more shall it bee so in the last recoÌ„pense that either of themshal become a griefe and burden to others Here is then to bee taken vp that greate difference which is between the death of the Christian and of the worldling in the death of the wicked all sorts of deathes concurres â—hereas the Christian suffers but Aliquid mortis a peece of death to wit the dissolution of his earthly house the Serpent can doe no more to him but manducare terram eius fasten his teeth vpon his earthly parte as to the heauenly soule it falles not vnder the danger of death So that the vantage is greate which the Christian hath ouer his enemies in that the death which the wicked shall die the Christian is exempted from it but that parte of death which hee shall suffer and they are able to inflict vpon him they themselues shall shall not escape it Iezabel may make her vow to haue the head of Elijah but how little effect there is in such furie of flesh is manifest in that same example for God preserued his seruant safe and her own head was giuen in a prey to the dogges and they like the Burrios of the Lord deuoured her leauing nothing but the skull of her head and palms of her hands why then shall we bee affraid of them who are not exempted from that doome which in their greatest anger they giue vpon vs when it was tolde Anaxagoras the Philosopher that by his enemies meanes he was condemned to die he neuer troubled himself for the matter but made this answere Iam olim istam sententiam tulit natura in illos aeque ac in me that long since nature had giuen out the sentence of death vppon them as well as vppon him If such strength was in any Ethnik what should there bee in any Christian But beside this the excellent benefits wee receiue by death should confirme vs against all the terrors and paines thereof for first it relieues vs of much euill for by it our dayes of sinne are finished and wee are deliuered from the miseries of this life If wee had beene immortall in this this miserable mortality our estate had been most lamentable euen the Ethniks by the light of â—ature vnderstood that it was a great benefite that the bodie was but Mortale vinculuÌ„ animae a temporal or mortall band of the soule and they gaue the reason Ne semper huius vitae miserijs anima tener etur least the soule should be for euer deteyned vnder the miseries of this wretched life but praised bee God this comfort is made sure to vs by a clearer light that our soules shall not for euer be deteyned in the bodie as in a house of bondage but that shortly they shall bee deliuered and that in so wonderfull a manner that death which is the daughter of sinne shall become the destroyer of her owne mother for vnto the Christian death is a perfite mortification of all his earthly members Neither are we by it onely deliuered from euill but also entred to the fruition of our greatest good for as a cloud dissolued giues vs cleare sight of the Sun which before was obscured froÌ„ vs or as the doors of the prison being opened by the Angel made a faire way to Peter to come out and enter into IerusaleÌ„ so is it dissolutio corporis absolutio est animae the dissolution of the body is the absolution of the soule as the snare being broken the bird escapeth so the body being dissolued Euadit reclusa intus columba hoc est anima the soule hath a readie way to the face of God There is wrought by death as saith the Apostle both a dissolution and a coniunction The cause why death seemes terrible to many is for that they look to the dissolution and not to the coÌ„iunction the dissolution is of the soule froÌ„ the body the coniunction is of the soule with Christ if theÌ„ we be affraid when wee looke to the dissolution let vs also looke to the coniunction and be comforted I desire to bee dissolued there the dissolution and to be with Christ there the coniunction VVe vse commonly to call death a departure and so it is a departure from them who are deere vnto vs but to them who are more deere and therefore should we not so much be grieued at our departure from that company we leaue behinde vs as reioyced by thinking of that blessed fellowship which is before vs for we returne to our father from whom we came to our eldest brother whom we haue not yet seene but long to see him because we loue him to the company of innumerable Angels to the Congregation of the first borne and to the Spirits of iust and perfite men But here two things must bee remooued which impaire this comfort and makes death seeme much more terrible then it is indeede The first is the fear of punishment after death but in verie deede quid hoc ad mortem quod post mortem est Why shall death bee blamed for that which falles out after death Acerbitas non mortis est sed culpae the bitternesse is not in death but in sinne let a man therefore purge his conscience and death shall neither bee fearefull nor bitter vnto him As a Serpent wanting the sting may be put in our bosom without perrill so if sinne which is the sting of death be taken away wee may boldly welcome death yea embrace it without feare it cannot hurt vs. The other cause is that men apprehend death to be the destruction of man but in very truth it is not so but rather as I said the absolution of man it is neyther totall for it onely dissolues the bodie nor yet perpetuall Some Ethnikes falsly called it Aeternus Somnus it is a sleepe indeed but not eternall for in the resurrection the body shall bee wakened and raised vp againe so then Non mors ipsa sed opinio de morte est terribilis it is not death it selfe but an opinion of death which is terrible for since it translates vs from this present euill world vnto euerlasting life I know not said Nazianzen how it can be called death it being Nomine magis quaÌ„ re sormidabilis fearefull in name rather then in deede The separation of the soule from God that is death the separation of the soule from the body Vmbra tantummodo est mortis is onely the shaddow of death and therefore such as are dead not in â—he soule but in the flesh non vera morte sed vmbra tantum mortis oâ—eriri dicuntur are not said to be truely dead but only couered with the shaddow of death VVe are not then to looke vpon death in the glasse of the lawe but in the mirrour of the Gospel life looked vpon with the eyes of nature seemes a better thing then it is couered as it
whateuer it be cannot be euill Nunquam mala mors putanda est quam bona praecessit vita and if the life be euill to the end it is certaine the death cannot be good for euen that Thiefe who was crucified with our Lord before he got comfort in his death was first amended in his life â—or vpon the Crosse was he conuerted incontinent brought out the sweet fruite of righteousnes accusing himâ—elfe for his sinnes rebuking the railing of his companion pleading the innocency of our Lord giuing to God the glory of iustice and praying to Christ for mercie that he would remember him when he came to his Kingdome As it is comfortable in death to think vpon life looking to Iesus who for vs died before vs and hath left this comfort to vs who through death are to follow him I am the resurrection and the life And againe He that beleeues in mee hath past from death to life So is it very profitable in our life to thinke vpon death in our youth to remember the euill dayes and yeares approaching vppon vs wherein euery worke and secret thing must be brought to iudgement Our Sauiour at the Banquet in Bethania had his conference of his death and burial and Ioseph of Arimathea had his Sepulchre in his Garden both of them teaching vs to season the pleaâ—ures of our life with the remembrance of our death for Meditatio mortis vita est perfecta quam dum iusti sollicite peragunt culparum laqueos euadunt The meditation of death is perfite life which while the godly carefully practise they eschue the snares of sinne and for this same cause Bernard commends the meditation of death Tanquam summam Philosophiam as the most high and profitable Philoâ—ophy that wee can learne in our life To this purpose the Apostle in this Treatise deliuers to vs a most wholsome preseruatiue against the feare of death set down summarily in the first verse and then drawes out of it three notable conclusions which if wee can lay vp in our hearts shall learn vs to order our life well and so serue as preparatiues to make our harts readie and capable of this comfort in death The preseruatiue giuen vs in the first verse is the certaine knowledge of a better estate into the which we shal be translated by death In handling of this he first sets downe the losse wee haue by death it is no more but a dissolution of our earthly Tabernacle and then subioynes the vantage we get by it to wit that wee are entred into a better building giuen of God not made with handes but eternall in the heauens and so lets vs see that the vantage wee receiue by death doth farre exceede the losse that we susteine by it We know He first affirmes it as a thing not doubtsome but certaine and well enough knowne that by death wee are translated into a better estate the warrants of our knowledg are two for first wee know it by the reuelation of the worde In my fathers house are many dwelling places I goe to prepare a place for you Our soiourning place is on earth our Mansion place in heauen And next we know it by the perswasion of faith which is proper onely to Gods elect children effectually called And of this we learn how the ChristiaÌ„ man onely walketh in light where al the rest of the world are groping in darkenesse in their life wandring after vanity and in their death departing comfortles or at least doubtsome and vncertain where-away to goe Something they knew by experience of the vanity of this life for the which some of the naturall Philosophers did think it was Optimum non nasci and others as Heraclitus was moued to mourning by euerie thing which hee saw but certaine knowledg of a better life to come they haue not therefore in their best estate goe doubting as I said lamenting out of the bodie as did that Emperor Hadrian like a wilsome man not knowing whither to goe Animula Vagula blandula quae nunc abibis in loca And no maruell he being destitute of the light of the word and taught by his Master Secundus the Philosopher that death was incerta peregrinatio an vncertaine peregrination And truely no better is the coÌ„fort which that Step-mother the Church of Rome giueth to her children for shee sendes them away out of the world without any assurance of saluation and keeps them in suspence with a vaine hope of helpe to bee sent vnto them for their deliuerance from the paines of Purgatorie by soule Masses and such like rotten caddle as must be made for them when they are dead vppon their owne or their friends expences And in this all the bastard Religions of the world are alike that they render no solide comfort to their professours in death Neither can it bee otherwise for seeing they are not vpon the Foundation Iesus Christ in whose merits onely wee get life who are dead in our selues what maruel if they die oppressed with doubtings and fearefull despaires But as to vs we know whoÌ„ we hauebeleeued that wheÌ„ our course is finished our battel ended a crown of righteousnes shall be giuen vnto vs we know that the day of our death is but the day of our chaÌ„g from the worse to the better And this should animate vs to coÌ„stancy perseuerance in godlines because wee goe not like vncertain men carried vpoÌ„ vaine hope to an vnknown end but before haÌ„d we are both forewarned certified of the'nd wherunto we are called why then shall wee linger in the way and suffer our spirits to bee discouraged with doubting of the euent It is the praise of Abraham the father of the faithfull that albeit hee knew not the land whereunto God called him yet he obeyed the calling and willingly forsooke his natiue countrey and kindred being assured the word of God could not beguile him and that the Lord neuer biddes his children exchange but for the better And we certainly are vnworthy to bee accounted the children of Abraham if wee refuse ioyfully to follow the heauenly vocation considering the Lord hath foretold vs or euer we goe out of the body of a better building into which we shall bee translated Let them doubt and feare who knowe not of a better let vs giue glory to him that hath called vs and through the valley of death hee shall lead vs to eternall life That if The Apostle speakes not this doubtingly as if it were vncertaine whether our bodies were to bee dissolued or not but by way of concession hauing in it a stronge affirmation as if hee did say albeit it bee so that the earthly house of our Tabernaclâ— must bee dissolued yet are wee sure of a better It is true that in the ages before vs there hath beene some of Gods Saints whose bodies were not
except they bee sent I will not so be content with preaching that I neglect prayer because the ministrie is of men but the grace is from God neither will I so depend on prayer that I despise preaching for hee can neuer receaue grace froÌ„ God who despises the means by which it pleases God to giue it Now as to the fourth whereof wee promised to speake it is a point most necessary to bee knowne for our comfort how we may know whether if or not wee haue receiued this spirit there are many in this age who haue heard the Testimony of God in his Gospell who as yet haue not receiued the seale and Testimony A very lamentable thing indeed for albeit the Gospell be a doctrine of ioyful tydings yet what comfort can it bring to theÌ„ who are not assured they belong vnto theÌ„ The Apostle writing to the Corinthians thaÌ„ks God not onely for that they had hard the word but because the testimony of God was confirmed vnto theÌ„ suchlâ—ke to the â— phefiaÌ„s he thaÌ„ks God not onely for that they heard the word of truth which is the Gospel of saluation but álso for that after they had beleeued they were sealed with the holy spirit of promise but truly as the disciples at Ephesus being asked if they had receiued the holy Ghost answered we know not if there be such a thing as an holy Ghost so is it with many in this age who haue heard the gospel which is the testimonie of Gods loue if they bee asked whether if or not they haue receaued the earnest of the Spirit which is the seale and confirmation of the testimonie shall bee found not to knowe what the earnest of the Spirit is But now to shew in one worde how it may be knowne wheâ—her if or not wee haue receaued him let vs remember that the same holy Spirit which is heere called the earnest of God is also called the seale of God Now the nature and vse of a seale is that it leaues behinde it in that which is stamped by it and impression of that same forme which it hath in it selfe Euen so also the Spirit of God imprints the very image of God in the hearts of so many as are sealed by him in which sense the Apostle sayes that the Romanes were deliuered vnto a forme of doctrine whereunto from the heart they had been obedient thereby declaring that euen as wax is made conforme to the print of the seale vnto which it is deâ—iuered so the hearts of the Godly are made conforme to the Image of God so soone as they are stamped with his holy spirit So that they who liue licenâ—iously after the lusts of the flesh declare themselues to be of their father the deuill because as our Sauiour said to the carnall Iewes they doe his workes and it is but a lying presumption when the like to these men dare say that they haue receiued the earnest of the spirit VER 6. Therefore we are bold FOllowes now the 2. conclusioÌ„ which the certain knowledge of that glory to come wrought in the Apostle to wiâ—te a contentment with boldnes to remooue out of the body that hee might dwel with the Lord and this hath in it more tâ—en is in the former for where in the 1. he protested only he had a desire to that glory yet so that he had no wil to want the body but now hee goes further considering that hee was not able to enioy them both together he protests he was gladly conteÌ„t to remoue out of the body that hee might dwell with the Lorde This meaning of the wordes shall bee cleare if after the sixt verse wee reade the eight passing by the parenthesis which is in the seuenth verse The word the Apostle vses heere signifies such a boldnes as stout-hearted men vse to set against great daungers for where there is no cause of feare where can the praise of boldnesse be there is then will the Apostle say matter of great feare in death I see before mee a terrible deepe and gulfe of mortality through which I must goe many fearefull enemies with whom I must fight before I wonne to my Lord yet am I not affraid to encounter with them Against me is Satan with his principalities powers and spirituall wickednesse but I know that the seede of the woman hath brused the head of the Serpent Against mee are a greate multitude of my sinnes â—nd the terrors of a gilty conscience but I know that Christ hath once suffered for sinnes the iust for the vniust that â—ee might bring vs to God so that now there is no condemnation to tâ—em which are in him Against me stands in my way dreadfull death with the horrors of the graue but I know my Lord hath taken away the sting of death and spoiled the graue of victorie Shall I then bee afraide No certainely but through the vally of death will I walke with boldnâ—s â—ill I come to the Lord my God And this boldnesse against death in the godly proceedes not onely from the sure knowledgâ— of a better life but from the present sense and feeling of the same life begunne in them which they know cannot be extinguished by death Notable examples haue we therof in all ages to proue that it is no vaine content but the effectuall power of God working in his children Ignatius Bishop of Antioch beiâ—g brought to Rome in the third persecution which was vnder Traian gaue a proofe of his boldnesse for being condemned to be cast to the beasts to bee deuoured by them hee gaue this answere nihil visibilium nihil inuisibilium moror modo Christum acquiram I stand sayes hee vpon nothing visible nothing inuisible so that I may finde and obtaine the Lord Iesus let fire come let the crosse let beasts let the breaking of my bones the convulsion of my members the grinding of my body yea let all the torments of Satan come vpon me I care not for them so that I may inioy the Lord Iesus And Policarpe who suffered in the fourth persecution vnder Aurelius Antoninus beeing brought to the place of execution and desired by the Emperours Deputy to blaspheme Christ and he would let him goe answered these fourescore and sixe yeares haue I serued Christ and haue found him a good Master to mee how then can I curse my king who hath saued me But if ye will not saide the deputy I will cast thee to wilde Beasts who shall teare thee Call them when thou wilt said the Martyr it is fixed and determinat with mee that from good thinges by repentance I will neuer goe back vnto worse But if ye feare not beasts said the Deputy I shall bridle and danton you with fire thou boasts me said the Martyr with a fire that burnes for an houre and shortly after will be extinguished but knowes not that fire of the iudgement to
come which will burne for euer and euer and then being brought to the fire hee was filled with boldnesse and harty thankes giuing reioycing that the Lord in that day and houre had vouchâ—afed to receiue him in the number of his Martyrs to drinke of the cup of his Lord Iesus Christ Thus was he offered in a burnt offering to the Lord and no feare of death could be perceiued in him And the like Christian boldnesse was shewed by Basil in that persecution vnder Valens made by Modestus and Eusebius his Deputies I will neuer sayd hee feare death which can dono more but restore me to him that made me all these beside many other innumerable examples which might be alledged if they bee coÌ„pared with that great timiditie feare which is in vs at the least mention or appearance of death may iustly make vs ashamed of that smal progresse which wee haue made in spirituall strength Now in this time of so cleare a light and plentifull grace of our Lord Iesus Christ. Alway But here least the Godly de discouraged by reason of that feare of death which many a time they finde in themselues it is to be considered if the Apostle was alway so bolde that at no time hee was fearfull or if such confidence can bee in any of Gods children as is without all vicissitude of feare No surely for the same Apostle who here reioices in his boldnesse proâ—ests in an other place that hee had fightings without and terrors within Yea our blessed Sauiour albeit he longed with a greate desire to eate the passouer which was his last meale and after which immediately hee knew his passion was to folow yet when he entred into the garden to his sufferings hee began also to be affraid proceeding in feare hee sweat blood and confessed that his soule was heauy vnto the death It is true there is no comparison betweene his death and ours for he suffered that death to be a satisfaction for our sinnes and he alone trod the wine-presse of the wrath of God but our death neither is it a satisfaction for sinne neither a stroke of the wrath of God neither endure we it by our owne strength but are sustained in it by the spirit of our Lord yet is it in such fort made comfortable to vs that in some manner it is conformeable to his death for so saith the Apostle that God hath predestinate vs to bee conforme to the image of his son and that not in heauen only by rayning with him in glory but in earth also by carrying his image and bearing of his Crosse both in our life and death and that not onely by suffering the outward dolors of death caused by the seperation of the soule and body but also the inward feares terrors thereof that so in our little measure tasting of that cup wherof our Sauiour dranke before vs wee might some way learne the great loue he hath caried towards vs. So that wee are not exempted froÌ„ our owne feares wherewith in death after our small measure God wil haue vs exercised which I haue marked that wee should not be discouraged with this tentation of the feare of death we may tast of it but it shall not remayne with vs for it is certaine that in all Gods children faith shall preuaile at length and confidence in Gods promises shall breed such boâ—dnes as shall cast out and ouercome all contrarie feare in vs. Knowing that while we are at home in c. In the end of this verse the Apostle casts in two reasons which wrought in him this coÌ„fidence and willingnes to goe out of the body one is that soâ— loÌ„g as he was in the body he was absent froÌ„ the Lord another that remouing out of the body he knew hee should dwel with the Lord the Apostle to expresse this vseâ—two words in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which caÌ„not be turned in to full significant speeches in our languag yet do they import thus much that so long as we are here among our owne people in the body we are absent from our people who are with the Lord. So that hee wil here draw vs to consider of two Cities two Countries and two fellowships of people whereof the one is in the earth the other in heauen with the one wee haue fellowship so long as wee are in the body and by expeâ—ience knowe what are the comforts of our carnall kinred of our earthly country city but with the other wee cannot haue familiar conuersation till we remoue out of the body And this also serues greatly if we consider it to take from vs our natural vnwilingnesse to dâ—e the cause whereof is that we haue no will to depart from our country kinred and people but here we are taught that if it greiue vs to depart from this people it should much more reioyce vs to bee gathered to that people there is a better Country there a more glorious Citie a more excellent Burgeship there is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof th'Apostle by which we are made free to greater liberties and priuiledges then any we can haue here there is a kinred of people sibber to vs much worthier to be loued then that which is heere as the heauens are more high and excellent then the earth Oh that this light did a way shine in our minds that as oft as wee are troubled with the griefe oâ— Nature to forsake our people which are on earth we might be comforted by grace and made willing to goe to our people which are in heauen For â—he Apostle coÌ„paring these two together he accounts our abyding here but a Pilgrimage in respect of our remaining there which is dwelling at home in our own country our best estate wherin we can be vpon earth is but an absence from the Lord of all places in the world a man naturally loues his natiue countrey best and of all parts of his countrey hee esteemes himselfe most homely in his own house and of all that is in his house what hath he neerer to him then his owne body yet is it of truth that not onely in his owne Country but euen in his house at his owne fire in his own bed yea euen in his owne body he is but a stranger and therefore so should wee liue in it as ready to remoue out of it for here we haue no continuing Citie We are absent from the Lord. The losse that we sustaine by our soiourning in the body the Apostle takes it vp in few words but very weighty to wit that it keepes vs absent froÌ„ the Lord and truely if there were no more to sparre vs from the loue of this life yet this were enough that it holdes vs from the Lord our God whom aboue all wee ought to loue most deerely for this cause Nazianzen writing of the calamities of his soule and
presence of euill whereof now we would faine be releeued and yet it lyeth still vpon vs. Concerning this last it is a notable saying the Apostle hath we are now in heauines through manifold tentations that the tryall of our faith being much more precious then Gold when it is tryed by fire might bee found to our praise honour and glory at the appearing of Christ there we see that the end of euills which now are suffered to lie vpon vs is the tryall of our faith and thaâ— for our owne greater praise and glory for where no fire is how can gold bee purged where no trouble is how can faith be tryed and where faith is not yet tryed how can it be praised And as to the other when these good things which God hath promised are not seene of vs but hidden from our eyes and delayed to bee performed vnto vs this is also for the tryall of our faith for where we see saluation what praise â—s it to beleeue but where we can neither see nor feele thâ—â—e good things which God hath promised but rather are exercised with contrary terrours and feares if yet wee still cleaue to the truth of the wordofgod that certainely is an argument of a great faith and such was the faith of that woman of Canaan who beeing not onely refused but as it were disdainefully reiected by Christ did so trust vnto the truth of Gods word that constantly shee looked foâ— mercy at the hand oâ— Christ who strongly by word had denied it vnto her and therefore receiued this commendation in the end O woman great is thy faith Thus we see how in â—he children of God all these hinderances which wee hâ—ue to stay vs from beleeuing do so much the more commend and approue our faith vnto God Wee loue rather Of two loues wee see in the Apostle the stronger ouercomming the weaker he loued his body protested before he had no will to want it but he loued the Lord Iesus better then his body and therfore perceiuing that hee cannot now enioy them both together for while hee was in the body he was absent from the Lord he is now very wel content to remoue out of the body that he might dwell with the Lord there is nothing naturally a man loues more then his body nothing he feares more then death because it imports a dissolution of his body but where the loue of Christ is strong in the heart it casts out not onely the feare of death but ouer comes also all other loue whatsoeuer And here haue wee a point of holy wisedome discouered vnto vs by which we may cure that vnquietnesse of minde which arises in vs of the wandring of our affections after secondary obiects the best way to remedy it is to set our affections vpon the right obiects if the loue of the creature haue snared thee set thy loue on the Lord and bend thy affection toward him and the otheâ— shall not troble thee If the feare of men terrifie thee learne to sanctifie the Lord God in thine hart make him thy feare and and thou shalt not feare what flesh can doe vnto thee and if the care of the world disquiet thee cast thy care vpon God and labour by continuance in prayer how to feele the sense of his loue toward thee in Christ and thou shalt finde that where the one care like thornes did pricke thee with sorrowes the other shall bring contentment peace and ioy vnto thee But to returne when we consider this strong loue of Christ that was in the Apostle wee we haue great cause to be ashamed of that weak and little loue which in our heartes wee feele towardes our LORD how many this day professe that they loue him who for his loue will not want the superfluities of this life and what hope then is there that for his sake they will lay down the life it selfe if smaller crosses be vnpleasant to vs and his loue be not so strong in vs as to make vs reioice in them how shall death be welcommed of vs wherin there is a concurse of all crosses into one Wee must therefore learne for the loue of Christ to inure our selues with the beginnings of mortification not onely to slay the vnlawful affections but also to want ouâ— wills euen in those things which are lawful that so by degrees we may be inabled willingly to want the body and all that euer we loued in the body for Iesus Christs sake To remooue out of the body Two manner of waies in this treatise doth the Apostle discribe death first in regard of that which it doth to the body and then he calleth it a dissolution of our earthly Tabernacle Next in regard of that which it doth to the soule and so he calles it a remouing out of the body so that if we will think of death as the spirit of God doth teach vs there is no cause why wee should bee discouraged with it Againe we see heare that the death of the godly is a voluntary remoouing out of the bcdy to dwell with the Lord as to the wicked like as they liue in disobedience so they die in disobedience their death is involuntary that which is spoken of that one wicked rich man O foole this night they will take thy soule from thee is true in all the wicked their spirits are taken from them against their will exeunt istinc necessitatis vinculo non voluntatis obsequio whereas the Godly willingly commend their spirits into the handes of GOD offering vp both soule and body to him in death in a full free and voluntarie oblation This difference betweene the death of the Godly and wicked men may be commodiously shadowed by the fourth comming of Pharao his Butler and Baker out of prison whereof the one knew he shold be restored to serue the king his Master and therefore went out with ioy the other knew by Iosephs Prophesies hee should be hanged within three dayes and therefore if it had beene giue to his choice would still haue remained in prison rather then to haue come foorth to be hanged euen so is it with the godly who are certified before hand that they are receiued into fauor and after death shall haue plaâ—â— to stand about the throne of God there to serue him by praising him continually are well content wheÌ„ the Lord cals them to remoue out of the body whereas the other having receiued a sentence of condemnation within themselues no maruaile they go out of the body with feare and trembling like malefactors going from the prison to the place of execution vincti impliciti catenis variorum peccatorum ad terribâ—le illud iudicium trahuntur Or otherway if at any time the wicked bee willing to dye it is not for any loue or knowledge they haue that they shall be with the Lord but either els because they are impatient of
must looke to other of the Fathers who dâ—ed the common course of death Gen. 27.1 Gen. 49.33 The godly also aliue at Christs comming shal not be dissolued But we haue no warrant that wee shall be of that number For before Chriâ—ts comming the Iâ—wes must be recallâ—d Rom. 11.24 It is out of al doubt our bodies must be dissolued by death Heb. 13.14 Al fortification against death is in vaine Deu. 28. marg As Adam was the first liuing man so the first that died by the course of nature But now so many haue gone through death before vs that it is a shame for vs to scare at it Seneca By the earthly house our body here is to be vnderstood For two causes is our body called an house I For the câ—mly and orderly workmanship thereof Other creatures were made by the word of God but to the making of man God put too his hand also And consultation among the persons of the blessed Trinity goes before Basil hexam hâ—m 10. Tortul de resur car This preparation before shewes that some great thâ—ng was to follow as it did indeed Aug. de ciuit Dei l. 10. cap. 12. Man an excellent workmanship euen iâ— respect of his bodie Gregor mâ—ral l. 32. Sect 13. Bernard A short view of the excelleÌ„t workmanship of mans body as it is giuen by Salomon Psal. 139. Man euen in regard of his body is a world of wonders Eccles. 12. VVe should not dâ—shonour the bodie which God hath honouredso highly 2 The bodie is called a house in respect of the soule dwelling in it Man for his two substances whereof he consists is a compend of all Gods creatures But the coniunction of these two substances is more marueilous Bern. in die â— Natal dom er 2. Nazian That flâ—sh and spirit should agree so well together That the soule shâ—uld be kept in the bodie by blood and breth yet not liuing by them Carnal men so liue as if they were nothing but flâ—sh onely Ierem. 15. VVhâ—reas the body is but the house the man is he who dwels in the bodie Let vs so care for the house that much more wâ—â—â—re for him who dwâ—ls in it The bodie is called an earthly house First because it was made of the earth And herein appeares Gods power and wisdome that of so base a matter hath made so excellent a creature Tertul. de resurrect car Gen. 2. Ambros. hexam l. 6. cap. 6. The soueraignty of God ouer man is more thâ—n that which the Potter hath ouer his clay 1. Cor. 10.22 Therefore wo to him who liues in â—nmity with God Act. 12 20. The consideration of our originall does leâ—rne vs humility They who will not learn it by their originall â—et them looke to their end and they shal see no cause of pride Gen. 23.4 Greg. moral l. 16. sect 105 Neither is there strength nor beauty nor stature of the body to be delighted in Esa. 40.6 The body like a wall of clay plastered ouer and painted with colours Esa. 14.11.19 Remâ—mbrance of that which we haue bin should keepe vs from waxing proud for that which we arâ— Secondly the bâ—dy is called an earthly house because it is vphoâ—den by earthly meanes Our body is called a Tabâ—rnacle first because we haue here a couering but not a foundation Ber. parui Sermones Esa. 4.6 Heb. 11. Ibid. Sâ—condly because we should vse it as a Sconse or Tent for the warfare Basil. ser. 10. in Psal. qui habitat Thirdly because it is not fixed in one place as an house but is made for transporting That death whâ—rein all deaths concurre is the proper punâ—shment of sinne Aug. de ciuit Dei l. 13. cap 12. Of the two kindes of death mentioned in holy scripture Eph 4. Eph. 2. 2. Tim. Reuel 3. Death of the whole man what it is It is demanded seeing the soule and body of the wicked shâ—ll be vniâ—ed in the resurrectâ—on how shall they be punished with the second death Gregor moral l. 15. Sect 55. It is answered that this â—nion of their â—oule and body is for their greater punishment Aug. de ciuit dei l. 13. c. 13 A great difference betweene the death of the Christian and the wicked The Christian shall neuer die that death which is the punishment of the wicked And the wicked cannot free themselues of that death which they inflict on the godly â— beside that a worse abides them By death we get deliuerance from our present euils Aug. de ciuit Dei l. 9. cap. 10. VVhat a great benefit it is that our bodies are mortall By death we are set at libertie to enioy our greatest good Aug. de ciuit dei l. 9. c. 20. Athanas in qâ—estionibus quaest 18. Many lookes to the dissolution but not to the coniuction made by death and therefore are affraid at it Two things remoued which make death fearefull 1 The feare of punishment after death Ambr. de bono mortis c. 8 But indeede death is not to be blamed for thatwhich comes after it 2 An apprehension that death destroyes man Ambros. ibid. Death it self is not terrible but the opinion of death Nazian orat de funere patris Greg. moral l. 4. sect 47. Death should not be looked vpon in the glasse of the law but in the mirrour of the Gospell Comfortable phrases by which death is described by the spirit of God Gen. 25.8 Deu 31.16 Psal. 16.9 Luke 2. Pet. 1.14 S. Paul expresses the nature of our death by thrâ—e similitudes 1. He compares it to the changing of a garment To the sowing of seed in the earth thaâ— it may grow againe 1. Cor. 15. 3 To a flitting from one house to another Albeit death be certaine yet the time place and kinde thereoâ— is vncertaine Many dreame of more daies theÌ„ they haue are far deceiued at the length Aug. Ber. de fallatia vitae praesentis Time of our death left vncertaine to make vs the more vigilant Gregor The life of man is but a life that turnes vpon seuen daies and in one of them man must die Therefore shâ—ld he take heed to them all The place of death vncertaine VVe can come to no place in the which some haue not died before vs. Bernard The kinde of death is also vncertaine that for all deaths we might be prepared VVe come all into the world by one way but we go out of it by many VVe should not much care for the kind of death but for the way we goe after death Aug. de ciuit dei l. 1. c. 11. Men should not be violeÌ„t actors of their owne death but patient sufferers Gen. 9. 2. Mac 14. A selfe murtherer neuer allowed but condemned in holy scripâ—â—re The second parâ— oâ—â—he verse conteynes the vantage we â—aue by death The comfort giuen here against death concernes the soule onely Comfort concerning the losse of our bodies by death is to be sought â—n other places of Scripture The Lord will noâ— forsake that body whiâ—h was
the Temple of hâ—â— spirit â—ut will keâ—pe the dâ—st thereof Iâ—cobs dead body honourably buried by God Three things to be considered here The fiâ—st thing to be considered here is what is meant by this building By this building is not to be vnderstood our glorisied bodies for those we get not till the resurrection But that place of glory into which we are transated aftâ—r death Luke Ioh. Hebr. Reuel The second thing to be considered here is how saies the Apostle we haue this building The reason is because presently we have the rights and â—ecurities of it which are Charter Confirmation Seazing and Possession Of the Charters of our heauenly building Luke 12.32 Most comfortable Meditations Ioh. Psal. 2. Of the confirmation we haue receiued vpon our Charter Heb. 6.17 Of our seazing and inuestment in our heauenly building Of our present possession we haue of that building The 3 thing to be considered here is the description of the building wherein are foure things Fiâ—st God is called the Authour and maker of this building and theâ—efore it must be a glorious house Ahasuerus made a royal banquet in a very pleasant place to shew his glorie Esth. 1. VVhat shall we then thinke of that building and banquet God hath prepared for declaration of his glory The glorie of Sa'omons Temple may lead vs to consider of the glorie of our heauenly building 1. K. 7.14 It is taken for a sure â—ule that the inuisible works of God are most excellent This we may see in the workemanship of man The same is to be vnderstood in the Fabric of this world which is very pleasant and yet but a figure in respect of that which is aboue How farre this visible world is inferiour to that invisible building The 2. thing in this description is the manner of the building Mat. 25.34 The Lord hath prepared that house for vs and also prepares vs for it The glory of both the creations belong to God only Iob. 38.4 Of all Gods workes he craâ—es no more but the praise giues vs the profite Psal. 116. The third thing in the description of this building is the eternity thereof Our present life is but for a moment Basil. in Psal. 143. Our life is finished by many deaths This is made cleaâ—e by parting our life into â—oure ages euery one whereof doth die before we enter to another Since by nature wee loue a long life and care for it why wil we not loue an eternall life The last thing in the description of this building is the situaâ—ion thereof Psal. 16 Dwelling places assigned to men according to the disposition of their persons If such comforts be on earth what may we looke for in heauen Cant. The place of our dwelling admonishes vs that we should be holy and heauenly 2. Pet. The Apostle now comes to shew a threefold fruit of godlines which the knowledge of the glory to come workes in the children of God The first is â—n earnest desire of that glory to come The nature of the liuely knowledge wrought in vs by the Gospell It is not only a mirrour whereby we see God but it is his power whereby we are carried after him How the two lights of heauen shadow two sorts of knowledge in the minde of man The knowlâ—â—ge of many woâ—kes nothing but their conuiction 2 Pet. 2.21 T. â—â—godly while they sigh for things that are to come do thereby declare that they finde no contentment in these which are present Desires in the godly goe besore satisfaction Psal. 145.19 Our perfection vponâ— earth consists rather in desiring to doe as we should then in doing it Aug. in Ioan. tract 4. Rom. 7. God accepts our desires for deeds â—ut this is to â—e vnderstood of true desires which aâ—e discerned from vâ—ine desires two waies 1 True desires are ay the longer the greater 2 True desire uses all meanes lawfull to bring vs to the thing desired An example thereof in Zacheus Luk. 19.2 The desire which worldlings haue of Christ is described The 〈◊〉 of glory â—o come is shâ—dowed to vs by sundâ—y similitudes Rom. 8. No glorious thing but glory it selfe is promised vnto vs. Beâ—â—de fall ac pâ—â—sen vitae The spirit of God vses many similitudes to declare that no similitude can expresse that glory The godly speake oâ—â—e glory to come like men transported For no order of words can be kept in speaking of that which passes vnderstanding Psal. 36.8 The Apostle expones what he meant by wishing to be clothed vpon The Godly in desiring things not absolutely promised submit their will to Gods will Vnlawfull desire of things simply agaâ—nâ—t Gods will shâ—uld be sâ—r srom vs. All Gods children shall come to one end suppose not in one maner Reuel 14.13 The Apostle dâ—sires not â—to want the body if it might stand with the Lords dispâ—nsation How this plâ—ce agrees with Philip. 〈◊〉 where hee dâ—sires to bee dâ—ssolued and loosed from the body Delay of of death is som time desirâ—d of the Godly for three respects 1. That thâ—y may bâ— bâ—tter prepaâ—ed to 〈◊〉 Psal. 39.13 Nazian od suum Animum Nazianzâ—ns doubt whether he should desire life or death A meditation how as Dauiâ— spared Saul sleâ—ping in the campe So God maâ—y â— time hath found vs sleepâ—ng in our sins and hath not sâ—â—ine vs â—ut waknâ—d vs. But our wakâ—ng hath beene no bâ—tter nor Sâ—â—ls working in vâ— a tâ—mpoâ—all râ—pâ—nâ—ance 2 Pet. 2.22 How we should vse the time of life granted vs on eâ—rth is shâ—wâ—d by tâ—e example of Dauidâ— ambaâ—sadors Aug. 2. They desire delay of death that they may doe the greater good in the body Psal. 6. Phil. 1. Gala. 6.10 Iohn 11.19 3. Thâ—y desire delay of death for the â—oue they haâ—e to the body wâ—ich they desire not to want This loue of â—â—e body is not euill in it selfe For â—uen the glorified soule rests not in ful contentment so long as it waÌ„ts the bod Ber tract de diligendo deum Ibid. Vhat great need there is to prepare our selues to die with willingnesse For this cause God seasons to his children the plâ—asurs of their life with bitter paines Yet the Apostle wishes not to kâ—epe the body with the sin and mortality of the body But so that sin and mortality might be swallowed vp in the body by that life as at length it shall be 1 Cor. 15.55 The excelleâ—sy of the life to come it shall not leauâ— any remanent of sinne or death in the body Death like a tyrant hath deuoured al since Adam but shall be deuoured by that life Reuel 21.4 This is expressed by the similitude of a little water turned in to wine â—â—r ser. de diligendo Deo Comfort against the feare of death He prooues that this desire which he had was no vain desire by two reasons 1. First because by Gods ordinance we are appointed to tâ—at immortall liâ—e both in the first and second creation Neitherâ— hath God only
appointed vs to that end buâ— also by his owne working in vs perfils vs to it He finished the first creatioÌ„ against al impediments so shall he doe the second 2. Cor. 4.6 Comfortable iâ— it to vs that the certainty of our life stands in Gods purpose which cannot be altered Esa. 46.10 This shoulâ— vphold vs against Sà tans temptations VVhat a shamelesse tempter Satan is Satan was the enemy of gods glory ere euer hee became the enemy of oâ—r saluation Rom 16. But wâ— are not to regard him seeing God hath taken in hand to worke the worke of our saluation 1. Pet. 1. 2. He proues it by thâ— earnest of the spirit which God hath giuen vs vp 〈◊〉 his word VVithout this earnest of the spirit we can haue no surety of our saluation There is a couenant of God â—which man knoweth by his workes another by his word only the third by his word Spirit Foure things to be considered in this argument 1. â—hat is meant by the Spirit to wit that special grace of the Spirit by which Gods children are renued and confirmed How this grace of 〈◊〉 spirit is called the earnest of the spirit for two causes The first is â—ecause â—hat now we haue it but in small measure Yâ—t the smal begining of grace we haue is not small in SataÌ„ his eiâ—s yea more then he is able to quench The next is in â—egard of the vse thereof which is to bind â— o th the giuer and receiuer 3. How this Spirit is giuen and received The giuer is God by the meanes of his word Act. 8.27 Act. 10.1 VVeâ— must not despise the word if we desire to reeiue the spirit Rom. 10.13.14 4. How may we know we haue receiued this spirit Many in this age haue heard the Testimony of God who neuâ—r receiued the seal therâ—of 1 Cor. 6. Eph. 1.13 Act. 19.2 The spirit is God his seale and he imprints the image of God in all who receiues him Rom. 6.17 This proues that licentious men haue not receiuâ—d Christs spirit The second fruit of godlines which the Aopstle gathered of his Generall ground of Comfort is A willing contentmâ— to remooâ—â— out of the body Of our Christian confidence in death VVhat strong enemies wee must fight withall that through death we may wonne to our Lord 1. Pet 3 â—â— 8 Boldnesse of the Christian in death wherfrom proceedes it The confident â—oldnesse of Ignatius in death â—â—en lib. 5. cont valent Euseb. lib. 4. ca 16. The confident boldnesse of Policarpus in death The confident boldnesse of Basilius in death Nazian de vita Basil. It is demanded if such boldnesse be in Gods children as is wâ—thout all feare It is answered foreâ—en our Sauiour though hee longd for death yet he suffered it not without feare Mar 14.33 It is true there is no Comparison betweene his death and ours Yet must our death someway be conformable to his both in outward and inward sufferings Rom. 8. And therfore shall we be exercised with our owne feares also VVhat made the Apostle willing to remoue out of the body Of the two Cities or Fellowshiâ— of people whereof the one is in the earth the other in heauen Death is but a râ—moving from a Burges-ship on earth to a better Burges-ship in heauen Our life on earth is a Pilgrimage in heauen is our hâ—me If there were no more to make us loath this life this is sufficient that it holds vs from God Nazianzen de cala animae suae How the bodie is Remora Animae Exod. 33. Rom. 7. If euen the godlie in the â—â—dy be 〈◊〉 from God in what miserabâ—e absence aâ—e the wicked Ephe. 4. Act. 17. VVe haue now God present with vs but that presence is absence in respect of that which is to come Our lâ—fe on earth is a walking Take heede we be in the right way otherway our life is not a walking but a â—andring Iohn 14.6 How our life is a walking by faith And not by sight which is not simply spoken but in comparison For heere wâ—â—re not witâ—out the sight of God Rom. 1. 1. First we see God in his workes Ber. in Cant Ser. 31. 2. The Fathers haue seene him â—y sundry Visions Ibid. 3. In his Church he is seene by his word Psal. 27.4 1. Cor. 3.18 His Saints see him by inward CoÌ„tempâ—ation Yet this sight if it be â—ompared â—â—th the â—ight we shal get is no sight Aug. de Consen Evang Gregory And the sight of faith which presently we haue lets vs see a better to come And prepares also the eye of our mind for it Ber. in Cant. Serm 31. â— The order appâ—inted by God is that by faith we walke to sight by â—earing to seeing A corroboratiue against such temptations as come from the world Seeing wee walkâ— by faâ—â—h no shew of worldly pleasâ—re falâ—ing vnder ouâ— sight should allâ—re vs. VVhat euer the world can offer to our sense is lesse then that which wee hope to see Iob. 19.27 A threefold precept to be obserued in vsing the things of this world 1. Cor. 7.3 1. Cor. 6.12 Ibid. The wicked walke by sight here and not by Faith they shall neuer see better things nor these they see now The Vanity of worldly pleasures discouered in two thinges Eccles. 1.8 The Apostle returnes to finish his second conclusion How the impedimeÌ„ts of our faith tends to the greater commendation thereof Bâ—ering of present euill whereof we wouâ—â— faine be releeued our faith is tryed 1. Pet. 1. By the Delay of good things promised which faine we would haue our faith is also tryed It is greatest faith to beleeue where least is felt or seene Of two loues the stronger ouercomes the weaâ—â— in the Apostle The readiâ—st way to be quit of the perturâ—ation of our affections is to set them vpon the rightâ— obiects The strong loue of Christ that was in the Apostle condemnes the cold loue that we haue to â—im How is it likely we wil giue our life for him who will not quit thâ— superfluities of our life for him How death is discribed in regard of her effects toward the body and toward the soule The death of the wicked is not a voluntary but a compelled remouing Luk. 12.20 Cyprian de mortal This different death of the godly and 〈◊〉 is shâ—dowed in the â—ourth câ—mming of Pharao his Butler and Bâ—ker out oâ— prison Chrisost in Math. 〈◊〉 Or if the wicked die willingly they die impatiently not for any loue to be with Christ. 〈◊〉 reliefe 〈◊〉 wicked get by putting hand in them selfs is no better nor if a man â—o saue himselfe from water shold leape in the fire Paines of this life compared with paines of hell are but like reeke going before the fire He cannot remooue willingly and well out of the body who finds not a hand behind him to put him out and another before him to receiue him Soules of good men remouing out of the body dwelt with the Lord.