the woorkes of such accompanie them as dye in the Lorde For the true faith purifieth the hearte Actes 15.9 and it is of that nature that it worketh by loue Galat. 5.6 And therefore as though a man haue neuer so charitable and curteous woordes yet if hee haue no deedes aunswering thereunto his charitye is vaine Iam. 2.15 16 â—0◠〈◊〉 if it haue no woorkes is deade in it selfe and cannot not saue a man verse 17. c. Howbeit this I say and thus I teach with Iames not that I woulde haue you to thinke that faith saueth or iustifieth any for the worthines of these works that followe it and accompanye it For so far off am I and wee all ought to bee from that that we may not once imagine that fayth it selfe saueth or iustifieth any for the worthinesse of it selfe but onely for and through the worthines of Christ the obiect thereof whom it apprehendeth and applieth withall his merites to her owner and so thereby hee is iustified But this I say and constantly afferme that that fayth that iustifieth a man indeede is two wayes liuely and effectuall namely in heauen before GOD about her obiect Christ first in apprehending and applying lit to the iustification of the owner and then in earth amongst men in puryfâ—yng her subiect that is the person in whome it is to bring foorth fruites beseeming a iustified person So that alwayes hee that hath the iustifiyng faith hath therewith the sanctifying spirite whereby hee is able according to Saint Peters counsaile to ioyne vertue to his faith 2. Peter 1.5 and according to Saint Iames request to shewe his faith by his woorkes Chapter 2.18 for the â—ounde and right fayth in Iesus 〈…〉 into the hearte of the owner by the operation of the spirite such abundance of loue to wardes GOD for and in consideration of his infinite loue and goodnesse found out and apprehended thereby that it replenisheth the hearte wherein it is withall thankefulnesse and duetifulnesse towardes him in obeying his commaundementes with all his power chearefully and willingly in somuch that as it is impossible to seperate fire and heat sunne and light so is it to finde a iustiflyng fayth without good woorkes And therefore though wee take the office of iustifiyng from good woorkes generally without distinction and leaue it soly and wholy to faith as Paul doeth Romanes 3.28 where he sayeth Therefore wee conclude that a manne is iustified by faith without the woorkes of the lawe yet wee say and holde also with Sainte Iames that a man is iustified of woorkes and not of faith onelye Iames 2.24 For though by warrant from Paul wee holde that onlye faith iustifieth before GOD because the woorkes of the Iawe that is woorkes commaunded by the Lawe which if any other thing might bee ioyned with faith in this office are most woorthy are shut out quite from intermedling therein yet wee holde also that this fayth which is sola that is alone in doing this office yet is not solitaria that is alone in her owner when she doth performe it Faith therefore alone with Paul iustifieth before God and workes proceeding from faith iustifie that is declare who is iustified with Iames. For that appeareth to be his sense by his saying She we me thy faith out of thy woorkes Neither is his phrase straunge in saying that works doe iustifie which doe but declare who is iustified For we say coÌ„monly white haires make in olde man and yet our meaning onely is that they declare him to be an olde man And for further proofe yet of this point that it is not a faith in the sippes but in the heart not a woroy but a worthy faith that knitteth vs vnto Christ wee are to call to our remembraunce that Christ expresly Iohn 15.5 saith He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth foorth much fruit And that as Saint Paul saith there is no condemnation to those that bee in Christ to he addeth which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8.1 yea that he saith that they that are Christes haue crucified the flesh with the lustes thereof Galat. 5.24 and that with with olde thinges are past away and all thinges are become newe 2. Cor. 5.17 Either therefore neuer pretende that thou hast a sound are a right faith or else set thy life and conuersation be such as God may be glorified in iustifiing such an one Dauid coulde say seeing Christ but a far off in respect of that purgation and clen sing that hee hoped for by him Psa 51.7 Purge me with hysope and I shall bee cleane washe mee and I shall be whiter than snow And therfore said Iohn very flacly 1. epist 1.6.7 If we say wee haue fellowshippe with him and walke in darckenesse wee lie and doe not truely but if wee walke in the light as hee is in the light we haue fellowshippe one with another and the bloode of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from al our sinnes Wherefore let vs assure our selues either that wee are not purged at all by Christes death or washed by his bloode or else chat we are cleane and white For no doubte of it where God for his sake pardoneth sinne there he purgeth it and where he couereth it there he cureth it and therefore to all that beleeue in him the spirite is promised Iohn 7.38 to bee in that measure that it shal be as riuers of water of life flowing ouer the bankes for the force it shall haue in all such effectually to wash them to soften them to make them fruitfull and to quench in them the flames and heate of sinne Vnlesse therefore wee finde the spirite in vs to haue this operation wee are without warrant in our selues to prooue that we haue a sound and right faith in Christ By this then you mate see dearely beloued in Iesus Christ seeing this is the generall doctrine of vs all that professe the Gospel with knowledge how much we are wroÌ„ged by our aduersaries the papists who this not withstaÌ„ding charge our doctrine to be a doctrin of liberty and licentiousnesse For heereby euidently you may see wee shut out all those from the number of them that dye in the Lorde which be carnal and worldly minded men whatsoeuer they say and al carnal and prophane Gospellers which turne the grace of God into wantonnesse what faire shew soeuer they can make of faith in wordes And therefore here is no comfort at all for any that yet remaine in their sins hauing theÌ„ raigning in their mortall bodyes for Epicures Libertines or for any leude lycentious wretch whatsoeuer he be For such doe not liue in the Lord and therefore are not slkely to dye in the Lord. For commonly qualis vita finis ita such life such death in the iust iudgment of God it so falleth out For he that lyuing and in health wil not remember God it is but right that God shoulde forget him sicke and dying
verse 11. And besides all this the spirite of GOD inwardly in the heartes of all such teacheth them to crie Abba Father Romanes 8.15 and testifieth to their spirits that they are the children of God ver 16. and so sealeth them vp to the day of redemption 2. Corint 1.22 Vpon which euidence to grounde an assured confidence to enioye the thing promised who may not Yea the Lord hauing giuen such euidence ground vnto vs of assurance who seeth not that this notwithstaÌ„ding to doubt whether the thing promised shall bee giuen vs or no is most horrible sinne against the Lorde calling his trueth into question 1. Iohn 5.10 And therefore whatsoeuer they say to the contrary wee know it is our dueties to yeelde vnto the exhortation made to all them that beleeue aright in Christ Heb. 10.19 c. which is this Seeing therefore brethren that by the bloud of Iesus we may be bolde to enter into the holy place by the new and liuing way which hee hath prepared for vs through the vaile that is his flesh and seeing we haue an hie Priest that is ouer the house of of God let vs drawe neare in a true heart in assurance of faith sprinkled in our hearts from an euill conscience washed in our bodies with pure water and let vs keepe the profession of our hope without wauering for he is faithful that hath promised Thus I hope you see proofe sufficient to prooue The popish faith 〈◊〉 antichristian popery antichristianity that the popish faith is not that faith whereby men can grow into an vnion with Christ and consequently not the faith wherby any can dy in the Lord. Howbeit because they shall not say the I was driuen to seeke for forraine profes to proue this haue no proofe or argumeÌ„t to coÌ„firme it in this my preseÌ„t text giue me leaue to vse one argument more to prooue it and that deduced from the very circumstances of my text which I thus frame Whosoeuer dieth bearing the marke of the beast either in forhead or haÌ„d dieth not in the Lorde but in the Babylonish that is Antichristian religion but whosoeuer dieth in this popish faith dyeth bearing the mark of the beast in the forhead or haÌ„d ergo so far off is it that such a one dyeth in Christ that in deede and trueth hee dyeth in Antichrist The first part of this argument they neither can nor will deny For they reade vers 9.10.11 that who so worshippeth the beast and his image and receiueth his marke either in his forehead or hand the same shall drinke the wine of Gods wrath and be euerlastingly tormented Yea what then wil they say your assuÌ„ption or second part of pour argument is vtterly false Well that then being prooued the conclusion must bee yeelded vnto This themselues grant that by Babylon the fall whereof heere denounced shall followe vpon the preaching of the Gospel vers 6.7.8 is ment the florishing kingdome of Antichrist and they confesse that by wearing the marke of the beast in foreheade or hande is vnderstoode perseuering still a fauourer and liker of Antichristianity notwithstanding the warning here giuen to the contrary And if they woulde deny either of these they coulde not for shame the text in this booke and the circumstaunces thereof are so preguant to prooue them If therefore I can prooue that by Babylon here we haue to vnderstande Rome By Babylon we are to vnderstande Rome and that Antichristianitye and Popery be al one then I am sure that they must needs graunt my assumption For the first of these I doe boldly affirme that here by Babylon we must vnderstande Rom. My reasons are these The phrase vsed in this booke generally is figuratiue and not literallye to bee taken and therefore it is not likely but by Babylon is ment same other Citye which figuratiuely might bee so termed And it is euident that Iohn speaketh of such a Babylon as florished in his time and should long after and yet that should in the end haue a fall and therefore not of Babylon in Chaldea for that was fallen and decayed before Neither is it straunge in the Scripture to finde one Citye and people called by the name of another for the liklihood of manners bewixt the one and the other For Isai 1.10 wee reade that God speaketh thus to the Princes and people of Israel that dwelt in Canaan Heare the word of the Lord O Princes of Sodome harken vnto the law of our God O people of Gomorrha By which reason most aptly after the same figure of speech may Rome be called Babylon For as old Babylon vexed the Church in the olde Testament with long captiuâ—â—y so hath Rome done the Church of Christ in the newe as that ouercame the Iews and burned their City so hath also this doone by Titus and Vespasian as Babylon was the seat and fountaine when it floorished of Idolatrye and all abhomination so hath Rome beene both in the time of the beast and his image that is both in the time of Paganisme vnder the heathen Emperours and nowe in the time of Papisme vnder the Popes the Princes thereof And it is no small reason to moâ—ue vs by Babylon here to vnderstand Rome that it is called Babylon the great City that hath made all nations drimke with the wine of the wrath of her fornication that is that hath infected all nations with a false faith and religion whereby men in falling from their fathonely in the true and onely husbande Christ fall to put their trust and confidence in other thinges that are not CHRIST and to commit fornication spiritually with those thinges for the which the Lorde is wroth with them Which cannot bee sayde of Babylon in Chaldea nor of any other Citye so called For none of that name haue doone so since Iohns time but most fitly as appeareth by viewe of the popish doctrine and faith may be said of Rome and the Princes therof the Popes So that thus you see by the way that their glory is turned to their shaure For they bragge of their vninersalitye and generall consent which yee see heare their doctrine being as you haue hard is a most plaine note of the Antichristian Babylon But which is of all reasons the most forcible whereas it cannot be denied but by the purple silken and proud whore of Babylon is ment Antichrist Apoc. 17.4 their she is described sitting vppon a Crimson coloured beast full of names of blasphemy which had seuen heades and ten homes vers 3. which seuen heades are by the Angell vers 9. expounded to be seuen mountaines on which the woman sitteth The names of the bils be these Capâ—olitius Palatinut Auentinus Caelius Exquilinus Viminads Quirinasis And the woman is sayde verse 1â— to be that great Citie which raigneth ouer the kings of the â—aâ—th Then by which description it was impossible more playnely to describe â—ome which then wâ—â— the mistresse and these of
that I alwaies seeke is to edifie theÌ„ that heare me with as good and necessary doctrine as I can As for gloriousnesse of words pleasant and delicate speech I think it becommeth the philosophers chaire but not the pulpit For I finde that Paul hath written that hee vvas not sent to Preache the Gospell vvith vvisedome of vvoordes least the Crosse of Christ should bee made of none effect 1. Corinth 1.17 And therefore vvhen hee came among them he saieth hee came not vvith excellencie of vvoordes or of vvisedome shevving vnto them the testimonie of God For hee esteemed not to knovve anie thing among them saue onelie Iesus Christ and him crucified 1. Corinth 2.1.2 Sometimes there are some sentences of the Doctors and ancient fathers interlaced but they are not by mee at any time alleadged as though their testimonie or iudgement vvere a sufficient argument to grounde a trueth vpon For all trueth must haue and hath his sufficient warrant from the canonicall Scriptures and hauing so it is a trueth though all the Doctors and Fathers shoulde gaine-saie it I onely therefore bring them in as vvitnesses of the trueth in their times receiued partly to shewe the Popish vaine bragge of antiquitie in these pointes and partely to beate them from their errours vvith their owne weapons Howbeit herein I haue beene very sparing though indeed I might haue beene in the citing of them verie plentifull they are so full of excellent sentences to the same endes and purposes for the vvhich these fewe out of them vvere alleadged Nowe my reasons that moue me to bee so bolde as to make this Sermon appeare againe after this sorte vnder your Lordshippes protection making my choise of you to dedicate it vnto are these First I am perswaded that you vvere a principall meanes that I vvas occasioned first to conceaue and preach it Secondly you are the man to whome among all other and aboue all other I am most bound for your manifolde kindenesses diuersly shewed vnto mee and therefore hee that maie most iustly chalenge all dutifulnesse and tokens of thankefulnesse vvhich lie in my poore povver to shewe amongest vvhich I beseech you accept this as one though it bee but a small one Thirdely I knowe suche is your sincere affection to the trueth of Doctrine therein contayned and such vvas your vnfayned loue and affection to-vvardes him whose memoriall it still reuiueth that as you took pleasure in hearing of it once so you wil delight your selfe in reading perusing of it often Which reasons considered I hope you will beare with my boldnes herein and others I trust whosoeuer they bee will approue of this my so doing And therefore beseeching the Lord of his mercy long to preserue you your vertuous and good wife my verie good Ladie with all your children in health all true honour and prosperity I cease from any farther troubling of your Honor at this time At Bletchley the 25. of December 1585. Your honours alwaies to commaund THOMAS SPARKE Text. Apocal. 14.13 I hearde a voice from heauen saying vnto me write Blessed are they that die in the Lord thencefoorth euen so saith the spirit that they rest from their labours and their workes accompany them The certainty of the truth in this scripture conteined noted to breede attention obedieÌ„â—e thereto THis present occasion considered right honorable dearly beloued in our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus this portion of Scripture offereth most fit necessary matter both to me to speak of to you to he are For as you may well perceiue herein is set down what the state and condition of al those is that die in the Lorde yea immediatly vpoÌ„ that their death Of which number I hope all you here present are fully perswaded this honorable person whose funerall day heere this is was one And the more reuerently both to mooue me to speake thereof and to prouoke you all the more attentiuely to listen to that which is therin auouched we are to wey that that which herein is set down is a proposition or assertion not first deuised vttered and recorded by the will wit of man but which came downe from heauen left in writing thus vnto vs by expresse and speciall commandement from thence confirmed also to be most true by the assent and approbation of the holy Ghost For Iohn the beloued disciple of Iesus Christ a faithfull witnesse testifieth vnto vs that he heard a voice from heauen commaunding him to write it also hee telleth vs that this heauenly voice had no sooner tolde him that the thing which he shoulde write was this Blessed are they that dye in the Lorde thenceforth but that the Spirit said yea vnto it adding further that such rest from their labors and that the woorkes of such accompany them Wherefore in the feare of God we are al of vs so to consider of the matter taught vs in this proposition as of matter most weighty most certain true For if Iohn himself had left it in writing but by the ordinarye direction of his Apostolike spirite wee ought not at all to haue doubted either of the necessarinesse or certainety thereof For euen thereby both hee and all the rest of his fellowes writers of the Canonical Scriptures were euer preserued in their writinges both from all erring in their writings and also from committing vnto writing any needelesse or vnprofit able thing Howe much lesse it being as you haue hearde most earnestlie affirmed and by most inuincible authoritie confirmed and strengthened may we doubt of any thing taught vs in this heauenly oracle Out of all doubt euen hereby we are to begin with al al of vs fast bound most readily to beleeue euery thing to be most certainelye true which herein is taught whatsoeuer wee haue taught heeretofore or fleshe and bloode can say to the contrarie hereafter otherwise most gracelessely wee shoulde call into question whether there be trueth or no in a most vehement asseueration of the almighty which once to doe were blasphemie The scope occasion and other circumstaunces thereof The scope and drift that our most wise and louing GOD had in causing these woordes to be registred and recorded in this booke after this sort to the eternall consolation of his considered wee shall euen thereby perceiue that it was not without very great cause why euen thus they were set downe For it appeareth in certaine chapters before this whereof these woordes are a part that it was reuealed vnto Iohn how Antichrist shoulde come grow and flourish in his kingdome to the ecclipsing of the trueth marueilouslie Wherefore in this Chapter as our verie aduersaries are compelled to confesse to his comfort and the farther consolation of the Church the Lord vouchsafeth to reueale vnto him the fall of Antichrist and the manner how in this sorte first in causing him to see an Angell flie in the middest of heauen hauing an euerlasting Gospell to preach vnto them that dwell
on the earth to euerie Nation Kindred Toungue and People saying with a lowde voice Feare God giue glorie to him for the houre of his iudgemēt is come worship him that made heauē and earth the Sea the fountaines of waters and then in causing him to see another Angell following saying It is fallen it is fallen Babylon the great citie For shee made all nations to drinke of the wine of the wrath of her fornication and thirdly in causing him to see and heare a third Angell following the other two saying with a loude voice If any man worshippe the beast and his image and receiue his marke in his foreheade or hand the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God yea of the pure wine which is powred into the cup of his wrath and hee shall be tormented in fire and brimstone before the holy Angels and before the Lambe and the smoke of their torment shal ascend euermore and they shall haue no rest day nor night which worship the beast and his image and whosoeuer receiueth the Print of his name Wherein in effect is shewed as it is also written 2. Thes 2. that after Antichrist shall haue shewed himselfe in his full then yet when God shall see it time that he would by the spirit of his mouth that is by the effectuall preaching againe of the Gospel which Antichrist had smothered bring him to a desperate consumption Which once beeing brought to passe of the great mercie of the Lorde towards his church by this light thē so come into the world shining therin the Lord teacheth here by the voice of the 3. Angel that as many as be desirous to escape eternal damnatiō should in any case so seperate themselues from Antichrist his religiō that neither in forhead nor hand they bear his mark that is that neither openly nor secretly they be any longer fauorers of him and his abhominations And this more plainly after chap. 18. vpon occasion of a reuelation like vnto this which he had of the fall of the kingdome of Antichrist he doth warn vs of by a voice from heauē saying Go out of her my people that ye be not partakers in her sins that ye receiue not of her plagues Which admonition Iohn by the spirite of Prophesie foreseeing would take place in a number that thereupon Antichrist and his confederates would take occasion of great griefe anger seeing so their kingdomes to decay he bursteth out into these words saying Here is the patience of the Saints here are they that keep the cōmandements of God the faith of Iesus As who should say I foresee that when these thinges shoulde come to passe which the Lord hath foreshewed by the voices of these three Angels shall then they that leaue Antichrist to cleaue to Christ and forsake his abhominable superstition to imbrace the sinceritie of the Gospell shall maruellously bee assaulted by Antichrist and his to reclaime them againe by al meanes both faire and foule sweete and subtile sowre and violent insomuch that they then shall stād neede of perfect patience For if it were possible the deuises and meanes which he will vse to repaire his kingdome againe withal will bee such that the very elect should be seduced as Christ hath foretold Mat. 24.24 Wherupon the words of my text follow where incoragemēt is giuē to al men that shal liue to see Antichrist and his treacherie by the preaching again of the gospell thus detected brought to his consumption to imbrace the doctrine of the Gospell and to leaue his yea and constantly to perseuere both in the profession of their hatred and defiance of his abominations though neuer so vniuersally liked before yet stil the better to deceiue offered in a golden cup and also in their loue liking of the sincerity of the truth of the gospel though neuer so much slaundred by his to be a new doctrine heresie and persecuted also For so far off shall it bee that ye shall loose anie thing saith the Lord vnto such in my text if you take this course quite to forsake Antichrist and leane onely vnto and vppon Christ that when hee hath doone his woorst which is but to kill your bodies and so to cause your soules to flit the sooner out of them that I assure you without all doubt you shall immediately thence-foorth bee blessed in that all manner of woe and paine shall bee ended to you and besides your sincere profession holy cōuersation must bee rewarded with ioy vnspeakeable felicitie in heauen Be therefore of good courage the light shining amongest you againe imbrace it and walke in it haue no longer either secretly or openly any further fellowshippe with the workes of darkenesse if you haue you haue heard the thirde Angell tell you that then therefore ye shal be euerlastingly accursed and condemned But if you haue refused them and will liue and die in the sincere profession and beleefe of the trueth of the Gospell whatsoeuer meanes Antichrist shall vse to drawe you backe againe vnto him I say vnto you and I say it most earnestly you shal be for euer blessed and happie My text therfore commeth in as a preoccupation to take awaie from al such as should fall from Antichrist to Christ by the preaching of the Gospell all obiections whatsoeuer can or may arise in their mindes to make them wauer or go backe againe vnto him And for asmuch as the Lord saw that these would be many yea and that in shew so forcible to a man consulting with flesh bloud that he should euen therwith be often amased you see right honorable as I haue said that not without verie great cause is this proposition tending to their comforce and strengthening vttered and recorded in such sort and maner as you haue heard Wherefore whensoeuer there ariseth any reason or motion in our mindes to draw vs backe frō the sincerity of the Gospell to take again the marke of the beast either in our forehead or hand then to strengthen our selues to withstand all such let vs make our recourse vnto this place and well wey this point that here is damnation flatly denoūced to all such as after the sound of the gospell againe reuolt to Antichrist and that there is most certainly saluatiō and blisse promised to those that refuse to doe it and choose rather to lose their liues The diuision Now in the proportiō it self thus vpō this occasion vttered we haue to cōsider two things principally that is who they be of whō the Lord therein speaketh what it is that he speaketh of such The first is expressed in these words They that die in the Lord the later in these Are blessed thenceforth euen so saith the spirit that they rest from their labors their works accōpany thē Wherof orderly nowe I am to speake as the text offereth occasiō as the time wil permit me Though this particle
all nor any like hee not prefixed yet no doubt it is necessarily to be vnderstood â—he proâ—â—sition is â—iuersall For the propositioÌ„ being indefinit the latter part therof so vndoubtedly vnseparably belonging to the former as it doth it must needs be equiualent to an vniuersal proposition therefore all one in effect with this All they that dy in the Lord are blessed theÌ„ceforth besides the vsual maner of the scripture which is to set down vniuersal propositions indefinitely confirmeth the same as Ioh. 3.6 18. By the Lord is meant Christ And by the Lord we haue here to vnderstaÌ„d our Lord sauior Iesus whose vsual title in the scripture this is as Ro. 1.3 1. Co. 1.2 2. Cor. 1.3 yâ— worthily both for that he is our creator also redeemer What it is to die in the Lord. it is coÌ„fessed of al denied of none But what it is to dy in the lord here in this place al interpreters be not of one mind Some vnderstaÌ„d it generally of al those which die in the state of grace tauour of the Lord through a souÌ„d and right christian faith in him other some take it yâ— onely hereby Martyrs are meant therefore these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with word for word sound in the Lord they translate for the Lord or for the Lords cause Which later interpretatioÌ„ the papists best like of as appeareth in the Rhem. notes vpoÌ„ this place For the place so takeÌ„ say they it maketh not at al against our doctrine of purgatory For we neuer taught yâ— martyrs weÌ„t thither but haue alwaies confessed that such are immediatly after their death blessed Of whoÌ„ with Aug. sermone de verb. Apost 17. Cap. 1. wee say they haue alwaies said that he doth iniury to a martyr that praieth for a mâ—rtyr Wherfore it shal be very necessary to coÌ„sider whether of these interpretations is the rather in this place to bee followed They that folow the later vrge this as the only reason of their so doing that the circumstaunces of the place leades them to take it as spoken only to the comfort of those that through the tyranny of Antichrist shall loose their liues for the profession of the pure doctrine of Christ That it is spoken to the comforte of such yea and especially to the comforte of such I will easilie graunt but onely to the comfort of such and therefore onely of such I cannot in anie case think For no doubt of it the Lord hauing foreshewed vnto Iohn the fall of Antichristes kingdome and the maner how and consequently hauing let him in spirite foresee howe he woulde free and chafe against all those that beeing admonished by the Gospell shoulde fully seperate themselues from him to rest onely in and vpon Christ as he did thereupon foresee that he would raise cruell persecution against theÌ„ that through the feare thereof he mihgt reclaime them so hee without all peraduenture in spirite foresawe that no faire meanes or subtile perswasions would be omitted to heale vp the wound of the beast again withal that the saints of god should finde is as hard a matter to staÌ„d stedfast in Christ vnto their liues end against those assaultes as against the other that is his cruell persecutioÌ„ For daily experieÌ„ce teacheth that this way he preuaileth more a great deale than by the other And therefore if there were cause why these words of my text should be vttered recorded to animate incourage men in the time of persecution to stand stedfast in the truth against Antichrist there was as good cause why they shoulde bee so also to the streÌ„gthning of meÌ„ to liue die in the same truth what faire allurements subtil deuises or cuÌ„ning perswasioÌ„s soeuer were vsed to draw them froÌ„ the same So that as wel he is told here that he is blessed that dieth in his bed a right souÌ„d Christian faith notwithstanding these meanes vsed to him before to seduce him as hee that dieth in the fire for the profession of the same faith And yet though they haue it graÌ„ted them that the words especially concerne Martyrs yet vnderstanding the words generally they serue aswel to the coÌ„fort of them rather better than if they were true only in them For this argument followeth strongly whosoeuer dieth in the Lord that is in a right souÌ„d christian faith he is thenceforth immediatly blessed therfore martyrs who not only dye in the faith but for that faith Further who knoweth not that it is an vsuall thing in the scriptures in all other good learning to proue particulars by generals And therfore what reason is there to the contrary but that here to the comforting of them that dye for the Lord the blessed state generally of al that dye in the Lord should be set foorth wherein they might see themselues of al other vndoubtedly included Hereby then it appeareth that their reason of restraining the words to theÌ„ only that dye for the Lord is taken away therfore also the consequent which they wold infer therupon falleth to the ground Besides this diuerse reasons I haue which inforce me to vnderstand the woordes generally of all that die in the Lord when and wheresoeuer and they are these first it is somewhat harde to translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is in the Lorde for the Lorde Secondly when the circumstance coherence of the text wil wel suffer as in this place that it cary a sense to the generall coÌ„fort of Gods Church then vnnecessarily to restraine it to some sort of members therof only caÌ„not be but a fault For it is as it were a needlesse shrinking vp of the sinnews and pulling in of the armes of the holy scripture And lastly in the interpreting of scripture it is a rule greatly to be commended If the question of the sense arise vpon a phrase of speech as here it doth to consider the vse of the same or like phrase in other places of scripture and to take it in that sense that best agreeth with the vse therof in other places of scripture Now in this case we neither finde that to liue in the Lord or to die in the Lorde are taken in any other place for to liue or die for the Lordes sake but to dye in the Lorde to bee taken in this generall seâ— seâ— to depart this life in a sounde and right Christian faith wee finde elsewhere in the Scripture For 1. Thessal 4. where it is euident that the Apostle speaketh generally of all those that shal haue a ioyfull resurrection hee calleth them first those that sleepe in Iesus vers 14. after those that be dead in Christ verse 16. where it were absurd to restraine these phrases to those only that dy for Christs cause For it were to restrain the comfort of the generall resurrection only to such These and some other such like reasons as it should seeme haue
but to eat the flesh of the son of mā to drink his bloud is nothing else but to eat the bread of life wherupon it directly followeth that therfore it is nothing else to eat the flesh of the sonne of mā to drink his bloud but to beleue in him Which also is euident in that you shall find in that chapter within the compasse of the foresaide verses the same thinges both promised to the eaters and drinkers of Christes fleshe and bloude and to the beleeuers in him and also the same things threatned to the not eaters and drinkers thereof which are to the not beleeuers in him Which argueth that they are both one especially seeing the one is put for the other in the Chapter following verse 37.38 In the former whereof we reade thus Nowe in the last and great day of the feast Iesus stood and cried saying If any man thirst let him come vnto me drinke but in the latter whereas if he had continued the metaphoricall speech wherein he beganne he shoulde haue saide he that commeth vnto me and drinketh of mee changing his phrase and yet retayning his former meaning to shewe vs that to drinke him is nothing else but to beleeue in him hee saieth in the steed thereof Hee that beleeueth in me as saith the Scripture out of his bellie shall flowe riuers of waters of life And therefore not without good ground said Augustine Crede manducasti Beleeue and thou hast eaten Tract 25. vpon Iohn And Tertullian de resurrectione carnis 29. writeth that Christ is auditu deuorandus ruminandus intellectu fide digerendus that is to be deuoured by hearing to be chewed on by vnderstanding and to be digested by faith So that by all these proofes laide together wee see that Christ is receiued by faith that wee growe in him by faith yea to a perfect man in Gods sight and lastly that hee is as surely apprehended of vs by faith to our spirituall maintenance in the worde preached and sacramentes ministred which are the dishes wherein one and the selfe-same Christ is offered vnto vs as meate and drinke being set before vs is taken in by eating or drinking thereof to our temporall nourishment Whereof the Sacrament of Christes body and bloud is a most effectuall ratification and particular confirmation to euery right receiuer thereof by faith If it were otherwise that wee coulde not get to be in Christ and hee in vs by faith in him but to accomplishe this it were necessary bodily to take him into vs by the mouth of our bodies then forasmuch as there were neuer any that died that coulde be blessed that died not in him all the good Patriarkes Prophets and other seruantes of GOD that died before hee had an humane body must bee condemned But the contrary thereof is euident in that Abraham is placed in state of saluation by Christ Luk. 16.24 c. Yea and with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen Luk. 13.28.29 And therefore Paul is bolde 1. Cor. 10.3.4 to say of them that were before Christ that they all ate one spirituall meate and dranke the same spirituall drinke that we doe Christ which coulde not be otherwise effectually but by beleeuing aright in CHRIST to come Let vs therfore labour by diligent vse of the meanes that GOD hath appointed vs for that purpose to attaine to a right and sounde faith in Christ and to nourishe it still by the vse of the same meanes seeing thereby wee see it commeth to passe that wee put on Christ and be vnited vnto him so that wee may bee saide according to the vsuall phrase of the Scripture to bee in him and consequently alwaies found ready to dye in him Of which number I count as well them that died before Christ in a right faith in him to come as since in him already come But not by euery kind of faith But nowe least wee deceiue our selues in thinking we haue attained vnto this faith and so are in Christ when it is nothing so wee are diligently to consider what manner of faith that is and of what nature it is that worketh this great and glorious effect And the rather are wee diligently to consider hereof because this woorde Faith is not alwaies taken in one and the selfe-same signification in the Scriptures for there are diuers sortes and kindes of faith Not by the miraculous faith Vnderstande therefore Righte Honourable and welbeloued in our Sauiour Iesus Christ that it is not fides miraculosa a faith to woorke miracles by that is a resolution by some extraordinarie meanes of Gods will to worke a wonder and therefore thereupon to attempt it in his name and to bring it to passe that maketh vs haue this fellowshippe with Christ For of such as haue this faith we reade thus Mat. 7.22.23 Many wil say vnto me in that day saith Christ Lorde Lorde haue we not in thy name prophecied And by thy name cast out Diuels And done many great workes And then will I professe to them Not by the historicall faith I neuer knewe you depart from me you workers of iniquitie Neither is it an historicall faith onely whereby wee assent to the trueth of those thinges that are written in the Scripture For no doubt of it the very diuels of hell are enforced to yeeld thus much to their smart and woe And therefore we read Iames. 2.19 The diuels beleeue and tremble Not by the temporarie saith Neither is it a temporary faith fleeting in the conceite of man not firmely setled and rooted in his heart For such as haue that kinde of faith onely are compared by our sauiour Christ Mat. 13. to the thornie and stonie ground wherein though for a time the good seede of the woorde seemed to make faire promise of a plentifull haruest yet ere due time of haruest came either through the cares and pleasures of this life it was so choaked and ouer growen or through the scorching heate of persecution so burnte vppe that it came to no good And therefore you haue hearde that it is sayde heare not without cause Which dye in the Lorde to shewe vs that it must bee a continuing and perseuering faith vnto the ende howsoeuer in the meane time it bee assaulted that must serue the turne in this case to make vs such as of whom the LORDE here speaketh Not by the dead faith I say further that a faith though seeming to be neuer so liuelye in woordes yet if it be fruitlesse in good woorkes it is not the faith that canne make vs to be in Christ For both immediatlye before the woordes of my text and in the ende thereof it is euident that a faith accompanied with good woorkes is heere required For before you reade that Iohn set downe these woordes Heere is the patience of Saintes heere are they that keepe the commaundementes of GOD and the faith of Iesus And my text concludeth that
other Cityes and a City compassing within the â—â—ies that of seuer 〈◊〉 as euen voyes haue learned in the section booke of Virgils Georgickes and as it is not orsiously known otherwise If 〈…〉 not haue Rome to 〈◊〉 the very 〈◊〉 of Antichrist let them 〈◊〉 vs out another City 〈◊〉 this description agreeth Againe why should the standing and â—â—â—â—â—â—oorishyng Empire of Rome and the continuance of the seme of the Empero â—â—â—ere bee that which letted and should let the setling of Antichrist in his seateÌ„ vntill it were taken our of the waie 2. Thess 2.7 But to shewe that the very seate of the Empire shoulbe be his seate and that the place must be seft emptye for him by the departure of the Emperour from thence before he 〈◊〉 come into his chayre of pessisonee The papists themselues confesse that this is Paules meaning there And therefore Sanders in his booke of the visible Monarchy in his fourth demonstration for the defence of the Pope confesseth that Hierom in his eleuenth question to Algasia Tertullian in his Apollogie against the Gentiles that Chryfostome vpon the place it selfe and August in his 20. booke de Ciuitate Der cap. 19. vnto whom he might ad Ambrose Iraeneus Lactantius with diuerse others also doe vnderstande Paul thereby to meane the Romane Empire Which when indeede it decayed in the West and tooke his seate in the East at Constantinople the Popes founde to be so taken out of their way that as experience and al storyes consitme quickly after they grew to be so Emperor like in the West that in their kingdom the wound that the former beast had taken by thus ceâ—â—ouing his seat from Rome seemed to be healed they bare so liuely the image of the former beast As for the Empire that is now lest in the West it is as it is well known a thing in name but not indeede they haue so handled the matter that it is as good as quite taken out of their way they may do for all it what it pleaseth them and the other part of the Empire is swallowed vp of the Turke Lastly you are to vnderstande that I am not the first that by Babylon here vnderstand Rome For eueÌ„ then when these uisions of Iohn were far harder to be vnderstood than nowe in that nowe experience hath opened many of them which it had not then the anciene fathers sawe that by Babylon heere was ment Rome As for example Tertullian contra Iudaeos and Hierom in diuerse places as in his 11. question to Algasia in his preface of Didimus booke of the holy Ghost and in his 2. booke against Iouinian Yea our Rhemistes in their notes vpon the last of the first of Peter earnestly contend to prooue that there by Babylon is meant Rome and vppon the 17. of Iohn they dare not flatly deny but that there by Babylon the seat of the struÌ„pet may be vnderstood Rome That the popish faith is an â—â—christiaÌ„ Wherefore these reasons considered I conclude that by Babylon heere is ment Rome Yea but yet you shal not finde it so easie a matter to proue the popish faith to be Antichristian they will say Yes verily for euen that which I haue already sayd in the description and confutatioÌ„ of their faith proueth it to be Antichristian For if Antichrist be he that is an aduersary to Christ if he be an aduersary to Christ that robbeth him of that honour and glory that is due vnto him then it cannot he but that the popish faith is Antichristian But S. Iohn say they in his first Epistle ca. 4.3 hath plainly cold vs that that spirit that coÌ„fesseth not that Iesus christ is coÌ„e in the flesh that is the spirite of Antichrist Whereby they would gather that they cannot be Antichristian because they confesse that Christ is come in the flesh I answere them with Aug. wordes vpon S. Iohns epistle tract 3. Non attendamus ad linguam sed ad facta c. Let vs not consider what they say but what they doe For if they al should be asked with one mouth they would confesse the Lord Iesus to be Christ But let their tongue stay a while and aske their life for howsoeuer in words they confesse that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh yet indeed and truth they deny it For he that denyeth the fruit cause of his coÌ„ming which was as I haue proued to be a full whole sole sauiour in himselfe and by himself they deny his comming indeede and truth whatsoeuer they say in wordes And this is euident in theÌ„ in the they trust not to his satisfactions merits weout adding there to their own in the cause of their saluation The Iews Turks say they knowe God and beleeue in him but we christians say and wee say truely that they neither know him nor beleeue in him at all but onely in an Idoll of their owne framing because they knowe him not in the face of his sonne Iesus Christ Arius in plaine words denied not Christ to be God yet because he denyed that he was equall to his father he denyed his godhead indeed And so though the papistes in woordes confesse Christ to be come in the flesh yet because indeede truth they will not let him be priest alone to offer propitiatory sacrifice king alone to gouerne by his owne orders prophet alone to instruct by his owne woorde but as it is most euident ioyne vnto him a succession of priestes to iterate his sacrifice which he offered once for all Heb. 9.25.26 alter his lawes and orders ad and detract at their pleasure too and from his reuealed and written woorde as the face and practise of their Church teacheth indeede and truth they deny that he is come in the flesh And it appeareth by the prophecies that wee haue in the scripture of Antichrist that hee shall not bee so blunt a foole as flatly and in playne tearmes to denye so manifest an article of fayth as this is but hee and his shall come and set abroach their false doctrin through hypocrisie 1. Tim. 4.2 In so much that antichristianitye 2. Thess 2.7 is called a mistery of iniquitie that is an iniquity that not all at once and openly shall shew is selfe but that shall come in by soft and stealing pases so shrowded and hid vnder a shew of godlinesse that it should not easily be espyed And therefore Christ Mat. 13.25 26. compareth this bad seed to tares which the good seedmans foe sowed amongst the good wheat while men slept then slielye went his waye which was not espyed by and by of the good seedmans houshold nay not vntill the blade was sprung vp And therefore Saunders is but a foole from hence to drawe a demonstration that the Pope is not Antichrist because in wordes hee confesseth Christ How could he be ignorant that it is noted Apoc. 17.4 that the Babylonish harlotte is described to hold out vnto others her
to beleeue that for his â—â—ly sake they shal not only be quit of al their sins the punishmeneâ— due for the same but that also God will vouchâ—â—â—â— to accouÌ„t theÌ„ righteous and woâ—â—thy or meet for the kingom of heauen for his righteousnes imputed vnto theÌ„ So that faith seeketh for the whol matter and cause to be saued by in Christ Iesus alone in him alone it findeth apprehendeth sufficient matter why the owner of it shold be iustified and saued The grouÌ„d of this faith in the coÌ„futation of the popish faith you haue heard already wherunto ad yet these 2 manifest places wherof the first is in the 10. of Ioh. 1. 7. where Christ flatly teacheth that he is the only dore into Gods sheepfold that so earnestly that he pronouÌ„ceth theÌ„ all theeues robbers that seek to get in any other way The other is in the 4. of the Act. 10.12 where we read that Peter boldly before the high Priests and their company in a solemne assembly sayth Be it knowen vnto you all to all the people of Israell that there is saluatioÌ„ in no other but in Iesus of Nazareth For amoÌ„g meÌ„ there is giueÌ„ no other naÌ„e vnder heaueÌ„ wherby we must be saued The which 2 places if there wer no more to be fouÌ„d through out the whole scripture were sufficient to put vs out of all doubt that there is no part of saluation to be looked for but only in through and for Iesus Christ And therfore the greater is the iudgment of God vppon the Church of Rome which notwithstanding these places will yet seeke for some part of the cause of their saluation by their owne satisfactions and merites But 〈◊〉 to whom the Lord hath giuen grace to see the glorious riches which hee hath prepared for vs in this his son hereby may be assured the seeing there lacketh in Christ neither ablenesse nor willingnes to be such a one that wtout all wauering wee may he bold to beleeue that God as both able and willing freely fully soly wholy to iustifie vs here and to glorifie vs elswhere for this his sons sake alone Which persuasion grounded vpoÌ„ this and other such groundes in the Scripture before touched is that which I boldly affirme vnto you to be the faith that indeede maketh vs to be in the Lord so ready to dye in the Lorde I exhort you therfore as many as be desirous to dye in the Lord to seeke in time by this sayth to liue in the Lord. Remember that it is the Lordes gift that by the ordinary means of the word preached Gal. 5. Ro. 10.14 1. Cor. 1.21 And therfore if you would haue it and hauing it once reteyne and keepe it you must diligently seeke it at the Lords hands by the vse of this means and that while the Lord doch offer the means vnto you least as he threatneth Pro. 1.24.26 Because he called ye refused he will laugh at your destructioÌ„ mock when your fear commeth Do not defer off the seeking for it and the streÌ„gthening of it vntil old age come If you wil do in it you must learne to liâ—â— in iâ— first and there is no reason yâ— you should spend the strength of your dayes in vanity ignorance misbeliefe and infidelity in the seruice of 〈◊〉 in the and 〈◊〉 these things are weary of you to think that it is enough to serue God with your old dry rotten bones God neuer liked to be serued with the lame blinde and maimed of the flock but the strong lusty vnblemished hee alwaies called for Mal. 1.8 13. And therfore let euery one in his youth time of his streÌ„gth remeÌ„ber his creatour turn vnto him Ec. 12.1 A briefe report testimony of the Earle of Bedfords life and death Of this fayth and early and timely seeking for it this noble person whose funeral and burrall we are now about hath bin a noble example vnto vs. For we know that not only in his later daies in her Maiesties time that now is when to be of this fayth was and hath bin safe and commendable vnto him but also before when to shewe himselfe of this fayth was daungerous to his liuing and honour he hath shewed himselfe in his life a zealous and constant professor and confessour of this faith vsing al good means both priuatly and publikely to nourish it by the diligent vse of the means aforesayd I my selfe haue bin both an eye witnesse and an eare witnesse that both in respect of his sins he had infallible tokens of a very broken and contrite hart and thought as baselye of himselfe in respect of himselfe as a true penitent man should and that yet casting his eyes vpon Gods mercyes towards such in Christ noâ—â—aÌ„ could be more comforted and râ—ysed vp agayne Notwithstanding he was as free from the common corruptions of the world wherinto â—eâ— of his place are greatly assaulted and prouoked to fall and as ful of loue and charity and all the fruites thereof as lightly amongst men any can be found yet this I canne testifie of him and I thinke so canne all that knew him and were acquainted with him that he was neuer the more puffed vppe with any conceyt of his own righteousnes yea though his course of life and dealing with all men were such that he had got this title commonly in the mouthes of al The good Earle of Bedforde yet stil his cry was that only in Iesus Christ and his merites was all his hope and trust concerning his saluation And truely as he liued in this faith in this sort so to the glory of his God al our good exaÌ„ple and his own euerlasting comforte hee dyed constantly in the same And therefore as they that were most about him can testifie a litle before his death in this his last sicknesse out of the abundance of his heart and fayth that was lodged therein hee vttered these words with great comfort Satan is cheyned Satan is cheyned The seede of the woman hath broken the serpentes head The seede of the woman hath broken the serpents head Euen for mee Euen for mee And a little before his death he ioyned in prayer with a godly Minister whom hee kept in his house for the watering of himself and his family from time to time with the water of life vnto the Lorde most earnestly and made in his hearing after some good comfort giuen him by him a notable sweete and Christian confession of his fayth in God the father God the son and God the holy Ghost shewing how fully he hoped to be saued in and for Iesus Christs sake alone coÌ„cluding in the end thus Thus I beleeue with my heart to iustification confesse with my mouth to saluation and so quietly within a very litle space after gaue vppe the Ghost I dare therefore be bolde to place him within the number of them that here in my text the
next clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they traÌ„slate Now where as they know it is an aduerbe of affirming and not of time and signifieth Yea Also neuer now Why doe they not translate the saine word Mat. 5. Iam. 5. so also Which if they did theÌ„ we should read there for let your yea be yea let your now be now for let your speech be yea yea let your speech be now now But they found that their vulgar translation readeth it Iam. that is now Yea but they were not ignoraÌ„t that is now Yea but they were not ignoraÌ„t that truely the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 could not be so translated but that they cared not for as long as thus to craÌ„ state it though against al reason seemed to souÌ„d better to countenance their Limbus PatruÌ„ for so they gather of it Now saith the spirit c. that is since Christs ascension that it in thus with them that die in the Lord as thought it had not beene so before And it would be noted that the Greek word that is translated labors doth not signify any aâ—tion or operatioÌ„ whatsoeuer but such labor as is wearisome tedious to the doer or sufferer For we must not thinke that the soules of the righteous separated from their bodies liue in idlenesse without exercising theÌ„selues in any kind of action For no doubt of it they are occupied in the contemplation of God wherin their felicity lieth and in praysing him with ioifulnes But we are therby to vnderstand that such is the case of them that die in the Lord that thenceforth immediatly for euer al wo griefe paine whatsoeuer ceaseth to theÌ„ both in body soule with is one part of their blessednes happines here spokeÌ„ of But because blessednes lieth not onely in a not feeling of wo paine but especially in fruition of some present permanent ioy comfort therfore the better to explane vnto vs what blessednes it is that they that die in the Lord thenceforth for euer haue atteined vnto immediately vppon the dissolution of their soule and body it is farther added that the workes of such accompany them that is that presently all the good works of such eueÌ„ vnto the giuing of a cup of cold water to one of gods little ones in the name of a disciple shal be rewarded in heauen with vnspeakeable ioy and felicitie Mat. 10.42 I read it rather And their workes accompany them because so traÌ„slated the force of the greeke is the better expressed For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not signify to follow a far off but to follow hard at the heeles therfore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a hand maid besides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is more properly read with theÌ„ thaÌ„ after them Also thus reading it according to the sense of the greek the circumstaÌ„ce of the place is better answered which was to animate those that liued in the Lord also to die in the lord with hope of present blisse vpoÌ„ their death Wheras if it were read And their works follow them a cauiller to their discoÌ„fort might say that may be so though it be not before the end of a thousaÌ„d yeres after their death so in the meane time they may fry in purgatory And thus it is confirmed likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must here import immediatly theÌ„ce forth For if the reward of their workes followe them so that it is present at their heeles then there is no mean space betwixt And yet I would not haue it hereupon inferted that my meaning is that souls departed in faith haue streight their consummation and full crowne of glory that is prepared for them For I know that that shall not be before the generall resurrection and that the setting of the crown vpon their heads is deferred vnto Christs 2. comming And therfore Iohn in a vision Apo. 6.10 heareth the blessed soules in heauen cry aloud for that day though so that they are contented wtout griefe for to obey the Lord is all their ioy theÌ„ to tary the Lords leasure to abide his pleasure But hereby I would haue it gathered for so it may wel that straight their blisse is such shal be theÌ„ceforth the neither body nor soule shal euer feele the least grief or pain again that presently the soule is in possession fruition of so excellent an estate in heauen in respect wherof it may worthily thinke it selfe right blessed and happy and so fully rewarded for all the workes done by it in the body that it shal not haue cause to coÌ„plaine that any one worke is forgotten not rewarded Euen this therefore hath the Lord from heaueÌ„ in by this word blessed expressed which is a word of greatest importaÌ„ce that he could vse For in blessednes and happinesse both Philosophers and diuines hold that mans chiefe felicity consisteth whereunto in his whole life hee must aime Wherefore no doubt of it euen this state of them that die in the Lorde that by this word and the phrases following to explane it is ment is such a state that the state of princes Emperors in this life let theÌ„ be otherwise as happy as it is possible for meÌ„ to be in comparison hereof is but a misery For what state here is euer was or shal be so happy which is not intermingled was or shal be with some labor paine Yea euen in the delights here greatest ioyes of this world there is saciety wearisomnes and there is no certainty nor vnchangeablenes in states here the best most florishing are so subiect to mutability and alteration but in this there is no griefe of mind nor sickenes or paine of the body no Gangrena nor any other woe Apoc. 21.4 And in the ioies there is continuall comfort delight without wearisomnes and that such as is euerlasting vnutterable and vnconceiueable by the tongue or heart of man And this is now the state and hath bin euer since his departure of this Noble Earle our honourable brother and shal be thenceforth as both God and angels ful wel know we men need not once to doubt this shal be ours also if we liue and die in the Lorde as he hath done It is told vs all so from heauen it is recorded so by a faithful witnes and approued and ratified by the spirit of God God grant vs al grace to beleue it one day to trie the truth certainty of it in our own persons by experience In the mean time let vs somwhat further consider of the doctrine and of the words as they lie wherin it is vttered that we may not only see thus as we haue done hither to the generall principall lesson therein taught vs but also euery particular truth coÌ„firmed therby error confuted therin that we may make the vse of it fully for which it was writen The particular lessons to be learned herein
Lorde The blessed state of them that dy in the lord is permanēt they may hereby learne that not onely immediatly after their death they shal rest from their labours and enter vppon their rewarde and so bee blessed but that also this their state is certaine without any falling backe from it and therefore still their reward is called life euerlasting in the scriptures And surely if this be their state immediatly thenceforth without euer any dāger of falling backe to worse then of the contrary it must needs follow that quite contrary immediatly after their death shal be the state and condition of al that die not in the Lord and that there is no hope for euer for them to attaine vnto a better What neede there then a general iudgement will some say I answere for two causes that the bodies thē may be restored to their soules againe that both the ioies of the faithful paines of the faithles to the ful manifestatiō both of gods mercy iustice may be cōsummate and ful that so god thē may outwardly solemnly iustify before al the world his former particular iudgemēt which imediatly before at euery mās death he had laid vpon them Lastly we are not to passe ouer or forget how our aduersaries the Papistes abuse this last clause of the text For they hearing that workes follow such thereupon inferre that works merit eternal blisse The abuse of this place therby to prooue that workes merite confuted Indeed hereupon it followeth as I haue noted before that none haue a right faith in Christ but those that haue also good works to accompany them whensoeuer they dye in the Lord which I would not haue forgotten But hereupon to gather that our workes merite heauen we may not For then they should go before our being in the Lord be a cause therof whereas here it is only sayde that they follow and accompany such Which it should seeme that Augustine had obserued li. de Fide operibus ca. 14. when he said that good workes goe not before iustification but they follow a man iustified Let them therefore followe in Gods name as a fruit of a man in the Lorde but let them not step before as a cause of his being in the fauor of the Lord. And vnderstād that this argument is stark naught good workes shal be rewarded with heauēly blisse therefore they merite it Is no man rewarded but he which hath merited and deserued it first The heire when he commeth to his fathers lands is then wel rewarded for his paines he took in his fathers time yet hee hath not his inheritance for those his paines for then rather some seruant oftentimes should haue the inheritance but for that he was his fathers son heire before Euen so it is in this case we are born the sons of God by faith in Christ Ioh. 1.12 13. so coheires with him of heauen Rom. 8.17 thereby first and then follow good workes in vs not as a cause why we shal haue this inheritance but as a fruit effect flowing frō our thankful mindes to our heauenly father for this notable inheritance thus freely prepared for vs. And yet when we come to the inheritance because it cōmeth after these our works after a sort we may say that euē there by our paines in working are rewarded yet we haue not that reward for our workes but for that we working so were the sons heires of God But for the better loosing of al such popish knots vnderstād that it is not al one to say good works shal be rewarded and to say good works haue merited that rewarde For there are rewards giuen of mercy and so is this as well as of debt and duty Rom. 4.4 Againe there is great ods betwixt these two questions who shal bee saued and why man shal bee saued To the former we answere the well worker to the latter only for Christs sake apprehended by faith And therfore take this for the conclusion we shal be iudged Secundū operum indicium non propter operum meritū according to the testimony y our workes giue of vs not for the merit of our workes For it is writen Ephe. 2.8.9 We are saued by grace through faith that not of our selues it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast himself And yet this doctrine neither letteth nor staieth at al frō good works but is y◠only fountain indeed from whēce al true works do spring flow And therfore y◠Apo. Paul as you may obserue throughout al his epistles first laboreth to set down this doctrine then thereupon after buildeth exhortation to godlines of life the like course tooke Peter as you may see in his first epistle And yet these knewe how to prouoke to good works and in no case may be counted teachers of a doctrine enemy to good works Yea there is none indeed that hath grace to imbrace this doctrine effectually but therby he feeleth by experience his hart so enflamed with loue towardes God for his infinite mercy hereby displaied vnto him both in sauing him frō perishing and in thus freely preparing heauē for him that frō that loue of his there floweth riuers flouds of al thankfulnes in al true obedience to his God wherin he walketh chearfully cōfortably But the Papists being bastards no lawful children of the Lorde beeing not assured of this full and free fauor of his towards thē of a slauish feare with a seruile mind to earn heauē at his hands doe the good which they do Which indeed in matter maner of doing is such that though it carrye the shew of godlines yet it is not so indeede For the matter of good works they wil not fetch warrāt only frō gods reuealed wil in his word but matter good inough with thē For a good worke is any thing for the which they can alleage a traditiō of the elders or their own good intent Which kinde of works the Lord reiecteth as stincking in his sight Isa 29.13 Mat. 15.9 Co. 2.20 c. And as for their maner of doing it is like the Pharises ioyned with a conceit that therefore they may despise others trust to be heard at Gods hands for the merite of their works Which kinde of doing Christ hath cōdēned Mat. 6.1 Luk. 18.9 c. in forbidding vs to do our workes as the Pharisees did in sending home the proude Pharisee vniustified And therfore in very deed as they are without all true christian faith so are they without al true good works And therefore whosoeuer hath any thing to comfort himself by this place it is none of thē No doubt of it this noble mā whose body lieth here amongst vs to be encōbed though euen in outwarde shew of almes giuing other good works he ouermatched most merit mongers yet seeing he trusted only to the meries of Christ and neuer to his owne workes but did them only of loue and thankefulnesse towas his God is among those of whome it is here said Their workes accompany them and therfore now is in ioyful fruition of the reward thereof Whose example as wee that bee of the same faith are to followe that so with him we may bee in euerlasting remembrance both with God and good men as no doubt hee shall so it is an example to stoppe the mouths of the aduersaries that lyingly crye out that they that bee of our religion haue no good woorkes following them The secōd conclusiō Thus at last right honorable and dearely beloued we haue runne thorow this portiō of scrpture and considered both the generall and particular vse thereof And so first we haue heard how strongly it is warranted to conteine nothing but soūd truth namely that not whosoeuer knoweth or cōmeth ny but whosoeuer is by a true a liuely faith vnited vnto Christ dieth in him which is neither a miraculous historicall temporarie dead or popish faith but a faith seeking and apprehending saluation onely in Christ Iesus shal thēceforth be blessed immediatly in resting from all woe in body and soule and in entring vppon possession of their euerlasting rewarde and then thereby more particularly we haue obserued that therefore the body riseth againe and that the soule is neither mortall nor sleepeth that there is no popish purgatory nor any thing that can be done by others for soules departed that can doe them any good to ease or better their estate and finally that though here bee offered vs great encouragement to good workes yet here is nothing to proue that woorkes merite any thing at Gods hand All which doctrine and lessons our honourable friend here departed as I haue from point to point shewed you hath already found true by experience God of his mercy giue vs all grace so to set his example before vs that wee may so followe him that we may euery one of vs one day also to Gods glory and our own euerlasting comfort feele and finde the trueth thereof in our selues This O Lorde we beseech thee to grant vs all for thy onely sonne Iesus Christes sake to whome with thee and the holy Ghost three persons and one euerliuing God be all power honour might and maiestie nowe and for euer Amen September 22. An. Do. 1594. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of God the Father and the most comfortable fellowship of the holy Ghost be with vs all now and euer to direct sanctifie and gouerne vs in all our waies works thoughts Amen FINIS
of the paines of Purgatory to send thē to heauen As for scriptures Roffensis Perionius Soto are inforced to confesse yet they were great papists they haue none plain enough to proue it And how can they seeing Christ the father of the scriptures hath diuided al mē but into two sorts beleeuers in him and not beleeuers in him Iohn 3.18 and hath told vs there are two waies only the one broade leading to hell and the other streite leading to heauen Mat. 7.13.14 Luk. 13.24 placing for further explication of his minde concerning the state of those two sorts of mē taking the one of those two waies Lazarus an exāple of the one sort streight in ioy and felicity and the rich glutton example of the other sort streight in hell after death Luke 16. And truely as for Fathers to proue their purgatory withal they are to seeke also Some of them as Origen his folowers imagin a purgatory through which both good bad shal go wherin the wicked and the diuell also after the iudgemēt in the ende after long tormentes shall be saued Which beastly heresie Aug. worthily condēneth confuteth in diuerse places as they well know And I am sure they will not hold such a purgatory neither Some other as Theodor. Oecumenius Alcuinus talke of a purgatory fire at the last day wherewith Christ shall come when he commeth in glory as they imagine through which al shall passe but this is not their purgatory neither is it any thing but a meere phāsie indeed Some other among whom Aug. is as they take it the chiefe man seeme somewhat to allow their purgatorie but indeed the chiefe places which they cite out of him for it are such where he speaketh but doubtfully as thus For sitan verum est non est incredibile An sit quaeripotest that is perhaps it is so It is not altogether incredible It may be a question whether there be any such place or no as in his booke de Ciuitate Deilib 21. cap. 26. in Enchirid cap. 69. And yet in diuers other places belike better aduised and more settled he flatly determineth that there is no such third place For in a sermon of his de vamiate huius saecul◠I read thus Scitote vos quod cū anima a corpore auellitur statim in paradiso collocatur aut in inferni tartara praecipitatur that is Knowe yee that when the soule is taken from the body either by and by it is placed in paradise or thrown into Hell And in hie Hypognosticon the 5. booke he saith thus The first place the Catholike faith by Gods authoritie beleeueth to be the kingdome of heauen the second place that same catholike faith beleeueth to be hell where all runnagates and all that are without the faith of Christ shall tast euerlasting punishment As for any third place penitus ignoramus that is we vtterly know none saith he neither shal we finde in the holy scriptures that there is any such And in his booke de peccatorum meritis li. 1. ca. 28. he hath these words Non est vlli vllus medius locus vt possit esse nisi cum diabolo qui non est cum Christo there is no middle place for any but that he must needes be with the diuel if not with Christ And truely for the releeuing of soules departed by things done for thē here by others as you haue heard the scriptures are against them so the fathers be also For Augustine saith flatly to Hesichius Epist 80. In what state thy dying day findeth thee the last day also shall come vpon thee And Hierom. vpon the 9. of Eccles before alleadged gathereth that there can nothing bee added to the dead by any thing done hereafter And accordingly writeth Cyprian de mortalitate saying Qualē t◠inuenit Deus cū hinc euocat talē pariter iudicat that is In what state God findeth thee whē he calleth thee hence such a one he wil also iudge thee Indeed they may haue these fathers the heathen philosopher Plato in his Gorgia Homer in his 1. 3. Odyss Virgil in his 6. book of AEneid Ouid in his 2. Fastorū Aristotle the Alcoran such like to fetch their purgatory from others of any sound credit they haue none And as for their reasons they are but discourses of their own wit or of others like themselues laste before named And their best are when they are driuen to the vtmost but counterfait writings of fathers falsly bearing their names and writen by some of their owne crew of later time false tales lying apparitions of men and diuels For rather than Purgatory shal be left without an author the diuell shal be he and they will make much of his authority also For they write in Lombardica historia that Saint Odilio at Vulcania of Sicilia hearing that the howlinges and cries of Diuels were hard mourning that soules were takē from them after their departure out of the body by the almes praiers of their friendes liuing caused the feast of the cōmemoration of the dead for the reliefe of soules in purgatory to be ordeined The truth is dearly beloued that their doctrine in this point is such that if ten thousand angels and al the fathers should tel vs that it were true we ought to bold both them and their assertiō accursed it is so blasphemous and iniurious to the precious boud-shed of Iesus Christ the only purgatory indeed both of soul and body For to maintain this they first must hold that the merites and satisfactions of Christ are not sufficient of themselues and by themselues without these paines suffering in purgatory also and this other relief to saue the soule of the beleeuer in him Secondly they must hold that in the bloud of Christ the beleeuer hath forgiuenes of sinnes but not of the punishment due therefore Thirdly that God is such a God as will punish a soule with such hellish torments for the same sinnes which he hath already forgiuen in his sonne and therfore promised to remember no more Heb. 10.17 And lastly they must attribute power to do that to the paines of purgatory and to this their reliefe that they talke of which they hold the bloud of Christ hath not done without these to such You see therfore that these fellowes that are so busy in purgatory are wel worthy for their labour to finde nothing els whē they depart but hell and hellish torments And no doubt of it they sell heauen so fast to others that if they repent not there wil be no place els left for them but hell But to leaue them to their fained king the pope and to this his new kingdome which he hath appropriated to him and his it is further to be noted that in that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not onely signifie vp by but noteth also a continuāce of time thenceforth that to the full comfort of them that die in the