qualities from the glorified Bodies in Heaven Vers 40. For it is to be observed that in the Resurrection there shall be 1. An improvement of all Mens estates who have their part in the Resurrection of the just above that which they here enjoy Vers 41. 2. There shall be degrees of glory of one above another as Heavenly Bodies are more glorious than Earthly and one Heavenly Body more glorious than another so shall it be in the Resurrection Vers 42. For it is to be noted which is indeed the chief thing notable in this present Discourse that the Bodies which shall rise differ from those that die and the state of the Resurrection differs from that of this life That which falls into the Grave is a corruptible Body that which shall rise again an incorruptible Vers 43. The Body which we live in here and must put off is subject to many dishonorable deformities weaknesses diseases age but the Body which we shall take up again and put on shall be a Body glorious and strong Vers 44. The Body we carry about with us while we live and lay down in the Grave when we die is nourished and sustained by meats and drinks whereas the Body in our future state will be immortal wanting nothing to sustain it For indeed such Bodies there are of both these sorts Vers 45. For thus we find it written in the Scriptures that we have one nature from Adam such a Body as Adam is mention'd to have had before his fall Gen. 2.7 we derive from him who communicated it to his Posterity But another Nature and another Body we shall receive from Christ who at the Resurrection shall restore us from the Grave and change our vile Bodies that they may be like unto His glorious Body Phil. 3.21 Vers 46. The mortal Body was first formed which needed sustenance without which it must needs perish and when this is put off by death the immortal Body shall be returned to us instead of it at the Resurrection Vers 47. The stock of our animal life was Adam so called as an earthy Man made and taken out of the Earth The stock of the life immortal is Christ the Lord who came down from Heaven Vers 48. Such a Body as Adam had such have all mortal Men and such a Body as Christ now hath shall we have who live according to his Precept and Example at the Resurrection Vers 49. As we have first been made like the mortal Adam here on Earth so we shall be made like the immortal Christ when we come to Heaven Vers 50. I shall add but this one thing more that it is not possible for these earthy corruptible weak ignominious Bodies of ours which are in a state of growing and feeding to come to Heaven but they must first be changed purified and immortaliz'd Vers 51. Therefore concerning those who shall be found alive at the Day of Judgment I shall tell you a Secret not yet discovered to you that though they die not at all yet they shall all be changed before they go to Heaven for these Bodies thus qualified as they now are cannot come thither Vers 52. And this change shall be wrought in a minute at the point of time when all the World shall be summoned to Judgment For God shall make the Angels alarm all the World of Men that ever was or shall be as by the sound of a Trumpet to appear before his Tribunal and when that alarme is given all that were formerly dead shall arise with immortal Bodies and they who shall be then alive shall from their mortal Bodies be changed into such Vers 53. For it is most certain and necessary that our mortal Bodies must be changed into immortal Vers 54. And when this is done then shall that saying of the Prophet be made good Hos 13. Vers 14. that death shall be devoured and destroyed for ever never to recover strength again over any thing nothing from thenceforth shall ever die Vers 55. In contemplation whereof a Christian may look upon death as a hurtless thing the sting or plague or wounding power of it being by Christ taken away and look upon the state of separation of Soul from Body to be such as shall not last for ever Vers 56. The only thing which makes Death sting like a Serpent and puts it in a capacity to hurt us is sin for were it not for sin Death would differ nothing from a calm sleep and that which gives sin any strength to mischief us is the Law which prohibits it and so consequently upon the breach brings guilt upon us Vers 57. But thanks be to God who by what Christ hath done for us hath given us victory over Sin and Death and by Conquest of Sin hath made Death but an Entrance to Immortality Vers 58. These Arguments may suffice to teach any Christian constancy and perseverance in doing Gods will and in suffering Gods will too and may oblige him to the utmost industry and diligence in the service of God knowing that nothing which we thus undergo shall fail of receiving a reward Vid. Dr. Hammond Rubrick When they come to the Grave while the Corps is made ready to be laid into the Earth the Priest shall say or the Priest and Clerks shall sing Note Here follows another very seasonable part of the Funeral Office to mind the standers by and those who are yet alive of the shortness miseries and uncertainty of this life Job 14. vers 1 2. Man that is born of a Woman hath but a short time to live and is full of misery he cometh up and is cut down like a flower he fleeth as it were a shadow and never continueth in one stay That is Man is born of a Woman and as he hath received being from her so he hath derived weakness he lives here few Years but in so short a time he suffers many miseries He is born like a flower and passeth away like it he is like the shadow of our Quadrants in a perpetual motion and change is so far passed into his nature that notwithstanding all his endeavours he cannot remain one sole moment in the same condition Note here That the sticking of the Herse with Flowers and the use of Garlands at such a time is a custom which hath some resemblance with the Jews who as they went along by the Corps used to pluck up the Grass 1. To note the shortness of Man's life that Man is but as Grass as the flower of the Field It was said of a great Emperour that he was Parietira a wall-flower and so are we all our time is proclaimed Isay 40.6 withering sooner than the Grass which is short fading sooner than the flower of the Grass which is shorter From April to June the Sith cometh nay the Wind but bloweth and we are gone Hodie in agro cras in clibano Flourishing in the Morning fading cut down and withered before Night 2. To note the certain
hopes of a Resurrection Such Ceremonies are used in exprobration to Death and Mortality By them we shew that we are not sorry for our departed friends as Men without hope we look upon them only as Herbs and Flowers cropt off for a time and to spring up again in their season We sow their Bodies in the Earth with as much faith as we do our Seeds and Herbs and equally expect the spring of both In the midst of life we are in death of whom may we seek for succour but of Thee O Lord who for our sins art justly displeased Note Our end borders upon our beginning Finisque ab origine pendet Death and Life like Jacob and Esau take hold on each others â—eel Orimur morimur We bring sin and death into the World with us Haeret lateri lethalis arundo 'T is in vain to hope for long life which is so short that it is at an end whilst we are speaking of it Dum loquimur fugit vita The Man in the Gospel sung a Requiem to his Soul for many Years when the summons came presently Stulte hac nocte Luk. 12.20 Vitae summa brevis spem nos vetat inchoare longam A Christians hope is not in this life only which is not the only life indeed not to be reckon'd of as life at all Via non vita A midling betwixt life and death Mortalis vita vitalis mors but truly my hope saith David is in Thee O Lord who canst deliver my Soul from sin and my Body from the Grave Psal 39.7 8. Thou killest and thou makest alive thou bringest down to the Grave and bringest up 1 Sam. 2.6 Yet O Lord God most Holy O Lord most Mighty O Holy and most Merciful Saviour deliver Us not into the bitter pains of Eternal Death Note As there is a two-fold Resurrection a Resurrection from sin to the life of grace which is glory begun Rom. 6.4 1 Cor. 15.34 and a Resurrection from the Sepulchre to the life of glory which is grace compleat 1 Cor. 15.54 Philip. 3.21 So there is a two-fold death The first death to which the first nature which we derive from Adam is subjected For upon Adam's sin all that are partakers of his nature are concluded under the sentence of death pronounced against him 1 Cor. 15.22 It was a statute made in Paradise a Decree not to be reversed a Debt not possible to be declined Gen. 3 19. Statutum est omnibus semel mori Heb. 9.27 All Men must die the first Death Wherein the Sepulchre like the Serpent feeds on nothing but dust it is not so much the death of the Body as the Death of the Corruption of the Body Mortalitas magis finita est quam vita And there is a second death to which all regenerate Christians who belong to Christ are not subjected but as they derive another nature from Christ so in that nature they shall be raised again to the life immortal 1 Cor. 15.22 Souls and Bodies both For however there is a death of the Soul not that it ceaseth to be but when it ceaseth to be righteous Habet anima mortem suam cum vita beata caret quae vâ—ra animae vita dicenda est August Perdere animam est non ut non sit sed ut male sit So the glosse upon Matth. 16.26 Yet they who belong to Christ who live according to his Doctrine and Example shall be raised Souls and Bodies to an endless life of endless felicities They who have a part in the Resurrection of grace shall have no part in the Second Death Which first Resurrection is proverbially applied to the flourishing condition of the Church under the Messias after a long time of Persecution Revel 20.5 According to that of the Apostle speaking of the Jews received to favour as Persons raised from the dead again Rom. 11.15 and the Second Death is applied to an â—tter final irreparable excision and cutâ—ing off Revel 20.6 Now against this Second Death the bitter pains of Eternal Death in the burning Lake where the Worm never dies and the Fire is not quenched the Church here teaches us to pray for as to the first Death which is a Debt to be paid to that nature which we derive from Adam there is no avoiding of it Palvis es in pulverem reverteris â—s Man's Epitaph written with Gods own Finger Gen. 3.19 But Libenter mortalis sum qui sim futurus immortalis is the faithful Man's subscription Thou knowest Lord the secrets of our hearts shut not thy merciful Eares to our Prayers but spare us Lord most Holy O God most Mighty O Holy and Merciful Saviour Thou most worthy Judge Eternal suffer us not at our last Hour for any pains of death to fall from Thee Note Here we pray to God who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Maker of hearts and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Knower and Searcher of hearts and of actions as well as of hearts that he would in mercy hear our Prayers and in equal mercy pardon and forgive us our sins that he would sanctifie us by his Holiness imparted to us that he would defend us by his power save us in his infinite mercy and as we must all stand before him at the day of Judgment so he would stand by us at the Hour of Death that so the Devil who assaults us in the heel Gen. 3.15 and is most busie at the end and close of our life may have no advantage of us but that by the Shield of Faith we may put by all his Fiery Darts and never come into those everlasting Burnings but dying as Moses did Ad osculum oris Jehovae At a kiss of the Mouth of God So the Chalde paraphrase in Deut. 34.5 We may depart in the arms of God and so pass by Death temporal to Life Eternal Rubrick Then while the Earth shall be cast upon the Body by some standing by the Priest shall say Note This is left arbitrary for any by-stander to perform by which it is implied that it shall be the state and condition of every One one day He that casts earth upon the dead Body to day may have earth cast upon his tomorrow Hodie mihi cras tibi For as much as it hath pleased Allmighty God of his great mercy to take unto Himself the Soul of our dear here departed Eccles 12.7 we therefore commit _____ Body to the ground earth to earth ashes to ashes dust to dust Eccles 12.7 Eccles 3.20 Gen. 3.19 in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to Eternal Life Psal 16.9 1 Cor. 15.20 21 22. 1 Thes 4.13 14. through our Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile Body that it may be like unto his glorious Body according to the mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things to Himself Philip. 3.20 21. Note When we perform these officia postremi muneris as the Fathers call them and decently commit the Bodies
for their so doing Dicuntur fratres in Aegypto crebras quidem habere orationes sed eas quidem brevissimas raptim quodam modo ejaculatas ne illa vigilanter erecta quae Orationi plurimum necessaria est per productiores mores evanescat atque hebetetur intentio August Epist 121. But I say no more upon this Argument the shorter our Prayers are the neerer they are to the pattern of our Saviour who when he taught his Disciples to pray prescribed them a short forme and the Reverend Mr. Calvin in his Pray'rs after Sermon swerved not from this Rule observing ever both a set and short forme See his Bidding of Prayer used at the end of his Sermons upon Job Again the Prayer of our Saviour as it is short so it is most excellent in the use being so fram'd that it may suit for all Times Persons Places and Conditions other Prayers may be at some times unseasonable this never it is not only Norma Orationis a Rule to pray by Mat. 6.9 but it is Forma Orationis a Form to pray in Luk. 11.2 As John's Disciples had a Form which none used but themselves by which they were known to be his Disciples Luk. 11.1 So Christ gave his Disciples a Form which Tertullian terms Orationem Legitimam a Prayer which Christ's own Law hath tied his Church to use in the same form of words wherein he deliver'd it and ever hath it been used in all parts of the World where Christian Religion ever was He who made us to live hath taught us to pray and doubtless if God will hear us wheâ— we use his Sons Name he will much more hear us when we use his Sons words as Prayer in general so this in special is of much efficacy and necessity for the good of our Souls there is not in Christian Religion any thing of like force through every hour and moment of our whole lives Therefore if we may believe St. Augustin as a witness of Antiquity the Universal Church of Christ hath ever used to begin and end all her Prayers with this form as striving indeed by divers other formes more largely to express the sense of this but being not able to come neer to the high note and most excellent spirit of perfection in this they ever concluded with it as being assur'd that however they may for divers defects not attain to the depth of it yet by it they shall be sure to beg all things necessary at Gods hands Vid. August Epist 59. Hook Eccles polic lib. 5. sect 35. B. Andrews Sermons of the Worshipping of Imaginations And for this very reason it hath been the custom in our Church of England to place Christ's Prayer in the front of our prayers as a guide and to add it neer to the end of some principal Offices as a complement which fully perfecteth whatsoever may be defective in the rest Praemissa Legitima ordinaria oratione quasi fundamento accidentia imus est desideriorum imus est superstruendi extrinsecas petitiones Tertul. de orat For this Prayer excels all other in many respects It is the Gospels Epitomy compiled by wisdom it self so large for matter so short for phrase so sweet for order as that it deserves worthily to have both the best and the most place in our Liturgy the first as a guide to the rest the most as a necessary complement to supply what is wanting in the rest Therefore is it used in our Burial Office and all other offices to be Tanquam sal omnium divinorum officiorum Durand Rational divin offic lib. 5. c. 5. sect 17. Priest Almighty God with whom do live the spirits of them that depart hence in the Lord. Mat. 22.32 Eccles 12.7 Heb. 12.23 and with whom the souls of the faithful after they are delivered from the burden of the flesh are in joy and feliciâ—y Revel 14.13 Luk. 23.43 We give thee hearty thanks for that it hath pleased thee to deliver this our _____ out of the miseries of this sinful World beseeching thee that it may please thee of thy gracious goodness shortly to accomplish the number of thine Elect and to hasten thy Kingdom that we with all those that are departed in the true faith of thy holy Name may have our perfect consummation and bliss both in body and soul in thy eternal and everlasting glory through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Note That the Soul dies not with the Body is a received truth amongst the wiser and better Heathens Vid. Cic. Tuscul quoest Cato major de Senectut Somn. Scipion. Pythagoras rather thought of a Transmigration of Souls than a dormition or dying The Fathers all hold the same Vid. August de immortalitat animae Ne in somnium quidem cadit anima cum corpore quomodo ergo in veritatem mortis cadet quae nec in imaginem ejus ruit Tertul To think our Souls shall sleep in dust as our Bodies do til the last doom is but a dream of the Psychopannychites the spawn of the ancient Arabicks against whom Mr. Calvin hath written a learned Treatise It is an errour clearly confuted by the Scriptures take one place which is Instar omniem Mat. 22.32 Note again As the Souls of Gods Servants when they are separated from the Body are in some certain definite place so they are in a state of rest and refreshing the Scripture-phrase diversly expresseth it by being in the hand of God being with God being in the Society of Angels being in Abraham's bosome in Paradise in the Land of the Living in the Tabernacles of peace in Heavenly Mansions in Heaven it self that is they are so dispos'd of as to have the Glory and Blessedness of Heaven communicâ—ted to them and to enjoy the beatifical vision in part wheresoever they are and this may be the reason of that usual Epitaph among the Jews upon their Sepulchres Let his Soul be bound up in the Garden of Eden or in the bundle of the Living Godw. Antiq. lib. 6. c. 5. Yet I cannot say that they are in that very Heaven whither Christ as our fore-runner is enter'd not in that perfect bliss and happiness the Treasury of which was first opened by Christ at his Ascension and shall be more compleatly shewed and revealed upon all the faithful at the General Resurrection when they shall be where he is and as he is and partakers of the same glorious felicities with himself at Gods right hand as our Church prays that we may have our perfect consummation and bliss which is the same in effect with that Petition in our Saviour's prayer Thy Kingdom come Touching this I could say very much but for brevities sake I refer my Reader to some Writers of Note upon this Argument Irenaeus lib. 4. c. 45. lib. 5. c. 31. Athanasi tom 2. orat de Ascens Chrysost tom 5. pag. 637. Tertul. de anim c. 55. lib. 4. contr Marcio cap. 6. c. 10. lib. de anim In which Book
Lord be thou pleased to give us this grace so to instruct us and convince us of the shortness of our lives that we may by this consideration be brought to pay that constant reverence and obedience which is due to Thee and wherein the true wisdom consists for there cannot be any greater folly imaginable than to provoke Thee by our sins and to run the adventure of being cut off by Thee in our sins Vers 13. And O Lord if it stand with thy good pleasure reverse the sentence of excision which is gone out against us let it suffice that thy wrath hath swept away so many of us vouchsafe at last to be pacified and reconciled with us Vers 14. We have lain very long under thy wrath delay not now to afford us the full streams of thy mercy which we have so long wanted and impatiently thirsted after that so for the remainder of our time we may have some matter of rejoycing after so much sadness Vers 15. May the days of our rejoyceing hold some proportion with the days of our mourning and let our comforts be answerable to our calamities Vers 16. Magnifie thy glorious work of grace and mercy which is properly thy work to us and our posterity Vers 17. Shew thy loving kindness and light of thy countenance towards us look in mercy upon us give us thy grace to direct us all our days and in all our ways work in us both to will and to do and then by thy good providence prosper our designs and undertakings Vid. Dr. Hammond Note Why Gloria Patri concludes this and the foregoing Psalms I have given my Reasons in another Book upon the Common-Prayer Rubrick Then shall follow the Lesson taken out of the Fiftéenth Chapter os the former Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians Paraphrase Note This Lesson indeed the whole Office sets forth the peculiar hope of the Church touching the Resurrection of the Dead Which is Primarium Evangelii caput The Predominant Article that presupposeth all the rest It is Nexus Articulorum Fidei The tying Knot upon which all other links of holy Faith depend By this hand Religion is held up by the head 1 Cor. 15. vers 20. ad finem Vers 20. All the hope of a Christian is not terminated with this life of his here on Earth for if it were so Christians would be the most unhappy Persons and the most proper objects of compassion in the World But blessed be God for it it is much otherwise for Christ is risen and he by raising himself raiseth all others with him as in the consecration of the first fruits the whole Harvest is also consecrate So that we Christians who are miserable here shall be rewarded hereafter for Christ's Resurrection is a most certain proof of ours As the Head must rise before the Members so the Members are sure to follow the Head Christus est typus Christianorum Christus resurgens non solum est auspex exemplar sed fide-jussor chirographum nostrae resurrectionis Vers 21. As one Man brought death into the World so another Man brought Resurrection into the World Vers 22. For as upon Adam's sin All who are partakers of his nature are concluded under the sentence of his death so all regenerate believers who are like to Christ and belong to him shall be raised to immortal life Vers 23. But yet with some distance of Time shall this be Christ the first fruits shall rise some time before and all regenerate Christians shall rise after Him at his last coming to Judgment Vers 24. And then at the Conclusion of this World and of the spiritual Kingdom of Christ in the Church here below he shall deliver up all his power exercised by Himself and his Commissioners into the hand of God his Father having first destroyed all earthly Dominions pronouncing sentence upon the mightiest as well as the meanest Men subduing all to his Power either by their conversion or their destruction Vers 25. For this was the promise which was made to Christ Psal 110. that his Spiritual Kingdom on Earth should last so long till God had brought all the World to be subject to Him Vers 26. The last Enemy to be subdued by him is death and that must be therefore subdued that Men may be raised again from death to life Vers 27. The evidence is clear that God will subdue all enemies and things without exception under Christ only God is excepted from being so subdued from whom Christ hath received this power Vers 28. And when all things shall thus be brought in subjection to Christ then shall Christ lay down that Office which til then he exerciseth and in which he is conspicuous in his Church And then shal God Father Son Holy Ghost fill all the Elect with endless Bliss and Glory Vers 29. Now if the dead rise not why do Men at their Baptism make profession of the belief of it for the Resurrection of the dead is one of the prime Articles of belief into which Christians are Baptized and to which Baptism refers as a significant emblem first of Christs then of our Resurrection from the Grave The putting in and taking out of the Water being a sign of descending into the state of the dead and ascending from thence To be a Baptized Christian and not to believe the Resurrection is a ridiculous thing an Hypocrisie which will never be answer'd to God or men Note These words of St. Paul which are plain and easie and rational enough in the sense before mentioned are by some diversly rendred and strangely too 1. Stapleton and others prove from hence a Purgatory Vid. Du Moulin in his Confutation of Purgatory pag. 268. 2. Thomas Aquinas by the dead understandeth sins which are dead works 3. Claudius Guiliandus understands it of Martyrdom for the Faith of the Resurrection 4. Some interpret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over the dead as if it had been the manner of some to Baptize over the Graves of the dead to cherish their hope of the Resurrection but this custome is no where read of 5. Others think it may allude to an ancient custome of the faithful Jews who to strengthen their hopes of a Resurrection used to wash the Bodies of their dead and then embalm them before they buried them 6. Calvin following Epiphanius interprets it to refer to the custome of such Conveâ—ts in Religion who neglected Baptism til their death approached 7. Franciscus Junius interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not super but insuper as if the Apostle had said why is Baptisme still continued in the Church for the comfort of the Living as it was found of comfortable use to those who are now dead if the dead rise not 8. St. Ambrose understands it of a Sacramental washing applied unto some living Man in the name and behalf of his Friend dying without Baptism 9. Du Moulin applies it to the manner of Baptisme used By plunging the Body in Water to
note the state of death and taking it out again to represent the Resurrection 10. But Chrysostom Tom. 3. pag. 514. and Theophylact and others understand Baptizing for the Dead to imply this and no more The being Baptized in the faith and profession of the Resurrection of the dead And so Harmenopulus refuting the Marcionites interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Sect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Only the Resurrection of the dead is expressed here by way of abbreviation by this word Dead Vers 30. And why do we Christians run hazards and encounter dangers and difficulties which may certainly bring death upon us if we had no assurance that there was another life wherein all our patience and valour for Christ should be rewarded by Him Vers 31. For my part I protest by my fidelity to Christ which is the greatest thing I joy in in this World that I daily run the hazard of death which sure I should never do if I had not confidence of another life after this Vers 32. Certainly all the hazards which I ran at Ephesus Act. 19. being as far as Mans purposes could go to have me sentenc'd and condemned to have me combat with wild Beasts upon their Theaters however I was by God's good providence snatched out of those dangers can be nothing at all advantageous to me unless there be another life after this Besides if it was so that there is no other life it would excuse and justify that common saying which is used amongst some of you Let us enjoy the good things of this World at present for when Death comes which cannot be far of there is an end of all Note This Place of fighting with Beasts at Ephesus is variously expounded by learned Men. Tertullian Theophylact and others take it to be spoken metaphorically of Men in shape Beasts in condition and Oecumenius saith That these Beasts were the Jews at Ephesus and Demetrius with his faction called Beasts in the same sense as Nero is called a Lyon 2 Tim. 4.17 and Herod is termed a Fox Luk. 13.32 David's Persecutors Bulls of Basan Psal 22.12 The Scribes and Pharisees Vipers Matth. 23.33 The Enemies of the Church wild Boars Psal 80.13 with these did Paul fight by strength of Argument proving them to be no Gods which are made with hands and so cut the throat of that Ephesian Beast Idolatry as that all the Silver-Smiths of Diana could not Hammer out a Reply to his Charge Chrysostom Ambrose and others take it literally as if Paul did actually encounter with Beasts upon their Theatre and Pareus inclines to be of the same judgment For to fight with Beasts was a punishment which Malefactors were condemned to in those days it was used in Asia as appears by the Epistle of the Church of Smyrna about the Martyrdom of Polycarpus Euseb lib. 4. c. 15. For upon their Festivities and Solemnities they performed these barbarous inhumanities as an honour to their gods and they made choice of such times for the punishing of Malefactors not only to make their punishments more exemplary but to be as a piece of sacrifice to their gods Now that there was a Theatre at Ephesus for this purpose we read Act. 19.29 and that Christians as Malefactors were punished after this manner we find in Tertullian that Christianos ad Leones was a common word and of Damnatio ad Bestias Bestiarii we may read at large in the Jewish Antiquities But the most genuine and proper sense of this place is by very learned Men taken to be this that Paul was condemned at least by the Multitude designed to this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or combating with Beasts at Ephesus as appears Act. 19.30 31. 2 Cor. 1.8 9. The Sentence of this kind of death was passed on him but God took him out of their hands and snatched him out of those dangers raising him as it were from the dead by delivering him from so great a death 2 Cor. 1.9 10. whereas Gaius and Aristarchus two of Paul's Companions were hailed to the Theatre Act. 19.29 The devout Christians would not permit Paul to come amongst them vers 30. and the Asiarcha who had some kindness for him which was a work of God's Providence to him sent unto him that he should keep close and not run the hazard by coming out of being carried thither vers 31. By which it is evident that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the manner of Men signifies this that Paul so far as Man's purpose extended concerning him was condemned to this death of fighting with Beasts at Ephesus only God by a wonderful providence delivered him from it Now it had been very strange should the Apostle have exposed himself to so apparent danger of death as Men led on by nothing but that which is humane such as vain glory and some other respect have done had not he by faith looked at a Resurrection and at God the Rewarder of those who suffer for him at that Day Vers 33. But have a care that ye be not seduced by any Philosophical or debauched Discourses to disbelieve the Resurrection Take heed that such Atheistical temptations to sensuality under pretence of no other life after this do not work upon you and the rather because good natures and the most flexible dispositions are the soonest cheated and deceived by such corrupt converse and foolish dispute Vers 34. Ye have all the Reason in the World and now it is more than time that ye should rouse up your selves out of the drouzy condition of sin which ye have been in for a long time in so much that some of you by your behaviour and discourse show your selvs to be very Atheists stil and meer Heathens of whom I am forced to speak only to work shame in you for suffering such Men among you and that ye may not permit your selves to be tempted by them into such Errours and Debaucheries Vers 35. But some perhaps may object that if Men die How can they live again or what kind of Body shall they have seeing that which they had is rotten in the Grave Vers 36. But this is a foolish Objection for even in Corn that is sowed the rotting of the Corn is necessary to the enlivening of it or springing of it up again Vers 37. And it is not the custom to sow that very thing which after comes up the Blade and Ear and Corn in it but only the Corn without the rest as the Corn of Wheat and the like Vers 38. And whensoever such a single Grain is sown in the Earth without any Ear or Chaff about it God causeth it to grow up out of the Earth in this or that forme with Root and Blades and Ears of Wheat and of all other Seeds proportionably according to their kind Vers 39. And as amongst us here below one sort of flesh differs very much from another so the Bodies of Men here differ in their