orbitatem filii doluit Dauid dum luget Absolonem filium sed quia nouerat in quas poenas tam impie adultera et parricidalis anima raperetur Dauid was not so much greeued for the death losse of a sonne when hee bewailed his sonne Absolom but it was for that hee knew how greuously that soule was punished after death which in this life was giuen to such impiety adultery hainous murther Could Elias El zeus and Christ and the Apostles raize vp the dead 1 Kings 17 â—â— Kings 4 13 Mat. 9 Luk. 9 Iohn 11 Act. 9. 20 Acts. 7.59 if the soule and bodie died together Could StepheÌ„ say at his stoning to death Lord Iesus receiue my spirite If the foule body died together Coulde Paule rauished with a desire to come to the kingdoÌ„e of felicity and therefore abhorring this wretched and calamitous life crie out earnestly and saie O wretched man that I am Rom 7 24. who shall deliuer mee from this body of death if the soule body died together But why labour I so much amoÌ„g Christians to prooue the eternity of the soule who doe firmely assent to the Symbole of the Creed that shews vs life eternal specially since the most souÌ„d profound Philosophers amongst the Ethnicks haue in euery age with one mouth and one minde subscribed thereunto Of which let one Seneca speake for them all Sen lib 10 suasoriar nothing decayes but our bodye which because of the weake frailty thereof it is obnoxious to death subiect to chaunces exposed to proscriptions But the soule whose beginning is diuine is harmed neyther by old age nor death and when shee is loosed from her burthensome bands shee speedily repaires to her proper place and to the starres that ar of the same nature It were shamefull therfore for Christians not to houlde fast the blessed hope of immortality not to cleaue thereunto as to a sure anchor since heatheÌ„ men haue so euideÌ„tly taught the eternity of the soule by groping after it in the darkenesse of errour onelye by the direction of the naturall lighte and infallible principles remaining in mans minde after Adams fall and chiefly since the godly and faithfull are at no rest in this mortall life 1 Cor 15 19 if in this life onelie they had hope in christ they were of all men the moste miserable Wherefore dooth Sathan and the flesh and the worlde allure vs to withdrawe our shoulders from bearing the sweete and easie yoake of Christ and our feete from walking in the path of Gods lawes and to enioye in this worlde the pleasures of iniquitie for a time the sacred scripture dooth plentifully teache vs that our soules liue for euer the godlie in heauen the vngodly in torment and therfore how readie ought wee to bee to denie vngodlinesse and worldlie lustes and to liue soberlie and righteously and godlie in this present world knowing this that one day wee shall bee called to an account how we haue imployed our talents and stewardship Doth the carelesse Christian perswade vs to runne with him in the same excesse of ryot of druÌ„kennes of carnall security of swearing of incontinency of hypocrisie of malice of couetousnesse of forgetting of God of contempte of his worde and despising his kindnes long suffering not perceiuing that his bountifulnes leads vs to repeÌ„tance Let vs answere that we seek eternall life not eternal death that we wil flee sin and liue in the awe and worshippe ef God because the end of the vngodly is to be destroyed and rooted out at the last but godlinesse hath the promise of the life present 1 Tim. 4.8 and of that is to come And howsoeuer some wallow in their sensuality and freeze in the dregs of prophanenesse yet let vs that are a chosen generation and a royall priesthoode and an holy nation and a peculiar people shewe forth the vertues of him that hath called vs out of darkenesse into his meruelous lighte and as straungers and pilgrimes let vs abstaine from fleshly lusts that fighte againste the spirite and let vs haue our conuersation honest among all men that by our good works which they shall see they maye glorifie God in the day of visitation â—et 2 9 c. Dooth sicknesse or sorow or pouerty or flaunders or daungers or any affliction or tribulation pres vs so as being therewith surcharged we are likely to sinke and be dismayed Let vs encourage our selues with the contemplation and meditation of heauenly ioies and let vs be stedfast vnmoueable aboundante alwaies in the worke of the Lorde forasmuch as wee know that our laboure is not in vaine in the Lorde When terrible and ghastly death woulde discourage vs let vs remember that death is swallowed vp into victory through the death of Christ and therefore we may confidently say Cor. 15.54 ô death where is thy sting ô graue where is thy victorye and that death is made vnto vs a doore into eternall glory and that when we depart hence our souls shall passe into heauen as into the common city and dwelling place of all beleeuers because wee are no more straungers and forreiners but citizeÌ„s with the saints aod of the houshold of god and are builte vpon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the cheefe corner stone For wee knowe that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle be destroyed wee haue a building of God Ephes 2.19 2 that is an house not made with handes but eternall in the heauens 2. Cor. 5.1 Our departure hence is a going out of prison and an entraÌ„ce into life that knows no death Our fathers are all gone before and all their offspring shall followe What runner when hee hath begonne his race doth not houlde on cheerefullie till hee attayn to the goale What Marriner in the darke night and tempestuous seas refuseth to rest in the quiet harborough What pilgrime wandering in a straunge countrie longs not to come to his owne dwelling wife friendes and children And shall wee bee so loathe to goe to heauen and Paradise the house of Saintes to GOD our Father Christe our redeemer and Brother the holy Ghoste our comforter As the sparkle of fire still mountes vpwarde and the water fleetes downewarde and euery thinge goes to his proper and naturall place of staye so our soules which came from heauen must endeauoure and striue to goe to the Father of lights whome to behoulde is life and not to see is death We trauell through colde and heate daunger and labour hills and vallies seas and lands for earthly and perishing ritches and should a thousand deathes stop vs to see so many Angels prophets patriarches martyrs and Saints in Paradise Cyprian sayth Eius est mortem timere â—e mortalit qui ad Christum nolit ire eius est ad christum nolle ire qui se non credit cum Christo incipere regnare It is for
him to feare death who woulde not goe to Christ it is for him to bee vnwilling to goe to christ who beleeues not that after death hee shall beginne to raigne with christ When our friends are taken from vs by death let vs not thinke that they are lost and vtterly perished but that they are gone before vs into the place and palace of rest and therefore let vs not mourne as they doe which are voyde of the hope of the resurrection and immortall life for as wee beleeue that Iesus is dead and risen euen so they which sleepe in Iesus are liuing in ioy and god will bring them againe at the last daye with Iesus and let vs comfort our selues one another with these wordes When wee see the godlye in this worlde 1 Thes 4.14 1â— as it were forsaken now and then and contemptible to the eyes of men but the vngodly ofteÌ„times sprowting as the green Bay tree let this supporte and proppe vs vp that one day Lazarus shall be comforted and Diues tormented When wee consider the inconstancie of worldlie ritches and honour and fauoure and promotion and friendshippe in this life let vs learne hereby not to loue the world neither the thinges that are in the world for the luste of the flesh the lust of the eyes the pride of life and all that is in this worlde passeth away but hee that fulfilleth the will of God 1 Iohn 2.15 16.17 abideth for euer and let vs solace our selues with the stable permanent and vnchaungeable ioyes of heauen for the state of the godlie and vngodly after death cannot bee chaunged there is a greate gulfe sette betweene heauen and hell Luke 16 26. so that they that woulde goe from blisse to punishmente cannot neither can any come from tormente to blisse Finallie when wee are soliciced eyther by the suggestion of Sathan or the allurements of pleasure or the perswasion of Atheistes or the weakenesse of the flesh to imagine that there is no life after death and that the soule vanisheth awaye into nothing when a man dyeth let vs call to minde that heauen and earth shall sooner passe then the worde of the Lorde shal fall to the grounde which teacheth that after bodylie death the souls of the faithfull and righteous are in the handes of the Lorde and enioye eternall comforte and if wee cannot remember all that hath beene now deliuered let vs alway carrie the summe and quintessence of this one place of Scripture imprinted and ingrauen firmelie in our heartes in which the Angell declares vnto blessed John that all faithfull soules that in this life haue washed their long robes and made them white in the bloud of the Lamb and haue onelie relyed on the merites death and passion of Iesus Christ they are after this life in the presence of the throne of God and serue him continuallye in the temple of heauen and dwell eternally with God God with them they hunger and thirste no more they are molested and accumbred with the heate of the Sunn no more and afflicted with tribulation no more for Iesus Christ the Lambe of God which is in the middest of the Throne shall feede them and rule them leade them to the liuelie fountaines of waters and GOD shall wipe awaye all teares from theyr eyes Thus much for the interpretation and explication of this text of holy Scripture And although I haue already very much exceeded my vsuall manner The christiaâ— life and godâ— death of the Lady Court â—ney in that I haue so long and largely insisted on the thinges proposed and thereby tediousnesse perhappes may beginne to creepe vpon you yet I must a little longer pray your attention while I breeflye speake some thinge of the life and death of this right worshipful and deuoute gentlewoman which is now to be buried and which hath occasioned me at this time to vnfold vnto you this portion of Gods word The virtues and graces wherewith shee was adorned as they merited greate commendation so I am sorrie that they may not now be blazed by the eloquence of Aaron or the tongue of Angells â—al Max. l 8 â—1 For as Alexander the greate forbade anye to painte him but Apelles and to carue him but Lysippus leaste his excellencie shoulde bee abased by vnnoble Artificers so the woorthinesse of this religious Ladie deseruedlie craues to bee described of some one endued with singular guifte of speaking who mighte counteruaile her worthie workes with aunswerable wordes Howsoeuer it bee this comfortes mee that I speake not before straungers vnacquainted with her godlie qualities that therefore woulde aske a more copious declaration of the thinges they knowe not but before those who hauing had very long experience and triall of her godlinesse eyther wil supplie the defecte of the Speaker through theyr own manifould knowledge or els by one worde wil coniecture what the whole sentence meanes And for that the life of a true Christian consisteth in beleeuing and liuing I wil beginne firste with the sinceritie of her faith She was not like many lukewarm Politicians that either are Atheistes of no religion at al or els Chameleon-like turne with the time and iump with opportunity but shee embraced the ancient and apostolike fayth cleauinge to the sound doctrine deliuered in the word of God and abhorring the superstitious ceremonies of mens deuises This fayth was not hypocriticall but true not temporarie but permanent not idle but working not deade but liuing springing foorth with the abundance of all good workes euen as a good tree brings foorth good fruite and a wholesome well yeeldes out wholesome water Her earnest loue of Gods word great measure of knowledge of Christs gospell of which she hath alwayes been an affectionate hearer and a diligent performer sufficiently declare what these workes of fayth were For she was not onely painefull in resorting to the Church to pray with the congregation to heare the word of God as long as strength of bodie permitted but euen since age weakenes debarred her of the custome she hath ordinarily dayly caused prayers to be vsed the scriptures pure expositors of them to bee reade at home making the worde of God a Ianc-horne to directe her feete and Manna to sustayne her soule so passing her time for many yeares that her life might be deemed a meditation of death and a preparation for entrance into the life to come What shoulde I speake of the christian gouerning of her househoulde and of her especiall care that those which were about her might bee taughte the lawes of the Lorde to walke as it becommeth the professors of the gospell What shoulde I speake of her patience that beeing in sundry wise tossed and tryed with the crosses of this life yet like a rocke beaten on by the swelling floods shee stoode constant rendring thankes to God aswell for aduersitie as for prosperity and taking euery affliction in good parte as proceeding
from the loue of GOD towardes her This patience was shaken by the captiuitie of her husband an honourable and woorthie gentleman who beeing Sheriffe of this county was taken prisoner and in extreame perill to bee cruellie handled by the rebells in the Western CoÌ„motion in the raigne of king Edward the 6. again by the death of her foresaid husband within few yeers after again by the change of true religion into forged superstition in the dayes of Queen Mary During all which time she had the form of praier vsed in her house which was authorized in the dayes of king Edward the 6. which pinched her with exceeding grief againe by the death of al her sons gentlemen of great hope again by the death of al her sons in law men of worshipful regard again by the death of som of her nephews daughters gentlewomen liuely treading in the virtuous steps of their godly mother againe by the death of some of her neeces this patience I say was shaken but it stoode firmely as an Oake that is surely rooted weighes not the blastes of winde What shoulde I speake of her humilitie and lowlinesse of minde which bewrayed it selfe in all her outwarde actions and in her verie apparrell in that a Gentlewoman of her degree and ranke woulde so plainelie attire her selfe obseruing the rule of S. Peter who warneth women not to goe gorgeouslie in their apparrell by brayding the hayre and trimming aboute with golde but to bee cloathed with the pretious garmente of the inwarde man This humility was great â— Pet. 3.3.4 bothe towardes God and man towards God in that abounding with good workes which proceeded from a sauing fayth yet shee loathed to bee commended for the same confessing that it was nothing shee did and that it was so farre off that shee trusted to bee saued by her own merites as that shee renounced them and placed them among her euil deeds in that respecte and wholly relyed wholie depended whollie rested vpon Christ Iesus her onelye redeemer mediatour aduocate and Sauioure And towardes man this humility was apparante in that shee disdained not the meanest but with affabilitie applyed her selfe to those that were of the lowest sorte and in that not onely in her life shee declined from pompe and vayn shewes but also straightly and oftentimes charged that her funerals should be solemnized without any ceremonious pompe But what shoulde I speak of her promptnesse to assiste both riche and poor with her counsell and aduise for shee was endued with greate wisedom rare memory graue iudgemente and sharpe foresighte What shoulde I speake of her temperance sobriety of her loue and liberality to schollars kindnesse to ministers of the worde of God and entertainement of all good people of her constancy in her widdowheade For of fower score and seauen yeeres or very neere thereaboutes of her age shee spente fiftye fiue in the time of widdowehead of her vnchaungeable and stedfast zeale in the truth of Christe Iesus So that if Iohn the elder had liued in this age he might haue saluted her by the name of Elect Lady might haue reioyced 2 Ioh 4. that he fouÌ„d her her childreÌ„ her of spring walking in the truth Al these things for that they are so well knowne I sleightly poynte at with the forefinger leauing them to your secret considerations As for her remorse compassion and liberality towards the poore and needy members of Christ bodie not one preacher in tenne howers nor tenne preachers in one hower are able to expresse it as it doth deserue The Orphanes fatherlesse children that she hath nourished the desolate widowes that shee hath sustayned the afflicted straungers that shee hath releeued the sick impotente and maymed Souldiers that shee hath refreshed the diseased persons with sore eies and manifolde hurtes and diuers infirmities that shee hath eased applying the saluâ— waters and medicines with her owne hands gyue plentifull testimony with full mouth of her exceeding charitye What weeke nay what daye nay almoste what howre passed ouer where in some poore or other did not taste of her bountifulnesse â—uke 19 8 Shee excelled Zacheus who stood foorth and said behold Lord the halfe of my goods I giue to the poore Shee was not inferior to Iob who turned not his eie froÌ„ the poore Iob 31 16 17 but cloathed the naked with his garment fed the hungry with his meate and lodged the pilgrime in his house Shee is to be linked in prayse with Dorcas Acts. 9.39 for if Peeter were heer and shee were as Dorcas to be raised againe howe infinite is the number of coates and garmentes that the poore would shewe foorth or speake of which they haue receiued froÌ„ her liberality She is not to be separated from the holy and charitable weâ— Luke 8 2 men which ministred to our Sauiour himselfe on earth for as they did minister to the head so did she to the body and therefore Christe accountes that meat that drinck that cloathing Mat. 25.36 that entertainemente and that visitinge and comforte which is imployed on the sillie poore to bee bestowed on himselfe And as the Iewes when that they desired Christe to helpe the Centurions seruaunte they saide Luke 7 4 5. that hee was worthye for whome our Sauiour Sauioure shoulde doe it For hee loues our nation say they he hath built vs a sinagogue soe if odious Ingratitude possesse not the harts of the poore whome in manifolde sorte this compassionate and charitable Lady hath releeued they will with one voyce crie out and saye that shee was moste worthye of longer life and of doubled dayes because shee was a nurse to the needy an eie to the blinde a foote to the lame a mother to the Orphanes a staffe to the afflicted a comforter and supporter to the distressed and miserable I perceiue I am entred into the broade Ocean with displaied sayles and therefore least I be caried further then I maye quickly returne I will hasten to draw towards the shore Her life being beawtified with these induements and qualityes and hauing spent her daies in grace godlines who maye doubt but that her death and dissolution was correspondent to her former race At sundrie times when she was visited with sicknesse shee was not desirous of longer life neither woulde shee haue others to put her in hope of recouery but wholy longing to be remooued hence and to dwell with God the Lorde firste making a pithie and Christian coÌ„fession of her fayth in God the Father the sonne and the holy Ghost she still desired with Symeon to departe in peace with Paul to be dissolued to be with Christ Luk. 2.29 accounting christ to be her aduaÌ„tage both in life and death Phil. 1.21 Rom. 14.8 Psal 84 10. and her selfe to bee the Lordes whither shee liued or died with Dauid wishing to in habite most amiable inhabitations of heuen esteeming it better to remaine
THE STATE OF THE godly both in this life and in the life to come Deliuered in a Sermon at Chudleigh in Devon at the funeralls of the right Worshipfull the Ladie Elizabeth Courtney the 11. of Nouember 1605. And published for the instruction and consolation of the faithfull By R. W. Minister Whereunto is annexed the christian life and godly death of the sayd worshipfull Lady Elizabeth Courtney Psal 112.9 He hath distributed and giuen to the poore his righteousnes remaineth for euer At London Printed for Roger Iackson and are to be sold at his shoppe neere the Conduit in Fleetstreete 1606. To the worshipfull his good friend Thomas Clifford Esquire grace mercy peace from god the father and from Christ Iesus our Lord. SIR you see the effect of importunity and the efficacy of your fauor towards me in that the sermon which was at first priuate in respect of the Audients is now become publique in pespect of the readers Wherein it resembleth the Image that is taken out of the painters shop where few behold it and placed in the open market where euery one will censure it I haue delineated two dwelling places of the godly as my memory notes and parenthesis of vacant time permitted th one fading restles and wretched in earth thother permaneÌ„t quiet and blessed in heauen And I wish that my labour therin may be like the liuelyest picture and poeme which the more neerly narrowly and often it is suruiewed the more it feeds the eye and the mind of the behoulder with delectatioÌ„ as the iudicious or rather ceÌ„sorious Poet says both of the one thother Vt pictura poesis erit quae si propiùs stes Horat. in Arte. Te capiet magis quaedaÌ„ si longiùs abstes Haec amat obscuruÌ„ volet haec subluce videri Haec placuit seÌ„el haec decies repetita placebit Neither can J conceale that in diuulgating of this sermon I was both vnwilling willing vnwilling because of the slendernesse thereof and the captiousnes of these critick times in which that is vsuall which Salust said to Caesar Sal. ad Caesar de ordinand rep ad repraehenda aliena facta aut dicta ardet omnibus animus all are earnestly bent to reproue other mens dooings or sayings willing because I desired to decipher the sincerity of myne obsequiousnesse towards her whose memory I wold my tenuity obseruaÌ„cy were able to eternize because I was loath to reiecte your pressing motioÌ„ whose more theÌ„ coÌ„moÌ„ curtesies may duly craue the vtmost of my possibility Her perspicuous worthines your experimented kindnes mine own propeÌ„sioÌ„ to endeuor to do good by any means haue more swaied with me theÌ„ that I could be hindred to edify the faithfull and induced to withhold good froÌ„ the owners thereof by surmizing that the froward will condemne me either of impudency or flattery From flattery the vniuersall acclamation of multitudes that both knew her and heard of her will I know acquit me from the blame of voluntary shamelesse intruding my selfe into the sight of the world your learned apology I hope shall purge me For malice had wanted one morsell to thrust into her insaturable gorge had not your forcible perswasions subdewed me and cast me as a pray vnto her deuouring teeth Neuerthelesse let one tax the prolixity not weighing the extraordinary occurrents let another balance in the weights of worldly eloquence the cours vnpolished style desiring perhaps finer breade then is made of wheate and rather an eloquent thaÌ„ learned Physitian to cure his maladie let another reprooue thinculcating of vulgar obseruations and obuious documents forgetting aswell that Paul that noble instructor of the gentiles by daily reading of whose Epistles the golden mouthed father saide that he knew how to deuide the word of truth aright was not ashamed to write the same things again as also that â—t becometh rather an Athenian than a christian to hant after nouelties yet they that haue their wits exercised to discerne good from euill shâ—l perceiue that J haue not erred from the faith and that J haue not depraued the depositum and talent of wholesom doctrin committed to the church by Christ and recommended by the apostle to his scholler Timothy Tim. 6.20 â—incent Liriâ— adu prophaÌ„â—uat cap. 27. J haue kept to borow the words of mel lifluous Vincentius Lirinensis on the foresayde exhortation of the apostle that was committed vnto me not that I haue inuented that J receiued not that I deuised that I learned not that J forged of mine owne wit that hath beene publickly taughte not priuately maintained As I haue receiued gold so J haue endeuoured to render and returne gold and not to giue either impudently lead or fraudulently copper and the shew of gold in steed of sincere gold And in returning it J haue been non author sed custos non institutor sed sectator non ducens sed sequens cum dixerim noue non dixi noua not an author but a keeper not a teacher but a scholler not a leader but a follower and albeit J haue arraied somethings in attire of a new fashion yet there is no difference in the matter and substance Wherfore not distrusting but that as I haue put this sermon in writing at your entreaty the concise sinewes and epitome whereof was els likely to haue been vtterly motheaten so you will patronize it against such malignantes as either reprehend that they will not amend or else are despisers of whatsoeuer their selues were not agents with my praier that it may benefite as many as did beare vndissembled loue vnto her whose happy remembraunce hath both wrung it out of my hands and drawn it into the light and that the faith which I am perswaded is in you may dwell in you vnto the end as it first dwelt in your worthy grandmother and in your godly mother I commit you and yours to the gratious protection of the Almighty whom I desire to sanctifie vs throgh out and to keep our whole spirit and soule and body blameles vnto the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ Yours in the Lord Rob. VVolcomb Reuelat. Chap. 7. v. 13.14.15.16.17 13. And one of the Elders spake saying vnto me what are these which are araied in long white robes whence came they 14. And I said to him lord thou knowest and he sayd to me These are they which came out of great tribulation and haue washed their long robes and haue made their long robes white in the blood of the Lambe 15. Therefore are they in the presence of the throne of God and serue him day night in his temple and he that sitteth on the throne will dwell among them 16. They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the Sunne light on them neither any heate 17. For the Lambe who is in the midst of the throne shall gouern them and shall lead them to the liuely fountains of waters and God shall
wipe away all teares from their eys The state of the godly in this life and in the life to come SVch and so greate is the loue of god towards his choseÌ„ people that he doth not only giue them warning of dangers ensuing but doth oftentimes deliuer them from manifold calamities wher with others are ouerwhelmed Gen. chap. 6.7.8 Gen. 19. So Noah had warning of the coming of the flood was deliuered from the violence thereof So Lot had warning of the destruction of Sodome and escaped the fury of the fire and brimstone So the Israelits had warning of the killing of al the first born amoÌ„g the Egiptians Exodus 12. by the blood of the paschal lamb wer preserued froÌ„ the veÌ„geance of the destroier So againe the Israelites passed through the red sea Exoduâ— 14. as through dry grouÌ„d but the waters closed on their enimies the EgiptiaÌ„s So before the captiuity the Iews that mourned sighed for the abominations which were committed in Hierusalem Ezech. 9. had a marke set on theyr foreheades and were exempted from the desolation and other which had not the marke were not spared but smitten without pitty And as the lord in the seuen trumpets had prouided diuerse miseries to be inflicted vppon men of all sorts cap. 8. 7. c. so in this chapter there is a caution and prouiso for the godly for before the fowr angels by holding the 4. winds do hurt the earth with haile and fire or that a burning mountaine kill the creatures of the sea or the fallen starre turneth the liuing waters into mortall wormewood or the sonne and moone bee smitten till the seruants of God were sealed in their foreheads Iohn saw the vision of those which were numbred and sealed Iewes of all the tribes of Israel an hundred and forty and fowr thousand and after a numberles number of the gentiles of all nations â— Mare 13.51 and kindreds and people and tongues who stoode before the throne of god to worshippe him and prayse him and were clothed in long white robes that is were couered with the vnspotted righteousnes of Christ and had palms in their hands in token of the victory obtained by Christ against the flesh the world and Satan After this Iohn heard the congratulation and thanksgiuing of those which were sealed for that they were saued and preserued for they cried with a loud voice saying Saluation commeth from our God v. 10.12 that sitteth vpon the throne and from the Lamb. Vnto which crye all the angells applaude and worship God saying Amen Praise and glory and wisedome and thanks and honor and power and might be vnto our god for euermore Amen Now these words which I haue read containe the expounding of the vision that Iohn sawe Iunius in Apâ—calyps In which exposition three things are to be noted 1 The question of the Elder to stir vp Iohn to deeper consideration in the 13 verse 2 Iohns answer to the Elder in the first part of the 14. verse 3 The reply of the Elder in the rest of the 14 verse and vnto the end of the 17 verse In which reply the Elder declares those which were numbred and sealed to be the saints whom he describes first by their acts that is their suffrings and work of faith in Iesus Christ donne in the former persecutions and to be continued in the future tentations in the 14 verse Secondly by their glory both present in the 15 v. and to come partly in their ful deliuerance from all calamities and annoyances in the 16. verse and partly in participation and fruition of all good things which the remembraunce of woonted myseries shall neuer abolish or diminishe in the 17. v. And this is begun in this life but accomplished afterwards In that the Elder doth aske a question of Iohn â—nterpretatioÌ„â—f the text whether he knew who those were which were arrayed in long white robes and whence they came he behaueth himselfe like a diligent teacher who being desirous to enstruct his scholler in that hee knows not he preuenteth him by enquiring whither he know it or not Whereby the Elder signifieth how prompt and ready they that are led by the spirite of God and are endued with knowledge and vnderstanding should bee to informe the ignorant And in that John yeelds a modest aunswer to the Elder acknowledging his ignorance by attributing knowledge to the Elder for in that he sayth Lord thou knowst he sayth thus Lord I knowe not Lord thou knowst lord teache me he doth aduertize vs to be wise with sobriety and not to bee puffed vp with an ouerweening opinion of our learning but to recken it no shame and disparagement to be taught the certaynty of those good thinges which we neuer learned Marlor Sebast Meyer in Apocal. Whereas the Saints are sayed to come out of great tribulation although the Elder spake this chiefelye touching the former persecutions by the heathen Empires and may also bee vnderstoode of the persecution which Antichrist shoulde raise against the Church yet generally it may be vnderstood of the vniuersall troubles and afflictions of this life in that all the children of God come from greate affliction vnto greate reste from mysery vnto glory from prison vnto a kingdom from thraldom vnto freedom from death vnto life The long robes of the saints which were washed is the holinesse righteousnesse and innocency of Christ wherewith the godly being cloathed they do walke boldly and are found iust and vnblameable before the Lord. And the making white of the long robes in the Lambs hlood is when the godly do walk in the fayth of christ and do suffer the cros patiently after his example But howe can blood make white The faithfull are washed white with the Lambes bloude in that they are purged in conscience from deade workes to serue the liuing GOD Hebr. 9 13. Reuel 1.5 â— Pet. 1.19 by the blood of CHRISTE who thorough the eternall spirite offered himselfe vnto god an vnspotted sacrifice And here falls to ground the Romish doctrine of indulgences Acts 10.3 1 Iohn 1.7 â— Cor. 5.21 â— Cor. 1.15 Acts 20.28 Hebr 10 14. and dispensation of the superabounding merits of Saints for if the faithfull are sufficiently purged and clensed by the blood of the lamb where is the treasure of supererogation of Saintes Where it is sayd that the godly are in the presence of the throne of god this may be taken not only for that blessed and quiet worship which the godly departed out of the body yeeld to the lorde in heauen without externall and laborsome seruice but also for their worshipping of God while they liue in this mortall body and while they in this life are so deuoted to the seruing of god Ephes 2 6. Col. 3 1. 2. Cor 3 6. and do so frame theyr whole life after his will and do so seeke to glorifie god and to edify their neighbor as if
As if he had sayed thou wilte grante me that hauing runne ouer the race of this fleeting and fraile life I shall enioy that most ioyfull moste pleasante eternal life in thine heauenlye kingdom Augustine sayeth that in heauen shall bee the euerlasting Sabbath which noe Eueninge shall end There wee shall rest and wee shall see wee shall see and wee shall loue wee shall loue and wee shall prayse Behoulde saith hee that which is in the ende is withoute end Nam quis alius noster est finis nisi peruenire ad regnum cuius nullus est finis For what other end is there ordained for the Godly but to attaine to that Kingedome which hath none end Sibyll sayeth Aug de Ciu dei lib 22 c 30 that it shall not bee sayed in heauen The nighte is come or to morrowe shall come or yesterday is paste neither shall there bee that daye that is wearied with cares nor spring nor summer nor Autumne nor winter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There shall be noe mariage nor death no selling nor buying nor sunne rysing nor Sunsetting for God shall make that longe daye which shall bee endlesse Sibill Oracâ— lib 7 There shall bâ—e so many and such ioys as al the Arithmeticians of this world are not able to number them 〈◊〉 the Geometritians are not able to weigh them all the Grammarians Logitians Rhetoritians are not able to expresse them in fit terms For as the Apostle Saint Paule doth witnesse the thinges which God hath prepaâ—ed for them that loue him are such as eye hath not seene neither eare hath heard neither came into any mans heart There shall be ioy aboue vs 1 Cor 2 9 for the vision which wee shall see there likewise shall bee ioye vnder vs for the beawtie of the heauens and other corporall creatures there shall be ioy within and about vs for the felowshippe and companye of Saintes and Angeles There Salomons wisedome shall be reputed but foolishnesse Absoloms beautie but deformity Azaels swiftnesse but slownesse SampsoÌ„s might but weaknesse â—hom Aquin. â—e uer Theol. â—h 7. chap. 6 Mathuselaes loÌ„g life but frailty the kingdome of Augustus Caesar but beggery The saints would not so earnestly haue longed after heauen had they not beene assured of the surpassinge ioyes thereof Dauid being hindred by his persecuters that he could not bee present amonge gods people in the temple of Ierusalem he shewes his feruent desire towardes that place in which hee mighte serue the Lorde saying as the hart brayeth for the ryuers of water so panteth my soul after thee O god my soul thirsteth for god euen for the liuing god wheÌ„ shal I com appear befor the preseÌ„ce of god And wheÌ„ he was exiled driueÌ„ out of his couÌ„try Psal 42.1.2 and could not come to the tabernacle of the Lorde and the assembly of the saints to prayse god how vehemently doth hee bewraye how hee was affectioned thitherwarde O Lorde of hoastes saith hee how amiable are thy tabernacles My soule longeth yea and fainteth for the Courtes of the lorde Blessed are they that dwell in thine house they will euer prayse thee For a day in thy courts is better theÌ„ a thousaÌ„d otherwher I had rather bee a doorekeeper in the house of my god Psal 84.1.2.4.10 then to dwell in the tabernacles of wickednesse If the Prophet did so long thirst pante and faynte after the materiall and transitory temple of Hierusalem on earth how was hee enflamed with a desire to come to the spirituall and eternall temple of the Lord in heauen When our Sauiour was transfigured on the mountaine and his face did shine as the sunn and his clothes were as white as the lighte and there appeared Moses and Elias talking with him Peter rauished with this celestiall apparition sayd to Iesus Master it is good for vs to be heere if thou wilt let vs make here three Tabernacles one for thee and one for Moses and one for Elias Mat. 17.1.8 If the Apostle were so transported with a slender view and small taste of heauenly felicity as that hee desired alwaye to adhere and cleaue vnto it what would he haue donne if he had beene fully entered into his masters ioy Hierom notes vpon these words of Peter that Christ is that alone way to go to the glory and ioyes of heauen that wee must build pitch a tabernacle for him only in our heartes and that we must hear obey him only as the voyce from heauen taught Peter â—at 17 5 and in Peter the rest of the Apostles and all beleeuers and therefore he is bold to say to Peter erras Petre sicut alias euangelista testatur â—e eidos he â—gei â—uke 9 33 nescis quid dicas thou art deceiued Peter as another Euangelist witnesseth thou knowest not what thou sayst seeke not three Tabernacles â—ieron in comâ—ent in cap 17 â—â—att when there is but one tabernacle of the Gospell in which Moses and Elias the law and the prophets are comprised and briefely repeated This ioyfull inheritaÌ„ce of heauen made Paul to say I counte that the afflictions of this presente time are not worthy of the glory which shal be shewed vnto vs and againe our light affliction which is but for a moment â—om 8.18 causeth vnto vs a far more excellent and an eternall weight of glory while we looke not on the things which are seen but on the things which are not seene for the things which are seene are temporall but the things which are not seen are eternall Cor. 4.17.18 and againe Christ is to mee both in life and in death aduantage whither to liue in the flesh were profitable for me and what to chuse I know not for I am distressed betweene both and though to abide in the flesh is more needefull for the Church of christ J desire to be loosed Phil. 1 21 22 23 24. and to be with christ which is best of all And therefore the militant Church and spouse of Christ alwaies seekes Christ her beloued in the night and troubles of this life and in the streets and open places and wartes and labours euery where to apprehend all opportunities to imbrace him and doth neuer suffer him to depart from her till the day breake Can. 3 1 2 3 and the shadowes flee away that is Nec cum inâ— tus fuerit ceâ— bitur a quarâ— do non pedâ— passibus sed â—sideriis quaeriâ—tur Deus Ec vtique non ext dit desideriuâ— fanctum foelâ— inuentio sed tendit NuÌ„qâ— consummatiâ— gaudu dâ—fidâ— consumptio 〈◊〉 Oleum magiâ— illi nam ipsâ— flamma Bâ— in Can ser. 8 Heb. 11 36. till the darkesome and yrksom life bee ended and that glorious appearing of Christ come when the Church shal be perfectly taken into the communion of Christ and shall gloriously enioy all good things For when the faithfull soule
hath found Christ she ceaseth not from seeking God is not sought by feete but by affection and the happy finding of him dooth not shake off but encrease an holy desire Is the consummation of ioy a consumption of desire No it is rather as oyle vnto it for this desire is a burning flame sayeth Bernard And what caused the saints and Martirs whome the world was not woorthy of to suffer mockings and scourgings boÌ„ds and prisonment to wander vp and downe in sheepe skinnes and in goats skins in wildernesses â—idetur legenâ—um esse epuras â—hesan â—cremati sunt â—un in parall and mountaines and caues and dennes of the earth to endure to be stoned and hewen asunder and burned and slayn with the sworde and yet in the mids of tortures to say with the Christian poet Tormenta carcer vngulae Stridensque flammis lamina â—rudent periste â—han de VinceÌ„t Atque ipsa poenarum vltima Mors Christianis ludus est Tormentes and prison and torturing cooles and burning plates of mettall and death it selfe the last punishment of all these are but a sporte and pastime to those that beleeue in Christ What caused them so patientlye to endure these tribulations and fyrie tryalls but the full assurance of the inualuable treasure of heauen For then shall the righteous stand in greate boldnesse before the face of such as haue tormented them and shall receiue a glorious kingdome and a beawtifull crown of the Lords hand but the vngodly shall bee scattered and ouerthrowne with thunderbolts and lightnings and floods â—s 5 1 16 21 Out of all this it appereth that the soules of the faithfull after death are in eternall ioye and felicity Neither is there any mean place to stay them in for their sleeping as some dreame or for their purging as some fantasie but as the soule of Lazarus was presently carried by the Angells into Abrahams bosome assoone as it was vnfettered out of the bandes of the flesh Luke 16.22 and as the soule of the theefe was with Christ in Paradise within fower howres after he desired to be remembred of Christ so our Sauiour sayth generally of all the faithfull that hee that heareth his worde Luke 23 43. and beleeueth him that sent him hath eeuerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation Ioh 5 24. but hath passed from death to life And that we might the sooner beleeue that there is no interim and space between the death of the body the eternal life and ioy of the soule hee confirmes his speach with a double affirmation or rather oath saying verily and verily I say it â—s so Reu. 14 13 a parti in posterum vt vulgata translatio amodo i. statim Also the voice taught Iohn the Diuine that whosoeuer dye in the Lord and â—n the faith of Christ they are blessed and â—est from their labours and receiue the â—eward of their workes and when Heereâ—fter presently immediatly after they are called out of this mortall life This stops the beastly and blasphemous mouth of the Sadduces â—cts 23 8 and fully puts them to silence who affirmed that there is no resurrection nor Angell nor spirit and of Epicurus the belligod Philosopher who was a most detestable defender of pleasure â—actant diuin â—stit l. 3 c. 17 and thought that Man was onely borne to enioy pleasure and sayd that the Soule dyeth after the death of the body and of Plinie who was not ashamed to write â—mnibus à suâ—em a die eadeÌ„â—uae ante primuÌ„â—ec magis à â—orte sensus â—llus aut corpoâ—s aut animae â—à m ante naâ—lem Plin. lib â— cap 55. that it fares with all men after the last day as it did before the first day and that there is no more sense and feeling eyther of body or minde after we are dead then there was before we were borne and of Lucretius a far swine of Epicures stie who impudently opens his vncleane mouth against heauen and sayes Quod si immortalis nostra foret mens Non tam se moriens dissolui conquereretur Sed magis ire foras nesteÌ„que relinquere vt aÌ„gnis Gauder et If our soule did liue for euer saith he shee would not in death complaine of hir dissolution but rather she would reioyce to depart out of the flesh and would be glad to leaue the garmeÌ„t of the body as the snake is ioyfull for the vncasing from his oulde skin But Lactantius dooth most acutelie and learnedly confute him saying how can it be known that any doth vnderstand that he is dissolued or els set at liberty sens the tung is dumbe when a man dyeth For while he vnderstands and can speake hee is not yet dissolued when he is dissolued hee can neither vnderstand nor speake So that complaine of his dissolution either yet he caÌ„ not or now he caÌ„not But saith Lucretius before he be dissolued he perceiues that he shal be dissolued What shold I say that we see many in death not to complaine of their dissolutioÌ„ as Lucretius saieth but to testifie that they do goe and departe walke out of the body and either declaring this by gesture or vttering it by wordes if they can speake so long By which it is euident that there is no dissolution but a separation which declars the remayning of the soul after death Lactant diuin instit l 7 â— 12. For as a candle while it is in the lanterne it enlightens the lantern if it bee taken out although the lanterne bee lefte darke yet the candle shines more cleerly then it did before so while the soul is in the body it is the light and gouernor thereof and when it forsakes the body although the body be left dead and insensible yet then the soule enioyes her proper vigor and brightnesse Damnable are all the assertions that maintaine the mortality of the soule for if shee did perishe with the body and had no sense feeling after death how can the godly after death bee in Gods presence and serue him day and night in his temple and haue God dwelling among them bee fedd gouerned ledd to the liuely fountains of waters and haue all teares wiped from their eyes as the Angell here affirmeth Cleere is that speeche of Moses for the eternitye of the soule when hee sayes that the Lorde god made the man of the dust of the grounde â—en 2.7 breathed in his face breath of life In which words the man of god puteth a plaine difference between the foule of man and the soule that is in other creatures for the soule or life of beasts proceeded from the same substance and matter whereof their bodies were made but the soule of man is a spirituall and diuine thing which because it proceeded from god must needes remaine for euer Manifest is the saying of God to Moses in the burning bushe I am the God of Abraham the god of Isaac
and the god of Iaacob He sayth Exod 3 6 I am not I was to shew that hee is continually their God and as this prooues the resurrectioÌ„ of the body against the Saduces For if Abraham Izhak Matt 22 32 Quomod foelices si ex parte perituri Tertuâ— de resurrec carnis and Iaacob bee gods they are altogether his and they cannot be throughlie blessed if one parte of them should perish decay so it fortifieth the immortality of the Soule after death For if the faithfull are alway gods people and god is alwaye their God and Lorde they must needs liue in soule euen before the general resurrectioÌ„ for god is not the god of the dead but of the liuinge Euident is the eternity of the Soule out of that of patient Iob who in his extream affliction expressed notwithstanding his coÌ„fideÌ„ce of immortality thogh god slay me sayth he with death of body yet will I trust in him that I shall inherit the light of euerlasting glorie And he confidently professeth his beleef touching life euerlasting the resurrectioÌ„ saying Iob 13 15 I am sure my redeemer liueth thogh after my skin worms destroy this body yet shall J se god in my flesh whome I my self shal see and mine eies shal behold and none other for me though my vaynes are nowe consumed within mee Iob. 19.25 Which wordes of his bicause of theire infallible crueth and certaintie he wisheth that all men mighte knowe And that therefore they mighte be written Iob 19 23 yea written euen in a booke and grauen with an yron penne in leade or in stone for euer When Dauid saies to God thou wilte not leaue my soule in graue neyther wilte thou suffer thine holy on to see corruption thou wilt shew me the path of life Psal 16 10.11 in thy presence is the fulnesse of ioye and at thy righte hand there are pleasures for euermore Hee declares two benefites of which both himselfe and all the Godlye should be made partakers through christ to witte the resurrection of the flesh and that moste ioyfull moste pleasaunt and eternall life And though the vngodlye ar inclosed in their own fat speak proudly with their mouthes think but of their portion in this life hauing their bellies filled with hid treasure leauing the rest of their substaÌ„ce for their children yet he is vndoubtedly perswaded that after hee was deliuered out of the greate and infinite troubles of this worlde hee shoulde beholde in heauen the comfortable face countenance of god according to his promise and should perfectly bee vnited vnto God and see him as he is Psal 17.10 14 What plainer then that of Salomon who sayes that when man dyeth dust returneth to the earth as it was and the spirite then returneth to god that gaue it Eccles 12.7 As though the royall Preacher should say although the body and soule ar conioyned coupled together yet they are of dislike nature for the bodie is grosse and may be seene handled and the body is made of the earth a ponderous and corruptible elemeÌ„t and is as it were the vessell that containes the soule but the soule is subtile and not to be seene or handled and the soule hath no earthy mixture in it but beeing endewed with such skill such force and such nimblenesse shee must needes haue her beginning from heaueÌ„ and although they are so neeerely conioyned in this world that the destruction of the on may seeme to be the disuÌ„pation of the other yet when death makes a diuorce separation betweene them Lucretius obitus quid assere â—et eâ— quod dog â—ma defendereâ—â—os versus posuâ—it Cedit item â—etro de terra quod fuit ante â—n terras quod missuÌ„ est â—ex atheris â—ris Id rursum â—oeli rellatum â—templa receptant Lact diu inst lib 7 cap 12. then eyther of them retourne into their owne nature the body which was of the earth is resolued into earth and that which was from the heauenly spirite alway endureth and flourisheth becaus the spirit of God is euerlasting The truth wherof is so powerful it caused the foresayde Epicurean Lucretius euen in despight of his hellish Prophanenesse to confesse it What plainer to confirme the eternall life of the soule then where Isaiah bringes in other potentates that were dead before deriding the insolency of the King of Babylon that though hee sayed in harte that hee woulde ascend into heauen and exhalt his throne aboue the starres of God and ascend aboue the height of the clouds and bee like the moste high yet he was become weak by death aswell as they and his pompe and the sounde of the violes was broughte downe to the graue and the worme was spreadd vnder him and the wormes did couer him Isai 14 9. For hee woulde not attribute this scorninge to the deade if ther were the same ende both to man beast What plainer for to stop the mouths of Atheists the contradict the immortality of the soul then the saying of Christ our Lord in the Gospel Fear you not theÌ„ saith be which kill the body but ar not able to kil the soul but rather feare him which is able to destroy both soule body in Hell If the soul caÌ„not be slain Mat 10 28 and if it may bee punished in hell after this life it is euerlasting can neuer dy And therfore excellently spake the Martyr that sayed thus to the tormenter thou blody tyrant thou art deceiued if thou suppose to destroy me by renting my body which is subiect to deth Erras cruente meam Te rerâ— poenam sume re quum membra morti obnoxia Dilancinata interficis Est alter hic intriâ— secuâ— violare quem nullus pâ—test Liber qui etus integer Expers doloruâ— tristium Prudent peristâ— phan de vinceÌ„tio Gen 5 24 ther is on within thou canst not wrong which is free quiet intire and not to be payned with torturs this body which thou endeuourest to destroy with such force and furie is but a brittle and earthen vessell which maye be easily broken into shiuers but assaye now to cut and punish him that is within and that regardes not thy rage prouoke him and search him thou shalte find him inuincible vncoÌ„querable an vnderling to no calamities and subiected to God alone Could Enoch walk with god after this life if soul body dyeâ— together Could Saul desire the Pithones to raise vp the prophet Samuel vnto him 1 Sam. 28 11 if the soule and body dyed together Coulde Dauid mourn so bitterly for his rebellious soun Absolom when hee cryed out O my sonn Absolom 2. Sam 18 33 my sonne my sonne Absolom woulde God I had dyed for thee O Absolom my sonne my sonne Would he haue so bitterly lamented his death if the soule and body dyed together For Augustine saith De doctrina Christi Non