of man is in rejoycing in God So that he who hes not that spirituall joy hes no blessednesse if they had al the world Then we see prayer bringes joy asking bringes joy so also vve see thanking bringes joy thanking of God rises on joy thanking of God ends in joy thanking of God standes in the midst Prayer will begin with sorrow and it ends in joy vpon this joy commes thanking vpon thanking commes joy againe So all endes in joy Would ye haue this out of the Scripture in that 4. Philipp verse 7. drawes not Paul that peace of God that passes all vnderstanding our of prayer and thanksgiuing In all things let your requests be shovvâ—n to God vvith prayer and supplication vvith thankesgiuing Then he subjoines when ye haue prayed and thanked that peace sayes he that passes all vnderstanding shall guard your mindes in Christ. Then peace rises on these two groundes prayer and thanksgiuing to God So thanking brings joy asvvell as prayer To go forward in the words Thank him sayes he in all things As he would say in all thinges that are incident and falles out in the world thanke him As all is matter of joy Prosperity and aduersitie vvell vvoe life death so let all be matter of thanking what euer he sends thanke him Is it a great matter to thanke him in prosperitie when thinges goes well with thee But I say thou hast not the grace of thanksgiuing except thou can thanke him asvvell in aduersitie as prosperity asvvell in death as in life Then I see these three thinges joy prayer and thanking they haue a common propertie which is continuance without intermission in all maner of thinges in prosperitie in aduersitie in well in woe in life in death rejoyce euermore in prosperitie in aduersitie in well in woe in life in death pray euer And last in prosperitie in aduersitie in vvell in vvoe in life in death in all thinges thanke him Will ye go through them As for joy thy estate can not be so euill in the world if thou be in Christ but thou hast matter of ioy Then againe vvere thy estate in this vvorld neuer so good yet thou hast neede to pray for so long as thou remainst here thou getst not all graces And last if thy estate vvere neuer so miserable yet if thou haue a grip of Christ thou hast matter to thanke God Then if this be true hes not the Apostle said well Reioyce euermore Then pray continually then in all thinges giue thankes to God Let not therefore these thinges be vvords onely but practise them in lyfe There is none of vs but vve haue matter to practise our ioy Who are in such a misery but they haue some matter of ioy yea there are none of vs but we haue cause to vse all these preceptes Rejoice euermore pray continually and in all things giue thankes Now to come to the reason in the next wordes For this is the vvill of God In all thinges in prosperitie in aduersitie thanke him Wherefore Because it is Gods will that ye should thanke him aswell in aduersitie as in prosperitie in death aswell as in life it is his will rest on his will Yet brethren to speake one vvord of this vvill I haue spoken of it sundrie tymes before I say and the Scripture sayes The onely light of this vvorld is Gods vvill Gods vvil the onely thinge to be knovvn the only rule of our actions And I say the onely knowledge and wisdome that a man can haue in this vvorld is to knovve vvhat is Gods vvill Fy on all the knowledge and vvisdome of men in this world if they knowe not this He will start vp and he will be called a vvise man All the Philosophers vvould be counted vvise men but vvhich of all the Philosophers did knovve vvhat vvas Gods vvill And these tvvo partes of his vvill is speciallie â—oulds vs in the Scripturel First vvhat vve should doe that vve may serue him And then vvhat he vvill doe with vs. A vaine Philosopher hee knovves much of nature but knovves he the vvill of God Knovves he it not Then he is a plaine foole Knovves he these thinges Then he is a vvyse man Paul to the Ephesians chap. 5. verse 17. Be not fooles but vnderstand vvhat is the vvill of God Then wherein standes wisdome To knowe what is the will of God Who is the foole He that knowes not what is the will of God Who knowes Gods will is wise and the end shall proue it Then as the onely true knowledge and wisdome in this world is to know Gods will so the onely 〈◊〉 and square of our life in the world is the rule of Godds will There are two thinges we haue to seeke knowledge and action Would thou haue knowledge Know Gods will Would thou haue action and do any thing that would merite any commendation Do according to Gods will The rule of all actions that is truely commendable in Gods sight is his will for that man who hes the commendation of God is onely the man that should be commended do any thing because God hes willed thee to do it go not to thy own will for thou do thy wil maners not being agreable with Gods wil shall lead thee to Hel. Then do nothing but according to Gods will First know what is Gods wil and then do nothing for al the world but that which is agreable thereto If thou doest thy own will or the will of any man looke that it be conformable to Gods will and so do it otherwaies not and then do it because it is the will of God and not because it is the will of man Then see ye not how graue an argument the Apostle sets downe knowing it is Gods will that we should thank him ay should we not repose on his will It is Gods vvill vvhich is the onely light and rule of all actiones Whosoeuer knowes his will they haue a faire light in all their actiones A man will neuer wander wrong who hes such a light before his eyes If thou see that it be Gods vvill that thou goe through wildernesse through darknesse yea through Hel obey his will and take journey and I promise thee thou shalt finde the fairest outgait that euer was Count not of the way if thou haue the light of the will of God before It is not possible that Hell shall preuaile against that bodie that settes the selfe to pleasure God Well is him that sets himselfe to pleasure him who is Lord ouer all and who onely is able to pleasure vs all The world shall not pleasure thee if God pleasure the not What matter to displease all the world if we set our selues to please him Marke further he sayes It is the vvill of God tovvardes you This is a speciall will that concornes all Christians not a generall will concerning the world but a speciall will concerning you that are Christians vvho hes giuen your names
effectuall calling but of necessity he must perfite it A man will beginne a worke and draw his hand from it againe and let it stand but God is not lyke man he neuer beganne the worke but he will perfite it And therefore I say who euer they be that would end with him and haue an assurance that God shall be with them in their end and shall crowne them with a crowne of glorie they should take heed vvhether God hes begun with them or not If I finde his hand begin to worke with me I will perswade my selfe in spite of al the world he shal perfite it but if we find not God begin with vs he shal neuer crown the work Al stands in the beginning al the grace we get in this lyfe such as holinesse sanctification is nothing in effect but the beginning of grace So that the thing we haue to do in this life if we should liue a thousand yeeres is to enter in count whether the Lord hes begun this worke or not If I finde he hes begun this worke in me then in my death and letter houre I will assure my selfe the Lord wil end his worke with me I will make a sweete end and he will crowne me with glory Yet farther he sayes Faithfull is he vvhich calleth you vvhich also vvill doe it He grounds againe this promise of the continuance of Gods grace Heighest ground of faith the constant nature of God which is vnder this condition of effectuall calling on an higher ground If thou wold haue a sute faith thou must haue many grounds faith is not builded on the sand it must haue sure groundes He grounds this ground of their effectuall calling on an higher and surer ground that all the world wil not be able to shake it is vpon the vnchangeable and vnalterable nature of God the constant nature of God not fleeting and flowing as mans nature is God is not like man The word he speakes it standes it neuer alters The purpose he takes is vnalterable To the Heb 6. chap. 18 vers It is impossible that God should lye 2. Tim. 2. chap. 13. vers He cannot deny himselfe he abydes faithfull and sure Then brethren if he hes said to the hart inwardly It is my will from all eternity that thou be one of these that shall be safe Hes he spoken it that word shall neuer be altered Heauâ—n and earth shall all go to ere there be one word of that altered God is faithfull the word he hes spoken cannot be altered Therefore if he hes called thee giuen thee a sight of thy election it will neuer alter Paul knew this well and therefore he assures them that he would perfite the worke begunne in them on this condition that he hes called them inwardlie this assurance should be in the hart of the Preacher thou should haue thy hart established on these same groundes thou should knowe the vnchangeable nature of God that he cannot alter for if thou knowest not that he cannot alter thou hast no certainty of faith So the ground of faith is the vnchangeablenesse of God it neuer restes vntill it pearce into that infinite deepnesse in God To speake it so It is not the word of God that is spoken that is the cheefe ground of faith for faith goes in through the word and grippes in to that vnchangeable Majestie Then the cheefe ground of faith is the vnchangeable nature of God and it neuer gets rest vntill it get that vnchangeable God And then when it hes gotten him it restes on 〈◊〉 restes then on his word and obeyes his word if he then speake to me I will heare him and obey him Then God should be painted out in his nature so far as man can But who can doe it He should be knowne to be a mercifull true and just God and none can haue faith but he must knowe these Alas thou that wilt be content with the scrufe of the properties of God and will not seeke in to the deepnesse of God and take him vp in his properties and pearee in to his nature and rest on him thou shalt neuer get a setled faith Therefore seeke ay knowledge and prease in to him that thou may stand in some setlednesse Now to come to the rest of the text When he hes exhorted them prayed for them made promise to them What then does he He commes downe and sayes Brethren pray for me He he beene aâ— it were sitting aboue them exhorting them praying for them promising to them as a superiour far aboue them and ere ye looke about you he commes downe and sits downe on the earth and his course about lookes vp to them and biddes them pray for him What learne we of this There is none so high mounted that hes so excellent graces in the Church of God if it were the Apostle Paul himselfe but he should humble himselfe as it vvere vnder the most humble and lovvlie in the Church and as hee hes prayed for them so hee should pray them to pray for him againe Pray for me as I haue prayed for you as I haue exhorted you exhort ye me as ye haue neede to be prayed for by me so haue I need to be prayed for by you So nothing I can doe to you but I haue neede of it my selfe Ye see the eiâ— of the head far aboue the foote the one is lowe on the earth the other high in the head it is the light of the body and guides the foote bids it goe on this way goe on that way it hes graces far aboue the foote yet for all this preheminence and giftes it hes gotten it must looke downe againe to the foote and say foote cary me and beare me for if thou cary not me to this place and that place where I would be I cannot come there Iâ— is so with the members of the body of Christ The eye of them that is the man that hes gotten greatest preheminence he must sloup downe and humble himselfe to the poorest bodie in the Church of God and seeke helpe mutuall in the Church the silliest bodie in the Church hes gotten a grace which he hes not gotten without the which grace he is not able to stand The foote can carie the eye but the eye cannot cary the foote So the poorest and vylest body in the Church hes gotten some grace that the greatest in the Church must sâ—oup downe and seeke a grace at the silliest bodie Therfore let none be proud Thou that wilt contemne the soberest grace that the filliest bodie in the Church of God hes gotten thou shalt lose all grace Then I see againe brethren the necessity of prayer Necessity of prayer The Lord grant this that we could once knowe it well There is no grace nor perseuerance in grace without prayer Without prayer to God let none seeke to stand to the end thou that cannot open thy mouth to pray to God neither morning
vvho reades his vvorkes will vvonder that there coulde be such an affection in his heart to the Church of God Well brethren all grace 〈…〉 loue all the blessinges of God in Christ 〈…〉 of God 〈…〉 Iohn 3. 16. The giuing and death of Christ and all the blessinges in Christ came or the loue of God to vs 〈◊〉 Christ All 〈◊〉 and duetie of men that man can doe to 〈…〉 of the loue of the heart otherwise itâ— all a vanâ—â—hing 〈◊〉 not a thing in deed but a vaine sâ—oâ—e albeit it be neâ—er so glistring in the eyes of men if thou would giue all that thou hast to the poore iâ— it come not of loue and affection of the heart all is lost all iâ— for noght Now in the wordâ— following to the end of the tenth verse the Apostle bringâ— in 〈◊〉 arguments testifying his inâ—re affection he had to them Loue must not stand in words but it must be vâ—tered in testimonies so that the world may see it in very deed The worke wilâ— let men see the hart albeit it be God who is the 〈◊〉 searâ—her of the heart Men will not be so blinde but in the hand they 〈…〉 hand be closed thy haâ—â— is closed 〈…〉 testifying his loue affection is a good-wilâ— he haue to them such a good-will that he was 〈◊〉 to imparte and deâ—â—ie to them 〈…〉 precioâ—s 〈…〉 and all because of the loue he bare to them 〈…〉 〈◊〉 heere the first argument of the 〈…〉 〈…〉 and liberall 〈…〉 〈◊〉 A 〈◊〉 vvho loue 〈…〉 〈◊〉 he vvill giue them 〈…〉 comparision A mother who loues her childe she will not be sparing to him but liberall so a Pastor that hath anie tender affection to his flocke will not be sparing but liberall and free to them When the heart of man is open with the affection of loue it will open the hand also and if he be niggard-handed sparing on his flocke those graces God hes geuen him it is a sure argument there is no loue in his heart But come to the good things whereof the Apostle was liberall The first thing was the Gospell of God a pretious thing the glorious Gospell of the blessed Lord. That is the thing that is concredite to him and it is the foode of the soule of man so that his liberalitie beginnes at the foode of the soule he must be liberall of the foode of the soule of men which is concredite to him to giue it to his flock The mother beginnes to nourish her childe with the milke of her owne breast her own substance So the Pastor must beginne at the foode of the soule he must begin at the sincere milke of the word without the which there is no growing and if they be not fed with this milk of the word first they shal neuer come to the grouth stature of man but shall be like dwarsses and we so long as we dwell heere are onelie infants in heauenlie things and all our thinking of heauen is but infancie all our speaking thereof the blabling of infancie So we must be fed with that milk or else we shal neuer come to the stature of men and perfection of heauenlie things The Apostle counts this but a smal thing to deale the gospel of God albeit it be pretious in respect of the other thing his soule he had to deale to them 1. Cor. 9. 16. He saieth if I preach not the Gospell I haue not vvherin to reicice and vvoe is to me if I preach not the Gospell He who will not be liberall in preaching of the Gospell which coast him not a penny it will be long ere he geue his life for his flock if they were in Hell he would neuer redeeme them with his 〈◊〉 Then the next thing whereof he is liberall it is his 〈…〉 the liberalitie of a louing Pastor will end in 〈…〉 It will begiane at the preaching of the 〈…〉 his life which is more if it be 〈…〉 This is the affection of 〈…〉 to her childe she 〈◊〉 for 〈…〉 affection he 〈…〉 for his flock This is counted a greater thing not the other to die for the flocke greater not to deale the Gospell Not that Pauls soule was more pretious then the Gospel of God no the Gospel of God was more precious then the soules of Paul Peter and of all the Apostles and of all the men in the world but he counts it greater because it was an harder thing to him to do it was an easier thing to him to preache the Gospell nor to giue his lyfe for them Yet brethren albeit it was an easier thing to a man to preache the Gospell nor to giue his life thinges will fall out so that all the bygone preaching shall be in vaine except in the end thou seale vp thy bygone preaching with thy bloude if God call thee therevnto the Gospell shall not haue that sweet smell except it haue the perfume or thy bloude The Apostle to the Philipp 2. 17. sayes that the vvould rejoyce If he vvere offered vp vpon the perfume of their faith When the Lord thinks it expedient he must lay dovvne his soule and vvith his bloud he must perfume the Gospell he hes preached otherwise he hes lost all his trauell and his life to and it is better to suffer then to lose all his trauaile and in the end his life This tyme is yet to come to vs the Lorde knovves hovv neare it is The Lorde giue vs grace that vvee lose not our tyme bygone but that vve may laye dovvne our lyfe for the Gospell if that neede requyre In the end of the verse he turnes againe to the ground of his liberall dealling This my liberalitie is not for any liberalitie of yours toward me nor for any respect of commoditie I will get at your hands This my liberalitie is set onelie vpon louing affection So that hee declareth the cause thereof to be loue It is necessare to the people to be perswaded of the loue of the Pastor otherwise except they be assured of his loue albeit he should vtter the fairest doctrine that is there will be no edifying And so I see Paul ay seekes to show them of his loue that they might be edified Particular gaine will make a man preach There are sundrie Ministers who wil be diligent to preache for game but wheÌ„ it comes to lyfe geuing they faile there Worldlie gaine will neuer cause him be liberall of his lyfe onelie loue makes a man liberall of his lyfe And therefore Paul sayeth It was onelie for loue and not for gaine because ye vvere deare vnto vs. He vvho hes not this loue he may vvell flatter men a vvhile but the end that â—rye he had no true loue The Lord giue men especiallie the Ministrie this affection that in the end they may proue to bee true Pastors for if they haue not this loue the end shall try they haue bene hyrelings The Lord giue euerie man grace to trye-vvell vvhat reacaâ—esle
see him why should not our desire be to see him wherefore should all this feare be of this latter day seeing thou wilt neuer be established in heart nor get thy full glorie vntil his comming at that day thy blessednesse shall be perfite there I finde in the Scripture the perfection of all graces differred vntill that time Ye shall finde no grace PerfectioÌ„ of al graces differred til the â—utter day but the perfection thereof is remitted vntill that day Paul in the same Epistle 2. chap. 19. vers My joy is in the sight of God and of Iesus Christ at his comming He gets not perfection of joy vntill he come And therefore he will not promise to the Thessalonians their joy vntill that day no perfection of grace mercie and peace vntill God put an end to sinne to death and wickednesse Looke then if we should long for that latter day we looke heere and there for this thing and that thing but who lookes for that comming of the Lord Alas if we knevv vvhat grace and joy Christs comming brought to vs vve vvould looke for nothing so much as for his comming We are earthlie and therefore all our lookes are for earthlie thinges we are not spirituall and so we cannot looke for that spirituall grace The Lord prepare vs to looke for and desire that glorious comming All these earthlie thinges goes away Heauen onelie abydes What foolishnesse is this seeing we are subject to mortality that we should set our hearts on this world our dwelling must not be here but in Heauen in endliesse joy Seeke it earnestly therefore Novv in the end of this verse he telles vs in vvhat company and with whom we shal be established in holinesse before God thou shalt not be holy thy selfe alone thou shalt not be an a per se in holinesse doe as thou wilt either shalt thou be in a societie in a companie vvith many more nor thou All graces in the societie of the sants or else thou shalt neuer be holie nor see the face of God This is plaine Either thou shalt be in the Church which is the communion of the Saintes of God or else thou shalt neuer see Gods presence He will leape out of it at this side and he at that side but if thou come not in again in that same societie yea and to the number of this church and of the Saintes that professes Christ this day in Scotland thou shalt neuer see Gods face All blessinges grace mercie and peace euerlasting before God is in the companie of the Church that professe the truth and puritie of the Gospell of Christ not in the company of them who will take the name of a Church or that false Church the Romane Church So let him vvho vvill stand vvith holinesse in the number of the Saintes seuere from Babylon or else he shall be partaker of the judgement So brethren to come againe ye shall not read in the Scripture of any grace giuen to any man but ye shall finde that it is giuen to him as a member of that bodie as one of the Saintes in the societie of the Saintes In the first to the Ephesians verse 18. speaking of the riches of the glorie of the inheritance of Heauen he sayes thou shalt neuer get it but among the Saintes Then againe he sayes chap. 3. vers 18. Who shall vnderstand the loue and charitie of God None but they that are in the societie of the Saintes No light mercie nor knowledge of God but to them that stands knit vp as members in the bodye of Christ ye see cut off a member of the body and cast it away no sap can follow from the body to it So if thou be cut off from the number of the Saintes vvho are the Church of God thou shalt neuer get any grace of Christ Now to the next chapter In the fourth and fift chapters followes the last part of this Epistle containing the doctrine of maners exhorting to holinesse of lyfe and godlinesse But to the wordes He sayes And furthermore As he would say all is not tolde I will tell that which rests which is the doctrine of maners precepts of godlie lyfe and conuersation When we haue teached all the yeere ouer when we haue tolde you the doctrine of justification sanctification c. so long as there is no speaking of a godly lyfe and conuersation and so long as we haue not tolde you how ye should lead your lyfe there is euer something behinde vnspoken of Neuer a full and perfite preaching wher there is nothing spoken of a good or of an euill lyfe and conuersation For there is such a necessitie laid on men and wemen in this world that all serues for nothing except they liue a good holy life Thy profession of loue righteousnesse mercie all the rest is but vanitie and winde if thy conuersation toward thy neighbour be not aunswerable to thy profession it is a shame to thee to speake of Christ of holinesse of righteousnesse of life euerlasting except thou liue conforme thereto And therefore ye shall neuer read any Epistle of Paul but euer vvhen he hes spoken of faith justification c. then in the end he subjoynes precepts charging vs to liue a godlie lyfe And more then this Trow ye in the end at Christs comming to judgement that the pretence of faith or righteousnes will be sufficient to thy eternal saluation No but we must liue holie for al the blessinges of God in Christ tends to this end that we may liue holie yea this is the end of election it selfe Ephes 1. 4. Paul sayes We are chosen from all eternitie that we should be holie Then we should liue soberlie and justlie with our neighbour Tit. 2. 12. And therefore either cast avvay profession of Christianitie and heare neuer a word of faith righteousnesse c. or else striue to liue conforme thereto This in generall Now to the wordes I beseech and exhort you and that in the Lord Iesus Christ What exhorts he that they increase more and more in godlie lyfe and conuersation As for the forme of your going forward I haue tolde you the forme hovv ye should vvalke in this world walke conformable thereto The words would be well marked I beseech and exhort you sayes he in the Lord Iesus He might haue well said I command you as wrytting to Philemon vers 8. 9. he sayes When I might command thee in the name of Iesus yet rather for loues sake I pray thee Loue turnes the command in a prayer All doctrin that comes from any person must come of loue or else it is deare of the hearing Now he showes his loue in speaking for the wordes comes from the heart and so among al the rest of the wayes whereby he vtters the loue he had in his heart this is one when precept and commaund is turned ouer to requeesting When he may commaund he will not but he turnes it ouer and
in the hour of their death had they any cōfort joy and when they saw there was nothing but death and all pleasure was away then there was nothing but sorowe Hadrian the Emperour I remember who was one of the most glorious Conquerours in the world when he was on death-bed he flatters with his owne soule to see if she would haue bidden within the body saying My litle soule wilt thou bide within the body thou waits not where thou art going to without hope he was and therefore comfortlesse and dies in dispair To let vs see there is none that deceasses without the hope of lyfe and of that glorious resurrection but they die all in dispare from the King to the begger Who euer died since the beginning of the world without Christ and hope in him yea before he was manifested in the world but they deceassed in dispare So as ye wold die in joy striue to get Christ It is a thing flesh and bloud wil not giue thee and it is a greater wonder to see Christ nor to see a man through a rock ther are so many impediments to hinder his fight from 〈◊〉 Therefore we haue to craue that the sprit of Iesus wold lighten the eye of the mynde in vs aboue nature to see him and then we shall see him and so haue comfort in death Now to go forward in the wordes and to come to the heades in particulare concerning them that are departed The first thing he instructs them in I take it vp when he saies Concerning them that are asleepe is in respect of their estate present while as they lye in graue Bodies of the godlie sleepe in the graue The bodies lying in the graue sayes he is not dead Ye beleeue they be dead No death is one thing and sleepe is another They are onely sleeping for if ye will speake of death what it meanes properlie The death of the creature properlie is the euerlasing punishment and destruction of it for euer And they vvho dies and are dead they shall neuer liue againe at the least they shall neuer haue a sense of joy So the bodies of the godlie are not dead but sleeping and lying in graue and they haue a verie being a man that is sleeping is a man and hes a being a bodie in the graue hes a being and bydes lying in the graue in substance and shall abide continuallie And if it should be burnt in the fyre or drovvned in the vvatter the dissolution of the bodie in the graue shall not destroye the being thereof The turning of it in ashes is no other thing to speake of it properlie but a fyning of it as the goulde is fyned by the fyre and the drosse burnt vp so the bodie is fyned in the graue and the drosse of the bodie is but at vp that at the latter day the substance of the bodie being purified may rise as gold glistering to be conjoined with the soule The Apostle 1. Cor. 15. 53. 54. 55. when he speakes of death he sayes that the graue is not able to svvalovv the bodie but that mortality which is sin death in the body may be svvalovved vp of immortalitie So it is the mortalitie and drosse of the bodie that is burnt vp and not the substance but the substance of the bodie is cleansed and purified that it may raigne with the head Christ in glorie for euer Now to speake of this word sleeping The Scripture when it speakes of death cals it sleeping And when Iesus speakes of Lazarus he saies Our friend Lazarus sleepes but I goe to vvake him vp Ioh. 11. 11. And it is said of Steuen Act. chap. 7. verse 60. He sleeped In the olde Testament commonly there is a word added to it he sleeped with his Fathers he was joined with his Fathers Now to come to the purpose There are two parts of man A bodie and a soule When it is said that a man sleepes thinke not that his soule sleepes referring this word sleeping to the soule Some vaine men thinkes that the soule after the deceasing sleepes vntill the comming of Christ No the soule liues and sleepes not it liues and shall liue in dispyte of all the world either in paine or pleasure for euer The soule of the vngodly is translated immediatlie after death to paine and hes a wonderfull sense of paine and a liuing in paine a continuall paine anguish and torment If there were no more to testifie this but the parable of Lazarus and the rich Glutton it may suffice It tels thee that the soule of the riche Glutton had in Hell the own paine Luc. 16. 19. The soule of the godlie againe after death liues in joy And so Paul Philip 1. verse 23. sayes I vvould be dissolued and be vvith Christ viz. liuing in soule And 2. Cor. chap. 5. verse 8 I loue rather to remoue out of the bodie and to goe to God to dvvell vvith him And God is said to be the God of the liuing that is to say of the soales that liues in glorie Matt. 22. 32. So the word of sleeping is not to be referred to the soule but to the bodyes of men and wemen for as a bodie lyes downe in his bed so the bodie after dissolution is laid downe in the graue to sleepe vntill the day of resurrection There is no sleepe that by nature is euerlasting and vvhen a man hes sleeped and is satisfied vvith sleepe he must waken So the bodie if it sleepe in the graue of necessitie it must waken againe If there were no more but this word sleeping it testifies that there shall be a resurrection Now vnderstand farther that the word sleeping in the Scripture is referred to the bodies both of the reprobat and elect The bodie of the reprobat is said to sleepe The bodie of the elect is said also to sleepe So Daniell sayes chap. 12. verse 2. Many of them that are a sleepe in the dust in the earth some of them shall rise to lyfe some of them to shame and ignominie We are all sleeping but I see a diuersitie in resurrection the bodie of the elect shall rise to euerlasting glorie the body of the wicked to eternall death and damnation And yet albeit this word be common to both yet most properly it is ascriued to the bodies of the godly For euen as a man sleeps to this end that he may rise vp again more chearfully and be more able to take in hand any handy-worke do his calling So it is the body of the godly onely that sleeps to rise more chearfully to the actions and doings of that life eternall It is a wonderful change It lyes down a weak and infirme body it will rise again a strong body it lyes down in ignominy it wil rise againe a glorious body and there was neuer a man so altered comforted by naturall sleepe as the body of the elect shall be altered and comforted by that sleep in
concerning those vvho are at sleepe That is I vvoulde not haue you ignorant of their estate vvhat is their estate while they lye in graue vvhat their estate shall be thereafter Of these and such things I vvould not haue you ignorant Now the lesson is easie There are none of vs but in some measure vve shoulde knowe what is the estate of them who are dead vvhat is their estate in the graue vvhat shall be their estate after the graue It appertaines to euerie Christian to know the estate of the dead in some measure as well as it pertaines to them to know the estate of the liuing not passing the reuelation that the Lord hes made therin Dreame not anie estate to the dead knovve no more of it nor it pleases God to reueale nor desire to know no more The Papistes passes in curiositie and can not be satisfied with the Lords reuelation but let vs be content with the reuelation of the Lord vntill that great reuelation come Alwaies it pertaines to vs in some measure to knovve the estate of the departed IgnoraÌ„ce brings sorrovv and knovvledg ioy Ignorance brings a great deale of sorrow vvith it The effects of ignorance in things vve should know are displeasure and sorrow Knowledge of the things vve should know and especially of the estate of those departed this life brings joy consolation Ignorance made Iacob excessiuelie to mourne for his sonne Ioseph without anie cause thinking he was dead when he was aliue Being fred from his ignorance and knowing the estate of his son and that he was aliue he found joy and consolation So light and knowledge brings joy The blinde opinion of this dreame of Purgatorie that the Papists hes inuented hes brought exceeding great displeasure to many To thinke that the soule lovvsed from the bodie should be tormented in Purgatorie ere it enter in glorie But men being fred from this ignorance and knowing assuredly that the soule immediatlie after it seueres from the bodie passes to eternall joy men and vvemen knovving this in the pointe of death no question they are exceeding glad Then brethren to speake it againe Ignorance brings great displeasure knowledge bringes joy when vve knowe the estate of thinges as they are indeed then there is joy Therefore the Apostle sayes That ye 〈◊〉 not as others vvho hes no hope That is as the Gentiles An ignorant and hopelesse bodie who hes no hope of the resurrection who knowes nothing of the resurrection and therefore hopes not for it his mourning and sorrowe will be excessiue This is the meaning of the Apostle Ignorance bringes 〈◊〉 in death it makes a man hopelesse not to hope for a lyfe after this lyfe nor for a resurrection to lyfe and being 〈◊〉 what joy can he haue a bodie dying without hope no 〈◊〉 if thou bee not in hope when thou art dying all the world shall not make thee to rejoyce By the contrair ye heare by the Apostle knowledge bringes hope for hope is the effect of knowledge and hope bringes joy and comfort in the houre of death None euer yet died in the hope of that glorious resurrection but in the houre of death they rejoyced with joy vnspeakable The joy that hope bringes being grounded on knowledge is wonderfull It will not be conteined in the heart but the mouth will open and glory in the joy it apprehendes throgh the hope of the resurrection in Iesus Christ The Apostle Rom. chap. 5. verse 2. saies We rejoyce vnder the hope of the glory of God I meane not brethren that that knowledge that workes hope and that hope that workes joy will take away from a man altogether all displeasure all heauinesse all mourning in the departure of our friendes and them we loue well No it will nor nor should not doe that There is no grace of God in Iesus that puts out any naturall affection none will take away either naturall joy or displeasure no faith and hope will not doe it but it makes that naturall affection sanctified and puts it in order Our dolour which by nature is immoderate it moderates hope will bring with it a measure knoweledge will bring with it a measure and faith which is the fountaine of all graces will bring with it a measure In a word Faith hope and knowledge will temper and mingle the affection of displeasure which is bitter with the affection of joy and make a sweete temperature in that bodie so that the bodie that hes knowledge and hope when it is mourning fastest it will haue greatest joy Beware of your mourning and looke that it be neuer altogether without some joy Sobst thou sighst thou vnspeakablie Looke that thy â—ighs be mingled with joy vnspeakable Will ye haue my counsell Let neuer joy be the alone but let euer joy be tempered with sorrow Haue not srrow the alone but let it 〈◊〉 be mingled with some joy So long as thou liuest thou art naturallie inclined to sinne and sinne procures sorrow And therfore so long as sinne dwelles in thy bodie let euer thy joy be tempered with sorow but let neuer thy sorow for sinne be it alone but tempered with some joy in the mercie of God This shoulde be the estate of a christian in laughing forget not sin but sorow for it be not vvanton vnder the burden of sin Againe in mourning let joy be for the mercie of Christ to vs. The Apostle sayes 1. Thess 5. 16. Reioice euer yea euen when thou art mourning for there is matter of eternall joy offered in Christ and therfore rejoice vvith a sanctified and with an holie joye This is the first lesson Then brethren I gather on the vvords of the Apostle As the Gentiles vvho haue no hope of resurrection where there is no hope there is no comfort vvhere a mans hope is bounded within the compasse of this life and reaches not out beyond the same there is no comfort make him king of all the worlde if his hope be onelie on the kingdomes of this earth if he hope not for that heauenlie kingdome Want of hope doth bring dispaire in death to be an inheritour there he hes no joye nor comfort I meane that solide joye and comfort vvhich the world neuer ministers to men Al the kingdoms in the earth will neuer minister to thee solide joy comfort consolation Novv brethren this is the estate of the Gentiles Paul Ephes 2. 12. speaking of their estate sayes they liued in the world without God aliants from the Common-well of Israell from the Church of God strangers from the couenants of promise without hope without God in the world and so hopelesse coÌ„fortlesse I can not say that euer any Gentile that liued as a Gentile what euer was their ranke on the earth that euer they had any comfort all these Monarches that liued without grace in the world I can not say that in the midst of their triumph greatest glory they had any comfort much lesse