wipe away all teares from their eys The state of the godly in this life and in the life to come SVch and so greate is the loue of god towards his choseÌ„ people that he doth not only giue them warning of dangers ensuing but doth oftentimes deliuer them from manifold calamities wher with others are ouerwhelmed Gen. chap. 6.7.8 Gen. 19. So Noah had warning of the coming of the flood was deliuered from the violence thereof So Lot had warning of the destruction of Sodome and escaped the fury of the fire and brimstone So the Israelits had warning of the killing of al the first born amoÌ„g the Egiptians Exodus 12. by the blood of the paschal lamb wer preserued froÌ„ the veÌ„geance of the destroier So againe the Israelites passed through the red sea Exoduâ— 14. as through dry grouÌ„d but the waters closed on their enimies the EgiptiaÌ„s So before the captiuity the Iews that mourned sighed for the abominations which were committed in Hierusalem Ezech. 9. had a marke set on theyr foreheades and were exempted from the desolation and other which had not the marke were not spared but smitten without pitty And as the lord in the seuen trumpets had prouided diuerse miseries to be inflicted vppon men of all sorts cap. 8. 7. c. so in this chapter there is a caution and prouiso for the godly for before the fowr angels by holding the 4. winds do hurt the earth with haile and fire or that a burning mountaine kill the creatures of the sea or the fallen starre turneth the liuing waters into mortall wormewood or the sonne and moone bee smitten till the seruants of God were sealed in their foreheads Iohn saw the vision of those which were numbred and sealed Iewes of all the tribes of Israel an hundred and forty and fowr thousand and after a numberles number of the gentiles of all nations â— Mare 13.51 and kindreds and people and tongues who stoode before the throne of god to worshippe him and prayse him and were clothed in long white robes that is were couered with the vnspotted righteousnes of Christ and had palms in their hands in token of the victory obtained by Christ against the flesh the world and Satan After this Iohn heard the congratulation and thanksgiuing of those which were sealed for that they were saued and preserued for they cried with a loud voice saying Saluation commeth from our God v. 10.12 that sitteth vpon the throne and from the Lamb. Vnto which crye all the angells applaude and worship God saying Amen Praise and glory and wisedome and thanks and honor and power and might be vnto our god for euermore Amen Now these words which I haue read containe the expounding of the vision that Iohn sawe Iunius in Apâ—calyps In which exposition three things are to be noted 1 The question of the Elder to stir vp Iohn to deeper consideration in the 13 verse 2 Iohns answer to the Elder in the first part of the 14. verse 3 The reply of the Elder in the rest of the 14 verse and vnto the end of the 17 verse In which reply the Elder declares those which were numbred and sealed to be the saints whom he describes first by their acts that is their suffrings and work of faith in Iesus Christ donne in the former persecutions and to be continued in the future tentations in the 14 verse Secondly by their glory both present in the 15 v. and to come partly in their ful deliuerance from all calamities and annoyances in the 16. verse and partly in participation and fruition of all good things which the remembraunce of woonted myseries shall neuer abolish or diminishe in the 17. v. And this is begun in this life but accomplished afterwards In that the Elder doth aske a question of Iohn â—nterpretatioÌ„â—f the text whether he knew who those were which were arrayed in long white robes and whence they came he behaueth himselfe like a diligent teacher who being desirous to enstruct his scholler in that hee knows not he preuenteth him by enquiring whither he know it or not Whereby the Elder signifieth how prompt and ready they that are led by the spirite of God and are endued with knowledge and vnderstanding should bee to informe the ignorant And in that John yeelds a modest aunswer to the Elder acknowledging his ignorance by attributing knowledge to the Elder for in that he sayth Lord thou knowst he sayth thus Lord I knowe not Lord thou knowst lord teache me he doth aduertize vs to be wise with sobriety and not to bee puffed vp with an ouerweening opinion of our learning but to recken it no shame and disparagement to be taught the certaynty of those good thinges which we neuer learned Marlor Sebast Meyer in Apocal. Whereas the Saints are sayed to come out of great tribulation although the Elder spake this chiefelye touching the former persecutions by the heathen Empires and may also bee vnderstoode of the persecution which Antichrist shoulde raise against the Church yet generally it may be vnderstood of the vniuersall troubles and afflictions of this life in that all the children of God come from greate affliction vnto greate reste from mysery vnto glory from prison vnto a kingdom from thraldom vnto freedom from death vnto life The long robes of the saints which were washed is the holinesse righteousnesse and innocency of Christ wherewith the godly being cloathed they do walke boldly and are found iust and vnblameable before the Lord. And the making white of the long robes in the Lambs hlood is when the godly do walk in the fayth of christ and do suffer the cros patiently after his example But howe can blood make white The faithfull are washed white with the Lambes bloude in that they are purged in conscience from deade workes to serue the liuing GOD Hebr. 9 13. Reuel 1.5 â— Pet. 1.19 by the blood of CHRISTE who thorough the eternall spirite offered himselfe vnto god an vnspotted sacrifice And here falls to ground the Romish doctrine of indulgences Acts 10.3 1 Iohn 1.7 â— Cor. 5.21 â— Cor. 1.15 Acts 20.28 Hebr 10 14. and dispensation of the superabounding merits of Saints for if the faithfull are sufficiently purged and clensed by the blood of the lamb where is the treasure of supererogation of Saintes Where it is sayd that the godly are in the presence of the throne of god this may be taken not only for that blessed and quiet worship which the godly departed out of the body yeeld to the lorde in heauen without externall and laborsome seruice but also for their worshipping of God while they liue in this mortall body and while they in this life are so deuoted to the seruing of god Ephes 2 6. Col. 3 1. 2. Cor 3 6. and do so frame theyr whole life after his will and do so seeke to glorifie god and to edify their neighbor as if
orbitatem filii doluit Dauid dum luget Absolonem filium sed quia nouerat in quas poenas tam impie adultera et parricidalis anima raperetur Dauid was not so much greeued for the death losse of a sonne when hee bewailed his sonne Absolom but it was for that hee knew how greuously that soule was punished after death which in this life was giuen to such impiety adultery hainous murther Could Elias El zeus and Christ and the Apostles raize vp the dead 1 Kings 17 â—â— Kings 4 13 Mat. 9 Luk. 9 Iohn 11 Act. 9. 20 Acts. 7.59 if the soule and bodie died together Could StepheÌ„ say at his stoning to death Lord Iesus receiue my spirite If the foule body died together Coulde Paule rauished with a desire to come to the kingdoÌ„e of felicity and therefore abhorring this wretched and calamitous life crie out earnestly and saie O wretched man that I am Rom 7 24. who shall deliuer mee from this body of death if the soule body died together But why labour I so much amoÌ„g Christians to prooue the eternity of the soule who doe firmely assent to the Symbole of the Creed that shews vs life eternal specially since the most souÌ„d profound Philosophers amongst the Ethnicks haue in euery age with one mouth and one minde subscribed thereunto Of which let one Seneca speake for them all Sen lib 10 suasoriar nothing decayes but our bodye which because of the weake frailty thereof it is obnoxious to death subiect to chaunces exposed to proscriptions But the soule whose beginning is diuine is harmed neyther by old age nor death and when shee is loosed from her burthensome bands shee speedily repaires to her proper place and to the starres that ar of the same nature It were shamefull therfore for Christians not to houlde fast the blessed hope of immortality not to cleaue thereunto as to a sure anchor since heatheÌ„ men haue so euideÌ„tly taught the eternity of the soule by groping after it in the darkenesse of errour onelye by the direction of the naturall lighte and infallible principles remaining in mans minde after Adams fall and chiefly since the godly and faithfull are at no rest in this mortall life 1 Cor 15 19 if in this life onelie they had hope in christ they were of all men the moste miserable Wherefore dooth Sathan and the flesh and the worlde allure vs to withdrawe our shoulders from bearing the sweete and easie yoake of Christ and our feete from walking in the path of Gods lawes and to enioye in this worlde the pleasures of iniquitie for a time the sacred scripture dooth plentifully teache vs that our soules liue for euer the godlie in heauen the vngodly in torment and therfore how readie ought wee to bee to denie vngodlinesse and worldlie lustes and to liue soberlie and righteously and godlie in this present world knowing this that one day wee shall bee called to an account how we haue imployed our talents and stewardship Doth the carelesse Christian perswade vs to runne with him in the same excesse of ryot of druÌ„kennes of carnall security of swearing of incontinency of hypocrisie of malice of couetousnesse of forgetting of God of contempte of his worde and despising his kindnes long suffering not perceiuing that his bountifulnes leads vs to repeÌ„tance Let vs answere that we seek eternall life not eternal death that we wil flee sin and liue in the awe and worshippe ef God because the end of the vngodly is to be destroyed and rooted out at the last but godlinesse hath the promise of the life present 1 Tim. 4.8 and of that is to come And howsoeuer some wallow in their sensuality and freeze in the dregs of prophanenesse yet let vs that are a chosen generation and a royall priesthoode and an holy nation and a peculiar people shewe forth the vertues of him that hath called vs out of darkenesse into his meruelous lighte and as straungers and pilgrimes let vs abstaine from fleshly lusts that fighte againste the spirite and let vs haue our conuersation honest among all men that by our good works which they shall see they maye glorifie God in the day of visitation â—et 2 9 c. Dooth sicknesse or sorow or pouerty or flaunders or daungers or any affliction or tribulation pres vs so as being therewith surcharged we are likely to sinke and be dismayed Let vs encourage our selues with the contemplation and meditation of heauenly ioies and let vs be stedfast vnmoueable aboundante alwaies in the worke of the Lorde forasmuch as wee know that our laboure is not in vaine in the Lorde When terrible and ghastly death woulde discourage vs let vs remember that death is swallowed vp into victory through the death of Christ and therefore we may confidently say Cor. 15.54 ô death where is thy sting ô graue where is thy victorye and that death is made vnto vs a doore into eternall glory and that when we depart hence our souls shall passe into heauen as into the common city and dwelling place of all beleeuers because wee are no more straungers and forreiners but citizeÌ„s with the saints aod of the houshold of god and are builte vpon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the cheefe corner stone For wee knowe that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle be destroyed wee haue a building of God Ephes 2.19 2 that is an house not made with handes but eternall in the heauens 2. Cor. 5.1 Our departure hence is a going out of prison and an entraÌ„ce into life that knows no death Our fathers are all gone before and all their offspring shall followe What runner when hee hath begonne his race doth not houlde on cheerefullie till hee attayn to the goale What Marriner in the darke night and tempestuous seas refuseth to rest in the quiet harborough What pilgrime wandering in a straunge countrie longs not to come to his owne dwelling wife friendes and children And shall wee bee so loathe to goe to heauen and Paradise the house of Saintes to GOD our Father Christe our redeemer and Brother the holy Ghoste our comforter As the sparkle of fire still mountes vpwarde and the water fleetes downewarde and euery thinge goes to his proper and naturall place of staye so our soules which came from heauen must endeauoure and striue to goe to the Father of lights whome to behoulde is life and not to see is death We trauell through colde and heate daunger and labour hills and vallies seas and lands for earthly and perishing ritches and should a thousand deathes stop vs to see so many Angels prophets patriarches martyrs and Saints in Paradise Cyprian sayth Eius est mortem timere â—e mortalit qui ad Christum nolit ire eius est ad christum nolle ire qui se non credit cum Christo incipere regnare It is for
THE STATE OF THE godly both in this life and in the life to come Deliuered in a Sermon at Chudleigh in Devon at the funeralls of the right Worshipfull the Ladie Elizabeth Courtney the 11. of Nouember 1605. And published for the instruction and consolation of the faithfull By R. W. Minister Whereunto is annexed the christian life and godly death of the sayd worshipfull Lady Elizabeth Courtney Psal 112.9 He hath distributed and giuen to the poore his righteousnes remaineth for euer At London Printed for Roger Iackson and are to be sold at his shoppe neere the Conduit in Fleetstreete 1606. To the worshipfull his good friend Thomas Clifford Esquire grace mercy peace from god the father and from Christ Iesus our Lord. SIR you see the effect of importunity and the efficacy of your fauor towards me in that the sermon which was at first priuate in respect of the Audients is now become publique in pespect of the readers Wherein it resembleth the Image that is taken out of the painters shop where few behold it and placed in the open market where euery one will censure it I haue delineated two dwelling places of the godly as my memory notes and parenthesis of vacant time permitted th one fading restles and wretched in earth thother permaneÌ„t quiet and blessed in heauen And I wish that my labour therin may be like the liuelyest picture and poeme which the more neerly narrowly and often it is suruiewed the more it feeds the eye and the mind of the behoulder with delectatioÌ„ as the iudicious or rather ceÌ„sorious Poet says both of the one thother Vt pictura poesis erit quae si propiùs stes Horat. in Arte. Te capiet magis quaedaÌ„ si longiùs abstes Haec amat obscuruÌ„ volet haec subluce videri Haec placuit seÌ„el haec decies repetita placebit Neither can J conceale that in diuulgating of this sermon I was both vnwilling willing vnwilling because of the slendernesse thereof and the captiousnes of these critick times in which that is vsuall which Salust said to Caesar Sal. ad Caesar de ordinand rep ad repraehenda aliena facta aut dicta ardet omnibus animus all are earnestly bent to reproue other mens dooings or sayings willing because I desired to decipher the sincerity of myne obsequiousnesse towards her whose memory I wold my tenuity obseruaÌ„cy were able to eternize because I was loath to reiecte your pressing motioÌ„ whose more theÌ„ coÌ„moÌ„ curtesies may duly craue the vtmost of my possibility Her perspicuous worthines your experimented kindnes mine own propeÌ„sioÌ„ to endeuor to do good by any means haue more swaied with me theÌ„ that I could be hindred to edify the faithfull and induced to withhold good froÌ„ the owners thereof by surmizing that the froward will condemne me either of impudency or flattery From flattery the vniuersall acclamation of multitudes that both knew her and heard of her will I know acquit me from the blame of voluntary shamelesse intruding my selfe into the sight of the world your learned apology I hope shall purge me For malice had wanted one morsell to thrust into her insaturable gorge had not your forcible perswasions subdewed me and cast me as a pray vnto her deuouring teeth Neuerthelesse let one tax the prolixity not weighing the extraordinary occurrents let another balance in the weights of worldly eloquence the cours vnpolished style desiring perhaps finer breade then is made of wheate and rather an eloquent thaÌ„ learned Physitian to cure his maladie let another reprooue thinculcating of vulgar obseruations and obuious documents forgetting aswell that Paul that noble instructor of the gentiles by daily reading of whose Epistles the golden mouthed father saide that he knew how to deuide the word of truth aright was not ashamed to write the same things again as also that â—t becometh rather an Athenian than a christian to hant after nouelties yet they that haue their wits exercised to discerne good from euill shâ—l perceiue that J haue not erred from the faith and that J haue not depraued the depositum and talent of wholesom doctrin committed to the church by Christ and recommended by the apostle to his scholler Timothy Tim. 6.20 â—incent Liriâ— adu prophaÌ„â—uat cap. 27. J haue kept to borow the words of mel lifluous Vincentius Lirinensis on the foresayde exhortation of the apostle that was committed vnto me not that I haue inuented that J receiued not that I deuised that I learned not that J forged of mine owne wit that hath beene publickly taughte not priuately maintained As I haue receiued gold so J haue endeuoured to render and returne gold and not to giue either impudently lead or fraudulently copper and the shew of gold in steed of sincere gold And in returning it J haue been non author sed custos non institutor sed sectator non ducens sed sequens cum dixerim noue non dixi noua not an author but a keeper not a teacher but a scholler not a leader but a follower and albeit J haue arraied somethings in attire of a new fashion yet there is no difference in the matter and substance Wherfore not distrusting but that as I haue put this sermon in writing at your entreaty the concise sinewes and epitome whereof was els likely to haue been vtterly motheaten so you will patronize it against such malignantes as either reprehend that they will not amend or else are despisers of whatsoeuer their selues were not agents with my praier that it may benefite as many as did beare vndissembled loue vnto her whose happy remembraunce hath both wrung it out of my hands and drawn it into the light and that the faith which I am perswaded is in you may dwell in you vnto the end as it first dwelt in your worthy grandmother and in your godly mother I commit you and yours to the gratious protection of the Almighty whom I desire to sanctifie vs throgh out and to keep our whole spirit and soule and body blameles vnto the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ Yours in the Lord Rob. VVolcomb Reuelat. Chap. 7. v. 13.14.15.16.17 13. And one of the Elders spake saying vnto me what are these which are araied in long white robes whence came they 14. And I said to him lord thou knowest and he sayd to me These are they which came out of great tribulation and haue washed their long robes and haue made their long robes white in the blood of the Lambe 15. Therefore are they in the presence of the throne of God and serue him day night in his temple and he that sitteth on the throne will dwell among them 16. They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the Sunne light on them neither any heate 17. For the Lambe who is in the midst of the throne shall gouern them and shall lead them to the liuely fountains of waters and God shall
they were already placed in gods heuenly temple before the throne of God and before his holy Angells As for this that the godly serue god day and night in his temple Psal 134.1 Leuit 8.35 Luke 18 1. 1 Thess 5.17 Luke 2.37 Psalm 1 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leu. 26 12 2 Cor 6 16 Reu 3 20 1 Iohn 1 3 Gen. 17.1 the Angell alludes to the office of the ould Leuites for otherwise ther is no night in heauen or els by seruing god day and night may be meant the continuall endeuouring of the godly to glorifie god euen in all their actions And that god will dwell among them or vpon them what doth it signify els but that as they are gods people so he will be theyr God and as they will passe their life in feare and reuerence as being alway in the sight of god so god will haue familiar conuersation among them and wil be theyr protector and exceeding greate rewarde To hunger and thirst no more is to be satisfied with all good and desirable things for meate and drinke are the chiefeste among the desires and cares of this life and to eate and drinke Ioh. 6.35 Luke 22.29 Esai 65.13 Ezech. 34.13 is in scripture to lead an happy and pleasant life By the sunne and heate that after this life shall fall no more vpon the godly must bee conceiued the end and ceasing of the afflictions wherewith the faithfull are exercised in this life For as in hoate regions the parching heate of the sunne dooth much grieue the inhabitants and thâ—â—re god shadowed his people by day with a pillar of a cloude Exod. 13.11 from the feruente heate of the sunne so the scorching of affliction dooth annoy and molest the godlye as long as they remaine in this world but after the race of mortality is finished the place of tribulation shal be found no more And here euen the least droppe of consolation that flowes from this one place of scripture is enough to quenche the whole fire flame of Purgatory For how may purgatory stand if the faithfull after this life shall no more be accumbred with Sunne or any heate Who is the Lambe in the mids of the throne but Iesus Christ The Lamb of god that taketh away the sinn of the world â—ohn 1.36 and who is the great shepheard and Bishop of soules 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that doth feede and gouern the godly like sheepe but Christ and what is the leading of the faithfull to the liuing waters Ezech 34.3 Iohn 10.14 Acts 20.28 Psalm 23.1 Iohn 4.10 7 28. Isai 55 1. Ezech 36.26 but that they after this life shall liue ioyfully and blessedly being freed from all calamities and what is it to wipe away all teares from the godlye but that the fulnes of ioyes shall swalow vp all sorow and cause of sadnes For as the ioy of the wicked is turned into sorow so the sorrowe of the godly is turned into comfort And the Angell sayth Iames 4.9 Isai 65.18 Mat. 5.4 Iohn 16 20. that euerye teare shall be wipt away to giue vs to vnderstand that the teares of the electe are diuers as their tribulations are diuers One laments because he hath done euill another laments because he hath not done good one lamentes because he beares the hard rod of affliction another lamentes because he is assaulted by vices one laments because he is absent and a stranger from the kingdom of heauen for that the blindnes of worldlings is greate another laments for that gods word is contemned despised but the lord wil end all tears wil refresh his people with eternal coÌ„solatioÌ„ And here is ouerturned the erroneous doctrin of mans merit for the onely efficient cause of the glory of the elect both heere and hereafter is but one namely the lamb the Messias the mediator and sauiour Iesus Christ Although many things offer themselues in this text to our view and are worthy of due coÌ„templation yet I haue selected only two which at this time shal be vnfolded and made manyfest vnto you as meetest for this present occasion assembly The first is the state and condition of the faythfull in this life The second is the state condition of the faithfull after this life For the first â—he state of the â—odly in this â—â—fe v 14 16 17 to wit the state and condition of the godly in this life in that it is heere sayde that they came out of greate tribulation that they shall after this life hunger no more neither thirst any more that the sun shal not light on theÌ„ neither any heate and that God shall wipe away all teares from their eies this shewes that while the godly are abiding in this life they endure tribulation they hunger and thirst they are annoyed with sun and heate and they liue in the valley of misery which compelleth to shed teares And it can be no other wiseâ— For our Lord master Christ sayeth that if any will come after him be his disciple he must deny himself take vp his cros dayly follow him If we will be the true scollars of Christ Luke 9 23. it is not enough to coÌ„fes or profes him to subdue curbe the vitious affectioÌ„s of our natural inclination but we must vndergoe the cros tribulatioÌ„ neither is yt enough once or twise to vndergoe it but take vp our crosse dayly For as one day followeth another so there is a successioÌ„ plurality of tribulatioÌ„s that pursue the godly If wee purpose to build the tower of true Christianity we must first cast on these costs Luke 14 28 if we wil fight battails of vnfained professioÌ„ we must make redy to encounter diuers dauÌ„gerus aduersaries And therfore Paul and Barnabas knowing that affliction is aÌ„ vnseparable coÌ„panion of godlines did not only publish the truth at Listra Iconium Antiochia but confirmed the disciples harts exhorted theÌ„ to coÌ„tinue in the faith and not to fall away and bee daunted through tribulations affirming that we must through many afflictions enter into the kingdome of God This generall lot of the godly Paule moste expressely declares inferring vpon his own president 2 Tim 3 12 That all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus Tim 3.12 shal suffer persecution d For whome he loueth he chasteneth and he scourgeth euery son that he receiuerh If we endure chastning God offereth himselfe vnto vs as vnto sonnes for what sonne is it whome the father chastneth not And therfore the Apostle is bould to conclude â—ebr 12 8. that if wee bee without correction whereof all are partakers then are we bastards and not sonnes Be hold Noah behold Lott behold Abraham Izaac Iaakob behold Ioseph behold Moses were not all these the beloued sonnes of God and yet were not al these pressed with tribulations The time will bee to shorte to speake of Iob of
blesse god and affliction makes the vngodly to blaspheme god Besides this tribulation breeds patience and exerciseth patience Iames 1.3 4 that it may haue her perfect working and may be intire and lack nothing Tribulation works humility in vs and knowledge of our selues and a learning of obedience as Paul sayes of Christ that though he were sonne yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered Heb 5.8 Tribulation causeth vs to long for heauen and to loathe the world and not to loue the things of the world and not to repose confidence in the loue of the world 1 Iohn 2 15 for as the world hated Christ so it hateth the godly that beleeue in christ and because the godlye are not of the worlde therefore the world hateth them Tribulation makes vs the members Iohn 13 18 19 conformeable to christ our head that we may fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in the flesh Col. 1.29 and that he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified may be all of one Tribulation makes for the honour Heb 2.10 and praise and glory of god in that god workes deliuerance out of affliction and though hee kill yet he makes aliue and though hee bring downe to the graue 1. Sam. 2 6 yet hee rayseth vp and though the godly are afflicted on euery side yet they are not in distresse though they are in doubte yet they despayre not though they are persecuted yet they are not forsaken though they are cast downe yet they perish not 2. Cor 4.8 9 Lastly tribulation is a testimony and demonstration of the iudgemente to come and of euerlasting life for the iustice and trueth of GOD require that at length the good should be comforted and the wicked punished but for that this is not alwayes doon in this life therefore it shall be perfourmed when the Lord Iesus shall shew himself from heauen with his mighty Angells 2. Thess 1.7 And the tribulation of the faithfull should excite and prouoke the wicked to shake off their sins that stick so fast vnto him For if the time be come that iudgement must begin at the house of god what shall the end bee of them that obeye not the Gospell of God and if the righteous scarcely be saued where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeer and if this be done in the green tre 1 Pe 4 17 18 Luke 23 31 what shal be done in the dry tree for if christ the green floriâ—hing tree of righteousnesse and the godly that are braunches of the same tree did and doe suffer great tribulation what shoulde the vnrepentant and wicked expect that are dry withered and fruitles trees but consuming fire and the declaration of the iust iudgement of God Yea but doth not the prouidence of god sleep will some say when the godly are greatly afflicted and how doth god accoÌ„plish this promise that hee will shrowde them and couer them and protect them and pitch a tent about them and dwell among them certainly he that keeps Israel doth neither slumber nor sleep the lord is the keeper of his children â—sal 121.4.5 and their shaddow at their right hand he ayds them by the power of his grace and he giues them that comforter that shal abide with them for euer â—oh 14. v. 16 he wil not leaue theÌ„ as destitute Orphanes but he wil come to them and assist them â— 18. â— 23 he will lodge with them and make continuall abode with them he encreaseth their fayth that they may neuer doubt of his loue but still depend vppon him Can a woman forget her childe and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe though she should forget her sons yet the Lorde will not forgette his children Esai 49 15 Many are the troubles of the righteous true Psal 34.20 but the Lorde deliuers them out of all The godlye are much pressed true but they flourishe as the Palme tree Psal 92.12 which the more it is pressed downe the more it sprouteth vp The rayne falls and the floodes come and the windes blowe on the faythfull true but theyr house falls not Mat. 7.24 because it is builte on a rocke poiesei teâ—ekbasin God suffers his children to be tempted true but he is faithfull and will not suffer them to be tempted aboue that they are able 1. Cor. 10 1â— but will euen with the tentation giue the issue and way out that they may be able to beare it Mat. 20 22 Christ calls affliction and tribulation Baptism for that as in Baptisme wee are dipped downe into the water but not drowned or choaked in the water so though wee bee washed with the water of tribulation yet wee are not ouerwhelmed therein And as Noah was preserued from the greate daunger of the flood when hee and his familye were inclosed in the Arke and the rest did perish that were out of the Arke 1. Pet. 3.20 so whosoeuer in the church of God doe adhere and cleaue to Christ though they bee loaden with calamities yet at length in due season they are deliuered whereas others that are out of the church are swalowed vp by the flood of sinne and of punishmentes that accompanye sinne How greeuously was Job vexed by the Sabeans 1 15.16.17 2.7 〈◊〉 42.12 c â—es 5 11 by fire from heauen by the Chaldaeans by Sathan by his wife yet how gloriouslie was he at last deliuered And as round bodies that are in all parts equally circular may rest and be setled on eache parte and side so the godly are constant in whatsoeuer estate for the Lord puts his hand vnder them to make their resting place easie and commodious as the Prophet sayes â—m 37 24 Though they fall they shall not bee cast off for the Lord putteth vnder his hand When the staie and strength is taken froÌ„ the vngodly when they shal bee oppressed one of another when woe shall be to the wicked and euill shall be with them and the rewarde of their hands shall be giuen them â— 10 then then surelie it shall be wel with the iust For all thinges worke together for the best vnto them that loue God â— 8.28 â—c in tribulation and anguishe in famyne and nakednesse in perill and sworde they are more then conquerours through him that loued them For wee are perswaded that neither deathe nor life nor Angells nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor thinges to come nor heighth nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Wherefore since god is ready to help in tribulation and hath promised to bee with vs in trouble and to deliuer vs Psalm 91 â— that wee may glorifie him and hath commanded vs to call vppon him in the day of aduersitie let vs submit our selues vnto god and drawe neere vnto God
As if he had sayed thou wilte grante me that hauing runne ouer the race of this fleeting and fraile life I shall enioy that most ioyfull moste pleasante eternal life in thine heauenlye kingdom Augustine sayeth that in heauen shall bee the euerlasting Sabbath which noe Eueninge shall end There wee shall rest and wee shall see wee shall see and wee shall loue wee shall loue and wee shall prayse Behoulde saith hee that which is in the ende is withoute end Nam quis alius noster est finis nisi peruenire ad regnum cuius nullus est finis For what other end is there ordained for the Godly but to attaine to that Kingedome which hath none end Sibyll sayeth Aug de Ciu dei lib 22 c 30 that it shall not bee sayed in heauen The nighte is come or to morrowe shall come or yesterday is paste neither shall there bee that daye that is wearied with cares nor spring nor summer nor Autumne nor winter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There shall be noe mariage nor death no selling nor buying nor sunne rysing nor Sunsetting for God shall make that longe daye which shall bee endlesse Sibill Oracâ— lib 7 There shall bâ—e so many and such ioys as al the Arithmeticians of this world are not able to number them 〈◊〉 the Geometritians are not able to weigh them all the Grammarians Logitians Rhetoritians are not able to expresse them in fit terms For as the Apostle Saint Paule doth witnesse the thinges which God hath prepaâ—ed for them that loue him are such as eye hath not seene neither eare hath heard neither came into any mans heart There shall be ioy aboue vs 1 Cor 2 9 for the vision which wee shall see there likewise shall bee ioye vnder vs for the beawtie of the heauens and other corporall creatures there shall be ioy within and about vs for the felowshippe and companye of Saintes and Angeles There Salomons wisedome shall be reputed but foolishnesse Absoloms beautie but deformity Azaels swiftnesse but slownesse SampsoÌ„s might but weaknesse â—hom Aquin. â—e uer Theol. â—h 7. chap. 6 Mathuselaes loÌ„g life but frailty the kingdome of Augustus Caesar but beggery The saints would not so earnestly haue longed after heauen had they not beene assured of the surpassinge ioyes thereof Dauid being hindred by his persecuters that he could not bee present amonge gods people in the temple of Ierusalem he shewes his feruent desire towardes that place in which hee mighte serue the Lorde saying as the hart brayeth for the ryuers of water so panteth my soul after thee O god my soul thirsteth for god euen for the liuing god wheÌ„ shal I com appear befor the preseÌ„ce of god And wheÌ„ he was exiled driueÌ„ out of his couÌ„try Psal 42.1.2 and could not come to the tabernacle of the Lorde and the assembly of the saints to prayse god how vehemently doth hee bewraye how hee was affectioned thitherwarde O Lorde of hoastes saith hee how amiable are thy tabernacles My soule longeth yea and fainteth for the Courtes of the lorde Blessed are they that dwell in thine house they will euer prayse thee For a day in thy courts is better theÌ„ a thousaÌ„d otherwher I had rather bee a doorekeeper in the house of my god Psal 84.1.2.4.10 then to dwell in the tabernacles of wickednesse If the Prophet did so long thirst pante and faynte after the materiall and transitory temple of Hierusalem on earth how was hee enflamed with a desire to come to the spirituall and eternall temple of the Lord in heauen When our Sauiour was transfigured on the mountaine and his face did shine as the sunn and his clothes were as white as the lighte and there appeared Moses and Elias talking with him Peter rauished with this celestiall apparition sayd to Iesus Master it is good for vs to be heere if thou wilt let vs make here three Tabernacles one for thee and one for Moses and one for Elias Mat. 17.1.8 If the Apostle were so transported with a slender view and small taste of heauenly felicity as that hee desired alwaye to adhere and cleaue vnto it what would he haue donne if he had beene fully entered into his masters ioy Hierom notes vpon these words of Peter that Christ is that alone way to go to the glory and ioyes of heauen that wee must build pitch a tabernacle for him only in our heartes and that we must hear obey him only as the voyce from heauen taught Peter â—at 17 5 and in Peter the rest of the Apostles and all beleeuers and therefore he is bold to say to Peter erras Petre sicut alias euangelista testatur â—e eidos he â—gei â—uke 9 33 nescis quid dicas thou art deceiued Peter as another Euangelist witnesseth thou knowest not what thou sayst seeke not three Tabernacles â—ieron in comâ—ent in cap 17 â—â—att when there is but one tabernacle of the Gospell in which Moses and Elias the law and the prophets are comprised and briefely repeated This ioyfull inheritaÌ„ce of heauen made Paul to say I counte that the afflictions of this presente time are not worthy of the glory which shal be shewed vnto vs and againe our light affliction which is but for a moment â—om 8.18 causeth vnto vs a far more excellent and an eternall weight of glory while we looke not on the things which are seen but on the things which are not seene for the things which are seene are temporall but the things which are not seen are eternall Cor. 4.17.18 and againe Christ is to mee both in life and in death aduantage whither to liue in the flesh were profitable for me and what to chuse I know not for I am distressed betweene both and though to abide in the flesh is more needefull for the Church of christ J desire to be loosed Phil. 1 21 22 23 24. and to be with christ which is best of all And therefore the militant Church and spouse of Christ alwaies seekes Christ her beloued in the night and troubles of this life and in the streets and open places and wartes and labours euery where to apprehend all opportunities to imbrace him and doth neuer suffer him to depart from her till the day breake Can. 3 1 2 3 and the shadowes flee away that is Nec cum inâ— tus fuerit ceâ— bitur a quarâ— do non pedâ— passibus sed â—sideriis quaeriâ—tur Deus Ec vtique non ext dit desideriuâ— fanctum foelâ— inuentio sed tendit NuÌ„qâ— consummatiâ— gaudu dâ—fidâ— consumptio 〈◊〉 Oleum magiâ— illi nam ipsâ— flamma Bâ— in Can ser. 8 Heb. 11 36. till the darkesome and yrksom life bee ended and that glorious appearing of Christ come when the Church shal be perfectly taken into the communion of Christ and shall gloriously enioy all good things For when the faithfull soule
one daye in the house of God then a thousand in the tēts of this vile world And thus beeing of a good age ful of daies fuller of good works hauing made her robe white in the lābs blud a long time being prepared for her departure when infirmity last sicknes attainted her alway setling fixing her confidence in christ praying deuoutly to God who hath promised to heare the petitions of them that faithfully call vpon him alwaye committing her spirit into the hands of her creator redeemer and comforter at last her sanctified and refined soul leauing the corruptible bodie departed out of tribulation and this valley of miserie into the bosome of faithefull Abraham Reu. 14 13. and. 7 9 For why should I not so say sens they are blessed that dye in the Lorde and they reste from their laboures and 2.10 and 4.4 and 22 1 2. and. 7 16 17 they are cloathed with the long white robe of innocency they are adorned with the incorruptible crowne of glorye that neuer withereth and 21.11 they eate of the fruite of the tree of life and drinke of the water of life they hunger and thirst no more they haue all teares and remembrance of euils wiped from them Heb 12 22 they are Citizens of the celestiall and new Ierusalem whose walls are pure goulde and the gates pearles and whose inhabitantes are the Patriarkes and holye Prophets Apostles Arke angels Angels and Saintes of all ages One that wrote of the life Wickham once Bishop of Winchester sayes of him Nec dubito qui sit vixit Christoph Iōsonus in car de vita wiccami winton Episcopi sic mortuus idem est Quin sit apud superos nobilis vmbra Deos Cur dubitē nam si coelestis clauditur Aula Heroi tanto cui precor illa patet I doubt not saith hee but hee that liued so and died so is among the blessed spirits of heauen why shold I doubt For if the pallace of heauen be shutte against so worthy a man to whome doeth it stande open May not I without flattery chaunge the gender and saye of this religious and good Lady I doubt not but that she that liued and died so is nowe among the blessed soules in heauen why should I doubte for if the gate of heauen be shut to so worthy a woman to whome shall it be opened And as a certaine yll Oratour that thought hee had mooued his auditors to compassion in his epilogue and conclusion when he was sitten downe and had asked of Catulus whether hee thought hee had mooued them to compassion or not Cic. lib. 2. de Oratore Catulus answered neminem esse puto tam durum cui non oratio tua miseranda visa sit I thinke none so hard of heart as that hee pitties not thy slender and simple speeche So I thinke that all that haue hearde mee speake of this right worshipfull gentlewoman so slenderly and simplie are mooued to compassion and pitty because my discourse is so infinitely exceeded by her memorable deeds and that they will compare me to a rude and vnskilfull painter that hath pourtraied those things coursly and grosely which shoulde haue beene painted with fair and fresh colours But I hope that my willingnes shall make satisfaction for my want and that this common oyle which I haue powred out of my vnpolished Alablaster box to honor her buriall with all shall be accepted in steed of pretious spikenard This onely remaineth that the poorer sort desire god to encrease the number of those that may be like to this vertuous Lady and that the wealthier sort labour after her exāple to deserue so well of the needy that their departure may bee lamented and their memory blessed and that both ritch and poore imitate her in faith zeale patience humility vnfained charity and the residue of her rare and notable virtues to the glorifiing of Gods name to the edifiyng of the Lords people and to our attainement of euerlasting saluation through Iesus Christ our Lord to whom with the father the holy ghost be giuen all honor praise and glorie now and euermore Amen FINIS