you thinke indéed ther is a God that knoweth this A Scribe that recordeth it A iudge that will reuenge it and a day that shall reueale it by the bookes of your heauie iudgement And dare you continue your delight in lying whoring in filthy iestinges that are not comely in such the workes of darkenesse which rather you ought to reprooue in others then to fauour or practise them your selues But these euils dwel not altogether in beggers but you you euē you I say whō the Lord hath blessed with landes and reuenewes in great aboundance which for your birthes are called gentlemen for your chiualrie knights but for your follie flattered as fooles to winne of you preferment euen of you I said there are that dare dispise the spirit of trueth with the false spirit of lying ribauldry and filthy whoredome Your seruantes perceyuing your foolishnesse are contented to sell themselues to hel to gaine some earthly preferment at your handes For séeing your diuellish disposition they frame their practise to your pleasurs but you shal be iudged of those thinges most seuerely Oh you seruing-men absteyne from pleasing your maisters with this egregious lewdenes of lying Wotte you what you doe and whose ye are Io. 8. you do make your soules the slaues of sathan and you are herein the children of the deuill your father which is a lyer from the beginning Cast of these works of darkenesse haue no fellowship with them but rather reprooue them and those that vse them yea though they be your great masters For you are not called to serue men but God And you shall then be founde best profitable to your maisters when you shall take sinne from their bodies and exhort vertue to their soules And be it knowne to you you knightes héere present and the rest that that noble Naaman had not béene clensed from his leprosie had he not humbled his soule to the admonition of his godly seruing-men 2. Kings 5.13 2. King 5.13 The Lorde GOD worke our conuersion in tyme that wee may dye to sinne and haue parte in the firste resurrection so shall we bee sure not to taste of the seconde death because our names are founde written in the booke of life Whereof nowe wee are to speake And it is notable that it is saide euery man was iudged accordinge to his workes that hée had done in his life time not what others haue done for him after Yea aswell the godly as the reprobate are in thēselues vnder the censure of the seconde booke that is condemnable to the seconde death But now there is an other cause why the godly are saued namely that their names are written in the booke of life Ephe. 1.2 This booke of life is not of this life corporall but spiritual and hath his beginning in these our dayes but is perfited in the last resurrection and is called the most sure and swéete election and predestination of god which doth seale and sanctifie to himselfe those that be his whom he hath chosen to be partakers of the first resurrection before the beginning of dayes Ephe. 1.2 and therefore they cannot perishe in the ende of time Of this booke speaketh Paule The Lord knoweth who bee his And though sparingly I would speak in singular reuerence of this hiddē mystery 2. Tim. 2.19 to many in the world comfortable only to the childrē of life when their eyes be opened to reade this booke yet in humblenesse of heart I say thus much of it This booke of life is the most certaine sure firme and eternall foreknowledge in the most holy minde of God Zanch. To. 2 lib. 3. cap. 3. 712. by the which hee euer hath and doeth in his Christ and for him alone appoint and choose vs to be his children adopted to grace and heires of eternall life approueth them for his and taketh peculiar and perpetuall care on them I knowe my sheepe saith Christ I knowe whome I haue choosen c. And those whome the Lorde writeth in this booke those only shall haue saith and life And whosoeuer is not written in this booke without doubt he shall be cast into the seconde death But howe shal we know that wee are written in this booke Surely euerie man is to séeke the knowledge héereof To some it is giuen at morne to other at noone and to some onely at night euen gasping at breath The ordinarie way to this knowledge is elegātly set downe by Paul to the Romans where the graces of God are so linked in one so easie to be perceiued that euerie man may haue an insight of this golden cheine that feareth God Rom. 8.28 We know that all thinges saith he worke together for the best to to them that loue God euē to them that are called of his purpose For those whō he knew before he also predestinate to be made like to the image of his sonne that he might be the first borne amonge manie brethren Moreouer Whome he predestinate them also hee called and whome hee called them also hee iustified and whome he iustified them also he glorified Héere beloued the booke is gods purpose to choose and our writing in it is that we are elected to liue in Christ before all times a life conformable to the following of Christ to bée holy and blameles sober godly religious iust peaceable and blessed in this present worlde And not to be worldly bent and to blaspheme with rebellious spirites saying what should I feare to to robbe to kil to spoile to whore it and brace it and to followe my lust For if I be elected I shal be saued if I be not elected I shal be dāned But beloued Oh hateful spirit against Gods holy spirit of our electiō Do you draw hence an other nature in the grace of this book namely learne to sée how those that are elected those shal be called to féele their election And they shal be iustified from their former corruptions sanctified from after sinnes and glorified to God But as we haue said those that be not found writtē in this booke those shal be iudged by the other bookes of iudgement and that according to their workes This doctrine is héere deliuered vs to note Iohn speaketh of the generall iudgement executed long after the natural death and he speaketh generally of all when as no doubte great heapes of infinite thousands haue had the works of Popes and Cardinals popish priests and sacrilegious Masses trentals doles and chauntrie fées moonkish builde and frierish helpes for them All whose works of darknesse notwithstanding euery man shall rise vnchaunged from his former state For euen so as he dyed such shall he arise and shall haue iudgement after his owne works and not according to the merite of other mens labours for him after his death Thus saith Gods spirite which cannot lye Away therefore with your prayer for the deade your almes and dole to the poore at the place and day
thy sinnes are discouered and thine imperfections more notorious But by two especiall notes a sicke man is knowne to be neare his death First his pulses labour weakely his speech draweth farrely and his strength is fled away Secondly when he is sodeinely bereft of his vitall spirits perfect senses so as he is not féeling the parts of his dying bodie he is déemed neare vnto his death Alas looke into the bodie of England for the soundenes of her life Christ in her beholde her pulses beate faintly her speach fetcheth farly her strength is meruellously decayed Is her zeale to religion as it was in the beginning of her maiesties raigne Is it continually vigent in all the parts of the bodie doth euery knée bowe to Christ the Lorde in her doth euery tongue confesse Iesus to be the Lorde to the glorie of God the father Nay alas this little life left is drawne néere to the heart and the heart is verie sicke A fewe names a fewe in respecte of so great a number What meaneth it that so many magistrates are molested with carcke against conspiracies and domesticall furies That such and so great vices are dayly spread and breake out So sundrie persons forced with papists filthy familyes and popish seminaries Such friendshippe to Gods enimies of some that rather should help to spewe them out of the bodie Such prouision for warre such feare of forraine foes and so small trust in manie home dwellers vndoubtedly this is the very cause that Englande is very sicke fainting falling as by degrées from her former strength in Christ Religion is thought to bee strong ynough of it selfe for aide it can obtaine little except about the heart Godly conuersation is fledde out of the countrie God graunt him godly constant entertainment in her graces Court Charity is become key cold for no man hath leasure to loue beyonde himselfe Hate of iniquitie is banished the lande and the true loue of God is hardly to be founde in the bodie of England Euen now is performed againe the prophet Hosias speach There is no truth nor mercy Hose 4 2.2.3 nor knowledge of God in the land by swearing lying and killing and stealing and whoring they breake out and bloode toucheth blood therefore shall the lande mourne c. And are we not senselesse of our weake estate Do not our spirituall preachers crie vnto vs Esa 1.53.6 Rom. 2.2 There is no health frō top to the toe All haue gone astray euery mā after his picked chosē way the long suffering of God hath béene to drawe you to repentance but you haue abused his great pacience are like to the raging seas for in the glory of your presumptiōs you haue cast vp to the eyes of the Lord the filthie fome of your bloodgiltinesse But nowe repent in time ere the day of his decrée come foorth Zoph 2.1 ◠Gather your selues together O nation not worthy to bée beloued least you be blowen away like chaffe in that day Séeke the Lorde ye méeke of the earth you that haue wrought his iudgementes Séeke righteousnesse séeke lowlines if so be the ye may bée hidden in the day of the lords wrath But beloued in GOD Esa 26.20 howe féele we our selues now are we sicke or whole To this me thinke some do say No sir loquere no bis placentia speake more pleasant things to vs. Crie peace peace Iere. 20.1 euē til the day of war Cast Ieremie into prisō saith Pashur his partakers for hee speaketh against this citie But those names onely that are about the hart and haue not so steined their cloths they say he is not worthie to die for he hath spokē to vs in the name of the lord our god Ier. 26.16 But of the residue what shal we say truly we may rightly say as God him selfe spake to his prophet Ezechiel in the time saying Also thou son of man the childrē of thy people the talke of thee by the wals as they sit at their banquets Ezec. 33.30 thou art their sauce to their delicates in the dores of their houses whē they sit in the streets to recreate thēselues speake one to an other saying in derisiō of my law come I pray you heare what is the word that cōmeth from the Lorde for they come vnto thee as the people vseth to come and my people sit before thee and heare thy words but they wil not do thē for with their mouths they make mowes iestes their hart goeth after their couetousnes And lo Thou art to them as a iesting song of one that hath a pleasant voice can sing well for they heare thy words but they do thē not And when this cōmeth to pas for lo it wil come namely the ripenes of this sin the performance of my prophets threts frō me Then shal they knowe Verse 28. that not a iesting singer but a prophet hath ben amongst them When Lord euen whē I wil lay the land desolate saith the Lord wast and the pompe of her strength shal cease c. O lord in thy great mercy looke down vpon our English Israel What is he the séeth this huge heape of people here this day being a straunger to the state of this country but presently might cōceiue much life of god to be in thē Surely it is a great people yea a very great auditorie I haue not seene the like in the countrie the Lord blesse you al with the first resurrectiō according to his blessed will But you of the greater sort take you care that ye come not to heare what the lord saith only for ciuility or neiborly courtesie in respect of these funerals or in nisenes to heare a voice that might delight you but what cause soeuer brought you now that you are come be attentiue to the lord that you may be taught of god As for the gretest number it is too apparant wil be proued anonne that as our prophet saith they folow their couetousnes They are come in hope to haue a dole to day Against whose gréedie desire eftsones I pray you to whom it belongeth that regarde may be had hereof least this dayes exercise may be abused by the wicked to father their popish prayer for the deade vppon your charitable deuotion to the poore But beloued let the bell call you to another Church or at an other time be the preacher liked neuer so well we shall not haue the thirde part of this audience Nay if we might haue but the fourth part and that on the Sabboth onely it were in these partes a vertuous people And after our hearing howe do we digest the worde For the moste part this is al At dinner and after we talke of the man but féede not of the matter We either yéelde him his due commendation or our dislike But euen as minstrels song once hearde is streight forgotten So very fewe with Marie laieth
preached with the groūds of Religion in truth and taught other points of doctrine also sincerely soundly in puritie of trueth or more corruptly haue laide erronious opinions vpon the foundation of our faith This was the Apostles purpose so that if this fire shoulde be of purgatorie then no man but preachers protestantes and popish shoulde come thither Last of all their transgressions coulde neuer in this fire bée forgiuen but onely proued such as they were But if they could haue so good happe as there to bée purged yet is mercie so shutte out of that purgatorie that no prayer can obtaine remission of sinnes there or any redemption can bee had till sufficient paines be paide in that scarrefire and so by fire the soule must bee purged Some other places they bring out for their purgatorie As Macha 1◠that acte of Machabeus for the dead who sent his siluer to pray for them and is commended by the abridgement For answere heereto I say althoughe we shoulde graunt this Act consonant with the word which indéed is most flat against it yet that he in that corruption of the Churche prayed for the dead nothing shall it proue for your purgatorie no more then the praiers of some auncientes before vs for the dead did when as they dreamed not of purgatorie but thought onely of the resurrection vers 44. as Iudas doth in this place But I say to this place as some Lawyers vse to say Truth may not be trodden vnderfoote with a counterfaite showe Of the weakenes of this booke the Papistes themselues sufficiently knowe and he that is ignorant thereof let him read Kemnisius against the Tridentine councel in his Historia Purgatorii cap. 20. sess 8. I will no longer detaine you good people in these purgatorie matters onely I tell you such warrant hath all the rest of their profession for their imagined purgatory out of which they say mens soules shal once come but they know not when No no the seconde death is the onely receptacle of them that goe not to heauen where they shal be holden remedilesse vntill the last resurrection And this is the power of the second death Against this the papistes also say that after life there is forgiuenesse of sinnes to this mixed companye which is obtained by their friendes and merites of the Church for them But beloued this is their dreame against the trueth of the scripture and the iudgementes of their best doctours both which affirme plainely that after naturall death there is no remission of sinnes to the departed Wherfore Dauid in his life time prayeth Psal 39.13 O Lorde stay thine anger from mee that I may recouer my strength before I goe hence and be not The parable of the wise Matth. 25. and foolishe virgin is set downe of Christ to proue this and howe fareth it with them The wiser sort take Oyle with them They loue and liue a Christian life while they haue time in this world and therefore their owne workes doe follow them and present themselues as a witnesse to the parties faith and are crowned with mercie Come yee blessed of my Father when I was an hungrie you fedde mee But the foolishe Virgins though of the same calling Virgins the same profession to beare the lampe Yet because they were carelesse of Gods holy spirite and thereby had no lightes before men of Godly labours in good woorkes the true triall of a liuelye faith but haue committed that vnto their friendes for them These I say wanting true obedience to GOD who hath saide Matt. 5.16 Let your light so shine beefore men that they seeing your good workes may glorie your Father which is in Heauen had a boundance of carnalitie with them 1. Tim. 5.24 These their euill workes as some went before and some followed them vnto Iudgmente so they after life coulde haue none other answere to their crie Matt. 25.13 Lorde open to vs but this departe ye cursed I know you not As many of you heere present therefore as longe after life séeke the Lord while he is to be founde before your naturall death While ye haue the light saith Christ our Lorde walke in the light For darknesse will come wherein no man can walke And his Apostle Paul saith Galat. 6.6 While wee haue time let vs doe good to all men but he saith while we haue time which time is that we possesse in this life and not others for vs after it To this doctrine the auncient writers subscribe their heartes and haue left their handes with vs yea euen such fathers as the papists approue for saincts their writings equall to the holy scriptures And first touching the sentence of Dauid before cited videlicet Lorde staye thine anger from mee c. Ambrose Ambrosius To. 1. li de B◠Mor. c. 2. pag. 243 saith Qui enim hic non accipit c. Truely he the receiueth not forgiuenes of his sinnes in this life shall not bée there He shal not be there Why for hee can not possibly come to eternall life because life eternall dependeth vpon the forgiuenes of sinnes And therfore Dauid prayed Forgiue me Lorde that I may bee comforted before I goe hence Thus farre Ambrose Hierome a priest of Rome and one of the foure Euangelistes of that Synagogue vpon the same text writing vpon Esay saith Hier. in Esa to 5. cap. 65 Pa. 244. b. He that whilest he heere liueth Dum in hoc corpore viuit hath not obteined forgiuenesse of his sinnes but hath without such remission departed this life hee perisheth to God and ceasseth to bee although he continue to himself in paine and tormentes And as touching the seconde scripture Dum tempus habemus Hierome saith of it This our present life is the seede time for vs to sowe whatsoeuer we wil saith Hierome but when this life is passed and gone from vs then is the time of good working taken away also Augustine saith hereof In futuro solism est remuneratio In the life to come there is onely recompence and condemnation but in this life our sinnes are either bounde vp or loosed And that learned Cyprian saith expresly When our departure shall be herehence there is lefte no place for repentance or power of any satisfaction No saith Augustine ad Hesichium Aug. ad Hefic To. 2. epi. 80. fol. 350. For in what state soeuer at the last day of mans life death shall sinde him in the same state and condition the last day of the worlde shall comprehende him Quoniam qualis in die isto quisque moritur talis in illo die iudicabitur For in what case soeuer a man at his last day shall die in the same case and state shall the Lord iudge him at the great day From all these places and witnesses then beloued yee sée that neither popish praier Romishe masses deadly diriges friuolous almes or paltrie pardons paines in purgatorie or popishe pardons can any whit
A Sermon of sure Comfort preached at the Funerall of Master Robert Keylwey Esquire at Exton in Rutland the 18. of Marche 1580. By Anthonie Anderson Preacher and Parson of Medburne in Leicestershiere AT LONDON Printed by H. Middleton dwelling in Fleetstreete at the signe of the Falcon. ANNO 1581. A SERMON OF sure comfort preached at the Funerall of Maister Robert Keylway Esquier the 18. day of March 1580. As we are assembled in the name of our good God so let vs pray for his vniuersall Church c. The text Blessed and holy is hee that hath part in the first resurrection for on such the seconde death hath no power but they shall bee the Priestes of God and Christ and shall raigne with him a thousand yeare Apocalips 20. IT hath béene from auncient time receiued and verie long vsed in the Church of God right worshipfull and Christian audience at the Funerals of the godly to haue the worde preached to the people Not thereby to profite the deade which no way after life can chaunge this departing state but by it to instruct the lyuing that they may learne to die in the Lorde and so rest from the labour of sinne and hell And why may not the godly preacher take occasion at funeralls to preach the worde of God Nay why shoulde they omitte any occasion but rather with Christ and his Apostles waite oportunitie to preach the worde whensoeuer the people be gathered together So Christ at Ierusalem Iohn in the wildernesse Iohn 7. c. Math. 3.1 Mar. 1.45 Act. 17.22 and Paul in Mars stréete preached the worde where and in what place the people were assembled The fathers likewise of the Church of auncient time haue at such assemblies taken occasion to teach the liuing euen when the funeralles were solemnized ouer the deade Whereby it was that those men did not only benefit the Churh during their liues but euen their corps as it were did afforde a finall benefite to the same at their departure to the earth And though the Papistes haue abused much this sacred vse so as at this day some vse it and suppose it rather to benefite the dead then séeking to profit the liuing thereby yet is this no reason why we should abstaine from food or our parentes shoulde foreslow to féed vs with the bread of life bicause the enemies of God haue abused it Let vs then looke vpon this heauenly bread which God in mercie by the occasion of this christiā corps here present hath new in the seruice of mine endeuour offered vnto you It is a cōfortable consolation to the children of God spoken and commanded to be written to them that they should not be swallowed vp in the sorowes of sharpe persecution and tyrannie of Antichrist Or be beaten from the anchor of hope in God whilest they are accursed of the world or be driuē to dispaire vnder the crosse by the multitude of afflictiōs but should assure thēselues of his loue towards them of their estate in him howsoeuer the malignaunt mindes of wicked men should bend their force against them Blessed and holy is he c. This scripture compriseth a resolute aunswere to that often asked matter namely who is he that is truly blessed what it is to bée blessed indéed In answere whereof the spirite of God obserueth this order First he declareth who they bée which be truely blessed Secondly he doth elegantly set downe the condition and state of them which are so blessed Touching the first Who is blessed he aunswereth Blessed is he that hath part in the first resurrection Concerning the seconde And what is their blessednes He faith For on such the seconde death shal haue no power but they shal be the priestes of God of Christ shall raigne with him 1000. yeares that is to say for euer That we may take sufficient profite of this Godly labour let vs well obserue the text Bessed is he that hath part c. There hath béene no state so accursed but the same hath desired to be blessed Nor any people so sottish that haue not in cause of happy desire sought after felicitie But such as the dispositions of the persons were such for the most part was their supposall of felicitie Symonides Some sort supposed it an happie thing to bée beautifull and braue Pindarus Some other déemed happinesse to consist onely in rule and dignitie And therefore haue tendered with hazarde their soules to Hell atchiuing by wicked practizes some stately seates in earth Aristot Some haue supposed ciuill honestie to be the habite of true felicitie and hauing obteined a faire course therein haue onely rested there as in the chaire of heauenly happinesse But others more lewde haue sonke themselues to hell Rom. 2. with gaping after earthly treasure haue thesaured to themselues in déede the malediction of God against the day of wrath Of this sort was that Diues in the 12. of Luke and likewise his companion Luke 12. in the 16. of the same Luke 16. In whose earthly beatitude appeare these deadly miseries Namely in obtaining riches a greedie desire and in possessing them a double mischiefe To themselues they did abounde in great prodigalitie but vnto all other they were imprisoned in the déepe dungeon of needlesse nigardie For thēselues they gathered still fared alwaye delicately aparelled euer costly stil open harted to their owne delights but very narrowly chested to al others which would haue ben resonably satisfied with the least part of their superfluous prouision Oh that the states of our dayes would looke to this Those Lords these knightes and you the rich of this age you suppose it your chiefe happines to ioyne house to house and lande to land bloude to bloud and thousands to thousands and yet yee hunger after more But alas the most of these doe suppose it their blessednes to haue a Rowlande for an Oliuer To banquet and furfette with Bacchus to disporte and sléepe with Venus To haue store of children great wealth sound bodies stately buildinges and noble names of the vulgar sorte But beholde both reason in earth and tormentes in hell shall teach you in trueth that this is rather follie then true felicitie For if this be true happines to be frée from al sorts of misery and to abounde in all sacietie of good things without appetite of farther or desire of more howe can you reiecte reason which telleth you O earthly happie that you are yet in great misery For though in riches yée surpasse Cresus in carnal venery Sardanapalus in delicate disshes either the Epicure or Bacchus in conioyned possessions euen Alexander the conqueror yet your miserable mindes thinke though we haue much yet haue we not ynough We are sorie our throtes be no déeper our bellies no greater our nights no longer our patrimonies no larger For had you wonne the whole world yet would you couet to haue another and miserably yée feare
the deserued fall of this you haue which is euermore enuironed with miserable feare and blindnes with feare to loose that they haue by sundrie casualties And so blinde as not able to beholde the miserie of that ende which hath none other heauen then this present earth But Oh come and beholde the state of these blessed that are not godly rich O yée sonnes of men and you shall bée enforced if you hunger to bée truely blessed to pray with that holy rich Dauid Psal 17.14 Deliuer my soule from the wicked with thy sworde from men O Lorde by thine hande from men of the worlde who haue their portion in this life whose bellyes thou fillest with thine hidde treasure their children haue ynough and leaue the rest of their their substance for their children But I will beholde thy face in righteousnesse and when I awake I shall bee satisfied with thine image That is When I shall arise from the sleepe of naturall death it shall bée full felicitie to me that thou in thy mercy O Lord hast made mee thy creature and liuely image formed by and after thée in holynesse and righteousnesse and to enioy the fulnesse of thy face Colloss 2. which is true blessednesse The tormentes of Hell in Diues might sufficiently teach vs howe false is the felicitie of earthly beautie brauerie dignitie riches and greatest glorie If Christ bée not in them your ende shall bée wéeping and woe Iames. Hée was braue but now is the Godly Lazar beautifull he was of great possessions but Lazarus hath the kingdome Luke 16. He gaped after gold gay clothes delicate fare but the despised man of God is truely rich decked with glory delicately fed with the countenance of the Lord. Diues supposed rich is buried in hel And by that he greatly offended in that he is greatly punished For his tongue is vehemently tormented in the flame he cryeth for fauour but cannot obtain for hée had no part of the first resurrectiō which is true beatitude and therefore must he néedes dwell for euer in the seconde death He would haue his brethrē warned that they dreame not of false felicitie but the very way to blessednesses is there taught him and also vs not to bée learned from the deade Luke 16. but of the liuing Lawe of the Lord. They haue Moses the Prophets let them heare them Esai 8.19.20 Be afraide ye gallants of the earth you delicate Nymphes of these deayes which term it now most delicate to you iudge your selues that ye be not iudged of the Lorde 1. Cor. 11. Burie not your mindes in fained felicitie but séeke you after true happinesse If riches honours Castels Lordships Lands Reuenues wordly goods greatly increase set not your hearts vpon them Be not locked into the Coffer of thy gold with Diues but haue a godly liberal hart with Abrahā Rather sit at the doore of thy house ready to benefite thy countrie thē hauing many to runne from al thy homestedes to lye aloofe to féede thy selfe Haue a Christian eye to the whéele of false felicitie For the more swéete shée séemeth the sharper is her loose whom she most fauoureth him maketh she most fottish Truely the prosperitie of fooles destroyeth them Prou. 1.32 But if by grace from God in thy part of the first resurrection thou withstandest her pleasures and vngodly desires Sizach thou crownest then thy life with felicitie in him Which God grant vs for his holy Christs sake And thus much of false flattering felicite But that we may be partakers of this blessednes approued to vs here by the spirite of god let vs lend our hearts to heare Truely this felicitie is first by the Lorde diffused to vs in this life but possessed by vs more amplie in heauen at the houre of death yet neuer fully obtained till the time héere mentioned for the iust namely at the second resurrection When we shal be fréed from all woe and shal be filled with all fulnesse of ioy and bée the priestes of God and Christ to raigne with him a thousand yeare that is for euer and euer Blessed is he that hath part in the first resurrection for on such c. This text doth first then yeld a resolute answere to this demand who are they which be truly blessed Truely saith our text euen whatsoeuer he that hath part in the first resurrection whether he be king or caytiffe prince or potentate preacher or people rich or poore he or she yong or old one or other Come vp hither ye sōns of mē raise vp you your heauy harts for the catholik curse of Adams loines behold an vniuersal beatitude in our common Christ This absolute happinesse is not shut vp to a few but as many as can be partakers of the first resurrectiō so many I say shal be blessed frō the second death which is the infernall lake of fire brimstone But for your better helpe to the comfort of this place note héere with mée two thinges The first what is this first resurrection The seconde how we may assure our selues to be partakers therof Now we must cōsider our text doth insinuate vnto vs a duple resurrectiō namely a corporal a spiritual 2. Cor. 5.2.20 The corporal resurrection is the supplie of this article I beleeue the resurrection of the deade and is common to all for all fleshe shall die and ryse agayne to iudgemente But the spirituall resurrection is particular to the sōnes of God alone is called the first because in this life his holy spirit doeth kill the members of sinne to death in vs rayseth vs vp togither in Christ Ephesi 2. to a newnesse of life But so necessarie a doctrine it is to bée delyuered vs of either resurrection that I may not omit but speake of them both And as many scriptures doe testifie the first so it is my purpose to charge your memories but with one but that so sufficiēt as may alone suffice our purpose at this time and your vnderstanding of Gods good pleasure in that iudgement viz. Apoc. 20.11.12.13.14.15 And I sawe a great white throne and one that sate on it from whose face fled away both the earth and heauen and their place was no more founde And I sawe the dead both great and small stand before God the books were opened and an other booke was opened which is the booke of life and the deade were iudged of those things which were written in the books according to their workes And the sea gaue vp her dead which were in her and death and hell deliuered vp the deade which were in them and they were iudged euery man according to their workes And death and hel were cast into the lake of fire this is the seconde death And whosoeuer was not founde in the booke of life written was cast into the lake of fire This holy scripture beloued doth most playnely
lay abroad the order and maner of iudgemēt at the last day And first the maiestie of the iudge in his comming is described Secondly the maner of the iudgement who they be and wherof the Apparants be iudged The Lords comming is with great glory he sitteth on a mightie seat farre passing the iudicial thrones of the greatest princes And of necessitie that must bée a greate Seate Titus 2.13 Luk. 1.32 which must beare the God of might It is a bright shining seate all glorious not with corruptible golde or precious stone but with the heauēly gleames more bright then the Sunne beames euen lightned with the brightnesse of his diuine glorie as Christ hath saide Matt. 25.31 The sonne of Man shal come in his glorie and he shall sit vppon the seate of his glorie and all the holy Angels shall come with him Whose glorious throne doth euen teach vs that the Lords iudgements are pure and without spotte No pleading at the barre no bribing of the iudge no frending by aquest no fauour found for siluer nor loue or hate shall beare a sway but equitie alone in him shall then bee séene Also his brightnesse in comming shal perce into the hearts and actes of al men to manifest and lay open the hidden secrets of the conscience according to the sentence of Paul 1. Cor. 4.5 Iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lord come who wil lighten things that are hide in darkenes make the councels of the hearts manifest and then shal euery man haue praise of God viz. as his labour asketh Likewise the shinning sunne and moone the glittering starres yea heauen earth shall be darkened faile of their brightnes before him For like as the glorious sunne shinning causeth the blasing torch to loose his brightnes in respect of him So shall that most beawtifull planet be as darkened with the great glorie of this shining throne in the comming of the Amightie Christ But my beloued if these glorious creatures shal flée from the presence of this mighty CHRIST comming to iudgement which euer haue béene obedient to his holy will yea that but when he is comming how shal it fare with vs when he is set vpon that terrible throne whose sinnes haue béene so many and the accusers so ready as the Lord his witnes sathās accusation Zopho and thine owne conscience which is to thée 1000. witnesses when the sunne is blacke the Moone as blood the stars fall Malach. like the gréene figges from their trées in a mightie wind the heauens depart away like a scroll Reue. 6.12 and all ysles and montaines are moued out of their places And the kinges the of earth the great men and the rich men the chiefe captaines and the mightie men and euery bondman and euery frée man hide them selues in dennes Esa 2.19 Hos 10.8 Luk 23.30 and amongst the rocks of the mountaines and shall say to the mountaines and rockes fall on vs and hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the lambe In cause hereof let me say vnto vs with that holy Dauid Oh Psal 50.22 cōsider this you that forget God least the Lorde teare you in péeces and there bée none to deliuer you Séeing therefore that all these thinges must be dissolued and come to passe what manner of persons ought we to bée 2. Pet. 3.11 in holy conuersation godlinesse But when this iudge our Lorde Christ is thus gloriouslyset then these foresaid persons of ech degrée shall stand before him euen great smal for neither heauen nor earth can hid them or their crownes their dignities Lordships or warrelike courage wealth wil or wit shall be able to kéepe them from his presence or escape the iust iudgemēt which the balance of his equitie shal cast vnto thē Looke to this now ye knights and gentils here present and you rich in possessions be not careles of your life for godly preuention nowe shal embolden your persons then to lift vp your heades because your redemption is thē at hand Luk. 21.28 This order then shall be obserued The bookes shal be laid open before the Lorde and euery man high and low rich and poore shall be iudged with the scepter of trueth euen according as his déedes are written in those bookes Note héere beloued by an elegant Metaphor howe the spirite of GOD doth display the iudgementes of the Lorde He alludeth vnto the iudiciall courtes of kinges and Potentates where the bookes of recorde beare memorie of the faultes of men conuicted by good proofe Not that the Lord hath néede of bookes for he knoweth the thoughts words and workes of all men of euery idle word Math. 12.36 shall man be iudged but that héereby he would sende vs to our owne senses to knowe and féele that all our actions and heartes are in his sight and cannot be wiped out of his remembrance by other pensill then onely by true faith repentance And as we are fallen into this Metaphor of the Lords bookes So let vs know that the holy scriptures Ezech. 18. Heb. 6. attribute thrée bookes vnto God viz. liber prouidentiae Iudicii vitae The booke of his prouidence The booke of his iudgement and the blessed booke of life Of his prouidence Dauid saith thus Psal 139 16. Thine eyes did see mee when I was without fourme for in thy booke were all things writtē which in continuaunce were fashioned when there was none of them before O Lorde sayth hée when as yet I was not formed in my mothers wombe thine eyes did see me in the book of thy foreknowledge prouidence of thy diuine mind were all men written from the foūdation of the earth when as yet there was not one begotten The booke of his iudgementes this former text doth enforce the consideration of which bookes were opened and signifieth the certaine knowledge of al the words and workes of euery man from Adam tyll that instant according to the which they shall be all then iudged For those things which the Lord now knoweth as if he had them written in bookes those thinges that either our heartes wordes or workes haue imagined spoken or done the same then shall he then lay before vs as if he redde them out of them Apoc. 20. and shall thereby builde a reason vnto vs all why some shall by iudgement goe to hell some other vnto life Be not deceiued therefore good people God is not mocked or beguiled Gal. 6.7 for we shall be adiudged of euery idle worde that shall be spoken howe much more of wicked déeds as of idolatrie whordome blasphemie and such like Nowe go too you that put farre away the euill day Amos. 6.3 and approch the seat of iniquitie which take singular pleasure in ribauldry and filthy iesting which can laughe the lowdest when your lewde seruants are most disposed to lie Doe
of Funerals And euen this day I exhort in the Lord whom it doth most concerne that as I knowe and doe affirme your hate to that pestilent péece of popery and your sinceritie in Christ so yée faithfully shewe it at this instant Féede these poore assembled but foster not that popishe opinion to pray for the soule departed Forget not the Lord at this present who hath not forgottē to bring you to great things Abstain saith the Apostle not only from euill but euen also from the shadow shew of euill If it might be take some other day for them giue them with warning that you meane no procuring of prayer for the dead For I know that you are assured that euery man shall appeare and aunswere for his owne factes as well this reuerend corps going to his graue as all you and wee here assembled in cause of him We must all appeare saith Paule before the iudgement seate of Christ 2. Cor. 5.10 that euery man may receiue the things that are done in his bodie according to that he hath done whether it be good or euill The Lord in mercy blesse vs with his grace that liuing in him we may die in the Lorde Christ and so rest in peace till our returne to this bodily resurrection when we shall resigne to our soules our newe bodies though burned to ashes eaten with vermine in Sea or by lande For death lande and sea shall giue vppe not newe creatures but her receiued deade to be revnited to this resurrection And so with holy Iob we shall all sée our redéemer not with other but with these eyes that nowe we haue and with the selfe same bodies which nowe we beare shall wée all both small and great stande before the almightie Christ the iudge of quick and deade To whom be glory for euer And nowe time requireth to speake of the first resurrectiō which earst we called spirituall And of this resurrection Paul speaketh thus Ephe. 2.4 And when we were deade by sinnes God in his rich mercie through his great loue wherewith hee loued vs hath quickened vs together in Christ by whose grace wee are saued And hath raised vs vp together made vs sit together in the heauenly places in Christ Iesus Rom. 6.4 And againe to the Romans thus We are buried then with Christ by baptisme into his death that like as Christ was raised of God the father so wee shoulde walke in newnesse of life And nowe of these places we are to obserue First that there is a death that goeth before this resurrection Then that by an other power beyonde our selues we are reuiued and raised from that death And thirdly what this life is where vnto we are raised To the first this death is spiritual and is none other but sinne as here is saide and when we were deade in sinne And rightly is sin called death for it killeth all the vitall partes of the soule and maketh it not onely vnapt but vnable to serue the liuing God It depriueth vs of the grace of God It separateth Christ Rom. 6. which is our life from vs it bringeth sathan to possesse our soules and haleth vs to the second death which is the infernal lake This is the nature of euery sinne and therefore they are rightly saide to bée deade which be possessed of it as wholly cut off from God estraunged from his life 1. Tim. 5.6 and deade to godlynesse So are the lashing widowes called deade in spirite though they liue by nature which giue themselues to carnalitie fleshly lusts And of such men also spake Christ the Lorde saying Let the deade burie their dead Matth. 8.22 Nowe beloued drawe hence this doctrine We are by course of naturall life sinners but by our selfe delights we are become deade in trespasses but he that is dead is so frée from life that he hath no part of whatsoeuer is done vnder the sunne as the preacher saith Eccle. 9.4.5.6 So now that I speake to you that you conceiue and we all féele the power of the voyce it is by that wee liue but this Corpes héere present is so frée from all this that he neither heareth or conceiueth féeleth or partaketh whatsoeuer by his occasion héere is done for hée is deade and his life is not in him Euen so beloued the deade in sinne are as frée from righteousnes and the true féeling thereof as this sanctified corpes is cut from our present action Moreouer this corps can neither goe nor stir hinder or let those that list to carry conuey him whether they woulde Neither can the deade in sinne withstande the guide of his deadly soule the killing diuell the prince of hell but is ledde and drawen euen whether and to what him lust to whoredomes murthers lying blasphemie and what not Ion. 8.34 Rom. 6.20 2. Pet. 2.19 For of whom so euer a man is ouercome his seruant he is whether of sinne vnto death or of grace vnto life Last of all it is not in the power of any deade man to arise againe till his life be returned to him No more is it in the power of man once deade in sin to rise againe from it vntill his life which is Christ returne to reuiue him Wherefore the Apostle saith hee hath quickned vs euen God the father by the spirite of his Christ hath raised vs vp with Christ Where is then thy frée will and power to kéepe the wayes of God when thou hast eares but fatted eares that cannot heare a heart but blinded Matt. 13.14 that cānot perceiue the good wil of god a soule but deade and estraunged from the life of God Ephe. 41.8 And for this cause God is saide to raise vs from the deade that Christ may giue vs light that by his mighty operation through faith in him It is his mighty operation Colos 2.12 not mans weaknesse to raise vs from sinne For sathan is stronger then we 2. Tim. 2.26 holdeth vs once dead euē at his wil as Paul saith so as it is not possible for vs to arise from his bōos til our life Christ which is the strōger Luk. 11.29 Math. 12.29 Mark 3.22 enter combat with him bind him take vs his spoile away from him The workeman then to raise vs in this first resurrection is not man but God And he vseth heereto as his finger to forme vs anewe his worde and his spirite both from him selfe that he might haue the whole glorie of our life Embrace then this holy meanes come to the word there is his spirit If thou be his he will drawe thée to it lighten thée by them raise thée from this spirituall death as the Apostle hath saide Rom. 3.11 If the spirite of him that raised vp Iesus from the deade dwell in you hee that raised vp Christ from the deade shall also quicken your mortall bodies because that his spirite dwelleth in you Nowe
what this resurrection is the Apostle doth tel vs namely newnesse of life saying Rom. 6.4 We are buried then with Christ by baptisme into his death that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorie of the father so wee should walke in newnesse of life This is then the first resurrection namely newnes of life There must be life beloued as well in the spirite as in the bodie Manie men séeme to liue and to doe the works of life but not in the spirite but in the body to serue their turn to answere the law to obserue the time but all this while the spirite liueth not Many a papist to day will come to Church in bodie but he bringeth a deade soule with him for Christian Religion hath no roume in his heart But if thou wilt haue thy part Papist or Protestant in the first resurrection thou must beginne to liue in thy spirite that thy spirite may enforce thy bodie to loue liue and feare thy God According to this sentence of Paule Ephes 4.22 Cast off the olde man which is corrupt through the deceiueable lustes and bee yee renewed in the spirite of your minde and put on the newe man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holynesse And at one worde to speake it herein consisteth the first resurrection To cast away the works of darkenesse and to put on Christ the armour of light But as no man raised from a filthy puddle will willingly beare with him the myerie spots of that dirtie soile but will rather cast away the defyled garments that he might appeare clensed Hos 3. Euen so beloued wee must not part stakes with God and sinne but we must say to sinne get thée hence by a spirituall hatred vnto her so increase in it that we must as the Apostle Iude saith euen hate the very garment that is polluted by the fleshe vers 23. So must we hauing receiued such grace liue in spirite and bodie as the sonnes of lighte translated from the power of death to the kingdome of Christ in all peace Colos 1.13 Godlynes Tit. 2.11 sobrietie and honestie Thus shal we liue raigne with Christ a thousand yeare viz. for euer Now call your spirites to your senses and sée howe yée sauour this trueth beloued in Christ Rowse vppe your drowsie heartes and with the perspicuitie of a good conscience sifte and search your selues euerie one howe you haue profited by this doctrine and whether you liue or die Be not deceiued God is not mocked whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall hée reape For if yée sowe still to the flesh your former corruptions you shal reape the seconde death But if nowe you can take hold of Christs doctrin by his spirit from his truth sowe to your spirits the séeds of the word of Faith of righteousnes of peace and godlynesse Gal. 6.7 you are partakers then of the first resurrection and shal reape hereof life euerlasting And in this examination two sorts of men are meruellously conuinced The first neither féeling death or life in god runneth headlong to his luste in infidelitie and gréedinesse to sinne as though that onely were his chiefe beatitude And these bée the Atheistes of our dayes whose consciences are seared vppe with an hotte yron so as no worde can pearce into their heartes or sappe of Gods spirite haue course in their members but are past all féeling euen at the point of damnation The seconde sort are of such as hauing some sparkes of a former fire and a little breathing force of an elder strength but nowe decaying doe yet séeme to liue when rather it may be feared that they are almost deade And these are notably shadowed vnto vs by the Church of Sardi in the Apocalips Apoca. 3.1 And writte vnto the Angel .i. the Minister of the Church which is at Sardi These things saith he that hath the seuen spirites of God in his hand and the 7. stars I knowe thy workes for thou hast a name that thou liuest but thou art deade Oh beloued marke well this Church of Sardi or Lidia She is not an idolatrous Church but professing God and godlinesse She hath the forme of Gods gouernement his worde his ministers is called his Church She séemeth for her outward shew to be most Christian and holy but in déede and troth shee is conuicted of death And that not because shée hath no part of godly life in her but because she hath fallen frō her first loue life and strength in him that holdeth the manifold graces called 7 spirits in his hande to dispose at his good pleasure the sufficient number of his preachers named starres to shine into the darkenesse of mans nature with the brightnesse of his word Finally Sardi is conuinced that she is imperfect in her workes before God that is she was but an hypocriticall Church rested in the externall ceremonies and rites but sought not the Lorde in trueth and sinceritie And héere note beloued that whatsoeuer Church or people which hath not in her soule the rooted faith of Christ graft by his spirite in that inner Man in strength wherof the force and power of Christs spirite floweth thence into an open practise of holinesse and godlinesse righteousnesse and honestie That same Church people or seuered person is as deade before the Lord. But yet in this Church of Lidia there were a fewe names as the Lord noteth in the 4. ver of the 3. chap. which had not defiled their garments that is had not stained the profession of Christ which Christ they by baptism had put on is the wedding garment adorning our beauty in him couereth our infirmities iniquities from the censure of gods iustice Very comfortable is this to the Godly but to the wicked most terrible The Lordes eyes beholde the hearts and actes of men and doth daily discerne the number of the Godly but kéepeth recordes of the wickeds practizes against the day of wrath O Englande Englande Oh thou Church of Sardi if thou be looked into with a spirituall eye thou shalt be founde néere vnto death onely a fewe names or persons are kept in thée for a reserued séed to the Lorde In outwarde shew what Church more holy Thy Princes are protestants Thy angelical starres thy bishops and preachers are learned teachers Thy gouernement is godly thy profession is holy But O Englande if thou be sounded to the heart thou shalt be founde I feare me verie sicke and néere vnto death Many maladies haue mette with thée no sickenesse but hath taken holde of thée and sore weakened thy strength But last of al hypocrisie securitie sléepe in thy bosome Thou stainest thy bright vesture of holy profession with the filthy spottes of carnall desires Thy religion is a cloake to all thy iniquities But as a spot is soone espied and séemeth most foule in a scarlet robe So the brighter thy profession is the sooner
liuing God with reuerent feare by his mercie and Christes merite to be raunsomed from the paines and power thereof Of whose power we thus say The second death which is hell hath a double power or prerogatiue The first is a prerogatiue to receiue such persons as of right doe belong vnto her The seconde is perpetually to kéepe their soules in that lake till the day of iudgement and can neither be coniured or commaunded to deliuer any one of them or can they come out of her by any authoritie or power of Pope or whole papasie but after that day shall possesse both the bodies souls of the malignant Church to her euerlasting tormentes Nowe what soules and persons doe belong to her our Apostle doth tel vs in the 21. of this book saying But the fearefull and vnbeleeuing and the abhominable Apoc. 21.8 murtherers whormongers idolaters sorcerers al liers shal haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire brimstō which is the second death Thrée sortes of persons Gods spirit doeth assure vs to be vnder the power of the second death That is the obstinate Infidell the fearefull Papiste and the abhominable couetous of the worlde as drunkards whoremongers murtherers couetous liars and such like Delicate be your delightes yee gallants of these dayes but wisely call them to account before the mourners followe the sinfull corps to the graue Eccle. 12.1 c. For if the Lord which is the searcher of the heart find your delights with death to end in infidelitie in fearefull poperie or in any these carnal abhominations thē deceiue not your selues for the prerogatiue of the second death may not be taken frō her God is a iust God Rom. 2.6 and in his iustice will iudge euery mā according to the verie nature of his worke Note here also that ciuill honestie without Christs diuinitie cannot kéepe the honest Infidel and vnbeléeuer from the second death For we possesse the heauens by inheritance onely and we are none otherwise made heires thē by this prerogatiue that we are made the sōns of God Io. 1. And wee are none otherwise made the sōnes of God but by our faith in Iesus Christ Nor can this faith bée else obtained but by the spirite of God Or doth this spirit otherwise ordinarily worke it in vs then by the preaching of the word of God But the infidell reiecteth the worde 1. Thes 4.5 and therefore Gods spirite likewise our Christ and in him our heauenly father and so finally this heauenly inheritance And as for our honest life and good workes they serue but so seale vp the heartes of the faithfull to thassuraunce of their election and to procure others to prayse the Lorde being benefited by them in vs. But the onely hand that apprehendeth our inheritance in Christ is our firme fixed faith in him beléeuing by his word and spirit in the full consent of our hartes that he is the same which the most mercifull father hath giuen him to be to vs That is our wisedome our iustification our holynesse our frée and most absolute redemption 1. Cor. 1.10 and so in the bottome of our heartes doe by faith embrace him 2 The second sort subiect vnto hel are the feareful papistes who shal neuer so dying escape the second death And if you will marke with me this Epitheton fearefull therewith measure in truth the popish profession you must of méere necessitie grant me that no papist dying in his popery can be else where placed but in the second death And to your better vnderstāding hereof you must distinguish betwixt feare feare for there is a feare cōmended cōmanded to vs in the holy scriptures Psa 111.10 as The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedom cōmanded Psa 2.10.11 Serue the Lorde in feare reioyce to him with trēbling Again Feare god honor the king 1. Pet. 2.17 loue brotherly fellowship But this is that feare which Gods spirite planteth in his children to serue him in his true worship is euer ioyned with assured knowledge affiance in God And in the knot of christiā mariage Psal 58.9 Psal 112. Psal 118. this sacred feare is rightly shadowed for the wife feareth to offend her husband but it is for reuerēce loue to him neuer wtout affiance of his fauor because she knoweth him to be her maried husband So likewise the godly child doth feare to displease his father not bicause he doubteth of his loue but for that he would not gréeue the spirit of his life whō he feleth most assuredly in natural knot fast tyed to him And though his father lend him a frowning face he knows that those his lookes proceed of fatherly loue to his correctiō wherof persuaded so he feareth so he trusteth so he naturally loueth obeieth him And this knowledge loue driueth away filthy feare which gendreth painefulnes But the feare that Iohn speaketh of is flat contrarie to this It is begotten by distrust in god it is borne of ignorance it liueth to dispaire dieth in gret painfulnes what other is the whole profession of popery but méere timiditie They euer distrust god of his promise during their life therefore they die in feare of his fauor at the houre of death If he say That soule that sinneth shal die they beleue him not but walke frō sin to sin committing more trust to a Popes bul thē credit to the immortal word of god If the Lord say and sweare also Verely verely Io. 5.24 he that heareth my words beleueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life shall not come into condēnatiō but hath passed frō death to life yet the papist is afraid to rest vpō this promise for he doth not absolutely beléeue it but is in feare notwtstanding that after death his soule shal go to condemnation if not to hell yet at the least to purgatory Though the spirit of God say There is no condēnation to thē that are graft in Christ Iesu whose life is not after the flesh but after the spirit yet the papist wil not beleeue that he ought to be assured of this Christian rocke to rest vpon but casteth himselfe into the raging sea of wauering distrust Which feareful persuasion hath béene the very building of al Abbies priories popish paultries from many yeres past vs and doth bréede great blasphemie to the glorie of God For first it taketh away the foundation of our faith in the merite of Christ which is the God almighty is become our father in him and that he is nowe well pleased with vs and as a father not onely doeth pardon our sins but so tenderly loueth vs that our necessities whatsoeuer he carefully helpeth It taketh away also this holy boldnes in loue which his spirit doeth assure vs of and Christ doeth teach vs to cry vnto him Math. 6. O thou that art our father