Plinius testifies fuiâ—…id opus maximum omniâ—…quae vnquam fere humaâ—…manu facta sunt it was tâ—… greatest worke that euâ—… was wrought by the haâ—… of man and therefore â—… Emperour Nero to shâ—… to some Nobles of Gâ—… many the statelinesse Rome brought them this Theatre replenisâ—… with the people of Roâ—… If wormes of the eaâ—… haue done so nobly â—… giue coÌ„tentment to thâ—… Subiects what shall â—… expect from the Lord our â—…od O what a glorious â—…mphitheatre is that â—…herein all the Saints of â—…od shall sit in a circle â—…d the Lord and the â—…ambe and the seauenâ—…ld spirit shall haue their â—…rone in the middest of â—…at circle as one comâ—…on obiect of vnspeakeaâ—…e delight and pleasure them all Vpon earth there are â—…ny glorious assemblies the Saints of God but â—…e of them knowes not â—…other in the face they â—… distinguished by seueâ—…l countries and in one countrey by seuerall â—…ties and in one city by seuerall Churches yea iâ—… one house they are distinguished by seueral chambers but it shall not 〈◊〉 so there all the dispersâ—… Saints of the Lord shâ—… there be gathered together into one they shâ—… haue full ioy in the Loâ—… their God and mutuâ—… ioy euery one in another Per charitatem fiet vt quâ—… habent singuli commune 〈◊〉 omnibus If Adam kneâ—… his Euah whom hee hâ—… neuer seene before aâ—… Peter Iames Iohn knâ—… Moses and Elias in 〈◊〉 â—…ansfiguration what shal â—…inder why the Saints of â—…od shall not know one â—…other there euery one 〈◊〉 reioycing in another â—…at al their contentment â—…all rest in the Lord in â—…hose face is that fulnesse â—…ioy which shal abounâ—…ntly satisfie them all The ancients vpon this â—…ace obserues degrees of â—…ory Distinguet Deus quo â—…isque sit honore qua manâ—…ne dignus God sitteth 〈◊〉 the middest of Gods â—…at is in the middest of â—…em that shall be saued â—…scerning and distinguiâ—…ing what honour and what mansion place iâ— due vnto euery one 〈◊〉 domo patris mei mansionâ— multae sunt hoc est dignitatum conditionum discrimina In my Fatherâ— house are many mansions that is differences oâ— dignities and estates nâ—â— enim dixisse dominum pâ—tare debemus multas esâ— mansiones respectu discriminis locorum sed or dinâ— donorum for we are noâ— to thinke that our Lorâ— said there are many mansions in respect of the diâ—ferences of places but iâ— respect of the order oâ— gifts When the Sunne shineth all men doe not â—qually enioy the light â—hereof but euery man â—ath his owne delight in 〈◊〉 according to the faculâ—y of his sight so should â—ee esteeme of that light â—ae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est which â—euer goeth down QuaÌ„â—rem per multas mansioâ—s discrimen honoris sanâ—orum significatur whereâ—re by many mansions â—e different honour of â—â—ints is signified vnto vs. 〈◊〉 is true saith Augustine 〈◊〉 respect of the obiect all â—â—ioy one thing thereâ—â—re in that parable al the â—â—bourers in the vineyard are serued alike with onâ—… pennie quo vtique denarâ—… vita significatur aeterna 〈◊〉 amplius alio nemo viuiâ—… quoniam viuendi non est dâ—… uersa in aeternitate mensâ—…ra sed multa mansiones siâ—… nificant diuersas in vna vâ—…ta aeterna dignitates 〈◊〉 which penny eternall lâ—… is signified wherin oneâ—… ueth no more or longâ—… then an other becauâ—… in eternity there are nâ—… diuers measures of liuinâ—… but many mansions siâ—…nifies diuers dignities 〈◊〉 one and the same eternâ—… life which yet shall 〈◊〉 without any murmurinâ—… â—…r grudging or sense of â—…ant in any for all shall â—…e filled and fully conâ—…ented Nec erit inuidia â—…iqua imparis claritatis â—…oniam regnabit in omniâ—…us vnitas charitatis Neiâ—…er shall there be aâ—…ong them any enuy for â—…nequal glory for in them â—…l shall raigne the vnity â—…f Charity Sic enim quisqueâ—…iam ipse habet cum amat 〈◊〉 altero quod ipse non haâ—…et for after this manner â—…uery man hath that â—…hich he hath not when â—…e loueth in another that â—…hich he hath not But how euer it be sure we are of a great glory yea an infinit weighâ—… of glory and of comelâ—… order in that house oâ—… glory God grant our carâ—… may be rather in feare trembling to prepare ouâ—…selues for it then curiousâ—…ly to enquire the secretâ—… of it which as yet are noâ—… reuealed One thing heeâ—… we must remember thaâ—… different degrees of glorâ—… importeth not any proâ—…portion betweene thaâ—… glory man his merits Indeed the different degrees of paines in hell arâ—… according to the different deseruings of menâ—… for Death is the wages of â—…nne but the opposition â—…olds not to say Eternall â—…ife is the wages of our workes the Apostle changeth his speech and saith But eternall life is the gift â—…f God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…reely giuen of his faâ—…our And albeit the Anciâ—…nts sometime vse the â—…ord of meriting yet that â—…herby they signifie oneâ—…y obtaining and not deâ—…eruing as the Papists inâ—…erpret it is euident of â—…hat one place among â—…any of Augustine Nos â—…ero fratres qui nullis praecedentibus meritis de inferni carcere tenebris aternae noctis meruimus liberari There is meriting without merits that is obtayning without merits Hitherto tends the like of his speeches all of them disclaiming deseruing none of them condemning good working Ne meritis suis tribuat si ad eandem massam quisque pertinens gratia liberetur sed qui gloriatur in Domini glorietur Let no man attribute this to his owne merits that hee pertayning to that same masse of sinne wherein all mankind is inuolued hath bin deliuered from by grace but let him that glorieth glory in the Lord. Si ergo ad honorem gratiae pertinemus non simus ingrati tribuendo nobis quod accepimus quid enim habemus quod non accepimus If therefore wee belong to the honour of grace let vs not be so vnthankefull as to attribute that vnto our selues which we haue receiued for what haue wee that we haue not receiued Quaere dona mea â—…bliuiscere merita tua quia â—…i ego quaererem merita tua â—…on venires ad dona mea Seeke my gifts forget thy merits for if I sought thy merits thou shouldst not come to my gifts And againe intreating that place of the Apostleâ—… Henceforth is laid vp forâ—… me a crowne of righteousnesse hee turnes him by an Apostrophe to the Apostle and speakes in this manner Giue me leaue â—… know nought to be thine but that which is euill â—… Cum ergo coronaâ—… Deus merita tua nihil aliud coronanisi dona sua When Goâ—… crowneth thy merits hâ—… crownes nothing by hiâ—… owne gifts And mosâ—… â—…earely Deus impijs reddit â—…uod debetur in poena pijs â—…onat quod non debetur in â—…atia The Lord renders â—…at
quod possumus It is GOD who workes in vs both the will and the deede Falluntur ergo qui Patientiam tribuunt viribus voluntatis humanae non quas habent ex diuino adiutorio sed quas ex libero arbitrio They are therefore farre deceiued who attribute Patience to the strength of man not that which hee hath by heauenly helpe but that which he hath of his owne free will But because wee haue at length spoken of Patience in our Anatomie of a Christian wee contract our selues and shortly conclude this Our Sauiour hauing forewarned his Disciples of manifold troubles abiding them armes them against all with this one Possesse your soules in Patience Here is a Preseruatiue able to keepe peace in thy heart and to banish all perturbation And it serues for all tentations for all places for all persons Are thy tentations immediately from GOD remember member All his pathes are mercy and truth to such as keepe his Couenant and his Testimonies his worke can neuer come against his word The way wherein hee walkes may seeme rough and vnpleasant to thee for a time but waite thou for the end and thou shalt see it comfortable This moued Iob to resolue Though the Lord would slay mee yet will I trust in him and by it Dauid also did strengthen himselfe in great extremitie of trouble Why art thou cast downe my Soule and why art thou disquieted within mee Waite vpon GOD I will yet giue him thankes In the beginning of the thirteenth Psalme how greatly Dauid was troubled yee may perceiue by his owne words How long wilt thou forget mee Lord for euer How long wilt thou hide thy face from mee But how comfortable an end his trouble had yee may see by the last Verse But I trust in thy mercy my heart shall reioyce in thy saluation I will sing to the Lord because hee hath dealt louingly with mee And if thy trouble come from men remember the answere Dauid gaue when Shimei cursed him and that which our Sauiour said vnto Pilate Thou couldest haue no power at all ouer mee if it were not giuen thee from aboue And so knowing it is not man but God with whom thou hast to doe Possesse thou thy Soule by thy Patience Againe in all places keepe in minde this warning of our SAVIOVR Possesse your Soules by your Patience Thou knowest not in what place Satan hath laid his snare to entrappe thee or how sodainely the occasion may arise which may driue thee to Impatience Arme thee therefore before it come and remember thy Watch-word not onely when thou goest abroad but euen at home in thine owne house Sit tibi domus tua quasi quidam Certaminis locus palaestra virtutis There is no place free from the Tempter when the calme is greatest then is a contrary winde most to be feared Suppose thou knowest not from what airth yet it is great wisdome before the blasts of perturbations breake out vpon thee to prouide patience by which thou maist possesse thy soule in peace And last it serueth for all persons and states of men It is not possible that any man of any rancke can liue a peaceable life without this grace of Patience There is a conscientious Seruant like Iacob and hee hath a churlish Master like Naball who defrauded him of his wages There is againe a simple and honest hearted Master like Mephiboseth and hee hath a trayterous Knaue to his Seruant like Ziba There is a good King like Dauid and hee hath a false Counseller like Achitophell there is againe a faithfull Counseller like Obadiah and hee hath aboue him an Idolatrous King like Achab. There These words containe 1 A Comfort 2 A Confirmation of it In the Comfort are three circumstances 1 First circumstance hee who giues the Comfort is Christ. No such loue in the world as our Lord hath shewed vs. The offer of Iuda for Beniamin The loue of Ionathan to Dauid Of Arsinor to her children Of the Pellican to her young ones Pierij hier All these are examples of rare loue but not comparable to the loue of Christ toward vs. Esay 53 4. 5 Iohn 18. 8. We cannot requite this loue yet should we remember it Psal. 119. Luke 2. 19. All the words of our Lord should be laid vp in our hearts but specially the words of his last Legacie 1 Pet. 1. Gen. 25. 6. Gen 27. 39. Ioh. 14. 27. Iohn 14. 27 Psal. 2. 8. Luke 12. 2 Second circumstance to whom is this Comfort giuen To his Disciples Vnder the name of Disciples are comprehended not the twelue onely but all beleeuers Mat. 10. 12. 13. Luke 10. 6. The consolations of God are not for euery man Esay 57 21 2 Ki◅ 9. 22 2 Cor. 10. 6. 3 Third circumstance the Comfort it selfe sufficient against all feare of euill which may trouble vs. Two things men feare Sinne and Death Prou. Wicked men feare nothing more then death till death come then are they vexed with feare of their sinne Reuel But the godly in their life feare nothing more then their sinnes Esay And therefore feares no death when it comes Compleat Comfort against both these feares giuen here Ephes. 6. No exemptions from trouble promised to Christians Chrisost. in Mat. hom 7 Macar hom 15. Neyther is it required that Christians should haue no sense of their trouble But onely that their hearts be not ouercome of trouble The inuincible heart of a Christian cannot be ouercome with inward tentations Iob. 2 Cor. 4. Farre lesse can it be ouercome with outward Psal. Greg. moral lib. 31. This inuincible heart of a Christian is not from himselfe but frō Christ dwelling into it Rom. 8. Philo de sacrificijs Abelis Cains Why the hornes the heart were not offred vnder the Law But now God will haue no Sacrifice without the heart Cyr. in Ioan. cap. 14. Phil 4. Seeing our Sauior was troubled himselfe how saies he to vs let not you hart be troubled Iohn 12. 27. Iohn 13. 21 Mar. 14. 33 The trouble of Christ far different from ours 1 In the end thereof 2 In the mesure therof The greater Christs trouble was the lesse cause of trouble haue we Christs trouble makesmartyrs triumph vnder trouble Sometime the Lord giues comfort before the trouble come Sometime he giues comfort in the midst of trouble But alwaies comfort after trouble Psal. 30. 2 Thes. 1. 7. Psalme Heb. 12. Confirmation of the former comfort wherein Cyrill in Ioan. 1 Faith in Christ is set against the fear of sinne Ephes. 6. Faith respecteth all the three persons of the blessed trinitie Hebr. 1. 3. A proofe of Christs diuinity against Arrians Aug. in Ioan. tract 67. But Atheists rather in this age are to be encountred with pretending Faith which they haue not Faith is a rare Iewell no larger then Election Cyp. lib. 2. Epis. 2. No comfort against sinne and wrath but by true
with suâ—… thankfulnesse as we mâ—… All the words of the Loâ—… should be kept in oâ—… minde so Dauid did 〈◊〉 haue hid thy promises in 〈◊〉 heart so Mary laid vp â—… words of the Angell her hart no place to kâ—… Manna without putrâ—…ction but the Arke aâ—… no place to keep the wâ—… with profit but the hâ—… But as kindly Childâ—… remember most carefuâ—… the words of their Fatâ—… deliuered on his deaâ—… bed so should wee 〈◊〉 words of our Lord vâ—… â—…d vnto vs when he was â—…ing to dye for vs. Naâ—…rall men keepe the Leâ—…cie or Testament of â—…eir fathers wherein peâ—…shing portions of tranâ—…torie things are bequeaâ—…ed to them they will â—…ot rest till it be confirâ—…ed and shall not wee â—…cke vp in the Cabinet â—… our heart the Testaâ—…ent of our Lord wherâ—… the right of an inheriâ—…nce that fades not is asâ—…ned vnto vs he leaues 〈◊〉 not any corruptible â—…ing not the moueables â—… the sons of Keturah nor â—…et the portion of Esau the fatnesse of the earth 〈◊〉 these the Iewels he leaueâ—… vs Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you this the tenour of his Leâ—…gacie or last Will Fatherâ—… I will that they whom thoâ—…hast giuen mee be where 〈◊〉 am with me that they mâ—… behold the glory which thâ—…hast giuen mee O what 〈◊〉 comfort is here the Father saith vnto the Soâ—… Aske of me what thou wiâ—… and I will giue thee thâ—… Sonne declares his will iâ—… his Legacie Father I wilâ—… yea assures vs of his Fathers will Feare not littâ—… flock it is your Fathers wiâ—… 〈◊〉 giue you the Kingdome Here is our right here are he Charters of our heaâ—…enly inheritance happy â—…re we if we lay them vp 〈◊〉 our hearts and giue no â—…est vnto our soules vntill â—…ee haue the confirmaâ—…ion of them past and seaâ—…ed by the Spirit of Aâ—…option assuring vs that â—…hey are ours The second Circumâ—…tance leades vs to consiâ—…er to whom is this comâ—…ort giuen To his Disciples â—…ot to the twelue onely â—…ut as afterward the Lord expounds himselfe â—… pray not for these alone but for them also who shaâ—… beleeue in me through theiâ—… word This Legacie theâ—… pertaines not to thâ—… twelue Disciples onely first preachers of thâ—… Gospell after Christ Iesuâ—… but belongeth also to aâ—… that to the worlds enâ—… shall beleeue in Chriâ—… through their word anâ—… by beleeuing shall bâ—…come his Disciples bâ—… vnto none other Thâ—… consolations of the Goâ—… pell are not for euerâ—… man the Gospell is preached to many but thâ—… peace proclaimed by iâ—… lights vpon none but thâ—… â—…ildren of peace New â—…ne is not for old botâ—…s and the glad newes 〈◊〉 the Gospell euery man â—…th not an eare to heare â—…em nor a heart meete receiue them When you â—…e into an house salute the â—…e and if the house be â—…rthy let your peace come â—…pon it but if it be not worâ—…y let your peace returne â—…nto you And againe If â—…e sonne of peace be there â—…ur peace shall rest vpon â—…m if not it shall returne 〈◊〉 your selues Take heede 〈◊〉 your selues we preach â—…eace in the name of Ieâ—…s our Commission is sure but not common tâ—… all if you be the childreâ—… of Gods good-will our bleâ—…sing of peace shal rest vpon you if not you mâ—…heare it but shall not 〈◊〉 partakers of it There no peace saith my God the wicked But as Ieâ—… answered Iehoram whâ—… he demanded Is it peacâ—… What peace said the otheâ—… What hast thou to doe wiâ—… peace Such is the meâ—… sage that commeth froâ—… the Lord vnto all the wiâ—…ked The same Gospâ—… that commeth from tâ—… Lord with abundance 〈◊〉 blessing to those who aâ—… â—…s owne bringeth with ready vengeance against 〈◊〉 disobedience The â—…mme of all is eyther â—…nder your selues beleeâ—…ng and obedient Disciâ—…es to the Lord Iesus or â—…oke not to receiue any â—…rtion of the consolatiâ—…s which he hath left in â—…s Legacie Let not your heart be troubled THE third Circumstance is in these words and it containes the Comfort it selfe Leâ—… not your heart be troubled I haue fore-warned yoâ—… of many things which 〈◊〉 know are grieuous vntâ—… you I haue told you oâ—… my suffering that one oâ—… my Disciples will betraâ—… me and that the best oâ—… them will deny mee anâ—… that I my selfe must goâ—… from you and whither 〈◊〉 goe you cannot comâ—… now These heauy speeâ—…hes did no doubt astoâ—…ish and confound them â—…nd cast down their harts â—…to the gulfe of exceeâ—…ing sorrow and thereâ—…re comes hee in here to â—…ise them vp againe and â—…mfort them But howâ—…euer the occasion of â—…is Doctrine ariseth of â—…e former premonitions â—…et we may espie in them compleat consolation â—…uen vnto vs by our â—…ord against all that may â—…ouble vs. There are two euils â—…e feare whereof trouâ—…les men first the feare of sinne next the fearâ—… of death and that which followes it The wicked in their life time feare nothing more then death â—… Sinne they feare not yeaâ—… it is a pastime to them to doâ—… wickedly onely they feare Death and Iudgement they cannot eschew it alâ—… their care is to delay it In their death by the contrary they feare nothing so much as their sinne now they flye death aâ—… the center of their sorâ—… rowes then they shaâ—… seeke it as the remedie oâ—… their remorses There iâ—… no death so horrible which they would not â—…illingly imbrace prouiâ—…ed it might free them â—…om the conscience of â—…eir sin yea they would â—…e content to be smotheâ—…ed quick Mountaines fall â—…pon vs and couer vs. But the godly in their â—…fe feare nothing so much â—…s their sinnes they â—…ourne for former sins â—…nd with good Ezekiah â—…ecount them in the bitterâ—…esse of their soule they â—…ght against present sins â—…anding with the armour â—…f God vpon them and â—…rough his grace ouerâ—…ome it they are in continuall feare of sinne tâ—… come if it renew the forâ—… they are still making preparation to resist it Anâ—… therefore they feare nâ—… death at least are not â—… uercome with the feaâ—… thereof they defie it the prouoke it they preueâ—… it I meane they know will come but ere it conâ—… they desire it and are prâ—…pared for it ere it be prâ—…pared for them Simeâ—… sight makes them sing â—… meons Song Now Lorâ—… let thy Seruant departâ—… peace and they resolâ—… with S. Paul I desire to dissolued that I may be wiâ—… Christ. But indeed fearefull is their estate who at one time haue to fight â—…oth against the terrours of sinne and horrour of death It is a godly poâ—…icie in the spirituall warfare to diuide your enemies first ouercome your sinnes vanquish them ere â—…he forces of death can â—…oyne with them so shall â—…ou not be afraid to enâ—…ounter with death for Death is a biting Serpent â—…nd Sinne is the sting
flesh if flesh were not to be saued Tertullian proues it by reason Creare car nem potuit Deus ergo 〈◊〉 God was able to create flesh therefore also able to restore it Non 〈◊〉 igitur separari in mercede quas opera coniunxit They cannot be disioyned in the reward whom God hath ioyned in the work He proues in like manner the possibilitie thereof by the examples of the Day and night by the Change of the apparitions of the Moone by the vicissitude of Summer and Winter by the fall of the leafe of 〈◊〉 tree and flourishing of 〈◊〉 againe by the Phoenix And that as the Lord may doe it so also that he will doe it he proues it at â—…ength by arguments taken from his Iustice and his truth Epiphanius proues it by â—…he assumption of Henoch and Elias by the example of Abraham who begat childe when hee was lead by the example of â—…saac restored to life after â—…hat hee had laid downe his head vnto death anâ—… the Rod of Aaron whicâ—… flourished after that 〈◊〉 long time it had been withered and the life vâ—… getatiue departed from iâ—… as also by sundry testimonies of Scripture Pisida vseth to confirme it that argumeâ—… of the Apostle If in thâ—… life onely wee had hope we were the most miserable And againe O foole thâ—… which thou sowest is nâ—… quickned except it dyâ—… From this that Fatheâ—… learneth man to reuerence the resurrection ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For who saith hee bringeth sowne Corne out of the bowels of the earth raiseth it againe after that it hath beene buryed in a graue yea makes it to multiplie after that it hath beene rotten And where saith hee it is obiected How can this be mans body being so many times changed into the substance of other creatures as it hath may fall out The fish deuoureth a man another man eateth the fish the wilde Bore againe deuoureth that man the Dogs deuoure it the Rauens feede vpon the Dogs and at length the Rauens are turned into dust hee passing after this manner through so many other kindes then his owne how shall he be restored vnto that which hee was To this answereth Pisida 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For all this saith hee the body of man abideth within the owne bounds stamped as it were and sealed in the hand of the Creator who made it Little bals or pickles of Quick siluer being dispersed into the earth mixe not themselues with any of another kind but if any man gather them of their owne accord they runne together into one saith Nyssenus Yea if a skilfull Gardner hauing sundry sorts of seedes confounded and mixed through others in his hand can discerne one from another and reduce and gather euery one of them to their owne kinds why shall wee thinke it impossible for the Lord who hath the whole earth in Pugillo in his fist to discerne the bodies of his Saints one of them from another and from all other creatures whatsoeuer And to this same purpose saith Augustine Is it not more admirable to see heauenly Spirits bound and detayned in earthly bodies which we know by experience then that earthly bodies should be raised vp into heauenly places And againe disputing against the Platoniques who from the naturall waight of the Elements reasoned that no earthly body could be in heauen hee saith Quid ergo faciunt terrena â—…ot corpora in aëre nisi forâ—…e qui per plumarum â—…ennarum leuitatem donaâ—…it auium terrenis corporibus vt portentur in aëre immortalibus factis corporibus hominum non poterit donare virtutem qua etiam in summo coelo vaâ—…eant habitare What then doe so many earthly bodies in the ayre vnlesse yee will say that he who by wings and feathers giueth vnto Birds this power to be carryed into the Ayre cannot giue to the body of man made immortall that vertue whereby it may dwell euen in the highest heauens And againe saith hee Seeing man by his artifice can make heauie earthly bodies swimme aboue in the waters why contradict wee the word of the Lord our God promising to vs that our heauy and earthly bodies shall be carryed vp into heauen and this mortall shall put on immortalitie and this corruptible shall put on incorruptibilitie yea our bodies shall be made like to the glorious body of Christ that is as Theodoret obserueth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of qualitie not of quantitie for in respect of quantitie our Lord shall exceede vs as farre as the light of the Sun exceedes the light of the Starres This then is our comfort against the present contemptible state of our bodyes corruption now hath seased vpon them the graue for a time gets them in her possession our enemies doe what they can to vndoe them for what else meane they when not content to burne the bodies of the Saints they disperse the dust thereof into the waters But in despight of them all our Lord shall gather them againe and fulfill this promise I will come againe and receiue you But shall wee not be receiued before the second comming of our Lord Doubtlesse the soule immediately after the dissolution of it from the body is carryed the straight way into heauen I desire to be dissolued that I may be with Christ being with Christ followes dissolution This night thou shalt be with mee in Paradise So the soule of Lazarus without delay was carryed into Abrahams bosome but our Sauiour meanes here of our full redemption of our last adoption whereby our bodies shall also be raised to enioy their promises and this the Apostle cals The redemption of the body That where I am there yee may be also There is the end of all to wit our endlesse fellowship and euerlasting communion with Iesus Christ our Lord. Where let vs obserue that in that day there shall be a threefold ioyfull vnion first our soule and our body shall be vnited next an vnion of all Saints euery one with another and thirdly a blessed vnion of vs all with our head and immortall Husband where our Lord is there shall wee be We shall follow the Lambe whither soeuer hee goeth Neuer any more to be diuided from him thou shalt bee one with thy selfe and want nothing that is thine thou shalt bee one with the Saints whom now thouÌ„â—…ouest in the Spirit thou â—…halt bee one with the Lord and enioy him for euer There is Celestiall China which needes no â—…all to diuide it from the â—…artars this is Arabia foeâ—…x the people whereof â—…aue store of all good â—…hey liue in securitie and â—…eare none enemie The Ports of that Citie are oâ—…en night and day there â—…s none to inuade it only et vs remember that no â—…ncleane thing entreth â—…n there We were borne â—…ncleane let vs not bide vncleane
the soule and findes by daily experience that the body loseth life when the soule leaueth it yet hath he no care of the soule doth not so much as remember it once in the day And therefore our Sauiour who knoweth our soares better then our selues doe recommends to vs this care Possesse your soules and he teaches â—…ow wee may doe it by â—…our patience God is the God of Patience keepe â—…atience and thou shalt â—…eepe the Lord and in â—…eeping him shalt keepe â—…hine owne soule God â—…wels not in perturbatiâ—…ns hee comes to his â—…aints as hee came to Eâ—… not in the mighty â—…ind that rent the mounâ—…aines nor in the Earthâ—…uake nor in the fire but â—…ee came to him in a soft â—…nd still voyce he dwelâ—…eth with the poore and â—…im that is of a contrite â—…pirit As the soule is the â—…ife of the body ita anima animae Deus so God is thâ—… life of the soule Mors 〈◊〉 mae fit cum eam deserit Deus sicut corporis cum id de serit anima ergo vtriusque id est totius hominis morâ—… est cum anima à Deo deserta deserit corpus ita eniâ—… nec ex Deo viuit ipsa neâ—… corpus ex ipsa The death of the soule is when God leaues the soule like aâ—… the death of the body is when the soule leaues it so the death of both that is of the whole man is when the soule left oâ—… God leaues the body for oâ—… neyther hath the soule life from God nor the body life from the soule In all the battels then which Sathan by himselfe or his instruments maketh against vs the quarrell and question is de anima about the Soule It is the soule he pursues it is the soule wee haue to defend if hee crosse thee in thy goods in thy body in thy name hee careth not for these none of these are a morsell for his mouth Animam tuam quaerit it is thy soule he seeks to make it by impatience partaker of his owne condemnation A cleare example of this we haue in Iob Sathan by Gods permission crossed him in his goods by Sabeans Caldeans and by a fire from heauen he crossed him in his children whom he smothered by the ouerthrow of the house wherein they were banquetting he crossed him in his body with sore boyles Et cum aperto certamine superari se vidit de ore coniugis iaculuÌ„ quasi de insidijs intor sit And when hee perceiued himselfe in open combat to be ouercome hee secretly threw a dart at him out of the mouth of his wife as it were by boutgates to ouerthrow him What hee sought by all this hee declares it himselfe to wit that Iob might blaspheme the Lord to his face and the same is it whereat he aymes in all our outward or inward tentations that he may carry away and captiue our soules by impatience that he may driue vs to grudging murmuring and blaspheming of the Lord our God I am perswaded if our memories were sanctified to remember this wee would not suffer our selues to be so easily perturbed commoued and transported with passions for light offences cast in our way as commonly wee are let vs therefore in all our tentations remember this watchword of our Sauiour Possesse your soules in patience what euer losse wee sustaine of any thing that is ours take heede wee loose not our selues but let vs doe as Ioseph did when the wife of Putiphar caught hold of his garment that she might snare himselfe hee let the garment goe and saued himselfe Such things as God giues power to man to take from â—…hee let them goe and possesse thou thy soule in patience But the manner of speech is here to be marâ—…ed seeing by the soule â—…ee possesse any thing â—…hat wee possesse for by 〈◊〉 we thinke wee affect â—…ee worke what is this â—…hereby wee can possesse â—…ur soules For answere â—…e must know that in the â—…oule of a Christian man â—…here are two contrary â—…arties one regenerate anâ—…ther vnregenerate light â—…race and sanctification in the one darknesse corrupt nature and sinne in the other whereby let no man thinke that the soule is diuided or parted into two halfs for it is a simple and indiuisible essence But as wee see the twilight of the morning it is neyther full darknesse as at midnight nor full light as in the noone-tide of the day yet is it one the same light though it increase by degrees clearer and clearer till the noone then it was in the morning So is it with the soule of a Christian it is not altogether darkenesse as the soule of the wicked and reprobate is whose night is not past yea the darknesse of their midnight wil neuer passe but still it waxeth darker and darker till they come to vtter darknesse Neyther yet is it altogether â—…ight as the soules triumphant are who rest and feede with him whom their soule loueth in the â—…oone-tide of the day but it is throughout all partly regenerate partly â—…nregenerate No faculty of the soule is without the remanents of ignorance and sinfull corruption nor yet without beginnings of knowledge and renouation by grace And these are the two which S. Paul cals The new maâ—… and the old sinfull corruption is called the old man because it was in vâ—… before renewing grace 〈◊〉 and againe because iâ—… waxeth weaker and weaker till grace vtterly aâ—… the length abolish it Thiâ—… then being the estate oâ—… our soule the meaning oâ—… the exhortation is thaâ—… we should fortifie the 〈◊〉 part euer endeuourinâ—… that light may banisâ—… darkenesse Grace in thâ—… â—…oule may subdue sinfull â—…orruption and the new â—…an may ouercome the â—…ld man till at length â—…hat vsurper Sathan bee â—…ully dispossessed and we possesse our soules as a quiet habitation for the God of peace and of paâ—…ience to dwell in Againe seeing the Apostle speaking to Chriâ—…tians saith Ye are not your â—…wne yee are bought with 〈◊〉 price therefore glorifie God in your body and in â—…our spirit for they are Gods how are wee commanded to possesse our soules seeing they are not our owne The answere is easie our immediate superiour and proper possessor of our soules and bodies is the Lord wee hold them of him as tenants at his will not for our selues but for the Lord. As hee is a traitor who renders the Palace or castle of a Prince which hee hath receiued in keeping to the enemie of the Prince so is he who casts open the ports of his soule to euery vncleane spirit giueth the members of his body as weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne Thus then we are but vnder-possessors of our soules and bodies as wee hold them of the Lord so should we hold them for the Lord. Farre be this rebellion from vs to hold the Lords owne house against himselfe Besides this Augustines â—…bseruation
Faith and what need we haue to try it 2 Cor. 2 Tim. 1. Iam. 2. Faith three manner of wayes described 1 It is a subsistance of things hoped for 2 It is an euidence of things not seene Aug. in Ioan. tract 68. 2 Cor. 5. Heb. 6. 19. 3 It is the anchor of our soule which holds vs fast that we driue not away with the winde of tentations Faith how commended by Philo. Philo lib. de Abrahamo Defined by Scult Scultet idaea concion In faith there is a twofold working power 1 An apprehending Vertue 2 A randring vertue Pet. These are the two hands of Faith by the one it giues by the other it receiues They who haue not the rendring vertue had neuer the appehending vertue Mal. 1. 6. Licentious liuers are proued to be without true Faith Cor. Tim. 2 Comfort confirmed against the feare of Death This comfort proceedes by three degrees 1 The first degree of comfort against death and the graue is the meditation of heauenly mansions Death a compend of all crosses hath need of the greater consolation If it be difficult to beare one crosse in our life how shall we beare many concurring in our death without preparation Eccles. 12. 3. Verse 5. Lam. 2. 22. The first degree of comfort hath in it foure circumstances 1 First Circumstance who is this whom Christ calleth his Father Esay 9. The name of Father how it is attributed to the three persons and how to the first person onely of the blessed Trinitie 2 Second Circumstance what is this he calleth his Fathers house Esay 66. 1. 1 Kin. 8. 27 How hee hath a speciall house whose presence is euery wher in earth in hell in heauen 2 Cor. 5. Heb. 11. 10 Reu. 21. A commendation of our Fathers house 3 Third circumstance what is meant by Mansions to wit indurance to all eter◅tie Cant. 1. There the great shepheard resteth and feedeth his flocke but not here Folly of worldlings who seeke their Mansions wherethey cannot remaine Their portion on earth came from one shall goe to another 1 Tim. 6. Prou. Psal. Basil. in Psal. 11◅ Worldly possessions are not permanent but in a continuall fluxe Nazian de hom vilitate In this age the earth spewes out her inhabitants Iob 24. 18. Hosea 9. 6. Iob. Psal. 49. 10 To some it may be done in mercy as Goshen cast out Israell Leuit. 20. But vnto many this earthquake is a plague proportionable to sinnes 4 The fourth circumstance is what meanes the many mansions this imports Heb. 12. Reuelat. 7. 9 1 The largenes or amplitude of that place 2 The comely order of that place without confusion Plin. lib. 36 cap. 15. Panciro◅ rerum mem lib. 1. Of that glorious Amphitheatre wherin al Saints sit in a circle God in the middest Many glorious assemblies of Saints vpon earth but one of them knows not another Aug. in Ioan. tract 67. It will not be so in heauen Degrees of glory obserued by Ancients out of this place Nazi orat 5. de filio Elias ibid. in Nazian The obiect of ioy is one for all Saints the manner of fruition different Aug. in Ioan. tract 67. Aug. ibid. Yet this will import a proportion between that glory and man his merits Rom. 6. In what sense Ancients som times vse the word of meriting Aug. de resur Ser. 3. Papisticke merits disproued by the Father Augustine Aug. de nupt concup lib. 2 cap. 17. Aug ad Bonifac lib. 1. cap. 20. Aug. de verb. Apostol Serm 8. In like manne◅ they are disproued by Bernard Bern. de quadrup debito A notable discourse of a fourefold debt wherein manstands debtor to the Lord. 1 For his Creation 2 For his Redemption 3 For his former sinfull life 4 For the hope of eternall life Rom. 8. 18. And shall man be so impudent as to think he may satisfie all these creditors with a halfe-penny Let Papists blush for no man is able to pay the thousand part of his debt The comfort giuen vs is the greater because it is told from him who is the true and faithfull witnesse Reuel 1. 1 Ioh. 5. 20. 2 Pet. 1. 16 Psal. Neyther can so much be told vs as afterward we shall see 1 King 10. Psal. 106. 4. 5. The perfection of Christs Propheticall office hee hath left nothing vntold needfull for vs to know Iohn 20. 30. 31. Acts 20. 27 Acts 28. 23 And grant that any point needfull to saluation were not reuealed by him what Angel or man were able to reueale it The perfection of his Priestly office is no lesse certaine Heb. Heb. 1. 3. Our Lord transfersto his Saints the benefit of his merit but not the vettue of meriting Heb. 7. 25. The conclusion of this first degree of Comfort Wherein we may see how our Lord after the manner of earthly Bridegroomes hauing sought and marryed vs in our Fathers house doth now inuite vs to goe with him to his Fathers house Euill entertainement got our Husband in our fathers house but better abideth vs in his Fathers house Psal. 45. 10 11. Psal. 137. 5. 6. 2 The secōd degree of the comfort is a consideration of the right wee haue to these heauenly mansions Without this the first degree of comfort could not availe vs. And why 2 Kin. 7. 2. Foure words to be considered in this second degree of comfort 1 The first word I goe Our Sauiour came into the world but tarried not in the world Esay 65. 20 Since hee hath lent most part of vs to liue heere a longer time then he took to himselfe it is shame for vs to desire more As the death of our Sauiour so the death of Saints is but a going to our Father Comfortlesse is the doctrine of the church of Rome cōcerning death For the death of her children shee defines to be a down going not an vp-going to the house of our father Macar hom 22. Nazi orat 24. in ◅audem Caesarij But more comfortles and cruell are they when they send down infants vnbaptized to a house of hel baptised by themselues and called Infernus nō baptizatorū This cruell opinion is condemned by Augustine Let Catholique Romanes consider what fals◅ Catholicks they are in Augustine his minde With Augustine agreeth Bernard Ierem. 1. 5. Bern. Epist. 174. Bern. ad Magi. Hug. de sancto victore epist. 77. Iohn 3. 5. Not the want but the neglect and contempt of baptisme is preiudicial to saluatiō Ibid Papists teaching otherwaies are declared long since by the fathers to be affirmers of new inuentions The second word in the second degree of cōfort is To prepare That it must be a great glory which God prepares will appeare 1 By comparison of the workes of men with the workes of God Plin. lib. 36. cap. 14. Panciroll de 7. mundi miraculis Noah was an 120. yeare preraring the Arke at length he finished it a vessell of huge quantitie Gen 7. 11. Gen. 7. 13. 14. 15. Gen. 8. 4.