 8.33 34. it is God that justifyeth Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Christ hath delivered us from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 being made a curse for us For it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree For he that is hanged Deut. 21.23 is accursed of God Tenthly Again the Law was as our School-master to bring us unto Christ to shew us the way to him and to direct us therein aright But the Gospel bringeth Christ himself unto us who is the way the truth and the life offering of himself to be received by us by a true and lively faith Wherefore the Law was our Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by Faith But after that Faith is come Ga. 3.24 25. we are no longer under a Schoolmaster For ye are all the Children of God by faith Iohn 14.1 6. in Christ Iesus Let not your hearts be troubled ye believe in God believe also in me Iesus saith I am the way the truth and the life no man commeth unto the Father but by me Upon which place St. Chrysostome thus discourseth Quo vis ire ego sum via S. Chrysostom Quid vis scire ego sum veritas Ubi vis manere ego sum vita Whither wilt thou go I am the way What would'st thou know I am the Truth Where would'st thou remain I am the Life And again St. Bernard upon this place saith S. Bernard I am the way which leadeth to the Truth I am the Truth that
in vita aeterna cum Christo beatus qui non est in hac vita in Christo sanctus That is He shall never be happy with Christ in the life to come and eternall who is not in this life holy and sanctified in Christ It is well observed That man hath a Threefold being as namely First Esse naturae a Naturall being by birth Secondly Bene esse gratiae a well-being by grace by his new birth And Thirdly Optime esse gloriae his glorious being by death the same being an entrance into a life of glory These three being all of them specified by this ensuing place of Scripture c. Jesus answered and said unto him John 3.3 5 6 8. Verily I say unto thee except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdome of God Verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit The wind bloweth where it listeth John 14.2 3. and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth so is every one that is born of the Spirit In my fathers house are many mansions I go to prepare a place for you And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also Fourthly Gen. 2. the Old Testament or the law sheweth unto us our miserable estate and condition we are in by sin and by the fall of our first parents in Paradise The New Testament or the Gospel sheweth unto us our happy estate and condition we are in by grace by the merits death and passion Resurrection and ascension of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ For now is Christ risen from the dead 1 Cor. 15.20 21 22. and become the first fruits of them that slept For since by man came death by man came also the Resurrection of the dead For as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive For the wages of sin is death Rom. 6.23 but the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. And sin when it is finished James 1.15 bringeth forth death As by the offence of one Rom. 5.18 19 20 21. Iudgement came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousnesse of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous Moreover the Law entred that the offence might abound but where sin abounded grace did much more abound That as sin hath reigned unto death even so might grace reign through righteousnesse by lesus Christ our Lord. Fifthly In the Old Testament we have many Prophecies and foretellings of Christ our Saviour to come In the new Testament or Gospel we have the joyfull newes and glad tidings of the birth of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ And hereupon one well saith The Gospel or the good spel because the Gospel bringeth us good and glad tidings of salvation in and by Iesus Christ And there were in the same country shepheards abiding in the field Luke 2.8 9 10 11 12. keeping watch over their flock by night And lo the Angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them and they were sore afraid And the Angel said unto them fear not for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. And his name was called Jesus which was so named of the Angel before he was conceived in the wombe Behold Mat. 1.20 21 22 23. the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream saying Ioseph thou son of David fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wise for that which is conceived in her is of the holy Ghost And she shall bring forth a son and thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall save his people from their sins Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet saying Behold Isaiah 7.14 a Virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son and shall call his name Emmanuel which being interpreted is God with us And the word was made flesh John 1.14 and dwelt among us and we beheld the glory as of the onely begotten son of the father full of grace and truth Who 1 Pet. 1.20 verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world but was manifest in these last times for you But when the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his son made of a woman and made under the Law To redeem them that were under the Law Gal. 4.4 5. that we might receive the adoption of sons Sixthly The Law tyeth us to an active obedience and due performance of all which the Law requireth to be done by us Dicit Lex hoc fac vive that is do and perform all this which is commanded and live Now therefore hearken O Israel Deut. 4.1 2. unto the statutes and unto the judgements which I teach you for to do them that ye may live and go in and possesse the land which the Lord God of your fathers giveth you Ye shall not adde unto the word which I command you neither shall ye diminish ought from it that ye may keep the commandements of the Lord your God which I command you What thing soever I command you Deut. 12.32 observe to do it thou shalt not adde thereunto nor diminish from it Ye shall do my judgements and keep mine ordinances Levit. 18.4 5. to walk therein I am the Lord your God Ye shall therefore keep my statutes Levit. 20.8 and my judgements which if a man do he shall live in them I am the Lord. And ye shall keep my statutes and do them I am the Lord which sanctifie you Therefore shall ye keep my commandements Levit. 22.31 and do them I am the Lord. But if thou wilt enter into life Mat. 19.17 keep the commandements Onely Joshua 1.8 9. be thou couragious that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded thee turn not from it to the right hand or to the left that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous then thou shalt have good successe Ye shall observe to do therefore Deut. 5.32 33. as the Lord your God
Eve First began with a Nequaquam moriamini ye shall not dye Hereupon Saint Augustine after the Serpent was accursed by God from the Earth saith thus unto the Serpent O n quam ubi jam esi tua nequaquam O thou wicked serpent Where are now thy lying words Ye shall not dye at all For the wages of sin is death Rom. 6.23 but the gift of God is eternall life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Mors fructus à fruendo dicitur as one observeth of it Death is the fruit so called from the enjoying of it and so death is the fruit or wages of sin Quotidie morimur S. Bernard quotidie enim demitur pars vitae tunc quoque cum crescimus vita decrescit ut S. Bernard That is We do dye daily and even every day a part of our life is cut off as St. Bernard observeth Homo est fatuus usque ad quadraginta annorum deinde Luther ubi agnovit se esse fatuum vita consumpta est ut Luther That is A man is as a fool and full of ignorance till he attain unto the age of forty yeares and then so soon as he comes to know and so to acknowledge himself to be a fool to be ignorant and to know nothing of himself even then and at that very time his life here is as it were ended gone and spent as Luther observeth Mors tua mors Christi fraus mundi gloria coeli Et dolor inferni sint meditanda tibi That is These things thou oughtest to take into thy serious consideration and duely for to meditate thereon as namely On thy own death on the death of Christ of the fraud and deceit of the world of the great glory of heaven and on the unsufferable paines and torments of Hell as one observeth It is well observed by one That death in Christ killed life for a time that afterwards life in him might kil death for ever For since by man came death 1 Cor. 15.21 22 25 26 55 56 57. by man came also the resurrection of the dead For as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Death as one observeth is a quiet sleep The soul when death comes puts off the body and the body buried lives in the earth the grave being the bed thereof there to remain till the morning of our resurrection at the day of Iudgement appearing It is observed by one That the true servants of God are so farr from being any wayes discontented or troubled with the thinking of death as that they rather earnestly desire and thirst after it with a Cupio dissolvi Philip. 1.23 a desire with St. Paul to be dissolved and to be with Christ For death as a Father well observeth is but provectio a journey or a laying down of this our earthly tabernacle Nihil certius quod quilibet debet mori sed tempore quando quo leco vel quomodo uihil incertius There is nothing more certain then this that every one must die but when in what place or the manner how nothing is more uncertain Statutum est omnibus semel mori It is dereed that all men must once die Rom. 5.14 As by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned For this is the sentence of the Lord over all flesh Eccles 4.3 As by one mans disobedience Rom. 5.19 21. many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous That as sin hath reigned unto death even so might Grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. When Lust hath conceived it bringeth forth Sin Iames. 1.15 and Sin when it is finished bringeth forth Death Now nothing is more uncertain than the time when we shall die the place where or the manner how we shall die This was therefore the meditation of Seneca daily with himself as is recorded of him Dic tibi dormituro Seneca potes non expergisci Dic exerecto potes non dormire amplius Dic ereunti potes non reverti Dic revertenti potes non exire amplius VVhen thou liest down at night in thy Bed to sleep and to take thy rest say thou unto thy self It may be thou shalt never live to awake again to behold the light of the ensuing day When thou awakest in the morning and dost arise out of thy bed say then unto thy self It may be thou shalt never live to lye down in thy bed to take thy rest and sleep again When thou goest forth of thy house about thy necessary affaires say then unto thy self It may be thou shalt never live to return unto thy house again When thou doest return in safety to thy house say then unto thy self It may be thou shalt never live to go forth of thy house again These meditations ought to stirr us up unto a daily and continuall preparation for death that so death may never take us unawares and unprepared Mors sanctis refrigerium improbis autem supplicium Death to the godly is but as it were a refreshing but to the wicked death is a punishment Cujus vita est Christus mors ei lucrum maximum Sed Cujus vita est mundus mors ei damnum maximum ut Pater He who liveth like a Christian and maketh Christ his life here death unto him is the greatest gain that can be But he who liveth here like a worldling and maketh the world his life and chiefest delight here death unto him is the greatest detriment and dammage that can be Boni moriuntur bene etiamfi mors ipsa mala ut Pater Good and godly men do die well and make a happy end although death it self in it self be evil Num. 23.10 This made the prophet Balaam to cry out and say Let me dye the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his Upon which place one well observeth thus much as namely That he which desireth to die the death of the righteous must labour and strive here in this life to lead and live the life of the righteous and then his death will be happy like unto his Vita est vivere vitam Deo sed vivere vitam mundo mors est ut Pater To live here a godly and a Christian life and to devote our selves here wholly to the service of God this is the onely way for us after this our life here ended to attain unto the everlasting life of glory in the kingdome of heaven But He which
our life here is a way-fare 118 119. That our life here is full of troubles calamities and dangers from the highest even unto the lowest 118 119. That our life here is also as a race wherein we must be running and not stand at a stay 119 120. Thirdly that our life here is a warr-fare and our weapons spirituall 120 121. What this our spirituall armour is 120 121 122. Here is also set down the fourfold condition of man 122 123. Of the vanity and infelicity of man in his first entrance into this world and during the whole time of his continuance here nothing but full of misery 122 123 124. That man sucks misery even from his nurses teat with examples of this 123. That mans life is nothing but misery a pattern of infelicity miserable in his conception nothing but misery in his whole life 124. That afflictions come not forth of the dust 124. That man is born unto trouble 125. That no man can assure himself of living till the morrow 125. That man is to account of every day as his last day 125. That not to be born by some held to be best or being born soon to dye 126. Directory rules how to live 126 127. That man is to erect his thoughts to a higher pitch than that which is humane 127. Better for a man not to be born than not to be regenerated 127. That our life here is nothing without the happinesse of life eternall hereafter 128. S. Bernards prayer 128. That no Justification is by the works of the Law but by faith in Christ 129. That our life here is the way by which we do hasten to our end 130. That as the hour so our life passeth away 130. That we must be carefull how we live necessity enforceth us so to do with the reason thereof 130. We came into the world that we may go out of the world 130 131. That our life here ought to be a preparation for death 131. That every moment in our life is a motion towards death 131. Here is set down a Rule to be observed in the whole course of our life 131. That we are to come as near good men as we can 131. That we are to live in that condition in which we would not be afraid to die 131. A good life the cause of a happy death 132. Our life here ought to be a preparation for death in our life we are to foresee death 132. Here is also set forth the comparison of Death unto the Basilisk and the reason thereof 132. That in life we ought to foresee death if in death we desire to enjoy life everlasting 132. That the whole life of the wicked is sin 132 133. S. Augustins prayer to God to lay on him here in this life what torments he would so as he reserved for him life eternall after this life ended 133. Here is also set forth the life of man and whereunto the same is compared by reason of the frailty thereof 133 134 135 136 137. That we are to number our dayes that so we may learn to apply our hearts to wisdome 135. We ought not to conclude of any thing for the time to come without this saying if the Lord will and we live we will do this or that 136. That no man is sure of his life 137. Here is also set forth the frailty mutability and incertainty of the life of man here in this world being attended with so many miseries and calamities 137 138. That the consideration of this should make us not to desire any long continuance here but the contrary with the hope of the fruition of a better life hereafter 138. That all the enjoyments here in this life are nothing but vanity 138. That the whole duty of man is to fear God and keep his commandements 138. Here is also set forth life eternall and the giver thereof 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145. Touching the two Domestick keepers of our souls sc shamefastnesse and fear 141. Touching the two props or pillars of our lives here sc care and fear 141 142 143. Secondly concerning death and how we are to fit and prepare our selves for the same with the reasons thereof 143. To whom the remembrance of death is bitter and to whom not 143 144. Not to fear the sentence of death with the reason thereof 143 144. That the wages of sin is death 145. That every day a part of our life is cut off 145. The six things to be specially remembred by us 145 146. That in Adam all die but in Christ all are made alive 146. That the sting of death is sin 146. That death is compared to a quiet sleep and wherefore 146 147. Not to be troubled at the thought of death the reason thereos 147. Than death nothing more certain than the time when nothing more uncertain 147 148 149. The meditation of Seneca upon the certainty of death very observable with the fruits of the same 148 149. To whom death is as a refreshing and again to whom it is as a punshment and dammage 149 150. That to die the death of the righteous he who desires this ought to live the life of the righteous 150. The difference between the life of a godly man and the life of a worldling 150 151. That we ought at all times and in all places both young and old to fit and prepare our selves for death with the reason wherefore 152 153. That nothing is more available than the meditation of our mortality 153 154. That we ought so to live every day as if we were even then to come to Judgement and to account of every day as our last day 154 155. What it is to die well even to die willingly and not to fear death with the reason why 155 156 157. The saying of holy Hillarion on his death bed being fearfull to die 156. That death is a port or haven by which we passe to joy it is the way of all flesh hereupon the saying of Xerxes is observable 157. That we ought so to live here as that we may enjoy life eternall hereafter 157 158. That death is but as a passage to life and as a sleep not death 158. That all things by perishing are kept alive as the corn it dies and springs again with a comparison of this unto our death and resurrection death being as a passage unto our resurrection 158 159. S. Augustins observation touching the Resurrection of Christ 159. That death is the gate unto life a speedy course and passage to heaven and a happy sleep 160 161. That death to the godly is the port and haven of health and happinesse 161 162. That death conjoyns but life doth separate us from Christ 161 162. That the highest did ascend and descend the reason thereof and the fruits we have thereby 162 163. That it is the part of a wise man to prepare for death by continuall meditation thereon 163 164. To be
willing to die considering that the godly by death are called to rest but the wicked to punishment 164. The difference between the hope of the wicked and of the godly 164 165. Nothing more profitable than the thought of mortality 165 166. Why the day of our death is kept from us 166. That a mans death shall be as his life is 166 167. That the day of Judgement may be long before it come but the day of death not so and the reason 167. By meditation on death to make the same familiar to us 167. That our whole life ought to be a learning to die 167. That death puts an end to all sorrows 168 169 170. That life is a passage to death and death a return to life 168 169. Touching our comfort in death by Christ his overcoming of death 169. That sleep is a resemblance of death the bed of the grave our rising again of our resurrection 169 170. That the day of our death is as our everlasting birth day 170. We are not to grieve at the thought of death but rather to rejoyce 170 171. The Sacrament called viaticum Aeternitatis or morientis 171. The desire of Nazianzen to die with some sentence of piety by him uttered at that time 171. That death is a passage from earth to heaven 171 172. That death is a separation of the soul from the body a location of the body in the earth and a translation of the soul to God 172 173. That man is of the dust and to dust to return 172 173. That the thought of death ought to be comfortable in regard of Gods mercy promised 173 174 175 176. CHAP. VII Of the day of Judgement the same described with the fruits and effects thereof 177. The severall appellations of the day of Judgement 177 178 179. The terriblenesse of the day of Judgement with the manner thereof 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189. Touching the manner of our change at the day of Judgement 187 188. That God will deliver his in the day of Judgement 188. That because man was so wicked God made the dumb creatures to take part of the punishment with him 189 190. A Sermon preached upon this text 2 Cor. 5.10 For we must all appear before the Judgement-seat of Christ 195. ERRATA Fol. 31. line 1. these words omitted nisi introspieere in mentem suam 51. l. 29. that for the 54. l. 1. the first all too much 83. l. 6. that too much 87. l. 16. dignitio tua for est dignatio tua 88. l. 1. serio for serious 112. l. 1. not too much 121. l. last word for sword 124. l. 7.8.9 read morbidus putridus cassus auspicatus 125. l. 3. dives for dies and l. 13. is to be left out 128. l. 3 4. melior for melius 136. l. 7. shall too much 141. l. 28. distinction for direction 144. l. 22 moriamini for moriâ—mini l. 27. O nqnom for O nequam 148. l. 21. ereunti for exennti 156. l. 24. quod for quid 159. l. 14. provectio for profectio 161. l. 17. bono for bona l. 26. sciet for sociat 162. l. 7. transgradimur for trunsgredimur and l. 10. temporali itinere de cursa for temporalis itineris decursu 165. l. 20. jubat for jubet 170. l. 5. somnum for somnus or somnium In the Sermon 2. division the generality of the Judgement we must all appear here to be left on t the 3. division the severity of the Judgement in this word appear here to be added CHAP. I. Touching the sacred word of God with certain directory Rules and observations by way of Caveats to be made use of for the more profitable and better understanding of the holy Scriptures and sacred word of God whensoever we do either read or hear the same preached unto us FIrst the constant and frequent reading and hearing of the Word of God and the due meditation thereon is a duty and service commanded us by God himself and by him enjoyned to be duely and carefully performed by us with his good blessings promised if we so do and his ensuing judgements threatned if we neglect the same all which appeareth by many places of Scripture Deut. chap. 11. vers 18.19.20.21 Ye shall lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul and bind them for a signe upon your hand that they may be as frontlets between your eyes And ye shall teach them your children speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way when thou liest down and when thou risest up And thou shalt write them upon the doore posts of thine house and upon thy gates That your dayes may be multiplied and the dayes of your children in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them as the dayes of heaven upon the earth Observe Deuteronomie chap. 12. vers 28. and hear all these words which I command thee that it may go well with thee and with thy children after thee for ever when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the Lord thy God And it shall be Deuteronomie chap 17. vers 18.19 when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdome that he shall write him a copy of this Law in a book And it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the dayes of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God to keep all the words of this law and these statutes to do them And Moses wrote this law Deuteronomie chap. 31. vers 9 10 11 12. and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi. And Moses commanded them saying Gather the people together men and women and children and the stranger that is within thy gates that they may hear and that they may learn and fear the Lord your God and observe to do all the words of this law But the word is very nigh unto thee Deuteronomie ch 30. vers 14. in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayest do it The word is nigh thee Romans ch 10. ver 8. even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith which we preach This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth Joshua chap. 8. vers 8. but thou shalt meditate therein night and day that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good successe Whoso despiseth the word Prov. 13.13 shall be destroyed but he that feareth the commandement shall be rewarded I have sent unto you all my servants the prophets Jeremiah cha 7. ver 25 26. daily rising up early and sending them Yet they hearkened not nor enclined their eare but hardened their neck they did worse than their fathers How do ye say Jeremiah cha 8. ver 8.9 we are wise and
good to them that love God to them who are called according to his purpose Bonis bona malis mala Good things to good men and ill things to ill men as one observeth Tametsi non bonum tamen in bonum ut St. Augustin Nay St. Augustin though the things be not good yet they work for the good of the godly And as St. Bernard observeth Afflictions do make a man to be more humble wary S. Bernard and cautious in his wayes Afflictions and crosses though harmfull to others yet prove helpfull to the godly Yet even their sins though not not good yet they turn to their good as a means to make them more lowly more wary Yea death it self though in it self it be evil and the punishment of sin yet it is a means to free them both from sin and from all the fruits and effects of it and to restore them to that life again which by sin once they lost But now Rom. 6.22 23. being made free from sin and become servants to God ye have your fruit unto holinesse and the end everlasting life For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternall life through Jesus Christ our Lord. For thou wilt save the afflicted people Psal 18.27 but wilt bring down high looks For he hath not despised Psal 22.24 nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted neither hath he hid his face from him but when he cried unto him he heard him Afflictions do make us fit vessels for Gods choice I have chosen thee Isaiah 48.10 in the furnace of affliction Whatsoever is brought upon thee Ecclus 2.4 5 6 take cheerfully and be patient when thou art changed to a low estate For gold is tried in the fire and acceptable men in the surnace of adversity Believe in him and he will help thee order thy way aright and trust in him As gold in the furnace hath he tried them Wisd 3.6 and 4.5 and received them as a burnt-offering For though they be punished in the sight of men yet is their hope full of immortality And having been a little chastised they shall be greatly rewarded for God proved them and found them worthy for himself For we know 2 Cor. 5.1 2. that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved We have a building of God a house not made with hands eternall in the heavens For in this we groan earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven With my soul have I desired thee in the night yea Isaiah 26.9 with my spirit within me will I seek thee early in the morning for when thy Judgements are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousnesse Meaning Exposition That by afflictions men will learn to fear God as the exposition is Afflictions are chastisements for our sins Jesus said unto him John 5.14 Behold thou art made whole sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee Thereby shewing that the afflictions which we endure The marginall note and observation Nehem. 9.38 are chastisements for our sins as the marginall note and observation is Now because of all this we make a sure covenant and write it and our Princes and our Levites and our priests seal unto it Thus by affliction they promise to keep Gods commandements The marginall note and observation whereunto they would not be brought by Gods great benefits as the marginall note and observation is Wo unto him that striveth with his maker Isaiah 45.9 the potsherd with the potsherds of the earth shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it what makest thou Hereby he bridleth their impatiency Exposition which in adversity and trouble murmure against God and will not tarry his pleasure willing that man should march with his like and not contend against God as the Exposition is But Hezekiah the king 2 Chro. 32.20 and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amos prayed against this or for this cause and cried to heaven This sheweth what is the best refuge in all troubles and dangers Exposition as the Exposition is After troubles and afflictions God comforteth his afflicted children with his blessings God useth to comfort his children and servants which do cry unto him with his blessings powred down upon them And many brought offerings unto the Lord to Ierusalem 2 Chro. 32.23 and presents to Hezekiah king of Iudah so that he was magnified in the sight of all Nations from thenceforth Thus after trouble Exposition God sendeth comfort to all them that patiently wait on him and constantly put their trust in his mercies as the exposition is Misery and afflictions are of this good use as that they do excite Afflâ—ctions work in a man repentance and humiliation and stirr up a man to repentance as a Father observeth and that punishments with afflictions will open the eyes of a mans understanding and draw him to God by repentance and humiliation when nothing else will And when he was in tribulation 2 Chron. 33.12 13. he prayed unto the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers And prayed unto him and God was entreated of him and heard his prayer and brought him again to Ierusalem into his kingdome Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God Thus Affliction giveth understanding Exposition for he that hated God in his prosperity now in his misery he seeketh unto him as the exposition is The due consideration hereof will be a continuall comfort unto us and as our souls cordiall in all times of affliction and even then most of all when all other comforts fail us CHAP. VI. A Meditation upon Life and Death and how we are at all times and upon all occasions to fit and prepare our selves for death that so it seize not upon us at unawares FIrst of our life First Of our life here and the due consideration thereof Our life here is a sea-fare a way-fare and a warr-fare First Our life is a sea-fare They that go down to the sea Our life here is a sea-fare Psal 107.23 24 25 26 28 29 30 31. in ships that do businesse in great waters These see the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep For he commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind which lifteth up the waves thereof They mount up to the heaven they go down again to the depths their soul is melted because of trouble Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble and he bringeth them out of their distresse He maketh the storm a calm so that the waves thereof are still Then are they glad because they be quiet so he bringeth them to their desired haven Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodnesse and for his wonderfull works to the children of men Secondly Our life here is a way-fare full of troubles Our life here
quo non Statuas mori It is a very ill thing for any one to live in that state manner and condition of life in the which he would be afraid so to die Male vivit qui semper vivere incipit He liveth very ill that is alwaies but beginning to live well as one observeth A good life is alwaies the cause of a comfortable and of a happy Death While we live here we must not only see and behold Death but we must foresee it and duly prepare for it before it comes One compares Death unto the Basilisk The which Serpent if it see an other before the same be seen there is then much danger to the Party first seen by the Serpent but if a man doth first see and descrie the Basilisk then the Serpent presently dyeth and so no fear of danger Even so If Death be not seen and provided for before hand there is then great danger but if seen before hand and so provided for the danger is then past before death commeth Hereupon a Father well saith Qui non vult in vita praevidere mortem non potest in morte videre vitam He that in Life doth not foresee Death Prosper and S. Augustinr cannot in Death behold and enjoy everlasting Life Tota vita infidelium peccatum est et nihil bouum est absq summo bono ut Pater That is The whole lise of the Wicked is nothing but sin and there is nothing good in us unless we have it from him as Prosper and Augustine do both of them observe Whereupon saith St. Augustine S. Augustin Hic urat hic secat ut in posterum servat Et Domine Domine hic quicquid vis ut in aeternum parcas Burn me cut me flash me or lay here on me what tormenâ—s you will So as thou wilt heal me and cure me of all maladies hereafter and reserve for me everlasting life after this life ended Of the life of Man Of the life of Man and whereunto compared and whereunto the same is compared in regard of the frailty incertainty brevity misery and calamity attending even on the same And Jacob said unto Pharaoh Gen. 49.7 Few and evill have the daies of the years of my life been O remember that my life is wind Iob 7.7 Man that is born of a Woman Iob 14.1 2. is of few daies and full of Trouble He commeth forth like a flower and is cut down he fleeth also as a shadow and continueth not My daies are swifter than a Weavers shuttle Iob 7.6 and are spent without hope Now my daies are swifter than a Post Iob 9.25 26. they flee away they see no good They are passed away as the swift Ships as the Eagle that hasteth unto the prey For we are but of yesterday Iob 8.9 and know nothing because our daies upon Earth are a shadow When a few years are come Iob 16.22 then I shall go the way whence I shall not return For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past and as a watch in the night Thou carriest them away as with a flood Ps 90.4 5 9 10 12. they are as a sleep in the morning they are like grass which groweth up In the morning it flourisheth and groweth up in the evening it is cut down and withereth For all our daies are passed away in thy wrath we spend our years as a Tale that is told The daies of our years are threescore years and ten and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years yet is their strength labour and sorrow for it is soon cut off and we flye away So teach us to number our daies that we may apply our hearts unto wisdome For my daies are consumed like smoak Ps 102.3 4 11. and my bones are burnt as an hearth My heart is smitten and withered like grass My daies are like a shadow that declyneth Ps 103.14 15 16. I am whithered like grass For he knoweth our frame he remembreth that we are dust As for Man his daies are as grass as a flower of the field so he flourisheth For the wind passeth over it and it is gone and the place thereof shall know it no more Lord what is Man Ps 144.3 4. that thou takest knowledge of him or the Son of Man that thou makest account of him Man is like to vanity his daies are as as a shadow that passeth away The voyce said cry And I said Isaiah 40.6 7 8. What shall I cry All flesh is grass and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field The grass whithereth the flower fadeth because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it Surely the People is Grass The grass whithereth the flower fadeth But the Word of our God shall shall stand for ever Let the Brother of low Degree Ia. 1.9 10 11. rejoyce in that he is exalted But the Rich in that he is made low because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away For the Sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat but it withereth the grass and the flower therof falleth and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth So also shall the rich man fade away in his waies Go to now Ia. 4.13 14. ye that say To day or to morrow we will go into such a City and continue there a year and buy and sell and get gain Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow for what is your life it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away For that ye ought to say Ia. 4.15 If the Lord will we shall live and do this or that Being born again 1 Pet. 1.23 24 25. not of corruptible food but of incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever For all flesh is as grass and all the glory of Man as the flower of the grass the grass withereth and the slower thereof falleth away But the Word of the Lord endureth for ever No man is sure of his life Iob 24.22 What Man is he that desireth life Ps 34.12 13 14. and loveth many daies that he may see good Keep thy Tongue from evill and thy Lips from speaking guile Depart from evill and do good seek peace and pursue it How excellent is thy loving kindness O God Ps 36.7 9. therefore the Children of Men put their Trust under the shadow of thy Wings For with Thee is the Fountain of Life and in this Light shall we see light Come and see the works of God Ps 66.5 9. he is terrible in his doings towards the Sons of men Which holdeth our Soul in life and suffereth not our feet to be moved By all this the frailty mutability and incertainty of the life of Man here in this World doth evidently appear unto us and that by reason of the miseries and calamities attending of the
so long time served and having thus said he quietly died as St. Jerome observeth Death as one observeth is Succisio non occisio portus non orcus A cutting down not a cutting quite off A port or haven by which we pass to joy and not a gulf to swallow us up And this is via universae carnis the way of all flesh It is written of Xerxes That he having gathered together a million of Men went up into a high Mountain and there looking down upon them he presently wept and he being demanded why he did so answered Quia infra centum annos Because that within these hundred years all these so goodly Souldiers who now do as it were shew their strength and bravery will yet within that time be all of them dead For that Abraham is dead John 8.52 and the Prophets Therefore certain it is we must all dye and this is by no means to be avoided therefore we ought to labour and endeavour our selves so to live here as that in the end we dye not the death eternal But may enjoy after this life ended the unspeakable blessedness of the life to come and so being assured hereof the thought of the death temporal will never be grievous or troublesome unto us St. S. Hierome Hierome saith thus of Nepotian being dead That he did rather Migrare quam mori rather pass to an other place than die St. S. Bernard Bernard writes thus of one Hubertus being dead That he did rather abire quam obire fall asleep than dye And St. S. Chrysostom Chrysostome upon the death of a godly man saith Dormit non mortuus est quiescit non periit He is asleep not dead he doth rest and not perish Omnia pereundo servantur Tertullian All things by perishing are kept alive The Corn it dies and springs again as Tertullian observeth From hence ariseth unto us a great comfort in our death But some men will say 1 Cor. 15.35 to 44. How are the dead raised up and with what body do they come Thou Fool that which thou sowest is not quickned except it die And that which thou sowest thou sowest not that body that shall be but bear grain it may chance of Wheat or of some other grain But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him and to every seed his own body So also is the resurrection of the dead it is sown in corruption it is raised in incorruption It is sown in dishonor it is raised in glory it is sown in weakness it is raised in power It is sown a natural body it is raised a splritual boby there is a natural body Tertu lian and there is a spiritual body Mors est provectio ad resurrectionem non mors est janua qua intremur in Coelum et mors est via ad resurrectionem Death is as it were a Journey or a passage unto our Resurrection and not a Death and our Resurrection is the Gate or Way by which we enter into Heaven and Death is the ready way unto our Resurrection as Tertullian well observeth S. Augustine Therefore well saith Augustine hereupon Tolle articulum de resurrectione Christi et sublata est omnis spes vitae aeterna Take away the Article of the Resurrection of Christ and all our hope of life eternal is then also taken away Mors est Janua vitae Augustin Death is the Gate unto Life as St. Augustin observeth Petrus Damianus de Stephano mortuo Peter Damianus of Stephen being dead Petrus Damianus writeth thus Foelix somnus cum requie requies cum voluptate voluptas cum aeternitate O happy sleep with rest and rest with pleasure and pleasure with the enjoyment of eternity Whereupon St. S. Gregory Gregory writing upon the same saith Dulcis simul beatus somnus O sweet and also happy sleep Mors est cursus ad Coelum S. Chrysostom Death is a speedy course race or way to Heaven as St. Chrysostome observeth Again we are here in this World as Pilgrims Whereupon saith Augustine S. Augustin Cui peregrinatio dulcis est non amat patriam He whose Pilgrimage here is sweet unto him cannot be in love with his Country with this life Mors non est exitus sed transitus ad Coelum via ad Regnum Death doth not put a final end and period unto us but the same is as a passage for us unto Heaven and the ready way by which we must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven even into eternity as a Father well observeth And in this so troublesome a Sea of of this World Seneca and exposed unto all the surges and tempestuous waves that can arise there is no Port or Haven that doth appear unto the Navigators in this Sea for them to land or arive at but only the Port or Haven of Death as Seneca observeth Justo mors salutis est portus S. Ambrose ut St. Ambrose de bono morte To the Iust and godly Men death is the Port and Haven of Health and of Happiness It is our life here which doth keep and sever us from our Saviour but it is a happy death which doth conjoyn us unto Christ our head Non est mors sed vita quae morientem Christo societ Non est vita sed mors quae viventem Christo seperat It is not death but life which doth as it were conjoyn and associate the soul of the dying Christian unto Christ And it is not to be called a life but rather death which doth as it were seperate the Soul of the living Christian from Christ his Saviour Quod interim morimur S. Ciprian de mortalitate ad immortalitatum morte transgradimur Nec potest vita aeterna succedere nisi hinc contigerit exire Non est exitus sed transitus et temporali itinere de cursa ad aeterna transgressus ut Ciprian in tractatu de mortalitate For as much as we do here die suddenly we do pass by death unto immortality neither can life eternal succeed unless it happen unto us first to leave this Life It is not a final end but a passage and by the course of a temporal journey a passing unto Heaven Descendit altissimus S. Bernard et sua nobis descensa suavem ac salubrem dedicavit ascensum ut S. Bernard The highest did descend from Heaven and so by his descending he did dedicate his ascension to be good and profitable unto us Ascendit qui descendit S. Augustine descendit nt sanaret te ascendit ut levaret te ut St. Augustine He which ascended is the same which descended he descended that so he might heal and cure thee of all thy malladies he ascended that so he might by the virtue of his powerfull ascension lift thee up and make thee to ascend likewise Iohn 14.2 3. In my Fathers House are many mansions if it were not
so I would have told you it I go to prepare a place for you And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also Sapientis est igitur totam in mortem Seneca prominere hoc velle hoc meditari hac semper cupidine ferri ut Seneca It is therefore the part of a wise man wholly to bend and prepare himself for and towards Death to be willing to dye to be alwaies meditating on death and to desire the same And not to be like unto those of whom Seneca complaineth in this manner Nemo sine quaerula moritur Seneca Quis non recusans Quis non gemens exit ut Seneca No man dyeth without complainings Who goeth willingly out of this World without expressing of some sorrow and lamentation for the same But for our greater comfort in Death St. Cyprian observeth thus much Ad refrigerium justi vocantur S. Cyprian ad supplicium rapiuntur injusti datur mors tutela fidentibus perfidis autem paena The just and godly by death are called unto rest and to a refreshing But the wicked and ungodly are suddenly snatched away by Death unto punishment And again Death to the godly is as a safe Custody and Protection But unto the Wicked Death is as a sharpe and severe punishment This difference is therefore observed between the hope of the Wicked The difference between the hope of the Wicked and the Godly and the Worldly-minded man and of the Godly and truly Religious man The Worldly-minded man Dum spirat sperat Whiles that he hath any breath left in him his hope still is to recover But the Godly and Religious man Dum expirat sperat When Life decaies and when his last breath is ready to go out of his body even then at that very instant hath he hope to enjoy a far better life The wicked is driven away in his wickedness Prov. 14.32 but the righteous hath hope in his death Nulla res magis proderit Seneca quam cogitatio mortalitatis ut Seneca Nothing can more profit and avail a man here in this life than a serious thought and meditation of his mortality Nullius rei meditatio tam necessaria est ut Seneca Seneca Meditari mortem qui hoc dicit meditari libertatem jubat ut Seneca The Meditation of nothing is so necessary as this meditation of Death is For to meditate on death he which adviseth us so to do commandeth us to meditate on that which introduceth our greatest liberty and happiness Mortem nemo hilaris excipit Seneca nisi quise ad istam diu composuerat ut Seneca No man doth entertain and welcome death chearfully unless he have well disposed fitted and prepared himself long before for that day Compone te igitur ad diem illum Seneca ut Seneca Therefore fit and prepare thy self for that day Dies ultimus salubriter ignoratur S. Gregory and S. Bernard ut semper proximus esse credatur ut St. Gregory St. Bernard Our last day or the day of our death is kept from our knowledge and that very profitably for our good that so we should believe and think every day to be our last day that so we may be alwaies ready fitted and prepared for the same accordingly Qualis vita finis ita As a mans life is so shall his death be Qualis quisque hinc exierit S. Augustine in suonovissimo die talis invenietur in novissimo seculi die ut St. Augustin Look in what state and condition a man is in when he departeth out of this World in his last day even in the day or time of his death In the self same state and condition shall he be found to be in in the last day of the World even in the day of Judgement If the clouds be full of rain they empty themselves upon the earth Eccles 11.3 and if the Tree fall towards the South or towards the North in the place where the Tree falleth there it shall be Longe est quidem dies judiecii sed unius cujusque hominis S. Augustine dies ultimus longe esse non potest quia brevis est vita vitae brevitas incerta ut St. Augustine The day of Iudgement may be long before it come but the last day or the day of death of every particular person cannot be long before it happen because that this our life is short and this shortness of our life uncertain Seneca Effice igitur mortem tibi cogitatione familiarem ut possis illi laetns alacer obviam exire ut Seneca Therefore strive and endeavour thou by the often thought and meditation of death to make the same familiar unto thee that so when death knocks at the door of thy heart thou mayest be then ready joyfully and chearfully to embrace the same Magna autem pars est Seneca et diu discenda cum adventat hora illa inevitabilis aequo animo exire ut Seneca But it is a very great and difficult thing and a long time in learning for a man to go out of this World with a quiet and with a contented mind when that inevitable day and hour of our death shall come Vivere tota vita discendum est Seneca de brevitatc vitae cap. 7. et quod magis fortasse miraberis tota vita discendum est mori ut Seneca de brevitate vitae cap. 7. During our whole life we must learn to live and which is more and it may be to be wondred at our whole life here must be a learning to die Mors omnium dolorum et solutio est et finis ut Seneca Death is the ful end and period of all our griefs and sorrows which are here endured Seneca Per vitam ad mortem transitus est S. Ambrose de bona morte per mortem ad vitam reditus est ut St. Ambrose de bona morte Our life is a passage unto death and by death we return to life Tota vita nihil aliud est quam ad mortem iter ut Seneca Our whole life here is nothing else but a Iourney unto death Death is the salve that ceaseth all annoy For our comfort in death Death is the Port by which we pass to joy For our further comfort in death Christus morte mortem destruxit vitamque reduxit ut Cyril Christ by his death destroyed death and the power thereof and thereby brought life unto us Mors est quae mundum redemit Leo St. Ambrose de bona morte ut Leo St. Ambrose de bona morte It was the death of Christ which redeemed the world Morte illa mors mortua est S. Bernard ut St. Bernard By the death of Christ was death killed Nothing doth more resemble death than sleep Nothing so like the Grave
the Lord of hosts For as the lightning cometh out of Matth. 24.27 the east and shineth even unto the west so shall also the coming of the Son of man be Immediately after the tribulation of those dayes shall the sun be darkened Matth. 24.29 30 31 33 36. the moon shall not give her light the stars shall fall from heaven the powers of the heaven shall be shaken And then shall appear the sign of the son of man in heaven Mark 13.24 25 26 27 29 32 33. and Luke 21.25 26 27 31 32 33. the same with St. Matthew and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn and they shall see the son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds from the one end of heaven to the other When ye shall see all these things know that it is near even at the doors But of that day and hour knoweth no man no nor the angels of heaven but my Father onely By these preceding places of Scripture it appears That the day of Iudgement or the day the Lord is called by the name of the harvest being ripe The harvest of the earth is ripe and therefore to be reaped with the sickle By the name of a noise that shall come even to the ends of the earth and that the Lord hath a controversie with the Nations that he will plead with all flesh and give them that are wicked to the sword Again Of the day of Judgement a farther description and of the effects of it The day of Iudgement further described with full expressions in the Scripture how fearfull and terrible the same shall be and what men shall do for to avoid the same And they shall go into the holes of the rocks Isaiah 2.19 and 10.11 12. all to the same purpose and into the caves of the earth for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his majesty when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth Or then shall they go into the holes of the rocks from before the fear of the Lord and from the glory of his majesty when he shall arise to destroy the earth as another Translation is In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver Isaiah 2.20 and his idols of gold which they made each one for himself to worship to the moles to the bats Or at that day shall a man cast away his silver idols and and his golden idols which they had made themselves to worship them to the moles and to the batts as another Translation is That is Exposition They shall cast them into most vile and filthy places when they perceive that they are not able to help them as the exposition is To go into the clefts of the rocks Isai 2.20 21. and into the tops of the ragged rocks for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his majesty when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth And they shall say to the mountains Cover us and to the hills Hosea 10.8 Fall on us Then shall they begin to say to the mountains Fall on us and to the hills Luke 23.30 Cover us And the kings of the earth Rev. 6.15 16. and the great men and the rich men and the chief captains and the mighty men and every bond-man and every freeman hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains and said to the mountains and rocks Fall on us And hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb For the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand And in those dayes shall men seek death and shall not find it and shall desire to dye and death shall flee from them Riches Prov. 11.4 profit or avail not in the day of wrath but righteousnesse delivereth from death Trust not in wicked riches Ecclus 5.8 for they shall not help or profit thee in the day of punishment or vengeance Wo unto you that desire the day of the Lord Amos 5.18 to what end is it for you the day of the Lord is darknesse and not light Or what have you to do with it as another Translation is Thus he speaketh because the wicked and hypocrites said they were content to abide Gods Iudgements whereas the godly tremble and fear as the exposition is As if a man did flee from a lion Amos 5.19 20. and a bear met him or went into the house and leaned hard on the wall and a serpent bit him Shall not the day of the Lord be darknesse and not light even very dark and no brightnesse in it Or and no light in it as another Translation is Behold 1 Cor. 15.51 I shew you a mystery or a secret thing we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed when the Lord cometh to Iudgement some of the saints shall be alive whom he will change even as if they were dead so that this change is instead of death to them as the Exposition is Exposition For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout 1 Thess 4.16 17. with the voice of the Archangel and with the Trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Meaning them which shall be found alive as the exposition is In this sudden taking up Exposition there shall be a kind of mutation of the qualities of our bodies which shall be as a kind of death as the exposition is And it shall be said in that day Lo Isaiah 25.9 this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us This is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation In a moment 1 Cor. 15.52 in the twinckling of an eye at the last trump or trumpet for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed For this corruptible must put on incorruption 1 Cor. 15.53 and this mortall must put on immortality I will ransome them from the power of the grave Hosea 13.14 I will redeem them from death O death I will be thy plagues O grave I will be thy destruction Meaning Exposition that no power shall resist God when he will deliver his but even in death he will give them life as the exposition is Therefore be ye ready Matth. 24.44 for in such an hour as you think not the son of man cometh or will come Ye that put farr away the evil day Amos 6.3 and cause the seat of violence to come near