away from them And on the contrarie miserable and mad fooles are they who haue set their heartes vpon worldlie thinges and are vnited vnto them by affection For first they shall shortlie be divided or separated from these things Next that separation shall procure more griefe to them nor ever they had delight or contentment by enjoying these evanishing trifles And thirdlie which is worst of all in that dreadfull judgement which followeth after death they shall be condemned to everlasting torments for the inordinate loue which they carried to them Bernard sayeth verie wittilie that the death of the wicked man is evill in respect of the losse of worldlie things worse in respect of the vnhappie separation of his bodie from the soule and worst of all because of that double torment or vexation of the worme and of the fire Moreover the indissolubilitie aeternitie of that vnion which the Godlie haue with Christ maketh the vnion which they haue amongst themselues perpetuall and indissoluble by death They are louelie and pleasant in their lyues as David in his mourning Song sayd of Saul and Ionathan and in death they are not divided For although some of the members of Christs bodie be called out from this lyfe before others yet they remaine still vnited to one head and consequentlie are still vnited amongst themselues and albeit they be locallie separated for a tyme yet they shall shortlie meet together in their Fathers house and shall joyfullie sing for ever that Song of DAVID Beholde how good and how pleasant a thing it is for Brethren to dwell together in vnitie Yee then who are vnited vnto Christ by a true and lyuelie fayth be carefull by your godlie admonitions and good example to make these whom yee tenderlie affect to be participant of the same vnion Fot if yee effectuate this neyther death nor judgement nor anie other thing shall divide you But if it be otherwayes death and that judgement which followeth thereafter shall so divide you that yee shall never haue a joyfull meeting together agayne For when Christ shall come to judge the world two women shall be grinding together the one shall be taken and the other left two men shall be in the field together the one shall be taken the other left yea of two which shall be in one bed one shall be taken and the other left But what if they be both left and condemned to Hel fire shall they haue anie comfortable societie or fellowship together No. For as in Hell there is fire without light night without rest and death without an ende so there is companie without comfort yea those who were companions in sinne when they meet together there they salute each other with mutuall execrations and curse the day that ever they saw other Secondlie consider for your vse how sweete an effect this our vnion with Christ produceth seeing by vertue of it we spirituallie liue both in death and after death If lyfe be so sweet as we commonlie say if this mortal yea this momeÌ„tanie life be so much esteemed by vs as that a man will giue skin for skin and all that he hath for his lyfe how much should we esteeme and affect this spirituall lyfe and that blessed vnion with Christ by vertue whereof it is begun and also conserved in vs vnto all aeternitie HORMISDAS the Persian as I shew you before thought little of all the glorie and statelinesse of Rome and that because he perceaved that men were mortall there as well as in other cities of the world O but if GOD had given him grace to enter by fayth into that heavenly HierusaleÌ„ the Citie of the living God and if the eyes of his vnderstaÌ„ding had bene enlightened that he might haue known what is the hope of our calling and the riches of the glorie of GODS inheritance in the Saincts that is if he had known that GOD the Father of our LORD IESVS CHRIST according to his aboundant mercie hath begotten all these who are trueâ—lie and indeed citizens of this Citie in spem vivam vnto a lyuelie hope that is in spem vitae vnto the hope of lyfe as Ierome expoundeth it or in spem vitae aeternâ— vnto the hope of aeternall lyfe as Augustine readeth it and to an inheritance incorruptible and vndefiled and which fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for vs if he I say had knowne this singular praerogatiue of the citizens of heavenlie Hierusalem he would haue thought the glorie of Rome and of all other cities in the world to be basenesse in comparison of it and would haue sayd with DAVID Glorious thinges are spoken of thee O Citie of GOD or as he sayeth in another place Mount Sion is beautifull for situation and the joye of the whole earth Thirdly obserue I pray you how sweet and comfortable a thing it is to the Godlie in the houre of death to consider that they are in Christ and that the vnion which they haue with Christ is perpetual and indissoluble How comfortablie and joyfullie may the faythfull servant of Christ then say There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ I am now dying neverthelesse I liue yet not I but Christ liveth in me in Christ my Saviour I haue boldnesse and accesse vnto the Throne of Grace with confidence by the fayth of him O how excellent and happie a thing it is to a man then to haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 boldnesse with God to speake what he pleaseth and to propound all his sutes to say Lord strengthen me against all my infirmities and my feares perfect thy strength in my weaknesse put an ende to all my miseries and my pains and enter not into judgement with thy servant LORD walke with mee in this valley of the shadowe of death that I may feare no evill Father I comend my spirit into thy hands Heare me speedilie O Lord my spirit faileth hide not thy face from me lest I be lyke vnto them that goe downe into the pit The wicked cannot haue this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this boldnesse of speaking to God when death approacheth They shall then finde how true that saying of our Saviour is Sine me nihil potestis facere Without me ye can do nothing For they may well in that houre cry Miserere with their lips and say Lord let thy servant depart in peace but their heart shall contradict them and tell them that there is no peace to the wicked I come now to the consideration of that blessednesse or happinesse which is here attributed to these who die in the Lord in the handling whereof I intend not to fall out in a Theologicall discourse concerning that most noble and divine operation of our soule wherein our Summum bonuÌ„ consisteth I meane the vision and fruition of the glorious countenance of GOD nor yet to trouble you
free from his master Mors sceptra ligonibus aequat The third thing wherein men are sayd to die is in their sinnes This befalleth all the vnbelievers who die in vnbeliefe according to that saying of our Saviour I sayde therefore vnto yom that yee shall die in your sinnes For if yee belieue not that I am HEE yee shall die in your sinnes Where is not meaned that they shall cease to bee in their sinnes or in the stayne and guiltinesse therof as those who dying in worldlie wealth or povertie cease to bee in them anie more but hee that dieth in his sinnes his bones are full of the sinne of his youth which shall lye downe with him in the dust Now as Salomon sayth if the tree fall toward the south or toward the north in the place where the tree falleth there it shall be That is as Saynct Hierome expounds the place in what estate a man dieth eyther in sinne or in righteousnesse hee shall for ever remayne in that same estate The miserie of such a man is descrybed in the Evangell of Saynct IOHN with the felicitie of those who liue and die in the true fayth of the Sonne of GOD briefelie in these wordes Hee that believeth on the Sonne hath everlasting Lyfe and hee that believeth not the Sonne shall not see Lyfe but the wrath of GOD abydeth on him Therefore this Proposition Blessed are they that die in the LORD is reciprocall They die in the LORD who are blessed meaning of mortall men who die this bodilie death of whom none are blessed but onlie they that die in the LORD Neyther is there salvation in anie other for there is none other name vnder Heaven given amongst men whereby wee must bee saved To die in the LORD signifieth not that the LORD is the cause of our death as Adam to them that die in Adam but it signifieth that happie estate of a dying man that hee is in the LORD and consequentlie of the number of those of whom the Apostle sayeth There is no condemnation to those which are in CHRIST IESVS Neyther doeth dying in the LORD import ceasing from beeing in the LORD as they who die in worldlie wealth or povertie doe cease to bee in that estate anie more but to die in the LORD signifieth to die beeing and remayning in the LORD before death in death and after death The LORD is our lyfe even aeternall Lyfe He then that dieth in the LORD remayneth in Lyfe according to that saying of our Saviour Verilie verilie I say vnto you he that heareth My word and believeth on Him that sent Mee hath everlasting Lyfe and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death vnto lyfe Death may separate our soule from our bodie but it can not breake that Union which wee haue with IESUS CHRIST whose wee are whether wee liue or die I come nowe to a more particular consideration of this Union which wee haue with CHRIST in lyfe and death and in respect whereof wee are sayde heere to die in the LORD This Union is so strange and wonderfull that it can not bee sufficientlie expressed by anie one kynde of vnion and therefore the Spirit of GOD in the Scripture expresseth it by manie and those most diverse sortes of vnion or conjunction to wit by the vnion of conformitie telling vs that wee are praedestinated to bee conformed to the Image of the Son of God by the vnion of affectiō yea of most entire affection or friendship telling vs that wee are His Friendes Brethren and Spouse by the vnion of influence or reall operation telling vs that Hee is the Vine and wee are the Branches that Hee is the Head and we are His Members vvhereby is signified That as the roote of the Vine by reall influence doeth communicate lyfe nowrishment and growth vnto the branches and as the head by reall influence or operation doeth communicate sense and motion vnto the inferiour members and doeth direct them in their actions So CHRIST by the seret and most powerfull influence of His Spirit doeth communicate Spirituall lyfe sense motion and growth vnto the members of His mysticall bodie as also directeth them in their actions making them to walke circumspectlie and to worke out their salvation with feare and trembling And because thinges are vnited or joyned together two wayes by the vnion of influence to wit eyther so that they concurre together to make vp one totall or composed substance as for example The head and the members make vp one totall substance and so doe the roote and the branches vvhich sort of vnion is called a Formall Substantiall and Physicall vnion or else so that no totall or composed thing is made vp of them so the Load-stone and the yron which it draweth to it selfe are vnited together vvhich sort of vnion is called vnio effectiva an vnion of meere influence or efficiencie Therefore our conjunction with CHRIST is expressed in Scripture sometymes by a Formall and Physicall vnion as when Hee is called the Vine and we the Branches or when Hee is called the Head and wee the members of His bodie and sometymes by the vnion of meere inftuence as when Hee sayeth If I bee lifted vp from the earth I will drawe all men vnto Mee and Loe I am with you alwayes even vnto the ende of the worlde Nowe to apply all this to the present purpose The Godlie haue all these kyndes or sorts of vnion with CHRIST in death as well as in lyfe and therefore they are most justlie sayde to die in the LORD And first as for the Vnion of Conformitie although the Learned speaking of that conformitie vvith CHRIST vnto which wee are praedestinated doe onlie mention our Conformitie with Him in Grace and Glorie yet betwixt these two wee may verie well take in another part or degree of our conformitie with CHRIST to wit our Conformitie with Him in our death vvhich is the passage from Grace to Glorie For as wee resemble Him by an holie lyfe so also by an happie and victorious death This degree of conformitie which the Godlie haue with CHRIST is grounded chiefelie vpon three respectes For first as CHRIST died voluntarilie and by way of obedience to GOD His Fathers Commandement so the Godlie die humblie submitting themselues and all their desires vnto GOD'S will For although when that bitter Cuppe of deadlie sicknesse is presented to a Godlie man he sometymes say with CHRIST Father if it bee possible let this Cup passe from mee yet He ever doeth subjoyne this Neverthelesse not as I will but as Thou wilt Secondliie As CHRIST died to destroy the works of the Devil that is to take away our sinnes so the Godlie desire to die that they may bee fred from their sinnes and not offende GOD anie more saying with SAMPSON Let mee die with these my enemies Thirdlie as CHRIST died to
mortâ—um the brood of this viper gnawing foorth so the wombe which hatched the same and Goliah's sword cutting off as it were his owne head Next hereby the Lord declareth his power over death as well as formerlie over sinne by death that altho death seeme so to prevaile over the Godlie as to turne their bodies into dust and to haue them surelie laid fast in his strong holde of the graue yet as Potiphars wyfe catched onlie and kept the vpper garment of Ioseph but himselfe went free and thereafter being advanced was royallie arrayed even so death layeth holde or elie on the garment whereof wee must bee vncloathed before our better part get free or that wee bee gloriouslie arrayed in that place of heavenlie advancement As also the power of our good GOD shall appeare yet more wonderfull when in the resurrection death and the graue shall render vp the bodies of his elect as being onlie there Depositum and as the Apostle sayeth that which was sowne in corruption and weaknesse shall aryse in incorruption in glorie and in strength And 4. This is done by the Lord for working a conformitie of the members with their head CHRIST IESVS that as he tasted of death and thereby entred into lyfe eternall so must they in lykemanner And last as Saynct Augustine sayth It is ad certamen and that by the strugling with the feare thereof and overcomming the same the strength and power of fayth may appeare the fortitude of patience and the victorie of the Godlie thereby may be the more compleet and glorious Therefore sayth that holie Ancient Si enim parva virtus esset fidei quae perdilectionem operatur mortis metum vincere non esset tanta martyrum gloria nec diceret Dominus majorem hac charitateÌ„ nemo habet quam ut animam suam ponat pro amicis suis nequaquaÌ„ ergo pro justitia in morte subeunda vel contemnenda landaretur praecipua patientia si mortis non esset magna multumque dura molestia cujus timorem qui vincit ex fide magnaÌ„ ipsius fidei comparat gloriam justamque mercedem The third thing which we haue to consider in this Text is how the death of Gods servants is called as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth vnto vs to wit that the same is a dimission from servitude or captivitie or a departure out of prison This prison being the bodie the doore whereof by death is opened that the soule may goe free and as Noah's doue returned to him who sent her foorth with an oliue branch in her bill so the spirit of man which came from God may returne as sayeth Ecclesiastes vnto God that gaue it Mors ergo obstretricatur animae Death then is but the midwyfe to the soule and as our first birth brought vs out of the prison of the wombe and our second out of nature and sinne so this third and last birth by death shall bring vs perfectlie the soule out of the prison of the bodie and the whole man out of the prison of all worldlie miserie the pangues of death-being but the showers or throwes of the bodies travelling before the foules deliverie and our sicklie groanes and dead rattle at last beeing but the sound of the jaylours key as it was opening the prison doore Death doeth then to the Godlie as GIDEON and his souldiours did to their earthen pitchers wherein the burning lamps were inclosed and as it were imprisoned their earthen pitcher is broken that the lampe of their soule may bee at libertie and shyne more brightlie in Glorie or as the fyre of that fornace wherein the three children were casten did onelie burne the fetters wherwith they wer bound without harming themselues even so death bursteth onelie that bond of naturall lyfe whereby the soule bodie are tyed together here in miserie but can not bereaue vs of our true lyfe eyther in Christ of grace or with Christ of glorie As Pharao's Butler then was glad at the ende of the three dayes to goâ— out of prison and comfortable was the incomming of the jaylour to him for his liberation so wheâ— the few and evill dayes of the pilgrimage and the imprisoment of the Lords servaÌ„ts in their bodies is at an ende O how joyfull is the comming of the messenger of death vnto them for as the wicked man dying may say vnto death as Ahab sayd to Eliah Hast thou found mee O myne enemie and trembleth lyke Felix at the hearing of the same so on the contrarie as Adoniah sayde to Ionathan the sonne of Abiather Come in for thou art a valiant man and bringest good tydings And as David in lyke manner sayde of Ahimaaz that hee was a good man and brought good tydings with him so death is a good messenger to them and bringeth good tydings with him even as the Angell sayde to the sheepheards at CHRISTS birth Tydings of great joye to wit that their soules are to be fred from all earthlie miserie and to enter into eternall joy and that as the blessed of the Lord they shall rest from their labours and their workes follow them Therefore as Laban welcomed Abrham's servant and sayd Come in thou blessed of the Lord even so the Godlie may justlie welcome death and invite him as it were to come in the curse and course whereof to them is turned to a blessing Seeing therefore the death of the Godlie is a freedome and delyverie out of prison and captivitie we see how farre we should be from the loue of this lyfe being the tyme onelie of such a painfull imprisonment such a languishing labour an Egyptian boÌ„dage a Babylonish captivitie a woful exile a stormy seavoyage a weariesome pilgrimage a dangerous warrefare fraile it selfe and having an hourlie and circular necessitie of such frayle things to support the pillars thereof whose foundation is in the dust which is nourished by dust and in ende the honour vigour whereof must be laide in the dust involved in a world of vanities and wrapped about with a cloud of vexations carnall lusts thornie cares and domesticke discontentments Satan â—empting without corruption betraying within the conscience stinging pleasures alluring feares affrighting adversitie fretting prosperitie flattering sickenesse assaulting and death ever at last as a burreau attending our execution besides who can recount the losses and crosses the cares and calamities disquyetings discontentments with the miseries mutabilities that are incident to this mortall and momentarie lyfe rightlie therefore compared to grasse which withereth a flowre which fadeth a buble or water bell which breaketh smoke which evanisheth a weavers shittle which passeth a traveller who posteth the fatte of lambes which consumeth a shepheards tent which fâ—itteth a fraile ship which floateth a dreame without soliditie a thought for celeritie a hyrelings tyme for miserie and in a word meere and onlie vanitie Wherein to be then is not to liue but to be daylie dying thoughts
tossing the mynde cares torturing the heart paines pinching the bodie pensiuenesse possessing the soule feares fretting crosses consuming and death at last consummating And wherein there is not any houre wherein we are not eyther in the remembrance of calamities by-past or the sense of some present or vnder the feare and foresight of some that are to come So that it is most true which Iob sayeth of man in this lyfe Man that is borne of woman is of short continuance and full of trouble Curasque subiisse molestas Sors homini connataetulit velut edita prunis Scintilla ignitis tenues vaga scandit in aâ—ras O then as sayeth Moses That men were wyse aâ—d would consider their latter ende and would thinke on the worlds vanitie to despyse it lyfes frayltie to contemne it deaths certayntie to expect iâ— judgements severitie to prevent it hells miserie to avoyde it and heavens felicitie to attayne it Seeing the death of the Godlie is a parting not a perishing a delyverie and not a destruction an annalysing not an annihilating In qua potius miseria Christiani quam ipse Christianus moritur Therefore the same is not to be feared by them who die nor yet excessiuelie deplored by vs who surviue praemitâ—untur enim non amittuntur oriuntur potius quam moriuntur eorumque funera sunt iis maximâ— foenera So that death vnto them is rather premiall nor penall lyfe nor losse and the day thereof lyke a birth-day to bee celebrated in respect of them rather with mirth nor mourning Therefore they rather desire nor dread the same saying with David My soule thirsteth for God even for the living God when shall I come and appeare before God Or with S. Paull I desire to bee dissolved and to bee with Christ. Or with Simeon here Lord now let thy servant depart in peace Or with the Sayncts saying How long O Lord which art holie and true Come Lord Iesu come quicklie And good reason they haue for doing so because three things concurre to them which are matter of great joye to vs in this lyfe a glad marriage a glorious triumph and a solemne coronation the marriage with Christ the triumph over all their enemies the coronation with a crowne of righteousnesse If poore Esther then and all her kinred were glad when shee was assumed by king Assuerâ—s to bee his Queene If David rejoyced when hee came backe triumphing after the slaughter of Goliah and if the earth it selfe rang for joye with the acclamations of the coronation of Salomon O how joyefull a day is that wherein the poore soule of a Christian is married gloriouslie with Him who is King of kings and Lord of lords and at the sight of that blessed Brydegroome as at Elizabeth's hearing of the blessed virgines salutation the Baptist did how doeth that soule spring and leape for joye O with what joyefull acclamations also doe these glorious spirits welcome the triumphant soule that is victorious over the enemies of Gods glorie and man's good and who so rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner much more shall they not at the coronation of a Saynct assumed vp to heaven associate to the Patriarches made equall with the Angels and conformed to Christ The fourth thing which this Text offereth to our consideration is the difference betweene the death of the Godlie and the death of the wicked the one is in peace the other not therefore sayeth the Prophet There is no peace to the wicked sayeth my GOD. But on the contrary Marke the Godlie and the vpright man sayeth the Psalmist For the ende of that man is peace for according to his soules estate as sayth Isaias hee entereth into peace and according to his bodie he resteth in the graue as a sweet sleeping bed so that hee may say with David I will lay mee downe in peace and sleepe And when I awake I shall be satisfied with thy lykenesse The cause of which death in peace is the lyfe of grace and because they lived the lyfe of the righteous therefore they die the death of the righteous But as for the wicked they depart not in peace because their life was destitute of grace both which the Apostls joyne as inseparable in their salutations grace and peace therefore sayth the Prophet of them The way of peace they haue not knowne and there was no vprightnesse in their goings but they made them crooked pathes wherein whosoever goeth hee shall not know peace wherefore they shall be in death as Balthassar was in his agonie seeing nothing but their guiltie conscience wryting bitter things against them sorrowing for their sinnes bygone being in anguish for their present miserie and in terrour for torments to come Satan now accusing them the conscience convicting them the lawe condemning them the Gospell forsaking them the Heavens debarring them and lyke Ionas whale hell gaping to swallowe them O dreadfull perplexitie when feare is so on everie syde a wrathfull judge aboue vnquenchable flames beneath a gnawing worme within a dreadfull dittie before fearfull fiends about and a dolefull doome at hand Whereas on the contraire the death of the Godlie hath peace for perplexitie solace for sorrow and for dreadour desire of dissolution their sinnes are silent their conscience calme the Law absolveth them the Gospell comforteth them their Saviour attendeth them Heaven is open to them the Angels accompanie them their good workes doe follow them O comfortable is the clayme that the soule maketh in that houre to God as a reconciled Father to Christ as her bryde-groome and Saviour to his blood as her ransome to his sufferings as her satisfaction to his promises as the covenant to Heaven as his purchase for her and to the societie of the Sayncts and Angels as fellow-citizens in eternall glorie with her 1. Seeing then that this is onlie the priviledge of Gods servantes to depart in peace let not Satan's slaues in their senselesse securitie clayme or expect the same For such a Pearle is not for swyne nor this Bread of God's Children is not to be given to doggs Therefore it may be sayde to them as Iehâ— sayd to Ioram What hast thou to doe with peace so long as thy impieties are so manie and thy impenitencie so great Or as the Lord sayth to the wicked What hast thou to doe to take my Covenant of peace in thy mouth that thou shouldest expect to die the death of the righteous who wilt not liue the lyfe of the righteous Seeing that Qui in vita moritur per vitiâ— certò in morte transire oportet ad aeterna supplicia 2. Seeing the departure of the Godlie is in peace that as the Prophet sayeth in that houre they enter into peace or into a joyfull and peaceabe estate resting from their labours it followeth then that they depart not with the terrifying expectation of a fyrie purgatorie wherein
their perplexed soules are to satisfie and suffer in those infernall flames no lesse torment nor the soules of the damned except onlie in shorter indureance For this were not to die in peace but perplexitie and in the fitt of such a pani◠feare as over-tooke Balthasser and by which their godlesse and groundlesse assertion whereby lyke the scorpion tailes of those locusts in the Revelation they stryke with the terrour of torment poore simple soules Gods mercie is marred CHRISTS merit maimed his trueth belyed his death debased his sufferings stained and his people abused by these who haue made gaine their godlinesse but not godlinesse to bee gaine turning Gods Temple againe into a Den of thieues and therein making merchandise not of doues but of mens soules as is fore-tolde of them being better seene as one sayeth in the golden number of actuall receat nor for their warrand in this poynt in the dominicall letter of sacred and holie Writ Out of these thinges also which haue bene formerlie spoken to wit that the death of Gods servants is a peaceable departure out of the prison of this bodie and miseries of this world wee may consider these three things in the same to wit the 1 necessitie of their death 2. The facilitie and 3. The felicitie thereof Necessitie which maketh resolution facilitie which giveth consolation and felicitie which causeth appetition Necessitie showeth it to bee in evitable facilitie easily tollerable and felicitie greatlie desiderable The necessitie is herein that it is our Posse-over that wee must depart out of the Egypt of this world before wee can enter into that heavenlie Canaan A dissolution it is called and therefore a separation must be of the soule from the bodie before that coelestiall vnion can bee effectuated with our Saviour Christ. A devesting of Mortalitie must be before we put on Immortalitie and a throwing downe of our earthlie tabernacle before wee get that better house to dwell in not made with hands eternall in the Heavens 2. The facilitie of the death of Gods servants is in this that their death is a peaceable departure death having lost its perplexing feare its paynfull sting and horrid shape and the soule being more ravished with that approaching sight of God than the bodie is payned with the sense of death the passion of mortalitie being so beaten backe with the impression of aeternitie that the soule is so farre from slackenesse to goe foorth as Lot was out of Sodom as on the contrarie it hasteth to bee in that place where it may truelie say with the disciples Bonum est nobis esse hic even as Abraham hasted to meete the Angels or Peter and Iohn hasted to the graue to see that CHRIST was risen And as willinglie they lay downe the bodie when death commeth for them as Peter did his shackels wherof he was vnloosed when the Angell came to bring him out of prison Hence it is called in Scripture onelie a falling asleep a giving vp the Ghost a gathering to our fathers a laying downe of this earthlie tabernacle and an vnclothing of vs lyke Ioseph of his prison garments or the prodigall of his beggerlie raggs to bee gloriouslie arrayed and highlie advanced to a heavenlie preferment where all losses are recompenced all wants supplied all crosses removed all teares wiped away all promises performed and all happinesse procured where Satan is trod vnder death overcome corruption abolished sanctification perfected and glorie at last obtayned 3. The felicitie also of the death of the Godlie in the bright sight of the Lords salvatiō is vnutterable when that eternall Sabbath commeth and joyefull jubile approacheth when the Lambes Bryde shall enter into that marriage Chamber to sight most specious in rowme most spacious and in beautie most glorious wherin to come is hghiest dignitie to dwel is greatest felicitie and to liue in is most joyfull eternitie the pleasures whereof are so plentifull that for greatnesse they can not bee measured so manie that they can not bee numbered so precious that they can not bee esteemated and so dureable that they can not bee limited which wee shall enjoye without wearinesse admire without ignorance affect without measure and feed on without loathsomnesse never to bee terminated impossible to be determinated where securitie is with safetie peace with all plentie light with all libertie rest with all rejoycing and tranquillitie with all felicitie where youth flowrisheth that never fadeth health continueth which never altereth beautie lasteth which never blasteth loue aboundeth which never abateth and lyfe endureth which never endeth The fift poynt is from whom this peaceable departure is sought to wit from the Lord who onelie can make it such by that inward assurance of reconcilement with himselfe wherein as wee see the practise of the Godlie ever for all good or comfort eyther in lyfe or death to haue their constant recourse to God onelie and to no creature Saynct or Angell whatsoever So wee see that the godlie are so farre from putting the memorie of death away as others doe from before their eyes as a tormenter of them before the tyme that they holde it ever in their sight and with olde Simeon here and the Apostle earnestlie desire the approach thereof saying with the Psalmist Bring my soule out of prison O Lord that I may prayse thy Name And so they can not onelie pray with Moses Lord teach vs to number our dayes that wee may apply our heatrs vnto wisdome but also can wish the acceleration thereof in GODS good tyme even as the workman longeth for the shadow or the hyreling for the ende of his worke And this they doe not out of a fitt of impatience as wee see in Ionas nor out of such discontent as wee perceaue even in Godlie Eliah but out of a longing with David to see Gods face with joye and of that happie conjunction with CHRIST whereof the Apostle speaketh Hence it is that they make not themselues for death when sicknesse commeth because they must die out of natures necessitie but because they would die out of graces desire manie things giving vp their last worke at death which make the godlie with the Apostle to crye out in life Who shall delyver mee from this bodie of death For then Satan giveth his last assault sinne leaveth her temptation the world its allurement corruption its repyning the conscience its accusing the bodie its painfull toyle and men their hurtfull injuring and then the soule in the strongest affection thereof set vpon Heaven and heavenlie thinges having gone before now in its purified substance is not so much thrust by deaths hand out of the bodie as Lot was out of Sodom by the Angell as it goeth foorth joyefullie lyke Noah out of the Arke and is pulled into that coelestiall Mansion by the hand of God as the Doue was taken into the Arke againe when shee could find no rest to the sole of her foote The last thing
thousandes saying with a loude voyce Worthie is the Lambe that was slayne to receaue power and riches and wisdome and strength and honour and glorie c. And as th'Apostle witnesseth 2. Cor. v. 8 being absent from the bodie they are present with the LORD And Phil. j. 23 his desire was to depart and to bee with CHRIST And expresslie Augustine sayeth Lib. 13. de Civitate Dei Cap. 8. In requie enim sunt animae piorum à corpore separatae impiorum autem poenas luunt donec istarum ad aeternam vitam illarum ad aeternam mortem quae secunda dicitur corpora reviviscant The soules of the Godlie sayeth hee being separated from the bodie are at rest and the souls of the wicked are punished vntill that tyme the bodies of the one bee awakened to aeternall lyfe and the bodies of the other to aeternall death which is called The second death The bodies then onlie of the Godlie doe sleepe in the dust of the earth The souls of men may haue and haue their owne actions without commerce with the bodies For in that the death of man is called a sleepe it evidentlie signifieth That the soules of men are not as the souls of other creatures who lose beeing with their bodies their death being no other than a destruction of both But as when the bodie sleepeth the soule will bee then thinking meditating and discoursing so when the bodie is lying asleepe in the graue the soule then is exercysing its owne heavenlie and spirituall functions That nowe then wee may knowe the nature of the death of the Godlie we haue to learne wherefore speciallie it is resembled to sleepe This appellation it getteth in Scripture is to testifie what good what happinesse the Godlie gayne by Death And to omit manie other resemblances betwixt them I will show it in this Even as a man all the day long wearied with toyle and travell when the night commeth laying aside all traffique of the world hee vncloatheth himselfe goeth to bed willingly yeelding to Nature where the senses beeing tyed vp by sleepe hee resteth from all his travels and sense of evill by which rest hee is more enabled agaynst his awakening for better exercyses as the Poët sayth of it Pectora duris Fessa ministeriis mulces reparasque labori So the Godlie when the night of death commeth or when death approacheth they lay aside all worldlie thinges and prepare themselues for it with Ezekiah they set their house in order knowing that they must die they yeeld to the God of Nature saying vnto them Returne yee children of men Psal. xc 3 They vncloathe their souls and put off their earthlie tabernacle Then their bodies are layde downe in the dust as in a sweete sleeping bed and as Iob sayeth as the waters fayle frrom the sea and the flood decayeth and dryeth vp So man lyeth downe and ryseth not till the Heavens bee no more they shall not awake nor bee raysed out of their sleepe Iob xiv 11.12 Where they are delivered from all cares all toyle and sense of evill wherevnto before they were subject and therin they are fitted and prepared for all Happinesse By this resemblance we may perceaue first that the death of the Godlie putteth an ende to all miseries For by it wee are delivered both à malo culpae and à malo poenae from sinne it selfe and from the punishment of sinne After death the Godlie doe not sinne anie more Howe great Happinesse this is may bee easilie vnderstood by that groaning petition vttered by the Apostle Rom. vij 24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver mee from the bodie of this death By death they are delivered from it for he that is dead is fred froÌ„ sin Rom. 6.7 delivered froÌ„ the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of GOD Rom. viij â—1 Yea from all occasions and temptations to sinne Desiit peccare desiit jactari desiit miser esse He ceasseth to sinne or to bee tossed with anie winde of temptation to sinne In a word Hee ceasseth to bee miserable and therefore I sayde also that hee is fred à malo poenae In this lyfe man that is borne of a woman is of few dayes and full of trouble Iob xiv 1 And Salomon acknowledgeth That there is nothing vnder the sunne but trouble and vexation of spirit The bodie of man is morborum seminarium a seed-plot of all diseases No sooner yea before wee begin to bee borne wee begin to bee sicke Quis ille qui non aegrotat in hac vita Quis non longum languorem trahit nasci hic in corpore mortali incipere aegrotare est Aug. in Psal. cij ante med Who is hee sayeth hee that is not sicke in this lyfe Who is hee that languisheth not To begin to bee borne in this mortall bodie is to bee sicke The mynde and soule of man is subject vnto griefe and anguish which is an intollerable miserie David compareth it to arrowes Psal. xxxviij 2. For thyne arrowes sticke fast in mee and thy hand presseth me sore Consonant wherevnto is that of Iob Chap. xvj 13 His archers compasse me round about hee cleaveth my reynes asunder and doeth not spare And A wounded spirit sayd Salomon who can beare The sense of it made CHRIST Himselfe say My Soule is exceeding sorrowfull even vnto death Matth. xxvj 38 The estate of man is subject to Povertie and Want a grievous punishment for ridiculos homines facit the poore are the object of mockerie Salomon sayeth Prov. xiv 20 The poore is hated even of his owne neyghbour And Prov. xix 7 All the brethren of the poore doe hate him howe much more doe his friendes goe farre from him Hee persueth them with wordes yet they are wanting to him The name of man is subject to shame and contempt which even evill men abhorre more than death Saul did rather choose to fall on his owne sworde than to bee matter of sporte to his enemies The wicked at the day of Iudgement ere they endured the indignitie of this evill would rather that hills and mountayns should fall vpon them Yea besides to howe manie miseries daylie is man lyable to hunger thirst heate colde inaccommodation in dwelling much travell vaine hopes c. howe manie are his private crosses his publicke calamities and evils which wee bring vppon our selues injuries done to vs by others Yet when Death commeth it freeth vs of all these By Death wee lye still and are quyet wee sleepe and are at rest Iob iij. 13 And Blessed are the dead that die in the LORD they rest from their laboures Rev. xiv 13 Before Death come there can bee no perfect freedome from these evils for as Bernard speaketh Liberatio plena atque perfecta ante diem sepulturae esse non poterit quod maneat jugum gravè super filios Adam à die exitiuâ— de ventre matris ipsorum vsque in diem sepulturae in matrem omnium In
hac ergo die eripiam eum nempè justum inquit quando nihil jam vltra vel quod corpori vel quod animae faciat mundus habebit Ber◠Serm. 16. in Psal. xc A full and a perfect freedome before the day of our buriall there can not bee for there is a heavie yoake layde vpon the sonnes of Adam even from the tyme they come out of their mothers womb vntill the day of their buriall when they are receaved into the bowels of their common mother Then sayeth the LORD in that day I will deliver the just man when the world hath nothing more to doe eyther with his bodie or with his soule Wherevnto consonant are the wordes of Isidorus cited by Bernard O mors quam dulcis es miseris quam suavis es amarè viventibus quam jucunda es tristibus atque lugentibus O Death how sweet art thou to them that are in miserie how pleasant to those who liue in bitternesse how delectable to the sad and mournfull For truelie of Death wee may say Pon it finem omnibus malis in hac vita dat terminum malis in hoc saeculo adimit omnem calamitatem Mors prebet terminum hominibus in tribulationibus in hoc mundo It putteth sayeth hee an ende to all evils in this lyfe a period to all miseries that fall out in this tyme it taketh away all calamitie and maketh an ende to all troubles which befall men in this lyfe Hee doeth therefore heerevpon conclude Sed heu exspectata mors tardè venit But alace sayeth hee long looked for and much desired Death commeth slowlie No marvell a Christian sayde so since Cicero an Ethnicke Lib. 1. Tusc. quaest could say Pro dii immortales quam illud verè jucundum hominibus esse debet quo confecto nulla reliqua cura nulla solicitudo futura sit That is O you immortall gods how sweet and pleasant should that bee to men which once being brought to passe there shall bee no more care nor anxietie The next Happinesse included in this that it is called a sleepe is That heereby wee are fitted and prepared for heavenlie Happinesse By Death there is a preparation made for our change to the enjoying of aeternall Felicitie whence it is called by BERNARD Ianua vitae initium refrigerii sancti montis scala ingressus in locum tabernaculi admirabilis quod fixit Dominus non homo Bern. Serm. on the 19 verse of the 5 chapter of IOB The doore of lyfe the beginning of our refreshing the ladder whereby wee goe vp to the holie mountayne an entrie vnto the place of that admirable Tabernacle which the LORD Himselfe made and not man What sleepe then is lyke to this Sleepe and what Sleepe more to bee desired than IT were not the Bed wherein IT is enjoyed seemeth to lessen all the former happinesse For it is sayde by the Angell They sleepe in the dust of the earth The rememberance indeede of this Bed wherein man must take his last sleepe deoth teach man Humilitie and Sobrietie since as he was made of the dust to dust he must returne againe The Graue must be his House he must make his bed in darknesse Hee must say to corruption Thou art my father to the worme Thou art my mother and my sister IOB xvij 13.14 Yet it doeth nothing derogate from the happinesse of Death For first albeit it seeme base to lye in the dust of the earth yet it is the common onlie recept appoynted by GOD to receaue our bodies in our passage to Heaven Neyther is there anie other place for our bodilie rest alotted vntill our finall awakening Dust sayeth the LORD thou art and to dust thou shalt returne GEN. iij. 19 And therefore Quis quaeri potest se in ea conditione esse in qua nemo non est SEN. Epist. 30. Who can complayne of that estate wherein all men are alyke with him Next Of all Beds a man can lye downe into it is the most kyndlie Bed For the earth is mater omnium nostrum And when wee are layde downe in IT wee are but in the bosome of our common mother who will bring vs foorth agayne into another vvorlde in regarde whereof the Resurrection is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Regeneration MATTH xix 28 Thirdlie IT is of all Beds the onlie Bed of Rest wherein man most securelie sleepeth Of all other Beds everie man in some sort may complayne with IOS When I say My bed shall comfort mee my couch shall ease my complaynt then Thou scarrest mee with dreames and terrifiest mee through visions IOB vij 13.14 For great travell is created for everie man and an heavie yoake is vpon the sonnes of Adam from the day that they goe out of their mothers wombe till the day that they returne to the mother of all thinges ECCL xl 1 No quyet anie where in the interveaning tyme but then they shall enter into their peace they shall rest in their Beds ISAI lvij 2 Fourthlie IT is a Bed perfumed with the most costlie Perfume in the worlde Wee reade PROV vij 17 that the harlot had perfumed her bed with myrrhe aloës and cynamom but it was a bed of whoredome and wickednesse This Bed is a Bed of Holinesse sanctified by the buriall of CHRIST IESVS For as Hee died on the Crosse for vs so lykewyse Hee would bee buried that by the touch of his most holie Flesh our buriall might bee sanctified Fiftlie IT is of all sortes of Beds most honourable herefore it is written of Cyrus in Zenophon that hee sayd to his sonnes When I am dead lay not my bodie in golde nor silver or anie thing else but with all haste lay it down in the earth For what is more blessed than to bee mixt there-with which not onlie breedeth all good and pleasant thinges but also nowrisheth and cherisheth the same And lastlie The second Comfort in this Text suddenlie ensuing taketh away all matter of disheartening For they shall not lye in the dust for ever For as one sayeth well Est somnus quidem diuturnior solito non diutius tamen quam ad CHRISTI novissimum adventum duraturus that is It is a sleepe longer than other ordinarie sleepes yet not to last longer than the second comming of CHRIST IESVS For they shall bee awakened to enjoye an happie estate even Ever-lasting Lyfe The knowledge of this estate after death and long sleepe wherein the bodies doe lye it bringeth without all mixture of sorrow vnexpressable comfort First that man shall be awakened out of this long sleepe heere is a singular comfort but to bee awakened to everlasting lyfe it is the hight of all Comfortes Shall awake to everlasting lyfe this is all one with this their bodies shall be raysed againe out of their graues and after they are vnited with their soules shall obtayne everlasting Lyfe This doctrine of the resurrectione of bodies is onlie revealed in the word of GOD. It is to all
acquire a Kingdome to Himselfe so death is to the Godlie an entrance into that kingdome which GOD hath promised to those that loue Him and everie Godlie man may vvhen hee dieth say with PAVL Hencefoorth there is layde vp for mee a Crowne of Righteousnesse Secondlie As for the vnion of Loue or Friendship which the Godlie haue with CHRIST death can not ende or dissolue it for Paul telleth vs That nothing is able to separate vs from the loue of CHRIST and in the wordes following boldlie giveth a defyance to death affirming That it is not able to effectuatâ— this separation Manie yea great and inaesteemable benefits redound vnto the Godlie by vertue of this vnion in the houre of their death For first by reason of it CHRIST IESVS in that most dangerous houre pleadeth for them most earnestlie and effectuallie Our necessitie doeth require this For when wee are arreasted by Death and are going to bee praesented before that dreadfull Tribunall vvhere all our workes of Righteousnesse yea all our sufferings can not sufficientlie pleade for vs wee haue more nor neede that that Blood which speaketh better thinges than that of Abell should pleade for Mercy and favour to vs. His loue also and most tender affection which made Him to ware or bestowe His Blood and His Lyfe for vs can not but make Him to ware His Request for vt in that tyme of our great neede Hee vvho vpon the Crosse prayed for His cruell Tormentors vvill vndoubtedlie nowe vvhen Hee is in His Kingdome remember His Friendes and say Pater ignosce iis Father forgiue them Hee vvho in that last and most dolorous night of His lyâ—e when Hee made as it were His Legacie and declared His latter Will to His Father sayde concerning all the Elect Father I will that they also whome Thou hast given Mee bee with Mee c. Hee I say will particularlie for everie one of them at the houre of their death say Father it is My will that this My Servant whom Thou hast given Mee bee with Me where I am that hee may beholde that Glorie which Thou hast given Mee Secondlie in respect of this Union CHRIST doeth strengthen the Godlie vpon their bed of languishing and maketh all their bed in their sicknesse yea Hee maketh a Bed of inward joye and comfort vnto their soules wherein they may rest and bee refreshed when their bodily payns are most grievous and intollerable For then Hse speaketh to them by His Spirit Wordes of comfort or rather as Peter calleth them Words of aeternall Lyfe He sayth to them as Hee sayde to the poenitent Thiefe To day shalt thou bee with Mee in Paradyse Hee sayth to them as Hee sayde concerning Lazarus his sicknesse This sicknesse is not vnto death yea This death is not vnto death but for the Glorie of GOD and also for your glorie that by it yee may attayne vnto aeternall Glorie and Happinesseâ— and as He sayd to Iacob when hee was going downe to Aegypt Feare not to goe downe to Aegypt for I will goe downe with thee and will surelie bring thee vp agayne so sayeth He to His languishing and dying Servants Feare not to goe downe into the darke and silent Graue for I will goe downe with you and I also will surelie bring you vp agayne These and the lyke comforts Christ Iesus by the inward and secret language or testimonie of His Spirit doeth communicate vnto manie of His Servantes â—pon their death-beds but whether or not He doeth communicate them vnto all the Elect without exception I dare not determine as I sayd before One thing I firmlie belieue That all the Elect are in some measure strengthened by Him vpon the bed of languishing I meane vpon their death-bed yea so strengthened that all the Powers of Hell can not make them to die in that fearfull sinne of Desparation For GOD vvho is not deficient in thinges necessarie for our naturall lyfe and much lesse in thinges necessarie for our spirituall estate hath giveÌ„ vs this sweet promise I will never leaue thee nor forsake thee and consequentlie deoth ever conserue in His owne Children such a measure of Fayth and Hope as is sufficient for salvation Thirdlie As the Godlie in the houre of death are bolde to commende their spirites vnto CHRIST and as it were to breathe out their soules into His Bosome for this is the last sute of a departing Saynct LORD IESVS receaue my spirit so Hee also in regard of this vnion granteth their desire that is He receaveth their spirits He welcoÌ„meth them with this sweet Salve Intra in gaudium DOMINI tui Enter into the joye of thy LORD and Hee praesenteth them vnto His Father saying Beholde I and the Children which GOD hath given mee Iohn I am sure was glad vvhen CHRIST sayde to His Mother Beholde thy Sonne and to him Beholde thy Mother Howe much more shall mee rejoyce when CHRIST bringing our soules into GOD'S Chamber of Praesence shall say to GOD Ecce Filii Tui Beholde thy Children and to vs Ecce Pater vester Beholde your Father The third or last sort of vnion which the Godlie haue with Christ to wit the vnion of influence or reall operation and in speciall that vnion whereby the Godlie are vnited with Christ as members of his mysticall bodie and branches ingrafted in him not onlie continueth or endureth vnto death but in death and by vertue thereof the spirituall lyfe which is communicated vnto the Godlie in their regeneration and the vitall operations of the same are so effectuallie and reallie preserved that the Godlie may be sayd not onlie to liue when they die but also to come by death to a greater perfection of their lyfe For the Spirit of God in the holie Scripture telleth vs that the supernaturall lyfe which wee haue by grace is an everlasting lyfe as lykewyse that it is but imperfect here and shall be perfected hereafter For here we walke by fayth and not by sight and now that is in this present lyfe we see through a glasse darklie but then that is in the lyfe to come we shall see God face to face And therefore holie Augustine sayeth verie well that our lyfe which now is nothing but hope shall hereafter be aeternitie and that the lyfe of this mortall lyfe is the hope of an immortall lyfe Yee haue heard now that the vnion which the godly haue with Christ is not abolished nor yet diminished but rather augmented and perfected by death Whereby ye may learne first how firme and stable that vnion is which wee haue with Christ seeing as I haue shown you death it selfe is not able to dissolue it Happie are these then who count all thinges but dung that they may gaine Christ and that they may be found in him c. For with MARIE they haue chosen that good part which shall not be taken
doe continuallie vexe themselues with anxious care and paynfull labour in acquiring more wealth so that these riches which they haue perish by evill travell and all their dayes they eat in darknesse that is with much sorrow and wrath This estate or condition of wicked men in this lyfe is called by SALOMON a sore evill and by BERNARD via laboriosa ad mortem a paynfull and wretched way vnto death In a word thē whatsoever be the temporal estate of wicked men in this lyfe death is to them an vnhappie change even in respect of the terminus à quo of their change For to some of them it is both a change and an ende of their joyes to others it is a change but not an ende of their sorrowes and a meane whereby they are infinitelie multiplyed and increased Last of all yee see here how wyse a choyse they make who with MOSES choose rather to suffer affliction with the Children of GOD having respect vnto the recompence of rewarde than to enjoye the pleasures of sinne which last but for a season and therefore are called by Bernard momētaneae dulcedines horariae suavitates that is such delights such sweetnes of earthly objects as last but for an houre yea but for a moment The estate of the Godlie in this lyfe seemeth to our corrupt reason a troublesome and melancholious estate For whē they enter into this estate they must put on the mourning weede of repentance and never put it off while they liue they must put on the whole Armour of GOD and never put it off vntill their Wynding-sheet be put vpon them They must perhaps put on Lazarus his ragges and never put them off vntill they die vpon a Dung-hill or by a dyke syde Neverthelesse our estate is an estate of joye vnspeakable and full of glorie And although it were not yet the joye which is set before vs might make vs yea should make vs gladlie to vndergoe it and all the vexations troubles and griefes which accompanie the same All these who haue gone before vs to Heaven haue entered into that Kingdome through much tribulatione yea it behoved Christ Iesus himselfe first to suffer and then to enter into his Glorie And therefore if anie of you be vnwilling to take vp his crosse in hope of this glorie I will say to him as IEROME sayde to HELIODORUS Delicatus es frater si hìc vis gaudere cum mundo postea regnare cum Christ◠Thou art too delicate my brother if thou wouldest both rejoyce here with the world also reygne hereafter with Christ. And as hee sayeth in the words following so say I to everie one of you That day shall come in the which this corrubtible and mortall shall put on incorruption and immortalitie Blessed shall the servant be whom his Lord shall then finde watching If he finde thee so the earth with the people which are in it shall shake and tremble at the voyce of the Trumpet but thou shalt rejoyce When the Lord shall come to Iudgement the worlde shall sadlie roare and groane foolish Plato with his schollers shall then be arraygned Aristotle his argumentes that day shall avayle him nothing Then thou although thou be a poore clowne shalt rejoyce and laugh and say Beholde my God who was crucified beholde the Iudge of the worlde who one day cryed as a new-borne Chylde being wrapped in swedling clowts and layde in a manger This is Hee who was the son of a Crafts-man and of a work-woman This is Hee who being God fled from the face of man into Aegypt carried vpon his mothers breast This is Hee whom the souldiours by way of derision cloathed with Purple and crowned with Thornes c. Having gone through my Text I now apply my selfe and my Text both to this present Text which lyeth before vs I meane the dead halfe of our late most worthie and Reverend and now most blessed Praelate whom death hath not destroyed but divided into two halfs or parts his one halfe his living and better halfe is now in suo elemento in its owne element in terra viventium in the land of the living that is in that land where death hath no place His other halfe is as yee see seazed vpon by death But I may justlie say to death which hath seazed vpon it as Bernard said in a Funeral Sermon vpon Humbert the devote Monke O death thou cruel beast thou most bitter bitternesse the stinch and horrour of the sonnes of Adam what hast thou done thou hast killed thou hast possessed But what truelie nothing but his flesh or his bodie And this was dead before it was dead for Paul sayeth the bodie is dead because of sinne to wit through infirmities sicknesse and troubles and in respect it is by a judiciall sentence nigh 6000 yeares since condemned to die The most then O death which thou hast done is this thou hast put a dead bodie out of payne a bodie condemned to die out of feare of death and this is a vantage for the feare of death is worse than death Morsque minus poenae quam mora mortis habet Well then thou hast gotten little thou hast little and therefore as Christ sayeth that from him who hath little even that which hee hath shall bee taken So say I to thee and Bernard in that same place sayde it before mee even that same bodie which thou seemest to haue shall bee taken from thee This bodie was the receptacle ingentis generosi animi of a great and generous mynde It was hospitium the lodging house of a mightie and most actiue spirit But what a lodging house It was ever hospitiū exile a slender lodging house but within these few years it was also incōmodum ruinosum hospitium an incommodious and ruinous lodging to vse Plautus his phrase it was hospitium calamitatis for manie bodilie infirmities and diseases lodged in it And now at last it is to vs documētum mortalitatis a document of our common mortalitie or to vse your owne ordinarie phrase it is to vs a memento mori yea a memento mori in Domino a memento not onlie of dying but also of dying as he died that is in the Lord. This can not bee so well declared vnto you as by showing you that hee lived in the Lord and that hee lived so I can not demonstrate but I must fall out into his justlie deserved prayses or rather into the prayses of Gods bountie and liberalitie towards him For as Gregorie Nazianzen reasoned concerning Athanasius his prayses to prayse him it is to prayse vertue and to prayse vertue it is to prayse God who is the author and giver of it I say that to prayse him is to prayse vertue because as Nazianzen there sayeth of Athanasius manie rare vertues both morall and spirituall were collected and vnited together
That noble and valorous Earle ROBERT DEVEREUX Earle of ESSEX who suffred in the yeare 1601 for his rebellion and died verie Christianlie as Historicians report being desired by the Pastors who were present at his execution to laye aside all feare of death ingenuouslie confessed that although hee had beene in manie extreame daungers and consequentlie had looked death oft tymes in the face yet hee had never looked vpon it without much horrour and feare But our worthie Prelate was so wonderfullie assisted and strengthened by the Spirit of GOD agaynst the terrours of death that in all these conflictes and wrastlinges which in his bodie hee had with death hee seemed rather to bee a spectator than an actor And this his more than ordinarie carriage continued still with him vntill hee breathed out his Soule into the Bosome of his Master To conclude then I haue spoken somewhat of this most Reverende Praelate but much short of his worth graces If any of you think that I haue said too much of his vertues truelie I will professe to you that I thinke farre more of them nor I haue sayde neyther dare I speake all that I thinke lest my speaches seeme to these who know him not or loue him not to proceede from a flattering humour I will not say of him as VELLEIUS PATERCULUS sayde of SCIPIO AEMILIANUS that in all his lyfe hee neyther did nor spake nor thought anie thing but that which was prayse worthie a speach not hyperbolicke onlie but impious but as Metellus Macedonicus sayde of the same man to his sonnes when they were going to his Buriall Goe my sonnes and celebrate his Exequies you shall never see the Funeralls of a greater Citizen so I will saye nowe to you Goe celebrate the Funeralls of our Venerable and moste worthie Bishop you shall never see the Funeralls of a worthier Praelate whyle you liue And so I ende beseeching God to giue to vs all as hee gaue to him grace to liue in the LORD to the effect that we also may die in the LORD AMEN A FVNERALL SPEACH In commemoration of the right Reverend Father in GOD PATRICKE FORBES of CORSE late Bishop of ABERDENE Chancellour and Restorer of the Universitie thereof one of his Majesties most honorable Privy Counsel a jewell both of Church and State Baron of ONEIL c. Delivered Apr. 12. 1635. by ALEXANDER SCROGIE Doctor in Divinitie and ordinarie Minister of Gods word in the Cathedrall Church of ABERDENE THE beholding of this place over-shadowed with a darke and dolefull countenance vpon this vnacceptable occasion GOD so ordering and disposing the wayes of men by his providence giveth vs just cause of heavines for the losse of that Graue and Reverend Praelate and ever worthie Diocesane a Man of eminent and best place amongst vs whom albeit wee had cum necessitate amittendi and haue lost him cum spe recipiendi and so are comforted with the will of the LORD that must be done yet not to haue feeling of that which so nearlie concerneth vs were not patience but blockish stupiditie contrarie the example of Heathen and Sayncts and the Lord IESUS mourning for Lazarus the destruction of Hierusalem and hard heart of the Iewes This is a praecursorie judgement and punishment So God maketh a way for his judgementes to come vpon a Church or kingdome when insensiblie and graduallie hee eateth out the heart and strength of a State and so by degrees weakeneth and praepareth it for a fatall blow that so without resistance hee may ruine it as pyking out and taking away nowe a prudent and experienced Counsellour and then another out of the way and those that pray for the welfare of the Nation and wrastle mightilie with God for the peace of it the Charets and Horse-men of the land the staffe and the stay and pillars of the house and so by degrees departing himselfe a new judgement in his anger entereth in rowme thereof Then Trueth and Holinesse commonlie depart and Ministers begin to bee corrupt the Prophet is a foole and the spirituall man is mad the power and puritie of the trueth and the good and olde way departeth and so idolatrie groweth and Sects encrease and a perilous desolation and change of all things enseweth What mischiefe followed the death of Samuel David Salomon and Iosias The Gothes after the death of Ambrose made in that same place irruption and setled the seat of their kingdome When Augustine ended his dayes in defence of the grace of GOD the Vandales crueltie and errours succeeded And after the death of blessed Martin Luther the bloodie Spaniards invaded Germanie and tooke Wittenberg And shall wee not wit when GOD departeth but bee as Sampson GOD by death hath taken away within this short space a great number of rare and worthie men both for wisdome and learning which were Ornamentes and Lightes in this Diocie and wee see no great evidenes howe to fill vp this gap It is an ancient proverbe Vivorum oportet meminisse and why then should there not bee made an honourable mention of them who haue died in the Lord because they liue to God Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Sayncts and shall it seeme vnto vs superfluous at such tymes as these are to heare in what manner they ended their lyues he hath so exactly recorded in Scripture in what sort they haue closed their dayes on earth that hee descendeth even to their meanest actions as what meat they longed for in their sicknesse what they spake to their Children or Friendes howe they framed their Testamentes where they haue willed to bee buried yea the verie turning of their faces to this or that side the setting of their eyes the degrees whereby their naturall heate departed from them their cryes groanes breathinges panting and last gasping hee hath solemnlie commended to all generations And GOD by the Prophet hath for ever commended to the Church David his Epitaph and Funerall Song of wicked Saull and Ionathan his sonne He decoreth them as if God from Heaven had said that the Captaynes of the Armies of Israell should not bee convoyed to the graue without honour and teares And no lesse they who haue deserved well of the Church and Common-wealth who haue put to flight the enemies with the sword of their mouth and of the Spirit than they which haue slayne them with the mouth and edge of the Sword and by Armies God maketh an honourable commemoration of them that did assist his service and cause and giveth them their glorie that doe any thing for him Which Christ applyeth to the woman that anoynted him So that it is not onlie lawful but also profitable that the godlie lyfe manners and vertue manner and forme of the death of the faythfull servands of God worthie of aeternall prayse bee recommended to future ages that they may bee acquaynted therewith So the care of the
the former opinion as Quaest. 3. ad Dulcetium For he was ever doubtfull of this matter even when he writ his worke of Retractions Lib. 2. Retract Cap. 33. I could also for this opinion cite diverse of the Ancientes who will haue the wordes read Wee shall all sleepe but wee shall not all bee changed But besides these two readinges of this place which both were to bee found in the Greeke Editions of that age as Ierome witnesseth in the ende of that Epistle before cited hee lykewyse telleth vs that there was a third most frequent in the Latine Editions but not at all to bee found in the Greeke Copies to wit Wee shall all ryse but wee shall not all bee changed Which reading occurreth frequentlie in Augustine's workes and Ruffinus before him followed it in the exposition of the Creede expounding the article of the Resurrection I will not take vpon mee to define or determine peremptorilie this question For I thinke with Lombardus Lib. 4. Sent. Dist. 43. that horum quid verius sit non est humani judicii definire vvhich of these are most agreeable to the trueth it is not for humane wit to determine Nor yet will I take holde of that other reading of the Apostle's speach Wee shall all sleepe but wee shall not all bee changed although Acacius affirme That it was in plurimis Graecorum codicibus to bee found in manie Greeke Copies as Ierome relateth of him I will only declare two thinges vnto you concerning the Extent of my Text or the vniversalitie of Death and Resurrection The first is That from this speach of the Apostle even taking it according to the ordinarie reading of it as it is now in the Greeke Copies nothing can bee infalliblie concluded to proue that those whom the LORD shall find vpon the earth at His second comming shall not taste of Death properlie and truelie so called For whereas the Apostle sayeth Wee shall all sleepe it may bee verie probablie alleadged That by sleeping hee vnderstandeth not Death it selfe but the continuance of Death or to vse Oecumen his phrase that the Apostle is speaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a long death or of a death continued for so long tyme that the dead bodies may bee altered and dissolved into dust This may out of all question bee That they who then shall bee living shall not sleepe for although they die yet their death shall not bee as a sleepe but rather a sudden slumber a winke or nod of one that would sleepe Never-the-lesse seeing manie Interpreters both ancient and moderne doe expound that speach of Saynct Paull otherwayes thinking that hee is there speaking of Death it selfe and consequentlie that his speach importeth That some men and in speciall those who shall bee living at the day of Iudgement shall not vnder-goe or suffer Death Therefore my second Assertion is That the vniversalitie of Death Resurrection is to bee vnderstoode with an exemption of those whom GOD Himselfe for some speciall or extraordinarie causes or respectes hath exeemed from them This Peter Martyr observeth speaking of Henoch and Elias who for extraordinarie respectes were exeemed by GOD from Death And such sayeth hee will bee the condition of those whom GOD shall find alyue when Hee commeth to judgement Yet albeit of this extraordinarie exemption it is the ordinarie course of all Man-kynde to die according to that of HEBR. ix 27 It is appoynted for men once to die The Iewes although they allow this just Extent of this Text in this That all shall die yet they denye that all shall awake grounding themselues on the wordes PSAL. j. 5 Therefore the vngodlie shall not ryse in Iudgement But for answere to them first The reading of this place is wrong for the wordes are to bee read thus The vngodlie shall not stand in Iudgement Secondlie the Text it selfe here refuteth them for it sayeth That some meaning the wicked shall awake to shame and contempt And our Saviour IOHN v. 28.29 The houre is comming when all that are in the graues shall heare his voyce and shall come foorth they that haue done good vnto the Resurrection of Lyfe and they that haue done evill vnto the resurrection of damnation That the Extent then may bee full the word manie must bee eyther taken distributiuelie referring it to both members Manie shall awake to lyfe and many to shame so that multi is as much as multitudines duae one companie to Lyfe another to shame or the word is to bee taken collectiuelie not exclusiuelie but extensiuelie and vniversallie as ROM v. 18 By the offence of one man the fault came vpon all vnto condemnation And in the next verse following Manie were made sinners Whereby it is evident that manie is taken for all The Restraynt is That some onlie shall awake to everlasting Lyfe and some to shame and contempt Of this last part I will speake nothing at this tyme but as Daniel sayde in his exposition of Nebuchadnezar's dreame let it bee to them who by finall impenitencie hate the LORD and the interpretation onelie to his enemies Wee haue onlie here to speake of this Text so farre as it concerneth the Godlie Their death is called a sleepe and their estate after death awakening to ever-lasting lyfe Death in Scripture vsuallie is so tearmed Deuter. xxxj 16 the LORD speaking to Moses of his death sayeth Beholde thou shalt sleepe with thy fathers And our Saviour Matth. ix 24 The mayd is not dead but sleepeth And Iohn xj 11 Our friend Lazarus sleepeth but I goe that I may awake him out of sleepe And the Apostle 1. Thess. iv 13.14 I would not haue you ignorant brethren concerning them that are asleepe that you sorrow not even as others which haue no hope For if wee belieue that IESVS died and rose agayne so them also which sleepe in IESVS will GOD bring with Him This sleepe doe not thinke that it is of the soule as some fondlie dreamed that the soules seperated from the bodies were casten into a dead sleepe and remaine without all action vntill the generall Resurrection or that that they doe rest a space in the dust with the bodies Alace these men are truelie injurious to the soules of the Godlie departed that would eyther denye them all fruition of GOD or all action whyle they are seperated from the bodie I affirme not that their happinesse is such or at such an hight as it shall bee when the tyme commeth of which Peter speaketh 1. PET. v. 4 that is When the chiefe Shepheard shall appeare and they shall receaue a Crowne of Glorie that fadeth not away But that they enjoye GOD and even separated from the bodies they laude and prayse Him is evident in that vision Rev. v. 11.12 where Iohn sayeth hee behelde and heard the voyce of manie Angels round about the Throne and the Beasts and the Elders and the number of them was ten thousand tyms ten thousand and thousandes of