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
him to feare death who woulde not goe to Christ it is for him to bee vnwilling to goe to christ who beleeues not that after death hee shall beginne to raigne with christ When our friends are taken from vs by death let vs not thinke that they are lost and vtterly perished but that they are gone before vs into the place and palace of rest and therefore let vs not mourne as they doe which are voyde of the hope of the resurrection and immortall life for as wee beleeue that Iesus is dead and risen euen so they which sleepe in Iesus are liuing in ioy and god will bring them againe at the last daye with Iesus and let vs comfort our selues one another with these wordes When wee see the godlye in this worlde 1 Thes 4.14 1â— as it were forsaken now and then and contemptible to the eyes of men but the vngodly ofteÌ„times sprowting as the green Bay tree let this supporte and proppe vs vp that one day Lazarus shall be comforted and Diues tormented When wee consider the inconstancie of worldlie ritches and honour and fauoure and promotion and friendshippe in this life let vs learne hereby not to loue the world neither the thinges that are in the world for the luste of the flesh the lust of the eyes the pride of life and all that is in this worlde passeth away but hee that fulfilleth the will of God 1 Iohn 2.15 16.17 abideth for euer and let vs solace our selues with the stable permanent and vnchaungeable ioyes of heauen for the state of the godlie and vngodly after death cannot bee chaunged there is a greate gulfe sette betweene heauen and hell Luke 16 26. so that they that woulde goe from blisse to punishmente cannot neither can any come from tormente to blisse Finallie when wee are soliciced eyther by the suggestion of Sathan or the allurements of pleasure or the perswasion of Atheistes or the weakenesse of the flesh to imagine that there is no life after death and that the soule vanisheth awaye into nothing when a man dyeth let vs call to minde that heauen and earth shall sooner passe then the worde of the Lorde shal fall to the grounde which teacheth that after bodylie death the souls of the faithfull and righteous are in the handes of the Lorde and enioye eternall comforte and if wee cannot remember all that hath beene now deliuered let vs alway carrie the summe and quintessence of this one place of Scripture imprinted and ingrauen firmelie in our heartes in which the Angell declares vnto blessed John that all faithfull soules that in this life haue washed their long robes and made them white in the bloud of the Lamb and haue onelie relyed on the merites death and passion of Iesus Christ they are after this life in the presence of the throne of God and serue him continuallye in the temple of heauen and dwell eternally with God God with them they hunger and thirste no more they are molested and accumbred with the heate of the Sunn no more and afflicted with tribulation no more for Iesus Christ the Lambe of God which is in the middest of the Throne shall feede them and rule them leade them to the liuelie fountaines of waters and GOD shall wipe awaye all teares from theyr eyes Thus much for the interpretation and explication of this text of holy Scripture And although I haue already very much exceeded my vsuall manner The christiaâ— life and godâ— death of the Lady Court â—ney in that I haue so long and largely insisted on the thinges proposed and thereby tediousnesse perhappes may beginne to creepe vpon you yet I must a little longer pray your attention while I breeflye speake some thinge of the life and death of this right worshipful and deuoute gentlewoman which is now to be buried and which hath occasioned me at this time to vnfold vnto you this portion of Gods word The virtues and graces wherewith shee was adorned as they merited greate commendation so I am sorrie that they may not now be blazed by the eloquence of Aaron or the tongue of Angells â—al Max. l 8 â—1 For as Alexander the greate forbade anye to painte him but Apelles and to carue him but Lysippus leaste his excellencie shoulde bee abased by vnnoble Artificers so the woorthinesse of this religious Ladie deseruedlie craues to bee described of some one endued with singular guifte of speaking who mighte counteruaile her worthie workes with aunswerable wordes Howsoeuer it bee this comfortes mee that I speake not before straungers vnacquainted with her godlie qualities that therefore woulde aske a more copious declaration of the thinges they knowe not but before those who hauing had very long experience and triall of her godlinesse eyther wil supplie the defecte of the Speaker through theyr own manifould knowledge or els by one worde wil coniecture what the whole sentence meanes And for that the life of a true Christian consisteth in beleeuing and liuing I wil beginne firste with the sinceritie of her faith She was not like many lukewarm Politicians that either are Atheistes of no religion at al or els Chameleon-like turne with the time and iump with opportunity but shee embraced the ancient and apostolike fayth cleauinge to the sound doctrine deliuered in the word of God and abhorring the superstitious ceremonies of mens deuises This fayth was not hypocriticall but true not temporarie but permanent not idle but working not deade but liuing springing foorth with the abundance of all good workes euen as a good tree brings foorth good fruite and a wholesome well yeeldes out wholesome water Her earnest loue of Gods word great measure of knowledge of Christs gospell of which she hath alwayes been an affectionate hearer and a diligent performer sufficiently declare what these workes of fayth were For she was not onely painefull in resorting to the Church to pray with the congregation to heare the word of God as long as strength of bodie permitted but euen since age weakenes debarred her of the custome she hath ordinarily dayly caused prayers to be vsed the scriptures pure expositors of them to bee reade at home making the worde of God a Ianc-horne to directe her feete and Manna to sustayne her soule so passing her time for many yeares that her life might be deemed a meditation of death and a preparation for entrance into the life to come What shoulde I speake of the christian gouerning of her househoulde and of her especiall care that those which were about her might bee taughte the lawes of the Lorde to walke as it becommeth the professors of the gospell What shoulde I speake of her patience that beeing in sundry wise tossed and tryed with the crosses of this life yet like a rocke beaten on by the swelling floods shee stoode constant rendring thankes to God aswell for aduersitie as for prosperity and taking euery affliction in good parte as proceeding
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
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
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
blesse god and affliction makes the vngodly to blaspheme god Besides this tribulation breeds patience and exerciseth patience Iames 1.3 4 that it may haue her perfect working and may be intire and lack nothing Tribulation works humility in vs and knowledge of our selues and a learning of obedience as Paul sayes of Christ that though he were sonne yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered Heb 5.8 Tribulation causeth vs to long for heauen and to loathe the world and not to loue the things of the world and not to repose confidence in the loue of the world 1 Iohn 2 15 for as the world hated Christ so it hateth the godly that beleeue in christ and because the godlye are not of the worlde therefore the world hateth them Tribulation makes vs the members Iohn 13 18 19 conformeable to christ our head that we may fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in the flesh Col. 1.29 and that he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified may be all of one Tribulation makes for the honour Heb 2.10 and praise and glory of god in that god workes deliuerance out of affliction and though hee kill yet he makes aliue and though hee bring downe to the graue 1. Sam. 2 6 yet hee rayseth vp and though the godly are afflicted on euery side yet they are not in distresse though they are in doubte yet they despayre not though they are persecuted yet they are not forsaken though they are cast downe yet they perish not 2. Cor 4.8 9 Lastly tribulation is a testimony and demonstration of the iudgemente to come and of euerlasting life for the iustice and trueth of GOD require that at length the good should be comforted and the wicked punished but for that this is not alwayes doon in this life therefore it shall be perfourmed when the Lord Iesus shall shew himself from heauen with his mighty Angells 2. Thess 1.7 And the tribulation of the faithfull should excite and prouoke the wicked to shake off their sins that stick so fast vnto him For if the time be come that iudgement must begin at the house of god what shall the end bee of them that obeye not the Gospell of God and if the righteous scarcely be saued where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeer and if this be done in the green tre 1 Pe 4 17 18 Luke 23 31 what shal be done in the dry tree for if christ the green floriâ—hing tree of righteousnesse and the godly that are braunches of the same tree did and doe suffer great tribulation what shoulde the vnrepentant and wicked expect that are dry withered and fruitles trees but consuming fire and the declaration of the iust iudgement of God Yea but doth not the prouidence of god sleep will some say when the godly are greatly afflicted and how doth god accoÌ„plish this promise that hee will shrowde them and couer them and protect them and pitch a tent about them and dwell among them certainly he that keeps Israel doth neither slumber nor sleep the lord is the keeper of his children â—sal 121.4.5 and their shaddow at their right hand he ayds them by the power of his grace and he giues them that comforter that shal abide with them for euer â—oh 14. v. 16 he wil not leaue theÌ„ as destitute Orphanes but he wil come to them and assist them â— 18. â— 23 he will lodge with them and make continuall abode with them he encreaseth their fayth that they may neuer doubt of his loue but still depend vppon him Can a woman forget her childe and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe though she should forget her sons yet the Lorde will not forgette his children Esai 49 15 Many are the troubles of the righteous true Psal 34.20 but the Lorde deliuers them out of all The godlye are much pressed true but they flourishe as the Palme tree Psal 92.12 which the more it is pressed downe the more it sprouteth vp The rayne falls and the floodes come and the windes blowe on the faythfull true but theyr house falls not Mat. 7.24 because it is builte on a rocke poiesei teâ—ekbasin God suffers his children to be tempted true but he is faithfull and will not suffer them to be tempted aboue that they are able 1. Cor. 10 1â— but will euen with the tentation giue the issue and way out that they may be able to beare it Mat. 20 22 Christ calls affliction and tribulation Baptism for that as in Baptisme wee are dipped downe into the water but not drowned or choaked in the water so though wee bee washed with the water of tribulation yet wee are not ouerwhelmed therein And as Noah was preserued from the greate daunger of the flood when hee and his familye were inclosed in the Arke and the rest did perish that were out of the Arke 1. Pet. 3.20 so whosoeuer in the church of God doe adhere and cleaue to Christ though they bee loaden with calamities yet at length in due season they are deliuered whereas others that are out of the church are swalowed vp by the flood of sinne and of punishmentes that accompanye sinne How greeuously was Job vexed by the Sabeans 1 15.16.17 2.7 〈◊〉 42.12 c â—es 5 11 by fire from heauen by the Chaldaeans by Sathan by his wife yet how gloriouslie was he at last deliuered And as round bodies that are in all parts equally circular may rest and be setled on eache parte and side so the godly are constant in whatsoeuer estate for the Lord puts his hand vnder them to make their resting place easie and commodious as the Prophet sayes â—m 37 24 Though they fall they shall not bee cast off for the Lord putteth vnder his hand When the staie and strength is taken froÌ„ the vngodly when they shal bee oppressed one of another when woe shall be to the wicked and euill shall be with them and the rewarde of their hands shall be giuen them â— 10 then then surelie it shall be wel with the iust For all thinges worke together for the best vnto them that loue God â— 8.28 â—c in tribulation and anguishe in famyne and nakednesse in perill and sworde they are more then conquerours through him that loued them For wee are perswaded that neither deathe nor life nor Angells nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor thinges to come nor heighth nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Wherefore since god is ready to help in tribulation and hath promised to bee with vs in trouble and to deliuer vs Psalm 91 â— that wee may glorifie him and hath commanded vs to call vppon him in the day of aduersitie let vs submit our selues vnto god and drawe neere vnto God
Iames 4.7 â— 10 5 13 with zealous praier and hee will drawe neere vnto vs and lift vs vppe And since affliction is the portion and lotte of all the godlie that falls out to them and attendes on them when wee see our Brethren endure tribulation wee must not presentlye censure them to bee hated and vtterlie forsaken of GOD but rather recognize the signes of Gods fauour towardes them For hee that sayes Nihil aliuâ— cit quaÌ„ atâ— non conueâ— aduersariuâ— Basil in Psâ— that the godly ought not to suffer tribulatioÌ„ saies this that a wrestler shoulde not haue an aduersary to encounter him and if a wrestler striue not what garland or glory can he obtaine and since none of the faithfull haue an immunity and priuiledge from affliction but haue them selues dronke at one or other tyme of the cup of tribulation for as noysome and pestilent beastes saith Basil seeke after a praye â—t animalia â—a nos aeruÌ„â—etere atqueâ—dere conâ—unt Basil â—sal 45 and surcease not til they haue found it so miseries continually hunt after the godly and find them at length this must teach vs to shew commiseration on the afflicted and not to turne our eye from our owne flesh because our selues knowe the weighte of affliction following the example of Christ our Sauiour who is an highe Prieste which can sympathize and bee touched with the feeling of our infirmities because in all things he was tempted in lyke sort yet without sin Fynally since tribulation must needs trie the faith and patience of the godly â—1415 that after they haue bin tryed they may receiue the recompense let vs not murmur nor grumble against our heauenly Father who afflictes vs for our profite If the earthlye Fathers of our bodyes correct vs yet we reuerence them for though Fathers put their sonnes out of their sighte and binde them to husbandry or employ them in an handycraft or bestowe them in marchandize or send them into the wars yet the sonnes are well content because it makes for their prefermente and aduantage should not we much rather be in subiection vnto the father of spirites Heb. 12 9 that wee might lyue A Generall enioyns perilous seruice to none but most valiant souldiers and those that hee loues best and whome hee woulde aduance for them hee sends out to lye in ambush for the enemye to demolish some fort or to inuade the mayne army of the foe Not one of those that are so sent foorth sayes the Generall hath doone mee wrong or wishes me not well vnlesse perhappes he be a coward and faintehearted but contrarilye if hee bee valorous and woorthye of the name of a Souldier hee sayeth thus the Generall thinkes well of me hee hath a good opinion of mee hee fauours mee and seeks to honour mee So is the case betweene GOD and vs. 1 Cor. 9.24 Out life in this worlde is a warfare and wee all runn in a race let vs therefore striue and fight againste all afflictions that the prouidence of God bringes vppon vs â— Tim. 25 that when wee haue striued as wee oughte to doe we may bee crowned that when wee haue fought a good fighte and finished our course and kept the faith the crowne of righteousnesse may bee layed vppe for vs that when wee haue reioyced in tribulations â— Tim. 4.7 8 knowing that tribulation bringeth foorthe patience Rom 5 3 4 5 patience experience experience hope hope maketh not ashamed at laste wee may come out of tribulation vnto the glorious inheritaunce of the Saintes in lighte And thus far of the state and condition of the faithfull in this life The state of â—he godly afâ—er this life Now let vs come to the state condition of the godly after they are departed out of this world It is said here by the Angell that they hunger no more neither thirste any more that the sun shall not light on theÌ„ any more neither any heate For the Lambe which is in the mids of the throne shal feed gouerne them shall leade them to the fountaines of waters v 16 17 and god shall wipe awaie al teares from their eies The titles and honorable names that are giuen to the place where the faythful are after death doe throughly manifest the excellencie of their estate For it is called in holy scripture sometimes a kingdome sometimes the bosome of Abraham sometimes Paradise sometimes a place of many mansions sometimes reste sometymes the new Ierusalem sometimes a citye And al these titles do declare vnto vs the surpassing coÌ„fort which the godly receaue when they are freed from this wretched worlde It is called a kingdome where Christ sayeth to his disciples feare not little flock Luke 12 32. for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you the Kingdome In which words our Sauiour vseth a moste forcible argument to withdrawe vs from impiety and carefulnesse for earthly thinges and distrusting Gods prouidence that wee shal wante things requisite for this present life for hee that giues the greater and better thinge will not denye the lesser and inferior sens theÌ„ our heauenly father hath of his owne grace and pleasure prouided the kingdome of heauen for vs â—n basileian let vs not doubte but hee will giue all other things vnto vs. And albeit our state in this worlde be oftentimes base needy and miserable yet wee must refreshe our soules with the remembrance of that heauenly kingdome in which at length wee shall raign with Christ and gloriously triumph ouer Sathan death bell through Christ if vnfainedly we beleeue in christ It is called Abrahams bosome where Christe sayth that when the beggar Lazarus dyed he was caryed of the Angells into Abrahams bosome â—â—ke 16 22. Hee was caryed of the Angells for that as Angells are all ministring Spirits â—eb 1 14. sent fourth to minister for their sakes which shall bee heires of saluation and doe safegarde the godly by the lords apointment from sundry daungers of this mortall life so it is their charge parte to conuay into heaueÌ„ the soules of the righteous when they are loosed from the fetters of the flesh And as infants doe rest quietly in their mothers bosome so heauen is a receptacle and bosome for the faithfull in which they take their quiet rest and ease Caluin in Har. after the sturres of this tumultuary life ar ended And it is called Abrahams bosome because as Abraâ—am was a most constant beleeuer Rom. 4.11 Gal 3 7 and aâ—oue hope beleeued vnder hope and thereâ—ore is calld the father of al the beleeuers so whosoeuer desire to be gathered into that â—osome after this life they must in this life â—mitate follow the faith godlines of faithful Abraham It is called Paradise where â—ur Sauiour sayth to the penitent theefe â—pon the crosse to day thou shalt be with me in Paradice Luke 23.43 Gell lib
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
a city their toung 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be cause it consisteth of many inhabiters Howe many the citizens of heauen are maye be gathered by the former vision when Iohn sawe a greate multitude sealed with the seale of the liuing God of all nations and kindreds and people toungs which no man could number Reu. 7 9 For they which haue made their long robes white in the blood of the lambe Heb 12 22.23.24 doe come vnto mounte Syon and to the city of the liuing God the celestiall Ierusalem and to the companye of innumerable Angels and to the assembly and congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen Cum quibus in praesentia coniunctisumus vinculo charitatis ibi consortio aeterno coniungendi Aug Enchirid cap 56. Intelligit animas a corporibus separatas et in coelum receptas Pisâ—at in schol caluin in ep ad Heb. c. 12 Iun iâ— paral and to God the Iudge of all and to the spirits of iust and perfect men and to Iesus the mediator of the new testament to the bloude of the sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel They that are with Christ are most happie for Christ is blessednesse and felicity and immortalitye it selfe and are not the true beleeuers then moste blessed since they are with Christe after this life where hee is vnles wee will â—oubt of this that god the father heard the prayer of his beloued sonne â—d Heb. Nazâ—â—zâ—n Orat. de â—orâ—â—e Gorgâ—â—ia â—ohn 17 24 thus praying for his chosen Father I will that they which thou hast giuen mee bee with mee euen where I am that they maye beholde that my glory which thou hast giuen mee Heere the brightnes of Gâ—dlinesse and true virtue it selfe is many times dazeled and darkened partly by enuy partly by pouerty partly by slanders and the like crosses but in heauen godlinesse shall glitter and shine in her perfecte brightnes Dan 12 3 for there the wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmamente and they that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for euer and euer and the iust shall shine as the sunne in the Kingdome of their father Mat 13 43 Heere wee are continually subiect to feare and anguishe and sorrowe and death lies euer in ambush for vs in heauen death shall haue no place Isai 25 8 But the godly being deliuered from the bondage of corruption shall participate of the glorious liberty of the sonnes of god Rom 8.21 Heer it is delectable to beholde faier palaces more delectable to enter into them and to bee entertained in them most delectable to dwell in them alwayes and to behold the couÌ„tenance of the lord of them neuer chaunged towards vs but still gratious and fauourable how delectable then is it to behoulde the radiant palace of heauen and to be an inhabiter in it and neuer to goe out of it and continually to beholde the gratious and omnipotent Maiesty of God therein for though we are now the sonnes of God yet it is not made manifest what we shal be opsometha aâ—â— toâ— Kathos esâ— and we know that when he shal be made manifest we shall bee like him For we shall see him as he is Here we know in part and we prophesy in part 1. Iohn 3. â—â— we speak as children we vnderstand as children we think as children we see thorow a glasse darkly but in heauen that which is in part shal be abolished childish things shal be put away we shall see face to face know euen as we are known we shall meet together in the vnity of faith 1 Cor. 13.9 â— and that acknowledging of the sonne of God vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Ephes 4.13 Heere in this life wee are regenerate and newe borne by the holy spirite of God for otherwise none can see the kingdome of God â— 3 3 5 â—ar 9 24 nor enter into it but as long as wee lyue heere we are regenerate but in part and wee are restored but in parte to the image of God after which Adam was at first created after this life in heauen shall be the perfect renewing of the image of God in vs and euerlasting comforte and abundance enioying of all good thinges which are required to the state of entyre felicity While wee liue heere eternall lyfe is begon in vs in that our myndes are endewed with true and sauing knowledge of god and fayth in Iesus Christe for this is eternal life to knowe god and whome he hath sent Iesus Christe he that heareth the word of christ and beleeueth in him that sent him hath euerlasting lyfe and in that the lyfe which wee doe lyue being engraffed into christe by the spirite â—â—hn 17 3 â—â—hn 5 24 â—â—hn 3 16 36 â—al 2 20 â—ol 3 3. â—â—h 4 18 â— Pet. 1.4 â—ol 3.4 is the life of god and a participation of the diuine nature further while we liue heere we are assured of eternall life that when Christ shall appeare wee shall bee also with him in glory and that he which hath begunne that good worke in vs will also make it perfect euen vntil the daye of Iesus christ Phil. 1 6. 1. Cor. 1 8 Thosse 5 23 Rom 11 29 Iob 10 28 2 Tim 1 12 Iohn 14 23 Iohn 14 16 Iohn 17 3 Luke 20 36 Iohn 16 22 1 Cor 15 28 Reu 21 22 2â— 1 Cor. 13 10 Luke 1.33 Dan. 7 27. and that the gifts and calling of God are without repeÌ„taÌ„ce vnchaungeable that none can plucke Christs sheepe out of his hands for wee knowe whome wee haue beleeued wee are perswaded that hee is able to keepe that which we haue committed vnto hym but the perfecting of these beginnings is reserued for the kingdom of heauen wher god shall dwell in his elect eternally where that comforter shall neuer forsake vs where shal be perfect wysedom knowledge of God where shall be angelike righteousnesse where shall be vnspeakeable ioyes in god where shall be aboundaÌ„ce of all good things for God shal be all in al things where that which is now but begunne shal be finished and absolute and where there shal be noe interruption and end of ioy and gladnesse for of that kingdome there shall be none end and an euerlasting dominion shall be to the holy people of the most high And herevpon not wtout caus doth the prophet set his chiefest felicity in this that the Lord is the portion of his inheritaÌ„ce therfore he sayth I set the lord always before me becaus he is on my right hande therefore I shall not fall therefore my hearte reioyced also my flesh shall reste in hope thou wilt shewe mee the path of lyfe â—sal 16.5 8 â— 11 and the fulnesse of ioyes is in thy presence and at thy righte hand pleasures for euermore
hath found Christ she ceaseth not from seeking God is not sought by feete but by affection and the happy finding of him dooth not shake off but encrease an holy desire Is the consummation of ioy a consumption of desire No it is rather as oyle vnto it for this desire is a burning flame sayeth Bernard And what caused the saints and Martirs whome the world was not woorthy of to suffer mockings and scourgings boÌ„ds and prisonment to wander vp and downe in sheepe skinnes and in goats skins in wildernesses â—idetur legenâ—um esse epuras â—hesan â—cremati sunt â—un in parall and mountaines and caues and dennes of the earth to endure to be stoned and hewen asunder and burned and slayn with the sworde and yet in the mids of tortures to say with the Christian poet Tormenta carcer vngulae Stridensque flammis lamina â—rudent periste â—han de VinceÌ„t Atque ipsa poenarum vltima Mors Christianis ludus est Tormentes and prison and torturing cooles and burning plates of mettall and death it selfe the last punishment of all these are but a sporte and pastime to those that beleeue in Christ What caused them so patientlye to endure these tribulations and fyrie tryalls but the full assurance of the inualuable treasure of heauen For then shall the righteous stand in greate boldnesse before the face of such as haue tormented them and shall receiue a glorious kingdome and a beawtifull crown of the Lords hand but the vngodly shall bee scattered and ouerthrowne with thunderbolts and lightnings and floods â—s 5 1 16 21 Out of all this it appereth that the soules of the faithfull after death are in eternall ioye and felicity Neither is there any mean place to stay them in for their sleeping as some dreame or for their purging as some fantasie but as the soule of Lazarus was presently carried by the Angells into Abrahams bosome assoone as it was vnfettered out of the bandes of the flesh Luke 16.22 and as the soule of the theefe was with Christ in Paradise within fower howres after he desired to be remembred of Christ so our Sauiour sayth generally of all the faithfull that hee that heareth his worde Luke 23 43. and beleeueth him that sent him hath eeuerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation Ioh 5 24. but hath passed from death to life And that we might the sooner beleeue that there is no interim and space between the death of the body the eternal life and ioy of the soule hee confirmes his speach with a double affirmation or rather oath saying verily and verily I say it â—s so Reu. 14 13 a parti in posterum vt vulgata translatio amodo i. statim Also the voice taught Iohn the Diuine that whosoeuer dye in the Lord and â—n the faith of Christ they are blessed and â—est from their labours and receiue the â—eward of their workes and when Heereâ—fter presently immediatly after they are called out of this mortall life This stops the beastly and blasphemous mouth of the Sadduces â—cts 23 8 and fully puts them to silence who affirmed that there is no resurrection nor Angell nor spirit and of Epicurus the belligod Philosopher who was a most detestable defender of pleasure â—actant diuin â—stit l. 3 c. 17 and thought that Man was onely borne to enioy pleasure and sayd that the Soule dyeth after the death of the body and of Plinie who was not ashamed to write â—mnibus à suâ—em a die eadeÌ„â—uae ante primuÌ„â—ec magis à â—orte sensus â—llus aut corpoâ—s aut animae â—à m ante naâ—lem Plin. lib â— cap 55. that it fares with all men after the last day as it did before the first day and that there is no more sense and feeling eyther of body or minde after we are dead then there was before we were borne and of Lucretius a far swine of Epicures stie who impudently opens his vncleane mouth against heauen and sayes Quod si immortalis nostra foret mens Non tam se moriens dissolui conquereretur Sed magis ire foras nesteÌ„que relinquere vt aÌ„gnis Gauder et If our soule did liue for euer saith he shee would not in death complaine of hir dissolution but rather she would reioyce to depart out of the flesh and would be glad to leaue the garmeÌ„t of the body as the snake is ioyfull for the vncasing from his oulde skin But Lactantius dooth most acutelie and learnedly confute him saying how can it be known that any doth vnderstand that he is dissolued or els set at liberty sens the tung is dumbe when a man dyeth For while he vnderstands and can speake hee is not yet dissolued when he is dissolued hee can neither vnderstand nor speake So that complaine of his dissolution either yet he caÌ„ not or now he caÌ„not But saith Lucretius before he be dissolued he perceiues that he shal be dissolued What shold I say that we see many in death not to complaine of their dissolutioÌ„ as Lucretius saieth but to testifie that they do goe and departe walke out of the body and either declaring this by gesture or vttering it by wordes if they can speake so long By which it is euident that there is no dissolution but a separation which declars the remayning of the soul after death Lactant diuin instit l 7 â— 12. For as a candle while it is in the lanterne it enlightens the lantern if it bee taken out although the lanterne bee lefte darke yet the candle shines more cleerly then it did before so while the soul is in the body it is the light and gouernor thereof and when it forsakes the body although the body be left dead and insensible yet then the soule enioyes her proper vigor and brightnesse Damnable are all the assertions that maintaine the mortality of the soule for if shee did perishe with the body and had no sense feeling after death how can the godly after death bee in Gods presence and serue him day and night in his temple and haue God dwelling among them bee fedd gouerned ledd to the liuely fountains of waters and haue all teares wiped from their eyes as the Angell here affirmeth Cleere is that speeche of Moses for the eternitye of the soule when hee sayes that the Lorde god made the man of the dust of the grounde â—en 2.7 breathed in his face breath of life In which words the man of god puteth a plaine difference between the foule of man and the soule that is in other creatures for the soule or life of beasts proceeded from the same substance and matter whereof their bodies were made but the soule of man is a spirituall and diuine thing which because it proceeded from god must needes remaine for euer Manifest is the saying of God to Moses in the burning bushe I am the God of Abraham the god of Isaac
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