Lorde The blessed state of them that dy in the lord is permanēt they may hereby learne that not onely immediatly after their death they shal rest from their labours and enter vppon their rewarde and so bee blessed but that also this their state is certaine without any falling backe from it and therefore still their reward is called life euerlasting in the scriptures And surely if this be their state immediatly thenceforth without euer any dāger of falling backe to worse then of the contrary it must needs follow that quite contrary immediatly after their death shal be the state and condition of al that die not in the Lord and that there is no hope for euer for them to attaine vnto a better What neede there then a general iudgement will some say I answere for two causes that the bodies thē may be restored to their soules againe that both the ioies of the faithful paines of the faithles to the ful manifestatiō both of gods mercy iustice may be cōsummate and ful that so god thē may outwardly solemnly iustify before al the world his former particular iudgemēt which imediatly before at euery mās death he had laid vpon them Lastly we are not to passe ouer or forget how our aduersaries the Papistes abuse this last clause of the text For they hearing that workes follow such thereupon inferre that works merit eternal blisse The abuse of this place therby to prooue that workes merite confuted Indeed hereupon it followeth as I haue noted before that none haue a right faith in Christ but those that haue also good works to accompany them whensoeuer they dye in the Lord which I would not haue forgotten But hereupon to gather that our workes merite heauen we may not For then they should go before our being in the Lord be a cause therof whereas here it is only sayde that they follow and accompany such Which it should seeme that Augustine had obserued li. de Fide operibus ca. 14. when he said that good workes goe not before iustification but they follow a man iustified Let them therefore followe in Gods name as a fruit of a man in the Lorde but let them not step before as a cause of his being in the fauor of the Lord. And vnderstād that this argument is stark naught good workes shal be rewarded with heauēly blisse therefore they merite it Is no man rewarded but he which hath merited and deserued it first The heire when he commeth to his fathers lands is then wel rewarded for his paines he took in his fathers time yet hee hath not his inheritance for those his paines for then rather some seruant oftentimes should haue the inheritance but for that he was his fathers son heire before Euen so it is in this case we are born the sons of God by faith in Christ Ioh. 1.12 13. so coheires with him of heauen Rom. 8.17 thereby first and then follow good workes in vs not as a cause why we shal haue this inheritance but as a fruit effect flowing frō our thankful mindes to our heauenly father for this notable inheritance thus freely prepared for vs. And yet when we come to the inheritance because it cōmeth after these our works after a sort we may say that euē there by our paines in working are rewarded yet we haue not that reward for our workes but for that we working so were the sons heires of God But for the better loosing of al such popish knots vnderstād that it is not al one to say good works shal be rewarded and to say good works haue merited that rewarde For there are rewards giuen of mercy and so is this as well as of debt and duty Rom. 4.4 Againe there is great ods betwixt these two questions who shal bee saued and why man shal bee saued To the former we answere the well worker to the latter only for Christs sake apprehended by faith And therfore take this for the conclusion we shal be iudged Secundū operum indicium non propter operum meritū according to the testimony y our workes giue of vs not for the merit of our workes For it is writen Ephe. 2.8.9 We are saued by grace through faith that not of our selues it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast himself And yet this doctrine neither letteth nor staieth at al frō good works but is y◠only fountain indeed from whēce al true works do spring flow And therfore y◠Apo. Paul as you may obserue throughout al his epistles first laboreth to set down this doctrine then thereupon after buildeth exhortation to godlines of life the like course tooke Peter as you may see in his first epistle And yet these knewe how to prouoke to good works and in no case may be counted teachers of a doctrine enemy to good works Yea there is none indeed that hath grace to imbrace this doctrine effectually but therby he feeleth by experience his hart so enflamed with loue towardes God for his infinite mercy hereby displaied vnto him both in sauing him frō perishing and in thus freely preparing heauē for him that frō that loue of his there floweth riuers flouds of al thankfulnes in al true obedience to his God wherin he walketh chearfully cōfortably But the Papists being bastards no lawful children of the Lorde beeing not assured of this full and free fauor of his towards thē of a slauish feare with a seruile mind to earn heauē at his hands doe the good which they do Which indeed in matter maner of doing is such that though it carrye the shew of godlines yet it is not so indeede For the matter of good works they wil not fetch warrāt only frō gods reuealed wil in his word but matter good inough with thē For a good worke is any thing for the which they can alleage a traditiō of the elders or their own good intent Which kinde of works the Lord reiecteth as stincking in his sight Isa 29.13 Mat. 15.9 Co. 2.20 c. And as for their maner of doing it is like the Pharises ioyned with a conceit that therefore they may despise others trust to be heard at Gods hands for the merite of their works Which kinde of doing Christ hath cōdēned Mat. 6.1 Luk. 18.9 c. in forbidding vs to do our workes as the Pharisees did in sending home the proude Pharisee vniustified And therfore in very deed as they are without all true christian faith so are they without al true good works And therefore whosoeuer hath any thing to comfort himself by this place it is none of thē No doubt of it this noble mā whose body lieth here amongst vs to be encōbed though euen in outwarde shew of almes giuing other good works he ouermatched most merit mongers yet seeing he trusted only to the meries of Christ and neuer to his owne workes but did them only of loue and thankefulnesse towas his God is among those of whome it is here said Their workes accompany them and therfore now is in ioyful fruition of the reward thereof Whose example as wee that bee of the same faith are to followe that so with him we may bee in euerlasting remembrance both with God and good men as no doubt hee shall so it is an example to stoppe the mouths of the aduersaries that lyingly crye out that they that bee of our religion haue no good woorkes following them The secōd conclusiō Thus at last right honorable and dearely beloued we haue runne thorow this portiō of scrpture and considered both the generall and particular vse thereof And so first we haue heard how strongly it is warranted to conteine nothing but soūd truth namely that not whosoeuer knoweth or cōmeth ny but whosoeuer is by a true a liuely faith vnited vnto Christ dieth in him which is neither a miraculous historicall temporarie dead or popish faith but a faith seeking and apprehending saluation onely in Christ Iesus shal thēceforth be blessed immediatly in resting from all woe in body and soule and in entring vppon possession of their euerlasting rewarde and then thereby more particularly we haue obserued that therefore the body riseth againe and that the soule is neither mortall nor sleepeth that there is no popish purgatory nor any thing that can be done by others for soules departed that can doe them any good to ease or better their estate and finally that though here bee offered vs great encouragement to good workes yet here is nothing to proue that woorkes merite any thing at Gods hand All which doctrine and lessons our honourable friend here departed as I haue from point to point shewed you hath already found true by experience God of his mercy giue vs all grace so to set his example before vs that wee may so followe him that we may euery one of vs one day also to Gods glory and our own euerlasting comfort feele and finde the trueth thereof in our selues This O Lorde we beseech thee to grant vs all for thy onely sonne Iesus Christes sake to whome with thee and the holy Ghost three persons and one euerliuing God be all power honour might and maiestie nowe and for euer Amen September 22. An. Do. 1594. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of God the Father and the most comfortable fellowship of the holy Ghost be with vs all now and euer to direct sanctifie and gouerne vs in all our waies works thoughts Amen FINIS
to beleeue that for his â—â—ly sake they shal not only be quit of al their sins the punishmeneâ— due for the same but that also God will vouchâ—â—â—â— to accouÌ„t theÌ„ righteous and woâ—â—thy or meet for the kingom of heauen for his righteousnes imputed vnto theÌ„ So that faith seeketh for the whol matter and cause to be saued by in Christ Iesus alone in him alone it findeth apprehendeth sufficient matter why the owner of it shold be iustified and saued The grouÌ„d of this faith in the coÌ„futation of the popish faith you haue heard already wherunto ad yet these 2 manifest places wherof the first is in the 10. of Ioh. 1. 7. where Christ flatly teacheth that he is the only dore into Gods sheepfold that so earnestly that he pronouÌ„ceth theÌ„ all theeues robbers that seek to get in any other way The other is in the 4. of the Act. 10.12 where we read that Peter boldly before the high Priests and their company in a solemne assembly sayth Be it knowen vnto you all to all the people of Israell that there is saluatioÌ„ in no other but in Iesus of Nazareth For amoÌ„g meÌ„ there is giueÌ„ no other naÌ„e vnder heaueÌ„ wherby we must be saued The which 2 places if there wer no more to be fouÌ„d through out the whole scripture were sufficient to put vs out of all doubt that there is no part of saluation to be looked for but only in through and for Iesus Christ And therfore the greater is the iudgment of God vppon the Church of Rome which notwithstanding these places will yet seeke for some part of the cause of their saluation by their owne satisfactions and merites But 〈◊〉 to whom the Lord hath giuen grace to see the glorious riches which hee hath prepared for vs in this his son hereby may be assured the seeing there lacketh in Christ neither ablenesse nor willingnes to be such a one that wtout all wauering wee may he bold to beleeue that God as both able and willing freely fully soly wholy to iustifie vs here and to glorifie vs elswhere for this his sons sake alone Which persuasion grounded vpoÌ„ this and other such groundes in the Scripture before touched is that which I boldly affirme vnto you to be the faith that indeede maketh vs to be in the Lord so ready to dye in the Lorde I exhort you therfore as many as be desirous to dye in the Lord to seeke in time by this sayth to liue in the Lord. Remember that it is the Lordes gift that by the ordinary means of the word preached Gal. 5. Ro. 10.14 1. Cor. 1.21 And therfore if you would haue it and hauing it once reteyne and keepe it you must diligently seeke it at the Lords hands by the vse of this means and that while the Lord doch offer the means vnto you least as he threatneth Pro. 1.24.26 Because he called ye refused he will laugh at your destructioÌ„ mock when your fear commeth Do not defer off the seeking for it and the streÌ„gthening of it vntil old age come If you wil do in it you must learne to liâ—â— in iâ— first and there is no reason yâ— you should spend the strength of your dayes in vanity ignorance misbeliefe and infidelity in the seruice of 〈◊〉 in the and 〈◊〉 these things are weary of you to think that it is enough to serue God with your old dry rotten bones God neuer liked to be serued with the lame blinde and maimed of the flock but the strong lusty vnblemished hee alwaies called for Mal. 1.8 13. And therfore let euery one in his youth time of his streÌ„gth remeÌ„ber his creatour turn vnto him Ec. 12.1 A briefe report testimony of the Earle of Bedfords life and death Of this fayth and early and timely seeking for it this noble person whose funeral and burrall we are now about hath bin a noble example vnto vs. For we know that not only in his later daies in her Maiesties time that now is when to be of this fayth was and hath bin safe and commendable vnto him but also before when to shewe himselfe of this fayth was daungerous to his liuing and honour he hath shewed himselfe in his life a zealous and constant professor and confessour of this faith vsing al good means both priuatly and publikely to nourish it by the diligent vse of the means aforesayd I my selfe haue bin both an eye witnesse and an eare witnesse that both in respect of his sins he had infallible tokens of a very broken and contrite hart and thought as baselye of himselfe in respect of himselfe as a true penitent man should and that yet casting his eyes vpon Gods mercyes towards such in Christ noâ—â—aÌ„ could be more comforted and râ—ysed vp agayne Notwithstanding he was as free from the common corruptions of the world wherinto â—eâ— of his place are greatly assaulted and prouoked to fall and as ful of loue and charity and all the fruites thereof as lightly amongst men any can be found yet this I canne testifie of him and I thinke so canne all that knew him and were acquainted with him that he was neuer the more puffed vppe with any conceyt of his own righteousnes yea though his course of life and dealing with all men were such that he had got this title commonly in the mouthes of al The good Earle of Bedforde yet stil his cry was that only in Iesus Christ and his merites was all his hope and trust concerning his saluation And truely as he liued in this faith in this sort so to the glory of his God al our good exaÌ„ple and his own euerlasting comforte hee dyed constantly in the same And therefore as they that were most about him can testifie a litle before his death in this his last sicknesse out of the abundance of his heart and fayth that was lodged therein hee vttered these words with great comfort Satan is cheyned Satan is cheyned The seede of the woman hath broken the serpentes head The seede of the woman hath broken the serpents head Euen for mee Euen for mee And a little before his death he ioyned in prayer with a godly Minister whom hee kept in his house for the watering of himself and his family from time to time with the water of life vnto the Lorde most earnestly and made in his hearing after some good comfort giuen him by him a notable sweete and Christian confession of his fayth in God the father God the son and God the holy Ghost shewing how fully he hoped to be saued in and for Iesus Christs sake alone coÌ„cluding in the end thus Thus I beleeue with my heart to iustification confesse with my mouth to saluation and so quietly within a very litle space after gaue vppe the Ghost I dare therefore be bolde to place him within the number of them that here in my text the
A SERMON PREACHED AT Cheanies the 14. of September 1585. at the buriall of the right Honorable the Earle of BEDFORDE by THOMAS SPARKE Doctor of Divinitie Newly perused and corrected the Authour AT OXFORD Printed by Ioseph Barnes Printer to the Vniversitie 1594. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE ARTHVR LORD GREY OF WILTON KNIGHT OF THE NOBLE order of the Garter his very good Lord and Patrone Thomas Sparke wisheth the encrease of all good spirituall graces with health wealth and true honors to Gods glorie and his owne full contentation and comfort SInce the preaching of this funerall sermon following right Honorable I haue beene earnestly vrged entreated both by wordes and letters of good brethren to commit the same to writing and so to the print And in deede their dealing with mee therein hath beene so effectuall that though I had rather preach ten sermons than pen one and haue alwaies hitherto beene very hard considering the multitudes of bookes already published to bee intreated to publish any of my poore labors yet in this loe I am ouercommed And truely amongst diuers other reasons moouing mee to yeeld hereunto this hath not been one of the wekest that therby not only they which heard mee preach it might for that present haue so noble an example both of sincere religion and holy life sounded in their eares but also both they and others at their pleasure might haue the same laide downe before their eies to the stirring vp and prouoking them the rather by consideration of the doctrine set downe in this sermon to imitate and followe the same For seeing it hath pleased our God no doubt of great mercy to him thus as hee hath to take him in peace from vs that wee cannot any longer enioy him liuing amongst vs as hee hath done yet by this and such like meanes after a sort I hope to the good of many he shall liue still Nay I am out of doubt of it that as his death was precious in the eies of the Lorde so he shal be had in euerlasting remembrance his name shall neuer be put out In the meane time it is greatly to be wished that we whome he hath left behinde would take occasion by this his taking from vs to learne that which euen therby wee haue iust occasion giuen vs by the Lorde to learne which is to feare that the Lord is in preparing some great scourge for vs for our great vnthankfulnes after so many benefites both heauenly and earthly a long time bestowed vppon vs in that hee beginneth thus to gleane from vs least they should see to their griefe the euils to come such deare seruants of his and thereby also to take occasion to repent and to turne vnto the Lord vnfeynedly that so he may turne the deserued euill day from vs. For in the 2 of Esay 3. for the like sinnes and transgressions of the people as are amongst vs the Lorde threatneth that euen therefore hee would take away the honourable and vvise counseller And yet notwithstanding this plaine vvarning afterwarde the Prophet complayneth thus The righteous perishe and no man considereth it in his heart and mercifull men are taken avvate and no man vnderstandeth that the righteous is taken avvaie from the euill to come Chap. 57.1 And I feare though the Lorde hath not barely threatned but in deede hath taken away from vs an Honourable and vvise Counseller in that this worthy Earle of Bedforde is nowe deade and buried that yet most iustly the Prophets complainte maie bee renued amongest vs. God of his mercy therefore giue vs grace better to consider thereof euerie one of vs that vvee maie finde out the Lordes counsell therein and so take occasion by an effectuall and vniuersall turning vnto the Lorde to preuent the euill thereby and by such other like examples threatned to come vppon vs. It maie bee that the enuious and malitious Papist who alwaies gathereth poyson thence from whence hee shoulde and might if hee had the grace gather honie vvill not sticke to thinke and say also that God hath taken him away as he hath his three sonnes with him in his anger and displeasure towardes him and his house But whosoeuer considereth the doctrine set downe in this sermon they all liuing dying in the Lord and in her maiesties loyall and faithfull obedience as they did hee shall bee enforced to confesse that by what meanes or by what kinde of sicknesse so euer they parted hence they died in the fauour of God who so weigheth further that it is the Lords property to beginne euen at his owne house thereby to woorke a greater terrour in others and withall foreseeth vvhat heauie plagues and miserable daies our sinnes dayly cry and call for he cannot chuse but see that the Lorde herein hath shewed a marueilous great mercy to him and to those of his house Truely by occasion hereof rather to the astonishmēt of al papists who obey not the gospell of God we may say with Pet. 1. Epi. 4.17 The time is come that iudgement must beginne at the house of God If it first beginne at vs what shall the ende bee of them that obey not the gospel of god But to leaue this noble Earle his sonnes in the hands of the Lord in blessed test peace and these malitious papists to thē selues as men in whome then sinne of spirituall whooredome with the garish Babylonicall harlot is growen to such rottennesse in their bones that there is small hope or rather none at all of their recouery such is the iudgement of God vpon them because light is come into the worlde and yet they loue darknes more than light concerning this sermon following right Honourable it may be in perusing of it you will finde some difference in it from that which you heard In wordes it cannot bee but there is because I had takē but short notes before and it is impossible for me to call to remēbrance the very wordes wherein I vttered it But as for matter I am sure you will perceiue it is all one with the other and in wordes too as neare as memorie could well serue to call them to minde In deede because then when I preached it in diuers points I was enforced as I thinke you might well perceiue through the shortnes of time left and alotted me but summarily to touch many thinges that more at large I had purposed to haue prosecuted and therefore perhaps then was the obscurer I haue heare in this according to my ful purpose and premeditation then set thē downe whereby it groweth to bee somewhat longer nowe than it was then The hardnes and vnpleasantnes of the stile I must desire your Honour and all others to beare withall For as you knowe my manner is not at anie time to studie for wordes but for matter Which so I deliuer in such wordes as I may bee vnderstood of them that heare mee I care for no more For the thing onely
but to eat the flesh of the son of mā to drink his bloud is nothing else but to eat the bread of life wherupon it directly followeth that therfore it is nothing else to eat the flesh of the sonne of mā to drink his bloud but to beleue in him Which also is euident in that you shall find in that chapter within the compasse of the foresaide verses the same thinges both promised to the eaters and drinkers of Christes fleshe and bloude and to the beleeuers in him and also the same things threatned to the not eaters and drinkers thereof which are to the not beleeuers in him Which argueth that they are both one especially seeing the one is put for the other in the Chapter following verse 37.38 In the former whereof we reade thus Nowe in the last and great day of the feast Iesus stood and cried saying If any man thirst let him come vnto me drinke but in the latter whereas if he had continued the metaphoricall speech wherein he beganne he shoulde haue saide he that commeth vnto me and drinketh of mee changing his phrase and yet retayning his former meaning to shewe vs that to drinke him is nothing else but to beleeue in him hee saieth in the steed thereof Hee that beleeueth in me as saith the Scripture out of his bellie shall flowe riuers of waters of life And therefore not without good ground said Augustine Crede manducasti Beleeue and thou hast eaten Tract 25. vpon Iohn And Tertullian de resurrectione carnis 29. writeth that Christ is auditu deuorandus ruminandus intellectu fide digerendus that is to be deuoured by hearing to be chewed on by vnderstanding and to be digested by faith So that by all these proofes laide together wee see that Christ is receiued by faith that wee growe in him by faith yea to a perfect man in Gods sight and lastly that hee is as surely apprehended of vs by faith to our spirituall maintenance in the worde preached and sacramentes ministred which are the dishes wherein one and the selfe-same Christ is offered vnto vs as meate and drinke being set before vs is taken in by eating or drinking thereof to our temporall nourishment Whereof the Sacrament of Christes body and bloud is a most effectuall ratification and particular confirmation to euery right receiuer thereof by faith If it were otherwise that wee coulde not get to be in Christ and hee in vs by faith in him but to accomplishe this it were necessary bodily to take him into vs by the mouth of our bodies then forasmuch as there were neuer any that died that coulde be blessed that died not in him all the good Patriarkes Prophets and other seruantes of GOD that died before hee had an humane body must bee condemned But the contrary thereof is euident in that Abraham is placed in state of saluation by Christ Luk. 16.24 c. Yea and with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen Luk. 13.28.29 And therefore Paul is bolde 1. Cor. 10.3.4 to say of them that were before Christ that they all ate one spirituall meate and dranke the same spirituall drinke that we doe Christ which coulde not be otherwise effectually but by beleeuing aright in CHRIST to come Let vs therfore labour by diligent vse of the meanes that GOD hath appointed vs for that purpose to attaine to a right and sounde faith in Christ and to nourishe it still by the vse of the same meanes seeing thereby wee see it commeth to passe that wee put on Christ and be vnited vnto him so that wee may bee saide according to the vsuall phrase of the Scripture to bee in him and consequently alwaies found ready to dye in him Of which number I count as well them that died before Christ in a right faith in him to come as since in him already come But not by euery kind of faith But nowe least wee deceiue our selues in thinking we haue attained vnto this faith and so are in Christ when it is nothing so wee are diligently to consider what manner of faith that is and of what nature it is that worketh this great and glorious effect And the rather are wee diligently to consider hereof because this woorde Faith is not alwaies taken in one and the selfe-same signification in the Scriptures for there are diuers sortes and kindes of faith Not by the miraculous faith Vnderstande therefore Righte Honourable and welbeloued in our Sauiour Iesus Christ that it is not fides miraculosa a faith to woorke miracles by that is a resolution by some extraordinarie meanes of Gods will to worke a wonder and therefore thereupon to attempt it in his name and to bring it to passe that maketh vs haue this fellowshippe with Christ For of such as haue this faith we reade thus Mat. 7.22.23 Many wil say vnto me in that day saith Christ Lorde Lorde haue we not in thy name prophecied And by thy name cast out Diuels And done many great workes And then will I professe to them Not by the historicall faith I neuer knewe you depart from me you workers of iniquitie Neither is it an historicall faith onely whereby wee assent to the trueth of those thinges that are written in the Scripture For no doubt of it the very diuels of hell are enforced to yeeld thus much to their smart and woe And therefore we read Iames. 2.19 The diuels beleeue and tremble Not by the temporarie saith Neither is it a temporary faith fleeting in the conceite of man not firmely setled and rooted in his heart For such as haue that kinde of faith onely are compared by our sauiour Christ Mat. 13. to the thornie and stonie ground wherein though for a time the good seede of the woorde seemed to make faire promise of a plentifull haruest yet ere due time of haruest came either through the cares and pleasures of this life it was so choaked and ouer growen or through the scorching heate of persecution so burnte vppe that it came to no good And therefore you haue hearde that it is sayde heare not without cause Which dye in the Lorde to shewe vs that it must bee a continuing and perseuering faith vnto the ende howsoeuer in the meane time it bee assaulted that must serue the turne in this case to make vs such as of whom the LORDE here speaketh Not by the dead faith I say further that a faith though seeming to be neuer so liuelye in woordes yet if it be fruitlesse in good woorkes it is not the faith that canne make vs to be in Christ For both immediatlye before the woordes of my text and in the ende thereof it is euident that a faith accompanied with good woorkes is heere required For before you reade that Iohn set downe these woordes Heere is the patience of Saintes heere are they that keepe the commaundementes of GOD and the faith of Iesus And my text concludeth that
verse 11. And besides all this the spirite of GOD inwardly in the heartes of all such teacheth them to crie Abba Father Romanes 8.15 and testifieth to their spirits that they are the children of God ver 16. and so sealeth them vp to the day of redemption 2. Corint 1.22 Vpon which euidence to grounde an assured confidence to enioye the thing promised who may not Yea the Lord hauing giuen such euidence ground vnto vs of assurance who seeth not that this notwithstaÌ„ding to doubt whether the thing promised shall bee giuen vs or no is most horrible sinne against the Lorde calling his trueth into question 1. Iohn 5.10 And therefore whatsoeuer they say to the contrary wee know it is our dueties to yeelde vnto the exhortation made to all them that beleeue aright in Christ Heb. 10.19 c. which is this Seeing therefore brethren that by the bloud of Iesus we may be bolde to enter into the holy place by the new and liuing way which hee hath prepared for vs through the vaile that is his flesh and seeing we haue an hie Priest that is ouer the house of of God let vs drawe neare in a true heart in assurance of faith sprinkled in our hearts from an euill conscience washed in our bodies with pure water and let vs keepe the profession of our hope without wauering for he is faithful that hath promised Thus I hope you see proofe sufficient to prooue The popish faith 〈◊〉 antichristian popery antichristianity that the popish faith is not that faith whereby men can grow into an vnion with Christ and consequently not the faith wherby any can dy in the Lord. Howbeit because they shall not say the I was driuen to seeke for forraine profes to proue this haue no proofe or argumeÌ„t to coÌ„firme it in this my preseÌ„t text giue me leaue to vse one argument more to prooue it and that deduced from the very circumstances of my text which I thus frame Whosoeuer dieth bearing the marke of the beast either in forhead or haÌ„d dieth not in the Lorde but in the Babylonish that is Antichristian religion but whosoeuer dieth in this popish faith dyeth bearing the mark of the beast in the forhead or haÌ„d ergo so far off is it that such a one dyeth in Christ that in deede and trueth hee dyeth in Antichrist The first part of this argument they neither can nor will deny For they reade vers 9.10.11 that who so worshippeth the beast and his image and receiueth his marke either in his forehead or hand the same shall drinke the wine of Gods wrath and be euerlastingly tormented Yea what then wil they say your assuÌ„ption or second part of pour argument is vtterly false Well that then being prooued the conclusion must bee yeelded vnto This themselues grant that by Babylon the fall whereof heere denounced shall followe vpon the preaching of the Gospel vers 6.7.8 is ment the florishing kingdome of Antichrist and they confesse that by wearing the marke of the beast in foreheade or hande is vnderstoode perseuering still a fauourer and liker of Antichristianity notwithstanding the warning here giuen to the contrary And if they woulde deny either of these they coulde not for shame the text in this booke and the circumstaunces thereof are so preguant to prooue them If therefore I can prooue that by Babylon here we haue to vnderstande Rome By Babylon we are to vnderstande Rome and that Antichristianitye and Popery be al one then I am sure that they must needs graunt my assumption For the first of these I doe boldly affirme that here by Babylon we must vnderstande Rom. My reasons are these The phrase vsed in this booke generally is figuratiue and not literallye to bee taken and therefore it is not likely but by Babylon is ment same other Citye which figuratiuely might bee so termed And it is euident that Iohn speaketh of such a Babylon as florished in his time and should long after and yet that should in the end haue a fall and therefore not of Babylon in Chaldea for that was fallen and decayed before Neither is it straunge in the Scripture to finde one Citye and people called by the name of another for the liklihood of manners bewixt the one and the other For Isai 1.10 wee reade that God speaketh thus to the Princes and people of Israel that dwelt in Canaan Heare the word of the Lord O Princes of Sodome harken vnto the law of our God O people of Gomorrha By which reason most aptly after the same figure of speech may Rome be called Babylon For as old Babylon vexed the Church in the olde Testament with long captiuâ—â—y so hath Rome done the Church of Christ in the newe as that ouercame the Iews and burned their City so hath also this doone by Titus and Vespasian as Babylon was the seat and fountaine when it floorished of Idolatrye and all abhomination so hath Rome beene both in the time of the beast and his image that is both in the time of Paganisme vnder the heathen Emperours and nowe in the time of Papisme vnder the Popes the Princes thereof And it is no small reason to moâ—ue vs by Babylon here to vnderstand Rome that it is called Babylon the great City that hath made all nations drimke with the wine of the wrath of her fornication that is that hath infected all nations with a false faith and religion whereby men in falling from their fathonely in the true and onely husbande Christ fall to put their trust and confidence in other thinges that are not CHRIST and to commit fornication spiritually with those thinges for the which the Lorde is wroth with them Which cannot bee sayde of Babylon in Chaldea nor of any other Citye so called For none of that name haue doone so since Iohns time but most fitly as appeareth by viewe of the popish doctrine and faith may be said of Rome and the Princes therof the Popes So that thus you see by the way that their glory is turned to their shaure For they bragge of their vninersalitye and generall consent which yee see heare their doctrine being as you haue hard is a most plaine note of the Antichristian Babylon But which is of all reasons the most forcible whereas it cannot be denied but by the purple silken and proud whore of Babylon is ment Antichrist Apoc. 17.4 their she is described sitting vppon a Crimson coloured beast full of names of blasphemy which had seuen heades and ten homes vers 3. which seuen heades are by the Angell vers 9. expounded to be seuen mountaines on which the woman sitteth The names of the bils be these Capâ—olitius Palatinut Auentinus Caelius Exquilinus Viminads Quirinasis And the woman is sayde verse 1â— to be that great Citie which raigneth ouer the kings of the â—aâ—th Then by which description it was impossible more playnely to describe â—ome which then wâ—â— the mistresse and these of
next clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they traÌ„slate Now where as they know it is an aduerbe of affirming and not of time and signifieth Yea Also neuer now Why doe they not translate the saine word Mat. 5. Iam. 5. so also Which if they did theÌ„ we should read there for let your yea be yea let your now be now for let your speech be yea yea let your speech be now now But they found that their vulgar translation readeth it Iam. that is now Yea but they were not ignoraÌ„t that is now Yea but they were not ignoraÌ„t that truely the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 could not be so translated but that they cared not for as long as thus to craÌ„ state it though against al reason seemed to souÌ„d better to countenance their Limbus PatruÌ„ for so they gather of it Now saith the spirit c. that is since Christs ascension that it in thus with them that die in the Lord as thought it had not beene so before And it would be noted that the Greek word that is translated labors doth not signify any aâ—tion or operatioÌ„ whatsoeuer but such labor as is wearisome tedious to the doer or sufferer For we must not thinke that the soules of the righteous separated from their bodies liue in idlenesse without exercising theÌ„selues in any kind of action For no doubt of it they are occupied in the contemplation of God wherin their felicity lieth and in praysing him with ioifulnes But we are therby to vnderstand that such is the case of them that die in the Lord that thenceforth immediatly for euer al wo griefe paine whatsoeuer ceaseth to theÌ„ both in body soule with is one part of their blessednes happines here spokeÌ„ of But because blessednes lieth not onely in a not feeling of wo paine but especially in fruition of some present permanent ioy comfort therfore the better to explane vnto vs what blessednes it is that they that die in the Lord thenceforth for euer haue atteined vnto immediately vppon the dissolution of their soule and body it is farther added that the workes of such accompany them that is that presently all the good works of such eueÌ„ vnto the giuing of a cup of cold water to one of gods little ones in the name of a disciple shal be rewarded in heauen with vnspeakeable ioy and felicitie Mat. 10.42 I read it rather And their workes accompany them because so traÌ„slated the force of the greeke is the better expressed For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not signify to follow a far off but to follow hard at the heeles therfore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a hand maid besides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is more properly read with theÌ„ thaÌ„ after them Also thus reading it according to the sense of the greek the circumstaÌ„ce of the place is better answered which was to animate those that liued in the Lord also to die in the lord with hope of present blisse vpoÌ„ their death Wheras if it were read And their works follow them a cauiller to their discoÌ„fort might say that may be so though it be not before the end of a thousaÌ„d yeres after their death so in the meane time they may fry in purgatory And thus it is confirmed likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must here import immediatly theÌ„ce forth For if the reward of their workes followe them so that it is present at their heeles then there is no mean space betwixt And yet I would not haue it hereupon inferted that my meaning is that souls departed in faith haue streight their consummation and full crowne of glory that is prepared for them For I know that that shall not be before the generall resurrection and that the setting of the crown vpon their heads is deferred vnto Christs 2. comming And therfore Iohn in a vision Apo. 6.10 heareth the blessed soules in heauen cry aloud for that day though so that they are contented wtout griefe for to obey the Lord is all their ioy theÌ„ to tary the Lords leasure to abide his pleasure But hereby I would haue it gathered for so it may wel that straight their blisse is such shal be theÌ„ceforth the neither body nor soule shal euer feele the least grief or pain again that presently the soule is in possession fruition of so excellent an estate in heauen in respect wherof it may worthily thinke it selfe right blessed and happy and so fully rewarded for all the workes done by it in the body that it shal not haue cause to coÌ„plaine that any one worke is forgotten not rewarded Euen this therefore hath the Lord from heaueÌ„ in by this word blessed expressed which is a word of greatest importaÌ„ce that he could vse For in blessednes and happinesse both Philosophers and diuines hold that mans chiefe felicity consisteth whereunto in his whole life hee must aime Wherefore no doubt of it euen this state of them that die in the Lorde that by this word and the phrases following to explane it is ment is such a state that the state of princes Emperors in this life let theÌ„ be otherwise as happy as it is possible for meÌ„ to be in comparison hereof is but a misery For what state here is euer was or shal be so happy which is not intermingled was or shal be with some labor paine Yea euen in the delights here greatest ioyes of this world there is saciety wearisomnes and there is no certainty nor vnchangeablenes in states here the best most florishing are so subiect to mutability and alteration but in this there is no griefe of mind nor sickenes or paine of the body no Gangrena nor any other woe Apoc. 21.4 And in the ioies there is continuall comfort delight without wearisomnes and that such as is euerlasting vnutterable and vnconceiueable by the tongue or heart of man And this is now the state and hath bin euer since his departure of this Noble Earle our honourable brother and shal be thenceforth as both God and angels ful wel know we men need not once to doubt this shal be ours also if we liue and die in the Lorde as he hath done It is told vs all so from heauen it is recorded so by a faithful witnes and approued and ratified by the spirit of God God grant vs al grace to beleue it one day to trie the truth certainty of it in our own persons by experience In the mean time let vs somwhat further consider of the doctrine and of the words as they lie wherin it is vttered that we may not only see thus as we haue done hither to the generall principall lesson therein taught vs but also euery particular truth coÌ„firmed therby error confuted therin that we may make the vse of it fully for which it was writen The particular lessons to be learned herein
Because no doubt of it there are fooles in the world Psal 14.1 which in their hearts thinke though they dare not for shame with their congues say there is no God and consequeÌ„tly that there is neither Hell nor Heauen resurrection of the body nor immortality of the soule let vs marke The same body shall rise againe in the meane time resteth in peace what doctrine this text teacheth vs to the coÌ„trary to the stopping vp for euer of the mouths of such prophane Atheistes Wherefore to begin with all I say how could it be here said that they that die in the Lord are thenceforth blessed vnlesse in respece of the whole man it were so in some force Euident it is that if either the body were vtterly perished so that it should neuer rise againe or the soul dead that it could feel no ioy they could not at al be sayed to be blessed For blessednes as you haue hard confirmed vnto you eueÌ„ out of my text it selfe consisteth not only in ceasing from labor woe and paine but in a possession and fruition of a most heauenly reward Nay it is most certaine that if either the body in the meane time vntil the resurrection were not at rest and peace or in the end should not rise again the soule coulde not bee said to be blessed to enioy the reward of works done by it in the body For it were a kinde of misery vnto it to haue the body disquieted especially to be without hope of beeing euer restored and ioyned to the body again Wherfore in that they that dy in the Lord are here pronounced blessed first for the bodies of such we learn that they are in rest and as the scripture speaketh as it were a sleepe in the bosome of their mother the earth Acts. 7.1 Thess 4.15 and therefore free from all woe and pain and not to be disquieted by diuels enchanters or witches any manner of way and that most certainely they rest in hope of a blessed resurrection which according to the Scriptures Mat. 25.1 Thess 4.1 Cor. 15. at the last general day of iudgment by the power of the Lord shal be brought to passe Wherof we must needs be perswaded in that otherwise God shuld not be perfectly merciful nor Christ a ful sauior And why should Christ take vnto his godhead vnite therwith in person as wel the body of man as the soul of man vnlesse he ment to be a ful sauior of both He our head rose again in his own body one in substance with that it was before though altered in properties and so shall it be with his members 1. Cor. 15.1 Thess 4. Notable therefore was Iobs faith his time considered I know saith he that my redeemer liueth that I shal see God in my flesh though after this skin the wormes destroy this bodye whom I my selfe shall see mine eies shall behold none other for me Iob. 19.25.26.27 Euen the dying of the corne first in the earth and the after growing vp of the same the reuiuing of diuerse worms and other creatures at the spring towardes suÌ„mer the laye for deade all winter are glasses in nature our God hath set before vs to make vs ashamed of this point of infidelity and Atheisme once to call the truth of the resurrection into question The soule is immortall And as touching the soul that it dieth not but if it depart out of the body in the Lorde that it passeth streight to the Lorde with whome it not only ceaseth from al woe and pain but also enioieth the reward of blisse hereby also we are plainly taught For otherwise how should it bee true that immediatly thenceforth such as die in the Lord are blessed in not only ceasing froÌ„ their labours but also in present receiuing rewarde of their works For hereupon it must needs follow to be most true which wee reade Eccl. 12.7 that the soul returneth to him that gaue it And that also Mat. 10.28 that tyrants cannot kil the soul Wherfore we may with Peter count death but a flitting of the soule out of the tabernacle of the body 2. Pet. 1.14 and with Paul a going from an earthly house to an heauenly It sleepeth not nor is without feeling of ioy assuredly vntil the resurrectioÌ„ 2. Cor. 5. c. and therefore with him vpon good cause desire to be dissolued to be with the Lord Phi. 1.23 and when we dye dying in the Lorde with Christ Luk 23.46 and with StepheÌ„ Act. 7 59. coÌ„meÌ„d our souls into the hands of God Whereupon it followeth that there is a soule and that it dieth not when the body dyeth but is immortal Yea further in yâ— as we perceiue by Christs placing of Lazarus immediatly in present fruition of ioy after his death in Abrahams bosom Luk. 16. the souls of such as die in the Lord are sayd here to haue their works accompany them hereupon it followeth that the reward thereof is not drousie sleepe but a ioyfull feeling of heauenlye blisse and that therefore the soules of such departed sleepe not but are awake and in a liuely feeling of ioy in heauen Which fancy of these sleepers is confuted also in that Ioh. Apo. 6. seeing in visioÌ„ soules in heauen heard them cry a loud vnto the Lord to hasten his second coÌ„ming Herevpon also in that of contraries there is contrary condition may well be gathered in that the state of those that dye in the Lord is blessed that the state of those that dye not in the Lord That is no purgatory for any that dy in the Lord to goe vnto is accrused Now in that it followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immediately thenceforth and their works accompany theÌ„ and they cease from their labours by three most euident reasons it must needes follow that to such as dye in the Lord there is not any meane place or Purgatory and therfore to none other by our aduersaries owne confession For they themselues hold as wel as we that al that dy out of grace and fauor of our God they for their sins in soul go straight to hel and that none go to purgatory but such as dye in the Lord which yet before their death haue not sufficiently satisfied for their sins But here I say this their doctrine is flatly confuted first in that they are imediatly after their death thenceforth without any exceptioÌ„ said to be blessed SecoÌ„dly in that it is said They rest from their labours Thirdly in that it is said Their works accompany theÌ„ None of all which could bee true if any of them went to purgatory And yet our Rhemists vpon this place are not ashamed to write in their notes notwithstanding it be their known and receiued doctrine that the pâ—ines that souls suffer in purgatory be equal to the paines of hel for the time that one principal torment there is the gnawing worme of conscience that soules in purgatory may well be