Deaths aduantage little regarded.

THe holy Prophet of the Lord, in the 9. verse of the Chapter immediatly going before, hath fore-told of a fearefull iudge­ment which was like to fall vpon the Iewes. He calles for the wild beasts of the field and the forest, to come and▪ denoure them: meaning thereby the Gentils, which should bee the executioners of the Lords iudge­ments vpon them. And because the Lords iudgements are alwayes righteous, hee af­terwards shewes the causes which would prouoke him to inflict them. The first cause [Page 2] is set downe at large in the rest of the verses following in the same Chapter, the blind­nes, idlenes, couetousnes, and securitie of them which were appointed for teachers a­mong them: the neglect of their dutie, be­ing a speciall occasion of the peoples sinne, is alleadged as the first cause of the iudge­ment ensuing. The second cause was in the common people, set downe in the first verse of this Chapter, and that was their carelesse regard of the death of righteous men, though many of them were taken away, to forewarne them of some strange iudgement to come; yet they regarded it not, but still proceeded forward in their sins, and there­fore were like to caste of some miseries, from which the righteous were freed by their speedy death.

In these words foure seuerall circum­stances are to be obserued. 1. The persons who did dye. 2. The manner of their death. 3. The contempt and carelesse regard of their death. 4. The end of their death. 1. The persons which dyed, are described by two properties. 1. the righteous. 2. mercifull men. 2. The manner of their death is set foorth by two seuerall tearmes, perisheth: are taken away. 3. The contempt and carelesse regard [Page 3] of their death, is also set downe by two phrases, no man considereth it in heart: and no man vnderstandeth it. Lastly, the end where­fore they dyed was, to preuent future euils: the righteous is taken away from the euill to come: of these in order.

1. For the persons which dyed, the Pro­phet 1 saith, the righteous perisheth. Concer­ning whom, two things are to be conside­red: first, the meanes by which men are made righteous: secondly, the markes by which wee may know who are righteous. For the former, you must know that by na­ture all are corrupt and vnrighteous, but yet may be made righteous by iustification, and sanctification: for there is a righteous­nes of imputation, and also a righteousnes of sanctification; the one to make vs righ­teous before God, the other to make vs righteous before men. The righteousnes of imputation is the righteousnes of Christ imputed vnto vs by faith, for our iustificati­on. Our owne inherent righteousnes is not sufficient to make vs truely and perfectly righteous before God, and therefore this Prophet saith afterward in the name of himselfe, and of all the people, All our righ­teousnes Isal. 646. is as filthie cloutes. And Daiud, one [Page 4] of Gods faithfull seruants thus framed his prayer vnto the Lord: Enter not into iudge­ment Psal. 143. 2. with thy seruant: for in thy sight shall none that liueth bee iustisted. And Paul thus speaketh of himselfe in regard of his Apo­stleship, I know nothing by my selfe, yet am I 1. Cor. 4. 4. not thereby iustified. Nothing can satisfye the iustice of God, and make vs appeare righteous in his sight, but onely the righte­ousnes of Iesus Christ, imputed to vs. And therefore the same Saint Paul said, I haue counted all things losse, and do iudge them to be Phil. 3. 9. dung, that I might winne Christ, and might be found in him, not hauing mine owne righteous­nes which is of the lawe, but that which is through the faith of Christ, euen the righteous­nes which is of God through faith. The same doctrine he taught vnto others, whose sal­uation he desired as well as his owne. As by Rom. 5. 19. Sicut ille ex semesips▪ nascentibus, licès non man [...]ca­uerint de ligno, factus est causa mortis: ita Christus, qui ex ipso sunt, tametsi ni­hil ius [...]e ege­runt, factus est pro [...]isor iustitiae qu [...] per crti [...]em nobis omni­bus cond [...] ­na [...]is. one mans disobedience (saith he) many were made sinners: so by the obedience of one, shall many bee made righteous. Whence we may reason, as Augustine and others haue done against the Pelagians, that as Adams eating of the forbidden tree was imputed to all his posteritie, though they neuer tasted of the fruit with their lips; so the righteousnes and obedience of Christ shall make all them [Page 5] which are of him, righteous before God, though they themselues haue as yet practi­sed no righteousnes. Againe hee saith, that God hath made him sinne for vs, which knew no sinne, that we should be made the righteous­nes of God in him. As therefore Christ was made sinne for vs, not by infusion of sinne into his person, but by imputation of our August. cont. [...]ulian. Pelag. lib. 1. cap. 2. ex Ioh. episc [...]p. Delicta no­stra, sua de­licta [...]ecit, vt iustitiam suam no­stram iustiti­am fac [...]res. August. in Psal. 21. Bernard in Cant. ser. 71. lla est iusti­t [...] ▪ per quā imp [...]u [...]eri­gitur, vt ca­dat in poe­nam. sinnes vnto him: so must we be made righ­teous before God, not by infusion of righ­teousnes into our owne persons, but by imputation of Christs righteousnes vnto vs. As the Moone and all the Starres borow all their light from the sunne: so the Church and euery member of it borow all their righteousnes from Christ the sunne of righ­teousnes. If this he true, then the heathen Philosophers and wise men, which liued most vprightly in the sight of men, and yet wanted the knowledge of Christ and faith in him, could not be righteous before God. They wanting the law, did by nature many things contayned in the law, yet could not be made righteous thereby: that was but a righteousnes, by which an vngodly man is lifted vp that he might fall into punishment. [...]ulgent▪ de incar. & grat Chri. cap. 27.

And in this respect, the Iewes which re­iected Christ (how holy soeuer their liues [Page 6] were in outward shew) could not be righ­teous before God, because as Paul testifi­eth of them, they being ignorant of the righte­ousnes Rom. 10. 3. of God, and going about to stablish their owne righteousnes, haue not submitted them­selues to the righteousnes of God.

And likewise in regard hereof it is hard to finde in the Church of Rome a man that is truely righteous before God. For the pa­pists hold, that we are made righteous by infusion of grace, and practise of good workes, and that we can be no more righte­ous by the righteousnes of Christ imputed vnto vs, then we may bee wise by another mans wisdome, or learned by another mans learning. But if they would duely consider either the perfection of the Lords iustice, or the imperfection of our inherent grace and good workes, they would not imagine that the one could be satisfied by the other. Au­gustine Quod lex operum mi­na [...]do in­perat, lex fi­dei credendo impeirat. De spirit. & lit. cap. 13. said, that which the law of workes com­maunded by threatning, the law of faith doth obtaine by beleeuing. Christ Iesus as he is me­diator, is as truly giuen vnto vs of God, as any land can be giuen by one to another, and therefore we may as wel be made righ­teous by his righteousnes, as one man may be made rich by another mans riches giuen [Page 7] vnto him. And it is strange to see the parti­alitie of Papists in the matter of impuratiō, for they teach that the fastings and satisfacto­ry Rhem. Test. 2. Cor. 8. sect. 3. deeds of one man be auaileable to others, yea and that holy saincts or other vertuous persons may in measure and proportion of other mens necessities and deseruings, allot vnto them, as well the supererogation of their spirituall works, as those that abound in worldly goods may giue almes of their superfluities, to them which are in necessitie: and yet they deny that the righ­teousnes of Christ may be imputed vnto vs for iustification; as if the Lord would ac­cept the works of men to satisfie for vs, and not the righteousnes of his owne Sonne.

2. Secondly, men are made righteous by 2 sanctification, when by the spirit of God the mind is enlightened, the heart is mollified, the will is rectified, the affections are chan­ged, and the whole course of the life is re­formed: so that whereas before they liked and loued, and liued in sinne, now they ab­horre it, and auoyde it: and therefore it is said, he that doth righteousnes is righteous, as 1. Ioh. 3. 7. he is righteous: and whosoeuer doth not righ­teousnes is not of God. Yet this doth not make vs perfectly righteous, but imper­fectly, and not before God, but before men, [Page 8] and of this Iames speaketh, saying, Was not Iam. 2. 21. Abraham our father iustified through workes, when he offered his sonne on the altar? Yee see Vers. 24. Th. Aquin. in hunc lo­cum. then how that of workes a man is iustified, and not of faith onely. That is, a man is declared, manifested, & tryed to be iust by the works of the law, and so doe diuers of the Schoole­men expound that place. And indeede vn­lesse wee did so vnderstand it, the Apostle Iames would contradict the Apostle Paul, who saith, that a man is iustified by faith, with­out Ro. 3. 20, 28. the workes of the law: so that there is one righteousnes imputed, another righteous­nes exercised and declared. Whosoeuer are iustified by Christs merits, they are at the same instant sanctified by his spirit, and made able to practise righteousnes in their conuersation.

Herein God excelleth all Princes in the world, for they may vpon good considera­tion receiue againe into fauour those which haue offended them, as Dauid did Absolom; yea they may restore them to the former dignities which they had taken from them: yet they cannot alter their nature and di­sposition, to make them more dutifull then they were before. But God thus dealeth with his subiects that haue offended him: [Page 9] he doth not only forgiue them their sinnes, and receiue them into fauour for Christs sake, but also sanctifieth them by his spirit, to keepe them in obedience afterward.

Now the markes, whereby a righteous 2 man may be knowne, are to be learned: for many would be reckoned in this number, which are vnrighteous: There is a generation Pro. 30. 1 [...]. which are pure in their owne conceit, and yet are not washed from their filthines. Although the best and surest knowledge ariseth from the causes of a thing, and therefore we might best learne who is a righteous man by that which was spoken before; yet because those things are inward and secret, I will teach you foure outward markes whereby a righ­teous man may be discerned.

First, a righteous man may be knowne 1 by the generalitie of his obedience, if it ex­tend it selfe to the whole course of his life, and to all the commaundements of God. If he doe not take libertie in any one sinne, but striueth to auoyd all: nor omitteth any one good dutie, but indeuoureth to per­forme all, being like to Zacharias and Eli­zabeth, Luk. 1. 6. who were iust before God, and walked in all the commaundements and ordinances of the Lord without reproofe. Considering that [Page 10] God will not dispense with any of his ser­uants for the breach of any one of his lawes, as Princes sometimes vpon speciall occasi­ons dispence with some of their subiects for penall Statutes, and seeing that hee who binds vs to all in generall, bindeth vs to e­uery one in particular: and that whosoeuer Iam. 2. 10. keepeth the whole lawe, and yet faileth in one point, is guiltie of all: a true righteous man will be as carefull to keepe one as another. Some men are like to Naaman, for he pro­fessed the true God of Israel, and promised to serue and worship him alone: yet desi­red to be borne withall for one speciall sin: herein (saith he to the Prophet) the Lord be 2. King. 5. 18 mercifull vnto thy seruant, that when my mai­ster goeth into the house of Rimmon, to worship there, and leaneth on my hand, and I bow my selfe in the house of Rimmon, the Lord bee mercifull vnto thy seruant in this point. So they are willing to auoyde all other sinnes saue onely one which serueth most for their pleasure or profit, they desire to be pardo­ned for it. These are little better then Herod was, for he feared Iohn Baptist, and reuerenced him, heard him gladly, and did many things af­ter Mar. 6. 20. him: but when Iohn told him that it was not lawfull for him to haue his brothers [Page 11] wife, he would not obey him, because that sinne serued most for his pleasure. Although a Ship bee sound in all parts but one, and leaketh in no place saue onely one, yet it may bee drowned by meanes of that one. Though the walls of a besieged Citie bee Greg. mag. moral. 11. 19. cap▪ 17. strong, and well fortified in all places saue one, and haue no breaches saue onely one, the enemies may enter in at that one, and spoyle the Citie. Our soule is as a Ship on the sea, if it haue but one hole where it leak­eth, it may make shipwracke of faith and a good conscience: it is as a Citie besieged by the Diuel and his angels, if there be but one breach in the walls of it, the diuel may there enter, and spoyle it. A birde is catched in a snare or grinne, and held fast in it, as well by one claw, as by both legs, or the whole body: so the Diuell, who layeth snares for our soules, may catch and hold them as well by one sinne, as by many. I acknowledge there is imperfection in all. Righteous Lot had a fault, iust Noah had a fall, Dauid shewed his infirmity, and Peter his frailty: yet the righteous either sinne of ignorance, not knowing that they doe amisse: or if they know it, it is not often, but seldome▪ afterward they are grieued for it, and made [Page 12] more carefull to auoyde it. But he which without repentance continueth still in one grosse sinne, and often practiseth it, cannot be reputed a righteous man, though he es­chue many other sinnes. A little leauen sow­reth the whole lumpe. As dead flyes putrefie a Eccles. 10. 1. whole boxe of oyntment, and a little folly, him that is in estimation for wisdome; so one sinne being continually practised, spoileth all his righteousnes.

Secondly, a righteous man may be known 2 by the end whereunto his workes of righte­ousnes are directed, and that is the glory of God. Let your light so shine before men (saith Matt. 5. 16. Christ) that they may see your good workes, and glorifie your father which is in heauen. And Paul saith, Whether ye eate or drinke, or what­soeuer 1. Cor. 10. 31 else yee doe, doe all to the glorie of God. Though men practise neuer so many good workes, yet if in doing of them they pro­pound not this end, they are not to be ac­counted righteous men; no more then he is to be esteemed a good Archer which can draw a strong bow, hath a faire loose, and doth shoote farre, and yet alwayes shootes a great way off from the marke. In this re­spect the Pharisies were not to be reckoned Matth. 6. in the number of righteous men, for they [Page 13] did all to be seene of men: they did fast, and pray, and giue almes, to be seene of men.

The Papists also faile in this propertie: for they doe all to merit thereby, like to hired seruants and labourers, which worke for their wages, and would do little or nothing for their Masters, vnlesse they might bee well paied for their paines. But we must ac­knowledge our selues not to bee seruants, but sonnes, and not sonnes of the bond-woman, but of the free-woman: and that we ought of dutie to serue the Lord all the daies of our liues, though we should receiue nothing for our labour. In all our workes we must seeke his glorie; if he bestow any reward vpon vs, we may take it as an vn­deserued gift of his bountifull goodnes. I graunt indeede that righteous men haue some hypocrisie and vaineglorie mingled with sinceritie in their best actions, and do some things as well for their owne prayse, as Gods glorie: yet if there be more synce­ritie in them, then hypocrisie; if they doe more good works for Gods glorie, then for other sinister ends, they lose not the name and dignitie of righteous men. For as the Philosophers teach concerning elementary bodies, that they are not made of one ele­ment [Page 14] onely, but of all foure, yet haue their names of the praedominant element, as some are called earthly bodies, not watery, aeriall, or fiery bodies, because they haue more earth, then water or ayre in them: and as the Phisitians say of the humours in mans body, that although they be not pure, but mixed one with another, yet euery one doth carry the name of that humour which doth most abound: so may wee say of the generall conuersation and the particular actions of men, that if in them they seeke more the glorie of God, then their owne prayse or profit, they are truely righteous.

Thirdly a righteous man may be knowne 3 by his perseuerance in righteousnes, for he which is truely made righteous by faith in Christ, and sanctification of the spirit, will Rom. 11. 29. continue righteous vnto the end. True and sauing righteousnes is one of those gifts of Ezek. 18. 24 God which are without repentance. It can not be lost fully and finally. Those which turne from their righteousnes and commit iniquitie, shall not liue: their former righ­teousnes shall be forgotten, and they shall dye in the sinnes which they haue commit­ted. If the righteousnes of any bee like a Hes. 6. 4. morning cloud, or as morning dew, which [Page 15] is dryed vp and vanisheth away, so soone as the sunne ascendeth on high, it shall ne­uer be acceptable to God. He onely which continueth righteous to the ende shall bee saued. As God neuer ceaseth to bestow blessings vpon vs, so should we neuer cease to serue him in holines and righteousnes all the dayes of our liues. Though we hire ser­uants for a yeare, and take apprentices for seuen yeares, yet must wee serue the Lord for euer. Yea the righteous do not only hold fast that which they haue receiued; but their teeth are so set on edge with the sweete taste of righteou [...]es, that still they desire to increase it. So many as are perfect, will be thus minded with Paul, not to count Phil. 3. 13. themselues as if they had already attained to it, but they forget that which is behind, and en­deuour themselues vnto that which is before, and follow hard toward the marke of the price of the high calling of God in Iesus Christ.

Lastly, a righteous man may be knowne 4 by his affection to righteousnes in others. He which loues righteousnes it selfe, will loue it as well in others as in himselfe: yea, he will loue all others in whom he behol­deth any seeds of righteousnes, his delight will be in the Saints that are in the earth, Psal. 16. 3. [Page 16] and in them which excell in vertue. He which loueth a child for his fathers sake, as Dauid loued Mephibosheth for Ionathans sake, loueth the father himselfe better: so he which loueth righteous men for righte­ousnes sake, declareth thereby that he lo­ueth righteousnes it selfe farre better.

Moreouer, a righteous man loueth righ­teousnes so wel, that he wil labour to make others as righteous as himselfe. Dauid pro­mised, that if y ^e Lord would create in him a cleane heart, and renue a right spirit within him, and restore him to the ioy of his salua­tion, then shall I teach thy wayes to the wicked, Psal. 51. 13. and sinners shall be conuerted vnto thee. And Peter when he is conuerted, must strengthen his Luk. 22. 32. brethren. As euery thing seeketh to beget his like; so a righteous man seeketh to make another righteous. As fire cannot be smoo­thered, whē once it hath taken hold in any place, and findeth matter to worke vpon, but will burne further and further, till it haue consumed all before it: so true righ­teousnes wrought in the heart of one, can­not there be suppressed, but will spread it selfe abroade, and worke vpon others for their conuersion. He which would be estee­med righteous, and yet keepeth all his [Page 17] righteousnes to himselfe, and doth not im­part vnto others, may iustly be suspected to haue no sound righteousnes at all.

The second title giuen to them which 2 dyed: mercifull men: Which may be taken two waies, either passiuely, or actiuely. Pas­siuely (that is here first in nature and order) for such as God hath receiued vnto mercy, as he did Paul; because he sinned ignorant­ly 1. Tim. 1. 13 Rom. 9▪ 23. through vnbeliefe. In this respect they are called vessels of mercy, prepared vnto glo­ry. And of this number are only they which repent and amend. For as Salomon saith, He Prou. 28. 13 that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper: but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall haue mercie. If we take this title in this seuse, we may see good reason wherefore it was an­nexed vnto the former. First, to shew who are truely righteous before God, namely such as he hath receiued vnto mercy, in for­giuing their sinnes. Which plainely appea­reth by Paules proofe out of Dauid: who saith, that Dauid declareth the blessednes of Rom. 4. 6. the man, vnto whom God imputeth righteous­nes without works. And how prooues he the imputatiō of righteousnes without works, but by the remission of sin. Blessed are they Vers. 7. whose iniquities are forgiuen, and whose sinnes [Page 18] are couered. Blessed is the man, to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne. Againe, this title so taken might be added to the former, to confute the sinister censure which carnall man gaue of those which were taken away in the flowre of their age, iudging them to be punished for their sinnes and reiected of God: it was not so, they were receiued vnto mercy, and those which suruiued them, were reserued for punishment.

Actiuely it may be taken for such as shew mercy vnto others. And in this sense it is opposed to a cruel man. He that is mercifull Prou. 11. 17. rewardeth his owne soule: but he that troubleth his owne flesh is cruell. These two properties are alwaies found together in the same per­sons, and therefore Christ saith, Blessed are Matth. 5. 7. the mercifull, for ther shall obteine mercie And the King in the parable which had forgiuen his seruant ten thousand talents, said vnto him when he had cast his fellow seruant in­to prison for an hundred pence: oughtest Math. 18. 33 thou not to haue had pittie on thy fellow, euen as I had pitty on thee? and then deliuered him to the iaylers, till he should pay all the debt: and so will the Lord deale with men; and therefore Iames saith, there shalbe iudgement Iam. 2. 13. mercilesse to him that sheweth no mercie. And [Page 19] contrariwise, he which receiueth mercie of the Lord, will shew mercy vnto men. For as the sunne beames lighten vpon the earth do not only heate the earth it selfe, but also by their reflexion do heate the next region of the ayre: so the beames of the Lords mer­cie lighting on the hart of any christian, do not only heate him with inward comfort, but also reflect backward, and cause him to yeeld some comfort vnto his brethren. Yet here we must vnderstand such as shew mer­cie vnto others: as they were mercifull to their brethren, so God was mercifull to them, would not punish them with the wic­ked, but tooke them away, that he might free them from future calamities.

There be two kinds of mercifulnes, the one shewed toward the soule, the other to­ward the body, an example of both we may behold in Christ: when he saw the multitude Math. 9▪ 36, 37. scattered abroad as sheepe hauing no shepheard, he had compassion on them: and bad his dis­ciples pray vnto the Lord of the haruest, that he would thrust forth labourers into his haruest, and presently after sent his dis­ciples abroad to preach the Gospell among them. There was mercie shewed to their soules. Againe, when a great multitude had [Page 20] bin with him three dayes in the wildernes, he had compassion on them, and would not send Math. 15. 32 them away fasting, least they should faint in the way. And therefore wrought a miracle in feeding foure thousand mē besides women and children, with seuen loaues and a few little fishes. There was mercie shewed to their bodies. There be sixe works of mercy Tho. Aquin. secunda se­cunda qu. 32 ar [...]. 2. appertaining to the soule, set forth in this verse: Consule, castiga, solare, remitte, fer, ora. Instruct them which be ignorant, correct them which sinne, comfort them which be heauie-hearted, forgiue them that offend thee, beare with the weake, and pray for all men. There be seuen workes of mercy ap­pertaining to the body, comprehended in this verse: Visito, poto, cibo, redimo, tego, colligo, condo. To visit them which be sicke: to giue drinke to them which be thirstie: to feede them which be hungry: to redeeme the cap­tiues: to cloath the naked: to lodge the har­bourlesse: and to bury the dead. Many doe separate these works of mercy: some will be merciful to the bodies of them which are in distresse, they keepe great hospitality, re­lieue the bodies of them which want; but do nothing for their soules: these are mer­cifull but in part, they omit the chiefest [Page 21] works of mercy: yea they are no more mer­cifull to men redeemed by Christs blood, then they are to bruite beasts. If their Oxe or Horse want meate, they will feede him: if diseased, they will seeke help for him: if he be fallen into a pit or ditch they will draw him out: and wil they do no more for man, hauing an immortall soule redeemed by Christ? As the miseries of the soule are more dangerous, so should they be more careful­ly regarded, and pitied. Others seeme to pi­tie mens soules, but not their bodies: they will instruct others, admonish them, for­giue them, and pray for them, but will not giue them one penny to help them withall: being like vnto a popish prelate, who be­ing asked a penny by a poore man, refused to giue it, but offered to blesse him: which the poore man refused, because he thought that if it had been worth a penny, he would not haue giuen it to him. As man consisteth both of body and soule, and is subiect to miseries in them both: so must we be mer­cifull to him in relieuing of both.

The second circumstance obserued in the [...] ▪ text, sheweth the manner of their death: They perish, and are taken away. There were many vnrighteous and vnmercifull men in [Page 22] those dayes, and in that countrey; yet they remained aliue, when the righteous and mercifull were taken away by death. It is Heb. 9. 27. appoynted for all men once to dye, at one time or other, and now the righteous did leade the way. Death is the way of all the world; as Iosh 23. 14. 1. King. 2. 2. Eccles 7. 4. Ioshua calleth it: and the way of all the earth, as Dauid tearmeth it: and the end of all men, as Salomon nameth it: therefore the righte­ous must walke this way as well as others. Their flesh is grasse that withereth; and their glorie is a floure that fadeth: death spareth them no more then others. The wise Eccles. 2. 15. dyeth as well as the foole. Yea in this respect the condition of the children of men, and the condition of beasts are alike, as the one dieth, so dieth the other: all was of the dust, and shall Eccles. 3. 19. returne to the dust. No maruaile then, if the condition of all men be alike. As well died Abel whose sacrifice God accepted, as Caine whose sacrifice God reiected: as well A­braham the father of the faithfull, as any children of vnbeliefe: as well Isaac sonne of the free woman, as Ishmael sonne of the bond woman: as well Iacob whom God lo­ued, as Esau whom God hated: as well chast Ioseph, as incestuous Ammon: as well meeke Moses, as rayling Rabshekah: as well [Page 23] zealous Phineas, as the luke-warme angell of Laodicea: as well Dauid a man according to Gods owne heart, as Saul from whom God tooke his spirit and mercy: as well Sa­lomon the wise, as Nabal the foole: as well tender hearted Iosiah, as hard harted Pha­raoh: as well the humble Publican, as the proude Pharisie: as well poore Lazarus to bee caried into Abrahams bosome, as the rich glutton to be caried into hell: as well Iohn the beloued disciple, as Iudas the tray­tour: as well Simon Peter the Apostle, as Si­mon Magus the sorcerer. Mercilesse death doth exercise her crueltie vpon all alike.

Question. Why should this be so? Hath not Christ dyed for the righteous, why then should they dye? Death is the reward of sinne: Christ hath satisfied for all their sinnes, wherefore should they beare this penaltie of sinne?

Answere. The righteous must dye the first death,though Christ haue died for them, and suf­fered for their sinnes. His death shall free them from the second death, but not from the first death, which is the separation of soule and body. He hath onely altered the nature and vse of the first death, but not quite taken it away. Whereas at first it was [Page 24] ordained for a punishment of sinne, he hath made it a passage into heauen: it was threatned and inflicted as a curse, but he hath turned it into a blessing. It did at first depriue men of good, but now it putteth them in possession of good. Christ hath ta­ken away the sting of it: and therefore Paul saith, O death where is thy sting? So as it can Mor [...] mini­mè quidem adhuc abesse cogitur, sed cogitur non obesse. no more hurt vs then a Bee which hath lost his sting. It doth not hurt vs, but help vs; not hinder vs, but further vs in obtaining of glory. Iacob not long before his death, pronounced this as a curse from the Lord Bernard. in trans. vpon the tribe of Simeon and Leui for their Malach. Gen. 49. 7. crueltie, I will diuide them in Iaakob, and scat­ter them in Israel. Yet when the children of Leui shewed their zeale and obedience in killing the idolaters at Moses commande­ment, Exod. 32. 28. Deut. 33. 9. Iosh. 21. the Lord turned this curse into a blessing. Their scattering was a furtherance vnto them, to make them more fit to teach the people in euery citie, and receiue the tythes of euery tribe. So at the first the Lord threatned death at the punishment of sin, but by faith in Christ, it is made the end of sinne, and beginning of glorie. He who could at the beginning bring light out of darkenes, could afterward bring a blessing [Page 25] out of a curse. If Phisicians by their arte can extract an antidote or preseruatiue against poyson, out of poysonfull things: why may not God by his infinit power and wisdome, drawe good out of euill, a mercy out of iudgement, and a blessing out of curse? Yea and as Augustine teacheth, death re­maineth August. de peccat. me­rit. [...] re­miss. lib. 2. cap. 34. still for the righteous, to exercise their faith withall. If immediatly vpon re­mission of sin there should follow immor­tality of the body, faith should be aboli­shed, which waiteth in hope for that which is not yet enioyed. Yea the Martyrs could not testifie their faith, their patience, their courage, their constancie and loue vnto Christ, in suffering death for his sake.

But now let vs more particularly consi­der the titles giuen to the death of the righ­teous. First it is said, that he perisheth, which must not so be vnderstood, as if he were quite destroyed, brought to nothing, and had no more being: as it befalleth bruite beasts at their death, whose soules being traduced with their bodies are mortall, and perish with their bodies: the righteous hath a being euen after death; yet may be said to perish in regard of outward appearance; in the iudgement of flesh and blood, he see­meth [Page 26] to perish. Yet we must know that the righteous consists of soule and bodie: his soule being immortall cannot perish by a­ny meanes: it can liue out of the bodie, as well as in the bodie. When it leaues the bo­die, it goes vnto the Lord. This Salomon taught: Dust returnes to the earth as it was, Eccl. 12. 7. Phil. 1. 23. Luk. 16. 22. and the spirit returnes to God that gaue it. This Paul wished, desiring to bee loosed and to be with Christ. This Lazarus enioyed at his death, being carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome. And this Iohn in a vision saw performed to the Martvrs: vnder the Altar hee sawe the soules of them, which were Reuel. 6. 9. killed for the word of God.

But the bodie of a righteous man may bee saide to perish: because it loseth the forme, the nature, and propertie of an hu­mane body. It is within a short space eaten vp of wormes, and turned into dust and ashes: so as there can appeare no signes of a body. Though wee make neuer so much of our bodies, yet can wee not keepe them from perishing: though we feed them most daintilie, clothe them most costly, and che­rish them most carefullie; yet at last they will become a thing of naught: the beautie of them will fade, they shall be deformed, [Page 27] and most ougly to behold. The strength of them will be taken away, so as they shall not stirre an hand or a foote: the agilitie of them will be lost: they shall remaine stiffe and be nummed: the parts and members of them shall perish and fall away one after a­nother. The flesh, blood and bones shall be so strangely turned to dust and earth, that there shall not remaine any propertie or qualitie of them: and a man, if he knew it not before, would neuer iudge that dust and earth to haue been flesh and blood and bones of a liuing man: yea so greatly shall our bodies be altered, that men shall not be able to discerne, which dust came of them, and which came of the earth.

Yet one thing I must needs adde, for the comfort of the righteous: that although his body seeme thus to perish in the iudgement of men, yet it still hath a being in the sight of God, and doth euen at that time, and in that case, remaine a member of Christs my­sticall body. For the vnion betwixt Christ and the faithfull, is not of soules only, but also of bodies: the body of euery faith­full 1. Cor. 6. 15. man and woman is truely vnited to Christs bodie. And this vnion cannot be broken, death cannot dissolue it, though [Page 28] death doth breake the vnion betwixt man and wife, yet it cannot breake the vnion be­twixt Christ and the faithfull. As death did Fulgent. ad Trasimund. de pas. d [...]m. lib. [...]. not make a separation betwixt the two na­tures of Christ at the time of his suffering: but his soule and bodie being farre distant, Damasc. de orthod. fide. lib. 3. cap. 27 the one in heauen, the other in the graue, were at that time, and in that case perso­nally vnited to his godhead: no more can death make a separation betwixt Christ and the faithfull; though their bodies doe putrifie, and lie rotting in their graues, yet stil they remaine members of his body. And as the husbandman doth make as great reckoning of that corne which he hath sowne in his field, and lies hid vnder the clods, as he doth of that which he hath laid vp safely in his garner, because he hopeth it will come vp againe and yeeld increase: so Christ Iesus doth as highly esteeme of those bodies, which are laid in their graues, as of those which yet remaine aliue, because he knowes that one day they shall rise againe vnto glory. They are sowne in dishonour, but they shall rise againe in honour. Their life is but hid for a time, and will be found out againe. Christ is able to restore that which nature hath destroyed: God doth [Page 29] herein deale no otherwise with the bodies of the righteous, then a Goldsmith will Chrysost. in Matth. ho. 35 deale with a picture of gold or a peece of plate, that is brused and worne out of fa­shion: he will cast it into the fire and melt it, not to destroy it, or suffer it alwaies to lie in the fire, but to make it a better pic­ture or peece of plate then it was before, and therefore will take it out of the fire a­gaine, and fashion it according to his mind. Wherefore let not the condition of our bo­dies Chrysost. in 1. Thes. 4. after death, make vs vnwilling to dye.

If any man entending to reedifie an old rotten house, doe first put the inhabitants out of it, and then pull down the house, and prepare for the building of it againe: haue the inhabitants of the old house any cause to be grieued? Will they not rather be glad that it is pulled downe, because they hope that it will be made better then euer it was before, and they may dwell in it with more safty and delight. Now our bodies are as old rotten houses for our soules to dwell in, if God cause our soules to depart out of them for a time, and then destroy them, that af­terward he may reedifie them, and make them fitter habitations for our soules, what cause haue we to lament? Nay rather if we [Page 30] looke not so much on the present estate of our bodies after death, as vpon the glo­rious estate which they shall haue after the resurrection, wee may reioyce and praise God for this his worke towards vs.

2 But another phrase is here vsed, to ex­presse the death of the righteous ( are taken Pagnin. Thesa [...]r. away.) The Hebrue word doth sometime signifie to be gathered (though as some ob­serue, it be neuer spokē of things scattered) and in that sense it is vsed for the death of the righteous, whē the place, whither they be gathered, is mētioned. As it is said of A­braham, Gen. 25. 8. Gen. 3 [...]. 29. Iudg. 2. 10. that he died in a good age, and was ga­thered to his people: and likewise of Isaac. As also the generation which entred with Ioshua into the land of Canaan, is said to be gathered vnto their fathers. Sometime this word doth signifie to take away: as when Rachel said, God hath taken away my rebuke▪ Gen. 30. 23. Iere. 16. 5. and the Lord saith by Ieremie: I haue taken my peace from this people. And so it is rather to be expounded in this place, because it is set downe without any addition. Wee may here obserue a seuerall doubling of the same things in this verse: two words to set forth the persons which died: two words to declare the manner of their death: & after­ward [Page 31] two words also to shew the careles re­gard of their death among the wicked.

It was vsual with the Hebrues, to repeate things diuers times together, either in the selfe same, or in the like words. Yet we must not thinke that there be any vaine repeti­tions in the Scriptures, seeing Christ for­biddeth vs to vse vaine repetitions in our Matth. 6. 7. Mat. 12. 36. praiers, and will call men to account at the day of iudgement, for euery idle word that they speake. Wee may not imagine that the holie Ghost did vse any vaine repetitions or idle words in penning the bookes of Scripture. These repetitions serue for good purposes. In prayers they shew the seruencie of him that prayeth, and his earnest desire of the thing which he asketh. In Prophecies they declare the certainty & speedines of the ex­ecution: as appeareth by Pharaohs dreame, which as Ioseph told him, was doubled vnto Gen. 41. 32. August▪ in Psal. 74. & Psal. 71. him the second time, because the thing is esta­blished of God, and God hasteth to performe it. In narrations they serue either for cōfirma­tion, to assure the hearers that the matter is true, of great importance, and worthie to be heard and marked: or els for explicati­on, the latter clause expounding the for­mer. For as nature hath giuen vnto mans [Page 32] bodie two members of the same kinde and vse, as two eyes to see withall, two eares to heare withall, two hands to handle withall, and two feete to walke withall: that if the one should faile in his office, the other might help it: so the holy Ghost hath giuen two words of the same kind and significa­tion, to many sentences of Scripture, that if the one shal faile in his office, and not fully expresse the meaning, the other might help it. And this is the reason, why the words are so often doubled in this verse, least any should gather by the former phrase that the righteous so perisheth, that he hath not any more being at all: he now saith, that he is but taken away. And he may be said to be ta­ken away, both in respect of body, and also in respect of soule. In respect of body: for al­though his body be not translated in such a manner, as the body of Henoch was, that he Gen. 5. 24. Heb. 11. 5. Deut. 34. 5. might not see death; nor as the body of Mo­ses which the Lord took and buried no man knowes in what Sepulcher; nor as the bo­die of Elias, which was carried from the earth in firie Chariots; nor as the bodies of them which shall be found aliue at the comming of Christ vnto iudgement, which shall not die, but be changed, and present­lie 1. Cor. 15. 51 [Page 33] ascend with Christ into heauen: yet is the body of euery righteous man taken from a­mongst men, to be laid amongst wormes; from y ^e liuing vnto the dead; from aboue the earth, to be laid vnder the earth; from his house to his graue; from a place of watching to a place of sleep; frō a place of care, labour, and trouble, to a place of ease and rest: from a place of pleasure and pain, of ioy and sor­row mingled together, to a place where he shall be void of sense to feele any of them.

2 In respect of his soule, consider termi­num à quo▪ & terminum ad quem, whence and whither he is taken. From his body, to be brought vnto God: from an house of clay, to an house not made with hands, but eternall in the heauens: from men to An­gels: from sinners to them which be per­fectly righteous: from his greatest enimies, to his best friends: from the Church mili­tant, to the Church triumpliant▪ from earth to heauen: from a strange countrie, to his own home: from a prison, to a place of li­bertie: from bondage, to freedome: from miserie, to happinesse: from sorrow, to ioy. Whence lie is taken you all do well know, which haue any experience in the world: whither he is brought, the Apostle tea­cheth: [Page 34] when hee saith: Ye are come to the Heb. 12. 22 23. mount Sion, and to the citie of the liuing God, the celestiall Ierusalem, and to the companie of innumerable Angels: And to the congregati­on of the first borne, which are written in hea­uen, and to God the iudge of all, and to the spi­rits of iust and perfect men: and to Iesus the mediatour of the new testament.

Who would be vnwilling thus to be ta­ken away? And why should the righteous be afraid of death, by which they are thus taken away? Had the Israelites anie cause to be vnwilling, or to feare to be taken out of the land of Egypt, the house of bōdage, and to bee caried as it were vpon Eagles wings into the land of Canaan, a land that flowed with milke and honie? No more cause haue the righteous to feare death, which would carie them from the bondage of this world, to the heauenly Canaan, a place of eternall rest. And why then should we mourne immoderately for the death of the righteous? Whē Ioseph was taken from Gen. 45. 28 prison, to be made a chief ruler in Egypt, if his father Iacob had bin in prison with him and had beene acquainted with his prefer­ment, should he haue had anie iust cause to be grieued? So soone as hee heard of it, he [Page 35] reioyced, and was willing to go vnto him. When Saul was takē frō seeking his fathers asses, and annointed to be king ouer Israel, had his father Kish any reason to lament? Whē Dauid was taken from following the Ewes great with yong ones, and ordained King to feed the Lords people, had his fa­ther Ishai anie iust occasion of sorrow? No more cause haue anie of vs to bewaile the death of the godly, seeing they are as high­ly preferred as any of thē. When Hester was takē from Mordecai (who had brought her vp as his own daughter) to be maried vnto king Ahashuerosh, and crowned as Queen, did he lament it? was he not most willing to leaue her? Why then should anie man be so vnwilling to leaue either daughter or wife, though neuer so deare vnto him, see­ing that shee is but taken vp into heauen, there to be maried vnto Christ, the husbād of his Church, and there to be crowned as a Queene to raigne in glorie with him?

But in this taking away, there is great difference betwixt the godly and the wic­ked. They are also taken away, but why? The godly are taken out of the world, be­cause the world was not worthie of them: Heb. 11. 38. but the wicked are taken away, because [Page 36] they are vnworthie to liue in the world. Those are taken away in mercie, these in iudgement: those in the Lords fauour, and these in his displeasure. And whence are these taken, or whither? They are taken from the practise of sinne, to suffer punish­ment for sinne: from ease to torment: from the first life, to the second death: from men to diuels: from earth to hell: from prison, to the place of execution. In a woful taking shall they be, when they are thus taken a­way. Their lamentable taking away is de­scribed in him, that will not in time be re­conciled to his brother. The iudge deliue­reth Mat. 5. 25. him to the sergeant, the sergeant takes him, and casts him into prison, whence he must not come till hee haue paide the vt­most farthing. Likewise in him that would Mat. 18. 34. not forgiue his fellow seruant an hundred pence, his master being wroth deliuered him to the iayler, who tooke him and cast him into prison, till he should pay all that was due. Also in him that wanted the wed­ding garment at the marriage feast of the Mat. 22. 13. kings sonne: the king saith to his seruants, binde him hand and foote: take him away, and cast him into vtter darkenes, there shall be wee­ping and gnashing of teeth. Likewise in the [Page 37] vnprofitable seruant, which would not im­ploy his maisters talent, the talent must be Mat. 25. 30. taken from him: he must be taken, and cast into vtter darkenes, where is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Lastly, in them which would not suffer their king to raigne ouer them: he shall say, those mine enemies which Luk. 19. 27. would not that I should raigne ouer them, bring hither, and slay them before me.

It is a grieuous thing for one that is ma­king merrie among his companions, to be sodainely apprehended by a sergeant or officer for a traitour, theefe, or murtherer, and presently without baile or mainep [...]ise to be taken from his companie, and carried to prison, and from thence to the place of execution: As grieuous is it for a wicked man that liues in the pleasures of sinne, to be taken away by death, which is the Lords sergeant to apprehend him, and bring him Natiuitas mala, vit [...] peivr, mors pessi [...]a. Ber­nard▪ in trā sit. Malach. to the prison of hell. As his entrance into the world was euill, and his continuance in the world was worse; so his taking out of the world shall be worst of all. Oh then let vs take heede least we be thus taken away. Let vs learne to liue in the world, as the righteous doe, and then shall we be taken away as the righteous are. Balaams wish is [Page 38] vsed by many: Let me die the death of the Numb. 23. 10. righteous, and let my last end be like his. And yet they will not liue the life of the righte­ous: but few of these obtaine their desire. Looke what way a tree boweth while it stands and groweth, the same way it com­monly falleth when it is cut downe: euen so, looke how men are inclined in their life time, to righteousnes or vnrighteousnesse; so shall they fall at their death.

Men can hardly begin righteousnesse at their last end. Late repentance is seldome sound repentance. Men drawing neere to their end, shall be so affrighted with death, so troubled with paine and grief, that they shal not be able to set themselues to repent soundly. They shall then rather seeke ease for their bodies, then mercie for their sins, or grace for their soules. The beginning of euerie thing is hardest, and therefore he Dunidium sacti qui be­ne coepit, ha­bet. which hath begun wel, is said to haue done halfe his worke. As it is in other things; so is it with repentance: it is a harder matter to begin repentance at the first, then to re­nue it afterward: & therfore the fittest time should be taken for the beginning of it: & that is rather the time of our life, then the time of our death: rather the time of our [Page 39] health then the time of our sicknesse. In the time of our life and of our health, we be scarse able and fit to begin serious repen­tance: but much more vnable and vnfit shall we be in the time of sicknes & death. We read in scripture but of one which be­came righteous at his last end, the theefe on the Crosse: wee reade of one, that no man might despaire; though hee haue deferred his repentance so long: we reade but only of one, that no man might presume to de­ferre it so long. The surest and safest way is to begin in time, & make no delayes: least afterward it be too late.

3 The third circumstance to bee obser­ued in the text, is the carelesse regard of the righteous mans death. No man considereth it in heart. It seemes that manie godly per­sons were already dead, & their death did declare that God had some speciall worke in hand, yet the common people which were left behind them, did little regard it. This carelesse contemning of their death, doth shew that y ^e harts of the commō peo­ple were possessed with great securitie, to make so small reckoning of such a strange worke of God. All the workes of God are carefully to be regarded of vs, who are set [Page 40] in this world to take a speciall view, and to make an holy vse of them. And therefore Dauid thought the wicked deserued to be broken downe, and not built vp againe, because Psal. 28. 5. Psal. 68. 20. they regarded not the workes of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands. Now the taking of the righteous away, is one of his speciall workes. For to him belong the issues of death. Psal 90. 3. Iob. 14. 5. It is he that turneth man to destruction. The number of his moneths are with him: he ap­pointeth his bounds which he cannot passe. If a sparrow shall not fall on the ground with­out Mat. 10. 29. 31. our father in heauen, then the righte­ous which are of more value then many sparrowes, cannot perish without his will and appointment. Certaine it is that none die sooner or later then he sends for them.

The works of Princes are much conside­red, and often talked of among the people; and ought not the Lords workes be much considered of vs? Their works may be done foolishly, rashly, and vniustly: but the works of God, are done in number, waight and measure, in wisdome, iustice, and mer­cie. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the Psal. 116. 15. death of all his Saints: and shall their death bee vile and contemptible in our eyes? People most commonly do highly esteeme [Page 41] those things, which are deare and precious among Princes: and shall the death of the righteous which is so precious in the Lords sight, the Prince of all Princes, be lightly esteemed of vs his people? None of them li­ueth Rom. 14. 7. 8. Phil. 1. 20. to himselfe, neither doth any die vnto him­selfe. Whether they liue, they liue vnto the Lord: or whether they die, they die vnto the Lord: whether they liue therefore, or die, they are the Lords. Yea they do glorifie God both by life and by death. And there­fore we should not lightly passe ouer their life or their death. But consider how they Ioh. 21. 19. haue glorified God by their death and by their life, and praise him for the same.

But why are we to consider their death? What may we learne thereby? We learne these foure things: First, the certaintie of death. Secondly, the nature of death. Third­ly, the cause of death: and lastly, the man­ner how we must die.

First, by considering their death, we may learne the certaintie of death in our selues, that we must dye as well as they: in which respect Salomon saith, it is better to goe to the Eccles. 7. 4. house of mourning, then to goe to the house of feasting; because this is the end of all men: and the liuing shall lay it to his heart. That is to [Page 42] say, hee which remaineth aliue, by seeing one dead, shall consider in his heart that all men shall so die, and that he himselfe shall die as well as others. The death of others is as a looking glasse, wherein we may clear­ly beholde the vncertaintie of our owne liues. We may call their death, as some doe the sacrament, visible verbū, a visible word or sermon, teaching vs our owne mortali­ty: for we haue no better assurance of our liues then they had: what we now are, they haue beene: and what they now are, wee may be: and we know not how soone. He which hath taken them away now, may within a while (if it please him) take vs also away and bring vs vnto them. As death as­saulted them, so will it assault vs; and we cā no more resist it then they could, but must yeeld as they did. We are ready to forget death, and the forgetfulnesse of death, ma­keth vs to forget our dutie vnto God: let vs therefore consider the death of others, thereby to be put in mind of our owne.

2 Secondly, by their death we may know the nature of death in al others: for it deals with all alike. We may there see how death doth deface that image of God which was in the bodie, and how it doth destroy the [Page 43] bodie, which was a temple for the holie Ghost to dwel in. If one see a faire house of a noble man to bee much defaced, & fallen to ruine, so as one stone is scarce left vpon another, it will pitie his heart: so should we be moued in our hearts to see the bodie of a righteous man, which was an house for the holie ghost to dwel in, to be so pitifully rui­nated by death. Againe, we may see what strange separations death doth make. The soule and the body which haue a long time liued together, as two familiar cópanions, are put asunder by death: and no man knowes how long it shal be before they can meete together againe.

Besides this, death makes a separation betwixt old & louing friends. The husband is separated from the wife of his youth, with Prou. 5. 18. whom hee reioyced: the wife is separated from her husband, who was her vaile to shield Gen. 20. 16. and to saue her: parents are taken from their tēder childrē, which they leaue as orphans in the world, not knowing what will be­come of them: children are taken from their kind parents, who could haue beene content to haue gone in their steed, yea fa­miliar friends, whose soules were knit to­gether in affectiō, & whose loue exceeded [Page 42] [...] [Page 43] [...] [Page 44] the loue of women, as did the loue of Dauid and Ionathan▪ are seuered one from another by death: the knot of their friendship is broken: their mutuall kindnes can be no more shewed by one to another. W [...] griefe it is for louing friends to depart one from another, we may see in Pauls friends and hearers, when he tooke his leaue of them, and told them that they must not see his face any more: They wept all abundantly, Act. 20. 37, 38. and fell on Pauls necke and kissed him; being chiefly sory for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. We had need therfore by the death of others to be put in mind of this separatiō before-hand, y ^• when it comes, we may be the better prepared for it.

Lastly, death makes a separation betwixt the rich man and his wealth: We brought no­thing [...]. Tim. 6. 7. into this world, neither must we carry any thing out of this world: Yea, men leaue their riches they cannot tell vnto whom. If that question be asked many that are ready to die, which was demanded of the rich man, who had laid vp store for many yeeres, This night shall thy soule be taken from thee, then Luk. 12. 20. whose shall these things be which thou hast pro­uided? they might truly answere, that they cannot tell. Men heape vp riches, and can­not [Page 45] tell who shall enioy them: they be­queath them to some, and others goe away with them. We had neede to thinke of this before hand, that we may vse this world as if we vsed it not: and when we haue foode and 1. Tim▪ 6. 8. rayment, to be therewith content: and to be more willing to leaue these things when death approcheth. If a man doe not in his heart deeply and seriously consider of these things a long time and often before death, he shall be as vnwilling to leaue all these things at the howre of death, as the young man was to sell his goods and giue them to the poore, when he was commaunded by Christ. In things that be of waight and im­portance, Matth. 19. and yet very difficult, it is need­ful to vse preparation before hand: for with­out it we shal be vnfit when we come to the pinch. Souldiers which be chosen and ap­pointed for the wars, do exercise themselues with their weapons before hand, and are content to be trained by others which haue better skill & experience, that so they may learne in time of peace, how to behaue themselues in time of war: So had we need in time of our life to learne how to die, and to be taught by others which die before vs, what we must do at the howre of death.

[Page 46]3 Thirdly, we must cōsider the cause or end of their death. Some of the righteous are taken away in iudgement, and some in mercie. In iudgemēt, when God in displea­sure doth strike them with death, to correct them for their sinnes. Thus was the man of God taken away which came out of Iudah, and cried out against the Altar in Bethel, that Ieroboam had set vp; because he belee­ued 1. King. 13, 24. the lie of an old prophet in Bethel, and did eate and drinke with him there, con­trarie to Gods commandement, a Lyon met him by the way, and slew him. Thus al­so were many of the Corinthians taken a­way for abusing the Lords supper: For this 1. Cor, 11. 30 cause many were sicke and weake, and many did sleepe; yet they were righteous persons: as Paul before had testified of them, Ye are wa­shed, 1. Cor. 6. 11. yee are sanctified, yee are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus, and by the spirit of our God: & afterward he reputeth them which were sicke and did so sleep, to be iudged of 1. Cor. 11, 32 the Lord, because they should not be con­demned with the world. The Lord is some­times so sharp with his owne children, that for the example of others, hee will inflict a bodily death vpon thē, as a correction for their sinnes. That should be regarded of all [Page 47] others, that their harmes may make them wise, & moue them to speedie repentance, least they be more sharpely dealt withall. For as Christ saith, If these things be done to Luk. 23. 31. 1. Pet. 4. 1 [...] a greene tree, what shall be done to the dry? And as Peter saith, If iudgement first begin at the house of God, what shall the end be of thē which obey not the Gospell of God? If the maister of a family do sharpely correct his owne chil­dren for their faults, let not the seruants thinke that they shal escape vnpunished if they cōmit the like faults. If any one which sitteth at table with vs, by eating of some dish, or drinking of some cup, do surfet, or fall sick, or into a swoune, or die presently, it will greatly moue vs, and we cannot bee perswaded by anie to tast of that dish, or drinke of that cup, for feare of the like: E­uen so when we see Gods children that liue amongst vs to bee taken away by death for practising of some sinne, it should greatly moue vs, and wee should so abhorre that sinne, that nothing in the world could per­swade vs to practise it.

Againe, others are taken away in mercy for their benefite, and for a reward of their righteousnes, to free thē from those iudge­ments which the Lord intendeth to bring [Page 46] [...] [Page 47] [...] [Page 48] vpon the world: and thus were these righte­ous men taken away, which here are men­tioned. Their death should be considered, as a warning giuen vnto men, of some fear­full iudgement to come, & therfore should cal thē to repentance, that they might pre­uent the iudgement: but of this I wil speake more afterward in the last circumstance.

4 Lastly, we must consider the manner of their death, for thereby we may learne how to die: it may be as a patterne or example to direct vs in our death. The wicked die either sottishly or impatiently, or else desperatly. Sottishly, like blocks & idiots, hauing nei­ther penitent feeling of their sins, nor com­fortable assurance of saluation. Being like vnto Nabal, whose heart ten daies before his 1. Sa. 25. 37 death, died within him, and he was like a stone. Such men die like lambes, and yet shall be a pray for the deuouring Lion: they go qui­etly like fooles to the stocks for correction.

Others dye impatiently, who doe not willingly beare the Lords correction, de­serued by their sinnes; but rage, fret, and murmure, as if God dealt too rigorously with them, and through impatiencie will vse vnlawfull meanes for their recouery: as Ahaziah did, who being sicke, sent messen­gers 2. King 1. 2. [Page 49] to enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron if he should recouer of his disease.

Others dye desperately▪ their conscien­ces accusing them most terribly for their sins, without any hope of pardon; as Caine, Gen. 4. 13. Matth. 27. 5 who said my sinne is greater then can be forgi­uen; or Iudas, who despairing of pardon for his sin in betraying our Sauiour, went and hanged himselfe. The consciences of many wicked men lye quietly, and neuer trouble them all their life time, but are stirred vp at their death, and then rage and torment them like a mad dog which is lately awa­ked out of sleep. But the righteous die most comfortably, they beleeuing in Christ, and hauing repented of their sinnes, are assured in their owne soules that all their sins are pardoned in Christ: they will make con­fession of their faith, and giue testimonies of their repentance vnto others, for their comfort and example. They will patiently indure all the paines of their sicknes, [...]s Iob did, knowing that al comes from the Lord, and that it is his fatherly correction, and a signe of his loue, because he chasteneth Heb. 12 [...]. whom he loueth: yea, they receiue their sicknesse as the Lords messenger, speaking to their soules, as the Prophet Isaiah did to [Page 50] Hezekiah: Put thine house in order▪ for thou shalt dye and not liue, and therefore they prepare themselues for another world. Yea further in their sicknes they can pray most feruently, as king Hezekiah did, Isai 38. and then they will giue most fruitfull and com­fortable instructions to those which they leaue behinde. As the Swan sings most sweetly a little before his death; so the righ­teous speake most diuinely a little before their end. Whosoeuer searcheth the scrip­tures, may reade the diuine prophecy of Iacob vnto the twelue Patriarches, Gen. 49. the holy blessing of Moses vpon the twelue tribes Deut. 33. the godly exhortation of Ioshua to the people of Israel placed by him in Canaan, Iosh. 23. the wise counsell of Da­uid vnto Salomon, who was to succeede him in the kingdome 1. King. 2. Whosoeuer rea­deth the Ecclesiasticall histories, may not onely see the vertuous liues, but also the christian like ends of the Saints and Mar­tyrs in the Church. And whosoeuer will be present at the death of those which truly feare God, may thereby learne how they themselues ought to dye: for when the out­ward man doth decay, the inward man is renewed more and more. They shew, that [Page 51] the neerer they do approch vnto their end, the neerer they draw toward heauen.

But in these our dayes many may bee found, who either do not at al consider the death of the righteous, or else do consider it amisse. Though it be a matter worth consi­deration; yet some do not consider it at all: because they see so many die, they make the lesse reckoning of it: til death knock at their owne doores, they neuer regard it: they must needes die themselues, before they can be brought to consider of death: they care not who sinck, so they swimme; nor how many die, so they may liue: yea this is great­ly to be lamented, that some do regard the death of a Christian, no more then they re­gard the death of a dog. But seeing we may learne so many profitable instructions by their death, let vs now begin to consider it better then euer we did before.

Others do consider it, but yet amisse; ey­ther fondly or frowardly. Fondly, through naturall affection arising from kinred, affi­nitie, or familiaritie▪ If a stranger dye, it no­thing moues them: but if one of their owne friends dye, they sigh and sob, they howle and lament. If the father lose his sonne, hee cryes most pitifully, as Dauid did for Abso­lom▪ [Page 50] [...] [Page 51] [...] [Page 52] O my sonne Absolom, my sonne, my sonne 2. Sa. 18. 33. Absolom: would God I had dyed for thee: O Absolom my sonne, my sonne. If the mother lose her children, she behaueth her self like Rachel weeping for her children, and would not Matth. 2. 18 be comforted, because they were not. If children lose their parents, they cry after them as Elisha did after Elias, whē he was taken vp, 2. King. 2. 12 my father, my father. If a sister lose her bro­ther, she weepeth for him, as Mary did for Lazarus. If the husband lose his wife, he Iohn 11. weepeth for her, as Abraham wept for Sa­rah: G [...]n. [...]3. [...]. Yea he mourneth like a Turtle Doue which hath lost his marrow. If the wife lose her husband, she dealeth like Naomi, who would not be called Naomi, that is beauti­ful: but Mara, that is, bitter, because the Lord Ruth. 1. 20. had giuen her much bitternes. If one familiar friend lose another, he lamenteth his death, as Dauid did the death of Ionathan: wo is me 2. Sam. 1. 26 for thee, my brother Ionathan: very kinde hast thou been vnto me: thy loue to me was wonder­full passing the loue of women.

Indeede I can not deny, but y ^• we ought in a speciall manner to consider the death of those which are neere and deare vnto [...] for it may be they are takē from vs; because we were vnworthy of them; or because we [Page 53] gloryed & trusted ouer-much in them and were not so thankfull for them as we ought. If we had any help by them, we must consi­der whether God haue not depriued vs of them for the punishment of our sins, as the widow of Sarepta did at y ^e death of her son, saying vnto Eliah: Art thou come vnto me to 1. King. 17. 18. call my sinne to remembrance, and to slay my sonne? Yet this consideration must be orde­red by wisdome, it must not be ioyned with excessiue sorrow. Neither must we consider their death alone, but also the death of o­thers which dye in the Lord, and to learne to make an holy vse thereof. For as Sampson found sweete hony in the carkas of a dead Lyon; so we may finde some sweet instruc­tions in the dead corps of euery righteous man: yea the more righteous that they are which do dye, the more should their death be considered, because it may yeeld greater store of instruction vnto vs. And it may be that God doth take away those which are neere vnto vs, because we doe carelesly re­gard the death of those which be farre off.

Againe, some consider the death of the righteous very frowardly and peeuishly, yea I may say malitiously & preposterously. For if any of them be taken away by a so­daine [Page 54] and extraordinary death, they pre­sently censure them as plagued of God, and cōdemne their former profession, thinking that God would not haue so dealt with them, if he approued either of them or their profession. But they must be instructed in this point by wise Salomon, who sayth: that no man knoweth loue or hatred of all that is be­fore Eccles. 9. 2. him. All things come alike to all: and the same condition is to the iust and the wicked, to the good and the pure, and to the polluted: to him that sacrificeth, & to him that sacrificeth not. Eli was a Priest, and a good man; yet 1. Sa. 4 18. brake his neck by falling backward from his [...]eate. Ionathan was a sworne brother vnto Dauid, a godly and faithfull friend; 1. Sam. 31. yet was he slaine in battaile by the hands of the Philistines. That Prophet of God which came out of Iudah to Bethel to speake a­gainst 1. King. 13. Ieroboam, and the altars which he had built for idolatry, was no doubt an holy man; yet was he killed in y ^• way by a Lyon. Iosiah was a good King, like vnto him there was no King before him, neither after him rose any like him: yet was he slaine in the valley of Megiddo by Necho King of Egypt. 2. Chr. 35. 23 Iob [...] children were wel brought vp by their godly father, and it is sayd, that before Iob [Page 55] offered sacrifice for them, they were sancti­fied: Iob. 1. yet within a while after, as they were eating and drinking in their eldest bro­thers house, a violent wind ouerthrew the house, and killed them all.

We must not therefore iudge of men by their death, but rather by their life. Though sometime a good death may follow an euill life: yet an euill death can neuer follow a good life. Correct thine euill life, and feare not Corrige ma­lè vinere, ti [...]e malè [...]ori: sed n [...]i tim [...]r [...] ▪ Non potest malè mori, qui bene vixerit. an euill death: he can not die ill that liues well, saith Augustine. And afterward answeres the obiections of these men, and makes this the foote of his song. Thou wilt say vnto mee haue not many iust men perished by shipwracke? Certainely, hee can not dye ill, which liued well▪ Haue not many iust men beene slaine by the N [...]m mul [...]i iusti nau­ [...]sragio peri­erunt? enemies sword? Certainly, he can not die il which liued well. Haue not many iust men been killed by theeues? Haue not many righteous men bin torne in pieces by wild beasts? Certainly, hee can Certè non potest malè mori, qui bene vixe­ [...]i [...] ▪ &c. not die ill which liued wel &c. But I wil say vn­to such as censure the righteous for their strange and violent death, as Christ said of those eighteen, vpon whom y ^• tower of Si­loam August▪ de d [...]s [...]l. Christian. cap. 3. fell and flew them: Thinke ye that these were greater sinners then others? I tel you nay; but except ye repent, ye all shall likewise perish Luke 13 4. 5.

[Page 56]As for sodaine death, it is euill to them which lead an euill life, because it findes them vnprepared, it carries them away [...]o­dainelie vnto torment: but it is not euill to them which liue well; because it finds them prepared: it frees them from much paine which others endure through long sicknes, and carries them forth-with to the place where they desire to be. The righteous doe so dispose of themselues in the morning, as if they might dy before night; and at night, as if they might die before morning: and therefore whensoeuer death comes it finds them prepared, and is a benefit vnto them.

2 Againe, if the righteous a little before death, be dangerouslie tempted by Sathan, and shew their infirmitie by vttering some speeches which tend to doubting or despe­ration (though after ward they get victory, and triumph ouer the diuell) carnall peo­ple think there is no peace of conscience, and therefore no saluation to bee had, by that religion: and so speake euill of it. Let such consider the estate of Iob in his mise­rie, who cursed the day of his birth, saide that the arrowes of the almightie did sticke in him, the venome whereof had drunke vp his spirit: that the terrours of God did fight against him [Page 57] that the Lord was his enimie: did write bitter things against him: and did set him as a butte to shoote at. As also the estate of Dauid, through terrour of conscience, while hee concealed his sinne. His bones consumed, he Psal. 32. 3. rored all the day long, his moysture was turned into the drought of sommer.

Againe, let him know that the diuell doth most tempt the best. He then tempted Christ, when he was baptized and filled with Luk. 4. 1. the holie Ghost: so will hee most tempt Chri­stians, when they haue receiued greatest gifts of Gods spirit. As theeues labour to breakedowne, and rob those houses onlie, where great store of treasure or wealth is laid vp; and as Pyrats desire to take that ship which is best loden with the dearest merchandise: so the diuell doth most seeke to make a pray of them which are endued Chrysost. ad pop. Anti­ [...]c [...]. hom. 2. Luk. 11. 21. with the greatest measure of spirituall gra­ces. When the strong man armed keepeth the house, the things that he possesseth are in peace: but when a stronger then he, ouercommeth him, then hee gathereth greater forces, and makes a new assault to enter againe. In any commotion, whom doe rebels kill and spoile? not those which submit them­selues vnto them, and ioyne with them in [Page 58] their rebellion: but those which are faith­full to their Prince, & fight for their Prince against them, as hath appeared of late in the rebell of Ireland. Now the diuell is as a Terrone. rebell in the Lords kingdome: whome then will he most trouble and assault? not the wicked which submit themselues vnto him and ioyne with him in rebellion against God, but the godlie which abide faithfull, and fight vnder the Lords banners against him. Whosoeuer would raigne with Christ in heauen, must ouercome the diuell on earth: for he promiseth: To him that ouer­commeth Reuel. 3. 20. will I graunt to sit with mee in my throne, euen as I ouercame, and sit with my fa­ther in his throne. How can there be a victo­rie, wherothere is no battaile? And how can there be any battaile, where there is not assaulting and resisting? And no meruaile though the diuell do most assault the righ­teous at their death, for hee taketh the op­portunitie of the time, his wrath is thē great: knowing that he hath but a short time. He must Reuel. 12. 12. either ouercome thē at that instant, or els not at all: yea hee takes the aduantage of their present weakenesse, and those sinnes which before hee perswaded people to bee small and light, at the time of death he ma­keth [Page 59] great and heauie, Euen as a tree or Dadr. loe. comm. tit. mors metu­enda malis. Et Ioh. Ma­ria Verrat. de incar­nat. cap. 12. peece of wood, while it swims in a riuer seemeth to bee light, and one may easilie draw it; but when it comes to the shore and is laid vpon drie ground, can scarcelie be drawne by ten men: so sin is made light by the diuell so long as men liue; that so hee may still encourage them to practise it; but when it comes to the shore of death, then he makes it heauie, and begins most to trouble their consciences with it, that if it were possible they might by it bee brought to desperation. In the midst of the temptation when the godlie seeme most to be ouercome, they are but like to a man in a traunce, who lies as though he were dead; Act. 20. 10. yet he hath life in him: and therfore as Paul saw that life was in Eutiches embraced him, and deliuered him aliue, when the people tooke him vp for dead; so God seeth life in the righteous being tempted, when men take them for dead: and hee will at last so restore them, as that they shall liue for euer with him.

3 Lastlie, others beholding them which were reputed righteous, to die very strang­lie, to raue, to blaspheme, to vtter many idle and impious speeches, to be vnrulie and [Page 60] behaue themselues verie foolishlie [...], they begin to suspect their profession: but let them know, that these things may arise from the extremitie of their disease. For in hote feuers and burning agues, the choler ascending into the braine, will hinder the vse of their vnderstanding; and so cause thē thus to misbehaue themselues rather like madmen then Christians. And therefore as Paule said of himselfe after regeneration, it Rom. 7. 17. is no more I that doe it, but the sinne that dwel­leth in me: so may I say of them, it is not they which doe it, but the disease which is vpon them. All sinnes committed by the righteous in those extremities, are but sins of ignorance, because they want the vse of reason to iudge of sinne: they are also sins of infirmitie, arising from the frailtie of their flesh: and for them they will after­ward repent, if they recouer the vse of rea­son, and be able to know them to be sins: or if they doe not; they are freelie pardo­ned in the death of Christ, as well as other such sins be. Wherefore I say to those, which censure them vncharitablie for that their end, as Christ said to the Iewes fontheir car­nall censure of him. Iudge not according to Iohn 7. 24. the appearante, but iudge righteous iudgment: [Page 61] yea, iudge not, that yee be not iudged. Matth. 7. 1.

5 In the last place the finall cause and end of their death is to bee considered. They be taken away from euill to come. The speciall euils from which these righteous persons were taken, are mentioned in the former Chapter, to be deuoured in a cru­ell manner by the wilde beasts of the for­rest. Verse [...]. But we must further vnderstand that the euils from which the righteous are ta­ken, are either ordinarie or extraordinarie. The ordinarie euils are those which eyther all men, or most men doe suffer. And these are eyther corporall or spirituall: corporall, as sicknes and diseases, aches and paines in their bodies, griefe and sorrow, toyle and labour, crosses and losses, outward troubles and persecution. Gods children so long as they liue are subiect vnto these, as wel as o­thers; yea oftentimes more then others. He which will bee Christs Disciple must take vp Luk 9. 23. his crosse daylie and follow him. Through manie tribulations wee must enter into the Act. 14. 22. kingdome of heauen. Iudgement begins at the house of God. The Lord doth chastise 1. Pet. 4. 17 his children by his iudgements, least they should be condemned with the world. A August. in Psalm. 91. father hath two sons, the one offends, and [Page 62] is corrected; the other also offendeth, & is not corrected, why is the one corrected and not the other? because the father hath hope of his amendment, and reserues the inheri­tance for him: but he hath no hope of the other, and therefore will not correct him, but doth disinherite him and cast him off: so doth God deale with men. Those which hee seeth incorrigible, hee letteth alone, though they offend; yet he seldome corre­cteth them, but casts them off: but others which may by correction bee brought to repentance and kept in awe, he often cor­recteth, and for them is reserued an inheri­tance immortall and vndefiled in heauen: yea the world hateth them, because they are not of the world; yea among men they shall oftentimes suffer euill for righteous­nes sake. And God hereby will make triall of their faith, of their patience & constan­cie, and herein make them examples vnto others: so that they must looke for afflicti­ons so long as life lasteth: but death makes an end of them al. Life and miserie are two twins, which were borne together, & must die together. And therefore Iohn heard it from heauen, & was commaunded to write it for the comfort of men on the earth: bles­sed [Page 63] are the dead, which die in the Lord, for they Reue. 14. 13. rest from their labours, and their works follow them. Then shall God wipe all teares from their eyes, then shall there be no more sor­row Reuel. 21. 4. nor crying, nor paine. Then shall they haue euerlasting rest and no labour: conti­nuall ioy, and no sorrow: perpetuall plea­sure, and no paine: great plentie of all good things, and no want: all manner of happi­nes, and no miserie.

The spirituall euils, from which they are freed by death are three. First their combat with the diuell. Here we are in continuall warfare: this is the militant Church: so long as wee liue and abide in it, wee must fight as the Lords souldiers, & not against flesh and bloud; but against principalities, against powers, and against worldlie go­uernours, the Princes of the darkenesse of this world: and not for a naturall or tem­porall, but for a spirituall and eternall life: not for an earthlie, but for an heauenlie kingdome. And in this battell there is no time of truce. If the diuell be ouercome at one time, he will on a sodame, and none knowes how soone, giue a fresh assault a­gaine▪ but death ends tho battell: not as if the diuell got the victorie by our death, as [Page 64] it is commonly seene among warriours on the earth, if the one die in fight, the other getteth the vpper hand: but the faithfull at their last end, get a finall conquest, and then ascend to heauen there to triumph. The diuell cannot assault them there. He may compasse the earth, but he cannot enter within the lists of heauen. He neuer came thither to assault any, since he was first cast out; though he tempted Adam in the earthly Paradice, and got him thrust out of it: yet can he not tempt any in the heauenly Paradice, to cause them to be thrust thence. And therefore as a souldier which hath endured an hard and dange­rous battell a long time, doth greatly re­ioyce when he hath gotten the victorie: so may the faithfull reioyce at the houre of their death, because then they make a fi­nall end of their spirituall enemies, and be­gin their triumph ouer them.

2 Another miserie from which they are freed, is the practise of sinne. Who liueth and sinneth not, as Salomon saith: In many things we offend all. Though we be [...]ruely sanctified, yet it is but in part, and there­fore we may say with S. Paul. I allow not that Rom. 7. 17. 19. 22. 23. which I doe, for what I would that I doe not: [Page 65] but what I hate, that doe I. And further, I de­light in the law of God concerning the inner man, but I see another law in my members, re­belling against the law of my minde, and leading me captiue vnto sinne. And nothing is more grieuous vnto a true Christian heart then the practise of sinne; and therefore euerie one in this case, will cry out with the same Apostle. O wretched man that I am, who shall Rom. 7. 24. deliuer me from the bodie of this death? But death destroyes sinne. Sinne brought in death: and death driues out sinne. After death all the righteous shall be perfectlie sanctified; and made like the Angels to do the will of the Lord readilie, willinglie, and cheerefullie. As herbs and flowers breed wormes in them, yet those wormes at last will kill the hearbes and flowers: so sinne bred death in it selfe, but at last death will kill sinne. And as Sampson could not kill the Philistims, who were his greatest eni­mies, but by his owne death: no more can the righteous kil sin which is not their least enimie, but by their own death. At the first, death was ordained as a punishment for sinne, but now it is vsed as a meanes to stop the course of sin. It was then said vnto man, if thou sinne, thou shalt die the death: but now [Page 66] it is said, thou must die, least thou sinne: that Maiore & mirabiliore gratia sal­uatoris in vsus iusti­tiae poena peccati cō ­ue [...]sa est, tunc enim dictum est [...]omin [...], [...]io­ [...]ieris si peccaueris: nunc dici­tur morere, ne p [...]ce [...], &c. Au­gust. ciuit dei. 13 4. Epiphan. cont. haeres. lib. 2. sect. 1. haeres. 64. cont. Orig. which thē was to be feared, that men might not sin, must now be suffered, least they should sinne. Sinne hath taken such deepe roote in our bodies, that it cannot be destroyed, vnlesse the bodie be as it were quite plucked vp by the roots: least any roots remaining, new buds of sinne doe sprout from the same▪ If a wild figgetree doe grow in the walles of a faire temple, and spread the roots of it al a­long ouer all the stones of the whole buil­ding; it will not cease from springing, till all be pulled downe: if the stones be pulled downe, they may afterward bee set vp a gaine in their owne places, and the temple made as faire as euer it was: and so the fig­tree may be pulled vp by the rootes & will grow no more (this comparison haue the learned vsed.) In the same manner, the Lord a skilfull workeman, hauing made man for his temple, there sprung sinne in him like a wilde figtree, which was spread wholie ouer all parts of man, and it could not be destoryed, vntill the bodie was de­stroyed by death: and God hauing destroy­ed the bodie by death, that so hee might quite roote out sin, will build it vp againe, to be a new temple vnto him: yea mans bo­die [Page 67] was in this respect like vnto a faire and Epiph. ibid. beautifull picture of gold, which an enui­ous and ill disposed person doth so mangle and disfignre, as that it cannot be brought vnto the same forme and beautie, vnlesse the owner doe melt it againe, and fashion it all a new.

3 Furthermore, it is some euill for the righteous to dwell among ill neighbours. It greatly greeueth them to see others com­mit sinne, and dishonour God. Lot being 2. Pet. 2. 8. righteous, and dwelling among the Sodomites, in seeing & hearing their vnlawfull deeds, vex­ed his righteous soule from day to day. And Psal. 119. 136. Dauid said, Mine eyes gush out with riuers of water, because they keep not thy law. And also, Psal. 120. 5. woe is me that I remaine in Meshech, and dwell in the tents of Keaar. Hee which is truelie grieued for sin in himselfe, wil also be grie­ued for sinne in others. Now the world is so fraught with sinners, that if a man would not keepe companie with fornicators, or with the couetous, or with extortioners, or with idolaters, then as Paul saith, he must go 1 Cor. 5. 10. out of the world. Death therefore frees men from this euill, because it taketh them out of the world, and suffereth them not to be­hold eyther the sinnes which men commit [Page 68] against God, or the euils which God doth bring vpon them: yea death doth carrie them into heauen to the holie angels and spirits of iust and perfect men, which sinne not at all, but fulfill the will of God in all perfection. They shall haue cause to reioyce for them, and not to be grieued at them.

There be also extraordinarie euils, from which the righteous are deliuered by death; and those are extraordinarie iudgements which the Lord bringeth vpon the people and countrie where they dwelt, for some late and grieuous sins. Thus was a young child of Ieroboam dealt withall. The Lord threatned to bring euill vpon the house of Ieroboam, and to sweepe off the remnant of his house, as a man sweepeth away dung til it be all gone. Yea the dogs should eate him of Ieroboams stocke that died in the Citie, and the foules of the aire should eate him that died in the field: yet that childe should die in his bed, and all Israel (as it is said) shall mourne for him: for he onlie of Ieroboam shall 1. King. 14. 13. come to the graue, because in him there is found some goodnes toward the Lord God of Israel, in the house of Ieroboam. Thus also was good king Iosiah dealt withall. The Lord told him before hand, because thine heart melted, [Page 69] and they hast humbled thy selfe, hast rent thy clothes and wept before mee: behold therefore 2. King. 22. 20. I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be put in thy graue in peace, and thine eyes shall not see all the euill which I will bring vpon this place. And thus was Luther dealt withall (as some haue obserued) who was taken away in peace, not long before the Lord brought Caluins cō ­ment vpon this place. that miserable calamitie vpon Germanie, which he had often foretold, would come vpon that people for the contempt of the Gospel. Who also desired that hee might be called out of the world, before he saw those grieuous punishments which hee greatly feared. Though this be no perpetuall law: for sometime the righteous perish in the common destruction among the wicked, as Ionathan did with Saul & other Israelites Cyprian de mortal. sect. 5. in battell against the Philistims. And in the Pestilence Christians haue dyed with the Infidels.

Sometime God spareth the wicked for the righteous mens sake which liue a­mong them. The Lord promised Abraham, that if he could finde ten righteous men [...]n Sodome, hee would not destroy the citie for Gen. 18. 32. those tennes sake. And Iob sayd, The inno­cent shall deliuer the yland, and it shall be pre­serued Iob. 22. 30. [Page 70] by the purenes of his hands. Yea wheate and tares must grow together till the har­uest, Mat. 13. 30. 39. that is, good and bad must liue toge­ther in the world, vntil y ^e end of the world. Yet oftentimes God pluckes his children out of fire, which shall consume the wic­ked; and prouides a place of safety for them in heauen, before he powre forth his iudge­ments vpon the earth. Lot was commaun­ded Gen. 19. 22. to make haste vnto the citie of Zoar to saue him there, because the Lord could doe nothing vnto Sodom, till hee was come thi­ther. And when the Lord would destroy Ierusalem for the abominations commit­ted in it, he shewed to the Prophet in a vi­sion Ezech. 9, 4. the destroyers, comming forth with their weapōs to destroy: yet they must not touch any, vntill they were all marked in their fore heads, which mourned for all the abominations done in the midst of it. And the destroying Angels must not hurt the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till the Reuel. 7. 3. seruants of God were sealed in their foreheads. As the righteous are carefull to serue the Lord; so is he carefull to preserue them. As they haue not bin partakers with the common sort in the practise of sin, so shall they not bee partakers with them in suffe­ring [Page 71] punishment. He takes them from a­mong the wicked, and then executeth his iudgements vpon the wicked alone. The Egyptians did vse to gather their corne out of the fields, and laid it vp in their barnes, and then caused the Israelites to gather the Exod. 5. stubble to make bricke withall; and in some Countreys, Farmers first carry the corne into their barnes, and then burne the stubble in the field where it growes: so the Lord first gathereth the righteous into the kingdome of heauen, and then consumeth the wicked on the earth. It is farre from the iudge of all the world to slay the righteous with Gen. 18. 25. the wicked.

1. In this respect those which suruiue the righteous haue iust cause to feare some pre­sent Vses. euils, and labour by vnfained repen­tance, if it be possible, to preuēt them. Their death is a plaine prognostication of some e­uils to come, and should be as a trumpet to awaken others out of the sleepe of▪ sinne. Many of the wicked reioyce when the god­ly are taken away frō them: they loue their roomes better then their company: they hated them and their profession in their life time, because, as they say, they are not for our profit, and they are contrary to our do­ings: [Page 72] they checke vs for offending against the Wisd. 2. 12. 15. law: it grieueth vs to looke vpon them: for their liues are not like other men; and there­fore at their death they are glad that they are rid of them: when indeede they haue greater cause to howle and weepe for the miseries that shall come vpon them. The righteous need not to imitate the vngodly practise of Herod, who being ready to dye, Ioseph. an­tiquit li. 17. cap 9. de bell. Iudaico lib. 1. [...]1. & thinking that his death would be a great ioy to many, shut vp in prison some noble men of euery towne: and required his sister Salome, & her husband Alexa, that so soone as he was dead, they should kil those noble men, and then all Iudaea would lament his death. The Lord himselfe doth often make the death of the righteous to be lamented, by sending of extraordinary iudgements immediatly after their death. When Noah enters into the Arke, the world is drowned with the floud: when Lot departs out of Se­dome, it is burnt with fire.

2 In this respect also y ^• righteous haue no cause to feare death, but rather to desire it: for what is it but an ending of some trou­bles, and a preuenting of others? They may with Paule desire to be loosed and to be with Phil. 1. 23. Christ, which is best of all. It is true which [Page 73] Salomon saith, That the day of a mans death is Eccle [...]. [...]. 3. better then the day of his birth. For the day of a godly mans birth is the beginning of his misery: but the day of his death, is the end of his misery. Indeede the day of a wicked mans death is the most wofull day that euer befell him; for hee is not taken away from the euill to come, but he is taken vnto euill, to be tormented in hell for euermore. And therefore he feares death as much, as a malefactour feareth a Sergeant that com­meth to carry him to prisō, where he is like to abide till the day of execution. That is true in them which the Diuell sayd. Skin for skin, and all that euer a man hath, will he giue Iob. 2. 4. for his life. And as the Gibeonites were con­tent rather to bee bondmen, and hewers of Iosh 9. wood, and drawers of water, then to be kil­led by the Israelites as other nations were: So they had rather indure any kinde of mi­sery then to die as others doe, because they feare a worse estate after death, and there­fore must bee pulled from the earth with as great violence, as Ioab was pulled from the hornes of the altar, vnto which he had fled 1. King. 2. 28 as to a place of refuge. But the godly kno­wing what an happy exchange they make by death, they desire to dye so soone as it [Page 74] pleaseth the Lord. Indeede none ought for the ending of present calamities, or preuen­ting of future miseries, to shorten their own dayes, as Saul did by falling on his owne sword: nor yet for the present enioying of eternal happines, procure their own deat [...]; as Cleombrotus did, who reading Plato his August. de Ciuit Dei. lib. 1. ca. 22. Nullam a­ [...]am reci­pio, quae me [...]clenti sepa­ratur à cor­pore. booke of the immortalitie of the soule, cast himself headlong from a wal, that he might change this life for a better. He onely who gaue life, must take it away: and the Lord may say to such, I will receiue no soules, which against my will haue gone out of the body: the Philosophers which died so, were martyrs of foo­lish philosophie. Yet seeing that death freeth Yales stulta philosophia habeat mar­tyres. the righteous from present and future mi­series, they may be most willing to dye, so soone as the Lord calleth for them: and Hieron. ad [...]ar [...]ell. when death approacheth, may say with Si­meon: Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart Luk. 2. 29. in peace.

3 Lastly, in this respect we must learne not to mourne immoderately for the death of the righteous. Though we receiued great comfort, and inioyed some benefit by them while they were aliue: yet seeing that death is an aduantage vnto them, we should be content patiently to beare our owne losse, [Page 75] in respect of their great gaine. If two friends should lye in prison together, or should dwell together in a strange countrey, where both of them were hardly vsed, were many wayes iniured, endured great want, and su­stained much miserie: though they loued one another dearely, and the one were an helpe and comfort to the other; yet if the one should be taken from the other, and brought to his chiefest friends, and among them be not onely freed from all such mise­ries as before he had endured, but also be aduanced to great preferment; will the o­ther which is left behind him, be disconten­ted at it? Will he not rather wish himselfe to be there with him in the like case; then desire, that either he had stayed with him, or might returne againe? This our life is as a prison, or straunge countrey, in which we indure great miserie, and may euery day looke for more: if therefore our deerest friends be taken from vs, freed from these miseries, and aduanced to great glorie with Christ and his Saints in the kingdome of heauen; we haue no cause to wish that ei­ther they had stayed longer with vs, or might returne againe vnto vs; but rather desire that we might quickly go vnto them, [Page 76] to be glorified in like sort. Though we may thinke that they dyed too soone for vs, yet they dyed not too soone for themselues: for the sooner they come to rest and happines, the better it is for them. Their condition is farre better then ours, for they are freed from misery; we are reserued for further mi­sery: they are already arriued at the hauen of eternall rest: and we are stil tossed on the Greg. Na­ziar. suner. patris. sea of this world, with troublesome waues, and dangerous tempests they haue ended their iourney with lesser trauaile, and ma­king a shorter cut: and wee are yet trauai­ling with wear [...]omnesse in our iourney. If any one of them could speake after their death, he would say vnto those which weep for him, as Christ sayd to the daughters of Ierusalem: Weepe not for me, but weepe for your selues, and for your children; because of the Luke. 23. 28 dangerous dayes which shall ensue: Or as Christ said vnto his disciples, If ye loued me, ye would verily reioyce, because I go vnto the Father. Iohn. 14. 28.

But if examples do moue any thing at al, I may apply al that hath bin spoken to our present occasion. A righteous woman is peri­shed: a mercifull woman is taken away: let vs lay it to our hearts, and consider that she is [Page 77] taken away from euill. I am fully perswaded that she is deliuered from ordinary euils: and it may be her death hath in her self pre­uented some extraordinarie iudgements which remaine for vs that are left behinde. Sin is now so ri [...]e and ripe among vs, that we may iustly feare some strange future e­uils: God graunt, that as she hath preuen­ted them by her death, so we may preuent Illa quidem anima in so­cieta [...]em re­cepta sideli­um atque ca [...]tarum, laudes nec cu [...]at, nec qu [...]rit hu­mana [...], [...]n [...] ­tationem tantum qu erit. August. Epist. 125. ad Cornel. them by our vnfained repentance.

I know that she, being receiued into the society of the Saincts in heauen, neither ca­reth for, nor seeketh mans praises: she neither needeth our prayers, nor yet our prayses: if she desire any thing, it is our imitation. Yet to praise y ^e dead, is a thing lawfull in it self, and profitable vnto the liuing. If it had not bin a thing lawfull, neither Dauid would so highly haue commended Ionathan for his feruent and constant loue, 2. Sam. 1. 26. nei­ther would the holy Ghost haue commen­ded king Iosiah for his integrity aboue all others, 2. Chro. [...]5. 23. Neither would the author to the Hebrews haue so greatly prai­sed Heb. 11. the Patriarchs and Prophets for their excellent works of faith. N [...]ither would Christ haue commaunded, that wheresoeuer the Gospell should be preached throughout all [Page 78] the world, that which the woman had done in Math. 26. 13. [...]anointing him, should be spoken of▪ for a memo­riall of her. God would not haue the vertu­ous deedes, and holy examples of the righ­teous to bee buried with them, but to bee kept in remembrance, for the imitation of others. Christ commended some while they were aliue, as the Centurion for the greatnes of his faith, Math. 8. Iohn Baptist for his con­stancie, his [...]obrietie in his apparell, and the dignitie of his office, Math. 11. May we not then praise the dead? For we may best com­mend saylers whē they arriue at the hauen, and souldiers when they haue gotten the victorie. These praises may profit the liuing: they may comfort the friends of the decea­sed, assuring them of their happie exchange by death. And for this cause the Fathers in their consolatorie letters written to them which lost their friends, haue inserted large praises of them: they may stirre vp others to praise the Lord for them, and likewise pro­uoke thē to follow their good example. As fire, whē it is raked into, wil cast forth some Basil. s [...]rm. in [...]o [...]d. Martyr. heate and light; and precious oyntment if it be stirred, wil cast forth a sweete smel to thē which be neere: so y ^• praises of Saints depar­ted being mentioned, will yeeld some com­fort [Page 79] and profit to those which heare them.

I may the more boldly speake some­what of this godly Gentlewoman, whose soule (I doubt not) God hath taken vnto himselfe, and whose body is now to bee committed vnto the earth, because I knew both the course of her life, and the manner of her death. It pleased God betime to sea­son the vessel of her heart with heauen­ly liquour, whereof it did alwayes tast af­terward: good seede was sowne in her soule at the beginning, which budded and brought forth good fruite vnto the ende. She was by nature very humble and lowly, not disdaining any: very louing and kind, shewing courtesie to all: very meeke, and milde, in forbearing euery one; so as they which did daylie conuerse with her, could neuer see her angrie: and hereby she got the loue of all. For matters of religion few went before her. She gaue her selfe much to reading: as Paula did traine vp her maides De scripturis sanctis quo­tidie aliquid discere. to read, and learne euery day some thing in the Scriptures; so did she accustome her selfe to reade euery day eight chapters in the bible: and would not suffer any occasiō Hieron. Epi­taph. Paule ad Eystoch. to hinder her in that taske: yea and more­ouer at conuenient leasure would reade o­uer [Page 80] other godly bookes for her further in­struction. She was also much giuen to pray­er: for besides that shee would both mor­ning and euening ioyne in prayer with the family, she was espyed to seeke out solitary places for priuate prayer and meditation. She did most dutifully frequent the publick exercises in the Church: had a speciall care to sanctifie the Sabboth; and was greatly grieued, if shee might not heare one or two Sermons on that day. Although she dwelt farre from the Church, yet would she neuer be absent, if shee were able either to goe or ride. Yea she might be found in the Church when others which dwelt neerer, and were able to haue come, might haue bin found in their houses, or vnfit places for that time. By these meanes shee did greatly increase in knowledge, not being like those women which are euer learning, but are neuer able to 2. Tim. 3 7. come to the knowledge of the truth. But rather like Dauid, who vnderstoode more then the Ps. 119. 100 ancient.

She had a very tender conscience, and would often weepe not only for her owne sins, but also for the sins of others; especial­ly if she espied a fault in those which were neere vnto her, & whom she loued dearely. [Page 81] had a dangerous conflict, yet a ioyfull con­quest. Not long after the beginning of her sicknes, being a weeke before her death, I comming to visit her, found her some what troubled in conscience; the enemy had then begun to assault her: but within a while, by conference with me and others and also by prayer, she was comforted. But after our departure, the enemy did more strongly & strangely assault her againe, as might ap­peare to them which were present: for she neither would, nor yet could conceale it.

Though I was not present at this conflict, yet was I present at the conquest. I com­ming to her the day before her death, found her exceedingly rauished with the ioyes of heauen, praysing God most cheerefully for his great mercies, and wonderfull works of God toward her, repeating many verses of the Psalmes, and other places of Scripture, to expresse the worke of the Lord vnto her, and to set forth her thankfulnes vnto him. She said, the path was smooth, and strowed with flowers where she did treade, that she was as it were in Paradice, and felt a sweete smell, as in the garden of Eden: that the ioyes which she felt were wonderfull, wonderfull! repeating that word oftentimes together. I cannot rehearse [Page 82] the least part of those heauenly speeches which then shee vttered. She often desired others to pray and to praise God for her: and when I had once ended prayer, within a while after she would desire me to pray againe. The next morning which was the day of her death, I saw her continue in the like sort, though not able by reason of her weakenes, to speake so much: she then de­sired our prayers againe for her, and when prayer was ended, and I gone out of the house toward the Church, she caused mee to bee called backe, to pray once againe with her; and whē I departed, wished some faithithfull Minister to help me, and thus continued in godly speeches and prayers vntill her last end. This was the manner of her death.

I haue heard that some speake very vn­charitably of her, by reason of her tempta­tion, and thereupon mutter much against religion it selfe: but such should remember that which I haue spoken before, that the Deuill most assaulteth them which be most godly, thinking to hinder all religion, if he may preuaile with such: Origen. in Num. ho. 27 Hier [...]n. ad E [...]stoch. de custod. vir­gin [...]t. and if you yet Auguct. de temp. serm. 85. Chryso­log. serm. 79. doubt of this point, I could shew the testimony of the best learned to approue it. And in temp­tation [Page 83] the best may quaile, to shew how Chrys [...]t▪ ad pop. Anti­o [...]h. hom. 1. & hom 30. in Genes. Cyprian. ep. lib. 3 epi. 1. Bernard. in Psal. q [...] ha­bitat. se [...]. 7. Greg. mag. pastoral. part. [...]. adm. 29. [...]ist. lib. 7. cap. 53. & lib. 10. [...]p. 38. weake wee are, and to keepe vs from pre­sumption. Yet seeing that as Iacob spake of the tribe of Gad, An host of men shall ouer­come him, yet he shall ouercome in the end: so it came to passe in her; her enemie for a while seemed to preuaile, but in the end was troden downe vnder her feete. Wee should rather praise God for the victory, then speake euill of her for the combate: & feare least he who tempted her so strōgly will also tempt vs; and therefore let vs put vpon vs armour of proofe, that we may be able to stand in the day of tryall. I pray God, that those which speake euill of her Gen▪ 49. 19. death, doe not die worse then shee did. Howsoeuer it was, I will say with Paul Who Rom. 14. 4. art thou that iudgest another mans seruant the standeth or falleth to his owne maister. I hope she resteth with the Lord, and therefore let ill tongues rest, and speake no more against her. Although her mother haue lost a duti­full childe: her husband a chast, a louing and discreet wife: her brethren, a deare and kind sister: her nighbours, a peaceable and courteous neighbour: her friends, a religious kinswoman: her familiar acquain­tance, a vertuous companion: the poore, [Page 84] a charitable relieuer: and I my selfe, one of my best hearers. Yet I will say to all, as Hierom did to Eustochium concerning her Non moere­mus qu [...]d talem ami­simus, sed gratias agi­mus, quòd talem habu­imus, imo habemus. Deo enim viuunt om­nia &c. Hieron. ad Eustoch. epitaph. Paulae. mother Paula: Let vs not mourne because we haue lost such a one, but let vs rather giue thankes, that we haue had such a one; yea ra­ther that we still haue such a one; for all liue vnto God: and whosoeuer returneth vnto the Lord, is reckoned in the number of the fanstlie. Let vs learne to imitate those good things which were in her: let vs be stirred vp by her death both to consider the vncertain­tie of our owne liues, and also to prepare our selues for our last end: that it may be the beginning of our euerlasting glory. The Lord God graunt that euery one of vs may doe it.

Amen.

The Soules Solace against Sorrow.

IT was the preparation & day be­fore the Saboath, when Ioseph of Mark. 15. 42. Ioh. 19. 38. Arimathea, with Nichodemus and the women that came from Galile; begg'd of Pilate the bodie of Iesus; wrapt it in sin­don; imbalm'd it with spices; buried it; and so gaue him the last dutie of eternall obse­quie.

As that was honourable in Christ the head; so is it not dishonourable in vs his members. And for that I hold this day, you haue done well, who haue followed the hearse of this our deare sister, to giue her the last honour of buriall; though last (I say) [Page 2] yet not the least of Christian duties. All which on your behalfes (blessed preacher, and blessed people) how readily and religi­ouslie hath beene performed, I rather ioy to feele in my heart, then can finde the way to expresse with my tongue: howbeit in lieu of my vnfained loue to her that resteth now in peace; as also of you my deare bre­thren, who yet a while must indure the warres of this wofull world; giue me leaue in respect of both, to charge my selfe with a dutie more particular, & more abounding. For as the Maries could not bee satisfied Mark. 16. 1. with al that was done by Ioseph and Nicho­demus for their maister Christ, vnlesse their poore balme went withal: so can I not con­tent my self with al you haue done (though most sufficient) vnlesse I bring some sindon of mine owne, and buy some balme to be­stow vpon this Saint.

As loue is full of labour; so it spareth no cost; and for that I say with Dauid, I will not 2. Sam. 24. 24. offer burnt offerings vnto the Lord my God, of that which cost me nothing: so then being cal­led vnto this place, by him who may com­maund me much, for that his praise is in the Gospell (I meane the saddest Saint in all the assemblie) I did not consult with flesh and [Page 3] blood, but haue as you may see, most wil­linglie obeyed the heauenlie call.

Desirous by my best endeuours, & swee­test balme, to comfort the liuing, by com­mending the dead: so did Isaiah in this place, as you haue heard from the former Angell, who tooke the commination to himselfe, out of the verse going before, of Gods peremptorie summons of all by death; iust, and vniust; righteous, and vn­righteous; faithfull, and faithles; and hath left the consolation for me, thereby to raise you vp from deepe despaire, and put you in a place of peace, lay you in a bed of rest. with the Saint that gone is, and all such as walke before the Lord.

That all must die, as hath bin told you, there is no remedie; for wee come by the wombe, and goe by the graue; and ere you come to the sweet running waters of Shilo, Isai. 8. 6. that runneth softlie, you must passe the tur­bulent waters of Iordan, that goe roughlie. Ier. 12. 5. Death is the Lady and Empresse of all the world, her seasure is without surrender, and from her sentence there is no apple.

It is not the maiestie of the Prince, or ho­lines of the Priest; strength of bodie, feature of face, learning, riches, or any such secular [Page 4] regard can pleade against death, or priui­ledge any person against the graue: nay I say more, be thy dayes neuer so few, or thy yeeres neuer so full: count with Adam, and tell with Methusalem 969. yeares truelie Gen. 5. 27. told; yet die thou must: be they many, or be they few, all is one; yeeres are no priui­ledge against the graue.

For the generall then I thus conclude, statutum est omnibus semelmori. The decree Heb. 9. 27. Dan. 5. 5. & 25. is out, all must die: Balthashars embleme is vpon euerie wall: and his imprese is vpon all flesh, Mene, Mene, Tekel Vparsin. Nu­merauit, appendit, diuisit. God hath numbred thy dayes: he hath laid thee vpon the bal­lance, & thou art found wanting; thy king­dome is diuided, and giuen to the Medes, and Persians.

Say Princes, say Pesants, say all, corrup­tion Iob. 17. 13. 14. thou art my father, rottennes thou art my mother, wormes and vermine yee are my sisters, yee are my brethren; say graue, thou art my bed; sheet, thou art my shrine; earth, thou art my couer; greene grasle, thou art my carpet; death demaund thy due, and thou gathering host Dan, come last, sweepe Iosua. 6. 9. Numb. 10. 25. all away.

And now my brethren that all is gone, [Page 5] where is the remaine of our religious hope? spes in olla: nay spes in vrna. There is hope in the graue: [...]o saith Isaiah the sonne of A­mos, in this place, of all the Prophets most Euangelical, and of al the Euangelists most Propheticall.

In which Scripture, for the better carry­ing away of the whole, you may obserue these special points. First, gladsome tydings from heauen, and what it is: peace to the Diuision. soule, and rest to the bodie. Secondly, glad­some tidings from heauen, and to whom it is: to all such as walke before him. Euerie word if you weigh well, truely Euange­licall; I meane good newes from a farre countrie; gladsome tidings of heauenly things.

What more acceptable then the welles of sweete water to a thirstie soule? what more pleasing then to heare of peace, in the time of warre? what so to be desired in this moyling world, as after toyle to heare of rest? And what so comfortable to check all miserie; as to heare of mercie? And fully to be assured, that in the middest of death, we are in life, and that peace shall come.

This impression of immortalitie, and as­sured hope of deliuerance, from daunger, [Page 6] death and miserie, hath euer possessed the hearts of Gods Saints, and beene as it were, a naile of the sanctuarie, to keepe them in Eccles. 12. 11. life, and fasten them to a further hope of fu­ture perfection. Thus peace shall come.

Iob in the plea of all his miseries (as hee thought) endles, easeles, and remediles, to the weake and sillie eye of flesh and blood; yet vpon a better suruey, with the single eye of faith, helde by this verie hope, and none other: Peace shall come.

For when hee had grieuouslie complai­ned, that the Lord had hedged vp his waies Iob. 19. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. &c. that hee could not passe, and set darkensse in his paths; when hee had spoiled him of his honour, and taken the Diadem from his head; when he had destroyed him on eue­rie side, and remooued his hope like a tree; when his armies of afflictions came toge­ther, made their way vpon him, and cam­ped about his tabernacle; when his bre­thren were remoued farre from him, and his acquaintance were strangers vnto him; when his neighbours had forsaken him, and his familiars had forgotten him; when his houshold seruants both men & maides, tooke him for a straunger, and would not answere him, though hee prayed them with [Page 7] his mouth; when his breath was straunge vnto his wife, though he besought her too, for the childrens sake of his owne bodie; when the wicked despised him, his secret friends abhorred him, and those whom he loued, were turned against him: finallie, when beside these great losses, and most cruel vnkindnesses, he was tucht in his own person, so as his bone claue to his flesh, and he onlie escaped with the skin of his teeth; yet in all these dolours, thus he demurred, Peace shall come: though in different words, yet in equall sense, hee made it the issue of all his maladies. Scio quod redemptor meus viuit. I know that my redeemer liueth, and hee shall stand last on the earth: and though after my skin, wormes destroy this bodie, yet shall I see God in my flesh, peace shall [...]ome. Oh that these wordes were now written! Oh that they were written; euen in a booke, & gra­uen with an i [...]on pen, in lead, or in [...]one for euer, to the [...]lace of al distressed Saints. I know that my Redeemer liueth, & that peace shall come.

Dauid, euen distressed Dauid, anchored vpon this hold, when tossed vpon the [...]eas of worldlie woes, he felt the froth and furie 1. Sa. 17. 11 1. Sam. 22. 9. 10. of Saules rage; and Doegs despite; the re­bellion [Page 8] and incest of his owne children; besides 2. Sam. 15. 1. King. 1 5. 2. Sam. 13. 1. Psal. 6. 6. the horror of his proper sinnes, which night by night caused him to water his couch with teares: all these surges had sunke his soule, had not his eyes been fixed vpon this pr [...] ­montorie bonae spei, Peace shall come: which vndoubtedly he felt in his heart, when he spake with his mouth, and said, to the solace of his shrinking soule. I should vtterly haue Psal. 27. 13. 14. fainted, but that I beleeued verely to see the goodnes of the Lord in the land of the liuing: O tarrie then the Lords leasure, be strong, and he shall comfort thy heart.

Paul is powerfull in this kinde of plea­ding, and if you marke it well, in the course of all his Epistles, you shall finde, that euer as afflictions were multiplied, his ioyes were increased. Death was to him an aduan­tage: Phil. 1. 21. dissolution was his desire; and to be with Christ was best of all: Peace shall come, was his plea against all the issues of death and doome.

When in labours more abundant, in stripes aboue measure, in prison more plen­tiously, 2. Cor. 11. 23. &c. in death often; when of the Iewes fiue times he had receiued fortie stripes saue one; when thrise beaten with roddes, once stoned, thrise hee had suffered shipwracke, [Page 9] and beene in the deepe sea both night and day; when in iourneyings often, in perils of water, in perils of robbers, in perils of his owne nation, in perils among the gentiles, in perils in the citie, in perils in the wilder­nes, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren, in wearines and painefulnes, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fasting often, in cold and nakednes: and to conclude, when beside the things that were outward, hee was combred day lie, and had the care of all the Churches; yet here was his hold, and to this hope was hee fastned, Rom. 8. 18. I account that the afflictions of this present time, are not worthie of the glorie which shall be shewed vnto vs. Therefore we faint not (saith the blessed Apostle vpon the like plea) but though our outward man perish, yet the inward 2. Cor. 4. 16. 17. 1 [...]. man is renewed daylie; for our light afflictions which is but for a moment, causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent and eternall waight of glo­rie: while wee looke not on the things which are seene, but on the things which are not scene: for the things which are seene, are temporall, but the things which are not seene, are eternall. Peace shall come.

[...]ul, Paul, this issue of life and soule-so­lace; his heauenlie hold; and spirituall ra­uishment, [Page 10] hath made thee to forget all that is behind, and to hold hard vnto that marke Phil. 3. 13. 14. which is before, euen▪ Iesus Christ, the au­thour and finisher of thy faith. Here in Col. 3. 3. 4. grace, thy life was hid in Christ, and for that now in glorie it doth appeare in Christ: happie place, happie Paul, happie shrine, 1. Cor. 10. 11 happie Saint, so to bee blessed both in life, and death: & woe vnto vs, vpon whom the ends of this world are come, if being com­passed Heb. 12. 1. 2. with so great a cloud of witnesses, wee doe not cast away euerie thing that presseth downe, and the sinne that hangeth so fast▪ o [...], tunning with patience the race that is set before vs, and looking vnto Iesus the authour and finisher of our faith: who for the ioy that was set before him, endured the crosse, and despised the shame, and is set at the right hand of the throne of God.

And here me thinks, vpon the sense and 2. VVofull wants. sight of sin, which swarmeth euerie where, to the subersion of states, and destructi­on of soules: I finde no cause of such so great excesse, as that with men, there is no Ephes. 4. 17. 18. 19. Passion▪ of mortalitie. passion of their mortalitie: there is no im­pression of their eternitie. For and if there were, assuredlie then oderunt peccare▪ [...]i virtutis amore, oderunt peccare mali for mid [...] ­ne [Page 11] poenae. The good, they would not sinne in loue of vertue, and the euill they durst not sinne for feare of punishment. Did the sin­ner Isai. 30. 33. but think of this, that Tophet is prepa­red of old▪ and that euen for the mightie as well as the mean [...]; it is prepared. That the gulfe thereof is deepe & large, and t [...]e bur­ning is▪ fi [...] & much wood, with the breath of the Lord, like a riuer of b [...]imstone▪ still to kindle it: I say, had hee▪ but a passion of these things, little do I doubt, but his heart would fall▪ his soule would shrinke, and he would leaue sinne for feare of punishment.

To passe▪ ouer a due regard of these things▪ and to come to the tenth of our lost 1. Pet. 4. 3. 4. 5. 6. time, and carelesse dayes, pittifullie spent and wasted in wofull securitie. Did we but affoord out soules though extraordinarie, yet any the least meditation of the short­nes of our life; more brittle thē glasse; more light then smoke; more swift then winde. 2. Of the day of our death▪ sure in the end, vnsure in the time, and bitter when it com­meth. 3. Did we but with feare foresee, di­em Reuel. 6. 17. Act. 17. 31. & Deum vltionis, a day and a God of re­uenge, by a iudge; infallible for his wise­dome; inflexible for his iustice; infugable for his power; when to cal vpon the moun­taines, [Page 12] cadite, cadite, fall vpon vs, fall vpon vs, Luke. 23. 30 will be too late. 4. And finallie to close with hell, to the horrour of all hellish hearts: could we but feele in heart and semblance, Isai. 66. [...]4. the intolerable paines of hell, endles, ease­les and remediles in the damned; would much abate the heate of our sinning, strike it in the blade, breake it in the head, and kill it at the heart.

But alas, and woe vnto vs, that euer wee Lam. 5. 16. Zoph. 1. 12. Isa. 22. 12. 13. liued to see such excesse of sinning with all states, in all securitie. Hanibal ad portas. Imminet mors, iudicium det, infernus omnia horrenda: et quasi nihil ad nos▪ ridemus, ludi­mus, peccata (que) peccatis adi [...]cimus. Death is at our doores; iudgment is oue [...] our heads; hell is at hand; all horrible: and yet with­out horror we laugh, we leape, we daunce, we play, we lie vpon beds of iuorie, and stretch Amos. 6. 4. 5. 6. our selues to the full of our follie: wee eate the lambs of the flocke, and the calues our of the stall; [...]e sing to the sound of the viollvaine de­lights▪ and we inuent to our selues instruments of musicke like Dauid: as hee to the seruice and honour of his God, so we to please our vnsanctified affections, and extrauagant lusts. But good Lord how long? how long without measure shall wee prouoke thy Reuel. 6. 10. [Page 13] maiestie? How long without repentance shall wee behold our miserie? How long without compassion shall we looke vpon Zech. 12. 10. him whom wee haue pierced? how long by swearing, and lying, and killing, and Hos. 4. 1. 2. stealing, and whoring, shall sinne breake out, and blood touch blood? Oh Lord thou knowest. Pedibus timor addidit alas. feare forceth flight. Oh set thy feare Lord before our face, so settle it in out hearts, as hence­forth Gal. 1. 16. Act. 26. 19. wee doe no more consult with flesh and blood, but readilie obey thy heauenlie call, by flight from sinne, for feare of iudge­ment.

2 As for the second cause of our excessiue 2. Impression of eternitie. sinning, to wit, the insensibilitie of peace to come, of future rest, of heauenlie being, passions of our ioy, and impressions of our eternitie; I say the want is wofull, but the feeling is of force to beate backe Sathan, with all his retinue, either of sinne, death, 2. Cor. 12. [...]. hell or doome. It made Paule to forget not only sinne, but himselfe to, and say whether in the bodie, or out of the bodie, I cannot tell, God he knoweth; but I feele things that are vn­utterable. It made the Disciples in the trans­figuration vpon the mount▪ to translate Math. 17. 4. their thoughts from mortall mould, & say, [Page 14] in sense and feeling of that heauenlie be­ing, Bonum est esse hic. It is good Lord for vs to be here, let vs make tabernacles. It made Simeon say with solace, whē hauing layd in his heart, what hee lapt in his armes; euen sweet Christ, the rauishment of his soule: Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in Luk. 2. 29. pe [...]ce according to thy word: mine eyes haue seene thy saluation▪ I feare no sinne; I dread no death; I haue liued enough, I haue my life: I haue longed enough, I haue my loue: I haue seene enough, I haue my light; I haue serued enough, I haue my Saint: I haue sor­rowed enough, I haue my ioy: sweet Babe, let this Psalme serue for a lullabie to thee, and a funerall for mee: Oh sleepe in my armes, and let me sleepe in thy peace.

And here out of Simeon would I raise a doctrine. Simeon had it by reuelation from Luk. 2. 25. 26. God, that hee should not taste of death till hee had seene the Lords Christ; nor doe I thinke, but that God in like lenitie, doth and will deale with al his Saints, and neuer suffer the good and righteous to depart out of this world comfortles. Moses saw the Num. 27. 12 land of promise before he died. Aaron saw his sonne Eleazar in his roome before Num. 20. 28 1. King. 1. 30 he died. Dauid saw Salomon his successor [Page 15] ere he died. Ezekiàs saw his house in order 2. King. 20. 1. Math. 17. Act [...]. 7. 55. ere he died. Christ was glorified vpon the holy mount ere he dyed. Stephen saw y ^• glo­rie of God, and Iesus standing at the right hād ere he died. And Simeons sight of Christ ere he died shall be to me, and I hope to all the Elect of God, an assured symboll or sa­crament of the certaintie of our saluation by faith, in and by the sight of our sweet Sa­uiour, whom wee shall behold in soule and spirit, ere we leaue this life. Amor transit in amatum; nec sinit amantem esse sui ipsius, sed amati. Loue doth symbolize, and the minde is not where it liues, but where it loues. Ter­ram diligis, terra es: aurum diligis, aurum es. Deum diligis, non audeo dicere Deus es: audi Psal. 82. 6. tamen scripturam dicentem, an non ego dixi, quod dij e [...]is? Dost thou loue earth? thou art earth▪ Dost thou loue gold? thou art gold. Dost thou loue God? (I dare not say thou art God) yet heare the Scriptures spea­king, haue not I said ye are Gods? As and if the authour should say, out of the fa­miliaritie we haue with God, wee are made partakers of the diuine nature, according as his diuine power hath giuen vnto vs, all 2. Pet. 1. 3. things that pertaine vnto life and godlinesse, thorough the knowledge of him that hath [Page 16] called vs vnto glorie and vertue.

Good Ignatius confirmed this doctrine, as in life, so in death; for qualis vita finis ita. Of whom it is reported that being opened, they found in his heart, the fruit of his faith and daylie meditation, written in letters of gold, to this effect. Amor mens crucifixus est, my loue is crucified.

Learned Cruciger confirmed the same, when dying he said: Inuoco t [...] Deus, fiducia filii tui, licet languida, tamen aliqua fide. Oh God, I call vpō thee in confidēce of thy son, thogh with a faint faith, yet with some faith: and I am encouraged so to doe, for I see him in glorie, whom I haue followed in grace.

Nor can I passe in silence, what fel out in experience not long sithence, at the memo­rable death of a memorable Saint in this our countrie; a Gentleman, Scholler, and Preacher, rarelie qualified both in life and death. Oxford will witnes the one, and Heaton hall the other, where it pleased God to call to his mercie that worthie man, and powerfull preacher maister Iohn Holland batchelor of diuinitie, a burning M. Iohn Holland. lampe consuming it selfe, to lighten others; for God in mercie called him by a lingring sicknes, which staid till hee was readie, and [Page 17] pared him to such an end, as seldome I haue heard, but yet neuer saw the like in any.

To passe the course of his sicknes in much patience, yet with great passion; and to come to his end, when he put in practise the fruit of his godly life: It pleased him the day before he dyed, as formerly often, so then more egerly, to call for the holy Bible, with these very words, Come, O come, death approcheth, let vs gather some flowres to com­fort this howre: and turning with his owne hands to the 8. Chapter of Paules Epistle to the Romaines, he gaue me the booke, and bade me reade: at the end of euery verse he made a Selah, or pause, and gaue the sence in such sort and feeling, as was much (wee saw) to his owne comfort, but more to our ioy & wonder. Pity it were those speeches, with other his writings, should bee buried with him, and kept in priuate from the publicke good of many. Hauing thus con­tinued his meditation & exposition for the space of two howres or more, on the sodain hee sayd, O stay your reading, what brightnes is this I see? Haue you light vp any candles? To which I answered no, it is the Sunne­shine, for it was about 5. a clock in a cleere Summers euening. Sunne-shine (sayth he) [Page 18] nay my Sauior shine: now farewell world, welcome heauen, the day-starre from an high hath visited my hart: O speake it when I am gone, and preach it at my Funerall: God dealeth familiarly with man. I feele his mercy, I see his maiesty, whether in the bo­dy, or out of the body, I cannot tell, God he knoweth, but I see things that are vnutte­rable. So, rainshed in spirit, he roamed to­wards heauen, with a chearefull looke, and soft sweete voice, but what he said, we could not conceiue. At last shrinking downe a­gaine, he gaue a sigh, with these words: Ah, yet it wil not be, my sins keepe me from my God. Thus that euening, twise rising, and twise falling, with the Sunne in the morning fol­lowing, he rise then neuer to fall▪ when a­gaine raysing himselfe, as Iacob did vpon his staffe▪ hee shut vp his blessed life, with these blessed words, O what an happy change Heb. 11. 21. shall I make? from night, to day? from darke­nes, to light? from death, to life? from sorrow, to solace? from a factious world, to a heauenly being? O my deare brethren▪ sisters, & friends▪ it pitteth me to leaue you behinde: yet remem­ber my death when I am gone, and what I now feele, I hope you shall [...]id [...]ere you dye, that God doth▪ and will do [...] familiarly with men▪ And [Page 19] now thou firy Chariot, that came donne to fetch vp Eliah, carry me to my happy hold: and all ye blessed Angels, who attended the soule of Lazarus to bring it vp to heauen, beare me, O beare me into the boson [...] of my best beloued. Amen, Amen come Lord Iesus, come quickly, and so he fell a sl [...]ope.

I say the truth my brethren, I lie not, my conscience bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost, with an appeale from my own Richard Holland Esquier. credit, to the right worshipfull his brother, and all the standers by, to iustifie what I haue sayd, in comfort of their owne soules and warrantie of the doctrine [...]ayme at, which is to proue, That God neuer suffereth Note well. his elect to depart this life comfortlesse; nor wil I am perswaded call them hence, till they haue seene with Simeon the Lords Christ, either in soule; spirit, body, or both.

The life of this perswasion, is the death of sinne; and such hope of eternity, is the reuenge of iniquity. Fie vpon sinne, whilst I behold my Sauiour: fie vpon shame, whilst I behold my glory! Heauen is my hope, the visions of my hart, are the impr [...] ­sions of my ioy; and To wit▪ ei­ther exter­nall or in­ternall. reuelations are exp [...] ­ations to all Gods children; they haue bin, they are, and they will be, neuer wanting [Page 20] in supplementum fidei, to helpe faith.

And for conclusion of this point, remem­ber Luke. 17 32. Lots wife, was Christ his aduertisement, to inure vs with a forgetfulnes of our owne people, and our fathers house, that the Lord Psal. 45. 10. 11. might haue pleasure in our beawty: But so to looke vpon Zoar, and flee thither, was Lots sanctuary: O it is but a little one, and my Gen. 19. 17. soule shall liue. What is Sodome, other then this sinfull world? And what is Zoar, other then that heauenly being? O let me take you by the hand, bring you out, and say with the Angell, Escape for thy life, looke not behind thee, neither tarry thou in all the plaine, escape into the mountaine least thou be de­stroyed.

And let this suffice, for the first circum­stance of my text, as balme from heauen to sweeten our miseries in this life, and to bury our iniquities in the graue. Now passe we from the peace of the soule, to the rest of the bodie, and quiet of both, vrged by the spirit, in the second place, as an Antidote to preuent a poyson much infecting all flesh: who without all comfort of future blessednes, do, to the hazard of their soules, stand doubtfull of the resurrection, as also of the rest of their soules, after they be de­parted. [Page 21] The one sort are the Atheists, the o­ther are the Papists of these dayes & times: But the text is powrefull to put back both Iordans, that the Israel of God may enter Ios. 3. 15. 16 17. Canaan without crosse or feare. For if the Lords elect shal rest in their beds, they shal rise from their beds. Rest implyeth a resur­rection, when the time of refreshing shall Acts. 3. 19. 20. 21. come. It is an improper speech to say, hee resteth, who neuer riseth. It may be some go to bed who neuer rise, strooken with a deadly sleepe or l [...]thargie, but none to the 10. 5. 28. 29 graue, but out he must, at the generall som­mons of all the world: for the trumpet shal Iob. 14. 14. sound, and the dead shall rise. If a man dye, shall he liue againe? Then all the dayes of mine appointed time will I watch▪ till my changing do come.

Againe for the second: If after our death we rest in our beds, and as it is in another place, such blessednes accompanteth saints Reuel. 14. 13. who d [...]e in the Lord, that ther rest from their labours: then after death, no place of paine, No Purga­t [...]rie. no punishment, no Purgatory. Is there light in darkenes? is there truth in error? Is there life in death? Is there fire in water? Is there ease in paine? rest in labour? good in euill? sweete in sowre? Is there [Page 22] a purging fire in hell must fyne vs for hea­uen? Sweete Christ, where then is thy bloud? which alone, say we, nothing else, and none other, purgeth our sinne, plea­deth 1. Io. 17. Acts. 4. 12 1. Io. 2. 1. our cause, and purchaseth our place. We neede no other sacrifice, we neede no Acts. 20. 28 other aduocate, wee neede no other key to open to vs the p [...]rt of the paradise of God. And if the bloud of Iesus pleade better things then the bloud of Abel, for the bloud of Abel cryed reuenge, but the bloud of Heb. 13. 24 Christ cryed pardon, pardon: then stay your bulles, and drops of your leaden diui­nity: downe with your Dagon and Babel of all confusion, by shrift, shrine, merit, or medall, all too light, to ballance with Heb. 9. 14. Ier. 23. 21. the bloud of the Lambe: for what is chaffe to corne?

It pities my heart to see the desolations of Christendome, & of this my deare Coun­try in many places, where millions of souls are [...]illily lead by bad and blinde guides, Tuper Tho­ [...] sangui­nem, que [...] pro se impen­dit. fa [...]os Christ [...] sed­dere, quò Thom [...]as cendi [...]. factious Iesuits, and seditious seedsmen, lead I say from the bloud of Christ, to the bloud of Hales, and Becket: from the fire vpon the Mount, to the painted fire of Pur­gatory, Poets sayes, and heathenish helps, Romish institutions, decretals apostaticall, [Page 23] lying oracles, illusions, and flattering diui­nations. This they doe, and this they dare doe, without care of conscience, feare of God, of faithfulnes to his cause, which wit­tingly and willingly (I verely thinke) they do betray, to make good their hellish Hie­rarchie, and Babel of all confusion.

For what grosnes is this besides the im­piety, to thinke a people euer so foolish, as should take out this lesson, to carry to their graues, from the liuing to the dead; yea, and Isa. 8. 19. 20. 1. Thess. 1. 9 10. that in plea of saluation to: from the liuing God, to dead idols: from the liuing word, to dead traditions: from the liuing bread in heauen, to a dead [...]alfe or cake at Dan, and Bethel: from the bloud of Christ that giueth life, to the fire of Purgatory that bringeth death.

When Christ bleeding vpon the tree, had vttered this voyce cons [...]mmatum est, it is Io. 19. 30. finished, he gaue [...] the ghost. Th [...]n he said▪ and [...] hee [...]ustered, not for himselfe is a 2. Cor. 5. 21. priuate person, but for vs his members, a publicke good. Shall he say it is finished? and shal we say it is not finished? The Lyon A [...]o 1. 3. 1. hath rored, who will not be afrayd? The Lord hath spoken, who can but tremble? O tremble for feare ye faithles generation, [Page 24] who dare yet say it is not finished? Pray saints in heauen, help fire in hell, Purga­tory play thy part, purge to the full: and thou Pope president of this Limbo lake, rule at thy pleasure: help in, help out, and if vpon displeasure thou thrust Myriades of Distinct. 4. cap. 51. pa [...]a. soules into hell, yet let none be so bold as to aske, Why doest thou so? It is enough, ò it is inough to make good with this, all your doctrine: Sic volo, sic iubeo▪ stet pro rati­one voluntas. Aske no questions: search no scriptures: seeke no reasons: I haue sayd, is inough: my pleasure is a precept; coun­sell, a commaund; and my will is a reason. And now mee thinks whilest I heare them say, without worde of God, or warranty of reason: Heare heauen, help purgatory, par­don pope, that is to say, pray saints, purge fire, speake indulgence, for the rest and ease of soules departed: (a check to the bloud of my Christ, to the truth of my text, & quiet of the saints that gone ar [...]) I cannot but say as Iob sayd of his friends, Miserable com­forters Iob. 16. 2. Iob. 21. 3. are ye all: Suffer me a little to speake, and when I haue spoken mocke on.

1 I say, the saints in heauen vpon whom Saints hear [...] vs not. you call, to whom you pray, and before whose images you so prostrate your selues, [Page 25] I say they heare you not, and for that, they help you not; they rest from their labours, and their works follow them, and not yours: I say no such works of wickednes, as your prayer to them is, whereby you rob Isa. 42. 7. God, to cloth a Saint. To the proofe wherof, for that you say our doctrine is new, and of yesterdayes birth, The dayes shall speake, and Iob. 32. 7. the multitude of yeares shall teach wisedome. Saints in heauen heare not; Saints in heauen help not; Saints in heauen haue no 1. King. 8. 39 2 Chron. 6. [...]0. sense of our miseries: it is no new doctrine: it is ancient; it is heauenly; and hee that hath eares to heare, let him heare.

Augustine in his booke de cura habenda August. de [...] hab. pro mort. cap. 13. pro mortuis, teacheth, Animas Sanctorum in coelis esse, nec interesse nostris his terrents nego­tijs. That the soules of the blessed are in heauen; nor doe they respect our affaires here on earth; as and if he should say, cease your praying, for no more doth their af­fection reach yours, then your prayer doth reach them. And this doth hee proue, by Against the [...] [...]nt [...] ­ [...]a [...]on of the d [...]d. these reasons sound and good, vnanswe­rable, if truth might preuaile, when it plea­death on earth, as whē it iudgeth in heauē.

And first he beginneth with his mother Monicha, dead and gone, whose affection [Page 26] towards him, in life was euer such, as hee thought could not but reach him from hea­uen, if Saints had feeling of our miseries here on earth: Vt volet accipiat quisque quod dicam, sayth the Father; Let men iudge of my words as they please; for that I may say nothing of others, yet dare I say of her, Si rebus viuentium interessent animae mortuorū, me ipsum p [...]a mater nulla nocte desereret, quem terra marique s [...]cuta est vt mecum vineret. If the soules of the dead did respect the af­faires of the liuing, then my deere mother would neuer faile me night or day, who by sea, and by land, followed me in this life to liue with me. Absit enim vt facta sit vita foe­liciore crudelis &c. Be it farre away, that a blessed life should make her more vnkind, or cruel; so as in all y ^• anguish of my soule, I neuer felt her solace, who whilest shee liued could neuer abide to see me sad. But without al doubt, quod sacer psalmus personat, verū est, quoniā pat [...]s & mater mea dereliquerūt Psal. 27. 10. me; Dominus [...]tem assumpsit me: because my father & my mother haue forsaken me, the Lord haue taken me vp. If then our fathers do forsake vs, how can they care for vs: and if our fathers do not care for vs, qui sunt ill [...] mortuorum, qui nor unt quid agamus, quidue [Page 27] patiamur: who are they amōg the dead, that know what we do, or care what we suffer?

2 A second reason is taken out of Isaiah the Prophet, who moued in misery, after a deliuerance, and greatly complayned of mercies with-holden, and compassions re­strayned, gayned at no hand, but at the hand of God: nor was pitied of any, but of himselfe: and for that he [...]ith, doubtlesse thou art our father, though Abraham be igno­rant of vs, and Israel know vs not, yet thou Lord art our father, and our redeem [...]r thy name is Isai. 63. 16. for euer. Whereupon the father concludeth, with an argument drawn frō the stronger, Si tanti Patriarchae quid [...]rga populum ex his procreatum ageretur ignorauerunt &c. If two so great Patriarches were ignorant, what should become of that people themselues had begotten, and frō whose straine should spring by promise, Christ the father of all [...]. [...]. [...]3. the faithfull: If Abraham being the friend of God, yet could neuer enter into that se­cret: nor Israel as preuayling with God, Gen. 32▪ 2 [...]. yet neuer obtayned such a blessing, as once dead, either to know, to ease, or help their posteritie, in life or death: then hush to heauen, and to all that therein is, except God, al are ignorant, none can know, none [Page 28] can help, none can heare, none can ease our plaint or paine, either in earth, or elswhere.

3 His third argument is drawne from the memory of blessed Iosiah, vnto whom Hul­dah the Prophetisse pronounced this bles­sing from God, that he should dye, and be gathered vnto his fathers before he saw the euils which the Lord had determined vpon that place and people. Her words be these: Thus saith the Lord, because thine heart did 2. K [...]n. 22. 16 20. melt, and thou hast humbled thy self before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place and against the inhabitants of the same: to wit, that it should be destroyed and ac­cursed, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept be­fore me, I haue also heard it saith the Lord. Behold therefore I will gather thee to thy fa­thers, and thou shalt bee put in thy graue in peace, and thy eyes shall not see all the euil which I will bring vpon this place. Hereupon I in­ferre with the father, hos put amus quietos, quos inquieta vita viuorum solicitat? May we think them at quiet whom the trouble­some sturs of this world may vexe? I trow no, for doe but suppose, that the Saints in heauen did behold the miseries here on earth; Princes the subuersion of their king­domes; Noblemen of their houses; Gentle­men [Page 29] of their lands, line, and families; did fathers see the sinnes of their sonnes, and mothers the shame of their daughters, clad with pride, fed with idlenes, and shod with bloud, to the destruction both of their bo­dies and soules; finally, did heauen but heare, see, or feele with passion, how Sion is Lam. 1. 4. wasted, her stones lye buryed in the dust, and there is none to pitie her desolations; did they but see the grasse of the earth die­perd with the bloud of the saints, by Anti­christ Turke and pope. in the east, and Antichrist in the west; banding themselues together against the Lord, and against our Christ, the one to de­stroy the honor of his person, the other of his offices: I say, if Saints in heauen, had a sense and feeling of these miseries, woes, and calamities, small were their rest, li [...]tle were their ease, and heauen were no hold for happines.

If the presence of God were vpon hell (as on saith, infernus in amoenum conuerte­retur Paradisum) it would become the port of Paradise: so contrarily, it may be sayd, if the presence of our sinnes, woes, and ca­lamities, should p [...]ster heauen: if earthly miseries, hellish horrors, and (as our aduer­saries wil haue it) Purgatories plaints should [Page 30] reach the saints; then should heauen bee turned into hell; rest into toyle; peace into warre; and blessednes into bane.

Iob saw this, when hee sayd of the dead, he changeth his face, when thou castest him a­way, Iob. 14. 20. 21 and he knoweth not if his Sonnes shall bee honorable, neither shall be vnderstand concer­ning them, whether they shall be of low degree. Whereunto accordeth Augustine in ano­ther August. li [...]. de spirith & anima cap. 29. place: The sonnes of them that are dead, are there where they do not see, nor heare what things are done or chaunceth in this life: such is their care for the liuing, that they know not what we do; euen as our care is for the dead, that we know not what they do.

For conclusion of this point (that I bee not tedious) say no more eyther for your selues, or ouer your dead. Heare heauen; help saints; send peace; giue rest: they see you not; they heare you not; nor haue they feeling of your miseries. Your ora pro nobis is out at doores, and your Missa requiem, is a pregnant idoll. Popes pardons are bables for Pagans to sport withall; and like the mad Gaderen, you hunt the graues of the Mark. 5. [...]. dead, to grieue the liuing, taking vp these and such like stones, to wound your selues, [Page 31] and build vp your Babel of all confusion. Heb. 6. 9. But of you my brethren, I am perswaded bet­ter things, and such as accompany saluation, though thus I speake: for God is not vnrighte­ous that he should forget your worke and labour of loue, which you shew towards his name, gi­uing Heb. 13. 15. 16. him alone the sacrifice of your pray­ers and praises: saying with holy Iob, my Iob. 16. 19. Psal. 73. 25. witnes is in heauen. And with the sweete Psalmist, Whome haue I in heauen but thee? and whom haue I in earth besides thee? As also Hester. 14. 3. with blessed Hester: O my Lord, thou only art our King, helpe me desolate woman, which haue no helper but thee. And for the dead, [...]cclu [...]. 38. 21. 23. take this from Siracides for a memento. For­get it not, seeing he is at rest, let his remem­brance rest: cease thy prayers, thou shalt do him no good, but hurt thy selfe.

2 Now to come to the second support, Purgatory [...] caseth not. I meane our aduersaries bath, to supple and ease their dead, before they come to hea­uen: and for that they cry help Purgatory, purge fire; heathenish in deuise, hellish in practice, and Romish for gaine. That I may say no more, I can say no lesse of that popish puddle, if I say the truth; but as the Apostle 1. Cor. 8. [...]. sayd of an idoll, Idolum nihil est; so say I of Purgatory, Purgatorium nihil est; it is none [Page 32] of Gods creatures; it is none of Gods ordi­nances: it was neuer in his counsell; and for that it can neuer stand with his proui­dence.

Nay if you reade the approuers of it, who loue it most, and like it best, you shal finde Iudg. 15. 4. thē like Sampsons foxes, tyed by the tayles, but deuided in the heads, burning the corn of the Philistims, whilest Israels sheaues stād vpright: I meane consuming themselues, whilest they cauill with vs about a birth of no being: for if, they could but agree at home, ere they warre abroade, 1. where the place is, 2. when it began, 3. how long it shall continue, 4. who is there punished, 5. what is the paine, 6. and lastly, who be the tormentors: happily it might make vs Prooue these points yee Papists. to sound a retreate, and moue a parley. But when in all, or most of these, they are at ods with themselues, I trust (by the grace of God) they shall neuer be at euen with vs, or with any that feare the Lord in truth.

It would require a longer discourse, then now I can stand vpon: to descend into each of these particulars, beeing limited with the time, mine owne weakenes, and your wearines; yet if any man doubt, let him de­murre with mee vpon a further tryall, and [Page 33] conference, when I shall (if God will) satis­fie him to the full; that in all these seuerall points, they doe nothing else but agree to disagree: in the meane time I dare a­uouch as first I did, that purgatorie is not at all.

1 That is was neuer knowne in the Exod. 24. 8. Numb. 12 7. Exod. 25. 40. Church of Israel, or a doctrine sprinkled vpon that people, with the blood of the old couenant by Moses, who was faithfull in Gods house, and deliuered all hee saw vpon the mount.

2 That purgatorie hath no foundation in the new testament, and that the blood of Christ neuer taught it in that couenant; but was of it selfe sufficient to purge and Gal. 3. 13. Ro. 8. 2. 3. preserue tam à poena quam à culpa: though our aduersaries say contrarie.

3 That neither the Primitiue Church, nor the Fathers of the same, for the space of manie ages, did euer acknowledge the pur­gatorie of the Church of Rome. I say God neuer ordained: Scripture neuer taught: spirit neuer guided: father neuer agreed vpon such a doctrine: but as they that were conuerted to Christ at the first; whether from Iudaisme, or frō Paganisme, did bring with them, eyther their ceremonies, or their [Page 34] opinions; so in this errour, as in others.

Plato taught it in his schooles: Virgil in his rythmes: both Pagans Papising. Bonauen­ture at all a [...]enture, and Durand not dan­gerous of the doctrine, haue taken it vp; both Papists Paganising. To iustifie what hath bin said of old: Pictoribus, at (que) poetis quidlibet audendi semper fuit aequa potestas. Horace.

For the proofe of al these assertions, I re­ferre you to the worthie writings of that noble Berrean Lord Phillip of Mornay; lu­men The [...] of France, the s [...]rg [...] of Rome. Galliae, ma [...]tix Romae, in his treatise of purgatorie, laid downe in his third booke of the sacrifice pretended in the Masse.

And now for conclusion of this point, in clearing of the truth, pitifullie dearned with these clouds of errour, let these few Scriptures, and Fathers dispell the fogge; so as the sunne of righteousnes may shine in your hearts, and beget you to a better 1. Pet. 1. 3. hope.

A voice from heauen hath said it, & you may beleeue it. Blessed are the dea [...] that die in Reuel. 14 13 the Lord (Amodo) euen now, for they rest from their labours. In blessednes is no pain: in rest is no toyle, & if this happinesse be Amodo, [Page 35] Euen straight vpon the dissolution; there is no daunger by the way: there is no delay by purgatorie.

Paul hath said it, you may beleeue it, Phil. 1. 21. 23. Christ is to me both in life and in death aduan­tage, desiring to be loosed, and to be with Christ, which is best of al: as & if he should say, neuer can I lose by Christ, in life hee is my grace; in death he is my glorie: when I am gone, I Io. 12. 26. shall bee where he is; not in paine, but in blis, where no fire shall purge, nor water Ruel. 7. 14. wash; hauing alreadie dipt my stole in the blood of the lamb.

Christ hath said it, you may beleeue it, his Io. 17. 24. word is a warrant to your wearie souls. Fa­ther, I will that they which thou hast giuen me, be with me euen where I am, that they may be­hold my glorie, which thou hast giuen me. It is his will, and who dares wrest it? the head will haue his members, the bridegroome his spouse, God his elect, and Christ his re­deemed: and where will he haue them, but where he is? and that is in heauen. Popish purgatory is no Palace for Christ his abode; ergo, no place for Christians to behold his glorie.

Nor hath Christ said it but sworne it to, in supplementum fidei, to help faith; that by Heb. 6. 18. [Page 36] two immutable things, wherein it is impossible that God should lie; First, promise: and Se­condlie oth; wee might haue strong conso­lation. His oth is this, neuer to be reuersed: Verilie, verilie, I say vnto you, he that heareth [...]o. 5. 24. my words, and beleeueth in him that sent me, hath euerlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but hath passed from death to life. O happie hearers▪ but thrise happie be­leeuers, for whose cause the Lord hath sworne, in certaintie of your saluation and speedie passage from death to life, without tuch of fire, meede of merit, or need of Po­pish indulgence.

One saith well, velox est sermo dei, & ve­locem desiderat habere sequentem. The word of God is swift, and it requireth a speedie Psal. 147. 15. follower: if speed in following; much more in attaining: if speed in the bodie, much more when it hath put it off: if vnder the crosse we grone and goe forward, with how much more speede shall wee haste to the crowne, when teares shall bee wiped from our eyes, and wee shall be translated out of this world, to raigne with God for euer. And if it bee true of a glorified bodie, that Augustine hath, corpus est vbi volet animus. The bodie is straight where the minde will; [Page 37] how much rather shall a sanctified soule, Eccles. 12. 7. disburdened of the bodie, passe with speed to him that gaue it.

Lazarus died, and was straight waies ca­ried Luk. 16. 22. Luk. 23. 43. Acts. 7. 59. 60. into Abrahams bosome. The theefe vp­on the crosse died, & was that verie day in Paradise. Stephen called and said, Lord Ie­sus receiue my spirit: and shall we doubt of his desire euen then answered? Christ cry­ed vpon the tree, father into thy hands I com­mend Luk. 23. 46. my spirit, and gaue vp the Ghost; not downe the ghost; speedily, and without de­lay: yea, and I am perswaded that it is with euerie Saint of God in his particular death, as it shall be at the generall doome, all shal be chaunged at the twinckling of an eye, at the last trumpe: for the trumpet shal blow, and the dead shall rise; so all shall be chan­ged at the last gaspe, & euen in the twink­ling of an eye, shall the bodie turne to earth Eccles. 12. 7. from whence it came, and the soule to God that gaue it. Nescit tarda moli [...]a spiritus dei gratia. The gifts and graces of God, are without delay: no delay in the creation: no delay in the redemtion: no delay in the comming of the holie Ghost, for so dainelie it fell: and shall we surmise a delay after the 2. Tim. 4. 7 dissolution; after wee haue fought the good [Page 38] fight, finished our course, and kept the faith. No [...]o, there is a crowne of righteousnes laide vp for thee Paul, and for all them that loue his appearing; I meane Christ who stan­deth readie with a crowne in his hand, ouer Reuel. 2. 10. the head of all his saints, euen when the flesh is off, to put it on.

To goe by the streame of all the Fathers, to wash out this errour, would carrie me to a sea of matter, for the time impas [...]ible, and therefore I am enforced of much to take a little, and of manie a few, Leonem ex vngui­bus.

Ignatius bath these verie wordes truelie Ignatius in h [...] 6. Epi­stle. translated. Alwaies reasō requireth that whi­lest we haue space and time, wee should amend and correll our faults, whilest in this life wee haue occasion giuen of repentance: for it is truelie said, after death there is no place nor time to confesse our sinnes: whereunto accor­deth that of Ierome. Whilest we are in this Ierome in Gai. 6. present world, either by prayer, counsel, or comfort, we may help one another: but af­ter, not Iob, not Daniel, or Noah, shall ob­taine by any intreatie, but euery one shall beare his owne burden.

Chryso [...]l [...]e giueth the reason of both: Chrysost. in [...]eb. cap. 2. hom. 4. hoc eni [...] cunaorum tempus est; illud verò coro­narum, [Page 39] retributionum & praemiorum; this is the time of swadles, bands, and bicke [...]ings: but that of crownes, rewards and gar­lands.

Cyprian in his first treatise against Deme­trian, doth fullie subscribe to the same truth, where hee saith: that after we be once departed our of this life, there is no more place of repentance: there is no more effect or working of satisfactions: life is here eyther lost or won; euerlasting saluation is here prouided for by the due worshipping of God and fruits of faith.

Augustine vpon his first conuersion, sa­uouring Aug. in se [...] ­mone de tē ­pore. Ser. [...]. 132. of gentilisme, was doubtful & said of purgatory, it may be there is such a place, and it may be there is none; but being fur­ther grounded in doctrine, and confirmed in faith, is resolute at the last, and said. Let no man deceiue himselfe▪ there are but t [...] pla­ces; and as for anie third p [...] ▪ there is no [...] at all; he that reigneth not with Christ▪ shall perish with the diuell without all [...]. And in his Hypognosti­con. li [...]. [...]. booke Hypognosticon, he is yet more plaine, morefull, more abounding in the [...]ting backe of that deuised [...] be these. The first place the [...] by Gods authoritie beleeueth to be the [...] of heauē: the second place, the [...] [Page 40] faith beleeueth to bee hell, where al runnagates & whosoeuer to without the faith of Christ shall tast euerlasting punishment. As for any third place we vtterly know none, neither shal we find in the holie Scriptures, that there is any such.

And as if he would neuer off this groūd, till he had built vp the truth, and remoued all rubbish, he is yet vpon that againe and In his 18. sermon of the words of the Apo­stle. againe. There be two habitations or dwelling places, the one in fire euerlasting▪ and the other in the kingdome that neuer shall haue end.

There is no other place to correct our man­ners In [...]i [...] 54. Ep [...]s [...]le to [...]acedon [...] ­us. and conditions, but onlie in this life: for af­ter this life, euerie man shall haue that that hee hath purchased vnto himselfe in this world.

So then with these few, to shut vp the streame of the rest, that still runne in the same current, and to close with their recti­fied spirits in triall of the truth, I conclude with themselues. In quo quemque inuenerit Aug. in his 80. Epist. to H [...]ychius. suus nouissimus dies, in hoc comprehende [...] mun­di nou [...]ssimus dies: quontam qualis in die isto quisquis moritur, tales in die illo iudicabitur. And againe, vnusquisque cum causa sua dor­mit, & cum causa sua resurgit. Wherein eue­rie mans last day shall leaue him; therein Gods day shall finde him; as we die, so shall we be iudged, and euerie man shall sleepe [Page 41] and rise againe with his owne cause.

As for that our aduersaries straynd di­stinction, of good to heauen, bad to hell; and meanely mannerd to purgatorie: it is a heathenish help, & a Pan [...]s Poêm found in the Schoole of Plato, and there first for­ged vpon the anuill of errour; who maketh (by the report of Eusebius himselfe in his booke of the soule) three degrees of men. Some in the Elisian fields, who liued well and vertuouslie: blessed soules, in blessed places. Others in Tartaro, whom he calleth [...], past hope of amendement, cursed soules in cursed places. But [...], such as are curable and veniall, he casteth into burning flouds, there to make perfect their repentance, and after their purgation receiue absolution. Virgil describeth it at large, in his sixt booke of his AEneidos.

Englished thus.

And hereat no doubt Augustine aymed August. de ciuit. dei lib. 21. cap. 13. when hee said, that purgatorie was one of Platoes doctrines: as also some of their grea­test Clarkes and Iesuits, who doe not let to confesse that purgatorie is found there.

And for conclusion of all these points of doctrine, controuersed betwixt vs and our aduersaries; I say of popish pardons and in­dulgences, Pardon [...] reache vs no [...]. which lastly they pleade, in re­leefe of their dead, and ease of soules de­parted, that rest should come by thē: I say, though they be nearest to their true game, yet are they furthest from their due proofe: as may appeare by their owne Doctors, to too doubtfull, yet doting vpon the do­ctrine, ex ore tuo, &c.

Siluester Prierias hath these very words▪ Siluest. Pri­erias contra Luther. Pardons (saith he) are not knowne vnto vs by the authoritie of Scriptures, but by the authori­tie of the Church of Rome, and of the Popes, which is greater then the authority of the scrip­tures. [Page 43] Desinat in piscem mulier formosa super­ne. A milde beginning, but a wild and woo­die ending.

Iohn Maior is no lesse doubtfull when he Io. Maior. Senten. 4. distinct. 20. quest. 2. a [...]oucheth, that of pardons little may bee said of certaintie: for the Scripture expresly saith nothing of them. Touching that Christ said vnto Peter, Vnto thee will I giue the keyes, &c. We must vnderstand this authoritie with a corne of salt.

Alphonsus de Castro in his eight booke of Alphons. de castro. [...]ib. 8. indulgent. pardons, saith, There is nothing in the Scrip­tures lesse opened, or whereof the olde Fathers haue lesse written then pardons: of pardons there is no mention.

Let Bernard of Clunice blaunch the de­uise, Bernard, in Sa [...]a [...]ia. and tell the truth of this toy. The deui­sing of pardons (saith he) is a godly guile, a hurt­lesse deceit, to the intent, that by a deuo [...] kinde of errour, the people may be drawne to godlines. Much like vnto many wantons in these our dayes, who deeme that diuinitie may goe by the drum, whilest they vrge pyping to bring on preaching, and minstrilsie to grace our ministerie, with multitudes in the afternoones, of many our wofull and soli­tarie Saboaths.

But to the matter in hand, and point of [Page 44] pardons; I say with Augustine: O vanitie, Aug. lib. 50. Homil. 36. selling vanities, to them that will heare vanitie: and vaine are they that will beleeue it. Nay ra­ther beleeue your owne Poets, who durst Mantuan. freely say: If wee haue any thing from Rome, they be trisles: it receiueth our gold, and decei­ueth our soules.

Say with Veselus one of your owne Doc­tors, Veselus. Among vs in Rome, Churches, Priests, Altars, Masses, Crownes, Fire, Incence, Pray­ers, and Heauen are set to sale: yea, and God himselfe among vs may be had for money.

Say with Budaeus. The Popes Canons seeme Budaeus in Pandectis. not now to guide mens liues, but if I may so say, they rather serue to make a banke, and to get money.

Say with Becket one of your owne Bi­shops: Becket in Epist to the Bishop of Mentz. Rome our mother is become an harlot, & for money & reward laieth her selfe to sale.

If then for cōclusion, my deere brethrē, beloued in the best loue that euer was, which is of Iesus Christ: if Saints helpe not, for that they heare not: if Purgatorie case not, for that it is not: and lastly if pardons preuaile not, for that they reach neither quicke nor dead: why doe wee listen to these vngodly Sirens? who blacken the ayre with the fogge of their dearne diuini­tie, [Page 45] and driue away al comfort from distres­sed soules, with these wofull outcryes, and doubtfull voyces. Helpe Saints: Purge fire: Pardon Pope. Away away, get you hence, for Isai. 1. 1 [...]. who euer required these things at your hands, saith my God?

Let onely the price of the bloud of my Aug. in 14. booke vpon 15. Psalme. Lord, auaile me vnto the perfection of my deliuery. He is my peace: he is my rest: in life and in death Christ is to me an aduantage. O death where is thy sting? Hell where is thy 1. Cor. 15. 55 victorie? Pope where is thy pride? Purgato­rie where is thy gaine? Thankes be vnto God, who hath giuen vs victorie, peace, and rest, tho­rough our Lord Iesus Christ. And now who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen: it is God that iustifieth, who shall cōdemne? it is Christ which is dead, yea ra­ther which is risen againe, who is also at the Rom. 8. 33. &c. right hand of God, & maketh request also for vs. And what shal diuide vs frō his loue? Shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecutiō, or famine, or nakednes, or perill, or sword? shall life or death? In all these we are more then conquerours, in him y ^• loued vs. And I am perswaded, that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nei­ther [Page 46] height nor depth, Pope, nor Purgato­rie shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Ven [...]endo veniet. Peace shall come; they shall rest from their labours, euery one that wal­keth before him.

Thus you haue heard (I hope to your comfort) of peace after war, rest after toile, life after death; and a blessed being after a miserable bondage, to all Gods children, vpon the last farewell, with this wofull 2. Part. world. It now remaines we come to the se­cond 1. Obserue the genera­litie of Gods gifts, [...]et with limi­tation. part, and declare out of the text, to your further comfort, who are partakers of the blessing; euen all such as are parties to the cause, and none but such as haue wal­ked before him.

All haue not faith; so saith Paul. All haue 2. Thes. 3. 2. Isai. 57 21. not peace; so saith the Prophet. Not euery plant is for this Orchard. Not euery tree is for this building: each peeble stone may noy lie with the Carbuncle, Topaze or Chry­solite, in the habitation of his holinesse. For without shall be dogges, and inchaunters, and Reuel 22. 14. 15. whoremongers, and murtherers, and Idolators, and whosoeuer loueth or maketh lyes: But bles­sed are they that doe his commandements, that their right may be found in the tree of [Page 47] life, and may enter in through the gates in­to the citie. Blessednesse with the Apostle is to such as doe his commandements; Peace and rest with the Prophet, is to such as walke before him. Both absolute in the promise of God: both defeaseable on the condition of man.

It is an ouerruled case in schoole diuini­tie. Comminationes & promissiones diuinae sunt hypotheticae, comminations & promises from God are conditionall, euer limited within the bounds of our obedience or disobedi­ence.

Yet fortie dayes and Niniue shall be destroy­ed; Ionah. 3 4. if Niniue repent not: and I am perswa­ded, that yet not many yeares, & the whole world shall bee destroyed, if the world a­mend not. Excellent things were spoken Psal. 87. 3. of thee, thou Citie of God: but now exe­crable things are done to thee, for that thou art fallen from God. Bethel is become Be­thauen, the house of God, the house of ini­quitie. Heudomus antiqua quam dispari do­mino dominare! Thy ruines are relickes of thy sinne, and iudgements of thy God.

God promised a Priesthood of continu­ance, with an eternall couenant: and said he would neuer faile Salomon of a sonne to [Page 48] succeed in that throne of gouernmēt; if his 1. King. 9. 3. 4. children would doe right and walke in his waies: but when they failed in the conditi­on, the Lord failed in his promise, that they might know his promises are conditionall, and his mercies euer with limitation.

Aske and ye shall haue; seeke and ye shall Math. 7. 7. finde; knocke, and it shall be opened vnto you; so saith Christ a mercifull Messias: but with this implication; if yee aske not, yee haue not; if yee seeke not, yee finde not; if yee knocke not, it shall not be opened vnto you. And I pray you what is implied in all the titles and dignities of Christ? where ei­ther he saith of himselfe, or others of him, that he is the way, the truth and the life: but Ioh. 14. 6. that we should walk in him, shine through him, and liue by him: or what of this? that he is the doore, the shepheard, and the vine? but that wee should enter, be guided, and grow together in him. A Priest hee is to please our God. A Prophet to instruct our Heb. 7. 17. Acts 3. 22. soules: and a king to conquer our enemies. All defeaseable on our behalfe: if we yeeld him no sacrifice; no care; no obedience; I 1. Tim. 6. 15. 16. say, for conclusion, whatsoeuer Christ is to me, I am nothing to him; if Eccho-like, and by reflexion, I doe not answere to his holie [Page 49] and heauenlie call, with my true faith and due obedience. Qui fecit te sine te, non salua­bit te sine te. Hee that made thee without thee, will neuer saue thee without thee. We Ephes. 2. 10. are his workemanship, created to good workes, that we should walke in them.

In which walking I doe further obserue out of the text, that God is no respecter of persons, but euerie one that walketh shall haue peace, and finde rest, whether Iew or Gal. 3. 28. Gentile, circumcised, or vncircumcised, man or woman, rich or poore, bond or free, ma­ster or seruant, saint or sinner; if he beleeue, hee shall haue life; if hee walke before him: Peace shall come.

Our religiō taketh no knowledge of persons, nor respecteth the cōditions of men. Old Simeon in Luk. 2. 25. Luk. 1. 41. 44. the temple, yong Iohn in the wombe, poore Bartimeus begging, rich Zacheus climing, the hard hearted Centurion standing by the Mark▪ 10. 46 Luk. 19. 4. Math. 27. 54 Luk. 23. 40. tree, & the theefe hanging vpon the crosse, confessing the trueth, and walking in the sunneshine of their Christ: all indifferent­lie receiue his die, gaine peace, and finde rest.

This Peter sawe in vision from heauen; [Page 50] and this he preached powerfully on earth; when vpon the sight he opened his mouth, and said, of a truth I perceiue now that God is Act. 10. 28. 33. 34. 35. no respecter of persons, but in euery nation he that seareth him, and worketh righteousnes, is accepted with him.

Againe, I gather out of the text, that as God is generall in his gifts; so must we be particular in our receite. Euery one shall 2. The par­ticularitie of our ra­ceit. be saued: but by his owne faith. Euery one shall haue peace, and finde rest: but by his owne walking. Anothers faith though neuer so pretious, is not sufficient: ano­thers walking, though neuer so righteous, is not auaileable to my rest. The iust man Halac. 2. 4. shall liue by his owne faith, so saith Habacucke, 2. 4. Euery one shall heare his owne bur­den: Gal. 6. 5. and 7. and euery one shal haue his owne ho­nour. And as we sow, so shall we reape: not anothers mouth to kisse; not anothers teares to wash; not anothers haires to wipe the feete of thy Christ: but thine owne mouth; thine own teares; thine own haires, Luk. 7. 37. must kisse, wash, and wipe, with Marie, the feete of thy Sauiour.

All that thine hand shall finde to doe, Eccles. 9. 10. doc it with all thy power: thine hand, not ano­thers hand: [...]y prayers, not anothers pray­ers: [Page 51] thine hearing, not anothers hearing: thy feete, not anothers feete, shodde to the Ephes. 6. 15. preparation of the Gospell of peace; yea, and thy communicating of Christ, with all the benefits of his passion, not anothers, shall benefit thee, to thine euerlasting sal­uation. Quid tibi de alterius dono, si tu non de­deris: why art thou proude of another mans gift, and thou giue nothing?

Anothers clothes will not warme me; anothers meate will not feede me; anothers golde will not enrich me; anothers heart will not cheere me: no more say I, can ano­thers faith saue me. Onely my faith in my Rom. 13. 14. Christ, whom I haue put on, my walking, mine obedience; must warme me, must feede me, must cheere me, must enrich me, and therefore I say with Thomas vpon Ioh. 20. 28. mine owne tuch: My God, my Lord. Not God in generall, but my God in particular; mine by promise; mine by stipulation: mine by oth: mine by free gift: mine by purchase: mine by participation of giftes and graces: my Shilo: mine Emmanuel: my Iesus.

Of this particular faith and application, spake Isaiah the Prophet, when he said, Ra­zili Isa. 24. 16. Razili. Secretum meum mihi, Secretum [Page 52] meum mihi: My secret to my selfe, my secret to my selfe. And this is the spirit of applicati­on, by which the children of God, both can and doe applie the medicine to the mala­die: for what is the sweetest balme, if it be not broken? The best receite, if it be not taken? Or the soueraigndst plaister that can be deuised by arte or cunning, if it bee not applied to the wound or sore? From this spirit of application spake Dauid, when he said, O God thou art my God: as Mary al­so Psal. 63. 1. in the garden, when she said Rabboni, my master: yea and Iohn too, whose head lay Ioh. 20. 16. neere his masters heart, euen the Disciple whom the Lord loued, when hee sayd, We know that wee are of God, though all the world 1. Ioh. 5. 19. lie in wickednes.

But the sonnes of Beliall, and the repro­bate from God, if you mark them well, you shall find that they are seared with a brand, 1. Tim. 4. 1. 2 and so, as neither they cā, nor do apply the mercies of God vnto themselues. Caine could make no vse of it, when he said, My sinne is greater then can be pardoned. Nay Gen. 4. 15. (saith Augustine) not so: Mentiris Caine, mentiris, maior est dei misericordia quàm om­nium peccatorum miseria: Thou lyest Caine, thou liest, the mercies of God are aboue [Page 53] all mans miseries. Pharoah was [...]bdurate, Exod. 5. 2. and could make no vse of God either in maiesty, or mercie, when he said, Who is the Lord, that I should heare his voyce, & let Israel goe? I know not the Lord. Iudas that sonne of perdition, when he cast in the [...]0. pence ( a Zach. 11. 13. goodly price whereat he was valued) though he mourned much; yet had he no helpe, for that he was hopelesse, when he could not applie mercie vnto his miserie: but said, I haue sinned in betraying the innocent bloud. Matth. 27. 4 The innocent bloud, not mine; as if he had no portion in his Christ.

And for the Diuels, they are so farre from challenging any good by Christ, that they disclaime his mercies, person & all, whilest they say: Ah, what haue wee to doe with thee, Mark. 1. 24. thou Iesus of Nazareth? art thou come to de­stroy vs? Such disclaime be farre from you my brethren, and from all the Saints of God, both in life and death: nay rather clamate prore vestra▪ claime your due, and say with blessed Paul, Christ is become vnto 1. Cor. 1. 30. vs wisedome, righteousnes, sanctification, and redemption. Yea, and be bold to say yet more: his bodie is in heauen, there shall I finde it mine: his diuinitie is on earth, there do I feele it mine: his word is in mine eares, [Page 54] to beget him mine: his sacrament is in mine eyes, to confirme him mine: his spirit is in my heart, to assure him mine: Angels mine, to camp for me: Prince mine, to rule for me: Church mine, to pray for me: Pa­stor mine, to preach for me: All mine, whe­ther it be Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, whether they be things 1. Cor. 3. 21. 22. 23. present, or things to come, euen all are mine, I am Christs, and Christ is Gods.

Of all this I inferre and conclude with my text, that euery one must walke, if he wil haue peace; and who wil be cured, must care to apply his sweete Sauior vnto his sinfull soule. Thine owne gaine must buy balme to bury thy Christ; nor must thou send it, but bring it, with the deuout Maryes, to the sepulcher. The Queene of Saba (though a 1. King. 10. 1. Queene) yet she sent not, but came her selfe to heare the wisedome of Salomon. And the Matth, 2. 1. 2 wisemen of the East, herein shewed their wit, that after they had seene his starre, they turned not, but hasted to the place of the babes abode, with this inquiry: Where is he which is borne King of the Iewes? vidimus stellam eius in oriente, we haue seene his star in the East, and are come to worship him: venimus personaliter, we come our selues, we [Page 55] acknowledge our misery, venimus adorare humiliter, we adore him our selues, we ac­knowledge his maiestie, and we worship eum singulariter, him alone: we subscribe to the Vnity: and that there is no name vnder Acts 4. 12. heauen, wherby men must be saued, other then by the glorious name of Iesus Christ. As and if they might say, we haue seene in soule, we are come in body, there is the star, O where is the babe? Care is in our hearts, and cost is in our hands, here is our gold, let him be crowned a King: here is our frankencense, let him be deified a God: here is our mirth, let him be buried a man: all his by gift, all ours by grace: what he gaue vs, we giue a­gaine; and here we haue it to bestow vpon our blessed Sauiour: from a farre countrey haue wee followed him, and walked before him: and therefore now we feele peace, we haue found rest to our weary soules.

From the generality of Gods gifts, and 3. The pro­per obiect of our faith and walk­ing. particularity of our receipt, come we now to the proper obiect of our faith and wal­king, contayned in these words, before him. By which indefinit speech, I hold the holy ghost hath reference to one Christ, the way, the truth, and the life of all Christians. No way, but by him: no light, but from him: no [Page 56] life, but in him. Him I say, nor is he expres­sed in plainer termes, for that his name is s [...]ret: and till Gabriel came from heauen, Luk. 1. [...]1. 3 [...]. 3▪ with his sauing name Iesus, and statute of additions, Luke 1. 31. from the first age to the latter daies, I meane from Adam, vntill Shilo came, they but hacked at it. God in Gen. 49. 10. Paradise lapt vp this secret in the seed of the woman. Iacob in Shilo, which by interpreta­tion Gen. 3 15. is sent. Moses in this, Mitte quem mis­s [...]ruses: Exod. 4. 13. Send him whom thou shouldest send. Daniel thus, One of the Saints said vnto Dan. 8. 13. a certain one. Ieremy thus, He that should call, Iere. 23. 6. he is the lord our righteousnes. The Lord in re­spect of his, to deliuer his Church: righteous, in respect of his doome, determinable vpon the world: ours in respect of grace, appea­sing his father. What should I say more? Isai. 7. 14. sometime they call him by the name of Em­manuel: sometime they call him wonderfull, Isai. 9. 6. 7. Counsellor, the mightie God, the euerlasting fa­ther, Isai. 8. 3. the prince of peace. Maher-shalal-hash­baz, Make speede to the spoyle, hast to the pray; with this pregnant prophecy of him, that a virgin should inuiron a man. And nee­rer Iere. 31. 22. Luk. 2. 25. 28 Luk. 23. 51. the daies of Christ, they called him, Is­raels expectation, Israels consolation, Israels redemption. And now that I haue told thee, [Page 57] and thou hast heard all these speake, I aske with Salomon, what is his name? and what is Prou. [...]0. 4 Prou. 25. 1. his sonnes name, if thou canst tell? It is the gldrse of God to keepe a thing secret, but the Kings heart will seeke it out. And it is an ho­norable seede that feareth the Lord, but a [...]clu [...] 10. [...]0. more honorable seede that findeth him. El­der times saw him a farre off, comming swadled in types, figures, shadowes, & ce­remonies: but we haue seene the truth, bo­die, and substance of our Christ. We haue him come [...] and the [...]yle of the Temple is Matt 27. 51 [...]ent from the top to the bottome, whereby we haue readie passage into the hol [...]est of holies, euen Christ Iesus the Lord, whom the 1 [...]. 1. [...]2. Angels desire to behold. We heard of him at Ephrata, and wee haue found him in the Psal. 131. [...]. woods, tied to the tree, & pierced through, with his body crost, and soule curst, for the sinnes of all the world: and now sitteth in Rom. 8 34. heauen, a mediator and pledge of our inhe­ritance, hauing le [...]t his spirit to liue by, and his word to go by: and this is he whom the Prophet meant in this word him, the obiect of our faith, and way to walke in.

No man can ascend, but by him that did Io [...] [...] 1 [...]. Gen. [...] [...]. descend, and that is Christ: the ladder Iacob saw at Pinael: the clowd by day, & pili [...]r of [Page 58] fire by night, which guided Israel in the de­sert; Exod. 13. 21 22. the kings high way to heauen, & bles­sed hold of happie dwelling. No Paradise without this tree: no perfume without this balme: no building without this stone: no sacrifice without this lambe: I say, no God without Christ, in this wicked world. The light of the day is conueyed vnto vs by th [...] Matt. 11. 27 Sunne in the firmament: so is the brig [...] ­nes of heauen, by that Sonne of righteous­nes: a Planet in the middest of Planets, to lighten all aboue, and all below, as whom blessed Angels desire to behold, and blessed men couet to adore. Life is conueyed from the [...]art, through the veines to all the vitall parts: so is saluation frō the Father through Christ to all his liuing members. Out of E­den went a riuer to water the garden, being deuided into foure heads, it compassed the whole world: Out of heauen flowed the streame of Gods mercy, in and through our Christ, whose graces deuided diuersly, all the earth is filled with his glorie.

What should I say more? Christ is a mu­tuall help: to the Father one, to vs another. Christ a mu­tuall helpe. An hand to the Father, by which hee rea­cheth vs: an hand to vs, by which we reach him. The Fathers mouth, by which he spea­keth [Page 59] to vs: our mouth to the Father, by which we speake to him. Our God is a con­suming Heb. 10. 19. 20 fire, and without Christ the vayle, we cannot abide the brightnes of his glory: for what is our miserie, to meete with his maiestie, but in the temper of his mercie? which mercy-seate, & all is Christ. As then our words, are messengers of our mindes, & semblances of our soules, to pa [...]ley with our friends: so is the Christ, the sonne of God, the image of the Father, and mouth to instruct his de [...]rest Saints: nor onely a Ioh. 14 6. mouth to speake by, but an eye to see by, and the foote way to goe by, as it is m [...]ny text, Peace shall come, and rest shall [...]e reserued for euery one that walketh before him.

So then I dare auouch boldly, thinke what thou wilt, and without Christ, it is an Ioh. 15. 5. euil thought: say what thou wilt, and with­out Christ, it is an euill word: do what thou wilt, and without Christ it is an euill deed: tread where thou wilt, and without Christ, it is an euill way. Christ is the life of the world, & heire of al things, without whom, [...]. [...]. [...] [...]. C [...]r. [...]. 5. I can possesse nothing that good is, either in grace, or in glory. He, he, is the salt Elis [...] did throw in, to sweeten the waters of [...]e­richo, with these words: Thu [...] saith the Lord, [...]. Ki [...]. 2. 21. [Page 62] [...] [Page 63] [...] [Page 60] I haue healed this water: death shall no more come thereof, neither barrennes to the ground.

This faith (my deare brethren) is right, for it hits the soueraigne good, and thus to walke, is to walke before him. None but he careth, none but he careth, none but he guideth, non but he saueth: and he is but one Acts 4. 12. as you heere see, and will be alone in all his courses; without mixture, [...]thout [...]edley; first, last, middest, and all, filling all; yet [...]i­ned from all, in the glorious worke of our repaire. None but he bare our sinnes: none but he pleadeth our cause: none but he purchased our place: none but he traceth our way; he hath trode the wine-presse alone, Isai. [...]3. 3. and there was none is helpe. The cup of bitter affliction whereof he tasted, agonizing in Luk. 22. 42. the garden, for no intreatie with his Father could passe from him to any other.

Oye Papists, at last (in the name of God) be wise, and warned; leaue off your mix­tures; away with your medleys: and if you desire either peace to your soules, or rest to your bodies, only walke before him. Meddle with no merit of man, pardon of Pope, meede of Martyrs, or pride of your owne workes, vnwisely wrought. Make no mix­tures of the sacred water and bloud, which [Page 61] flowed frō the side of Christ, with the bloud of Hales and Becket, or with the inchanted holy water of an vnhallowed Priest. Neuer match your triple crowne of gold and dia­monds glittering, with the single crowne of thorne piercing: And neuer thinke the pu­ri [...]ie of the word, will abide the mixtures of your traditions▪ the text, your glosses; the Church, your Idols; the arke of God, your Dagon; nor the poore priesthood of Christ, your papall pride and Popedome.

Looke for none other, but that the bodie and soule of your religion, like the image Nebuchadnezzar saw, p [...]tcht together of gold, siluer, brasse, iron, and clay, will and shall Dan. 2. [...], 32, 33, 34, 35 [...]inner, when the stone cut out without hands shall smite the same. Your coate is of [...]i [...]ie Deut. 22. [...]1 wool [...]ie, not for our wearing. Your fami­lie like Micha of mount Ephraim, and not Iudg. 17. 5. for our dwelling: for as he had, so haue you, an house of gods: an Ephod, and a Teraphim: he would serue both God, and Idols; and so doe you.

And as for vs, who beleeue and looke af­ter better things, we say with the poore Pa­ralyticke, Ioh. [...]. 15. in disclaime of all others helpe, it is Iesus that made vs whole. And we say with Abraham when we go to sacrifice, thou ser­uant Gen. 22. 5. [Page 62] stay here, I and the childe will walke alone. And now for conclusion by the Lords commaund, that wee are for Bethel, we haue with Iacobs familie, put away the strange gods that were among vs; we haue clensed our selues, and chaunged our gar­mēts, pluckt off our earings, and put all in­to the hand of our Iacob, our Elizabeth, who faithfully for her God, and graciously for her people, hath buryed Pop [...]rie, with it execrable things, vnder an oke at Shechem, Gen. 35. 1. 2. neuer to be reuiued, neuer to be found out, Amen, Amen.

Lastly for an end, sith the time is past, and I feare much I haue wearied your patience ouer-long: From the proper obiect of our faith & walking, come we to the progresse, 4 And lastly, a progresse, and increase in religion. and increase of both: contayned in this word walketh. Where you may see as in a glasse chrystaline, that a christian life is not a standing still, but a walking on, and growth in the doctrine of faith, and pra­ctice of godlines.

The first blessing that euer God gaue af­ter the creation, was increase and multiplie, Gen. 1. 28. which tooke it effect, not only in the crea­tures by propagation of kinde, but also in his gifts & graces, by renouation of minds, [Page 63] new birth, growth in knowledge, true faith, and godlines. All the trees in Paradise did grow, and all the floods in Paradise did flow; to teach vs that we must not stād still at a stay, lest either wee be fruitles, and so accursed; or become puddle water, and so vnprofitable.

The finest cloath will weare, if it be not vsed; the purest gold will rust, if it be not handled; the sweetest balme will corrupt, if it be not broken; and the cleerest foun­taine will stincke, if it runne not: So are the graces of God, and doctrines of the be­ginnings of Christ, though of themselues pure as gold, sweete as balme, cleere as a fountaine; yet in respect of vs vnprofitable, if we proceed not further, but there stand still. Foundations they are I graunt, for the scripture hath said it, Hebr. 6. 1. But what of that? and what is the foundation, be it of Beryll, Topaze, or Chrisolite? if you build not vpon it, & proceed no further in the work.

In the first of Ezechiel, where the vision of Ezech. 1. 12. 17. 24. gifts and graces are described, it is said, that the beasts, winds, and wheeles went as the spirit lead them, and they returned not when they went foorth: and if at any time they stood, they let downe their wings as [Page 64] vnprofitable then, vntill the Lord had put power in them of further proceeding. And in the same Prophet againe, where the like gifts are described by another vision, you Ezech. 47▪ 1 2 3. 4, 5, 6, 7, &c. may finde, that from vnder the threshold of Gods sanctuary, the waters issue out, and they runne East, West, North, and South▪ The [...]mā with the line measured a thousand [...]ubi [...]s, and the waters were to the anckles. Againe he measured a thousand, and they were to the kn [...]os: he measured againe, and they were to the loynes: after he measured againe, and it was a riuer impossible; signi­fying that the graces of God should neuer decrease, but euer abound in his Church. The fishers should spread out their nets frō En-gedi, to En-egl [...]um. The trees shuld grow vpon the brinke of the riuer, on this side, and on that side, with leaues not fading, fruit not failing▪ leaues for medicine, fruite for meate, and fruite euer new, according to his moueths: As for the miry places thereof, saith the Prophet, and the mari­s [...]ies which stand still, they shall not be holesome, but they shall be made [...]alt pits.

You may remember when Aarons Priest­hood Numb. 17. 8 should be confirmed, all the tribes with their names cast their rods into the [Page 65] mercie- [...]eate, and none blossomed, but Aa­rons. You are a kingly people, and a royall 1. Pet. 2. 9. Priesthood: ò bud, bloome, blossome, and bring foorth fruit worthy amendment and newnes of life.

Dauid said of his Saints, Ibant de virtu­te Psal. 84 7. in virtutem: they went from strength to strength; and from faith to faith, as it is Rom. 1. 17. written: from the faith of the promise, to the faith of the performance: from the faith of the letter that killeth, to the faith of the spirit that giueth life: from the faith of Christ his humiliation in misery▪ to the faith of his exaltation in glorie: from the faith of the first resurrection from sinne, to the faith of the second resurrectiō from death: from the faith of the law wounding, to the faith of the Gospell curing: from the faith of the Prophets [...]owing, to y ^t faith of the Apostles Ioh. 4. 35. 36. reaping: from the faith of the old sacrifice giuing to God, to the faith of the new sa­craments receiuing from God: in a word, from the faith of the old couenant, wherein God speaketh, to the faith of the new resta­ment, wherein Christ bleedeth. Of al which, I may conclude with Haymo, Ex side qua cōcipitur corde, profertur ore, exhibetur opere, iustus viuit: By faith conceiued in the hart, [Page 66] professed with the mouth, & practised with the hand, the righteous man liueth.

Paul is plentifull in this doctrine, and ha­uing once laid the ground of faith, hee vr­geth nothing more then the increase of faith. He tels the Romanes, That by the Gos­pell, Rom. 1. 16. 17. the righteousness of God is reuealed from faith to faith. He tels the Ephesians, that they Ephes. 4. 13. must grow vnto perfect men, euen vnto the age of the fulnes of Christ: As also, that they Eph. 3. 18. 19 must know the loue of Christ, which passeth knowledge, and so be filled with all fulnes of God. He tels the Philippians, how he longeth Philip. 1. 8. 9 after them from the very heart roote in Iesus Christ: and in longing, falles a praying: and what is the matter of his prayer? but that their loue might abound yet more & more in all knowledge, and in all feeling. With whom I will conclude, and close with my text: As you haue receiued Christ Iesus the Lord; so walke in him, rooted, and built in Col. 2. 6. 7. him, and established in the faith, as ye haue beene taught, abounding therein with thanksgiuing. Where obserue my brethren, that not rooting, building, establishing, teaching, nor abiding in the faith is suffici­ent, without abounding: for frustra nititur qui non innititur: And he that continueth not [Page 67] to the end, shall not be saued.

Take heed then my brethren, and be not Prou. 3. 7. high minded, but feare: you that are come out of Sodome, Remember Lots wife: go not Luk. 17. 32. back, nay looke not back: you are of Iudah tribe, and haue taken a profession vpō you; and be not like the children of Ephraim, Psal. 78. 9. 10. which being harnessed, and carying bowes, turned themselues backe in the day of battell. Iames said well, Ye aske, and haue not, because Iam. 4. 3. ye aske amisse: So may I say, many walke, & obtaine not, for that they walke amisse. Some in such idolatrous and superstitious heresies: some in such clyming and presu­ming ambition: some in such greedie and vnsatiable couetousnes: some in such bi­ting & gnawing vsurie: some in such swea­ring and forswearing of themselues: some in such extrauagant and vagabond lusts of the flesh: some in such rebellions & con­spiracies of harts and hands, as of whom I may say (as I haue told you often) and now tell you weeping, they are enemies to the crosse of Philip. 3. 18 19. Christ, their end is damnation, their bellie is their god, their glorie is their shame, and they but mind earthly things.

As for such as creepe with the Crab, and slow it with the Snayle; I say they walke a­misse; [Page 68] for creeping Christians are no Chri­stians: And cursed; [...] be that doth the worke of Iere. 48. 10. the Lord negligently. An Aldermans pa [...]e is too solemne for a Saint of God: O that Ie­hu▪ his walking might be a mirrour to all Magistrates, Ministers, and people, how to walke, of whom it was said vpon the sight, The marching is like the marching of Iehu the 2. Kin. 9. 20. sonne of Nimshi: for he marcheth valiantly▪ or that Caesars faculty of performance, were in the most of vs, of whom Lucian thus wri­teth: Caesar in omnia praeceps, nil actum cre­dens, cum quid superesset agendum. Lucian. 2. Pharsal [...]a.

Instat atrox.

Which I may english thus: Caesar is for­ward to all good, and thinketh nothing well done, whilest any thing is left vndone. And so for the conclusion of all: Now way the fruit this tree benreth, and consider the crop this haruest yeeldeth, I meane the bles­sing they gaine, who are faithfull to their Christ, and walke before him.

Is it [...]mperiall rule in this world? Is it wealth, riches, or aboundance of earthlie happinesse? Is it health, strength, or beauty? These haue their times; but they perish with the possessor: nor to this end came Christ into this woful world, that he might [Page 69] giue to the faithfull walkers, fading and va­nishing delights; but an abiding solace, e­uen Ioh. 10. 10. life, and life in abundance, with peace to the soule, and rest to the bodie; I meane eternall blessednesse to both, wherein is the auoydance of all euill, the fruition of all good, the societie of all Saints, the fulfilling of al desires, with vnspeakable glory, which neuer shall cease: whither God bring vs, for his Christs sake, to whom bee honour and praise both now and euer. Amen, Amen.

And now brethren beloued and lon­ged for (I say now) that I haue finished my course, ended the text, and closed vp the booke, giue me leaue a little to turne me to the dead, and to say vnto you on her be­halfe, this Scripture is fulfilled in your eyes and eares this day, Peace shall come; nay, Peace is come. For she entertained in her heart the father of Heauen, which is the God of Peace: and she loued Christ the King of Peace: and in braced in her soule the Comforter which brought that Peace to her, that passeth all vnderstanding. And for that I may say no more, I can say no l [...]sse; she kept the condition of my text on earth, and therefore her estate is vndefeasable in heauen. She did walke before him in life, [Page 70] therefore she hath Peace: nor did she for­sake him in death, and therefore now hath she found rest to her wearie soule.

To walke in the word, is to walke with him; and to goe by the light thereof, is to walke before him. Let her painfulnesse in reading, and practise in following, euen from a child, speake to her commendation in that behalfe. You heard in the former Sermon, how eight chapters a day, was her taske, each daies reading, a full weeke of Sabboths, to sanctifie a Saint. ( So sanctifie Ioh. 17. 17. vs good Lord with thy truth, thy word is the truth.) And to make good the practise, I haue crediblie heard, that not eight, but many eights a day, haue been her sighes, sobbes, and gronings, for the breaches of the lawe (she read) both by her selfe, and others; euer opening the booke with these words: A good God, a bad people, much mercie offered, little receiued; for euery one seekes his Philip. 2. 21 owne, and fewe the things that are of Iesus Christ: And still clasping the booke thus: The glorie of God is to conceale a thing secret; Prou. 25. 1. but the Kings honour is to search it out. And what are wee but a kingly people; and a royall priesthood? Besides her priuate rea­ding, I might heere speake of her priuate [Page 71] prayer, and much meditation, with Isaac in Gen. 24▪ 63. Psal. 119. 5 [...] 62. the field: with Dauid in the night. I might tell of her weekely repayre to heare the word, in the great congregation: of her monthly communicating with his Saints there, with her feete euer shodde to the pre­paration of the Gospell of peace; and neuer well, but when she was [...]o walking before him.

But I leaue her life and come to her death, whereunto (as I am tolde) she wal­ked, as Christ did to Caluary, with much Mark. [...]5. 20 21. care, and many agonies, compelled with Simon of Cyrene to beare his crosse; thereby to helpe out the sufferings of her sweete Sa­uiour, Coless. 1. 24. and to beare in her bodie and soule, the markes of Christ Iesus, like spangles of Gal. 6. 17. golde, to grace her in her triall, whereby in the end she became more glorious, both to God and man. It is said of the kings daugh­ter that she is all glorious within, and that Psal. 45▪ 13. her rayment was of needle worke: peace within, but prickings without. Multi vi­dent punctiones, sed non vident vnctiones: Many see our crosses, but they feele not our comforts; so said the Saints of olde: and therefore to such as thinke it a straunge thing, that the Saints of God should haue [Page 72] their fi [...]ie trial in this world, by bickerings, [...]. Cor▪ 1 [...]. 7. 8. [...]. Luk. [...]2. 31. 32. Luk. 24. 25. 20. buffetings, and winnowings of Satan. They are fooles and slowe of heart to beleeue, like the two disciples who went to Em­maus, thinking still of their Christ crow­ned, but neuer crossed, till the Lord had rectified their thoughts, and laide a necessi­tie of triall vpon all flesh, beginning with himselfe thus: Ought not Christ to haue suf­fered Luk. 2 [...]. 26. these things, and to haue entred into his glorie? Whereby I gather: no peace, without warre: no rest, without toyle: no crowne, without a crosse: no entrance, without suf­fering: no glorie, without shame and sha­king in this wofull world.

But happely you will say, some be neuer broken in heart, nor yet haue any conflict with Satan, sinne, or death: they are feared with no temptations, nor doe they grieue because of him whom they pearced. They haue made a couenant with the graue, and Isal. 28. 15. a league with hell: of such I say, their case is desperate, and their condition is no bet­ter then the beasts fat [...]ed vp in the best pa­stures, reserued for the slaughter, of whom Iob speaketh, when hee saith, The houses Iob. 21. 9. &c. of the wicked are peaceable, without feare▪ and the rod of God is not vpon them: they spend [Page 73] their daies in wealth, and suddenly they droppe Iob. 20. 9. &c. Psalm. 73. 4. down to hell. As also Dauid, there are no bands in their death: they haue no knots, as it is in the originall, they are n [...]t troubled like o­ther men,

There be many in y ^e world, which would faine haue a Church of sugar, or of veluet, as one saith: they would feede vpon man­chet, and tread vpon Roses. I meane in ser­uing God, they would be freed from afflic­tions: they loue Canaan, but they lothe the wildernesse: they like the crowne, but they loue not the crosse: Shilo runneth sweetely, but Iordan is to too turbulent: all like Ze­bedeus his sonnes, Iames and Iohn, who Mark. 10. 35 sought to sit in the seate of honour, but not to drinke of the cup of afflictions. But the truth is, you may beleeue it, the way to hea­uen is not strowed with flowers, but set with thornes: and happily you shall finde it in your experience true, that Whosoeuer will 2. Tim. 3. 12. liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecutiō.

Quater luctatus est Iacob: in vtero cum Esau; in via cum eodem; in Mesopotamia cum Bernard. in Sentent. Gen. 25. 22. Gen▪ 32. 3. Gen. 31. 22. Gen. 32. 24. Laban; in Bethel cum Angelo. Iacob wrestled foure times: in the wombe with Esau: in his iourney with Esau: in Mesopotamia with Laban: and at Bethel with the Angell. To [Page 74] teach vs, that if we wil be the Israel of God, Gal. 6. 16. we must arme our selues for all trials at all times, in all places, and with all persons, retaining no longer the name of Iacob as supplanting our troubles: but the name of Israel as preuailing with God, and neuer Gen. 32. 28. leauing him without a blessing.

Excellent things are spoken of thee thou Church of God: A woman clothed with the Reuel. 12. 1. &c. Sunne crowned with the Starres, and treading vpon the Moone; yet trauailing in birth, pur­sued with the dragon, and readie to be deuoured both her selfe, and her sillie babe: But heauen sung her triumph, against the accuser of the brethren, and he was cast downe, which ac­cused them before God day and night. To be accused before men is much; but to be accused before our God is more. Now and then to be accused is much: but night and day is more. And such are the persecutions of Gods children in this world, they neuer haue an end, nor euer shall, till the world be without hatred: the diuell without en­uie: and our nature without corruption.

Thinke it not straunge (my deere bre­thren) concerning the firie triall which did 1. Pet. 4. 12. 13. befall this Gentlewoman, to prooue her at her end, as though some strange thing [Page 75] had come vnto her; but reioyce rather, in as much as she hath been partaker of Christs sufferings, that when his glory shall appeare, she may be glad and reioyce. Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed he fall 1. Cor. 10. 12. 13. not. There hath no temptation taken her, but such as appertaineth to man: And God was faithfull, who would not suffer her to be tempted aboue that she was able: and euen gaue the issue with the temptation, that she might be able to beare it.

When the beholders thought the Whale Ionah. 1. had swallowed vp Ionah to kill him, hee swallowed him vp to saue him. The Lord hid his face from her, & she was troubled. But ye are witnesses, who were present at her death, that his wrath indured but the twinckling of an eye, and though heauines Psal. [...]0. 5. continued for a night, yet ioy came in the mor­ning, when you saw her fined like gold, re­newed like an Eagle; soring high into the bosome of Christ, with this powerfull speech, and godly ouation, at her end: Heare O Lord, & haue mercie vpon me: Lord Psal. 30. 10. 11. 12. be thou my helper. Thou hast turned my mour­ning into ioy: thou hast loosed my sacke, and girded me with gladnesse: therefore shall my tongue praise thee, and not cease. O Lord my [Page 76] God, I will giue thankes vnto thee for euer-more.

Well she is gone, and now behold her seate is emptie, and her graue is full: and me thinkes for the present, wee feele her want on earth, whom God hath found in Heauen. Our prayers lesse powerfull: our preaching lesse precious: and our Psalmes lesse melodious, on her behalfe. For you all know, that there she sate, and there she sung, there she read, and there she prayed, there she heard the word, there she recei­ued the Sacraments, there lately she liued, and there now she is dead: therefore may I say with the Prophet, All flesh is grasse, and Isai. 40. 6. all the grace thereof as the flower of the field: But comfort your selues in hope of a ioy­full resurrection; as also in respect of her holy life, blessed end, and most happie state in glorie: and sith she is gone, let it be re­membred as a sacrament of her rest, that she went vpon a day of rest, one of the chiefest of Sabbaoths, and high feast of Pentecost: euen then that she should as­cend, when the holy Ghost did descend, by which spirit, she was sealed vp to the day of re­demption, Ephes. 4. 30.

Worshipfully was she descended; but [Page 77] most honorably (may I now say) is she as­cended: yet behold, the husband mourneth for that hee hath lost a wife: the mother mourneth for that she hath lost a daughter: the brother mourneth for that he hath lost a sister: which is (me thinks) not much vn­like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the Zach. 12. 11. valley of Megiddo. And yet this is not all; for wee Preachers may mourne most, for that wee haue lost an auditor; who heard with reuerence, felt with passion, and fol­lowed with perseuerance. But beloued, what we haue lost, heauen hath found, and the holy Angels reioyce at the gaine: in the meane time the Lord of Heauen, sup­plie the want vpon earth, and increase the number of faithfull professors. In Sionis gaudium & Anglo-Papistarum luctum. Amen, Amen.