20 cap 20 the Greeks vse that word Paradise for a place that is hedged round The glory of God is described vnder the figures of blessed things bâ—cause we can not else conceiue it as the punishments of the wicked are described by fire Therfore Christ cals the state of eternall life Paradise Caluin in Har. wherin â—or pleasure either plaÌ„ts and trees are set â—rels beasts ar pastured and commonly it â—s vsed for a garden replenished with vaâ—iety of delights such as was the garden of Eden in which Adam was placed And as the 70. Interpreters called the garden of Eden by that name so Christ calls heaâ—en Paradise for that as a Garden is â—raught with fair flowers and fragrant â—earbes and delitious fruites store of pleasures so heauen is a place abounâ—ing with true blessednes and the perfecâ—ion of euery good thing which may bee imagined loued or desired Paul cals it Paradise or the third heauen into which he was taken 2. Cor. 12 2 Beza Piscat in eum locuÌ„ heard words which cannot be spoken and which are not possible for man to vtter Where without insisting on the Empyreall heauen of which Philosophers trifle and make much disputation Mat. 6 26 Mat 24 29 wee must marke that the scripture makes mention of three heauens one in which the byrdes flye called also the aieâ— another in which the stars and sphears of the heauen are setled Acts 3.2 Phil. 3 20. Col 3 .. Matth 18 10 Luke 16.22 Thes 4 27 and the third called of Christ Paul Paradise in which christ lyued and the holy Angels the blessed soules of those that depart out of this life in the faith of Christ to which christ asceÌ„ded froÌ„ which he shal come to the generall iudgment that the bodyes of the faithful may be taken vp thither to remaine with the lord for euer It is calld an house of many mansions or dwelling places where our Sauiour saith to his disciples in my fathers house of my dwellinge places Chrisostome compares the actions of our life in this world Iohn 14.2 to the sportes and playes of little children that build small sporting houses and addresse counterfaite banquetings to passe the time withall Homil 24 in Matthaeum For many times they gather fishese â—hels and clay and when they haue framed therwith their imaginary cells they glory in them after their manner asmuch â—s they which haue erected lofty galleâ—yes and stately dining chambers But as these conceiued workes perish â—nd quickly fall and men laugh when â—hey behold children weeping for their fal â—o our buildings and complots in this life â—re ruinous and traÌ„sitory and if we were â—ome to the perfect age of men in christ â—e should perceiue that all these are chilâ—ish things and we would bestow all our â—ndeuour in seeking to attaine to those â—xed and vnchaungeable dwelling places a heauen For as they that are made â—orthy to be once possessors of those dwelâ—ng places euer remaine and abide in theÌ„ 〈◊〉 also are they eternall and not fading 〈◊〉 earthly mansions and worldly habitaâ—ons but they are that immortal inheriâ—â—nce and vndefiled that withreth not â—â—serued in heauen for vs. 1 Pet. 1.4 It is called rest â—â—d quietnesse for so the moste heaâ—enly oracle cryed to Iohn Write the dead which die in the Lord from hence foorth blessed euen so sayeth the spirite for they reste from their labours and their works followe them Reuel 14 13. And the way that leades to this blessed rest from all labours is the way of peace in which old Symeon thristingly desired to departeâ— when he had embraced Christ Iesus inâ— his armes and had seene the saluation of God that he had so long wayted for Wâ—at rest haue the godly in this worlde Luke 2 28 29 whâ—â— they continually labour and trauell and striue wrastle for the combate betweeâ— the Spirite and the flesh ceaseth not while we dwell heere in these houses oâ— claye For though we delight in the lawâ— of God concerning the inner man wee see another law in our members rebelling against the law of our minde leading vs captiue into the lawe of sinne sâ— that though we would do good yet we are so yoaked that euil is present with vs and though to will be present with vs yet wâ— finde no meanes to performe that which is good for in vs that is in our flesh dweâ—leth no good thinge wee cannot alloâ— that which we doe Rom. 7.15 for what wee woulde that we doe not but what wee hate Rom. 7.15 â— that doe we What is there in the world but a perpetuall fight against sathan and sinne and a dayly conflict against darts weapons Cyprian de mortalit 4 We haue a dayly continuall and troublesome contending with couetousnes with incontinency with anger with ambition with worldly and fleshly cares snares Our minds are so straightlie be fiedged with an army of vices as that it is hard to resiste and withstand all iniquity WheÌ„ couetousnes is ouerthrown lust riseth vp when lust is subdued ambition comes in place when ambition is chased anger gaules the minde pride pufs vppe drunkennesse tempts enuy breaks concord suspition disioynes friendship The godly mind thus daily suffering thus daylye pressed Illa nostra paâ— illa fida tranquillitas illa sâ—bilis firma et perpetua securiras thus dailye standing among the swords of Satan how happy is she when she mounts to the rest of heauen where our peace is our sure tranquility our stable firme and euerlasting security It is called the heauenly and new Ierusalem Gal 4.26 Reu. 3.12 to expresse and represent vnto vs the vnspeakeable vnconceaueable ioyes therof For although the old Hierusalem was a most beautiful place euen the glory of the whole earth being invironed with strong walls defended by the inuincible mount Sion enriched with infinite treasure decked with all externall brauery yet it lost her glory and her pomp perished and it be came an heape of stones and it was forsaken of God and made an hissing and contemptible by-worde to euery nation vnder heauen But in this heauenly Ierusalem the sacred trinity will abide for euer and those foundations of the wall garnished with pretious stones those gates which are pearles that pretious shining as the Iaspar and Christall those streets of pure golde as shining glasse and that brightnes that needs no sunne nor moone to shine in it and that pure riuer of water of life and that tree of life which gyues fruite euery month Reu. 21. 22 whose leaues serue to heale the nations with do vtterly obscure and eclipse and extinguishe the glorious dignity of the old Ierusalem Last of all it is called that city which the faithful seeke after for we haue heere no continuing city but we seeke one to come sayeth the apostle â—eb 13 14. The Greekes call
and the god of Iaacob He sayth Exod 3 6 I am not I was to shew that hee is continually their God and as this prooues the resurrectioÌ„ of the body against the Saduces For if Abraham Izhak Matt 22 32 Quomod foelices si ex parte perituri Tertuâ— de resurrec carnis and Iaacob bee gods they are altogether his and they cannot be throughlie blessed if one parte of them should perish decay so it fortifieth the immortality of the Soule after death For if the faithfull are alway gods people and god is alwaye their God and Lorde they must needs liue in soule euen before the general resurrectioÌ„ for god is not the god of the dead but of the liuinge Euident is the eternity of the Soule out of that of patient Iob who in his extream affliction expressed notwithstanding his coÌ„fideÌ„ce of immortality thogh god slay me sayth he with death of body yet will I trust in him that I shall inherit the light of euerlasting glorie And he confidently professeth his beleef touching life euerlasting the resurrectioÌ„ saying Iob 13 15 I am sure my redeemer liueth thogh after my skin worms destroy this body yet shall J se god in my flesh whome I my self shal see and mine eies shal behold and none other for me though my vaynes are nowe consumed within mee Iob. 19.25 Which wordes of his bicause of theire infallible crueth and certaintie he wisheth that all men mighte knowe And that therefore they mighte be written Iob 19 23 yea written euen in a booke and grauen with an yron penne in leade or in stone for euer When Dauid saies to God thou wilte not leaue my soule in graue neyther wilte thou suffer thine holy on to see corruption thou wilt shew me the path of life Psal 16 10.11 in thy presence is the fulnesse of ioye and at thy righte hand there are pleasures for euermore Hee declares two benefites of which both himselfe and all the Godlye should be made partakers through christ to witte the resurrection of the flesh and that moste ioyfull moste pleasaunt and eternall life And though the vngodlye ar inclosed in their own fat speak proudly with their mouthes think but of their portion in this life hauing their bellies filled with hid treasure leauing the rest of their substaÌ„ce for their children yet he is vndoubtedly perswaded that after hee was deliuered out of the greate and infinite troubles of this worlde hee shoulde beholde in heauen the comfortable face countenance of god according to his promise and should perfectly bee vnited vnto God and see him as he is Psal 17.10 14 What plainer then that of Salomon who sayes that when man dyeth dust returneth to the earth as it was and the spirite then returneth to god that gaue it Eccles 12.7 As though the royall Preacher should say although the body and soule ar conioyned coupled together yet they are of dislike nature for the bodie is grosse and may be seene handled and the body is made of the earth a ponderous and corruptible elemeÌ„t and is as it were the vessell that containes the soule but the soule is subtile and not to be seene or handled and the soule hath no earthy mixture in it but beeing endewed with such skill such force and such nimblenesse shee must needes haue her beginning from heaueÌ„ and although they are so neeerely conioyned in this world that the destruction of the on may seeme to be the disuÌ„pation of the other yet when death makes a diuorce separation betweene them Lucretius obitus quid assere â—et eâ— quod dog â—ma defendereâ—â—os versus posuâ—it Cedit item â—etro de terra quod fuit ante â—n terras quod missuÌ„ est â—ex atheris â—ris Id rursum â—oeli rellatum â—templa receptant Lact diu inst lib 7 cap 12. then eyther of them retourne into their owne nature the body which was of the earth is resolued into earth and that which was from the heauenly spirite alway endureth and flourisheth becaus the spirit of God is euerlasting The truth wherof is so powerful it caused the foresayde Epicurean Lucretius euen in despight of his hellish Prophanenesse to confesse it What plainer to confirme the eternall life of the soule then where Isaiah bringes in other potentates that were dead before deriding the insolency of the King of Babylon that though hee sayed in harte that hee woulde ascend into heauen and exhalt his throne aboue the starres of God and ascend aboue the height of the clouds and bee like the moste high yet he was become weak by death aswell as they and his pompe and the sounde of the violes was broughte downe to the graue and the worme was spreadd vnder him and the wormes did couer him Isai 14 9. For hee woulde not attribute this scorninge to the deade if ther were the same ende both to man beast What plainer for to stop the mouths of Atheists the contradict the immortality of the soul then the saying of Christ our Lord in the Gospel Fear you not theÌ„ saith be which kill the body but ar not able to kil the soul but rather feare him which is able to destroy both soule body in Hell If the soul caÌ„not be slain Mat 10 28 and if it may bee punished in hell after this life it is euerlasting can neuer dy And therfore excellently spake the Martyr that sayed thus to the tormenter thou blody tyrant thou art deceiued if thou suppose to destroy me by renting my body which is subiect to deth Erras cruente meam Te rerâ— poenam sume re quum membra morti obnoxia Dilancinata interficis Est alter hic intriâ— secuâ— violare quem nullus pâ—test Liber qui etus integer Expers doloruâ— tristium Prudent peristâ— phan de vinceÌ„tio Gen 5 24 ther is on within thou canst not wrong which is free quiet intire and not to be payned with torturs this body which thou endeuourest to destroy with such force and furie is but a brittle and earthen vessell which maye be easily broken into shiuers but assaye now to cut and punish him that is within and that regardes not thy rage prouoke him and search him thou shalte find him inuincible vncoÌ„querable an vnderling to no calamities and subiected to God alone Could Enoch walk with god after this life if soul body dyeâ— together Could Saul desire the Pithones to raise vp the prophet Samuel vnto him 1 Sam. 28 11 if the soule and body dyed together Coulde Dauid mourn so bitterly for his rebellious soun Absolom when hee cryed out O my sonn Absolom 2. Sam 18 33 my sonne my sonne Absolom woulde God I had dyed for thee O Absolom my sonne my sonne Would he haue so bitterly lamented his death if the soule and body dyed together For Augustine saith De doctrina Christi Non
orbitatem filii doluit Dauid dum luget Absolonem filium sed quia nouerat in quas poenas tam impie adultera et parricidalis anima raperetur Dauid was not so much greeued for the death losse of a sonne when hee bewailed his sonne Absolom but it was for that hee knew how greuously that soule was punished after death which in this life was giuen to such impiety adultery hainous murther Could Elias El zeus and Christ and the Apostles raize vp the dead 1 Kings 17 â—â— Kings 4 13 Mat. 9 Luk. 9 Iohn 11 Act. 9. 20 Acts. 7.59 if the soule and bodie died together Could StepheÌ„ say at his stoning to death Lord Iesus receiue my spirite If the foule body died together Coulde Paule rauished with a desire to come to the kingdoÌ„e of felicity and therefore abhorring this wretched and calamitous life crie out earnestly and saie O wretched man that I am Rom 7 24. who shall deliuer mee from this body of death if the soule body died together But why labour I so much amoÌ„g Christians to prooue the eternity of the soule who doe firmely assent to the Symbole of the Creed that shews vs life eternal specially since the most souÌ„d profound Philosophers amongst the Ethnicks haue in euery age with one mouth and one minde subscribed thereunto Of which let one Seneca speake for them all Sen lib 10 suasoriar nothing decayes but our bodye which because of the weake frailty thereof it is obnoxious to death subiect to chaunces exposed to proscriptions But the soule whose beginning is diuine is harmed neyther by old age nor death and when shee is loosed from her burthensome bands shee speedily repaires to her proper place and to the starres that ar of the same nature It were shamefull therfore for Christians not to houlde fast the blessed hope of immortality not to cleaue thereunto as to a sure anchor since heatheÌ„ men haue so euideÌ„tly taught the eternity of the soule by groping after it in the darkenesse of errour onelye by the direction of the naturall lighte and infallible principles remaining in mans minde after Adams fall and chiefly since the godly and faithfull are at no rest in this mortall life 1 Cor 15 19 if in this life onelie they had hope in christ they were of all men the moste miserable Wherefore dooth Sathan and the flesh and the worlde allure vs to withdrawe our shoulders from bearing the sweete and easie yoake of Christ and our feete from walking in the path of Gods lawes and to enioye in this worlde the pleasures of iniquitie for a time the sacred scripture dooth plentifully teache vs that our soules liue for euer the godlie in heauen the vngodly in torment and therfore how readie ought wee to bee to denie vngodlinesse and worldlie lustes and to liue soberlie and righteously and godlie in this present world knowing this that one day wee shall bee called to an account how we haue imployed our talents and stewardship Doth the carelesse Christian perswade vs to runne with him in the same excesse of ryot of druÌ„kennes of carnall security of swearing of incontinency of hypocrisie of malice of couetousnesse of forgetting of God of contempte of his worde and despising his kindnes long suffering not perceiuing that his bountifulnes leads vs to repeÌ„tance Let vs answere that we seek eternall life not eternal death that we wil flee sin and liue in the awe and worshippe ef God because the end of the vngodly is to be destroyed and rooted out at the last but godlinesse hath the promise of the life present 1 Tim. 4.8 and of that is to come And howsoeuer some wallow in their sensuality and freeze in the dregs of prophanenesse yet let vs that are a chosen generation and a royall priesthoode and an holy nation and a peculiar people shewe forth the vertues of him that hath called vs out of darkenesse into his meruelous lighte and as straungers and pilgrimes let vs abstaine from fleshly lusts that fighte againste the spirite and let vs haue our conuersation honest among all men that by our good works which they shall see they maye glorifie God in the day of visitation â—et 2 9 c. Dooth sicknesse or sorow or pouerty or flaunders or daungers or any affliction or tribulation pres vs so as being therewith surcharged we are likely to sinke and be dismayed Let vs encourage our selues with the contemplation and meditation of heauenly ioies and let vs be stedfast vnmoueable aboundante alwaies in the worke of the Lorde forasmuch as wee know that our laboure is not in vaine in the Lorde When terrible and ghastly death woulde discourage vs let vs remember that death is swallowed vp into victory through the death of Christ and therefore we may confidently say Cor. 15.54 ô death where is thy sting ô graue where is thy victorye and that death is made vnto vs a doore into eternall glory and that when we depart hence our souls shall passe into heauen as into the common city and dwelling place of all beleeuers because wee are no more straungers and forreiners but citizeÌ„s with the saints aod of the houshold of god and are builte vpon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the cheefe corner stone For wee knowe that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle be destroyed wee haue a building of God Ephes 2.19 2 that is an house not made with handes but eternall in the heauens 2. Cor. 5.1 Our departure hence is a going out of prison and an entraÌ„ce into life that knows no death Our fathers are all gone before and all their offspring shall followe What runner when hee hath begonne his race doth not houlde on cheerefullie till hee attayn to the goale What Marriner in the darke night and tempestuous seas refuseth to rest in the quiet harborough What pilgrime wandering in a straunge countrie longs not to come to his owne dwelling wife friendes and children And shall wee bee so loathe to goe to heauen and Paradise the house of Saintes to GOD our Father Christe our redeemer and Brother the holy Ghoste our comforter As the sparkle of fire still mountes vpwarde and the water fleetes downewarde and euery thinge goes to his proper and naturall place of staye so our soules which came from heauen must endeauoure and striue to goe to the Father of lights whome to behoulde is life and not to see is death We trauell through colde and heate daunger and labour hills and vallies seas and lands for earthly and perishing ritches and should a thousand deathes stop vs to see so many Angels prophets patriarches martyrs and Saints in Paradise Cyprian sayth Eius est mortem timere â—e mortalit qui ad Christum nolit ire eius est ad christum nolle ire qui se non credit cum Christo incipere regnare It is for
from the loue of GOD towardes her This patience was shaken by the captiuitie of her husband an honourable and woorthie gentleman who beeing Sheriffe of this county was taken prisoner and in extreame perill to bee cruellie handled by the rebells in the Western CoÌ„motion in the raigne of king Edward the 6. again by the death of her foresaid husband within few yeers after again by the change of true religion into forged superstition in the dayes of Queen Mary During all which time she had the form of praier vsed in her house which was authorized in the dayes of king Edward the 6. which pinched her with exceeding grief againe by the death of al her sons gentlemen of great hope again by the death of al her sons in law men of worshipful regard again by the death of som of her nephews daughters gentlewomen liuely treading in the virtuous steps of their godly mother againe by the death of some of her neeces this patience I say was shaken but it stoode firmely as an Oake that is surely rooted weighes not the blastes of winde What shoulde I speake of her humilitie and lowlinesse of minde which bewrayed it selfe in all her outwarde actions and in her verie apparrell in that a Gentlewoman of her degree and ranke woulde so plainelie attire her selfe obseruing the rule of S. Peter who warneth women not to goe gorgeouslie in their apparrell by brayding the hayre and trimming aboute with golde but to bee cloathed with the pretious garmente of the inwarde man This humility was great â— Pet. 3.3.4 bothe towardes God and man towards God in that abounding with good workes which proceeded from a sauing fayth yet shee loathed to bee commended for the same confessing that it was nothing shee did and that it was so farre off that shee trusted to bee saued by her own merites as that shee renounced them and placed them among her euil deeds in that respecte and wholly relyed wholie depended whollie rested vpon Christ Iesus her onelye redeemer mediatour aduocate and Sauioure And towardes man this humility was apparante in that shee disdained not the meanest but with affabilitie applyed her selfe to those that were of the lowest sorte and in that not onely in her life shee declined from pompe and vayn shewes but also straightly and oftentimes charged that her funerals should be solemnized without any ceremonious pompe But what shoulde I speak of her promptnesse to assiste both riche and poor with her counsell and aduise for shee was endued with greate wisedom rare memory graue iudgemente and sharpe foresighte What shoulde I speake of her temperance sobriety of her loue and liberality to schollars kindnesse to ministers of the worde of God and entertainement of all good people of her constancy in her widdowheade For of fower score and seauen yeeres or very neere thereaboutes of her age shee spente fiftye fiue in the time of widdowehead of her vnchaungeable and stedfast zeale in the truth of Christe Iesus So that if Iohn the elder had liued in this age he might haue saluted her by the name of Elect Lady might haue reioyced 2 Ioh 4. that he fouÌ„d her her childreÌ„ her of spring walking in the truth Al these things for that they are so well knowne I sleightly poynte at with the forefinger leauing them to your secret considerations As for her remorse compassion and liberality towards the poore and needy members of Christ bodie not one preacher in tenne howers nor tenne preachers in one hower are able to expresse it as it doth deserue The Orphanes fatherlesse children that she hath nourished the desolate widowes that shee hath sustayned the afflicted straungers that shee hath releeued the sick impotente and maymed Souldiers that shee hath refreshed the diseased persons with sore eies and manifolde hurtes and diuers infirmities that shee hath eased applying the saluâ— waters and medicines with her owne hands gyue plentifull testimony with full mouth of her exceeding charitye What weeke nay what daye nay almoste what howre passed ouer where in some poore or other did not taste of her bountifulnesse â—uke 19 8 Shee excelled Zacheus who stood foorth and said behold Lord the halfe of my goods I giue to the poore Shee was not inferior to Iob who turned not his eie froÌ„ the poore Iob 31 16 17 but cloathed the naked with his garment fed the hungry with his meate and lodged the pilgrime in his house Shee is to be linked in prayse with Dorcas Acts. 9.39 for if Peeter were heer and shee were as Dorcas to be raised againe howe infinite is the number of coates and garmentes that the poore would shewe foorth or speake of which they haue receiued froÌ„ her liberality She is not to be separated from the holy and charitable weâ— Luke 8 2 men which ministred to our Sauiour himselfe on earth for as they did minister to the head so did she to the body and therefore Christe accountes that meat that drinck that cloathing Mat. 25.36 that entertainemente and that visitinge and comforte which is imployed on the sillie poore to bee bestowed on himselfe And as the Iewes when that they desired Christe to helpe the Centurions seruaunte they saide Luke 7 4 5. that hee was worthye for whome our Sauiour Sauioure shoulde doe it For hee loues our nation say they he hath built vs a sinagogue soe if odious Ingratitude possesse not the harts of the poore whome in manifolde sorte this compassionate and charitable Lady hath releeued they will with one voyce crie out and saye that shee was moste worthye of longer life and of doubled dayes because shee was a nurse to the needy an eie to the blinde a foote to the lame a mother to the Orphanes a staffe to the afflicted a comforter and supporter to the distressed and miserable I perceiue I am entred into the broade Ocean with displaied sayles and therefore least I be caried further then I maye quickly returne I will hasten to draw towards the shore Her life being beawtified with these induements and qualityes and hauing spent her daies in grace godlines who maye doubt but that her death and dissolution was correspondent to her former race At sundrie times when she was visited with sicknesse shee was not desirous of longer life neither woulde shee haue others to put her in hope of recouery but wholy longing to be remooued hence and to dwell with God the Lorde firste making a pithie and Christian coÌ„fession of her fayth in God the Father the sonne and the holy Ghost she still desired with Symeon to departe in peace with Paul to be dissolued to be with Christ Luk. 2.29 accounting christ to be her aduaÌ„tage both in life and death Phil. 1.21 Rom. 14.8 Psal 84 10. and her selfe to bee the Lordes whither shee liued or died with Dauid wishing to in habite most amiable inhabitations of heuen esteeming it better to remaine
wipe away all teares from their eys The state of the godly in this life and in the life to come SVch and so greate is the loue of god towards his choseÌ„ people that he doth not only giue them warning of dangers ensuing but doth oftentimes deliuer them from manifold calamities wher with others are ouerwhelmed Gen. chap. 6.7.8 Gen. 19. So Noah had warning of the coming of the flood was deliuered from the violence thereof So Lot had warning of the destruction of Sodome and escaped the fury of the fire and brimstone So the Israelits had warning of the killing of al the first born amoÌ„g the Egiptians Exodus 12. by the blood of the paschal lamb wer preserued froÌ„ the veÌ„geance of the destroier So againe the Israelites passed through the red sea Exoduâ— 14. as through dry grouÌ„d but the waters closed on their enimies the EgiptiaÌ„s So before the captiuity the Iews that mourned sighed for the abominations which were committed in Hierusalem Ezech. 9. had a marke set on theyr foreheades and were exempted from the desolation and other which had not the marke were not spared but smitten without pitty And as the lord in the seuen trumpets had prouided diuerse miseries to be inflicted vppon men of all sorts cap. 8. 7. c. so in this chapter there is a caution and prouiso for the godly for before the fowr angels by holding the 4. winds do hurt the earth with haile and fire or that a burning mountaine kill the creatures of the sea or the fallen starre turneth the liuing waters into mortall wormewood or the sonne and moone bee smitten till the seruants of God were sealed in their foreheads Iohn saw the vision of those which were numbred and sealed Iewes of all the tribes of Israel an hundred and forty and fowr thousand and after a numberles number of the gentiles of all nations â— Mare 13.51 and kindreds and people and tongues who stoode before the throne of god to worshippe him and prayse him and were clothed in long white robes that is were couered with the vnspotted righteousnes of Christ and had palms in their hands in token of the victory obtained by Christ against the flesh the world and Satan After this Iohn heard the congratulation and thanksgiuing of those which were sealed for that they were saued and preserued for they cried with a loud voice saying Saluation commeth from our God v. 10.12 that sitteth vpon the throne and from the Lamb. Vnto which crye all the angells applaude and worship God saying Amen Praise and glory and wisedome and thanks and honor and power and might be vnto our god for euermore Amen Now these words which I haue read containe the expounding of the vision that Iohn sawe Iunius in Apâ—calyps In which exposition three things are to be noted 1 The question of the Elder to stir vp Iohn to deeper consideration in the 13 verse 2 Iohns answer to the Elder in the first part of the 14. verse 3 The reply of the Elder in the rest of the 14 verse and vnto the end of the 17 verse In which reply the Elder declares those which were numbred and sealed to be the saints whom he describes first by their acts that is their suffrings and work of faith in Iesus Christ donne in the former persecutions and to be continued in the future tentations in the 14 verse Secondly by their glory both present in the 15 v. and to come partly in their ful deliuerance from all calamities and annoyances in the 16. verse and partly in participation and fruition of all good things which the remembraunce of woonted myseries shall neuer abolish or diminishe in the 17. v. And this is begun in this life but accomplished afterwards In that the Elder doth aske a question of Iohn â—nterpretatioÌ„â—f the text whether he knew who those were which were arrayed in long white robes and whence they came he behaueth himselfe like a diligent teacher who being desirous to enstruct his scholler in that hee knows not he preuenteth him by enquiring whither he know it or not Whereby the Elder signifieth how prompt and ready they that are led by the spirite of God and are endued with knowledge and vnderstanding should bee to informe the ignorant And in that John yeelds a modest aunswer to the Elder acknowledging his ignorance by attributing knowledge to the Elder for in that he sayth Lord thou knowst he sayth thus Lord I knowe not Lord thou knowst lord teache me he doth aduertize vs to be wise with sobriety and not to bee puffed vp with an ouerweening opinion of our learning but to recken it no shame and disparagement to be taught the certaynty of those good thinges which we neuer learned Marlor Sebast Meyer in Apocal. Whereas the Saints are sayed to come out of great tribulation although the Elder spake this chiefelye touching the former persecutions by the heathen Empires and may also bee vnderstoode of the persecution which Antichrist shoulde raise against the Church yet generally it may be vnderstood of the vniuersall troubles and afflictions of this life in that all the children of God come from greate affliction vnto greate reste from mysery vnto glory from prison vnto a kingdom from thraldom vnto freedom from death vnto life The long robes of the saints which were washed is the holinesse righteousnesse and innocency of Christ wherewith the godly being cloathed they do walke boldly and are found iust and vnblameable before the Lord. And the making white of the long robes in the Lambs hlood is when the godly do walk in the fayth of christ and do suffer the cros patiently after his example But howe can blood make white The faithfull are washed white with the Lambes bloude in that they are purged in conscience from deade workes to serue the liuing GOD Hebr. 9 13. Reuel 1.5 â— Pet. 1.19 by the blood of CHRISTE who thorough the eternall spirite offered himselfe vnto god an vnspotted sacrifice And here falls to ground the Romish doctrine of indulgences Acts 10.3 1 Iohn 1.7 â— Cor. 5.21 â— Cor. 1.15 Acts 20.28 Hebr 10 14. and dispensation of the superabounding merits of Saints for if the faithfull are sufficiently purged and clensed by the blood of the lamb where is the treasure of supererogation of Saintes Where it is sayd that the godly are in the presence of the throne of god this may be taken not only for that blessed and quiet worship which the godly departed out of the body yeeld to the lorde in heauen without externall and laborsome seruice but also for their worshipping of God while they liue in this mortall body and while they in this life are so deuoted to the seruing of god Ephes 2 6. Col. 3 1. 2. Cor 3 6. and do so frame theyr whole life after his will and do so seeke to glorifie god and to edify their neighbor as if
Dauid of the Prophets of the Apostles who where the true and deare seruants of God and yet were tried in the fornace of affliction Christ himselfe was assaulted of Sathan had trappes layed in his waye by his enemies was hated of sinfull men and did flee from their fury felt hunger werisomnes of body was mocked scorned railed vpon despitefully entreated spit vpon and crowned with thorns beaten with whips and at last led to the crosse and to execution tyll hee dyed and gaue vp the ghost so that the onely example of CHRIST himselfe whose whole life was nothing but a passion and tribulation may suffice to teache vs That the disciple is not aboue his Master nor the seruante aboue his Lord It is enough for the disciple to bee as his Master and the seruant as his Lorde If they haue called the Master of the howse Beelzebub Matth 10.2 how much more them of his househould f. For if we suppose that we shall feele no tribulations we must not imagin that we can be true Christians Assoon as we begin to liue godly in christ sayth saint Augustine Cum câ—periâ— piè in Christoâ— viuere ingreâ—es torcular pâ—parate ad prâ—suram Aug Psal 57. we enter into the winepresse and we ought to prepare our selues for wringing and pressing and we must take heede that we bee not found so drye grapes that we yeeld out noe good licour when we are pressed An heathen Philosopher cold say that the man is most vnhapy vnto whom no aduersity betideth it is an argument that he is contemned of god as a weake sluggish person A sword-player acounts it reproch to fight with a man of no valour for hee knowes that there is noe glory to vanquishe him that is vanquished without dauÌ„ger Euen so worketh gods prouideÌ„ce He setteth vpon euery one endued with most courage â—ihil eo infoeli â—us cui nihil e â—enit aduersi â—rgumentuÌ„ est â—deo illum conâ—mni vt imâ—ellem igâ—uum â—en in lib. de â—ouid Dei trieth his power against him He tried by the fier Mutius by pouerty Fabritius by banishment Rutilius by torments Regulus by poyson Socrates by death Cato Thus sayd an Ethnick of those that sought but glory among men had but vain glory for their reward but how much more truly may it be sayd that god tryed Iob by botches Tobit by blindnes and Stephen by stones the Baptist by bands and prisonment and the martyrs by infinit tortures For whosoeuer desire to retourne into Paradise must passe through the fire and water of affliction whether it be Peter the Apostle to whom the keys of the Kingdome of heauen were giuen â—mnes qui â—d Paradisum â—dire defideâ—nt oportet â—nsire per igâ—em et aâ—uam â—e fuerit Peâ—us c. Aug. sermone ad â—ppium or whether it be Paule the Lords chosen vessell or whether it be Iohn to whome heauenly misteries were reuealed They must needs all say that without tribulation and affliction we cannot come to God Neyther doe the faithfull alone suffer tribulation in this life but misery affliction is commonly incident to all man kind as holy Iob sayth man that is born of a woman is of shorte continuance and full of trouble i Hâ—â—ayeth not Iob. 14.1 that man and this man are battered with trouble but he vseth the indefinite word man that euery one might remember his own lot So that the sonne of Sirach seemes to comment on Iob when he writes that great trauell is created for all men and an heauy yoke vpon the sonnes of Adam from the day that they goe out of their mothers wombe till the day that they retourn to the mother of all thinges Thoughts and feare of the hearte and imaginatioÌ„ of things waited for wrath enuy troble and vnquietnes rigor strife fear of death and the day and death these are vsuall from him that sitteth vppon the glorious throne vnto him that is beneath in the earth ashes froÌ„ him that is clothed in blew silke and weareth a crowne euen vnto him that is cloathed in simple linneÌ„ k Ecclus 40. â— 2.3.4.5 Euery maÌ„s life is like a rock in the Sea beaten vppon of the floods on euery side like a tree on an high and open hill blowne on by the winds from euery quarter and like a burning candle which may be put out by sundry meanes but if yt be not putt out yet in continuance it burnes out it selfe and like a butt or marke vnto which sorrow shootes and danger shootes and misaduenture shootes and at last death that most sure archer shootes and strikes it dead What our substance is namely dust and earth and what our estate is namely painefull laborious and combersome is euident by that speach of god to Adam after his fall in the sweate of thy face saith god shalt thou eat bread til thou retourn to the earth for out of it wast thou taken becaus thou art dust Gen. 3.19 and to dust shalt thou retourne And therfore the Psalmist affirms our brittle substance and our wreched life to be motiues whie God hath compassion on them that feare him as a father hath coÌ„passion on his children For saith he he knoweth whereof wee are made he remembreth that wee are but dust Psa 103.13.14 1 Chro. 29.15 This sweete singer of Israell calles himselfe and euery man besides but a stranger and so iourner like as all our fathers were A straunger and traueller hath litle or no contentation til he come to the end of his iourney either he complaines of the raine or of the wind or of the heate of the sunne or of his lodging or of his vnfitting dyet or of the yrksomnes of his iourney so man hath still occasion to complain of his troubles in this life and can neuer enioy perfect security while hee remayneth heere And vpon good reasoÌ„ might the same prophet breake foorth and say Lord what is man that thou regardest him or the sonne of man that thou thinkest vppon him Hee stayes not heere but declares the cause of his admiration man sayeth hee is like to vanitie Psalm 144 3 his dayes are like a shaddowe that vanisheth As if he had sayde though wee feed our body neuer so deliciously though we cloath our flesh neuer so sumptuously though we prouide for our life neuer so couetouslye yet our dayes tary not but departe as vanitye Thou that flowest with wealthe and gloriest in reputation wilte thou knowe thy weight thou art ligher then vanity then nothing wilt thou know the length of thy dayes they are a spanne wilt thou know how and in what sorte thou fadest as a slender picture and image For when Dauid had desired the lord that he might know his end the measure of his dayes what it was and how long he had to lyue he presently giues himselfe this answere beholde thou hast made