wicked vsing the former of these of the deathes of the righteous thereby meanâ— that they when they are once dead are so lost and gone that they shall neuer be found againe Yet the vse of the word in the Hebrewe tongue As not alwaies to importe so much For it is 〈◊〉 â—1 Sam. 9. vers 3. touching Sauls fathers aâ—â—eâ— which are said were lost and yet in that Chapter it appeares they were not so lost but they were found sale and sound againe vers 20. and the thing lost by one and found by â—n other Leuit. oâ— vers 3. is expressed by a deâ—â—atiue thereof And the other worde vsed here by the Prophet in his owne tongue is so rich in signification as it is noted 〈◊〉 the learned in that tongue and as they make it euident by the vse of it in other places of the scripture that is signifieth 〈…〉 take vp to 〈◊〉 away but also to drawe backe againe to receiue backe againe to one to gather vp or together and to cure and heale they being therefore here vsed by the holy ghost to expresse the death of the righteous by because we are therefore sure they are fit for the purpose in my opinion touching the death of such thereby wee may well learne thus much to the great comfort of all such both liuing and dying that howsoeuer the prophane Atheiste and Epicure count death to be vltima linea rerum the vtmost bound of all thinges and therefore cry one to another Ede bibe post mortem nulla voluptas eate and drinke for after death there is no pleasure and therefore are likely enough to account such men deade so to be quite perished that they shal neuer be againe yet in deede and trueth it is nothing so But such though by death the worlde and men liuing haue lost them yet another hath found them that is the Lord himselfe and therefore though by their death hee hath quite taken them from vs and conueied them cleane out of the coÌ„pany of the liuing here yet he hath thereby but gathered them vp and together from amongst the wicked with whom they were mingled amongst whom to their griefe they were as scattred whiles they were here that so whoÌ„ he sent into the world to doe him seruice for a time and as it were to play a part on a scaffold that he had appointed them he might draw backe againe and take home againe to himselfe that there he may perfectly both cure their soules of all sinne and infirmities and thorowly heale their bodies of al sicknesses and diseases whereof neither could be free or cleare as long as they were here And that death to the righteous is no other thing but thus the scriptures doe plainely and plentifully teach vs for Eccle. 12. vers 7. when it comes we are taught that the body which he there cals dust returnes to the earth from whence it came and the spirite to God that gaue it And therfore Christ Luk. 23. v. 46. and Stephen according to his example dying Act. 7. ver 59. commend their spirits to God and Paul counts death 2. Cor. 5. ver 1. c. to the godly but a flitting out of his earthy tabernacle to a better in heauen prepared for is and therefore saith that he desired to be loosed and to be with Christ Philip. 1.23 And therefore these thinges thus being hereby a most notable comfort to remooue the terriblenes of death is giuen vnto such as liue and die the Lordes so that these thinges remembred we may well say with Cyprian de mortalitate of such non amittuntur sed praemittunturâ— they are not lost but sent before and againe we may well said with him these thinges being thus as most surely they are that eius est mortem timere qui ad Christum non vult ire quod enim moâ—â—â—e ad â—â—ortalitatem morte transgredâ—nur non est â—â—itur sed transitur quis non ad meliora festâ—â—â—â— that is he only hath cause to feare 〈…〉 not go to Christ for in that we die by death we passe to immortality it is therfore no dispatch or ful end but a passage and who would not make hast to better And surely the good remembrance of these two comforts I am fully perswaded did so mightily prevaile with this noble person that they swallowed vp and made him so Christianly and comfortably to beare what paines soeuer he felt that led him thereunto as I haue shewed before For from what fountaine else could his saying weepe not for me weepe not for me come but froÌ„ hence that he was fully perswaded that death should be an aduantage vnto him whatsoeuer should follow therupoÌ„ to vs. And his oft earnest praying to God to take him hence in peace and requesting others as namely my selfe that I would pray vnto him that he would for he was most willing to come vnto him and therefore would not once strâ—â—e with him to the contrary whence came it but from a certaine perswasion that death should bee no more vnto him but as I haue shewed and so a meanes to bring him past all danger either of sin or â—â—eknes to the city of the liuing God the celestiall Hierusalem and to the company of innumerable angels and to the congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen to God the iudge of all and to the spirites of iust and perfect men to Iesus the mediatour of the new Testament as Paul speaketh of that company that hee is gone vnto Heb. 12.22 c. Wherfore to our further coÌ„fort concerning him our selues and all others that shall liue and die such as here the Prophet speaks of let vs now go on and view the comforts that he giues and sets down to appertaine to such being once taken heÌ„ce by death His words are touching such as our interpreter hath rendred them peace shall come they shall rest in their beds but in my opinion better according to the originall others translate he shall meaning the righteous enter into peace vppon peace or in peace for such variety there is and they meaning such shall rest in their beddes The knitting of which words immediately with the former touching their taking hence ought to teach vs that the comforts hereby deliuered are such as that immediately vpon death such as the Prophet speaketh of enter into possession and fruition of And that the comfortes prepared for such come immediately and presentlie vpon their death the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsed by the Angell sheweth Apoc. 14. v. 13. saying blessed are the dead euen from the verie instant of their death alwaies after as that worde signifieth that die in the Lorde for they rest from their labours and their workes hee saieth not any bodies else followe them Which we see confirmed to be so by that which we reade Luk. 16.22 of Lazarus his being caried immediately vppon his death into Abrahams bosome And in that these two
thinges are promised them vppon their gathering hence by death and not before and that as it is euident to giue them therein better comfort to enioy these peace and rest immediately vpon their death and dissolution of body and soule then euer they did before vnles we might thinke that the spirite of GOD that directed the Prophet to comfort such could not tell howe to comfort them effectually and to the purpose wee must needes thinke that by peace and rest are meant farre more excellent peace and rest then such euer enioyed here Yea they must needes importe that before death come they neuer had either peace or ioye in comparison And yet it is well known both by scripture and comfortable experience that GOD giues such both peace and rest in some good sort and measure whiles they are here For it is written Romains 5. vers 1. that the iustified by faith haue peace with God though not such as the world giueth yet such as that their heartes neede not bee troubled or feare Iohn 14.27 as Christ there hath promised And this peace I tell you Paul saieth passeth all vnderstanding and preserues the heart and minde in Christ Iesus Philip. 4. vers 7. And who knowes not that it is written that God giueth his beloued sleepe or rest Psalm 127. vers 2. And who of Gods children the better to enable them to serue the Lorde comfortably in their callinges haue not founde these scriptures verified vppon them Otherwise surely they could neuer be able to beare the heate of the day and labour in the Lordes vineyarde as they doe And thus much in my minde will the verie Hebrewe words that are translated peace and to rest beare for it is well known of euery simple man in that tongue that the first of them is vsed of the Hebrewes not onely to signifie peace but all prosperity and that the Roote that it comes of doth not onely signifie to be at peace and to pacify but to be perfected and consâ—â—mated And as for the other word likewise it doeth not onely signify to rest but soundly to rest Wherefore whatsoeuer others haue thought I am resolute that by the former the Prophet settes downe the comforte that concernes the souls of the righteous immediately vpon their death and by the other that which respects their bodies vntill the generall resurrection By this then we may perceiue that the soules of such streight enter possession of â— far greater peace and ioy then euer they had here for else we must needes thinke that the Prophet could not tell how to comfort such which he being herein by the spirit of God directed to one as doubtles he was but once to thinke were blasphemy I say of purpose of far greater peace ioy then euer they had here for though I know that this imports that their peace is such as that the angell from heauen might iustly in respect thereof thenceforth immediately for euer pronounce the blessed as we haue heard Reuelations 14. ver 13. yea that it is such as is â—â—â—terable vnconceiueable of mortal man yet I know there is a consummation behind to be accomplished at the last day in the generall resurrection and that the very Saints in heauen wish exspect that as we may learne Revelation 6. vers 10. for to teach vs so much they that are there most safe vnder the shadow of their altar Christ vpon whom whiles they liued they offered all their spiritual sacrifices are brought in crying how long Lord holy true dost not thou auenge our bloode on them that dwell on the earth For how can it be otherwise but that that soule that here hath faithfully serued the Lord in the body must haue a desire there once in Gods good time to haue this body ioyned with it in the reward aswel as it was before in taking the right course vnto it And when this cometh to passe which must one day because the truth of Gods promises in his sonne must be fulfilled and otherwise he cannot shew himselfe to be a perfect Sauiour both of the bodies and soules of his and to haue had iust cause to take vnto him both the body soule of man to suffer in both as he did then doubties there cannot bee but sinne accesse of ioye and peace to the soules of the righteous in the meane time departed And yet there-whilst heereby wee are assured it is such as I haue saide Now touching the other comfort which respects their bodies it is said here they shall rest in their beds By their beds the Prophet vnderstands the places where the Lord in his prouidence bestowes their bodies whatsoeuer those places be immediately vpon death vntill the generall resurrection For we may not be so superstitious though it bee meete that conuenient and decent order bee taken kept for the buriall of the bodies of the dead the better to nourish the hope of the resurrection in some fitte place as to thinke that none is in possession and fruition of this rest before their bodies be buried in Churchyarde or Church For we finde it an vsuall thing in the Scriptures immediately when men die to say they fell a sleepe though yet they be not buried and so as soone as GOD hath taken the soule out of the bodie so soone wheresoeuer that be and whatsoeuer afterwardes becomes of it or bee done with it be it throwen into the sea deuoured of wilde beastes burnt to ashes buried or not buried it is so couched in the bed that God hath made for it that there it is fallen into such a sounde sleepe and rest that vnles God meane extraordinarily to shewe his power as he did when Moyses and Elias appeared with Christ in the mount when he was transfigured Mat. 17. or as when that was that Matthewe writes of Chap. 27. that graues opened and many of the bodies of the Saintes arose that slept and went into the holie Citie and appeared vnto many which if hee please to doe to his they shall be sure to finde no disturbance therby it shall more quietly then euer it did here vpoÌ„ any feather bed for neuer so short a time take rest vntill the last day when the generall resurrection shall be 1. Thess 4.15.16 For here doe what we can to make our beds soft and to get rest yet our sleepes are subiect to many interruptions troublesome phansies and dreames but in these beds we shall be troubled with none of these This the ancient Grecians had an eie vnto in calling the ordinary places for the buriall of the dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is sleeping and resting places This speach therefore of the Prophet thus vnderstoode is full of comfort and consolation For it strengtheneth and nourisheth our hope of the resurrection For we all know that is the end of taking vs to our bed chambers and beds that there af-after we haue slept we may rise againe and we see by experience
body in that the other brought mirhhe aloes an 100. pouÌ„d weight that so with sweet odours according to the maner of the Iews they might bury him Ioh 19.38.39 c. Surely Gen 50. it is recorded that when old father Iacob was dead the care of his funeral was coÌ„mitted vnto his son Ioseph that not onlie he caused by his phisitiaÌ„s his body to be embalmed but also with an Honorable coÌ„pany great solemnity though to his very great cost according to his fathers desire he carried it froÌ„ Aegipt into the land of Canaan to bury him with his fathers AbrahaÌ„ Isaac in the caue field that AbrahaÌ„ had bought to bury in of Ephron the Hittite this is writeÌ„ in his coÌ„mendation was indeed both a notable argument in him of piety towards his dead father also of hope that he had of the resurrection And therfore though I wish that al superstitioÌ„ needles vndecent superfluitie be abaÌ„doned in such cases generally in the burial of the dead yet I caÌ„not but greatly like coÌ„mend that such decent comlie order be kept therin that maie according to euery mans degree argue nourish both these amongst al his welwillers that he hath left behinde him And therefore once againe I cannot but reioice in al your behalfes that you were also of one minde as I know you were that this last duety should so Honorably be performed vnto the bodie of this Honorable Lord as it was ther in you maie all take comfort Further it ought to be now ground of no smal consolation vnto you al three that one hath had of him that thus Honorablie liued an died such a son in Law the other such a husband the third so worthie a father as he was For if it be matter of discomfort of the contrarie as everie one seeth by experience therfore wil confesse it is whie should not this alwaies be matter of reioicing to euerie of your Honors as oft as either you remember him or heare him remembred by others And such a neere and domesticall example ought both to comfort much also to provoke to imitatioÌ„ of the same I hope pray God that it maie that so yet though to vs he be dead gone yet his vertues noble qualities maie stil liue shine to the comfort of al his welwillers in his that he hath left behinde him Finallie iustlie maie it be a comfort vnto you so to the praise glorie of God I would wish you al hartelie to take it so and vse it that euerie one of you to saie no more haue so iust cause both before God man to comfort your selues one in another as you haue one that she hath such a daughter daughters sonne the other that the Lord in his mercifull providence hath giuen her both such an Honorable careful louing mother and a good and toward son the third that he hath so vertuous religious Honorable both grandmother mother O howe ought this to abate and moderate your former sorrow seeing now there is no remedie And what an excellent and strong means are you and J hope will be as long as you liue together not onlie of comfort everie waie one vnto another but of counsailing directing and strengthening where most neede is one of another in a holie course A threefold corde is not easilie broken saith the Preacher Cap. 4. ver 12. But the greatest comfort of all that both you and all other of Gods children in the midst of all the afflictions of this life haue is this that that God whom you serue remaineth for euer one selfe same that hee is al sufficient an exceeding great rewarde to his that his providence howsoeuer thinges fall out standeth immutable and that therfore without al question howsoeuer we cannot perceiue it as the first al things therefore euen those thinges also which seeme vnto vs most to crosse the same shal by his diuine wisedome and power turne to the good and benefit of his Rom. 8.28 With al these things therfore once againe beseeching you to comfort your selues one another praying the Lord effectuallie you maie so doe that all his good blessings to your own euerlasting saluation maie be powred and continued vpon everie of you all yours for euer J cease from anie further troubling of your Honors at this time As Blechley this first of December 1593. Your Honors alwaies most ready and willing to be as commandement Thomas Sparke IN OBITVM CLARISSIMI HErois Domini Arthuri Greij 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Curuae in terras animae quaecunque piorum Creditis extinctas vnà cum corpore mentes O vanos questus ô pectora plena furoris St quando in superûm sedes quos Ioua recepit Speratis fletu rursus deducere Coelo Debetis fateor lachrymas Iusta sepultis Sed transire modum scelus perijsse putare Quos Christus seruat mortem qui morte peremit At dolor extorquet luctus in funera tanti Herois Certè nostrae non infima gentis Gloria defluxit grauis inclementia fati Cum tulit hunc terris vt lucida viseret astra Is fuit ex atauis Heroibus editus Heros Relligione pius constantimente probatus Consilio prudens iustis animosus in armis Câ—llatis signis rigidos qui fudit Hybernos Quos per inaccessos saltus vdasque paludes Insequitur subigens extremo Marte rebelles Pro patriâ pugnans sanctis arisque focisque Turma Caledonias dum vastat Gallica terras Ore cicatrices aduerso pectore fortis Vulnera multa tulit nunquam dare terga coactus Talis apud Graecos magnus celebratur Achilles Talis Albertus cui magni nomen Achillei Teutonis or a dedit surgunt vbi moenia Brenni Hoc animo Decij hoc olim caluere Metelli Qui se pro patriâ pro libertate Penatum Deuouere neci quos laus aeterna moratur Ioannes Sanfordus Isaiah 57. verse 1.2 1 The righteous perisheth no man considereth it 〈◊〉 hart and mercifull men are taken away and no man vnderstandeth that the righteous is taken away from the evell to come 2 Peace shall come they shall rest in their beddes every one that walketh before him THE occasion of this our present meeting Right honorable Right worshipfull and wel be loued â—rooâ— Lord and Sauiour 〈…〉 and the consider 〈…〉 the â—aies and ciliâ—â—◠〈…〉 in we liue haue for 〈…〉 me to make cheefe of 〈◊〉 portion of scripture at this time For natâ—â—â—â— standing that the Lord hath now taken from vs to 〈…〉 selfe this Right Noble and worthy Lord whose â—â—â—â—nerall we are here now about and the buriall of whose bodie wee are anone to fee and that â—â—â—wise hee hath within these few yeares taken 〈◊〉 by death from this land very many of our most 〈…〉 Earles Lords and Knights as it is wel◠〈…〉 beside many others of
all other sorts and estates of the best disposition that the greatest part 〈…〉 that are left behinde are growne is â—n 〈…〉 height in all sin and impiety yet vniuersally 〈◊〉 where amongst vs there is such a grosse and senseles security to be seene that doubtles as iustly maie we now as Isaiah in his time in the bitternes of our soules cry out and say the righteous perisheth and no man considereth it in heart and mercifull men are taken away and no man vnderstandeth that the righteous is taken away from the euell to come Onely this with him in this case we haue to comfort our selues withall that howsoeuer the wicked and vngodly iudge of the deathes of such that in very deede the Lord thereby in his great loue and favour hath taken them away before the euel come which he hath prepared for them that hereby will â—ot in time be drawne to repentance And that howsoeuer whiles such liued in this vnkinde and wicked world they could neuer enioy either sound peace in â—oâ—â—e or quiet rest in their bodies for vering and greuing themselues at the vngodlines of others rounde about them yet euery one that walketh before God in righteousnes and mercy and so is taken away euen thus walking is sure immediatly vppon his death to enter possession in soule of an euerlasting most comfortable peace and in bodye to rest most soundly and quietly in the bed that the Lorde hath made therefore vntill at the last day it rise againe and for euer to be ioyned with the soule in most perfect and consummate ioy in the kingdome of heauen Wherfore seeing these words of the prophet and the matter therein contayned thus fit our present busines I beseech you giue me leaue to doe the â—eâ— that I can to lead you so into the due meditation therof that we all may make that holy and good vse therof that we should both to reforme that in time which is amisse in any of vs and to comfort and strengthen vs in that which is well begunne His wordes in my iudgement containe complaint or expostulation and a comfort or consolation The complaint is against the vngodly aliue in the behalfe of the godly departed the comâ—â—rt â—s for the godly against the haâ—d opinions of the vngodly of them The matter in general that he compâ—inâ—â—â— of is the wonderfull carelesnesse and security 〈…〉 saw in the people of his time which in particular he notes they shewed first in not taking to heard as they should the deathes of most worthy men and then in not once vnderstanding that the Lordes end thereâ—â— was not only to shew them great favour in taking them away from the euell to come but also thereby to threaten some great euill to be comming on apace vpon the impenitent secure that they lesse behinde them And let his words be well markt and â—â—e shal finde in the deliuering of this comfort he doth first describe them whom he would comfort then sets downe the comforts that belong to such and these he describeth in generall in the latter verâ—e to be euery one that walketh before God and in particuler in the other to be righteous and mercifull 〈◊〉 Likewise the comfortes that herein hee layes downe for such ere either such as concerne them dying or dead and of each kind he giues two the first are these that the Lords end in taking them away by death whatsoeuer the vngodly think to the contrary is in his favour to take them away before the euill come that he hasteneth to bring vppon others and that their death is no perishing vnto them though the prophane and wicked so think but in truth a gathering of them vp from amongst the vngodly with whome whiles they liued to their griefe trouble they were mingled to ioyne them to the blessed holy coÌ„pany of the Saints in heauen the other two that immediatly vpoÌ„ death they enter into fruition of are these that thereupon streight in soule they enter into peace and in their bodies that they rest in their beds that is in their graues or places whatsoeuer the Lorde in his prouidence hath allotted them This order therefore methode let vs nowe follow in further handling examining these wordes of the Prophet But that the better we may attaine and finde out his full scope and drift herein we are first to vnderstand that these words of his haue their necessary coherence and connexion with the foure last verses of the former Chapter which the better to leade the reader to see and perceaue Tremelius in his translation of the Bible hath begunne this 57. Chapter where those foure verses beginne Marke therefore I beseech you that in the first of those foure verses that I speake of the Prophet calles for the beastes of the fielde and forrest to come to eate and deuour by which woordes by a figuratiue kinde of speech he denounceth against that people some fearefull destruction that should come vppon them and great slaughter that should he made of them Therein doubtlesse hauing an eie to that which should come to passe when Nabuchadnezer the king of Babell shoulde inuade their country and destroy Hierusalem temple all slaying whom he list and leading the rest into captiuity For Hieremie another prophet whome the Lorde raysed vppe vnto that people after Isaiahs time respecting that iudgement telles them in his ninth Chapter verse 22. that when that should be their Carkasses should he as doung vpon the earth and be scattered as handfuls after the mowerâ— where there is none to gather them vp and 〈◊〉 againe in his 34 Chapter hauing plainly expresâ—â—ly denounced this iudgement against them in like phrase to this verse 20. he shewes them that when it shoulde be executed vpon them their dead bodies should be meat for the foules of heauen the beasts of the field But that by thus calling the beasts together as it were to a solemn baÌ„quet it is the vse and fashion of the spirit of God in the scriptures to vnderstaÌ„d some horrible and dreadfull destruction wee maie most clearely see Ezech 39. vers 18.19 20. Reuel 19. vers 17. Where it is euident that to denounce such a matter both the foules of the aire and beastes of the field are solemnly cald for as it were to feede at the Lordes table to their full of the flesh and blood of kings princes nobles captaines of others of al sortes Wherfore it is most certaine that our Prophet here by the like phrase gaue this people of the kingdome of Iudah to vnderstand that such a iudgement as I haue saide was prepared for them and hastening fast towards them Now hauing done this thus in the first of the 4. verses immediatly going before my text in the other three he layes downe that one speciall prognostication and hastening cause thereof was this that they that in respect of their places and maintenance therefore ought
touching his wiues bearing of Iohn Baptist he is strooken dome and so continued vntill the childe was borne And if we go on and consider Peter Paul most famous amongst the Apostles though it cannot be denyes but that they studied to be righteous and very godly men and that then they had the spirite of regeneration to enable them both to will well and to doe well yet euen in respect of the time when they were such they are not found without fault or sin For Math. 26. we read how shamefully for feare Peter denied his maister and that at Antioch a good while after Christs ascention and therefore after the descâ—â—â—â—on of the holy ghost vpoÌ„ him and his fellows he behaued himselfe so that Paul therfore openly rebuked him there and charged him that he was to be blamed for his so dealing for that by his example he constrained the Gentils to doe like the Iewes insomuch that other Iewes as Paul reporteth it dissembled likewise with him euen Barnabas was brought into their dissimulation also Gal. 2. ve 1. c. Now Paul in the 7 to the Romanes ve 10.20 c. most plainly confesseth of himselfe wheÌ„ hee had striuen and laboured for the contrary to the vtmost be could that he found a lawe in his members rebelling against the law of his minde which before he cald the sin that dwelt in him whereby it came to passe that sometimes hee did that hee would not and was led captiue vnto the Lawe of sin insomuch that most lamentably he crieth out saith O wretched man that I am who shal deliuer me from this body of sin and death and to the Co. ep 2. Cap. 12. ve 7. c. he complaines of a pricke in his flesh which he cals the messenger of Sathan that did buffet him whereof he could not bee rid though he besought the lord thrise that he might Very well therefore in my opinion was it said of Hierom in his epistle to Ctesiphon against Pelagius who vsed to obiect many of these examples to proue that meÌ„ might be without sin because many of these are said as you hard in the scriptures to haue beene iust and righteous men iusti appellantur non quod omni vitio careant sed quod maiori parte vntutuÌ„ commendentur that is they are called iust men not that they were without all fault but that they were commended with the greater part of vertues Notable truely and wel worth the reading is this epistle of Hieroms both to the confutation of the old new Pelagians that notwithstanding the plain euidence of al that I haue said wil yet hold that meÌ„ caÌ„ in this life haue in themselues a perfect and absolute righteousnes for not only doth he most plainly therein condemne that as an opinion that in it containes the poison of al heretiques taketh man out of man holdeth him that is in the body to be out of the body but also to be contrary to al experience either past or to come and directly to rob Christ of his speciall prerogatiue which is to be without sin And most sharpely and briefly hee confutes all their chiefe arguments and leaues them neuer a starting hole and in the end concludes that haec hominibus sola perfectio si imperfectos se esse nouerint this is mans only perfectioÌ„ to know himself to be imperfect But if it were a thing that I might longer staÌ„d vpon it were an easie matter to keepe you an whole houre with golden sentences and argumentes oâ—â— of this father and the rest most pregnant to this purpose For I can assure you neuer a one of the ancient learned fathers but they are full and forcible against al Pelagians and other heretiques whatsoeuer to humble men alwaies in the sight of their own wâ—is and imperfection before God And doubtles though they that hold the contrary wil not see it in the great wisedome and prouidence of God it is that whiles we are here we shoulde still doe what we canne finde our selues compassed with infirmities and encombred with sin For hereby we see the power and strength of sin the better to make vs thankefull vnto our God continually the more for our sweet sauiour Iesus Christ that clenseth vs from all sinne Hereby we are from daie to day made the more weary of this world where wee see this troublesome battel with sin wil not end and so the more desirous of an other when we are sure it shal Hereby also in the mean time we haue occasion the better to shewe our faith our patience and constant feruentnesse in flying to God for helpe and succour therby the Lord breeds in vs many a good vertue as humility mercifulnes and compassion towards others preserues vs from the coÌ„trary foule vices of pride hard hartednes and conteÌ„pt of others Paule himselfe confesseth that the pricke in his flesh that wee hearde him eare while complaine of was giuen him lest he shoulde be exalted out of measure through the aboundance of reuelations 2. Cor. 12. ve 7. Wherefore as of the flesh of vipers there is made as they saie a notable counterpoyson so of the viperous remnantes and reliques of sinne God in his wisedome and by his power makes vs a preseruatiue against most daungerous sinnes And as the skilfull Chirurgian that woulde heale his patients wounde throughly to the bottome keepes it the longer open so dealeth the Lorde with vs in this case that wee by this meanes seeing the depth and daungerousnesse of our wounde the longer may seeke and finde in Christ Iesus our onely soveraigne Chirurgian and Phisition in this case a full and perfect remedy For it is he alone who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his bodie on the tree that wee being deliuered from sinne should liue in righteousnes and yet by whose stripes wee are healed 2. Pet. 2.24 And surely the Pharisee puft vp with a conceit of his owne righteousnesse shall goe home in his iudgement as he came and the very Publican shal be rather iustified then hee Luke 18. vers 10. c. And therefore hee calleth onely for the heauy loaden and weary of that heauy loade Mat 11.28 offers himselfe to those that thirst after him Ioh. 7.37.38 For to whom should the Lord haue an eiâ— but to him that is of a brokeÌ„ coÌ„trite spirit Isaiah 66. ver 2. And who wil bee at this point but he that hath learned to humble himselfe before his God as Michah hath taught vs when he hath walkt before him in iustice and mercy the best he can Thus therfore I hope sufficiently we haue heard opened whom the Prophet here minded fo comforte wherfore these things thus premised vnderstoode I dare do confidently assure my self that this noble person whose body lieth here before vs anone to bee buried was such a one both generallie and particulerly as here the Prophet hath described and I hope there are few or
that though we lie down wearied and tired yet after conuenient sleepe though it bee but for a night we commonly rise mightily refreshed as full of interruptions and troublesome dreames as our sleepes are vsually How much more then after this long sound and quiet sleepe should we hope and bee perswaded that our bodies shall not onely rise againe but also be woonderfullie altered This the Apostle Paul 1. Cor. 15. most notably teacheth vs wher he telleth vs that at the last day the trumpe should blowe our bodies shall rise the which whē they were laid down were corruptible mortall and inglorious immortall incorruptible glorious yea which is more that then our bodies that slept in him shal be made like vnto the glorious body of our Lord and Sauiour by his mighty power whereby he is able to subdue al things vnto himselfe Phil. 3.2 And therefore when we fal a sleepe in these beds we may cōfidētly falling a sleepe yet say with Iob. cap. 19. v. 25. I am sure that my redeemer liueth and though after this skin wormes destroy this body yet shall I see God in my flesh euen with these same eies and no other To grow therefore towardes a conclusion this being the meaning of the Prophet as I haue plainly shewed it was by these his comfortes to teach vs thus much concerning the deaths of the righteous thereupon all these thinges necessarily followe that man consisteth of a body and a soule that the body is mortall and yet shall rise againe that the soule is immortall that there is no such Purgatorie for the soules of anie of the righteous that are taken hence walking before GOD as the Romanistes talke of for that they immediately enter vppon or into a most ioyfull peace that therefore they all goe streight to heauen and that they passe not their time betwixt this and the iudgement in a senseles sleepe or not feeling of anie woe as some haue phansied but in a present and continuall fruition of exceeding ioy and peace and lastly that neither the bodies and soules of such walke and wander vppe and downe here in this worlde nor are subiect to the malice of Sathan or witches to be fetcht againe to present themselues to be consulted withall by the living as fondly some superstitious people haue imagined for neither of these can stand either with the peace that the soule enters into as the Prophet hath taught immediately after death or with the rest that he saith their bodies enioy in their beds And therefore with the best learned both ancient and of late time we are to be resolued that all apparitions and visions to the contrary except such as before I excepted are either very illusions of Sathan himselfe so offring himselfe to be seene to breed erromous opiniōs touching the dead or else that they are but imagined onely as we doe many thinges in our dreames which yet then are nothing so as we phantasied All which points but that I haue wearied you already were worth the further standing vpon and I would indeed but that I feare I haue beene too tedious already open and confirme them further to the full confutation both of all Atheists and Papists But seeing they are such as I hope you are already rightly perswaded of and I haue my selfe already in a sermon which I haue preached at the funerall of the late Right Honorable Lord of Bedford which is in Print sufficiently further vrged them let it suffice nowe thus onely to haue shewed you howe this text confirmeth the same thus briefely as I haue And to make an end in full hope that this honorable man whome honorably to bury wee are here at this time both liuing dying and dead hath had hath and euer shall haue to his euerlasting comfort his part and portion in all these comfortes therewith because I see you much discomforted and many present I perceiue are full of sorrowe for the losse of so woorthy a man as I haue shewed you there is iust cause I beseech you cōfort your selues and comfort one an other And to ad one other comfort vnto these to comfort vs all withall the Lords name be blessed for it he hath left here behinde him as you see an honorable sonne and heire of whome we all haue iust cause to conceaue very good great hope that er long the very liuely image of his father in him to the comfort of all his fathers friends will be reviued which the Lorde grant euen for Iesus Christes sake Thus you haue heard right honorable and welbeloued both the Prophets complaint and comfort and by the former we haue beene taught that when in bad and vngodly times most worthy men drop away apace that it is a thing to be greeued at complained of if men yet continue and go on in security in sin and impiety For it is a iudgement of God of it selfe to be taken to heart of all sortes of men that they leaue behinde them and it threattens a further euil to come vpon them and therfore neither to take it to heart nor to vnderstande such a further iudgement to be threatned thereby are certaine tokens of grosse and intolerable security and a fearefull prognostication that some heauie iudgement hastens on a pace the consideration whereof I hope euen by the multitude of heauy countenāces that I now behold hath and will haue his due effect in many of vs to our good awakening and reformation in this respect And by the Prophets consolation we haue learned that his cōforts only appertaine to such as so walke before God in righteousnes and mercy as we haue heard and that to all such they doe and therefore to this honorable persō and lastly that such dying may comfort themselues that God alwaies taketh them away to a good end in his fauour and namely in such times as the Prophet spake of frō the euill to come vpon others and that death it selfe is no such loosing of them but that God streight findes them and takes them hence backe againe to himselfe gathering thē vp and together from amongst the vngodly which were not worthie of them to ioyne them to the blessed company of the rest of his Saintes in heauen so curing and healing them of all diseases both of bodie and soule And thus they once gone hence presentlie and immediately both in body and soule they enter into better estate then euer they were in here the soule into better peace and ioie and the body soundly to rest wheresoeuer it be bestowed vntill the generall resurrection in better maner then euer it did aliue Which day when it comes which we cānot tel how shortly it will be both body and soule shall bee ioyned together and so appearing before Christ the iudge of quicke and dead heare the comfortable sentence set downe Mat. 25.34 for such come ye blessed of my father receaue the kingdome prepared for you before the foundations of the worlde were laide Whereunto the Lorde happely bring vs all euen for sweete Iesus sake to whom with the father and the Holy Ghost three persons and one euerlasting God be al honour praise and dominion now and for euer Amen FINIS Faultes escaped Pag. 8. l. 18. for two read too 14. 27. for tyles read tytles 52. 2. for low r. loue 54. 1. put out in 58. 12. for when r. where 63. 10. for 9. r. 90. 77. 20. next vnto angell put in sheweth 71. 8. put out of