sorrow and mingling his teares with his drink then to utter divine Proverbs with wise Salomon and what our Saviour spoke of watching the same doe I speake of repentance I say unto you all repent if you are in the field remember Abel if you are a feasting remember Iobs children when you goe to bed that you might holily compose your selves to rest that you may commit the keyes of your doores much more your lives into the hands of GOD remember the first-borne of Egypt which were slaine at midnight by the Angell of the LORD let Adulterers remember Zimri and Cozbi and drunkards King Ela slaine by another Zimri if you walk in the streets remember those on whom the tower of Silo fell if your hearts begin to turne to the love of the world remember Lots wife that which befell them may befall us it will be then our wisdome by GODS grace to prevent sin and if we fall into sin our next wisdome will be to repent of the sin we have fallen into Another duty which naturally doth arise from this Doctrine is to lose no time in doing and in receiving all the good we can this is the day appointed to worke and how short this day is the LORD alone doth know but this we know the night commeth wherin none can work Shall the Sun stand still for thee as it did for Ioshua or go back as it did five houres for Hezekiah doe we thinke we can doe good in another world when we do no good to speake of in this be not deceived with this dangerous errour and hurtfull pretention of doing good hereafter whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with all thy might and the reason is good for there is no device nor work nor knowledge nor wisdome in the grave whither thou goest Vaine hope of future performances hath undone many sow thy seed whiles the seed time lasteth if thou looke to have a crop and harvest We may learne this from the birds of the ayre the Turtle the Storke the Crane and Swallow know their appointed times the waifaring man he travels whiles it is light then he knowes he is under the protection of the Lawes the sea-faring man he observes the wind the Smith he strikes whiles his iron is hot nay we may learne this wisdome from the divell himself he rageth and doth all the mischief he can because his time is but short Thus of doing good and so likewise must we let no opportunity slip of receiving good lay hold of every season which may be an advantage to get heaven to strengthen and increase spirituall graces be glad if thou canst heare the Word preached on a working day Saint Basil he preached on a working day and tels his Auditors their thoughts desires that he would be short that they might go about their labour If such thoughts possesse our hearts at this or any other time let us repell them and remember what the holy Father there speaketh the time spent in GODS service is not lost for GOD to recompence them removes troublesome businesse gives promptitude of minde or strength of body sends customers to buy their wares and if he doth none of these yet are they no loosers by their paines for he gives them a rich treasure in heaven Lastly this point may teach GODS children patience in all distresses and afford them sound comfort in all estates they are nearer heaven now salvation now is nearer to them then when they began to believe sin and Satan do now disquiet them but they shall not do so for ever Many a one can be content to endure hardship a few yeares nay to be a galley slave under the Turke seven yeares if he had assurance of a great Lordship after that time was expired and choose rather to be a bondman upon those termes then to be a free man without them exercise long-suffering good Christian there may be but a day or moneth or yeare but a little time betwixt thee and the joyes of heaven Who would not admire the state of such a beggar who every houre was in possibility of a Kingdome but behold a greater reward by GODS promise is due to all his children then this earth can afford more glorious things shall be theirs then ever eye hath seene or eare hath heard or the heart of man can conceive which without all doubt by comparison at least are true of the joyes of heaven Why then shouldest thou O Christian soule be cast downe or why shouldest thou be in vaine disquieted surely if thou wouldest seriously consider that thy heavinesse shall be suddenly turned into unspeakeable joy that all thy teares shall be for ever wiped from thy eyes and that these momentany afflictions do proportionably work unto thee an exceeding weight of glory thou hast no reason to be much dejected for them Thus much of the first Doctrine the second followeth but that we may build upon a good foundation we must first declare the meaning of those words on which we must ground our ensuing Observation I desire to depart and to be with CHRIST To be with CHRIST Why was not Saint Paul with CHRIST was not his conversation now in heaven and was not the streame of his affection carried to CHRIST was not he with him in the spirit as with the Colossians rejoycing and beholding his happinesse doubtlesse he was But this being with CHRIST was not that presence which he desired it was a neerer presence to be where he was in the highest heavens and to behold the glory which GOD the Father had given him desire is the daughter of indigence and want some way and himselfe doth plainely tell us whilest we are in the body as now Saint Paul was we are absent from the LORD you may be pleased to observe a difference betwixt these phrases of CHRIST his being with us and our being with CHRIST it is one thing for CHRIST to be with us this benefit is enjoyed in this life he promised to be with the Apostles and his Successors and so by Analogy he is with all his mysticall members to the worlds end but it is another thing for us to be with CHRIST this honour is reserved for the world to come and it is a state of blessednesse as he spoke to the theefe on the Crosse this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Whence I doe observe that The faithfull soule when it departeth out of this life is immediatly after death with CHRIST If the soule of Paul why not the soule of other faithfull ones Saint Paul I know whilest hee lived was a man indued with singular zeale for CHRIST and holinesse of life and exercised with more then ordinary miseries and persecutions himselfe reciteth a Catalogue of many of them but as it is not the degree of faith but faith that justifies nor the measure of graces but
only some generall heads of severall points without any large amplifications and leave them and the rest to your private devotions Death will unavoidably surprise us Which is a resolution or dissolution of this exquisite frame of man it is the dissociation of parts united together it is the taking away the structure and the fashion of this house of clay We must needs die and then we are as water spilt on the ground which cannot be gathered up againe as the wise woman of Tekoah spoke to the King No man hath power over the spirit in the day of death neither is there any discharge in that warre all must fight with death and death will conquer all our soules and bodies now met together in this neare conjunction though deare friends must be separated each from other untill the day of the generall resurrection and keep them now as charily from dangers as we can yet will these earthen brittle vessells be broken asunder which all sorts and ranks of men are bound to looke for at all times Surely men of low degree are vanity and men of high degree are a lie to bee laid in the ballance they are altogether lighter then vanity a marvellous debasing of all men Let men be put in one end of the ballance and vanity in the other and the Psalmist doth assure us that vanity will weigh downe man and man is lighter than vanity it selfe Iob sets out his life by comparing his daies to a swift ship and to an Eagle that hasteth to the prey yea and hee further saith they are swifter than a post then the birds in the ayre the ships on the sea the swift post on the land all these do proclaime and preach a Sermon to us of our mortality and that this lamp many waies may be extinguished experience sheweth us that death puts no difference the young do die as wel as the old the strong as well as the weake the Kings and Counsellours of the earth as well as beggars the Physitians themselves as well as their patients and death is hastned by infinite diseases whereunto all the living are subject and these are within us and a thousand accidents to further death without us and which is the foundation of all our evils by our own sins whereby we do provoke the LORD of our lives to anger and do walk every day over a mine as it were of gun-powder subject every moment to be blowne up by the LORDS displeasure and S. Cyprian excellently sheweth the declining state of the world how the strength of the husband-man in the field of the marriner on the sea and the souldier in the camp is weakened canos videmus in puer is and it is well for us that our lives are shortned and that our daies do not ordinarily attaine to the tenth part of those that lived before the floud and that both in regard of the wicked and the godly First touching the wicked to represse their outrage and impudencie in sinning this very thought that they may die ere long and cannot live very long in reason should abate their violent and exorbitant courses if they are transcendently wicked now when death is at hand what Nimrods would they be if they had in the ordinary course of nature eight or nine hundred yeares before them to live in If their damnation now shall be most dreadfull how much more intollerable would it then be the number of their sins adding fuell as it were to the fire of hell and the LORD in justice measuring out to them a proportionable degree of vengeance to their sins hence will their accounts be so much the easier and their stripes so much the fewer And this makes likewise very much for the exceeding comfort and good of distressed Christians infirmities temptations poverty reproaches griefe of passion for their owne and of compassion for their brethrens miseries are a great burthen to them how much heavier would it be if this burthen was to presse them down many hundred yeares together this much allaies their sorrow that all these evills are but as clouds which soone ride away or as a tempest though violent yet not permanent a sharpe yet but a short winter here is our Scripture comfort the time to beare them is but short This consideration of our mortality should in reason move us to seek to Heaven for helpe that we may effectually remember our condition the holy servants of GOD our presidents herein have prayed to the LORD for this purpose thus did Moses teach me to number my daies thus did David make me LORD to know mine end in their blessed steps let us tread and their example let us follow it is a wonder that we should need to be remembred hereof that we should be such strangers in the world but there is need of that proclamation still to sound in our eares all flesh is grasse and the beauty of it as the flower of the field were we indeed as Adam was at the beginning of the world who saw no spectacle of death before his eyes wee might have som probable excuse if we thought not of our departure but what can we alledge for our selves when we have had the experience of all ages Go into any part of the world and aske them in the Prophets words your fathers where are they and doe they live for ever Even this place and this meeting doe preach unto us our mortality Where are those Epicures in Esay which promise to themselves continuance in their desperate waies To morrow shall be as this day and much more aboundant nay and which is more abominable doe take occasion by the shortnesse of their lives to eate and drinke because to morrow they must die Come on therfore say they let us fill our selves with costly wine and ointments and let no flower of the spring passe by us let us crowne our selves with rose-buds before they be withered let none of us go without part of our jollity let us leave tokens of our joyfullnesse in every place for this is our portion These sinners are likely to see the daies when they shall wish themselves toads serpents or any loathsome creatures rather then men and women and yet as desirous as they shall be of that exchange of their estate they shall not have it but shall remaine wofull men and women for ever This Doctrine serveth likewise for the reproofe of those who neglecting principally to depend on the immortall GOD do sinfully relie on others which are mortall like themselves thus the Subject relieth on the Soveraigne the servant on his Lord and Master the wife relieth on her husband and the children on their parents and all this is done contrary to our duty Trust not in Princes nor in the sons of man and why so There is no helpe in them their breath goeth forth and they
returne to their earth Truly they are like the running waters our dove i. e. our faith can find no rest for the soles of her feet in any of the sons of men such hope is like the house of a spider one sweep of GODS besome will easily make both the objects of their hope and their hopes to be in the dust it is as a broken reed to leane on it will both deceive and pierce them the whole world runs on wheeles look Eastward or in the West North or South you shall see nothing but inconstancy in all the parts therof Oh how safe and happy then are they which make the God of Iacob their help and whose hope is in the Lord their God whose hearts and eyes are fixed upon him how hard soever the world goeth with them for the present all shall be well assure your selves with such in GODS good time he will provide all shall be well he will helpe the husband hee will comfort the wife hee will guide the servants hee will preserve the goods yea rather than it should bee undone with reverence be it spoken he will rock the cradle they are the words of the learned Martyr B. Hooper This doctrine doth check all vain glorious proud persons which Narcissus-like do dote on themselves their own beauty or strength or any ornament of the body which may like Ionas his gourd in one night be withered Who is more odious in our sight than a proud beggar and nothing is more hatefull in GODS eyes than a proud man or woman who are but meat for the silly crawling wormes to feed upon and if thou knowest not thy selfe go to the graves of those which have been most lovely and beautifull in their daies in that picture and glasse maist thou view thy self there maist thou behold the mysteries of our nature as Gregory Nyssen speaketh and excellently inlargeth this point Hast thou not saith he seen a heap of dead mens bones hast thou not seen their skuls without flesh a grim spectacle to behold the very eyes being wasted and turned into dust Hast thou not seene their mouthes as it were grinning and shewing their corrupted teeth and their other bones lie scattered in the grave If thou hast seene these thou hast in them seen thy selfe where are the tokens of flourishing age where are those beautiful cheeks where is bloud and colours in the lips what is now becom of those sparkling and lovely eyes what of the comely nose placed in the midst of the cheeks where are those locks of haire which were wont to adorne their heads c. what is become of all those things which do increase thy pride Tell me what dreame is more vanishing what shadow more flitting than is thy beauty or any other thing whereof thou gloriest Fourthly those also are to be reproved which are earth-wormes and do labour inordinately and immoderately for transitory riches which are carefull for very trifles and carelesse for matters of greatest consequence which toile uncessantly for an estate to leave to posterity and are compared by Bartholomeus to children following butter-flies they must sometimes goe out of the way in their pursuit they may misse and if they catch it 's but a flie to besmeare their hands Naked we came into this world and whatsoever we have gotten here we must leave it all behind for naked shall we go out of the world Saladine a Mahometan the great Turke may teach Christians a good lesson he caused a Proclamation to be made by one of his Priests a shirt fastned to a speare in manner of an ensigne saying this is all that Saladine Conquerour of the East caries away with him of all his riches indeed it is not all they carry with them a guilty accusing conscience which will extort from parents curses to their children because that they to make them rich became Usurers unmercifull Land-lords deceitfull in their dealings and worldly minded we can pitie others in their miseries and shall we have no compassion on our owne soules shall our owne soules now be vile to us in comparison of which al the kingdoms of the world are but trifles for what shall it profit a man to win the whole world and to loose his owne soule or what recompence shall a man give for his soule if the soule perisheth then all the world is gone with us This Doctrine should teach al sinners a point of spirituall wisdom not to defer their repentance and seeking to make their peace with God the children of this world are wise in their generation that if they be tenants at will and courtesie and certain ere long to be thrust out of their houses they would looke abroad to provide elsewhere they would run all the country over to get an assurance of an earthly house and will not thou while thou maiest provide for the eternall welfare of thy soule if a man was hungry and had twenty or thirty dishes set before him and he knew poyson was in one of them the danger of that would make him be afraid of the rest thou hast a desire to live twenty or thirty yeares that in possibility are before thee which thou maist happily live but in one of them thou knowest not which death in probability will come to thee should not this prepare thee for death alwaies men that are wise and have enemies keepe continuall watch garrisons in frontier towns for feare of a sudden surprisall death continually shootes his arrowes abroad sometimes he mortally smites those above thee sometimes those below thee and thou seest some fall dead hard by thee if thou givest thy soule to Satan in thy life how canst thou hope that GOD will entertaine it at thy death O then why shouldest thou for the pleasures of unrighteousnesse for a very few daies little dost thou know how few destroy thy soule for ever do thou whip thy soule with the lashes of divine sentences to follow after GOD as Saint Austin did his when it was backeward and resisted this heavenly work of thy conversion and let not those nugae nugarum vanitates vanitatum of those antient sins which did shake his coate and whispered in his eares dost thou leave us now and must we part for ever let not these bosome sins I say detaine thee in the prison of the divell but shake them off as Saint Paul did the Viper that they may doe thee no hurt Neither doth this concerne the unregenerate only but those also which through the policy of hell have disgraced their profession instantly to arise from their sin by unfained repentance a duty praise-worthy in any and to be practised by the greatest men on the earth Many heroicall vertues were in King David for none is he more to be honoured then for his repentance it is a goodlier sight to see a King on his knees feeding upon the bread of
death where is thy sting they may take this all-devouring serpent without any hurt at all into their bosomes they that have their debts paid dare go out of doores and are not afraid to meet the Sergeant they dare looke on death and welcome him as the King of heavens officer to give them possession of an everlasting-inheritance wee feare our friends when they have a vizour on their faces but put it off and we rejoyce in them Excellent was the speech of S. Ambrose to the Nobles of his city which with threats and flatteries were sent to him by the Count Stilico to perswade him to pray unto GOD for the continuance of his life which when the holy Bishop heard he answered divinely J have not so lived amongst you that I am ashamed to live longer nor am J afraid to die because we have a good Lord. Doubtlesse had we beloved brethren as much faith on earth as there is joy in heaven we would not be afraid of death this is the narrow passage betwixt this life and our countrie on this side the bridge we have many troubles many sins many feares many temptations of the Divel which should make us think the worse of our lives and very willing to leave them but on the other side we shall be freed from all trouble from all sin from al molestation of the divel and shall be filled with all the joy our hearts can possibly desire So that hitherto we may apply Sampsons riddle Out of the enter came forth meat and out of the strong came forth sweetnesse Secondly this may serve to moderate our excessive mourning for our friends which die we hope in the LORD David exceeded in his sorrow for Absalon and was there not a cause He did not so at the death of the infant Let us rejoyce Saint Chrysostome saith for the just both living and dead because they are happy let us not in an unseemely manner bewaile them by pulling off our haires baring our armes tearing our faces or putting on mourning garments so saith the father and I say happy are they which have exchanged a base earthly tabernacle for a princely Pallace sorrowes for joy and earth for heaven and me thinkes our blessed brother now deceased if he had intercourse with us mortall creatures would say to his deare wife lying in her teares children and friends as our Saviour did to those pious women that followed him Daughters of Ierusalem weepe not for me but weepe for your sâ—lves you know my fastings my meditations my watchings and know you brethren that godly Ministers do purposely watch and meditate for you when you are or would be a sleep You know my griefe for my owne calamities and for the calamities of GODS Church and by your owne experience you may know what sharpe combats I have had with that raging enemie the Divell and what wounds I have received in the conflict now do I feare no perils on the land or sea no perils in the house or in the field now am J victorious over Satan and have trampled him under my feet and now he hath nothing at all in mee and now am J crowned with glorie and would you my deare friends be so unkind to me to wish me alive againe and to run the former hazards Kings and Queenes are willing to marrie their daughters to forraine Princes and never looke to set their eyes onthem againe and should we mourne too much for his absence and not rather rejoyce with him for his happier estate then this earth can afford When Iacob heard that his beloved Ioseph was alive and governour over all the Land of Aegypt his fainting heart revived no lesse ought the consideration of the glorie of departed servants of GOD cheere up our drooping and sad hearts for them and excite us to desire the fruition of the same glorie And this is my next point to be handled I desire saith S. Paul to be dissolved and to be with CHRIST It 's the fore-sight of heavenly glory and being with CHRIST that makes a man desire to die Some men indeed would die because there is nothing in this world for them to expect but miserie and shame and these do little lesse sometimes then call for the rocks to fall upon them that they might end their wretched daies as Iob saith they long for death and dig for it more then for hid treasure which rejoyce exceedingly and are glad when they can finde the grave this motive swaied not Saint Paul but onely this that he might be with CHRIST I grant to desire death simply as death is against the Law of GOD and the law of nature death is our enemie and is not from GOD creationes by creation though it be truly from him ultione to revenge the sins of man saith Florus de praedest or as others say it is from him ordinatione because in justice he ordained death corporall as one part of the punishment which was due for the sinne of man and hence our Saviour CHRIST himselfe who knew no sin at all viewing death as it is in it selfe considered declined it let this cup passe and so did Saint Paul too we will not saith he be uncloathed the parting of these good friends body and soule without some further end is a grievous separation this harmelesse innocent nature teacheth and as death is further a meanes to cut off all possibility to profit others and to helpe the poore Church of CHRIST with our labours â—â—…us piety and grace may move them to pray with David LORD let my soule live These cautions are premised to prevent mistaking in the point but now which is to my purpose Consider death as it is a way meanes to bring us to the presence of CHRIST so it may be holily desired our Saviour CHRIST who said let this cup passe said also as his death was our life I have a Baptisme to be baptized withall and how am I pained till it be accomplished and nót only I Paul but we that are faithfull that are in this tabernacle do groane earnestly ver 2. not for that we would be uncloathed but cloathed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life and after we are willing rather to be absent from the body and present with the LORD It s the love that a child should be borne into the world not the love of paine that makes the mother desire the travell in child-birth excellently saith Saint Basil properanti ad coebestem paetriam c. to him that makes hast to the countrey which is above the stay in the body is more grievous then any paine or any prison and it is said that Peter and Andrew welcomed their crosses as they were wont to doe their dearest friends and imbraced them in their armes and saluted them with kisses of peace Ignatius encouraged wild beasts to devoure him that he might be
in mercies bestowed upon us not by a mortall man but by our JESVS not from temporall servitude but from the power of the divell if then our cries and acclamations be to our JESVS constantly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as theirs were to their deliverers and we can joyfully sound forth S. Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O death where is thy stingthankes be to GOD who hath given us victory through JESVS CHRIST our LORD this is a good signe of a blessed man and if these are in you I do assure you that your estate is now good and by perseverance in them shall be farre better hereafter and these will comfort you when all the comforts of the world will faile What will all friends riches and pleasures profit when you are on your death-bed unlesse you have this foresight of joy in CHRIST you live for ought you know under GODS curse the curse both of the Law and the curse of the Gospell and you can have no solid joy in any thing under the Sun no more then a condemned man can have in his wealth fore-passed honour but have and keep these fruits of the holy Spirit and when death shall come to thee and take thee as it were by the hand thou hast no cause to shrinke for feare but maist say with Babylas slaine by Decius that persecutor in the words of the Psalmist Returne unto thy rest O my soule for the LORD hath beene beneficiall unto thee now my griefes farewell all my wrongs adieu and now my soule be glad for now commeth thy rest thy sure rest thy sweet and never fading rest and that which comforted Hezekiah on his supposed death-bed Remember LORD how I have walked before thee with an upright heart that also was a great comfort to this our deceased brother that he could say to mee in his last sicknesse when I visited him that he had walked in sincerity and performed his Ministeriall duties setting humane unavoidable defects aside with an upright heart and so I doubt not but GOD sent his Angell to waite at his beds head to carry his soule when it parted from the body into Abrahams bosome You have heard beloved what was Saint Pauls desire that was to die and a reason implied of his desire for then he should be with CHRIST hearken with the like Christian attention to Saint Pauls judgement or censure of that estate of being with CHRIST this is saith he far the better or as some expound the words which is best of all which occasions a Question Whether is it better to be with CHRIST in his humane nature then to be with GOD whose beatificall vision is said to be the chiefe object of happinesse To which I answer that the Apostle doth not compare these together I meane the enjoying of GOD and CHRIST as though his chiefe happinesse did consist rather in beholding the body of CHRIST then the face of GOD but his being with CHRIST and that estate in glory is compared to his being in this present world and he mentioneth CHRIST because he in his humane nature had purchased this great happinesse for him which consisteth principally in the vision of divine excellency our happinesse is chiefely in GOD but by CHRIST his merit do we not thinke that many poore exiles stripped out of their inheritance and banished out of their native soile do desire to see that day and that blessed man that should bring them out of their captivity and settle them in their former habitations and rejoyce in him as the author of their happinesse hence I note A life in heaven with CHRIST is farre better then a life on earth with men It is better for the wife to be with her husband then in other company and is it not much better for the Spouse of CHRIST to be with her LORD whom she worthily esteemeth as the chiefe of ten thousand this present life of nature is good the life of grace is far better but the life of glory is best of all it is good to be a babe in CHRIST it is better to be a strong experienced Christian but to raigne with CHRIST is best of all it is good to sigh and sob for sin it is better to mortifie and to prevaile against it but it is best of all to be perfectly sanctified and purged from it We know that Absolon recalled from exile and not admitted to see his fathers face in Court was impatient of all delayes and so are GODS children after they are called to GODS favour long to see their Saviour which is far better which may further appeare by these differences betwixt these two estates Is it not far better to have the wayward old man in our bosome the most spitefull enemy and false friend I meane all the remainders of corruption the leprosie and poison of sin quite abolished then to have them still in us while we live they will be in us do what we can we shall find much ignorance of GOD and all his waies much folly which keepeth us from taking any thing to heart which respecteth GOD or our selves much uncircumcision of heart which makes us that we cannot be holily poore in spirit though conscious of innumerable motives which should induce us hereunto much drosse of selfe-sufficiency which will not let us perceive what need we have of GODS presence for the quickning strengthening comforting directing and prospering of us in all our wayes though the breath of our nostrils be not more necessary for our naturall being then his grace is for our spirituall welfare and comfort these evils do renue their assaults on us every day and notwithstanding we renue daily our indeavouring against them yet cannot we get that full conquest over them If we could assemble all the Saints together and aske them whether they were without sin what do we thinke would they answer whither that which Pelagius saith or that which Iohn the Apostle saith How great soever their excellency was if they could be asked they would cry out with one voice If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and there is no truth in us and would they perhaps say so more humbly then truly GOD placeth not the commendation of humility in any part of falsity and therefore if they spoke this truly they had sin because they humbly confessed it and the truth was in them if they said they had sin when they had none at all they did lie and so did sin in lying and the truth was not in them but when we are in CHRIST all our sins are quite abolished and not till then and therfore to be with CHRIST is far better Secondly is it not far better to be in such a condition where we shall be freed from all troubles miseries diseases and discontents then to live in poverty debts diseases disgraces discontents and infinite crosses even those things often
which we love the best and expected the greatest comforts from them may prooue our greatest crosses or at least we live in feare and expectation of changes and evils to come now they that are with CHRIST are then and not till then freed from all those evils which should make our life not over-pleasing to us and they are not onely freed from those evils but set in high places out of the gunne-shot and danger of them and therefore to be with CHRIST is farre better Thirdly is it not farre better to live in such state where we shall live without feare of displeasing our good GOD and of loosing his favour which is better then life it selfe then to live in feare of displeasing him from this feare in this life we can never be freed in truth nor without great danger in our conceit and it is a great bitternes to the soule to displease our best friend in the world from these feares we are fully freed when we shall be with CHRIST and therefore to be with CHRIST is far the better Fourthly is it not far better to be there where we shall be freed from the molestations and temptations of the Divell who as he is crafty so is he cruell then to be encumbred with them S. Paul we know triumphed when he had finished his course and fought that good fight against them and shall not we these infernal spirits are every where about us when we are at our best devotions in the Church one Divell or other stands at our right hand as at Ioshuahs to intice us to sin they have no place in heaven to trouble us when wee are with CHRIST and therfore to be with CHRIST is far better Fiftly and lastly is it not far better to be in heaven with CHRIST where no sin is committed where are no false brethren to betray us then to live in this world which is a very pest-house and Sodome full of filthinesse and where perhaps we have not one entire good friend in this world This is the condition of them that are with CHRIST they are freed from that woe of the Psalmist VVoe is me that I am constrained to dwell in Mesech and from the company of all the wicked and shall see with unspeakable joy and comfort the blessed Angels and the spirits of all the faithfull departed the glorious company of Martyrs which shine now much brighter then the flames wherewith they were burned they shall see the blessed Virgin Mary the mother of our LORD they shall see the most sacred humanity of our Saviour and his comely face fairer then the sons of men and above all this they shall immediatly enjoy the glorious presence of GOD and have a cleare sight of the divine face and consequently to be with CHRIST is the best of all First if to be with CHRIST is best of all then by the law of contraries to be with the divells in hell is worst of all to be borne in sin is bad to live a slave of sin is worse but to die in sin is worst of all to live in a deep dungeon and prison to be tormented with the sight of ugly divels that with everlasting fire without all ease intermission and hope of remedy what a wofull thing is it if some have lost their wits by meanes of some dreadfull sight yea if the very suspition of divels hath caused many men to tremble and the haires of their heads to stand upright what shall then the terrour and feare of that dark lake be which is full of many horrible fiends and dreadfull hellish monsters the appearing of divels in horrible shape is a far greater evill then is imagined some body saith he beares the name of Cyrill that one would choose rather to burne in a hot fire then endure their fearefull fight Good LORD that any Christian should live in the danger hereof and yet be senselesse what to be a fire-brand of hell and not to be moved this stupidity may make our hearts to quake and our flesh to tremble and astonish our senses O then pity your owne soules pity the soules of wretched sinners and be intreated brethren by the sweete mercies of GOD by all the sufferings of our Saviour by all the joyes of heaven to seeke the LORD while he may be found if the danger of sin was onely to be bond-men and bond-women as Queene Ester said to Ahashverus I would have held my tongue or I would have beene lesse importunate with you but the punishment is a thousand times greater and I am at this time GODS Messenger to bring heavy tidings unto sinners and I will tell you what you shall find true by experience hereafter that you who are despisers and contemners of GODS Ordinances formall professors having a shew not any power of godlinesse malicious persons c. shall after a little time yea a very little time cry out Wo wo wo. Ah what an unfortunate wretch am I that have lost all hopes of heaven time was when happinesse was offered to me but I foole that I was rejected it now alas shall I weepe and waile for ever A little City as I have somewhere read resisted Alexander he lighted a torch and vowed that if they submitted not themselves before the torch was burnt he would burne their City into ashes our life is like the burning of a torch now must thou yeeld up thy selfe to be ruled by the LORD or burne in hell not as that City for a short time but for ever the everlasting flames of hell cannot burne out one staine of sin out of thy soule What great benefits didst thou receive of the world to allure thee to loose heaven and what if thou hadst gained much riches and many pleasures and enjoyned them a hundred yeares all those are gone and all are nothing in comparison of the least torment which thou there must suffer then wilt thou cry out oh unhappy pleasures oh unfortunate riches oh miserable time wherein I foolishly blinded my selfe Ethelburga wife of King Iva a Saxon King in this Land Anno Dom. 709. by a godly policy won her husbands heart from carnall delights on a day they had all outward solaces that heart could wish the roome richly furnished with plate they had sweet pleasant musicke and delicate cheere she caused the same place to be strewed with dung and to be as loathsome as they could make it she intreated and prevailed with the King to repaire thether beholding it he mused in his mind of the change she took the opportunity and thus said unto him where are yesterdaies delights good cheare and rich furniture are not all such things as wind and vanity which passeth away and with these and the like speeches she drew her husband to a mortified life Oh that this or the like consideration could reduce the lovers of pleasures to the love of the ever-living GOD If the damned
in hell could have but another life in this world nay if those which have but seene them or rather as I believe in my instance the strong imagination of such a terrible sight I would not wonder if they proved the greatest Saints on earth Venerable Bede tels as he thinks a true story of one Drithelme by name the man lived in Northumberland who was raised from death to life and reported wondrous things which he had heard and seene both of joy and paine which wrought this great effect as there is chronicled that he utterly detested this present life and abandoned all worldly cares chastised his old impotent body with daily fasting plunging himselfe in Winter season into the cold water singing of Psalmes and devoutly praying and when the beholders said Brother Drithelme this is a marvellous thing that you can possibly suffer such bitter and sharp cold marvell not saith he for I have seene places colder then these Let this move thee to seeke the LORD while he may be found the benefit of this life you cannot long enjoy and when it is once past it is ever past you cannot recover it though you had in your power a thousand worlds to give to redeeme it And as for us fellow souldiers and deare Christians let us hold fast that goodnesse which we have let us play the men let us be couragious constant and never weary of well-doing let neither divell nor man take our crownes away from us never looke to enjoy a state which is best of all without much opposition Pharaoh will pursue you with all his power to bring you back into servitude but do you like stout Champions repell the temptations of the divell as Gregory Nyssen instructeth you Avant thou cursed and unhappy creature I am a dead man a dead man loves not bodily pleasures a dead man is not caught with riches a dead man slandereth not a dead man is no lier c now have I another kinde of life and another rule of life then formerly I had I have learned to contemne earthly things and to set my mind on heavenly things That which Saint Hierom spoke of judgement we may apply to the joyes of heaven let them be painted on the walls of our houses and in every corner thereof that they may be alwaies before our eyes as Captaines do encourage their Souldiers to fight for their country lives profession c. so doe I say to you brethren it is the LORD of Hosts whose battailes you fight it is your own salvation which is in hazard your enemies would rob you of grace and deprive you of happinesse if you give up your weapons you are undone and firebrands of hell be valiant therefore and keepe this treasure this pretious treasure which CHRIST saith S. Bernard did judge to be more pretious then his owne blood if I had kept the blood of CHRIST which dropped from him as he hanged on the Crosse in a glasse how carefull should I be to keep it and must I not be carefull of my soule which is a pretious treasure kept in an earthen vessell if thou art poore in thine outward estate and CHRIST be thy portion thou art rich enough care not for outward poverty be the LORDS servant now thou shalt be with CHRIST hereafter which is best of all If thou art afflicted in thy body with any grievous disease care not for that if afflictions work kindly to mortifie thy sinne now thou shalt be with CHRIST hereafter which is best of all if thou art basely esteemed and persecuted by wicked men care not for that if this be for righteousnesse and out of a desire to keep a good conscience thou shalt be with CHRIST hereafter which is best of all If thou hast but weake indeavours and a litle strength to goodnes if thou strivest to be better art a conquering thy sin be not daunted hereat thou shalt be with CHRIST hereafter which is best of all And to reflect upon our deceased brother now hast thou happy soule that which thou hast so much longed for thy death is the death of all thy defects the beginning of everlasting happinesse thy faithfullnesse thy integrity thy zeale have procured to thee a crowne of glory now hast thou thy fill of happinesse O blessed art thou that maist see the LORD face to face that thou maist enjoy the happy sight of thy sweet Saviour thou beholdest thousands of Angels the Assembly of our first Parents the seates of the Apostles the tribunals of the Prophets the scepters of the Patriarkes the crownes of the Martyrs and the praises of all just men made perfect as Saint Basil saith VER 24. Neverthelesse to abide in the flesh is more needfull for you Our Apostle hath made it knowne unto us why in respect of himself he desired to die and of this I have already spoken now doth he in this verse acquaint us with the reason why he should desire to live because his life made more for the profit and advantage of the Philippians then his death could doe For making the way to the maine point which I doe onely aime at five things are to be cleared 1. What is meant by Flesh the mortall body in which the soule dwelleth by a Synecdoche flesh being a conspicuous part thereof 2. What is it to live in the flesh it is to live a naturall life preserved by naturall meanes as eating drinking sleeping c. we walke in the flesh though we do not warre after the flesh yet take him not as if he meant to abide alwaies in the flesh and by a priviledge to be exempted from death which is appointed for all men but he meanes deliverance from those present bonds and the continuance of his life for a time to the furtherance of their faith and joy 3. Marke here and in the former verse that our Apostle speakes as if his soule was himselfe and as if his body was no essentiall part of man this is not true in propriety of speech and therefore is to be taken improperly by a Synecdoche Integri promembro the whole is put for a part here for a principall part of Paul the same trope in the like phrases touching our Saviour CHRIST is by a kind of Appropriation called by Divines the Communication of properties and these arousefull termes happily invented to cleare these and many obscure Texts of Scripture touching our Saviour But to returne to our Apostle Saint Paul consisteth of flesh and spirit or soule and body and yet Saint Paul saith for him to abide in the flesh is more profitable for them When hee died he was with CHRIST how not with his body but with his soule Saint Paul is dead and hath seene corruption How in body not in soule Saint Paul in propriety of speech abideth not in the flesh but his spirit a principall part of Paul that is it which during