A SERMON PREACHED IN SAINT MARIES CHVRCH IN OXFORD March 26. 1612. at the funerall of THOMAS HOLLAND Doctor of the Chaire in Divinitie and Rector of Exceter College BY RICHARD KILBIE Doctor of Divinity Rector of Lincolne College AC OX Printed at Oxford by Joseph Barnes and are to be sold by Iohn Barnes dwelling neere Holborne Conduit 1613. 1. COR. 15. 55 O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victory 56 The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law 57 But thankes be vnto God which hath giuen vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ THese parcels of holy Scripture naturally divide and branch themselues into these foure head-streams 1 The ioyfull Exultation and Triumphant insultation of all the godly in the person of St Paule over Death and the Graue O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victory 2 The originall Cause of Death which is sinne The sting of death is sinne 3 The Power and life as it were of Sinne which is the Law The strength of sinne is the law 4 And last The Victory and conquest of Christians in their head and Captaine Christ Iesus over Sinne and Death Thankes bee vnto God which hath given vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ Of all these by Gods gracious assistance c. But first of the cause of Death which is Sinne and so of the rest and in the last place of the triumphant Insultation over death which will best befit the present occasion It was the errour or heresie rather of the Pelagians as St. Augustine writeth that whether Adam had sinned or no Augustin lib. 1. Hypognost contra Art 1. yet hee should surely haue dyed because God had created him mortall and was the author of death as well as of life so that Adam was the immediate subiect both of life and death in Gods first intention and institution of mankind Whereas the truth is that man before his fall was neither mortall nor immortall Necessitate by any necessity of creation and institution from God Hugo de S to Victore de sacramentis legis natur script in dialog and yet hee was both mortall and immortall Potestate by his owne power because then indeed life and death were both in his power For although in regard of the contrary principles whereof man consisted he had in himselfe a naturall propension to corruption inasmuch as contrarieties both in bodies naturall politique alwaies breed destruction of those bodies yet God in the first creation had given that speciall and celestiall power vertue vnto the soule that it was ever able to haue preserued the body from sicknesse and from death to haue perpetuated the same throughout all generations So that the God of Nature in the beginning never intended that Mōster of Death as the Pelagians and Celestians did erroneously conceiue but when the soule by her divorce and separation from God through sinne lost her life both Passiue which she received from God and Actiue which she infused to the body then the soule lost all power and abilitie of perpetuating the life of the body For what is more iust then the law of Retaliation with God even to punish like with like and therefore as St Bernard saith Anima volens perdidit vivere Bernard in serm ad milites Templi Cap. 11. nolens ergo perdat vivificare The soule of her own accord lost the life which she had in God and therefore now will shee nill shee shee must loose the life which she giues vnto the body And so indeed man is now become mortall by necessitie partly by the fraile condition of the body Th. Aquin. in lib. 3. sentent distinct 16. artic 1 vt à causa disponente as the disposing cause as the Schoolemen speake alwaies tending to corruption but especially by sinne vt à causa removente prohibens which did remoue the originall iustice of the soule which was the obstacle and barre of death Math. 7.13 and so let open the doore wide gate to hell destruction Wherefore God is not the cause of Death Sap. 1.13 Deus enim mortem non fecit God made not death but Sathan by suggestion and Adam by sinfull action the one moving to sinne the other committing sinne Wherefore as the theefe or malefactour is the author of his owne death and the iust Iudge no cause thereof albeit he pronounce the sentence of death against him In like manner sinnefull man is the cause of his owne death both of body and soule and God is but the iust Iudge to pronounce the sentence of death Morte morieris Gen. 2.17 Thou hast sinned and therefore thou shalt surely die For sinne is indeed that sting of the serpent that stingeth mā to death Augustin lib. 1. Hypogu it is not the biting of the serpent only as S. Augustine deriues the Latine word Mors à morsu serpentis as if death had its name of the biting of the serpent but it is more even the sting of the serpent because as the poison of the serpent is collected and vnited in a smal sting as the fittest instrument of deadly poison so al the venome poison of Death is in the sting of sinne For sinne is the Father of Death By one man sinne entred into the world Rom. 5.12 and death by sin Iam. 1.15 and it is the Mother of Death When lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin bringeth forth death Let none then make God the author of death because by his iust sentence he condemneth man to die for sinnes sake the trespassing of his law as the Iudge the malefactour for offending against the lawes of God and man Neither let any thinke Sathan the author of death or of punishments Propriâ potestate as by his owne power sed permissione divinâ propria suggestione but as of Gods permissiō of his own suggestion And let every one of vs say vnto another 2. Sam. 12.7 as Nathan said to David Thou art the man Thou art the cause of thine owne death For it is sinne as a viper in the bowels of man which eateth out the bowels of man it is the canker of sinne in the heart of man that devoureth the heart of man Hos. 13.8 and as God said to Israël Perditio tua ex te ô Israël O Israël thy destruction commeth of thy selfe the like may God say to every man O sinneful man thy death and thy destruction commeth of thy selfe For as the heathen Oratour saide of the priviledge of a Citizen of Rome Cic. prodomo suâ ad Pontif Nemo Civis Romanus aut libertatem aut civitatē amittere potest nisi ipse author factus sit No citizē of Rome could haue his freedome taken frō him or loose the priviledges and immunities of his City except himselfe was the authour thereof the same may truely bee spoken of
the excellent Priviledges Prerogatiues of Paradise the City of God wherein Adam was first enfranchised that none could take away Adams freedome from him or banish him from that heavenly City except himselfe had beene the first cause thereof except himselfe had disfranchised himselfe For it was Adams sin that brought him death and the stinge of his sinne hath stung all mankinde to death through the offence of one death passed vpon all mē Rom. 5.12 for as much as all haue sinned in him Rom. 5. Yea the little childrē who die so soone as they are new borne are stung to death through sin not because they committed sin but because they were conceived in sin Augustin Hypognost lib. 5. as S. Augustine doth wel distinguish their sin to be vterinâ conceptione non personali actione through their sinneful conception and not through any personall action Parvuli enim non actu August Ibid. sed ortu sunt peccatores Infants are sinners not for any fact Psalm 51 5. but for birth sake they are conceived in sin and borne in iniquity For if they had beene free from all originall sin as they were from actual sin they should not so soone haue died because the wages of sin is death and where is no sinne Rom. 6.23 there is no death to wit Necessary and Poenall For albeit Christ died who did no sinne yet his death was Voluntary 1. Pet. 2.22 Tradidit in mortem animam suam Esay 53 12. Iohn 10.18 he offered himselfe of his owne will to die he powred out his soule vnto death hee laid downe his life of himselfe But all other men die necessarily Statutum est omnibus semel mori Heb. 9.27 It is appointed to all men that they should once die it was the decree of God for sinnes sake that everie man should die and that decree of God was not Respectu naturae institutae in regard of the first created nature of man sed respectu naturae destitutae in respect of the depraved and corrupted nature of man through sinne Againe Christs death was Expiatory but mans Poenall Christs death was not the sting of sinne Passiuely to be stung to death by sin as mans was but it was the sting of sinne Actiuely to sting sinne to death for his death was the death of death Thus then you haue heard the cause of death to be sinne according to these words of my Text The sting of death is sinne The second thing which I noted is the Life and Power of Sinne which is the Law The strength of sinne is the law Whereas sinne in the time of the Law of Nature in many did seeme dead or at least senselesse and to lie as in a transe so that it did not manifestly appeare what was sin and what was not the eies of mens minds and vnderstandings being darkned and overcast with grosse mists of ignorance and errour then the law of Moses brought sinne to life againe Rom. 7 9. Quando enim venit mandatum revixit peccatum when the commandement came sinne reviued The bright sunshine of Moses Law made sinne shine cleere in its perfect colours and then the darknesse and confusion of the differences of sinnes was taken away that every one might runne and read what sinne was Rom 7.13 Et supra modum peccatum erat peccatum per mandatum sinne was growne out of measure sinfull by the commandement For the law made the full tide of sinne which grew by these degrees First in his being for sinne had his beginning and being as it were from the Law Rom. 4.15 because where no law is there is no transgression Rom. 4. Secondly in the knowledge of sinne as St Paule saith Rom. 7.7 I knewe not sinne but by the Law for how should I haue knowne lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not lust Wherefore knowledge hoysseth vp the waues of sin for where the greatest knowledge is there the greatest sinne is if vertue godlinesse be not the handmaids of knowledge and that it be not seasoned with grace according as our Saviour saith Luk. 12 47. Luk. 12. That man who knoweth his masters will and doth it not shall bee beaten with many stripes And therefore saith St Paul Tribulation anguish and indignation Rom 2 9. and wrath shall bee vpon the soule of every man that doth evill of the Iew first and also of the Gentile Rom. 2. Why vpon the Iew first but because hee knewe most and therefore is first and most punished Theophilact in cap. 2. ad Rom. as Theophylact on that place saith Iudaeus plus divinae susceperat disciplinae vnde erat dignus maiore supplicio The Iew had receiued a greater measure of knowledge and therefore receiueth a greater measure of punishment because hee knewe the Law of the Lord but did not keepe it Thirdly the Law encreaseth sinne by forbidding sin for the more the Law forbiddeth sin the more doth the wicked mā covet sinne Ruimus in vetitum we runne with all might and main to that which is forbidden vs August in lib. de speritu litera cap 4. Quod enim concupiscitur fit iucundius dum vetatur The prohibitiō of any thing to be done is as suger to sweeten the appetite thereof as the forbidding of meats many times by the Physition needeth no further sauce to provoke appetite in the patient most of all to desire those meats And as swelling waters the more they are barred their course and flow by flood-gates and lockes and wheires the more they rage and swell and overflowe so the more the Law doth seem to bolt and barre men from sinne and to set them their bounds which they should not passe the more is sinfull mans nature enraged and the more the swelling waues of wickednesse do overflowe and make their full tide All which commeth to passe not because the law is sinne for it is holy iust and good Rom. 7.12 but because the Law is as a by-occasion and not any iust cause to increase sinne and to giue vigour and strength therevnto For the law is the strength of sinne not of it selfe but by accident not directly but indirectly as appeareth by the three former degrees of being knowing and forbidding as also by the great industrie and pollicie of Sathan who seeing God to haue made the Law as a barre to keepe men from sinne doth therefore labour the more to tempt men thereby and to make the Law as a snare to catch men Wherefore for conclusion of this point the Law is no more in fault that man groweth more sinfull thereby then the sune in the firmament is in fault because sore and bleare eies become sorer and blind thereby For as the Physition is not to bee blamed or his physicke in fault because the sicke patient doth ill apply it and by his distemperature in diet turneth wholsome phisicke and medicine to the increase of his
maladie and disease In like manner God the Physition of mens soules who gaue his law as a soveraigne medicine to preserue them from sicknesse and from sinne is not to be blamed or his law in fault but sinfull man who maketh that soveraigne medicine as poyson vnto his soule to increase his sinne Thus you haue heard how the Law is the strength of sinne I come now to the victory cōquest of Christians in their head and Captaine Christ Iesus over sinne and death Thankes bee vnto God which hath given vs victory tbrough our Lord Iesus Christ When mankind was not able to encounter with Death that great Giant which did overcome all people by his power did trample vpon Kings Princes tyrannizing over all at his pleasure for indeede death was like that mighty King Prov. 39. who had his name of a compound Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alkum Prov. 30 31. and is as much to say as none is able to stand or rise vp against him like Iosua the Captaine of Israel for as he shut Kings Princes in caues of the earth Ios. 10 18. and roaled great stoces vpon the mouthes of the caues Ios 10.50 So death shutteth the greatest Emperors and Kings in caues in graves and rowleth great stones vpon the mouthes thereof maketh great tombes ouer them I say when mankind was not able to enter listes combate with this potent tyrant but was forced to yeeld lie down at his feet Then Christ Iesus that blessed sonne of God and sonne of David 1. Sam. 17. encountreth like his father David with this great Goliah and with a strong maner of fight overcommeth him not with any instrument weapon of warre or by fighting but by dying Hee slayeth death as David did Goliah with his owne sword 1 Sam. 17.51 He overcommeth Death with death Dum occiditur occidit Hieronym lib. 2. Epist 24. as St Hierome speaketh whilst Sathan and death sought to kill him he killeth them both maketh his death their death as it was prophecied of him Hos 13. O Death Hos. 13.14 I will be thy death O graue I will be thy destruction Christi enim morte mors mortua est by Christs death Death died Devorauit Hieronym vbi supra devorata est it sought to devoure and it selfe was devoured for whereas it sought to catch at mans humanity it was devoured of his deitie And even therefore according to the Apostle Heb. 2. Heb. 2.14 did Christ take flesh and blood vpon him that so hee might die in his flesh and through death destroy Death and him that hath the power of Death that is the Devill So that Christ hath carried away the gates of death Iudg. 16.3 Iudg. 16.30 as Samson sometimes did the gates of Azza and hath like another Samson by his death slaine the great Philistines even sinne and death and the Divell But some peradventure will say how hath Christ overcome death how hath his death taken away death seeing death raigneth and ruleth now as much in mens bodies since Christs death as before and men die as fast as before For answer herevnto you must consider that there bee two manners of death the one of the body the other of the soule the one temporall the other eternall Now this eternal spiritual death of the soule Christ hath already taken away In re indeed actually destroying that in all the faithfull through remissiō of their sinnes in his blood But the temporall death of the body hee hath only taken away In spe in hope of the glorious resurrection of the body at the last day when death shall be swallowed vp into victory 1. Cor. 15.54 Revel 21.4 and when there shall be no more death For this corporall death which is a temporall punishment of originall sinne Alex. ab Alex. part 4. qu 8. membr 8. Artic. 2. Christ hath not taken away Simpliciter simply and altogither but quoad dominium only as the Schoolemen speake that is the power and dominion of death is taken away by Christ as appeareth Rom. 5. where it is said that death raigned from Adam to Moses Rom. 5.14 that is all the time of the Law inclusiuely Psal 68.18 evē vntill Christ who by his death hath destroyed the kingdome of death and hath led captivitie captiue And therefore this tyrant Death whose kingdome is alreadie actually destroyed though it selfe shall not be fully destroyed vntill the end of the world for the last enimie that shall be destroyed is Death I say 1. Cor. 15.26 this tyrant Death being thus depulsed and driven out of his kingdome Origen in c. 5. ad Rom. Nō tam regnare quà m latrocinari videtur doth not so much seeme to raigne and play the Tyrant as to play the theefe and murtherer to kill men And this power of death Christ hath not taken away August lib 13. de Civit. Dei Cap. 4. Ne fides enervaretur quae corporis immortalitatem in spe exspectat quam in re nondum habet as St. Augustine giueth the reason namely for the further exercise of that part of a Christiā mans faith whereby he constantly beleeues the immortality of the body hereafter which in this life it cannot haue Yea Christ may bee said in some manner already to haue taken away even the corporall death also in the godly inas much as he hath taken away sinne which is the sting of death and as it were the forme and life of death So that as hony is not truely honie when it hath lost its sweetnesse nor Vineger truely vinegar when it hath lost its tartnesse and sharpnesse nor Aloes and Gall truly so when they haue lost their bitternes no more is the death of the righteous truely death hauing lost its bitternesse Psal 69.21 and fearefulnesse and terrours in the godly The gall and vineger which Christ dranke a little before his death hath taken away the gall and bitternesse of the death of the faithfull in whom death hath lost as the greatest part of its nature so even the very name of it too it being in them no more but a sleepe as it is called in diverse places of holy Scripture 1. Thess 4.15 whereof for brevitie sake I will name but one 1. Thess 4. where it is said that they which liue and are remaining at the comming of the Lord in the resurrection shall not prevent those that sleepe that is all those that are dead before Wherefore to draw towardes a conclusion of this point it doth appeare how the faithfull are conquerours in Christ their head and Captaine over sinne and death for Christs victory is their victory because all his fighting with sinne and death and the Divel the great and capitall enimies of mankind was only to make men his faithfull members Conquerours so that they may say with St Paule in my Text that God hath given
them victorie over sinne and death through his sonne Christ Iesus Numb 21.9 Now is their death become like the brasen serpent in the wildernesse which had indeed the shape and forme of a Serpent but nothing else of a serpent nec motum nec morsum nec venenum neither life nor motiō nor tongue nor sting nor poyson of a serpent In like manner the death of the godly in the wildernesse of this world hath the likenesse and semblance of death but it hath no sting it hath no venome it hath no poyson But whereas it is to the wicked and vngodly the beginning of sorrow and everlasting torments it is to the godly and righteous the end of sorrowes but the beginning of everlasting ioyes to the wicked it is the gate of hell but to the godly the gate to heauen in a word to the wicked it is death indeed even death of body and soule but to the righteous rather a life then a death even the entrance and passage to everlasting life So that when they lie on their death-beds and are even at their last gaspe when they are ready to giue vp the ghost and death seemeth to haue gotten the vpper hand of them and brought them almost as low as the dust Theod. lib. 1. Eccl. Hist cap 20. yet even then as Iulian said to Christ Vicisti Galilaee O Galilean thou hast overcome me so may death say to them Vicisti Christiane O Christian thou hast overcome me No marvaile then if our blessed Apostle here in my Text in the person of all the godly burst forth into that ioyfull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and triumphant song O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victory which now followeth in the last place to be considered containing the ioyfull exultation and triumphant insultation of the godly over Death and Hell and the Graue The Heathens and Pagans saith St Origen were wont to celebrate the day of their birth and nativitie Orig. lib. 3. in Iob. as onely louing this and looking for none after this but Christians must not so much celebrate and solemnize the day of their birth as of their death because albeit they loose this life yet they must looke for and more loue another life And the dying out of this world is not a death but a life rather Quia non moriuntur siqui mori videntur Orig. vt supr because they saith the same St Origen who here seeme to die doe not die indeed for albeit they seeme to flesh and blood to die yet in truth and indeed they liue eternally And as Iacob after his wrestling with the Angel was sinew shrunke and had his thigh out of ioint and went halting but had his name changed and was no more called Iacob Gen. 32.28.31 but Israel because hee prevailed with God and did see God Semblably the godly after they haue wrestled with the Angell of death on their death-beds may haue the sinews of their bodies shrūk vp al the parts mēbers thereof out of ioint for death indeed disiointeth all so that they are not able to go vpright but are carried on mens shoulders vnto their graues yet the Angel of death in the end cānot but cōfesse that they haue power with God that God wil blesse thē giue thē a new name Revel 2.17 so that they shal no more be called Iacobs mortal mē supplanting one another here on earth but Israëls prevailers with God seers of God and blessed Saints of God in the kingdome of heaven The godly then haue great cause to reioice and insult over death saying O Death where is thy sting Thou maiest indeed sting our bodies vnto death but thou haste lost thy great string thou canst not now any more sting our soules to death O Tyrant thou mayst kill our bodies for a time but thou canst not kill our soules for ever So that they may say with S. Bernard O mors Bern. serm 26 sup Cantic stimulus tuus non est stimulus sed iubilus O Death thy sting is no sting vnto vs but our jubilee and crowne of reioicing 1. Thess 2.19 thou thinkest to send vs quicke vnto hell Greg. Nyssen but thou sendest vs quickly to heaven thou art as a midwife as Gregorie Nyssene speaketh to helpe to bring vs out of the womb of this world into a better world Psal 27.13 and into the land of the living thou art the ship wherein we saile vnto the haven of our happynesse whilst we are here almost drowned in the deluge of this miserable and wretched life Gen. 5.29 And therefore as Lamech called his sonne Noah because he should comfort him make all his labour and sorrow to cease and rest in like manner all iust and righteous men may call death their Noah the sonne of their rest and comfort from all their labours and sorrowes and sicknesses diseases paines for then all these things and all such like miseries shal bee done away and shall never be againe When Vrbicius Governour vnder the persecuting Emperour Aurelius Verus Euseb l 4 hist Eccles cap. 16 would needs put Lucius to death for the profession of Christianitie Lucius scorned him saying O wicked Tyrant wilt thou put me to death thou dost me a great favour and a great kindnesse for thou sendest me from the tyrannie of a cruell Lord and Governour ad bonum patrē clementem Regem Deum to a good Father a mercifull King even God my Christ and my Lord. So when death that Tyrant to whom every knee must bend and bow at his presence threatneth Christians they may iustly answer him as Lucius there did Vrbicius O Tyrant dost thou threaten to kill vs thou dost vs a great kindnesse thou freest vs from the tyrannie of wicked men here on earth and sendest vs to a loving father and a mercifull Lord in the heavens thou freest vs from the stinking prison of this world to send vs to sweet and pleasant palaces in the world to come And that they may likewise say as St Basil said to Modestus Governour vnder Valens the Emperour Greg. Naz. in orat 30 in laudem Basil whē he threatēd his death mors mihi beneficij loco erit quia cito me ad Deū mittit cui vivo ad quem propero Oh welcome Death thou art a great benefit a great advantage vnto me for thou sends me quickly to God to whome I liue and to whom I long to goe And therefore O Death where is thy sting O Graue where is thy victory And now Beloued lest the stream of discourse should carrie me beyond the compasse of the time Application and I should tire out both my weake spirits and your Christian patience I come briefly to some short application as the present occasion and your expectation requireth that as I haue hither to spoken of death so now I may say something also of this
dead subiect presēted here before your eies And albeit it be too hard a matter for mee either by speech or action sufficiently to commend his excellent worth all that I can say being farre too little and no way answerable therevnto yet because Hermol Barbarus in epist ad Ioh. Picum Mirandul as Hermolaus said of a great learned man Quia talem non laudat propriae existimationi detrahit so may I say of him that if J should not somewhat honour him with iust cōmendation I should much wrong my selfe and wrong you all I beseech you therefore lend me your favourable patience but a while whilst I speake briefly of his Learning Life and Death That so both I may faithfully repay some part of that I owe him for deserved praise is tanquam aes alienum Greg. Naz. orat 25. in laudem Gorgoniae as due debt saith Greg. Nazianzen and is to be paid even to the dead and others also thereby may bee the more incited to emulate and follow his steppes First as touching his Learning such was his skill in the tongues and his multiplicitie of knowledge in all Arts Sciences both divine and humane Mantuan in Epist ad Ioh. Picum Mirandul that as Baptista Mantuanus spake of Picus Mirandula in vno eodēque homine videri Hieronymum Augustinum revixisse so it should seeme that both these learned Fathers did liue in him againe Act. 18.24 He was an Apollos mightie in the Scriptures hee was familiarly conversant amongst the Fathers and as a father amongst them and amongst the Schoolemen tanquam Seraphicus Doctor at whose mouth as at an oracle men might be resolued in matters of doubt And therefore most worthy was he of that chiefe place of the Doctour of the Chaire in Divinitie which hee with so great applause and approbation I had almost said admiration so long even about twentie yeares bare amongst vs out of whose Schoole haue proceeded so manie light starres of our Church Greg Naz. orat 25. in laudem Gorgoniae that as Greg. Nazianzen compared his father so might this our Reverend Father be well compared to Abraham For he was an Abraham indeed Pater multorum filiorum a father of many sonnes by scholasticall creation of them in the highest degrees of Learning and that I may speake the more to his honour and to the honour of our Mother the Vniversitie a great part of the Reverend Bishops of the Land were thus his sonnes whereof * The Arch-Bishop of Canterbury the Bishop of London two at this daie very worthily sit at the sterne of our Church and are chiefe pillars thereof But I will say no more of his learning lest my praise should but eclipse his fame who was so much renowned for his preaching reading disputing moderating that all mouthes commended him and strangers admired him so that his fame was spread abroad and that in forraine countries as well as at home and therefore it were sore to be lamented were it not that the good pleasure of Almightie God was such that so much learning should goe to the graue and bee buried in the bowels of the earth And so I hasten to speake of his Life which was so answerable to his learning that it is hard to say which was more commendable and admirable to him the one or the other his Learning or his life they did both so equally meet and kisse each other in him And surely they are an happy couple where they meet together Plin. lib. 2. Nat. Hist cap. 37. Geminae salutares like Castor and Pollux when they both appeare together they portend much good and betoken a happy arrivall in heauen He had as well tasted of the tree of life I meane of good liuing in the world as of the tree of knowledge Hee was not like those of whom Seneca speaketh Sen. Ep. 95. ad Lucil. Qui postquam docti prodierunt boni esse desierunt quique disputare norunt non vivere who after they became learned began then to leaue of to doe well Neither was hee like those of whom Alvarus complaineth Alvarus lib. 2. Artic. 74. who had rather apparentem quam existentem scientiam rather an apparent seeming knowledge vnto the world thereby to clime to riches and promotions and honours here on earth then scientiam donum Spiritus sancti true and sanctified knowledge which is the gift of the holy Ghost whereby they might climbe vp to the kingdome of heaven But he had otherwise and farre better learned Christ then so was so holy and vpright and sanctified in his life and conversation that as Alexander de Ales as Trithemius reporteth was wont to say of Bonaventure Trithemius quòd in eo non videbatur Adam peccasse that it did scarse seeme that Adam had sinned in him so it might in some sort be said of him also in the very like manner at least in comparison of many in this wicked generatiō so spotlesse was he blamelesse from all great enormous and scandalous offences being full of the workes of the Spirit as loue peace gentlenesse meekenesse temperance full of tender mercy brotherly compassion full of almes deeds and mercifulnesse vnto the poore So that as hee was a shining bright lamp for his learning lightning others vnto the knowledge of the truth so was hee a shining bright starre too in his life enlightning others in the pathway to heavē He was praeco veritatis a preacher of the truth and hee was factor veritatis a doer of the truth he was an earnest professour of the Orthodoxe faith zealous of true religiō did hate with a perfect hatred al Idolatry and superstitiō false religion The relation of the fellows His common farewel to the Fellowes of his College when he tooke any longer iourney was this Cōmendo vos dilectioni Dei odio Papatus superstitionis I cōmend you to the loue of God to the hatred of all Popery and superstitiō And as he was a great Champiō for the defence and maintenance of true Religion so of al pietie and godlinesse Ephes 6. having on the whole armour of God for as he had the shield of faith so hee had the brestplate of righteousnesse and as he had his loynes girt with veritie and with the sword of the spirit which is the word of God so hath he now the helmet of salvation which is set on his head as a Diademe and Crowne of glorie in the heavens He was meeke and humble as Moses Exod. 34.29 and as Moses wist not that the skinne of his face shone bright which the children of Israël saw and admired no more did he see and know how his knowledge and vertues did shine vnto the world but was meeke and lowly in his owne eies I wil not presume too much of your patience to speak any further of his life albeit I verily assure my selfe you woulde thinke nothing too much and too long which should be spoken of him and for my selfe I could not wāt matter of discourse in so worthy a subiect Wherefore considering howe much time hath beene already spent in the solemnizing of his funerals I am willing to yeeld vnto the time and to mine owne and others weaknesse and and therefore hastening to an end I come in a word or two to speake of his end and Death leaving the manner circumstances of his sicknes the name and nature of his disease which is vnto me altogither vnknowne and no more then conjectural with Physitions arte the knowledge of man being vnable to comprehend all that infinit variety of particuler diseases whereby God at his good pleasure bringeth men vnto their ends Now what ende and death can be iudged of him but a good end a good death For a good life is the forerunner of a good death according as S. Hierome saith I haue not read or heard Hieronym but that he who lived well died well And as the whole time of his sicknesse was accompanied with holy Praiers and devout meditations so towards his end especially he did even seeme to powre out his soule in praier breathing out as his short breath would giue him leaue these such like heavenly songs a little before day the same morning that he died Come oh come Lord Iesus the bright morning starre Come Lord Iesus I desire to be dissolved and to be with thee as if he had fully conquered death and had saide in his soule O Death where is thy sting O Graue Where is thy Victory The Lord hath given me victorie over you through his sonne Iesus Christ And so when his voice began to faile him that hee could pray no longer with his tongue lifting vp his hāds vnto heaven Psal 121.1 and his eies vnto the hils from whence commeth salvation Deut. 34 5. he shortly after died a most sweete and a quiet death like vnto Moses who died 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the mouth of the Lord that is as some of the Rabbines Hebrew Doctours interpret it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a kisse of Gods mouth for so indeed death is to the godly sweet as a kisse Rabbi Isaak n Deut. 34. therfore when they are ready to commend their soules vnto God they may say with the Spowse in the Canticles Cant. 1.1 Osculetur me osculo oris sui Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth And thus this reverend man hath left vs and hath left the worlde and surely hee had little cause to loue the world and it should seeme the world did as litle loue him so that as it was said of Othniel a good Iudge in Israel that he died Glossa in Iud. cap. 3. quia indignus erat populus habere talem iudicem because the people were not worthy to haue such a Iudge the like may be said of him Hollandus mortuus est quia mūdus indignus erat habere talem virum I name him for loue honours sake HOLLAND is dead because the world was not worthy of him for it did not reward him according to his worth but the greater is his reward with the Lord to whom he is gone Now the Lord graunt vs grace to liue all our daies in his feare that at length we may die in his favour and receiue the reward of everlasting life Amen Amen FINIS