of a wall as those eighteene men slaine by Siloam Tower some by the cast of a stone as Abimelech some of a paine in their head as the Shunamits sonne some of a paine in their belly as Antiocâ—hus some of a Gowte â—n their feete as Asa â—ome by the priuate corruption of their owne distemperate humors some by distemperature of publicke humours which are corrupt lawes In a word so fraile a vessell is man that easily by innumerable wayes hee is broken and all these haue we seene before vs that for aâ—l them wee might be prepared making readie our selues to die referring the kinde of our death to the good pleasure of God Non est multum curandum necessariò morituro qua morte moriatur sed quò post mortem ire Compellatur since of necessity wee must die let vs not care much for the kinde of death but rather of the way which after death wee are to goe And for this cause did our blessed Sauiour vndergoe a cursed death that euery death might bee made blessed to them who die in the faith of the Lord. Be dissolued Last of all wee obserue here that the word which the Apostle vses being passiue wee are taught that men shold not bee violent Actors of their owne death but patient sufferers at the good pleasure of God In all the Booke of God there is not asillable allowing selfe-murther The law which forbids to kill dooth first of all forbidde to kill thy selfe I wil require saith the Lorde your bloode at the handes of Beastes at the handes of a man himselfe at the hands of euery brother will I require it And heereby that storie of the Maccabâ—es commending RAZIS for selfe murther may bee knowne to bee but a bastard breath being so discordant fâ—om the rest of Scripture breathed by diuine inspiration of the holy Ghost Ethnikes counted it magnanimity in desperate troubles to dispatch themselues but indeed it is pusillanimity that is a great mind which can endure trouble with patience and it is but a feeble spirit which being impatient of trouble seekes by selfe-murther to eschue it Properly did Ierome call such Martyres slultae philosphiae As to Samsons fact it was singular no more to bee followed then Abraham his offring of his sonne or Israels policie in spoyling the Egyptians which had their owne warrants but cannot warrant vs to transgresse the knowne and common commaundements of God Wee haue a building Now followes the second part of the verse conteyning the vantage we get by that exchange wee make in death to wit that by it wee are translated into a better building where before we enter into the wordes if it bee demaunded what then Is there no more to bee done to the bodie When it is dissolued must it lie still in Dust and Ashes And haue wee no further comfort concerning it The aunswere is that the comfort which here is giueÌ„ doth only concern the soule but if we wil conioyne with this other places of Scripture wee shall finde full and perfite comfort both for body and soule For not only know wee that our bodies shall bee raised vp againe in the last day but that when they shall sleepe in the graue the holy Ghost who now dwelles in them shall watch ouer them to preserue them to immortality from the time wee be dead our bodies are neglected and forsaken of these who loued vs most deerly in our life after that they haue laid vs in the graue they returne to eate and drinke and in their wonted manner to refresh themselues and within short time they quit all remembrance of vs But as to the Lord our God he will neuer nâ—glect nor forsake nor forget that body which he honored to bee his owne Temple dwelling in it by his holy spirite but wil keepe the very dust thereof till he restore it againe to life An example whereof wee haue in the fauourable dealing of God with Iacob who dyed in Egypt and was conueyed to Canaan by Ioseph and Pharaoh his Chariots yet vnto none of them wil God giue the praise of the buriall of Iacobs corps hee is not ashamed to take to himselfe according to the promise hee made vnto his seruant that he would not onely go with him downe to Egypt but also would bring him vp againe to Canaan therby declaring how pretious in his sight the death of his Saints is and how honorable he esteemes these bodies which haue bin the Temples of his holy spirit Now in these words wee haue three things to be considered first what is meant by this building secoÌ„dly how saies the Apostle that we haue it Thirdly what are the properties by which it is described By this building some vnderstands that immortall and glorified body which shal be giuen vs in heauen the same body in substance which now wee haue but transformed and made like vnto Christs glorious bodie and indeede vnto it agrees this description for that body is of God not made with handes not preserued by the helpe of secondarie meanes as is this body which was begotten by our father conceiued by our mother nourished and brought vp to the state wherein now it is by the helpe of hands and again where this mortall body is a temporal Tabernacle the immortall shall bee an eternall habitation All these are true but because our soules shall not dwell in these bodies till the resurrection they cannot bee meant here by this building to the which wee are transported incontinent after death By this building then wee are to vnderstand that place of glory which in the third heauens God hath prepared for his children called in the Gospell the euerlasting habitations and by our Sauiour his Fathers house wherin are many Mansions called by Saint Paul a Citie hauing a foundation whose builder and maker is God and by Saint Iohn called the New Ierusalem a City hauing the glorie of God in it a Citie foure squared in leÌ„gth breadth and height equall a Citie wherein al the Citizens sees the face of God through the streets wherof runs the water of life and in euery side thereof the tree of life this is the glorious building into the which our soules are carried by Angels so soone as they depart out of the body The second thing we proposed here to speak of was how is it that the Apostle saies We haue this building hee saies not we shal get it but that presently wee haue it The reason is because presently wee haue the rights and securities If worldlings account theÌ„selues sure enough of earthly inheritances wheÌ„they haue the charter seazing coÌ„firmation and possession of them how much more arewesure of that heaueÌ„ly building who haue already receiued all these rights and securities thereof from the Lord our God The Charter of our heauenly inheritance is the good worde of God wherein the
except they bee sent I will not so be content with preaching that I neglect prayer because the ministrie is of men but the grace is from God neither will I so depend on prayer that I despise preaching for hee can neuer receaue grace froÌ„ God who despises the means by which it pleases God to giue it Now as to the fourth whereof wee promised to speake it is a point most necessary to bee knowne for our comfort how we may know whether if or not wee haue receiued this spirit there are many in this age who haue heard the Testimony of God in his Gospell who as yet haue not receiued the seale and Testimony A very lamentable thing indeed for albeit the Gospell be a doctrine of ioyful tydings yet what comfort can it bring to theÌ„ who are not assured they belong vnto theÌ„ The Apostle writing to the Corinthians thaÌ„ks God not onely for that they had hard the word but because the testimony of God was confirmed vnto theÌ„ suchlâ—ke to the â— phefiaÌ„s he thaÌ„ks God not onely for that they heard the word of truth which is the Gospel of saluation but álso for that after they had beleeued they were sealed with the holy spirit of promise but truly as the disciples at Ephesus being asked if they had receiued the holy Ghost answered we know not if there be such a thing as an holy Ghost so is it with many in this age who haue heard the gospel which is the testimonie of Gods loue if they bee asked whether if or not they haue receaued the earnest of the Spirit which is the seale and confirmation of the testimonie shall bee found not to knowe what the earnest of the Spirit is But now to shew in one worde how it may be knowne wheâ—her if or not wee haue receaued him let vs remember that the same holy Spirit which is heere called the earnest of God is also called the seale of God Now the nature and vse of a seale is that it leaues behinde it in that which is stamped by it and impression of that same forme which it hath in it selfe Euen so also the Spirit of God imprints the very image of God in the hearts of so many as are sealed by him in which sense the Apostle sayes that the Romanes were deliuered vnto a forme of doctrine whereunto from the heart they had been obedient thereby declaring that euen as wax is made conforme to the print of the seale vnto which it is deâ—iuered so the hearts of the Godly are made conforme to the Image of God so soone as they are stamped with his holy spirit So that they who liue licenâ—iously after the lusts of the flesh declare themselues to be of their father the deuill because as our Sauiour said to the carnall Iewes they doe his workes and it is but a lying presumption when the like to these men dare say that they haue receiued the earnest of the spirit VER 6. Therefore we are bold FOllowes now the 2. conclusioÌ„ which the certain knowledge of that glory to come wrought in the Apostle to wiâ—te a contentment with boldnes to remooue out of the body that hee might dwel with the Lord and this hath in it more tâ—en is in the former for where in the 1. he protested only he had a desire to that glory yet so that he had no wil to want the body but now hee goes further considering that hee was not able to enioy them both together he protests he was gladly conteÌ„t to remoue out of the body that hee might dwell with the Lorde This meaning of the wordes shall bee cleare if after the sixt verse wee reade the eight passing by the parenthesis which is in the seuenth verse The word the Apostle vses heere signifies such a boldnes as stout-hearted men vse to set against great daungers for where there is no cause of feare where can the praise of boldnesse be there is then will the Apostle say matter of great feare in death I see before mee a terrible deepe and gulfe of mortality through which I must goe many fearefull enemies with whom I must fight before I wonne to my Lord yet am I not affraid to encounter with them Against me is Satan with his principalities powers and spirituall wickednesse but I know that the seede of the woman hath brused the head of the Serpent Against mee are a greate multitude of my sinnes â—nd the terrors of a gilty conscience but I know that Christ hath once suffered for sinnes the iust for the vniust that â—ee might bring vs to God so that now there is no condemnation to tâ—em which are in him Against me stands in my way dreadfull death with the horrors of the graue but I know my Lord hath taken away the sting of death and spoiled the graue of victorie Shall I then bee afraide No certainely but through the vally of death will I walke with boldnâ—s â—ill I come to the Lord my God And this boldnesse against death in the godly proceedes not onely from the sure knowledgâ— of a better life but from the present sense and feeling of the same life begunne in them which they know cannot be extinguished by death Notable examples haue we therof in all ages to proue that it is no vaine content but the effectuall power of God working in his children Ignatius Bishop of Antioch beiâ—g brought to Rome in the third persecution which was vnder Traian gaue a proofe of his boldnesse for being condemned to be cast to the beasts to bee deuoured by them hee gaue this answere nihil visibilium nihil inuisibilium moror modo Christum acquiram I stand sayes hee vpon nothing visible nothing inuisible so that I may finde and obtaine the Lord Iesus let fire come let the crosse let beasts let the breaking of my bones the convulsion of my members the grinding of my body yea let all the torments of Satan come vpon me I care not for them so that I may inioy the Lord Iesus And Policarpe who suffered in the fourth persecution vnder Aurelius Antoninus beeing brought to the place of execution and desired by the Emperours Deputy to blaspheme Christ and he would let him goe answered these fourescore and sixe yeares haue I serued Christ and haue found him a good Master to mee how then can I curse my king who hath saued me But if ye will not saide the deputy I will cast thee to wilde Beasts who shall teare thee Call them when thou wilt said the Martyr it is fixed and determinat with mee that from good thinges by repentance I will neuer goe back vnto worse But if ye feare not beasts said the Deputy I shall bridle and danton you with fire thou boasts me said the Martyr with a fire that burnes for an houre and shortly after will be extinguished but knowes not that fire of the iudgement to
common order which God obserued in the rest for where other creatures were made by his word onely he puts too his hand to the making of man Consultation also among the persons of the blessed Trinity going before which was not in the creation of any other creature whereof thou mayst learne O man Quantitu vnus venias estâ—mandus in what great account thou art in regard of all the rest of his creatures all other like seruants were brought out by naked commandement homo tanquam eorum dominus ipsa Dei manu est instructus Man as their Lord is built vp by Gods owne hand All this preparation going before was to shew that some great thing was to follow as indeede it did for man is so made a worke of God his wisdome that he is a compend of all Gods creatures admired by those who had no more but natures light as a little world but more highlycommended bythose who had also the light of the word whereby to discerne him Omni miraculo quod fit per hominem maius miraculum est ipse homo Man himselfe said Augustine is a greater miracle then any miracle that euer was done by man And this not onely in regard of his soule but euen of his bodie also which here the Apostle calleth a comely house If there were no more to commend it yet as saieth Gregory this wereenough Quod a corpore humano in se similitudinem trahat deus That God borrows Similitudes from the body of a man to expresse and shaddowe himselfe vnto vs a scribing to himself an eye a mouth a hand and such like which we are not to thinke with the Anthropomorphites that hee hath per naturam sed per effectum But beside this if we doe take but a short view of the workmanship of man his bodie we shall be compelled euery one for himselfe to say with Dauid O Lord I am fearefull and wonderfull made The entrie to this house is the mouth which God hath fenced with a folding doore of the lips opening and closing most commodiously at the will of the Indweller Next vnto it are the grinders which God hath set in the entrie to prepare food for the whole man to nourish him the third roome hee hath assigned to the tongue which he hath made most artificially and set in the thorough gate of the houâ—e as the Trenchman and Messenger of the soule to declare his will vnto all that come neere And he hâ—tâ— set the head as an eminent Towre in the bodie wherein hee hath placed the seat of foure most excellent senses euery one oâ— them neere vnto another and not one of them impeding the function of another he hath locked vp the brain within it as a treasure and fenced it not onely with a couering of haire of skinne and of bone without but hath also spread ouer it within the Golden Ewer the least rupture whereof importeth death and because the windowes and watchmen are also in it hee hath made it to turne like a Wheele pleasantly and without paine to preuent all dangers that from any side may come vnto the body and if wee shall yet goe further in into this house and consider the daughters of singing which hee hath made most artificially for modulation of the voice if wee looke to the siluer cord stretched throughout the length of his body if we coÌ„sider the Well how it prepares and furnishes blood to all the members of the bodie if wee looke to the Pitchers by which as thorough Conduits it is conueyed through the whole body If we consider the Cesterne which is the heart the fountaine of life if this manner of way I say with Salomon we view the building of mans body beside other innumerable thinges which Naturalists and Theologs haue marked concerning it wee shall bee compelled to acknowledge that man euen as concerning his body is a world of wonders And this haue I but briefly marked that wee might learne to possesse our vesselles in honour acounting it a great shame vnto vs to pollute and defile this bodie in any dishonorable manner which GOD hath created so honorable comely and pleasant Secondly The bodie is called an house in respect of the soule which dwelles in it and this also highly commends the excellencie of the workemanshippe of man marueilous for the substances wherof it consists more marueilous for the wonderful vnion and coniunction of them in heauen there are vnderstaÌ„ding spirits without bodies as Angels In earth are bodies without vnderstanding spirits as beastes in man ye shall find them both wherefore one affirmed man to be all things for there is no creaâ—ure which liues but man partakes of the liâ—e thereof the plants and trees haue a life vegetiue by which they grow the beastes a life sensitiue by which they heare see smell taste and touch the Angels a life reasonable by which they vnderstaÌ„d in the first two man coÌ„municates with earthly creatures in the third he transcends them and is companion to Angels But the coniunction of these two substances and the habitation of the one into the other is yet more marueilous commonly the honourable and the ignoble the foolish and the wise thestrong the weake agree no better then Iron and Clay Non sic in opere tuo non sic in commixtione tua O Domine Not so in thy worke O Lord not so in the mixture which thou hast made for heere the Lord hath ioyned in most maruelous manner Spirite with flesh a heauenly substance with an earthly so that Communio haec mentis ad corpus inâ—ffabilis sit incomprehenâ—ibilis intellectu This communion of the minde and bodie can neyther bee conceiued by our vnderstanding nor vttered by our speech the soule being so in the bodie that yet it is not mixed with the bodie it is within vs and yet goes thorough all things that are without vs it is kept in the bodie by blood and breath and yet liues not by blood and breath beeing a Spirituall thing it giues vnderstanding to anie other Spirite by the earthly Organ of the tongue and receiues againe intelligence froÌ„ another spirite by the earthly Organ of the eare God hath done it we feele it but know not the reason of it all these and many moe â—hould moue vs to reuerence the goodnesse and wonderfull wisedome of our Maker â—hewed in the creation of man And of this we learn how farre the iudgement of Gods spirite differs from the iudgement of man and that euen as concerning man himselfe It is thought among carnall men that the body is the man Sic dediti sunt carni ac sanguini ac si nihil aliud quam carnem se esse reputarent and therefore are they so giuen to pamper flesh as if they were no other thing but flesh these do not separate the vile from the pretious
the grace by which we come to it that the praise of all may returne vnto himselfe alone Who hath also giuen vs the earnest of the Spirit The second argument by which the Apostle prooues that the desire of immortality in the godly is no vaine desire is here that God hatâ— not onely in his word promised to giue it but hath also therevpon geuen vs the earnest of his Spirit and therefore of necessitie it must be performed for God is not as man that he shouldlye or repent the Lord is faithfull and will doe as he speakes This is the greatesâ— argument of comfort that we haue in this life to susteine vs It is indeed much that we haue the word the promises and the Oath of God sounded in our eares and that we haue the sacraments as the seales of God presented to our eares but none of these can make vs sure of a better life after this vnlesse with them we haue receiued the earnest of the spirit into our harts By the workes and word of God wee may know that vniuersall couenant which God hath made with all mankind â—hat he wâ—ll not drown the worlâ— againe with waters for as God in his word hath promised it so hath hee also set his rainebow in the firmament for a witnesse to confiâ—me it By the word and Sacraments all that are in the visible Church may know that speciall cauenant which God hath made with his adopted children but that this same couenant of grace is particularly bound vp with thee thou canst not know except with the Sacraments thou hast also receiued the spirâ—t Now to make this comfort the more sensible vnto vs we are here to consider these foure things first what is meant here by this Spirit Secondly why is it called an earnest Thirdly how is it receiued Fourthly wherby may we know whether wee haue receiued it or not By the Spirit here we vnderstand that speciall grace of the holy Spirit by which the Lord renews strengthens stablishes and confirmes his own children which for the purging vertue that is in it to make cleane them who receiue it is compared to fire and water and for the corroboratins and strengthening vertue that it hath is compared to holy oyntment for the vertue it hath to stablish and confirme our hearts against all doubting is caled the earnest the Seale and the 〈◊〉 And this grace of the spirit is called the earnest of the spirit first for the measure next for the nature and vse therof for now we haue it in a small measure in comparison of that which we shall receiue hereafter And wee are to obserue it against the customable policie of Satan who casts vp to Gods children the smalnes of their faith loue and other graces of the spirit of purpose to driue them to dispaire as if they had no grace at all because it is but small and little which they haue but we are to remember against him that the best measure of grace we haue in this life is compared to an earnest pennie wee will not therefore faint because now wee haue not the fulnesse but rather will be comforted knowing assuredly that the Lord who now hath giuen vs the earnest will afterward giue vs the principall for the Kingdome of God in vs proceedes to perfection from smal beginnings and therefore is the groúth thereof coÌ„pared by our Lord to the grouth of a little grain of mustard seede which in the beginning is small but by time increases to an high tree And truly that same little beginning of grace which god hath wroght in vs howsoeuer SataÌ„ extenuates it labours to make it seeme little in our eies yet is it not smal in our owne eyes but much more theÌ„ he wold with to be in vs therfore doth hee what hee can vtterly to quench it but in vaine this same seed of grace in vs how little soeuer yet is it blessed of God shal grow and increase to cast Sacan vtterly out of that Kingdome which once he possessed in vs for if the beginnings of grace inable vs to resist Satan shall not the perfection thereof much more inable vs to oueâ—come him Now the nature and vse of the earnest is as we know to binde both the giuer and receiuer the giuer is bound by it to stand to his word and promise whats'euer that he hath made the receiuer againe is bound to staÌ„d to the conditioÌ„ whervpon he receiued it here we are admonished that if on Gods part wee would haue his earnest valid to binde him to stand to his promises wee must on our part declare that they are forcible to binde vs to stand to our promised dueties But alas in this generation men liue as if the Lord were onely bound to bee mercifull to them and they were not bound to be seruiceable to him but it were free to them to liue as pleases them The Lord giue vs wise vnderstanding hearts and sanctified memories to remember it as oft as our enemies would solicite vs to transgresse the commaundements of our God that by the bond of creation by the right of redemption by our oath in baptisme by receiuing the earnest of God in our regeneration beside innumerable other obligations wee are bound seruants to the Lord our God with a solemne renuntiation of the Deuill the world and the flesh As to the third the giuing and receiuing of this Spirit it is certaine that the giuing is euery where ascrybed to God as Eph. 1.13.2 Cor. for the ministry of grace God hath reserued it to himselfe the Ministry of the word by which hee giueth grace he hath concredited to men Moses gaue the law but grace comes by Christ Iohn baptises with water Iesus baptises with the holy Ghost Paul may plant and Apollo water but God must giue the increase Yet is it much that it pleses god to giue his grace by the ministery of the word and therfore if we loue the one we must not mislike the other That same holy spirit who commanded Philip to ioyne himselfe to the Eunuches Charioâ— to teach him might by himselfe haue taught the Eunuch but he would do it by the minstery of a man And the Lord might haue caused th' Angel whoÌ„ he sent to Cornelius to haue taught him but he would do it by the ministry of Peter and notable is it that while Peter is preaching the holy Ghost descended vpon Cornelius and his friends Thus we see how God who giues the grace giues it by the ministrie of the word God hath linked in one chain all the meanes of saluation and man should not presse to sunder them they who call on the name of the Lord shall be saued but how shall they call on him on whom they beleeue not how shal they beleeue but by hearing how shal they heare but by preaching and how shall men preach
must looke to other of the Fathers who dâ—ed the common course of death Gen. 27.1 Gen. 49.33 The godly also aliue at Christs comming shal not be dissolued But we haue no warrant that wee shall be of that number For before Chriâ—ts comming the Iâ—wes must be recallâ—d Rom. 11.24 It is out of al doubt our bodies must be dissolued by death Heb. 13.14 Al fortification against death is in vaine Deu. 28. marg As Adam was the first liuing man so the first that died by the course of nature But now so many haue gone through death before vs that it is a shame for vs to scare at it Seneca By the earthly house our body here is to be vnderstood For two causes is our body called an house I For the câ—mly and orderly workmanship thereof Other creatures were made by the word of God but to the making of man God put too his hand also And consultation among the persons of the blessed Trinity goes before Basil hexam hâ—m 10. Tortul de resur car This preparation before shewes that some great thâ—ng was to follow as it did indeed Aug. de ciuit Dei l. 10. cap. 12. Man an excellent workmanship euen iâ— respect of his bodie Gregor mâ—ral l. 32. Sect 13. Bernard A short view of the excelleÌ„t workmanship of mans body as it is giuen by Salomon Psal. 139. Man euen in regard of his body is a world of wonders Eccles. 12. VVe should not dâ—shonour the bodie which God hath honouredso highly 2 The bodie is called a house in respect of the soule dwelling in it Man for his two substances whereof he consists is a compend of all Gods creatures But the coniunction of these two substances is more marueilous Bern. in die â— Natal dom er 2. Nazian That flâ—sh and spirit should agree so well together That the soule shâ—uld be kept in the bodie by blood and breth yet not liuing by them Carnal men so liue as if they were nothing but flâ—sh onely Ierem. 15. VVhâ—reas the body is but the house the man is he who dwels in the bodie Let vs so care for the house that much more wâ—â—â—re for him who dwâ—ls in it The bodie is called an earthly house First because it was made of the earth And herein appeares Gods power and wisdome that of so base a matter hath made so excellent a creature Tertul. de resurrect car Gen. 2. Ambros. hexam l. 6. cap. 6. The soueraignty of God ouer man is more thâ—n that which the Potter hath ouer his clay 1. Cor. 10.22 Therefore wo to him who liues in â—nmity with God Act. 12 20. The consideration of our originall does leâ—rne vs humility They who will not learn it by their originall â—et them looke to their end and they shal see no cause of pride Gen. 23.4 Greg. moral l. 16. sect 105 Neither is there strength nor beauty nor stature of the body to be delighted in Esa. 40.6 The body like a wall of clay plastered ouer and painted with colours Esa. 14.11.19 Remâ—mbrance of that which we haue bin should keepe vs from waxing proud for that which we arâ— Secondly the bâ—dy is called an earthly house because it is vphoâ—den by earthly meanes Our body is called a Tabâ—rnacle first because we haue here a couering but not a foundation Ber. parui Sermones Esa. 4.6 Heb. 11. Ibid. Sâ—condly because we should vse it as a Sconse or Tent for the warfare Basil. ser. 10. in Psal. qui habitat Thirdly because it is not fixed in one place as an house but is made for transporting That death whâ—rein all deaths concurre is the proper punâ—shment of sinne Aug. de ciuit Dei l. 13. cap 12. Of the two kindes of death mentioned in holy scripture Eph 4. Eph. 2. 2. Tim. Reuel 3. Death of the whole man what it is It is demanded seeing the soule and body of the wicked shâ—ll be vniâ—ed in the resurrectâ—on how shall they be punished with the second death Gregor moral l. 15. Sect 55. It is answered that this â—nion of their â—oule and body is for their greater punishment Aug. de ciuit dei l. 13. c. 13 A great difference betweene the death of the Christian and the wicked The Christian shall neuer die that death which is the punishment of the wicked And the wicked cannot free themselues of that death which they inflict on the godly â— beside that a worse abides them By death we get deliuerance from our present euils Aug. de ciuit Dei l. 9. cap. 10. VVhat a great benefit it is that our bodies are mortall By death we are set at libertie to enioy our greatest good Aug. de ciuit dei l. 9. c. 20. Athanas in qâ—estionibus quaest 18. Many lookes to the dissolution but not to the coniuction made by death and therefore are affraid at it Two things remoued which make death fearefull 1 The feare of punishment after death Ambr. de bono mortis c. 8 But indeede death is not to be blamed for thatwhich comes after it 2 An apprehension that death destroyes man Ambros. ibid. Death it self is not terrible but the opinion of death Nazian orat de funere patris Greg. moral l. 4. sect 47. Death should not be looked vpon in the glasse of the law but in the mirrour of the Gospell Comfortable phrases by which death is described by the spirit of God Gen. 25.8 Deu 31.16 Psal. 16.9 Luke 2. Pet. 1.14 S. Paul expresses the nature of our death by thrâ—e similitudes 1. He compares it to the changing of a garment To the sowing of seed in the earth thaâ— it may grow againe 1. Cor. 15. 3 To a flitting from one house to another Albeit death be certaine yet the time place and kinde thereoâ— is vncertaine Many dreame of more daies theÌ„ they haue are far deceiued at the length Aug. Ber. de fallatia vitae praesentis Time of our death left vncertaine to make vs the more vigilant Gregor The life of man is but a life that turnes vpon seuen daies and in one of them man must die Therefore shâ—ld he take heed to them all The place of death vncertaine VVe can come to no place in the which some haue not died before vs. Bernard The kinde of death is also vncertaine that for all deaths we might be prepared VVe come all into the world by one way but we go out of it by many VVe should not much care for the kind of death but for the way we goe after death Aug. de ciuit dei l. 1. c. 11. Men should not be violeÌ„t actors of their owne death but patient sufferers Gen. 9. 2. Mac 14. A selfe murtherer neuer allowed but condemned in holy scripâ—â—re The second parâ— oâ—â—he verse conteynes the vantage we â—aue by death The comfort giuen here against death concernes the soule onely Comfort concerning the losse of our bodies by death is to be sought â—n other places of Scripture The Lord will noâ— forsake that body whiâ—h was