quake and tremble to thinke of them How faine would I snatch thy soule out of this fire Vndoubtedlie know that if this warning doe thee no good it is because thou art of old iustlie ordained to perish in thy impenetency and to bee a fire-brand in these euerlasting flames Now on the contrarie if thou beest a vessell of mercie and honour it will doe thee no hurt but driue thee to Christ in whom there is no condemnation who onelie is perfectlie able to saue and deliuer thee out of this Lake If thou be est alreadie in him it will cause thee to reioyce in thy Lord and Sauiour who hath deliuered thee from the feare of two such enemies that now thou mayst with the Ostrich in Iob despise the horse and his rider and triumph by Faith ouer Hell and Death O Death where is thy sting Oh Hell where is thy victorie Death is to men as he comes attended To Diues he comes followed with Diuells to carrie his soule to Hell To Lazarus with troopes of Angels to conuey him to Abrahams bosome So that we may in earnest say that Death is the Atheists feare and the Christians desire Diogines could iestingly call it The Rich mans enemie and the Poore mans friend This this is that which makes death so easie so familiar and dreadlesse to a belieuer he sees Death indeede but Death is not Death without Hell follow him and Hell he sees not but onely as escaped and vanquished and therefore is said not to see Death Now sayes the belieuer comes death and the Prince of this world with him but he hath no part in mee all the bitternesse and teares of death lye in the feare of Hell which thanks be to Christ hath nothing to do with me nor I with it and therefore I taste not of death now comes Gods Sergeant pale death whom I know I cannot auoyde but this I know he comes not to arrest me to carry me to prison but only to inuite me to a feast attend and conuey me thither Let such feare him as are in debt and danger mine are all discharged and cancelled he comes with his horse to take vp me behind him and to fetch me to my fathers ioyes to a Paradice as full of pleasures as he carries the wicked to a prison full of paines Pharaohs Baker and Butler were sent for out of prison the one to promotion the other to execution hee that had the ill Dreame expected the Messenger with horror the other longed for him with comfort The latter is my case therefore though I be reasonably wel in this world as a child at board yet home is home therefore will I waite till this pale horse comes and bid him heartily welcome and with him the Angels of my Father who haue a charge to lay my body in a bed of rest and to bestow my soule vnder the Altar as it followes in the next seale which is so pleasing a vision that we neede no voice or preface such as we had in the former inuiting vs to Come and see the very excellency of the obiect it self is of force enough to draw and hold the eies of our minds vnto it The second Sermon VERSE 9. And when hee had opened the first Seale I saw vnder the Altar the Soules c. WHen Death hath bin viewed in the palest and Hell in the blackest colors that may be yet if wee haue Faith enough to see Soules in their White roabes vnder the Altar there is comfort enough against the horror of both enough to enable the belieuer to despise and trample ouer them â—ooth In the opening of this fifth Seale I hope to finde more sollid Antidotes more liuely Cordialls against the feare of Death then in all the dead and drie precepts of Bellarmines doting Art of dying For this part of the vision was shewed Iohn of purpose to sweeten the harshnesse of the former that his spirit grieued and amazed with the sight of the calamities and mortalitie vnder the persecuting Butchers rather then Emperours might yet be relieued and refreshed with a sight of the blessed estate of such as died either in or for the Lord. Wherein was proposed to his sight and to our consideration these seuerals First the immortall subsistence of soules after their seperation from the body Secondly their sure and secure condition vnder the Altar Thirdly their dignity and felicitie clothed with white robes Fourthly their compleate happinesse at the last day when the number of their bretheren shall be accomplished Of all these Christ meant Iohn should take notice and al beleeuers by his testimony to their full consolation First Iohn being in the spirit could see spirits men indeed clad in flesh can hardly imagine how a soule can haue existence out of the flesh Eagles can see that which Owles cannot so is that visible and credible to a spirituall man which to a naturall is inuisible incredible And yet euen natures dimme eyes haue beene cleere enough to see this truth Nature I say pure and meere nature not only the Platonists and other learned ones who resolutely concluded it and aptly resembled it to the distinct being of the waggoner after the breaking of the Coach the swimming out of the Mariner in the wreake of the ship the creeping of the snayle out of the shell the worme out of the case not vnto the learned Grecians and ciuilized Romans But euen the rudest Scythians and vnlettered Sauages yea though there bee many Languages and sundrie Dialects in the world yet is and hath this euer been the common voyce of them all That soules die not with the body And howeuer the bodies resurrection hath to them been a Problem and Paradoxe yet is the soules eternitie an inbred instinct sucked from natures breast or rather an indelible principle stamped in the soules of men by the finger of God And indeed to right reason what difficulty or absurditie is there in it What lets mee to conceiue a being of it in the Ayre in the Heauen or in any other place as well as in the compasse of my body is not one substance as capable of it as another Can it liue in the one and not in another Hath it not euen whiles it is in the bodie thoughts motiues passions by it selfe of it owne different from the body many crosse and contrarie to the disposition of the body chearefull ones when that is in paine or melancholie Cholericke ones when that is flegmaticke Doth it waite vpon the body for ioy sorrow anger and the like doth it not more often begin vnto it Not to speake of Martyres innumerable who haue beene exceedingly pleasant in the middest of torments as if they had beene spirits without flesh How many auncient stories and dailie examples haue wee of chereful minds in distempered pained languishing dying bodies Reason will then conclude that the Soule may well be and be sensible after death without the body which euen in the body can bee wel
you will make more guiltie of it Fredericke Anuill of Bearne to the Fryers that willed him to call on the Virgin Mary three times repeated Thine O Lord is the Kingdome thine is the power and glory for euer and euer Let 's fight Let 's fight Auaunt Sathan Auaunt Godfrey Varal of Piedmont Hangman doe thine office my death will be fruitfull to my selfe and others Halewine of Antwerp and Harman of Amsterdam to the Markgraue of Antwerpe offering mittigation of Torments vpon abiuration Wee are resolued these Momentany afflictions are not worthy that exceeding weight of glory that shal be reuealed Peter and Nicholas Thiesseâ— brethren vsed the like speech Annas Burgius in the middest of his torments Lord forsake mee not lest I forsake thee Peter Clarke with the root of hi Tongue plucked out pronounced audibly to shew that none euer wanted a tongue to praise God Blessed be the name of God as of old Romanus the Martyr mentioned in Prudentius Godfrey de Hammele to one that called him Heretique No heretique but an vnprofitable seruant yet willing to die for his Lord and reckoning this death no death but a life Bucer No man by talke shall withdraw my mind from Christ crucified from heauen my speedy departure vpon which my soule is fixed When one aduised him to arme himselfe against Sathans temptations Hee hath nothing to doe with mee God forbid but now my soule should be sure of sweet consolation Tremelius a Christian Iew Let Christ liue and Barrabas perish Ferdinand Emperour If mine Ancestors and Predecessors had not dyed how should I haue beene Emperour I must that others may succeed mee Frederick the third Elect. Palat. to his friends about him wishing him recouery I haue liued enough to you let mee now liue to my selfe and with my Lord Christ. Leonard Caesar Oh Lord doe thou suffer with me Lord support me and saue me Windelmuta to one that told her shee had not yet tasted how bitter Death was No said shee neither euer shall I for so much hath Christ promised to all that keepe his word neither will I forsake him for sweete life or bitter death Henry Voes If I had ten heads they should all off for Christ. God forbid I should reioyce in any thing saue in his Crosse. The Minister of Brisgo This skinne which scarce cleaues to my bones I must shortly haue layde off by necessitie how much more willingly now for my Sauiour Christ. Adolphus Clarebachius I beleeue there is not a merrier heart in the world at this instant then mine is Behold you shall see mee dye by that Faith I haue liued Alexander Cane when a fooles Cappe was put on his head Can I haue a greater Honour done me then to bee serued as my Lord CHRIST before Herod Lord seeing my Persecutors haue no mercy haue thou mercy on mee and receiue my soule Almondus a Via My body dyes my Spirit liues Gods Kingdome abides euer God hath now giuen mee the accomplishment of all my desires Giles Tilman vrged to know what hee beleeued of Purgatory Purgatorie and Hell I leaue to you but my Hope is directly to goe into Paradise Neither feare I this great pyle of Wood whereof some might haue been spared to warme the poore but will passe through it purged for my Sauiour Peter Bruse I thanke God my broken legge suffered mee not to flye this Martyrdome Marion the wife of Adrian seeing the Coffin hooped with Iron wherein shee was to bee buryed aliue Haue you prouided this Pasty-crust to bake my flesh in Lewis Paschalis It s a small matter to die once for Christ if it might be I could wish I might die a thousand deaths for him Iohn Buisson I shall now haue a double Gaole deliuery one out of my sinnefull flesh another from the loathsome Dungeon I haue long lyen in Hugh Stallour to Iohn Pike his fellow Martyr Yet a little while and wee shall see one another before the Throne and face of God Levine de Blehere To his friends that offered to rescue him by tumult Hinder not the Magistrates worke nor my happinesse Father thou soresawest this Sacrifice from eternall now accept of it I pray thee Christopher Fabrianus First bitter then sweet first battell the victory when I am dead euery drop of my bloud shall preach Christ and set foorth his praise Francisce Soet You depriue me of this life and promote mee to a better which is as if you should rob mee of Counters and furnish me with Gold Guy de Bres The ringing of my Chaine haue beene sweet Musicke in mine eares my Prison an excellent Schoole wherein Gods spirit hath bin my Teacher all my former Discourses were as a blinde mans of colours in comparison of my present feeling Oh what a precious Comforter is a good Conscience Dionysius Peloquine To the Inquisitour telling him his life was now in his owne handes Then said hee It were in an ill keeping Christes Schoole hath taught mee to saue it by loosing it and not by the gaine of a few dayes or yeares to lose Eternitie Lewis Marsake Knight seeing his other brethren goe with Halters about their necks which they offered not him because of his dignity Why I pray you quoth hee deny me not the Badge and ornament of so excellent an order is not my cause the same with theirs which obtayning hee marched valiantly to the Stake with them Symon Laloeus to one Siluester his Executioner Neuer saw I man in all my life whose comming was more welcome to mee then thine So cheerfull was his death that Syluester amazed at it left his office became a Conuert and a Christian himselfe went to Geneua for further instruction in the Gospell Kilian a Dutch Schoolemaster to such as asked him if hee loued not his wife and children Yes said hee if all the world were golde and were mine to dispose of I would giue it to liue with them though it were but in prison yet my soule and Christ are dearer to me then all Giles Verdict Out of my Ashes shall rise innumerable Christians which Prophecy God so verified by the effect that it grewe a by-word after his death That his ashes flewe abroad all the Countrey Anthony Verdict brother to the former condemned to bee eaten with Beastes to preuent the like Prouerbe sayd to his Father Oh Father how hath God enabled you to haue two Sonnes honoured with Martyrdome Iohn Barbevill to Fryers that called him ignorant Asse Well admit I were so yet shall my Bloud witnesse against such Balaams as you bee Francisce Coluer to his two Sons massacred together with himselfe Sheepe wee are for the slaughter this is no new thing let vs follow millions of Martyrs through temporall death to eternall life By all these which are but an handfull of Christs Campe Royall it sufficiently appeares they had their Faith fresh and liuely in the face of this graund enemy and by Vertue of their Faith their Spirits Wits and Tongues
Stephan bequeathed to him hee presents them to his Father shelters them from accusation and condemnation gathers them as the Henne her Chickens vnder his wings being fully able to keepe what is committed to him from all disquiet Hee that could keepe the three young men in the Furnace with whom he walked yea their very garments from the violence of fire The Israelites and their apparell in the wilderness Ionas in the Whales belly how much more easily now hee sits at the hand of his Father in Maiestie and Glorie can hee defend saued and glorified soules from all Externall and Internall Annoyance and settle them in absolute peace with him in his Paradise according to his frequent promise to such as ouercome they shall sit with me vpon thrones And long white Robes were giuen vnto euery one If Iohn had seene soules at rest though in poore and meane condition yet were a corner of an house with peace to bee preferred to a wide Pallace with disquiet A poore dyet with greene Herbes with quiet to a feast with stalled oxen and crammed fowles sauced with bitter contention But behold he sees not naked beggerly ragged soules but adorned with white Robes that is endowed now and glorified with perfect righteousnesse puritie clarity digtie and festiuitie of all which white apparell hath euer been an Emblem and Symbole in Diuine and Humane Herauldry a cloathing of Princes in their great solemnities of Coronation triumphs and ouations saies Eusebius so was Herod arrayed in cloath of siluer with which the Sunne beames meeting made such a glister as amazed the people that styled him a God so sayes Tertullian were they woont to dignifie Seruants at their Manumissions with white Apparell in token of their new libertie and preferment At feasts great persons were wont to change their guests ordinary clothes with a white Synthesis a colour fit to expresse alacritie Christians the whole Easter weeke wore white apparell All the graces the soules had heere in this their infancy of Regeneration were but stayned and polluted clouts their knowledge darke and obscured with ignorance their memories clouded with obliuion their wills and affections tempested with mutinies and perturbations their habits of holines and charity sullid with defects and infirmities their delights duske and particoloured spotted with mixture of sorrow all their apparell blacke sad russet at the least but there purer then the Christall whiter then the Snowe or then Fullers earth is able to make them The Lillyes and Salomon in all their Royaltie not like vnto the meanest of them Call vs no more Marah may they say but Naomi For fulnesse of beautie is conferred vpon them God becomming fulnesse of claritie and light vnto the vnderstanding without errour or darknesse continuation of Eternitie to the memory without forgetfulnesse multitude of Peace to the Will and Affections without disturbance or disorder the superiour part of the Soule pleasing it selfe in the blessed vision of God and the inferior satiate with the fruition of riuers of pleasures variety of monthly fruits All this ioy increased by the aemenity and magnificence of the place being Gods Palace built and prepared for eternitie for the honour of his Maiestie and habitation of his Saints all shining like precious Iasper enchanted by the full quire of Angels and communion of holy men excellent when they were on earth now perfected in their vertues and freed from frailties neuer mourning but euer singing and lauding their Creator with Alleluiahs without defatigation or satietie all this made vp and consummate by the addition not of a number of yeares but of eternitie vncountable vnalterable incomprehensible What are the chiefe miseries of this life but the sordid apparell of the Soule the blacke thoughts the speckled phantasies darke obliuion royled soyled affections all the habite of it squalid iagged and tattered Now then was Ioseph loath to change his prison-ragges or Hester her olde and meane Cloathes with stately and royall array Promise a Childe a new Satin suit and see whether hee will not long for it and call for it see whether hee will crie when you bid him lay off his Russets Whence is it then that men dye so dully so vnwillingly so heauily or whence can it bee but because they doe not liuely and certainely beleeue and expect these white Robes for their soules When the beautie of a mans minde is heere obfuscate and defaced with melancholly Tentations and opake Imaginations with yellow choller with pallid feare with ruddy shame with sable dispaire oh what would he giue for a candid calme and serene state of his mind and when againe it pleaseth God to affoord him sunshine holidayes of ioy and tranquilitie wherein his mind is clad and decked with golden siluer and precious ornaments of peace meekenesse temperance patience Oh what an Heauen would he thinke hee had heere on earth if all his daies were but such dayes whereas this a Christian may well assure himselfe of that what euer grace doth here prepare and begin there glory will absolue perpetuate for matter of sanctity purity alacrity of the mind typified in these white robes yea further for matter of dignitie and tryumph which then shall be most compleat where they shall see Christ at that day come in the glory of the Father with millions of his Angels descending bringing down his heauenly Ierusalem meeting them halfe way in the clouds and there auenging them of their enemies sitting with them as assessors vpon thrones to iudge the Angels the world of wicked ones such as haue insulted ouer them on the earth in which they shall then without any malignity of enuy anger or appetite of reuenge take amirable and vnspeakeable content and comfort yea reck on it as the accomplishment of their inchoate glory for which they are here said to long for groane vnder the Altar till the number of all their brethren being consummate God shal openly acquit applaud them condemne and confound their opposites These these are the only stately and Kingly dignities the meditations whereof are onlyable to beget and foster true heroical Christian resolutions against the feare of Death and Hell otherwise vnuanquished To conclude then to the man that would both in health and sicknesse nourish euer in his breast vndaunted and more then conquering thoughts of these two enemies instead of Bellarmines many friuolous and tedious rules I prescribe but these two practises of Faith The first is to worke in his minde a setled and vndoubted certaintie and the second a liuely and frequent representation of them Were heauen nothing else but an hauen of rest wee know how welcome the one is to a Sea-sick weather-beaten traueller and may by that guesse how desireable the other should be to a soule that long hath beene tossed in the waues of this world sicke of owne sinfull imaginations tyred with externall tentations The happiest soule that euer hath sayled ouer this Euripus in the best