THis Sentence may justlie bee called an Heavenly Sentence; and that not onlie in these generall respects, for the which other pas­sages of Scripture are so called; but also for speciall causes, or reasons. For it was de­livered to Saynct Iohn by a voyce from Heaven. It telleth vs, that perfect happinesse is not to be found in earth, but in Heaven; that none may exspect, or attayne therevnto, but these who liue and die in a League with Heaven; and, as it were, in the armes, in the bosome of the King of Heaven; and, that they can not come to it, but by death, which is to them Ianua Coeli, the Gate of Heaven. The LORD furnish vs at this tyme with a competent measure of heavenlie [Page 2] Grace, and fill our souls with heavenlie thoughts; that this our present exercyse may tende to the glo­rie of Him that dwelleth in the Heavens, and to our benefit, who exspect one day to see His glorious, His beautifull, and louelie Countenance there.

In this Sentence we haue onlie two things to con­sider: to wit, the persons of whom the Spirit of God here speaketh, and the blessednesse attributed vnto them. The persons who are the subject of this pro­position, are the godlie, who haue departed this lyfe. Yee haue a description of them in these words, The dead who die in the Lord: where by the dead, wee must not with Ambrose, Or rather, the Author of that Cō ­mentarie vpon the Revelation, which is falselie at­tributed to S. Ambrose. and Alcazar, vnderstand these who are spirituallie, or misticallie dead to the world, and to sinne: neyther will we follow the phantasticall conceit of Aureolus, who did vnderstand by the dead here spoken of, these who by monastical vowes haue sequestrated themselues from the world, and the or­dinarie conversation of men. But wee must here vn­derstand these who are naturallie dead, or whose souls are separated frō their bodies. Neither must we limitate the subject of this proposition to those who were dead before S. Iohn heard this voyce in Path­mos; as if blessednesse were here ascribed to them only, others being excluded, who were to die thereafter. But the words of this propositiō must be vnderstood cum ampliatione terminorum, as the Summulists call it: that is, they must be ampliated, or extended to al dif­ferences of tyme. For the meaning of this sentence, is, not onlie that the dead who haue alreadie died in the Lord, are blessed; but also, that these who hereaf­ter shall die in the Lord, shall by death attayne vnto perfect Happinesse, and Blessednesse.

The description of the persons, to whom Blessed­nesse is here attributed, consisteth of a generall part, cōmon to all; and of a particular part, limitating this [Page 3] description to the Elect. To die, is common to all: it is the way of all the earth. To die in the Lord, Ioshua 13.14. is the way not of all, but of some few, or the last part of that nar­row way, which few doe finde. Matth. 7.13.14. And to this is another way opposite, which is the way of manie: even that broadway which leadeth to destruction, in the which all doe walke who are not in Christ. So, then, if wee consider the generall part, or the genus of this descri­ption, together with the limitation, or difference ad­ded therevnto; and if we compare this differēce with its contrarie, (for everie difference hath its contrarie) wee shall haue these three wayes of men mentioned in Scripture; to wit, The way of all, the way of few, Via om­nium, via paucorum, & via mul­torum. and the way of manie.

As for the generall part of this description set downe in the word dead, I can not let it goe without some observation; neyther can I obserue anie thing so fitly there-anēt, as that same which I haue already touched; to wit, that it is a generall, yea, so general, that it includes all who haue bene before vs in the world, (those beeing excepted, whom GOD extraordi­narilie hath exempted from death) and ere it be long shall actuallie include vs all, who are now in it, as al­so those, who when wee are removed, shall come in our rooms. No Nation, no Province, nor Citie, yea, no ranke nor degree of men, hath exemption frō this cōmon mortalitie, or necessitie of dying: & therefore Hormisdas the Persian, who fled frō his natiue coun­trey to Rome, in the dayes of Constantius the Emperor,, Zonaras Annal. tom▪ 3. and who was in Rome, when Constantius, after he had overcome Magnentius, and his adherents, entered the citie in a most magnificke and triumphant manner, being asked by the Emperour, vvhat hee thought of that glorious citie, and the rare monumentes hee had seene therein? wittilie replyed, checking the Empe­rour's pryde, that nothing which he had observed in [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page 2] [...] [Page 3] [...] [Page 4] Rome pleased him so well, Id tantum sibi placuisse aiebat, quod homines di­dicisset ibi quoque mori. Ammianus Marcellinus lib. 16. c. 17. as this, that the inhabi­tants thereof were mortall, and died as other men.

This generall and inevitable necessitie of death, is knowne to al, even to the Ethnicks, by an experimen­tall tradition, almost as olde as the worlde. But the knowledge which we who are Christians haue of it,- as it is more excellent, being more perfect, & grounded vpon supernaturall or divine Revelation; so it obliedgeth vs to make better vse of the cōsideration of death, than others can make. How deficient wee are in this, the profane lyues of manie amongst vs doe sufficientlie declare. Wee die daylie, wee are daylie changed, Epist. 3. ad Heliod. sayth Ierome, and yet we liue as if we were im­mortall. Xerxes, when hee viewed his hudge Armie from an eminent place, wept, because within an hun­dreth years none of all that number should be found alyue. But, O, (sayth Ierome) if we might ascend to such an high mountayne, Ibidem. or spy-tower, from whence we might see the whole earth vnder our feet, then I should let you see the ruines of the whole world, the conflicts of nations, the great diversitie of the estates or conditions of men, and that within a short tyme, not onlie such a multi­tude as Xerxes his armie, but all the men who now are vpon this stage, shall bee removed from it by death. This sight might make anie man weepe, if he would seriouslie consider that which my Text insinuateth, that the greatest part of these who are now vpon this stage, and ere it be long, shall be in their graues, are to passe from the miseries and troubles of this lyfe, to payns endlesse and easelesse in Hell. For this Text at­tributeth Happinesse onlie to those few, who die in the Lord; and consequentlie declareth, that all others after death are eternallie miserable. But of this I shall speake heere-after.

I come now to the particular part of this descrip­tion, set downe in these words, Who die in the Lord. [Page 5] Anent the which, one thing is of it selfe cleare, and manifest; to wit, that it is proper and peculiar to the Elect; and no wayes can bee extended to the wicked, who depart this lyfe. But two thinges doe heere oc­cur, which do need explicatiō: One is, whether or not this particular part bee so ample, as that it compre­hendeth all the godlie, or elect? The other is, how, and in what sense, these whom it comprehendeth, are sayd to die in the Lord? As for the first; some popish wryters, because this text, if it be extended to all the Sayncts, who are departed, or shall depart this lyfe, is as contrarie to their doctrine of Purgatorie, as Blessed­nesse is to Miserie, Rest to Vexation, & Reward of good works to Punishment of sinnes: therfore they craftily la­bour to restrict the words to the Martyrs, affirming, that by dying in the Lord here, is vnderstood dying for the Lord: and consequentlie, that blessednesse imme­diatelie after death, is not ascrybed here to all the elect; but onelie to those, who seale their profession with their blood, & are crowned with martyrdome. This glosse may seeme the more probable, because it is followed by some Reformed Divines; by Beza in speciall, & by Piscator, in their Notes vpō this place. Others of our Adversaries doe extend the particular part of this description somewhat farther; and yet not so farre as they should: for they thinke, that it comprehendeth not onlie Martyrs, but also all these Christians whom they call men perfectlie just, or men free of all sinnes, even veniall, and of all guilt of pu­nishment due vnto them for their mortall sinnes. Both these sorts of men, say they, are said to die in the Lord, by way of excellencie; because they are perfectly vni­ted with Christ; wheras others may be sayde to die partlie in the Lord, in respect of true charitie, or the loue of God, which they carrie with them; & partlie not in the Lord, in respect of their sinnes, which also [Page 4] [...] [Page 5] [...] [Page 4] [...] [Page 5] [...] [Page 6] they carrie with them. So sayeth Bellarmine, in his first booke, Cap. 12. resp. vd ob­ject. 10. De Purgatorio, and diverse Moderne Iesuits following him.

These restrictions of the particular part of this de­scription, we doe reject; and that not without reason, as ye shall shortly perceaue: and on the contrary, that all Gods deare children may haue their due consola­tion from this Heavenlie Sentence, we affirme, that the Spirit of God here speaketh of all these, who die in the estate of grace; and proclaimeth them al to be blessed, whatsoever their worldlie estate, or condition hath bene in this lyfe, whatsoever bee the cause of their death, and whatsoever bee their estate, condition, or carriage in death.

First, I say, all they who die in the estate of grace are happie, whatsoever their worldlie estate hath bene in this lyfe; Iames 2.5. that the poore ones of this world, who are rich in fayth, 1. Thess. 4.18. may comfort themselues with these words, as well as the great and mightie ones. Worldlie hap­pinesse is not granted vnto them: and their estate is so miserable in the eys of the world, that the rich appre­hend a great difference, and put a large distance be­twixt them, and the Poore. They wil not suffer them to sit at table with them; nay, not to walk with them, or stand beside them: and whereas they should pittie their wants, oft tymes they laugh and jest at them, according to that of the Poët;

But within a short tyme death putteth an end to that difference, and equalleth them in glory & happinesse with kings & Emperors. Ye that are rich, cōsider this, and despyse not the Poore, when ye look vpon their base, and contemptible worldlie estate: but rather be readie to helpe them; remembering this which the Spirit of God here telleth you, That if they die in the [Page 7] Lord, they shall one day bee participant of that same Kingdome, that same Robe of immortalitie, that same Banquet of Angels, which yee looke for. And therefore holie Augustine, checking the disdaynfull and vncharitable carriage of the Rich towardes the Poore, wittilie & pithilie sayth vnto them; Serm. 2. de tempere. Wherfore shall not the Poore eate with thee, who shall one day reygne with thee? Wherefore wilt thou not giue so much as thy olde Coat to him, who shall one day receaue the Robe of im­mortalitie with thee? How is he not worthie of thy Bread, who hath obtayned one and the selfe-same Baptisme with thee? or of the reliques of thy dishes, who is with thee invi­ted to the Banquet of Angels? Be not prowde, then, of your worldlie prerogatiues, neyther apprehend such distance or difference betwixt you and the Poore, as yee doe. The difference which these few worldlie thinges maketh betwixt you and them, is but for a short tyme, and in things of small moment: the mat­ters of greatest consequence God hath made cōmon to rich and poore: Duo optima, Duo pessi­ma. Duo per [...]cu­losissima. even the two best thinges that can befall men, to wit, grace & glorie; the two worst things, to wit, sinne and damnation; and the two most dangerous things, to wit, death and judgement. The Poore are not excluded from the first two, more than the Rich; ney­ther are the Rich exempted from the other two, more than the Poore. And as for the last two, neyther Rich nor Poore can eschew them. For it is appoynted vnto men, once to die; but after this the judgement. Such like, Heb. 9.27. ye that are poore in this world, and rich in faith, pos­sesse your soules in patience, and bee not grieved be­cause the Rich & ye meet vnequall vpon the streets; for ye shal meet equall with them a [...] the right Hand of the Iudge. Yea, if they be not rich towards God, Luke 12. [...] and as they are charged, 1. TIM. 6. rich in good works, they shall meet verie vnequall with you in judgement: for yee shall haue dominion over them, in ma [...]utin [...] illo, in that [Page 8] morning of Resurrection, when by the bright appea­rance of the Sunne of Righteousnesse, these thinges which now are invisible, during this night of igno­rance, shall be brought to light: to wit, the hid things of darknesse, 1. Cor. 4.5. the secret counsels of the heart, the mysteries of Gods providence in governing the world, and the glorie, happinesse, and excellencie of the sonnes of God. 1. Iohn, 3.2 For although we be the sonnes of God, yet it doeth not appeare what we shall be: that is, how happie & glo­rious wee shall bee in the world to come. But in that Day it shall appeare to all; and the wicked shall see it, with vnspeakable grief, & astonishment; & shal say of the godlie mā whom before they despised; This was he whom we had sometyms in derision, & a proverbe of re­proach: we fools accounted his lyfe madnesse, and his ende to be without honour. Wisdom 5. vers. 3.4.5. How is he numbred amōgst the chil­dren of God! and his lo [...] is amongst the Sayncts.

Secondlie, I say, all these who die in the estate of grace, are happie, whatsoever the cause of their death be: that is, whether they die as Martyrs for the Lord, or as ordinary professors in the Lord. For, first, as for the matter it selfe, although the Martyrs haue an eminent degree of glorie in Heavē aboue manie others, which the School-men, by a barbarous word of their own devysing, call aureolam martyrum; yet neyther is Bles­sednesse immediatelie after death appoynted onelie for them, even by the confession of our Adversaries; nor yet is that wherein the glorie & excellencie of mar­tyrdome chiefelie consisteth, altogether proper, and peculiar to them; but, in some sort, common to other Sayncts. The dignitie and excellencie of martyrdom standeth in two things; Ad Marty­rium com­pletum duo conc [...]rrunt: Iusta volun­tas, & justa causa. In 4. [...] which, as Bonaventur sayth, doe make vp a compleat martyrdom: First, in a pious willingnesse, or desire to vndergoe whatsoever tribu­lation, yea▪ death it selfe, for the testimony of Christ, if God should require it. Secondlie, in the goodnesse [Page 9] of the cause wherfore we suffer. For Martyres non fa­cit poena, sed causa, sayeth holie Augustine; Conc. 2. in Psal. 34. it is not the suffering, but the cause of suffering, which maketh the Martyr. Now, the cause of suffering is two-fold; to wit, Causa calamitatis, the cause wherfore the cala­mitie cōmeth vpon the Martyr, and Causa tolerantiae, Causa cala­mitatis, & causa tole­rantiae. seu patientiae, the cause wherefore he willinglie doeth vndergoe and endure it. The dignitie and glorie of Martyrdome dependeth as much from the second, as from the first; and perhaps more: For although a man be persecuted for a good cause; that is, for pro­fessiō of the trueth; yet if the cause or motiue, which maketh him to vndergoe persecution, be bad & per­verse; as for example, Timeo dice­re, sed dicen­dū est, Mar­tyrium ip­sum si ideo fiat, ut ad­mirationi & laudi habea­mur à fra­tribus; fru­stra sanguis effusus est. Comment. in Gal. 5. If hee suffer onlie or chieflie that he may be praised or admired of men, he sheddeth his blood in vayne, as Ierome sayth. Now, to apply all this to the present purpose: Manie who doe not actuallie suffer death for the cause of Christ, haue in some sort both these two things, wherein the glorie & dignitie of Martyrdome chieflie consisteth: to wit, First, a pious willingnesse or readinesse to suffer the losse of all things; yea, of lyfe it selfe, for Christ's sake: which is a thing so acceptable and gracious in the sight of God, that Hee esteemeth this a kynd of dying for His sake. And therefore Chrysostome wryting vpon these words, (ROM. 8.36.) For thy sake we are killed al the day long; we are coūted as sheep for the slaughter, sayeth, Serm. 15. in epist. ad Rom. that although we actually can die but once, for the Lord's sake; yet God hath granted this to vs, that if wee bee readie or willing to die for Him, we may, by vertue of this our reso­lution and willingnesse, die everie day for Him; yea, everie day we may die manie tymes for Him; and so obtayne not one, but manie crowns of Martyrdome herafter. Second­lie, as for the cause of the ordinarie sufferings of true Christians▪ although in tyme of their troubles or di­stresses, [Page 10] the evill, or calamitie doth not always come vpon them for the Lord's sake; yet it is for the Lords sake that they patientlie suffer it. And whē they die, although we cannot say, that they are put to death for the Lord's cause; yet wee may say, that they accept of death, and suffer willinglie all the pains of it, for the Lords cause; (to wit, because it is the Lords will, and because they long to bee with Him:) and consequentlie wee may even say, in some sort, that they die for the Lord. Hence it is, that divers of the Fathers haue extēded this glorious title of Martyrdome, to those who died not for the cause of Christ, as to the blessed Virgine, to the penitent Thiefe, yea, in generall, to all Sayncts Cypr. Ep. 73 ad Iubaja­num, Author serm. de pass. & de Coena Domini a­pud eundem. August. l. 1. de anima, et ejus origine. cap. 9. & serm. 250, de tempore: & serm. 46. de sanctis. Hieron. ad Damas. Epist. 58. Sophronius apud eundem serm. de assumpt. B. Mar [...]a. Gregor. Dialog. lib. 3. cap. 26. hom. 3. & 35. in Evang. Bernard. serm. 1. in oct. pasc..

Next, as to the Apostles phrase; although the par­ticle, in the Lord, be sometymes taken as all one with for the Lord, yet in phrases lyke to this, which the Apostle here vseth, Ioh. 15.4 5.6.7. Rom. 8.1. and 16.7. 1. Cor. 15.18. 1. Thess. 4.14. and 16. such as to be in Christ, to abyde in Christ, to sleepe in Christ, or to bee asleepe in Him, it is not so taken, but onelie importeth the vnion of the faythfull with Christ, or else the continuance of that vnion: so that the restriction of this text to Martyrs, who die for the Lord, is violent, and repugnant to the natiue, or ordinary sense of the phrase. But although it were not violent, yet we would haue sufficient rea­son to reject it; for phrases of sacred Scripture ought not to bee restricted, nor yet extended beyond their ordinarie signification, except vpon solid & evident warrand or reason frō the analogie of fayth, or from the Text it selfe. But no such reason can be brought to proue, that the Apostle is here speaking onelie of Martyrs, as some of the most famous Popish wryters [Page 11] doe confesse: Ribera▪ Viegas, Cor­nel. à Lapi­de, and Estius, all wryting vpon this place. yea, the Iesuit, Cornelius à Lapide, spea­king of these wryters, who extend the words of this text to all the godlie, sayeth, that they interpret this text plenius & planius, more playnlie, and more fullie. And as for the judgement of the best & most famous interpreters of this book, we haue manie of them for vs; (to wit, Ambrose, Primasius, Andreas Caesariensis, Be­da, Richardus de Sancto-Victore, Ioachim. Abbas, Coelius Pannonius, &c.) yea, so manie, that scarce can our Ad­versaries name one of them, who strictly & precisely adhereth to their exposition. To them we may adde other ancient wryters, who haue spokē occasionally of this text, as S. Augustine, in his 20 booke De civit. Dei, cap. 9. (although the Rhemists imagine that hee favoureth their glosse) Bernard, in diverse places of his workes Serm. 2. in festo omniū sanctorum. Serm. 24. [...] parvis, & epist. 98. de Maccabais. and others.

Thirdly, I say, al these who die in th'estate of grace are blessed, whatsoever their spiritual estate or cōdi­tion be in the hour of death: for if they be in Christ, there is no cōdemnation to them; yea, Rom. 8.1. they cānot come to condemnation, Ioh. 5.24. but are alreadie passed from death vnto lyfe. And if they being fred from sinne, & made the ser­vants of God, haue had their fruit here vnto holinesse, Rom. 6.22. what can follow hereafter, but the ende everlasting lyfe? How then can they be condemned after death, to grievous and intollerable payns in Purgatorie? or what may hinder their present admission and ente­rance into their Masters joy? for al their sinnes are par­doned to them; yea, so pardoned, that God will not remember them any more to punish them Esa. 38.17 43.25. and 44.22. Ezech. 18 22. Mich. 7.19·. I know our adversaries doe speak and think farre otherways of the remission of sinnes, whether they be mortall or veniall, as they call them. For, first, concerning the remission of mortall sinnes, they too boldlie affirme, that although the elect, whē they are first reconciled [Page 12] to God, or justified in Baptisme, they get a plenarie or full remission, not onlie of their sinnes, but also of the whole punishment due vnto them: yet if they sinne mortally afterwards, vpon their repentance they are fred indeed frō eternall punishment; but in lieu thereof they must endure temporall paynes, & these most grie­vous, in Purgatorie, if they doe not free themselues from them by voluntarie satisfaction, or penall exer­cyses in this lyfe. And this they labour to proue, partlie because we finde in Scripture, that God, after hee hath pardoned the great and enormious offences of his servāts, hath inflicted many tymes great tem­porall punishmēts vpon them; in special, vpon Moses, Aaron, Numb. 20.12. 2. Sam. 12. and 24. Psal. 99.8. 1. Cor. 11.31. David, and others: and partlie because the an­cient Church observed a severe discipline towardes those who were relapse in mortall sinnes; imposing vpon them long and paynfull exercyses of repen­tance; which they stiled by the name of Satisfaction.

It is no strange thing with our Adversaries, to af­firme, that God pardoneth mortall sinnes committed after Baptisme, with a reservation of the temporall pu­nishment, which is only a part of the punishment due vnto them, seeing they are so bold, as to maintaine, that GOD, after this lyfe, pardoneth veniall sinnes, with a reservation of the whole punishment; that is, dis­charging nothing of the punishment due vnto men for them: Vasquez in 3. part. Th. tom. 4. quaest. 87. art. 1. [...]. 2. Sua­rez in candē part. Th. tom. 4. disp. 11. sect. 4. Caspar Hur­tado, disp. 2. de poenitētia. Diffic. 17. And, which is more strange, that God, de potentia absoluta, might, if he pleased, pardon a man his mortall sinnes, and yet punish him eternallie in hell for them Suarez ope­re cit. disp. 10 sect. 2. Tan­nerus, in 3. part. Th. disp 5. cap. 3. thes. 64. & alii.. Wee haue not learned to distinguish so subtillie betwixt the remission of sinnes, and the remis­sion of the punishment due vnto them. But on the con­trarie we hold, & that with most sufficient warrand, both from Scripture and Antiquitie, that when GOD pardoneth our sins, he doth it not with reservation of [Page 13] a part of the punishment due vnto vs ex rigore justi­tiae; much lesse of the whole punishment; but dischar­geth all punishment of malediction, or pure revenge. As for these calamities or temporal evils, which ma­nie tymes haue beene inflicted vpon the Elect, they cānot serue for that which our Adversaries intende; that is, to proue, that remission of sinnes in Baptisme is more perfect, than it is after Baptisme; or, that the whole punishment is discharged in Baptisme, and not thereafter. For we see by experience, that infants are not fred by Baptisme from sicknesse, death, and other miseries, which were inflicted vpon man-kynde for sinne: and consequentlie the whole temporall punishmēt is not discharged in Baptism, more than after Baptism. They answere to this, That these are not properlie punishmentes, but rather penalities, as they call them; Penali­ta [...]s. and that because they are cōmon to all man-kynd, & haue their originall from the naturall constitution of mans bodie. But, first, what is that to the purpose? They were inflicted vpon man-kynd in the wrath of God, for the cōmon transgression of our first parēts: and vnto all these, who are not in Christ, they are most truelie and properlie punishments. Secondlie, we can easilie cloze vp this lurking-hole to our Adver­saries. For what if a mā baptized after he hath come to perfect age, haue bene before his baptism plagued by God for his by-gone actuall sinnes, with pover­tie, blindnesse, lamenesse, or any other grievous sick­nesse; will our Adversaries say, that by Baptisme hee shal be fred from them; as they imagine, that Constan­tine, whē he was baptized by Silvester, was fred from his leprosie? I think they dare not say it: for then, as Aquinas and Durandus doe reason, men would seeke the benefit of Baptisme for worldly respects; to wit, [Page 14] Propter im­passibilitatē prasentis vi­ta, & non propter gloriam vitae aterna. Aquinas 3. part. Summa. qu. 69. art. 3. Propter commodi­tatom vitae prasentis, & non propter fructum vita spiritualis. Durandus, in 4. Sent. Dist. 4. Quast. 3. that they may be fred frō temporall miseries; and not for the glorie of eternall lyfe.

Ye see, then, that this difficultie anent the reserva­tion of temporall punishment, after sinne is remitted, concerneth our Adversaries, as well as vs: and that, for ought we know of God his dealing with men in baptisme, & in penitential reconciliation after baptisme, temporall punishment is alyke discharged in both: so that, if baptismall remission free a man from Purga­torie-fire after this life, penitential remission must haue the lyke effect. Wherfore, as our Adversaries do say of these penalities, or temporal miseries, vnto which the baptized are subject after baptisme, that they are not truelie and properlie punishments, (they should say, they are not punishmentes meerlie vindictiue; for indeed they are punishments) that the baptized are still subject to them, for their own weale: especiallie to the effect they may be conformed to Christ their head: that although they remayne after baptismall remission, yet baptismall remission is full and perfect; no wayes exposing the baptized to a necessitie of suffering purgatorie-paynes after this lyfe: &, that although men be not fred frō them presentlie; yet by vertue of baptismall remission, they shall in the world to come, especiallie in the day of resurrection, be fullie fred from them. So we may say, and ought to say, of these temporall afflictions & calamities, vnto which the Elect are subject, after their sinnes are par­doned in penitentiall reconciliation: First, that they are not punishments meerlie vindictiue, or satisfactorie to the justice of God. Secondlie, that they are inflicted vpon them for their weale; to wit, that they may bee vnto them exercyses of their vertues, and meanes wherby they [Page 15] are conformed vnto Christ their head. Thirdlie, that al­though they bee inflicted after penitentiall remission, yet penitentiall remission is perfect, and no ways exposeth pe­nitent sinners to a necessitie of suffering purgatorie-payns after this lyfe. And last of al, that although penitent sin­ners be not fred from them in this lyfe, yet by vertue of pe­nitentiall remission, and of Christs merits, which by it are applyed vnto them, they shall obtayne a totall and perfect deliverance from them in the lyfe to come, when all the stayne, or deformitie of sinne, shall bee fullie purged out. Here indeed such a deliverance cannot be expected: For although our Saviour hath merited vnto vs a de­liverance, both from sinne, and also from the punishmēts and consequents of it; yet seeing it hath not pleased God to free vs fullie from sinne in this lyfe, it is not to bee marveled, that wee are not fullie delivered, so long as wee liue here, from these evils and miseries, which are the punishments & consequenrs of sinne. But blessed be God, as we are here fred from the do­minion of sinne, so also are we fred frō the malediction of the punishment. And as we shall hereafter be alto­gether fred from sinne it selfe; so shal we also be fred altogether from the miseries, which are the conse­quents thereof.

But, to leaue this, and to come to that other argu­ment, which our Adversaries doe bring agaynst vs, from the severe Discipline observed in the auncient Church, towards those, who had fallen into mortall sinnes after baptisme, and from the long and paynful exercyses of repentance imposed vpon them: truelie it is a wonder that our Adversaries should be so im­pudent, as to affirme that, that laudable custome of the Ancients doeth make for them; seeing it maketh so manifestly against them. For these penitential exer­cyses were not by the ancient Church imposed vpon [Page 16] men after absolution, or remission of sinnes, as means requisit for a removall of temporall punishments, or for deliverance from purgatorie-paynes; but were imposed ordinarily before it, as means requisit for obtayning remission of the sinne it selfe, & deliverance from eternall damnation. For the Fathers gaue not absolution to sinners, vntill such tyme, as they had accomplished penitentiall actions enjoyned: and after absolution was given, they did not anie more impose such pen­nance vpon them; which I might easilie proue by a cloude of ancient witnesses; but I need not, seeing so manie of our Adversaries doe confesse it Bellarm. Lib. 4. de pae [...]it. cap. 5 Estius in 4. sent. dist. 15. §. 10. Suarez in 3. part. Th. tom. 4. disp. 38. sect. 2. §. 5. Vas­quez in ean­dem part. Th. tom. 4. quast. 90. art. 1. dub. 2. num. 26. Vide etiam Cassand. art. 12. de poenit. Albasp. de veter. Eccles. ritibus, lib. 2. observ. 3. & Rhenanum in Annotat. in Tertulliani Librum de Poenitentia.. By this ye may perceaue, that the Fathers of the ancient Church believed, that in penitentiall reconciliation, there is a full discharge of the whole punishment. For if they had thought otherwayes, they would haue im­posed penall exercyses vpon penitentes after they were absolved; to the effect, that by them they might bee fred from these reserved, or vndischarged pu­nishmentes.

I know Bellarmine sayeth, that those penal exercy­ses which in the ancient Church preceeded absolu­tion, were imposed ad poenam temporalem expiandam, to the end, that the penitents might be fred frō those temporall punishments, which would haue bene re­served after the remission of their sins, if those satis­factorie exercyses had not preceeded. But this is flat contrarie to the mynde of those Fathers: for they thought, that if those penitentiall exercyses, or satisfa­ctions, as they called them, (but not in that sense, in the which Papists now take this word) did not pre­ceed, nothing of the punishment should bee dischar­ged [Page 17] vnto the delinquents; and consequentlie, that one part of it, to wit, the temporall punishment, should not bee reserved. Temporall punishment is sayd to bee reserved onlie when the aeternall is discharged; or, as our Adversaries speake, when the aeternall is so remit­ted, that in liew thereof, temporall punishment is im­posed. But the Ancients thought, that, without praecedent satisfaction, by poenall exercyses, aeternall punishmēt is not discharged: or, which is all one, sinne is not remitted: Terenl. lib. de Poeniten­tiae, Cap. 6. Quám porrò ineptum p [...]e­nitententiam non adimplere, & veniam sustinere; id est, exspectare. Ambros. ep. 82. ad Eccles. Vercellensem. Qua nobis salus esse potest nisi jesunio eluerimus peccata nostra? Et ad Virginem lapsam, Cap. 8. Poenitudo enim lapsis necessaria est, sicut vulneratis necessa­ria sunt medicamina. Et infra; Grande scelus, grandem necessariam habet satisfactionem, August. lib. quinquaginta homiliarum, Homil. 50. Non sufficit mores in melius commu­tare, & à factis malis recedere, nisi etiam de his qua facta sun [...] DEO satisfiat, &c. Cas­sianus Collat. 23. Cap. 15. Quicun (que) post baptismum & DEI notitiam corruerit in hoc corpus mortis, sciat se purgandum afflictione poenitentiae diuturna, aut poenali d [...]lore, non quotidiana gratia CHRISTI; id est, facili remissione, — aut certè pro iis deputan­dum se esse postea poenis aeternis, &c. and, consequentlie, they thought, that when satisfaction doeth not proceede, tempo­rall punishment is not reserved.

Ye haue heard what Popish doctors say concerning the greater, or mortall sinnes of those who die in the Lord, and concerning the temporall punishment which they thinke is ever reserved, when they are remitted after Baptisme. Now I come to the smaller sinnes of the Godlie, which they call Veniall. Our Adversaries say of them, that although a man die in the Lord, yet he may die with the guiltinesse of these sinnes, not having as yet obtayned pardō or remission of them; especially if he die suddenly, or in the rage of a fever: and that in respect hee hath never retracted them by repentance, nor craved par­don for them. In which case, say they, he cannot enter into Heaven immediately after death, (because no polluted or vnclean thing can enter into that glorious Citie) but must, [Page 18] for a tyme, be tormented in Purgatorie, to th'effect he may be fully cleansed from the guiltinesse of those sinnes. This comfortlesse doctrine of our Adversaries, consisteth of three Assertions, which we shall particularlie, but verie shortlie, consider. The first is, That sinne is ne­ver pardoned, except it bee retracted by repentance: or, to vse their owne phrase, except there bee some reall change in the sinner, or some praevious disposition, whereby he is fitted, and prepared, for receaving re­mission. The second is, That those of the Elect, who die suddenlie, or in a raging Fever, can not haue this praevious disposition, which consisteth in the acts of re­pentance: and consequently, they die without remis­sion of their veniall sinnes. The third is, That they who die so, must bee purged from their guiltinesse, by suffering Purgatorie-payns.

The first of these Assertions, if it bee taken in its full generalitie, and extended to all Cases, it ought not to bee admitted. For although in that Great and Mayne Iustification, whereby wee are translated from the estate of sinne, into the estate of Grace, mortall sinne is not remitted to those who are come to per­fect age, without some reall and intrinsecall alteration in them, or without some praevious disposition, where­by they are disposed, and fitted for it; according to that of holy Augustine, [...]ui fecit te sine te, nō justificat te sine te. Serm. 15. de Verbis Apo­stol [...], c. 11. He who made thee, without thy consent, and concurrence, doeth not justifie thee without thy consent, and concurrence. Yet it is possible, yea, verie probable, that these smaller sins are sometyms remitted by our Gracious LORD, to those who are alreadie justified, without anie praevious change, or disposition, on their part; especially when by suddentie of death, and indisposition of bodie and mynde, they are impeded from considering, and acknowledging of their offences. This should not seeme strange to [Page 19] our Adversaries seeing manie of their moderne scho­lasticke wryters, and those of greatest note, do teach; First, that God, according to the fulnesse of his absolute power, might, if he pleased, remit sinnes both mortall and veniall, without anie infusion of grace, yea, without anie intrinsecall change, or praevious dispositiō by repentance in those to whom they are remitted Suarez de gratia▪ lib. [...]. c. 23. Cu [...]iel in 1 ^am 2 ^ae qu. 113. art. 2 dub. 2. Zu­mel in eand. qu. Th. art. 2. & Tāne­rus in 1 ^am 2 ^ae disp 4 cap. 4. thes. 66.. Secondlie, that mortall sinnes not onlie may bee, but also sometymes are remitted, without anie act of contrition, (or formall repentance, as they call it) especiallie in the case of obli­vion; that is, when a man is altogether vnmyndfull of them Suarez in 3. part. Th. tom. 4. disp. 9. sect. 1. Vasq. in ean­dem part. Th. qu. 86. art. 2. dub. 1. num. 18.. Thirdlie, that veniall sinnes may bee, and often are, remitted, without anie act of repentance, whether for­mall, or virtuall, by aspersion of holie Water, Episcopall benediction, giving of Alms, &c. and that ex opere ope­rato Valent. in Th. tom. 4. disp. 7. qu. 4. punct. 1. Vi­ctor. in sum­ma Sacram. tract. de poe­nit. num. 110 & Mel [...]h. Canus, l. 12. de locis, cap. 23. ad 9.. Now, if God, out of the fullnesse of his abso­lute power, can remit anie sinne, without repentance vpon our part; and if hee sometymes doeth show this fullnesse of his power, together with the greatnesse of his mercie, in pardoning the mortall sinnes of the Elect, without anie praevious act of contrition, when they cannot be remembered, as also in pardoning veniall sinnes without the same, even when they may be easilie remembered; shall we not thinke, that he will dispense with the defect of repentance in them for their ve­niall sinnes, and supplie it by gracious condonation, when through suddentie of their departure, or through indisposition of body & mind, they are not able to haue it? Manie things in such a case pleade for mercie and favour to the godlie man; yea, pleade more powerfullie and effectuallie with GOD, than aspersion of holie water, Episcopall benediction, or anie other of these things, which Papists call Sacramenta­lia: to wit, inherent grace, (which is a habituall repen­tance; for by it wee habituallie detest and forsake all [Page 20] sinne) the prayer of the faythfull, who are then present with him, the prayer of the Church in generall, which at all tymes recommendeth to God most earnestlie those who are in distresse and danger, eyther tempo­rall, or spirituall; and, aboue all, the intercession of our Lord and Saviour for him in the Heavens. To these wee may adde the prayers of the godlie man himselfe, (who dieth so) by which long before death, prepa­ring himselfe for death, hee most frequentlie and fer­ventlie besought the Lord, to grant vnto him a hap­pie departure, and a full discharge of all his sinnes before his dissolution. The godly put vp this request to God ordinarilie in their prayers; and consequent­lie it is granted vnto them. For seeing the effectuall fervent prayer of the righteous avayleth much; Iames 5.16. and seeing Christ hath tolde vs, that if wee abyde in him, and his wordes abyde in vs, Iohn 15.7. wee shall aske what wee will, and it shall bee done vnto vs; it were great follie to to imagine, that the godlie in vayne put vp this re­quest to GOD.

In the second Assertion of our Adversaries, there is no certaintie at all. For although a godlie man die suddenlie, or in a great rage, and distemper, yet who knoweth what operation the Spirit of God hath se­cretly vpon his departing soule immediatelie before it bee loosed from the bodie; or what communica­tion hee hath with God, after the passages of his sen­ses are so stopped, that hee can haue no communica­tion with men? It may bee, when hee seemeth to thee altogether senselesse, that then hee is most sen­sible of his spirituall estate, and is crying, Petcavi, Mi­serere; 2. Sam. 24.10. I haue sinned greatlie in that I haue done; and now I beseech thee, O Lord, take away the iniquitie of thy ser­vant. It may be, when hee is speachlesse, and past conference with men, that hee is then entertaining [Page 21] an heavenlie conference or Dialogue with Christ his Saviour: that hee heareth Christ saying, Surelie, I come quicklie; and is replying, Even so, Come, Revel▪ 22.20. Lord Ie­sus: that hee is saying, Lord, remember me, for now thou art in thy Kingdome: and, Luke 23.42.43. that hee heareth CHRIST rounding in his eare, that which Hee sayd to the pe­nitent thiefe, To day shalt thou be with mee in Paradise. I will not take vpon mee to determine, whether or not these of the godlie who die suddenlie, or in a ra­ging Fever, haue anie such exercyse of prayer and repentance, after they haue lost the vse of their sen­ses: But this one thing I wil say; If God haue decreed to pardon no sin, how small soever, but vpon subse­quent repentance, as our Adversaries affirme in their first Assertion, it is more than probable, that GOD granteth that benefit to al the godly before their de­parture, whatsoever be the manner of their death, or their carriage in death.

The third Assertion of our Adversaries, which is drawne out of the other two, as a cōclusion from its praemisses, hath but two faultes: one is, that these praemisses, vpon which it is grounded, are not sure. The other is, that although they were infallibly true, yet the conclusion it selfe might bee denyed. For although wee should grant, that repentance by Gods appoyntment and decree, is absolutely necessary for remission of everie sinne, how small soever, and that manie godlie men die without it; yet it will not fol­low, that they must bee tormented after this lyfe in Purgatorie. For the common and receaved doctrine of the Papists themselues, anent the remission of these veniall sinnes, with which a man dieth, doeth shewe vs a fayre and easie way, to eschew that melancho­lious and fearfull consequent. For they all (some few being excepted) affirme, that those venial sinnes from [Page 22] which the Elect are not fred before death, are remit­ted to them in the verie instant of death, or (which is all one) in that instant, in the which the soule is sepa­rated from the bodie. This doctrine was not onlie maintained by Alensis, Thomas, Scotus, Durandus, Almainus, and manie other auncient Schoole-men, (who indeede doe differ verie much amongst them­selues, anent the meane or disposition, whereby remis­sion of veniall sinnes is obtained, in that first instant of separation) but also by their most famous late wry­ters, who haue handled this matter, partlie in their Disputes agaynst vs, and partlie in their Commen­taries and Disputes vpon the third part of Thomas his Summe, Quaest. 87. Suarez in 3. part. Th. tom. 4. disp. 11. sect. 4. Vasquez in eandem part. Th. quest. 87. art. 1. d [...]b. 2. Valent. tom. 4. disp. 7. quest. 4. punc [...]. [...]. assert. 4. Becanus Theolog. Scholast. part. 3. tract. 2. cap. 32. qu. 9. Gaspar Hurtado, tract. de Sacram, disp. 2. de poenit, difficultate 17. &c.

Now, if these sinnes bee remitted in the moment of dissolution, what can followe after that moment, but eternitie of blessednesse? For that which did let or impede the present entrance of the godlie man into his Masters joy, to wit, his guiltinesse of veniall sinnes, is removed by Gods gracious condonation, in the verie dissolution of his soule & his bodie, as our Ad­versaries affirme. And perhaps it is so: yea, that most learned and judicious Divine, Doctor FIELD, Appendic. ad Lib. 5. de Ecclesia, Par [...]e 1. Pag. 775. see­meth to haue beene altogether of this mynde. But I dare not peremptorlie affirme anie thing in a matter so secret and hid from our knowledge; (for perhaps the remission of these veniall sinnes preceedeth the moment of dissolution, as I haue alreadie marked) onelie I maintaine this conditionall Assertion, That if those sinnes bee remitted in the instant of death, there is no punishmēt inflicted for them after death. I know they will re [...]ly, [...]at although these sinnes [Page 23] bee pardoned, yet the whole punishment due vnto them, is reserved, and no wayes discharged Suarez, in 3. Part▪ Th Disp. 11. de Poenit. Sect. 4. §. 18. Vasques. in eandē [...]art. Th. Qu. 87▪ Art. 1. Dub. 2. Num. 22.. But this conceat is so fond, that it needeth not anie refu­tation; for it is repugnant to the verie nature of Re­mission Peccatum Ventale re­mitti nihil aliud est quàm poeni [...] ad quam ho­mo est obli­gatus ra [...]o­ne venial [...] totalitor sol­vi, aut nobis con [...]nar [...], aut sal [...]e [...] commuta [...] [...] obligati [...] ­nem ad [...] ­norem p [...]e­na [...]. [...]. in 4. Sent. Di [...]t. 21. [...] 1. Lament. 3.33., and to the ordinarie conception which men haue of it, (for who would say, that the King did pardon a Traytor, if hee did inflict vpon him all the punishment due vnto him for his treason?) as also to that notable proportion, which is betwixt our deliverance from sinne, and from those miseries, which are the consequents thereof. For, as I observed be­fore, the reason wherefore men are not fully delive­red in this lyfe from those punishments, or miseries, which are the consequents of sinne, is because they are not fully fred from sinne it selfe. But in death, as all doe grant, the soule of a good man is fully fred from sinne: nothing remayneth therein, which dis­pleaseth GOD; and that which pleaseth GOD, to wit, inherent righteousnesse, is perfect in it. Hence wee justlie conclude, That as it is fully fred from sinne; so also is it from all the consequents of sinne; and that in respect nothing remayneth in it, which may offende GOD, or provoke Him to doe that which Hee is vnwilling to doe; I meane, to punish.

This also ought to bee confessed by those Popish Wryters, who doe teach, concerning Inherent Grace, That it is so amiable, or louelie a qualitie, in the sight of GOD, that by it selfe, or by its owne naturall force, & not for anie reference which it hath to CHRIST, for whose merits it is infused, it maketh GOD to accept those in whom it is found, vnto aeternall Lyfe, as His Children, and Heyres. Now, if this be the naturall force and efficacie, or the connaturall effect, Suarez, de grat. Sanct. lib. 7. c. 12. Vide etiam cap. 5. il­liu [...] lib▪ (as Sua­rez calleth it) of inherent righteousnesse, even when it is imperfect, or at least when it is conjoyned with [Page 24] originall concupiscence, the reliques of vicious acqui­red habites, the rebellious motions of the flesh, and ma­nie veniall enormities, as they call them; vvhat force shall it haue to make GOD to respect, to loue, to affect tenderlie, the soule of a man after death? and, consequentlie, not to torment, and punish it, when it is fullie fred from all those vicious inclinations, and motions?

I haue showne you, at great length, (and that be­cause of the perverse opinions of our Adversaries) That to die in the LORD, is common to all the Elect. Nowe I come to that other poynt, vvhich I propounded to bee handled anent the same wordes; that is, to showe you what this phrase, To die in the LORD, (taking it as it is common to all the God­lie) importeth. All those who take it so, agree amongst themselues anent the meaning thereof; to wit, That it is To die in that happie vnion which wee haue with CHRIST by true Fayth, and other Theologi­call vertues.

There bee foure thinges, wherein men are sayde to die this bodilie death, mentioned in holie Scrip­ture.

1. Men die in Adam. 2. Men die eyther in pro­speritie, or adversitie; riches, or povertie, or moyen [...]ondition; in high honour, or in lowe degree; in payne, or without payne, &c. 3. Men are sayde to die in their sinnes. 4. Men are sayd to die in CHRIST.

The first of these foure, is simplie common to all the children of Adam, by naturall propagation.

The second is disjunctiuelie common to all.

The third befalleth all who die without CHRIST.

The fourth appertayneth to them onelie who in in this Text are called blessed: Blessed are they that die in the LORD.

[Page 25]The first hath a diverse manner of signification, from the other three.

For, to die in Adam, signifieth not onelie the co­existence of a man's beeing in Adam, and of his dying; but also the meritorious cause of our death; to wit, That by the sinne of Adam, in whom we all sinned, and from whom wee bring with vs into this worlde originall corruption, wee are all lyable to death. As in Adam all die, (as sayeth the Apostle) even so in CHRIST shall all bee made alyue. [...]. Cor. 15.22.

This dying of all in Adam, is explayned by the same Apostle else-where, By one man sinne entered in­to the worlde, and death by sinne: Rom. 5.12. and so death passed vp­on all men, for that all haue sinned. Whereby is evi­dentlie overthrowne that errour of Pelagius, and his followers, who falselie denyed Death bodilie to haue beene brought in by Sinne: affirming, (as Augustine relateth) That altho Adam had not sinned, Aug. haeres. 88. yet hee had died bodilie death. Which Assertion, as ve­rie pernicious and haereticall, and brought in for de­nying of originall sinne, was justly condemned, and anathematized, in the second Milevitane Councell. Concil. Mi­lev▪ 2. can. 1.

The other three, beeing vnderstood of bodilie death, doe signifie rather the estate wherein a man is found when hee dieth. For altho hee who dieth in his sinnes, hath in his sinnes the merite of both the first and second death, yet when a man is sayde to die in his sinnes, is not so much poynted at the cause of his bodilie death, (beeing now common to all flesh) as the miserable and dolefull condition wherin death findeth him, and carrieth him away. Which before wee explayne, let vs speake a word of dying in pro­speritie, or adversitie, &c.

One dieth (sayeth holie IoB) in his full strength, beeing whollie at ease, and quyet: Iob. 21.23.24.25.26. his breastes are full of [Page 26] milke, and his bones are moystened with marrow. And another dieth in the bitternesse of his soule, and never eateth with pleasure. They shal lye downe alyke in the dust, and the worms shall cover them. Here are two things to bee observed: 1. That men are sayd to die in pro­speritie or adversitie, onelie in regard of their estate before they bee dead; and not in respect of anie con­dition in and after death: for the one so dieth in pro­speritie, and the other in adversitie temporall, as by dying, both hee leaveth his prosperitie, and hee his adversitie. 2. In regard of that transient estate, they are made by death both aequall. They lye downe alyke in the dust. There the wicked cease from troubling: and there the wearie bee at rest. Iob. 3.17.18.19. There the prisoners rest to­gether: they heare not the voyce of the oppressour. The small and great are there: and the servant is free from his master.

The third thing wherein men are sayd to die, is in their sinnes. This befalleth all the vnbelievers, who die in vnbeliefe, according to that saying of our Sa­viour; I sayde therefore vnto yom, that yee shall die in your sinnes. Ioan. 8.24. For if yee belieue not that I am HEE, yee shall die in your sinnes. Where is not meaned, that they shall cease to bee in their sinnes, or in the stayne and guiltinesse therof, as those who dying in world­lie wealth, or povertie, cease to bee in them anie more: but hee that dieth in his sinnes, his bones are full of the sinne of his youth, Iob. 20.11. which shall lye downe with him in the dust. Now, as Salomon sayth, if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, Eccles. 11.3· there it shall be: That is, as Saynct Hie­rome expounds the place, in what estate a man dieth, eyther in sinne, Hieron. comm. in Eccles. [...]. or in righteousnesse, hee shall for ever remayne in that same estate. The miserie of such a [Page 27] man is descrybed in the Evangell of Saynct IOHN, with the felicitie of those who liue and die in the true fayth of the Sonne of GOD, briefelie, in these wordes, Hee that believeth on the Sonne, hath everla­sting Lyfe: and hee that believeth not the Sonne, Ioan. 3.36. shall not see Lyfe, but the wrath of GOD abydeth on him.

Therefore this Proposition, Blessed are they that die in the LORD, is reciprocall, They die in the LORD who are blessed: meaning of mortall men, who die this bodilie death; of whom none are blessed, but onlie they that die in the LORD. Neyther is there salvation in anie other: for there is none other name vn­der Heaven given amongst men whereby wee must bee saved. Act. 4.12▪

To die in the LORD, signifieth not, that the LORD is the cause of our death, as Adam to them that die in Adam: but it signifieth that happie estate of a dying man, that hee is in the LORD, and conse­quentlie, of the number of those of whom the Apo­stle sayeth, Rom. [...]. [...]. There is no condemnation to those which are in CHRIST IESVS. Neyther doeth dying in the LORD import ceasing from beeing in the LORD, as they who die in worldlie wealth, or povertie, doe cease to bee in that estate anie more: but to die in the LORD, Ioann. 1.4. Coloss. 3.3▪ 1. Ioann. 5.12, 20. signifieth to die beeing and remayning in the LORD, before death, in death, and after death. The LORD is our lyfe, even aeternall Lyfe. He then that dieth in the LORD, remayneth in Lyfe, according to that saying of our Saviour; Verilie, verilie, I say vnto you, he that heareth My word, Ioann. 5.24. and believeth on Him that sent Mee, hath everlasting Lyfe, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death, vnto lyfe. Death may separate our soule from our bodie; but it can not breake that Union which wee haue with IESUS CHRIST; whose wee are, whether wee liue or die. Rom. 14. [...].

[Page 28]I come nowe to a more particular consideration of this Union which wee haue with CHRIST in lyfe and death; and in respect whereof wee are sayde heere to die in the LORD. This Union is so strange and wonderfull, that it can not bee sufficientlie ex­pressed by anie one kynde of vnion; and therefore the Spirit of GOD in the Scripture expresseth it by manie, and those most diverse sortes of vnion, or conjunction: to wit, by the vnion of conformitie; telling vs, Vnio confor­mitatis. Rom. 8.29. Vnio per af­fectum. Ioan. 15.15. Heb. 2.11. 2. Cor. 11.2. Ephes. 5.25.27. Vn [...]o per in­fluxum. Ioan. 15.1.2 Ephes. 1.22. Coloss. 1, 18 that wee are praedestinated, to bee conformed to the Image of the Son of God: by the vnion of affectiō; yea, of most entire affection, or friendship; telling vs, that wee are His Friendes, Brethren, and Spouse: by the vnion of influence, or reall operation; telling vs, that Hee is the Vine, and wee are the Branches; that Hee is the Head, and we are His Members: vvhereby is signi­fied, That as the roote of the Vine, by reall influence, doeth communicate lyfe, nowrishment, and growth, vnto the branches; and as the head, by reall influence, or operation, doeth communicate sense, and motion, vnto the inferiour members, and doeth direct them in their actions; So CHRIST, by the seret, and most powerfull influence of His Spirit, doeth commu­nicate Spirituall lyfe, sense, motion, and growth, vnto the members of His mysticall bodie: as also directeth them in their actions; making them to walke circumspectlie, and to worke out their salvation with feare and trembling. Ephes. 5.15. Phil. 2.12. And because thinges are vnited, or joyned together, two wayes, by the vnion of influence; to wit, eyther so that they concurre to­gether, to make vp one totall or composed substance, (as for example, The head and the members make vp one totall substance; and so doe the roote and the branches) vvhich sort of vnion is called a Formall, Substantiall, Vn [...]o forma­lis. and Physicall vnion: or else so that no to­tall [Page 29] or composed thing is made vp of them; (so the Load-stone, and the yron which it draweth to it selfe, are vnited together) vvhich sort of vnion is cal­led vnio effectiva, an vnion of meere influence, or ef­ficiencie. Therefore our conjunction with CHRIST, Vn [...]o effe­ctiva. is expressed in Scripture, sometymes by a Formall and Physicall vnion; as when Hee is called the Vine, and we the Branches; or when Hee is called the Head, and wee the members of His bodie: and sometymes by the vnion of meere inftuence; as when Hee sayeth, If I bee lifted vp from the earth, I will drawe all men vnto Mee: and, Loe, I am with you alwayes, Ioan. 12.32. even vnto the ende of the worlde. Matth. 28.20.

Nowe, to apply all this to the present purpose: The Godlie haue all these kyndes or sorts of vnion with CHRIST, in death, as well as in lyfe; and there­fore they are most justlie sayde to die in the LORD. And first, as for the Vnion of Conformitie, although the Learned, speaking of that conformitie vvith CHRIST, vnto which wee are praedestinated, doe on­lie mention our Conformitie with Him in Grace and Glorie; yet betwixt these two, wee may verie well take in another part or degree of our conformitie with CHRIST; to wit, our Conformitie with Him in our death; vvhich is the passage from Grace to Glo­rie. For, as wee resemble Him by an holie lyfe, so al­so by an happie and victorious death. This degree of conformitie, which the Godlie haue with CHRIST, is grounded chiefelie vpon three respectes. For first, as CHRIST died voluntarilie, and by way of obe­dience to GOD His Fathers Commandement; so the Godlie die, humblie submitting themselues, and all their desires, vnto GOD'S will. For although, when that bitter Cuppe of deadlie sicknesse is presented to a Godlie man, he sometymes say with CHRIST, Fa­ther, [Page 30] if it bee possible, let this Cup passe from mee; Matth. 26.39. yet He ever doeth subjoyne this▪ Neverthelesse, not as I will, but as Thou wilt. Secondliie; As CHRIST died, to destroy the works of the Devil; [...]. Ioan. 3.5. & 8. that is, to take away our sinnes; so the Godlie desire to die, that they may bee fred from their sinnes, and not offende GOD anie more; Iudg. 16▪ 30. saying with SAMPSON, Let mee die with these my enemies. Thirdlie, as CHRIST died, to acquire a Kingdome to Himselfe Rom. 14.9.; so death is to the Godlie an entrance into that kingdome which GOD hath promised to those that loue Him: and everie Godlie man may, vvhen hee dieth, Iames 2.5. say with PAVL, Hencefoorth there is layde vp for mee a Crowne of Righteousnesse. [...] ▪ Tim. 4.8▪

Secondlie; As for the vnion of Loue, or Friendship, which the Godlie haue with CHRIST, death can not ende, or dissolue it: for Paul telleth vs, That nothing is able to separate vs from the loue of CHRIST: Rom. 8.35. and, in the wordes following, boldlie giveth a defyance to death; affirming, That it is not able to effectuat [...] this separation. Manie, yea, great and inaesteemable bene­fits redound vnto the Godlie, by vertue of this vnion, in the houre of their death. For, first, by reason of it, CHRIST IESVS, in that most dangerous houre, pleadeth for them most earnestlie, and effectuallie. Our necessitie doeth require this. For, when wee are arreasted by Death, and are going to bee praesen­ted before that dreadfull Tribunall, vvhere all our workes of Righteousnesse, yea, all our sufferings can not sufficientlie pleade for vs; wee haue more nor neede, that that Blood which speaketh better thinges than that of Abell, Hebr. [...].24 should pleade for Mercy and favour to vs. His loue also, and most tender affection, which made Him to ware, or bestowe, His Blood, and His Lyfe for vs▪ can not but make Him to ware His Re­quest for vt, in that tyme of our great neede. Hee, [Page 31] vvho vpon the Crosse prayed for His cruell Tor­mentors, vvill, vndoubtedlie, nowe, vvhen Hee is in His Kingdome, remember His Friendes, and say, Pa­ter, ignosce iis; Father, forgiue them. Hee, Luke 23. [...]4 vvho in that last and most dolorous night of His ly [...]e, when Hee made, as it were, His Legacie, and declared His latter Will to His Father, sayde, concerning all the Elect, Father, I will that they also whome Thou hast gi­ven Mee, bee with Mee, &c. Hee, I say, Ioan. 17. [...] will particularlie, for everie one of them, at the houre of their death, say, Father, it is My will, that this My Servant, whom Thou hast given Mee, bee with Me where I am, that hee may beholde that Glorie which Thou hast given Mee. Secondlie; in respect of this Union, CHRIST doeth strengthen the Godlie vpon their bed of languishing, Psal. 4 [...]. [...] and maketh all their bed in their sick­nesse: yea, Hee maketh a Bed of inward joye, and comfort, vnto their soules, wherein they may rest, and bee refreshed, when their bodily payns are most grievous, and intollerable: For then Hse speaketh to them, by His Spirit, Wordes of comfort; or rather, as Peter calleth them, Words of aeternall Lyfe. Iohn 6.68. He sayth to them, as Hee sayde to the poenitent Thiefe, To day shalt thou bee with Mee in Paradyse. Luke 23.43. Hee sayth to them, as Hee sayde concerning Lazarus his sicknesse, This sicknesse is not vnto death; yea, This death, Iohn 11.4. is not vnto death Hoc est er­go, quod ai [...] ▪ infirmitas hac nō est a [...] mortē, quia & ipsa no [...] erat ad mor­tem. Au­gust. Tract 49. in Ioan Genes. 46.3▪, but for the Glorie of GOD, and also for your glorie; that by it yee may attayne vnto aeternall Glorie, and Happinesse [...] and as He sayd to Iacob, when hee was going downe to Aegypt, Feare not to goe downe to Aegypt, for I will goe downe with thee, and will surelie bring thee vp agayne; so sayeth He to His languishing and dying Servants, Feare not to goe downe into the darke and silent Graue; for I will goe downe with you, and I also will surelie bring you vp agayne.

[Page 32]These, and the lyke comforts, Christ Iesus, by the inward and secret language, or testimonie of His Spi­rit, doeth communicate vnto manie of His Servantes [...]pon their death-beds▪ but whether or not He doeth communicate them vnto all the Elect, without ex­ception, I dare not determine, as I sayd before. One thing I firmlie belieue; That all the Elect are, in some measure, strengthened by Him vpon the bed of langui­shing. I meane, vpon their death-bed: yea, so strengthe­ned, that all the Powers of Hell can not make them to die in that fearfull sinne of Desparation. For GOD, vvho is not deficient in thinges necessarie for our na­turall lyfe, DEVS non deficit in ne­cessariis. and much lesse in thinges necessarie for our spirituall estate, hath givē vs this sweet promise, I will never leaue thee, Hebr. 13.5. nor forsake thee: and consequent­lie, deoth ever conserue in His owne Children, such a measure of Fayth and Hope, as is sufficient for sal­vation. Thirdlie; As the Godlie, in the houre of death, are bolde, to commende their spirites vnto CHRIST, Luc. 23.46. and, as it were, to breathe out their soules into His Bosome; (for this is the last sute of a depar­ting Saynct, LORD IESVS, receaue my spirit) so Hee also, Act. 7.53. in regard of this vnion, granteth their desire: that is, He receaveth their spirits; He welcōmeth them with this sweet Salve; Intra in gaudium DOMINI tui; Enter into the joye of thy LORD: and Hee praesenteth them vnto His Father, saying; Beholde, I and the Children which GOD hath given mee. Iohn, I am sure, was glad vvhen CHRIST sayde to His Mother, Ioan. 19.26. [...]7. Beholde thy Sonne; and to him, Beholde thy Mother. Howe much more shall mee rejoyce, when CHRIST, bringing our soules into GOD'S Chamber of Praesence, shall say to GOD, Ecce Filii Tui, Beholde thy Children; and to vs, Ecce Pater vester, Beholde your Father?

The third, or last sort of vnion, which the Godlie [Page 33] haue with Christ, to wit, the vnion of influence, or reall operation; and, in speciall, that vnion, whereby the Godlie are vnited with Christ, as members of his mysticall bodie, and branches ingrafted in him, not on­lie continueth, or endureth vnto death, but in death: and by vertue thereof, the spirituall lyfe which is communicated vnto the Godlie in their regenera­tion, and the vitall operations of the same, are so effe­ctuallie, and reallie preserved, that the Godlie may be sayd not onlie to liue, when they die; but also to come, by death, to a greater perfection of their lyfe. For the Spirit of God in the holie Scripture telleth vs, that the supernaturall lyfe, which wee haue by grace, is an everlasting lyfe: as lykewyse, that it is but imperfect here, and shall be perfected hereafter. Iohn 5.24. For here we walke by fayth, and not by sight: and now (that is, in this present lyfe) we see through a glasse, 2. Cor. 5.7. darklie; but then (that is, 1. Cor. 13.1 [...]. Vita nostra modo spes est, vita nostra postea aeter­nitas erit▪ Vita vitae mortalis, spes est vita im­mortalis, Enarrat. in Psal. 103. Conc. 4. in the lyfe to come) we shall see God face to face. And therefore holie Augustine sayeth verie well, that our lyfe, which now is nothing but hope, shall hereafter be aeternitie; and, that the lyfe of this mortall lyfe, is the hope of an immortall lyfe.

Yee haue heard now, that the vnion, which the godly haue with Christ, is not abolished, nor yet di­minished; but rather augmented, and perfected by death. Whereby ye may learne, first, how firme and stable that vnion is, which wee haue with Christ; seeing (as I haue shown you) death it selfe is not able to dissolue it. Happie are these, then, who count all thinges but dung, that they may gaine Christ, Philip. 3.8. and that they may be found in him, &c. For with MARIE they haue chosen that good part, Luke 10.4 [...] which shall not be taken away from them. And, on the contrarie, miserable and mad fooles are they, who haue set their heartes vpon worldlie thinges, and are vnited vnto them by affe­ction. [Page 32] [...] [Page 33] [...] [Page 34] For, first, they shall shortlie be divided, or sepa­rated from these things. Next, that separation shall procure more griefe to them, nor ever they had de­light, or contentment, by enjoying these evanishing trifles. And thirdlie, which is worst of all, in that dreadfull judgement, which followeth after death, they shall be condemned to everlasting torments, for the inordinate loue which they carried to them. Ber­nard sayeth verie wittilie, Mors pecca­torum mala est in mundi amissione. pej [...]r in car­nis separa­tione, pess [...] ­ [...]a in ver­ [...]is ignisque duplici co [...] ­tritione. Epist. 105. ad Roma­num. that the death of the wicked man is evill, in respect of the losse of worldlie things; worse in respect of the vnhappie separation of his bodie from the soule; and worst of all, because of that double torment or vexation, of the worme, and of the fire.

Moreover, the indissolubilitie & aeternitie of that vnion, which the Godlie haue with Christ, maketh the vnion, which they haue amongst themselues, perpetuall, and indissoluble, by death. They are louelie and pleasant in their lyues, (as David in his mourning Song sayd of Saul and Ionathan) and in death they are not divided. [...]. Samul 1.23. For although some of the members of Christs bodie, be called out from this lyfe, before others, yet they remaine still vnited to one head; and, consequentlie, are still vnited amongst themselues: and albeit they be locallie separated for a tyme, yet they shall shortlie meet together in their Fathers house; and shall joyfullie sing for ever that Song of DAVID, Beholde how good and how pleasant a thing it is, for Brethren to dwell together in vnitie! Yee, Psal. 133.1. then, who are vnited vnto Christ, by a true and lyuelie fayth, be carefull by your godlie admoni­tions, and good example, to make these, whom yee tenderlie affect, to be participant of the same vnion: Fot if yee effectuate this, neyther death, nor judge­ment, nor anie other thing, shall divide you. But if it [Page 35] be otherwayes, death, and that judgement which followeth thereafter, shall so divide you, that yee shall never haue a joyfull meeting together agayne. For when Christ shall come to judge the world, two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, Luke 17.34 35.36. and the other left: two men shall be in the field together; the one shall be taken, & the other left: yea, of two which shall be in one bed; one shall be taken, and the other left. But what if they be both left, and condemned to Hel fire, shall they haue anie comfortable societie, or fel­lowship together? No. For as in Hell there is fire, without light; night, without rest; and death, without an ende; so there is companie, without comfort: yea, those who were companions in sinne, when they meet together there, they salute each other with mutuall execrations, and curse the day that ever they saw other.

Secondlie, consider for your vse, how sweete an effect this our vnion with Christ produceth, seeing by vertue of it we spirituallie liue, both in death, and after death. If lyfe be so sweet, as we commonlie say; & if this mortal, yea, this momētanie life, be so much esteemed by vs, as that a man will giue skin for skin, Iob 2.4. and all that he hath, for his lyfe, how much should we esteeme and affect this spirituall lyfe, and that blessed vnion with Christ, by vertue whereof it is begun, and also conserved in vs vnto all aeternitie? HORMISDAS the Persian, as I shew you before, thought little of all the glorie and statelinesse of Rome; and that because he perceaved, that men were mortall there, as well as in other cities of the world. O, but if GOD had given him grace to enter by fayth into that heavenly Hierusalē, the Citie of the living God; Heb. 1 [...]. [...] and if the eyes of his vnderstāding had bene enlightened, that he might haue known what is the hope of our calling, Ephes. 1.1 [...] [Page 36] and the riches of the glorie of GODS inheritance in the Saincts; that is, if he had known, that GOD, the Father of our LORD IESVS CHRIST, according to his aboundant mercie, hath begotten all these who are true [...]lie and indeed citizens of this Citie, in spem vivam; vnto a lyuelie hope, (that is, in spem vitae▪ vnto the hope of lyfe, as Ierome expoundeth it; or in spem vitae aetern [...], vnto the hope of aeternall lyfe, Lib. 1. contra Iovinianum as Augustine readeth it) and to an inheritance incorruptible, Lib. 1. de peccatorum meritis, & remiss. cap. 27. and vndefiled, and which fadeth not away, reserved in Heaven for vs: if he, I say, had knowne this singular praerogatiue of the citizens of heavenlie Hierusalem, he would haue thought the glorie of Rome, and of all other cities in the world, to be basenesse, in comparison of it: and would haue sayd with DAVID, Glorious thinges are spoken of thee, O Citie of GOD: or as he sayeth in an­other place, Psal. 87.3. Mount Sion is beautifull for situation, and the joye of the whole earth. Psal. 48.2.

Thirdly, obserue, I pray you, how sweet and com­fortable a thing it is to the Godlie, in the houre of death, to consider, that they are in Christ, and that the vnion, which they haue with Christ, is perpetual, and indissoluble. How comfortablie and joyfullie may the faythfull servant of Christ then say, There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ: I am now dying, Rom. 8.1. neverthelesse I liue; yet not I, but Christ li­veth in me: Gal. 2.20. in Christ my Saviour I haue boldnesse and accesse vnto the Throne of Grace, with confidence by the fayth of him. Ephes. 3.12 O how excellent and happie a thing it is to a man then to haue [...], boldnesse with God to speake what he pleaseth, and to propound all his sutes; to say, Lord, strengthen me against all my in­firmities, and my feares; perfect thy strength in my weaknesse; [...]. Cor. 12.9 put an ende to all my miseries, and my pains; Psal. 143.2. and enter not into judgement with thy servant; [Page 37] LORD, Psal. 23.4. walke with mee in this valley of the shadowe of death, that I may feare no evill; Father, I comend my spi­rit into thy hands; Heare me speedilie, O Lord, Luke 23.46 my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be lyke vnto them that goe downe into the pit. Psal. 143.7. The wicked cannot haue this [...], this boldnesse of speaking to God, when death approacheth. They shall then finde how true that saying of our Saviour is, Sine me nihil potestis fa­cere; Without me ye can do nothing. Iohn 15.5. For they may well in that houre cry, Miserere, with their lips, and say, Lord, let thy servant depart in peace; but their heart shall contradict them, and tell them, that there is no peace to the wicked. Isai. 57.21.

I come now to the consideration of that blessed­nesse, or happinesse, which is here attributed to these who die in the Lord: in the handling whereof, I in­tend not to fall out in a Theologicall discourse, con­cerning that most noble and divine operation of our soule, wherein our Summum bonū consisteth: I meane, the vision and fruition of the glorious countenance of GOD: nor yet to trouble you, and my selfe both, with the debating and discussing of these quaestions, which are too curiouslie agitated, and too boldlie determined by manie Divines anent it. I shall onlie show you what is, and hath bene holden, as certaine, and vndoubtedlie true, by the greatest part of Chri­stians, and what is called in quaestion by judicious and orthodoxe Divines, concerning the estate of the Godlie after this lyfe.

First, then, it is certaine, that these, who die in the Lord, shal in the day of resurrection, and judgement, attaine to perfect, and consummate happinesse of soule and bodie: for in that day, the Lord, the righteous Iudge, 2. Tim. 4. [...]. shall giue the crowne of righteousnesse vnto all these, who loue his appearing.

[Page 38]Secondlie, the greatest part of Christians, haue ever believed, that the blessednesse, which we shall then attaine vnto, consisteth in the vision and frui­tion of the glorious essence of GOD, which the Schoole-men call visionem DEI per essentiam. This is evidentlie revealed vnto vs in diverse places of Scri­pture. For our Saviour promiseth this, as a reward to the pure in heart, Matth. 5.8. that they shall see God. And Paul tel­leth vs, that this vision of God shall be a cleare, im­mediate, and intuitiue sight of his essence. For he sayeth, that we who now see God through a glasse, darklie, 1 Cor. 13.12 shall then see him face to face. And Sainct Iohn lykewyse sayeth, that when he shall appeare, we shall see him as he is. 1. Iohn 3.2. This also hath bene constantlie believed by the Fathers of the Ancient Church: for none of them ever denyed this, except some fewe Greeke Fathers, [...]omil. 14. in Iohann. & [...]omil. 3. de [...]comprae­ [...]ensibil [...] Dei [...]atura. following Chrysostome, who in di­verse places of his workes affirmeth, that God his infinite essence can not be seene by anie created or finite vnderstanding.

Thirdlie, as for the estate of the souls of men, du­ring that tyme, which interveaneth betwixt death and judgement, although some haue most fondlie and absurdlie believed, that the soule perisheth with the bodie; and, that both soule and bodie shall be rai­sed vp together, at the day of judgement; This opinion [...]s maintai­ [...]ed by An­ [...]baptists, & was of old maintained [...]y those [...]aeretickes [...]hom Au­ [...]ustine cal­ [...]eth Arabi­ [...]s, in his [...]ooke De [...]aresibus, ad Quod Val [...] ­ [...]eum, ha­ [...]es. 83. [...]att. 10.28 & others no lesse foolishlie haue imagined, that the soule, after it is separated from the bodie, hath no operation, nor knowledge of its owne estate; but lyeth, as it were, in a dead sleep [...] ▪ vntill the day of judgement; for the which cause they are called Psychopannychitae: never­thelesse the Spirit of God, in the holie Scripture, tel­leth vs, that these who kill the bodie, can not kill the soule; and consequentlie, that the soule liveth, when the bodie is killed: that in the heavenlie Hierusalem there [Page 39] are not onlie Angels, Heb. 12.23. but also the spirits of just men made perfect; that the Godlie, when they are dissol­ved, are with Christ, and in Paradyse. Lykewyse, Philip. 1.23 that they are not there sleeping, Luke 23.43 but haue vse of their vn­derstāding, we may clearlie see by the parable of Di­ves & Lazarus, by the Storie of Christs transfigura­tion, in the which we reade, Revel. 6.9. that Moses and Eliah talked with Christ; and by that which we reade con­cerning the soules of Martyres, crying vnder the Al­tar, for acceleration of the punishment of their per­secutions. Herefore the Fathers constantlie taught, that the souls of men, when they are separated from their bodies, doe remember of the things which they did vpon earth Plenissim [...] docu [...]t Do­minus nō so­lùm perseve­rare animas, sed et memi­nisse operu [...] quae egerunt hic. Iren. lib. 2. contra hae­reses, cap. 62.: and that those of them who are glorified in Heaven, are sure of their owne happi­nesse, and sollicite, or carefull, for the weale of the Church militant; and, in particular, are myndfull of their parentes, children, brethren, and other friends, whom they haue left behind them on earth; longing to see them in that place of glorie, where they them­selues are. Magnus [...] ­lic charorum numerus no [...] exspectat, parentū, fra­trum, fili [...]ū, frequens [...] & copiosae turba deside­rat, jam de sua immor­talitate se­cura, & ad­huc de nostra salute solli­cita. Ci­prian. serm▪ de mortali­tate, in fin [...] ▪ Yea, even these of the Fathers, who be­lieved, that the departed souls of godlie men, are not fully glorified as yet; and, that they shal not attaine to the perfection of that happinesse, whereof they are capable, before the day of Iudgement; thought not that they are sleeping, and senselesse, during the tyme of their separation from their bodies; but, on the contrarie, thought, that they are in Abrahams bosome, in a state of refreshment, and joye. See concerning this, Tertull, in his booke De Anima, cap. 58. Chrysostome, wry­ting vpon the Epistle to the Philip. serm. 3. August. lib 20. de Civit. D [...], cap 9. & 13 For he also believed, that the souls of the Godlie attain not vnto the perfection o [...] that happinesse, whereof they in themselues are capable, before the day of the g [...]nerall judgement; as we may easilie perceaue by his 12 booke De Genesi, cap. 35 where he affirmeth, that the soule separated from the bodie, seeth not God, as th [...] Angels see him. Yea, sometyme he was of that opinion, which manie other of th [...] Fathers did holde, concerning the place where the soules of the Saincts departed are nowe: to wit, that they are keeped in secret and subterranean places, vntill the Daye of Iudgement. Lib. 12. De Civit. DEI, Cap. 9. & enarra [...]. in Psal. 36. Conc. 1. But hee seemeth to haue left this opinion, afterwardes as appeareth by his 20 Booke, De Civit. Dei, Cap. 15.

[Page 40]Fourthlie; although some few of the Ancients taught, that the souls of the Saincts departed, are not as yet rewarded, but keeped in one place, and in one estate, and condition, with the wicked, not being as yet so much as assured of that glorie, which shall be re­vealed in them; Nec tamen quisquā pu­cet animas post motem protin [...] ju­dicari; omne [...] in una com­muni (que) cu­stodia deti­ [...]ntur do­ [...]c, [...]. La­cta [...]. Lib. 7. divinarū in­stitu [...]. c. 21. Philip 1·23 2. Cor. 5. [...]. yet the common opinion of the Church of God, in all ages, hath bene, that they are in an happie and blessed estate, and with vnspeakable joye doe exspect the accomplishment of their hap­pinesse: yea, manie of them affirme, that they are with Christ, that they reygne with him, and, that they, in some sort, see Gods face. This is also clearly revealed in Scripture; for Paul wisheth to be dissolved, and to be with Christ; and telleth vs, that when wee are absent from the bodie, we are present with the Lord. Christ al­so sayde to the poenitent Thiefe, To day shalt thou bee with mee in Paradyse: and here a voyce from Heaven proclaymeth the happinesse of the dead, who die in the LORD.

This trueth so manif [...]stlie revealed in the Scrip­ture, although, as I haue sayde, it hath bene constant­lie professed in the Church, yet it hath bene vitia­ted, or corrupted, by the admixtion of two erroneous doctrines. For, first, although none before holie Au­gustine did talke of such a Purgatorie-fyre, as our Ad­versaries doe mayntayne, yet some Fathers, who li­ved in the third and fourth age of the Church, to wit, Origen, Lactantius, Hilarie, Ambrose, Ruffinus, and Ierome, believed, that there shall be a generall Purgatione of all souls, by fyre, at the day of Iudge­ment; [Page 41] and, that none shall bee free of it, (except Christ, who is the Righteousnesse of GOD Ambros. enarrat. in Psal. 118. octonar. 20. vers. 153. ideo unus ig­nē illum sen­tire non po­tuit qui est justitia Dei Christus, quia pecca­tum non fecit.) no, not the blessed and glorious Virgine Marie. Hilar. enarrat. in Psal. 118. octonar. 3. vers 20. A [...] cum ex omni ocioso verbo rationē [...] praesti­turi, diem judicii con­cupisc [...]s, in quo nobis est ille inde­fessus iguis ob [...]undus, in quo subeūd [...] sunt gravi [...] illa expiand [...] à peccatis a­nimae suppli­ciae? — si in judicii se­veritatē ca­pax illa Dei virgo ve [...]tu­ra est deside­rare quis audebit à DEO judicari? This opinion is not nowe mantayned by anie: at least, it doeth not trouble the peace of the Church; and therefore I will not meddle with it. Secondlie, since the 400 yeare of our Lord, (about which tyme Au­gustine flowrished) some Fathers haue mentioned, & expressed in their workes, a sort of purgation by fyre, verie farre different from the former. For they thought, that all the Elect doe not vndergoe this Purgation by fyre; but onlie they, who die in some kynde of guiltinesse; and, that these begin to be pur­ged immediatelie after their departure. Saynct Au­gustine spake doubtfullie of this sort of Purgation Lib. 21. De Civitate DEI, Cap. 26. in Enchiridio, Cap. 69. & Lib. De Fide & Operibus, Cap. 16.. Gregorie the Great did holde it as a thing certayne Lib. 4. Dialog. Cap. 3 [...]. & in Psal. 3. p [...]nitent.: but hee knew no matter, or cause, of this Purgation, except the guiltinesse of these smaller sinnes, which are called veniall: for hee dreamed not of that im­perfect remission of mortall sinnes committed after Baptisme, which Papists doe now holde, as a mayne ground of their doctrine concerning Purgatorie. But I haue alreadie confuted this fond conceat, and haue showne, that poenitentiall remission of sinnes com­mitted after Baptisme, is no lesse perfect, and abso­lute, than baptismal remission. It is true indeed, these who after Baptisme, or after their first justification, doe fall backe, into grievous sinnes, haue not so easie accesse vnto the Throne of Grace, for obtayning Mercie, as they had before, (which, I thinke, moved the An­cient Church, to enjoyne such hard pennance to these, who after they were baptized, fell into great [Page 42] sinnes) as also, because of their ingratitude for by­gone favoures, and benefits, they are oft-tymes (I will not say alwayes) punished, or chastised, with greater, and more fearfull judgementes; even after they are reconciled to God by repentance. But this will never proue such a reservation of temporall pu­nishment to bee inflicted in Purgatorie, in case of not satisfaction by poenall exercyses in this lyfe, as our Adversaries doe mayntayne.

Fiftlie, it is certayne, that the glorie and happi­nesse, which the dead, who haue died in the Lord, shal haue after the generall judgement, shall be grea­ter extensivè, in extention, nor it is now; and that be­cause it shall be extended, or communicated, to their bodies also. But whether or not it shall be intensivè greater, after the generall judgement; that is, whe­ther anie farther degree of glorie shall be then given to their soules, it is not so certayne. For manie of the Ancients Chrysost. Homil. 39. in 1. Cor. & Homil. 28. in Epist. ad Hebr. Am­bros. lib. 2. de Cain & A­bel, Cap. 2. & Lib. de bono mortis▪ Cap. 10. & 11. August. Epist. 111. ad Fortuna­tianum: & Lib. 12. de Genesi, Cap. 35. Bernard in se [...]to om­nium San­ctorū, Serm. 2.3. & 4., and some judicious and orthodoxe Di­vines Calvin. lib. 3. Institut. Cap. 25. §. 6 Spalat. lib. 5 de Repub. Eccl, Cap. 8. num. 75. & sequent., doe thinke, that although they are now with Christ, in the companie or fellowship of the blessed Angels, and in an estate of vnspeakable joye; yet they haue not attayned, as yet, vnto that consum­mate, and accomplished happinesse, which consisteth in the vision, or immediate sight of God's glorious es­sence: and which the Schoole-men call beatitudi­nem essentialem, essentiall happinesse: or if they haue attayned vnto it, yet they haue not attayned to the perfection, or the fulnesse of that joyfull and bles­sed sight, which they shall haue hereafter. Others boldlie affirme, that they haue alreadie gotten a full sight of God's glorious essence; and, that nothing is wanting to their happinesse, but the glorification of their bodies. For my part, although I incline most to the first opinion, esteeming it more probable, in re­spect [Page 43] of the consent of Antiquitie, and of diverse pla­ces in Scripture, which seeme to favour it; (for wee reade in Scripture, that wee shall bee satisfied with the lykenesse of God, when we awake; that is, Psal. 17.15. in the day of our resurrection; that the labourers shall bee called together in the evening; that is, Matth. 20.8 at the ende of the worlde, and shall then receaue their hyre, that the Crowne of Righteousnesse shall be given that day to all these who loue the Lord's appearing; and, 2. Tim. 4.8. that when Hee shall appeare, wee shall bee lyke Him, and shall see Him as Hee is) yet, I thinke, 1. Iohn 3.2 they are wy­sest, who suspende their judgement, and are not bold to determine anie thing in such matters as are not clearlie revealed in God's word; of which sort this whereof I am now speaking, is one. Iudicious and learned Calvine, Ibidem. who also inclined more to the first opinion, condemneth their foolish rashnesse, who prye too narrowlie into this secret; and willeth vs, to be content with these boundes, or limites, of our knowledge, concerning this matter, which are prae­scribed in Scripture. And, truelie, it is sufficient for our comfort, and encowragement agaynst Death; as also for that Christian, and cowragious desire of death, which we ought to haue; it is, I say, sufficient to know, that it is an estate of such heavenlie glorie, and such joyfull happinesse, that all worldlie happi­nesse, or contentment, is but miserie, in respect of it. That yee may the better conceaue this, consider, I pray you, that if wee thinke it a delightsome, and joyfull thing, to dwell in a statelie and glorious Pal­lace, with these whom we loue best, and whose com­panie is most pleasant vnto vs; it must be a thing ex­ceedinglie farre more happie, and joyfull, to liue in that heavenlie Pallace, whereof wee nowe see no­thing but the pauement; yea, nothing but the infe­riour [Page 44] superfice of it▪ and yet wee see more glorious statelines in it, than in all other partes of the world. For in it doe shyne those glorious Lightes, which enlighten and beautifie the whole world; and which made DAVID to say, Lord, what is man, that thou art myndfull of him? Psal. 8.4. and the sonne of man, that thou visi­test him? It must bee a most delightfull thing, and a matter of exceeding great joye, to dwell in that coe­lestiall Paradyse, with an innumerable companie of Angels; with all our pious friendes, who haue gone before vs, and who shall followe after vs; with the Prophets, Patriarchs, Apostles, Martyrs, and other famous Worthies, whose vertues are so much pray­sed, & admired on earth; and with our great LORD and Master, our kynde Saviour, CHRIST IESUS, who loved vs, Gal. 2.20. and gaue Himselfe for vs. What joye, I pray you, shall wee haue there, in beholding Him, who died, and suffered so manie things for vs? How shall wee bee affected, and ravished in mynde, when wee shall viewe His glorious Head, which was one day crowned with Thornes for vs; His Handes and Feet, which were one day pierced with nayles for vs; and His syde, which was runne thorowe with a Speare for vs? But, aboue all, if wee shall then be ad­mitted to the cleare, and immediate fight of God's infinite essence, (which, truelie, is verie probable) what admirable, vnspeakable, yea, inconceauable de­light, and contentment, shall that sight worke in vs, although it bee not so full, and perfect, as it shall bee after the generall judgement? How joyfullie shall wee then say with DAVID, Psal. [...]4.10. A day in thy Courts, is bet­ter than a thousand: or, as hee sayeth in another place, As wee haue heard, Psal. 48.8. so haue wee seene in the Citie of the LORD of Hostes: or rather, as the Queene of Sheba sayde, 1. king. 10.7 Beholde, the halfe was not tolde vs: the glorious [Page 45] honour of thy Majestie infinitelie exceedeth the same which wee heard. Psal. 145.5.

This doctrine, concerning the felicitie, vnto which the Godlie doe attayne, when their soules are sepa­rated from their bodies, affordeth manie profitable lessons, and vses vnto vs. For, first, wee may justlie collect from it, that although the Godlie bee manie wayes blessed, or happie, while they liue heere; to wit▪ in respect of that inaesteemable benefite of the remission of their sinnes Psal. 32.1.2., in respect of these super­naturall vertues, wherewith they are endewed, and of the operations, or actions of the same Psal. 1.1.112.1. [...]19.1., in respect of God's Fatherlie providence, and care which hee hath of them Psal. 144.15.; yea, even in respect of his chastise­mentes, and of their manyfolde sufferinges Psal. 94.12. Matth. 5.10 11.12.: yet this their happinesse, is nothing in comparison of that exceeding great reward Genes. 15.1., or of that farre more ex­ceeding and aeternall weyght of glorie 2. Cor. 4.17., which they get after this lyfe. Glorious thinges indeede are spoken of the Citie of GOD; that is, of the Church militant. The estate of these, who truelie and indeede are Citizens of it, is an estate of happinesse; but of such happinesse, as consisteth in sorrowing, or mourning for their sinnes, and manyfolde infirmities Matth. 5.4.. It is an estate of righteousnesse; but of such righteousnesse, as standeth rather in the remission of sinnes, nor in the perfection of vertues; and vnto the perfection whereof is neces­sarilie required a true acknowledgement, and a hum­ble confession of its imperfection, as saynct Augu­stine piouslie, and judiciouslie sayeth Lib. 19. de Civit. De [...], cap. 27. & lib. 3. contra duas Episto­las Pelagia­norum, cap. 7.. It is an estate of peace; but of such peace, as is praeserved by mayn­tayning a continuall, and most dangerous warfare, agaynst the Devill, the world, and the flesh. It is an estate of joye; but of such joye, as is not onlie mixed with sorrowe; but even grounded vpon their sor­rowes, [Page 46] and teares. August. lib de vera & falsa poeni­tentia, c. 13. Tādiu enim gaudeat & speret homo de gratia, quamdiu su­stentatur à poenitentia. Et infra: Hinc semper doleat, & d [...] dolor [...] gau­dea [...]. For when they get grace to sor­row, they haue reason to rejoyce, and praise God for it. But, alace, when they looke to the measure of their sorrow, they finde a new reason, or cause of sorrow, because they can not sorrowe so much, and so con­stantlie, as they ought. Idem ibid. Et non satis sit quod do­leat, sed e [...] fide doleat, & non sem­per doluisse doleat. In a word, then, if we shall looke to the manifolde sorrowes, feares, dangers, and sinfull infirmities, vnto which the Godlie are subject in this lyfe; and, on the other part, to that plenarie, or full deliverance, from all these evils, which they obtayne by death, wee shall finde, that wee haue more than reason, to say with Solon, and in the words of the Poet, although not according to their sense; ‘dici (que) beatus Ante obitum nemo, suprema (que) funera debet.’ that is, No man can bee called perfectlie happie, or fullie blessed, so long as hee liveth in this valley of teares.

Secondlie, this doctrine showeth you, that the Godlie haue no occasion to feare death; but, rather, ought to desire, and wish for it. The true Chri­stian may not onelie meet approaching death, with cowrage, and say, O death, where is thy sting? O Graue, where is thy victorie? 1. Cor. 15.55.; but also with joye, and say, How beautifull vpon the mountaynes are the feete of him that bringeth good tydinges? Isai. 52.7. Thou art come to tell me the best, and most joyfull newes, that ever I heard. For thou art come to tell mee▪ that my warfare is accom­plished; and, that I shall nowe enter into peace, that my sorrowfull seed-tyme is ended; Isai. 57.2. and, that my joy­full harvest is at hand. Psal. 126▪ 5. Thou art come to bring mee home to my Father's house, to take my crosse from my sholders, and to put my Crowne vpon my head. If the Godlie haue such reason to welcome death chearfullie when it commeth, ought they not to de­sire, [Page 47] and long for it, before it come? Cyprian, Chryso­stome, and Ambrose, doe most excellentlie, and elo­quentlie, vrge this poynct Cyprian. tom. 2. lib. d [...] mortalit. Chrysost. in epist. ad Pli­lipp. serm. 4. Ambros. lib. de bono mor­tis, cap. 12.: and Paul telleth vs, that all the Godlie haue a longing, or desire, yea, a vehe­ment desire, of that glorie and happinesse, which is begun immediatelie after death, and shall bee con­summated in the day of the Resurrection. Yet all the Godlie haue not this vehement desire in a lyke man­ner, and measure: for some of them haue desiderium mortis plenum & absolutum, a plenarie and absolute desire; or, a desire not opposed, or impeded by anie other desire. Such a desire of death, I thinke, was in olde Simeon, when hee had gotten CHRIST in his armes, and sayde, Nunc dimittis. For the onlie thing which detayned him in this lyfe, or made him wil­ling to bee detayned in it, was the desire hee had to see Christ Veniebat ille. [...]. Chri­stus▪ ille, s. Simeō ibat: sed donec ille veniret, ille [...]re nolebat, Ia [...] senectu [...] matura ex­cludebat, sed sincera pie­tas dotina­bat. August. serm. 3. de verbis Apo­stoli.: and, therefore, having gotten his de­sire, hee was most willing to depart Vide [...]u­stum, velut corporea carcere mo­lis inclusum, velle d [...]ssolvi ut esset cum Christo. Ambros. lib. 2. in Lucam.. Some agayne of them haue desiderium mortis ligatum & impeditum, a vehement desire of death, but opposed, impeded, and as it were, bound vp by another spirituall desire. Such a desire had Paul, when hee sayde, I am in a strayt betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to bee with Christ, which is farre better. Neverthelesse, to abyde in the flesh, is more needfull for you Philip. 1.23. Psal. 39.13. Iob 10.20.21.. So also manie of God's deare Servantes, although they haue with­drawne their heartes from the worlde, and long to bee with CHRIST; yet in respect they haue not, as yet, attayned to such assurance of remission of their sinnes, as they would; therefore they wish with Da­vid, that GOD would spare them; to the effect they may recover strength before they goe hence, and bee no more: or, as Iob sayeth, that they may take comfort a little before they goe, whence they shall not returne. Last of all, there are some of the Godlie, who al­though [Page 48] they labour earnestlie, to get their affection on thinges aboue, yet they finde, to their exceeding great griefe, that they are still so affected with the loue of this lyfe, and the thinges which they enjoye heere, that they can not attayne to that vehement longing for a better lyfe, that cowragious and He­roicke desire of death, which other Godlie men and women haue. Neverthelesse, seeing Paul generallie affirmeth, that all they who haue receaved the first fruites of the Spirit, Rom. 8.23. groane within themselues, wayting for the accomplishment of their adoption, and willing to be absent from the bodie, 2. Cor. 5.8. that they may bee present with the LORD, wee may verie well say, that even they haue vehemens desiderium mortis, & coelestis beatitudi­nis. For although they haue it not actuallie, yet they haue it in voto & conatu ▪ by way of earnest desire, and carefull stryving to attayne to it.

Thirdly, seeing these only are blessed after death, who die in the Lord, it followeth manifestlie, that wo­full, miserable, and lamentable, is the estate of the greatest part of the worlde after death: I meane, of the wicked, who liue not in the Lord; and, conse­quentlie, can not die in the Lord. Death, which is to all a change, and, to the Godlie, a blessed change, shall bee to them a dolefull, & vnhappie change. For the terminus ad quem of their change, or the estate vnto which they shall bee changed, is an estate of re­medilesse miserie, easelesse paine, & endlesse death. This their case, may justlie seeme the more mise­rable, if wee shall consider also the the terminus à quo of their change: that is, if wee shall looke to the tem­porall, or worldlie estate and condition, from which they shall bee changed. For some of them are acting a Tragoedie vpon the Stage of this worlde; that is, they spende all their dayes in povertie, dishonour, [Page 49] and manie other miseries. To these death is a change from the miseries of this worlde, to miseries incom­parablie greater in another worlde: and, therefore, their estate, and condition in this lyfe, is called by BERNARD, In his Booke of Sentences, if that Book be his. via aerumnosa ad mortem, a miserable and sorrowfull way vnto aeternall death. Others of them are acting a Comedie vpon the same stage▪ but such a Comedie, as shall ende in a wofull Tragedie: that is, they liue in wealth, honour, and aboundance of worldly delights. To them death is a change from the momentanie pleasures of this worlde, to everla­sting torments, and sorrowes, in the world to come. And their estate, or condition in this lyfe▪ is called by BERNARD, via deliciosa ad mortē, a delightsome way vnto death. To these two estates of wicked men in this lyfe, BERNARD addeth a third; to wit, the estate or condition of these who haue aboundance of worldlie thinges, and yet not beeing contented therewith, doe continuallie vexe themselues with anxious care, and paynfull labour, in acquiring more wealth: so that these riches which they haue, perish by evill travell, and all their dayes they eat in darknesse; Eecles. 5.14.17. that is, with much sorrow, and wrath. This estate, or condition of wicked men in this lyfe, is called by SALOMON, a sore evill; and by BERNARD, via laborio­sa ad mortem; a paynfull, and wretched way vnto death. In a word thē, whatsoever be the temporal estate of wicked men in this lyfe, death is to them an vnhappie change; even in respect of the terminus à quo of their change. For, to some of them, it is both a change, and an ende of their joyes: to others, it is a change, but not an ende of their sorrowes; and a meane whereby they are infinitelie multiplyed, and increased.

Last of all, yee see here, how wyse a choyse they make, who with MOSES, choose rather to suffer affli­ction [Page 50] with the Children of GOD, having respect vnto the recompence of rewarde, Hebr. 11.25.26. than to enjoye the pleasures of sinne, which last but for a season: and therefore are called by Bernard, Ibidem. momētaneae dulcedines & horariae sua­vitates: that is, such delights, such sweetnes of earthly objects, as last but for an houre; yea, but for a moment. The estate of the Godlie in this lyfe, seemeth, to our corrupt reason, a troublesome, and melancholious estate. For whē they enter into this estate, they must put on the mourning weede of repentance, and never put it off while they liue: they must put on the whole Armour of GOD, and never put it off, vntill their Wynding-sheet be put vpon them. They must, per­haps, put on Lazarus his ragges, and never put them off, vntill they die vpon a Dung-hill, or by a dyke syde. Neverthelesse, our estate, is an estate of joye vn­speakable, 1. Pet. [...].8. and full of glorie. And although it were not, yet the joye which is set before vs, Psal. 4.7. Heb. 12.2. might make vs, yea, should make vs, gladlie to vndergoe it, and all the vexations, troubles, and griefes, which accompanie the same. All these who haue gone before vs to Hea­ven, haue entered into that Kingdome through much tribulatione: Act. 14.22. yea, it behoved Christ Iesus himselfe first to suffer, Luke 24.26 and then to enter into his Glorie. And therefore, if anie of you be vnwilling to take vp his crosse, in hope of this glorie, I will say to him, as IE­ROME sayde to HELIODORUS, Delicatus es, frater, si & hìc vis gaudere cum mundo, Epist. 1. ad Heliodorum & postea regnare cum Christ [...]: Thou art too delicate, my brother, if thou woul­dest both rejoyce here with the world, & also reygne here­after with Christ. And, as hee sayeth in the words fol­lowing, so say I to everie one of you, That day shall come, 1. Cor. 15.53. in the which this corrubtible, and mortall, shall put on incorruption, and immortalitie. Blessed shall the ser­vant be, Luke 12.37 whom his Lord shall then finde watching. If he [Page 51] finde thee so, the earth, with the people which are in it, shall shake, and tremble, at the voyce of the Trumpet; but thou shalt rejoyce. When the Lord shall come to Iudge­ment, the worlde shall sadlie roare and groane — foolish Plato, with his schollers, shall then be ar­raygned: Aristotle his argumentes that day shall avayle him nothing. Then thou, although thou be a poore clowne, shalt rejoyce, and laugh, and say, Beholde my God, who was crucified: beholde the Iudge of the worlde, who one day cryed as a new-borne Chylde, being wrapped in swedling clowts, and layde in a manger. This is Hee, who was the son of a Crafts-man, and of a work-woman. This is Hee, who being God, fled from the face of man into Aegypt, carried vpon his mothers breast. This is Hee, whom the souldiours, by way of derision, cloathed with Purple, and crowned with Thornes, &c. Iudicaturo Domino, lu­gubre mun­du [...] immu­giet. — adducetur cū suis stultus Plato discipulis: Aristotelis argumenta non proderunt. Tunc tu rusticanus & pauper exult [...]bis, & ridebis, & dices; Ecce crucisixus DEVS meus; ecco Iudex qui obvolutus pannis in praesepio vagiit. Hic est ille operarit & quaestuariae Fili [...]s: hic qui matris gestatus sinu, hominem DEVS fugit in Aegyptum: hic vestitu [...] coccino: hic sentibus coronatus, &c. Hieron. ibidem.

Having gone through my Text, I now apply my selfe, and my Text both, to this present Text, which lyeth before vs: I meane, the dead halfe of our late most worthie, and Reverend, and now most blessed Praelate, whom death hath not destroyed, but divided into two halfs, or parts; his one halfe, his living, and better halfe, is now in suo elemento, in its owne ele­ment; in terra viventium, in the land of the living; that is, in that land where death hath no place S. August. in the ex­plication of the 27. psal. vers. 13. cal­leth Heavē terrā viven­tium, & this earth, terraē morientium.. His other halfe is, as yee see, seazed vpon by death. But I may justlie say to death, which hath seazed vpon it, as Bernard said in a Funeral Sermon vpon Humbert the devote Monke; O mors, cru­delis best [...]a, amaritudo amarissima, foetor & hor­ror filiorum Adam, quid fecisti? occi­disti, posse­disti. quid? curnem [...]ti (que) solā, animae enim nō ha­bes quod fa­cias. Bern. serm, in obitu Hum­berti devoti monachi. O death, thou cruel beast, thou most bitter bitternesse, the stinch and horrour of the [Page 52] sonnes of Adam; what hast thou done? thou hast killed, thou hast possessed. But what? truelie nothing, but his flesh, or his bodie. And this was dead, before it was dead: for Paul sayeth, the bodie is dead, because of sinne; to wit, through infirmities, sicknesse, and troubles; and in respect it is by a judiciall sentence, nigh 6000 yeares since, condemned to die. The most, then, O death, which thou hast done, is this; thou hast put a dead bodie out of payne; a bodie condemned to die, out of feare of death; and this is a vantage: for the feare of death, is worse than death: ‘Mors (que) minus poenae, quam mora mortis habet.’ Well then, thou hast gotten little, thou hast little: and therefore, as Christ sayeth, that from him who hath little, even that which hee hath, shall bee taken: So say I to thee, and Bernard in that same place sayde it before mee; even that same bodie which thou see­mest to haue, shall bee taken from thee Sed & ip­sum corpus quod videris habere, an­feretur à te. Ibidem..

This bodie was the receptacle ingentis & generosi animi, of a great and generous mynde. It was hospi­tium, the lodging house of a mightie, and most actiue spirit. But what a lodging house? It was ever hospitiū exile, a slender lodging house; but within these few years it was also incōmodum & ruinosum hospitium, an incommodious and ruinous lodging: &, to vse Plau­tus his phrase, In Trinum▪ 2.4. it was hospitium calamitatis; for manie bodilie infirmities, and diseases lodged in it. And now at last it is to vs documētum mortalitatis, a docu­ment of our common mortalitie: or, to vse your owne ordinarie phrase, it is to vs a memento mori; yea, a memento mori in Domino; a memento not onlie of dying, but also of dying as he died, that is, in the Lord. This can not bee so well declared vnto you, as by showing you, that hee lived in the Lord: and, that hee lived so, I can not demonstrate, but I must fall [Page 53] out into his justlie deserved prayses; or rather, into the prayses of Gods bountie, and liberalitie towards him. For (as Gregorie Nazianzen reasoned concer­ning Athanasius his prayses) to prayse him, it is to prayse vertue; and to prayse vertue, it is to prayse God, who is the author and giver of it [...]. Orat. 21. in laudem A­thanasit.. I say, that to prayse him, is to prayse vertue; because, (as Nazianzen there sayeth of Athanasius) manie rare vertues, both morall, and spirituall, were collected, and vni­ted together in him. Think not that I speak hyperbo­licallie: for I dare affirme, that there was as great a varietie of God's graces in him, as in anie Laicke or Clergie-man of this Kingdome. These who knewe him well, doe acknowledge this; and these who doe not acknowledge it, never knew him. I will not enu­mer all his vertues, and laudable carriages: but omit­ting that which I might speake of his admirable wisdome, his singular learning His judi­cious & ac­curat Trea­tises cōcer­ning the vi­sibilitie of the Church, & the law­fulnesse of our calling to the Mi­nisterie: as also his ex­cellēt Com­mētary vpō the book of the Revela­tion, shall beare wit­nes of it to the end of the world., his most quick ap­prehension, and conceaving of whatsoever purpo­ses, his solide, or stayed judgement, his mellifluous eloquence, his wonderfull activitie, his generous, and noble, or rather heroicke disposition: so that I may justly say of him, as Nazianzē said of Athanasius, hee did imitate the nature both of the Adamant, in respect no vnjust opposition, howe violent soever, could breake him; and of the Magnes, or load-stone, because of the attractiue vertue of his pithie and convincing speaches; as also of his gracious, pru­dent, and amiable carriage, whereby hee was able to draw even the most refractarie spirits, to the aequi­tie, or trueth, which hee did mayntayne; omitting, I say, all these thinges, I will onelie touch one thing, which is chiefelie to bee looked vnto in one of that place; to wit, that he was an accomplished Prelate, & a most worthie Governour of the Church. Gregorie [Page 54] Nazianzen excellentlie declareth, Orat. 1. A­pol. pro fu­ga, how hard a thing it is, to bee a Ruler in God's House; and that in three respectes: First, because a Bishop must bee a man of singular holinesse: and he must not thinke it anough, not to bee evill; but hee must excell in vertue. For, as it is the fault of a private man, not to bee good; so it is the fault of a Prelate, not to excell others in goodnesse. [...]. 2. Tim. 2.15 Se­condlie, hee must preach powerfullie, and prudent­lie, dividing the word aright, which (as this Father there sayeth) is not a thing incident to a small or base spi­rit. [...]. For it requireth a mynde endewed with varietie of graces, & applyable to everie sort of Auditors. [...]. Thirdlie, hee must be a wyse and actiue Governour: and this, sayeth hee, is the Arte of Artes, and the Sci­ence of Sciences, to governe men, and direct them in matters of Salvation; which hee declareth, by com­paring Pastors to Physicians; and prosecuteth that comparison at great length.

These three properties, or qualities doe make vp an accomplished Prelate: and I thinke, ye who heare mee, will confesse with mee, that hee had them all in a great measure; and in such perfection, that verie few in this Kingdome did aequall him in anie one of them. For, first, his singular pietie kythed in this, that although he was an Honourable Baron, and of great respect in this Countrey, yet hee was so taken, yea, so ravished, even in the dayes of his youth, with the loue of GOD'S Word, and the care which hee had of saving soules, and of the propagation of the Gospel; that renouncing all other delightes, and exercyses, vnto which men of his qualitie doe whollie giue themselues, hee desired one thing of the Lord, and still did seeke after it: Psal. 27.4. to wit, that hee might dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of his lyfe; and that not onlie to beholde the beautie of the LORD, but also to [Page 55] make others beholde it, and to make their hearts en­amoured therewith. Secondlie, as pietie shyned in his lyfe lyke lightning, so it thundered in his Ser­mons. Nazianzen sayde this of Saynct Basil, Tom. 2. Car­mine. 64.

And it may justlie bee applyed to him: For, howe learned, how pertinent, how plausible, and how po­werfull a Preacher hee was, I appeale to all your me­mories, who oft tymes heard him with delight, and admiration, to your singular comfort, and bene­fit. Thirdlie, as for his prudencie, and fidelitie, in go­verning this Dioces, & our famous Universitie, wher­of hee was Chancellour; they can not be expressed, or declared vnto you, but by a particular induction, or enumeration of his laudable actes, which, truelie, I dare not vndertake; because neyther doe I knowe them all; and, although I knew them, I can not speake of them, as their singularitie, and excellencie doeth requyre. For this cause then, as Timantes the Painter, Pliniu [...], lib. 35. cap. 1 [...] to expresse the greatnesse of a Cyclop-Giant, in a little table, paynted the Satyres beside him, measuring his thumbe with a wand: so to expresse in some sort, the greatnesse of his worth, which hee kythed in the ad­ministration of that weyghtie Charge, wherevnto he was called, I shall onlie measure his thumbe, and point at one effect of his wyse, and happie Governement; to wit, the establishing of a setled Ministerie in these partes; or, which is all one, of a setled course, where­by the Gospell may be propagated in this countrey, vnto subsequent ages, by able and well qualified men. Two thinges were requisite for this; to wit, con­venient mayntaynance of Pastors, and increase of know­ledge in the studie of Divinitie. Mayntaynance, lest good and able men should want good Places, or Be­nefices; [Page 56] and increase of knowledge, lest good Places should want able and good men to occupie, and fill them. The first of these two hee did effectuate, by attending the Platt most diligentlie, where hee had a [...]. For hee fought there with the wilde beasts of the field, and with the boars of the forrest, who had wasted the Lord his Vine-yarde. Hee fought, I saye, partlie by his owne personall dili­gence, and paynes, whyle hee was able to travell; and partlie after hee had contracted sicknesse, hee fought by his letters, authoritie, and moyen: which were ever much regarded by the best of this King­dome. The second hee did effectuate, by three meanes especiallie: First, by establishing a Profes­sion of Divinitie, which was a matter of great char­ges, both to his Presbyters, and also to himselfe. Secondlie, by procuring a foundation of a good number of Bursses, for sustentation of Studentes in Divinitie: and thirdlie, by appoynting most exact and strict tryalls of exspectantes, before their admis­sion to the Ministeriall charge.

In these, and manie mo things, which hee did for establishing a setled Ministerie here, and for the pro­pagation of the Gospell vnto future ages, the scope or ende at which hee aymed, was that at which PAUL aymed before him; to wit, that hee might finish his course with joye, Acts 20.24. and that in the houre of death hee might finde in his owne soule the answere of a good conscience towardes GOD. 1. Pet. 3.21. Truelie, hee fayled not of his intention. For to omit manie par­ticulars, which I might relate concerning the happi­nesse, and tranquillitie of his death, this one thing I will saye, that I never sawe anie meete approa­ching death, with such vndaunted cowrage, such Christian confidence, and such assurance of GOD [Page 57] his favour, as hee expressed in his carriage, whyle hee walked in the valley of the shadowe of death. Ma­nie speake stoutlie of death, and agaynst the feare of it, before it come: but, as SENECA wittilie sayth, Magna ver­ba excidunt, cùm t [...]rtor poposcit ma­num, cum mors propius accessit. Se­neca Epist. 82. they forget these stout speaches, when death dra­weth nigh▪ That noble and valorous Earle, RO­BERT DEVEREUX, Earle of ESSEX, who suffred in the yeare 1601 for his rebellion, and died verie Christianlie, as Historicians report, being desired by the Pastors, who were present at his execution, to laye aside all feare of death; Thuanus hist. tom. 5. lib. 125. pag. 947. ingenuouslie confes­sed, that although hee had beene in manie extreame daungers, and consequentlie had looked death oft tymes in the face, yet hee had never looked vpon it without much horrour, and feare. But our wor­thie Prelate was so wonderfullie assisted, and streng­thened by the Spirit of GOD, agaynst the terrours of death, that in all these conflictes, and wrastlinges, which in his bodie hee had with death, hee seemed rather to bee a spectator, than an actor. And this his more than ordinarie carriage continued still with him, vntill hee breathed out his Soule into the Bosome of his Master.

To conclude then, I haue spoken somewhat of this most Reverende Praelate, but much short of his worth, & graces. If any of you think that I haue said too much of his vertues, truelie I will professe to you, that I thinke farre more of them nor I haue sayde: neyther dare I speake all that I thinke, Nihil in to­ta vita nisi laudandum aut fecit▪ aut dixit, aut sensit. Vel­leius Pater [...]culus, lib. 1▪ hist. Rom. lest my speaches seeme to these who know him not, or loue him not, to proceede from a flattering humour. I will not say of him, as VELLEIUS PATERCULUS sayde of SCIPIO AEMILIANUS, that in all his lyfe hee neyther did, nor spake, nor thought anie thing, but that which was prayse worthie, (a speach not [Page 58] hyperbolicke onlie, but impious) but as Metellus Macedonicus sayde of the same man, to his sonnes, when they were going to his Buriall, Goe, my sonnes, and celebrate his Exequies; Ile, filii, [...] ­lebrate exe­quias: nun­quam majo­ris civis fu­ [...]u [...] videbi­ [...]. you shall never see the Funeralls of a greater Citizen: so I will saye nowe to you; Goe, celebrate the Funeralls of our Ve­nerable, and moste worthie Bishop: you shall ne­ver see the Funeralls of a worthier Praelate whyle you liue. And so I ende, beseeching God, to giue to vs all, as hee gaue to him, grace to liue in the LORD, to the effect that we also may die in the LORD: AMEN.

THese words (dearly beloved in our Lord and Saviour) which I haue read in your present audience, ac­cording to the opinion of some, are the words of Prayse; and of others, are the words of Petition. Of Prayse ▪ olde Simeon in them having now gotten the perfor­mance of that Promise made vnto him, That hee should not see Death, till hee saw the LORD'S Anoynted: and having the Babe, CHRIST IESVS, in his arms, he prayseth GOD for this performance; and acknowledgeth, That now Hee was letting him depart i [...] peace; for his eyes (according to His word of promise made vnto him) had seene his Salvation. And those who so expound this Text, haue for their warrand the word [...], in the present tyme.

[Page 70]Some, agayne, (both Ancient and Moderne) make these wordes, to bee the wordes of Petition, and to contayne the holie desire of this happie olde Man; wherein now having gotten in his lyfe-tyme a sight of his promised and longed-for Saviour, whyle Hee was presented in the Temple, he desireth now a peaceable and happie departure; as having seene Him who is the death of Death, and LORD of Lyfe, after whom hee longed.

In which Text we haue to consider, 1. That there is a Departure out of this lyfe: 2. That this is com­mō to the Servants of GOD, aswel as to the wicked; therefore sayth old SIMEON, Now, LORD, let thy ser­vant depart. 3. Wee see how the death of GOD'S servants is called; to wit, a Dimission, or freedome, to depart. 4. The difference betweene the death and departure of the Godlie and the wicked; to wit, the one is in Peace, the other not. 5. From whom this peaceable departure is had; and, what is the ground of the Godlie's assurance of the LORD'S granting the same; to wit, His Word and Promise. And last, what is it that maketh the death of the Godlie to bee peaceable, and, by consequence, so appetible▪ to wit, even the sight of the LORD'S Salvation: For [...]yne eyes (sayeth hee) haue seene thy Salvation.

First, then, wee see, that as there is an oritur, or an entrie into this lyfe by birth; so there is a moritur, or a departure out of this lyfe by death: a Genesis wee haue by the one, an Exodus by the other. And this is grounded vpon that common Law, by reason of Man's transgression; Dust thou art, and to dust thou shalt returne. Wherevnto is agreeable t [...]at which is sayd by the Apostle, It is appoynted for all men once to die, and after this is judgement. Gen. 3.19. [...]eb. 9.27. Therefore sayeth the Psal­mist, (without anie exception) What man liveth, and [Page 71] shall not see death? Psal. 89.4 [...] ▪ Heb. 13.14▪ For we haue here no continuing ci­tie, (sayeth S. Paul) and our juorney is from the wombe to the worme, carried in the swift chariot of tyme, vpon the two restlesse wheeles of motion and mutation, till we arriue at that innes in ende, where­in wee shall say to corruption, Thou art our Father; and to the worme, thou art our brother and our sister. Job. 17. [...]4. And as wee were made of the earth, and liue on it, so wee shall returne to it, to rest in it, till wee ryse from it, age still wearing vs, sicknesse preparing, death arre­sting, the graue expecting, & the wormes at last wel­comming vs. Therefore well may it be saide of all as it was wittilie saide to a Grammarian, that tho hee could decline a nowne in everie case, yet death can not bee by any declined in no case.

WHENCE WEE LEARNE; 1. Seeing our mansion place is not here, but (as Isai sayeth) our age de­parteth, and is removed from vs as a shepheards tent, Isa. 38.12, and wee must depart our selues at last, and (as the Apostle subjoyneth) then come to judgement; There­fore the rememberance of our departure should ever bee before our eyes, and a daylie preparation for the same should ever be our practise, praying with Moses, Lord teach vs to number our dayes, that wee may applye our heartes vnto wisedome; Psal. 90.1 [...] & acknowledging this only to be true wisedome, to worke out the worke of our owne salvation in feare and in trembling: therefore sayeth one, Mors tibi semper sit in tua cogitatione, quia ea semper est in tui expectatione. Which moved Abra­ham to make a buriall place his first possession in the promised land, and Ioseph of Arimathea to haue his tombe in his garden of pleasure. Nothing being more powerfull than this daylie rememberance, to kill sin, quell pryd, quench concupiscence, convince auarice, confound luxurie, abate vaine-glorie, and weane [Page 72] our hearts from all worldlie vanitie: and therefore this having bene ever the godlies Arithmeticke, the Saincts Geometrie, and the Christians Philosophie.

2Seeing we must depart from this world, then let not our soules bee insnared, and intangled with the loue of the world; let vs eschew the serpents curse, to bee still cleaving to the dust of the earth; or with Esau, to content with the fatte of the same: let vs not bee so base as to be filii terrae onlie, & earth wormes who are borne anew, to be children to God, & citi­zens of Heaven; but in tyme separate our selues in af­fection therefra, vsing the same as if wee vsed it not: that our separation by dissolution therefra may bee the fruition of a better inheritance: and considering that a little earth must once containe, whom the whole earth can not content.

3Seeing we must depart from hence, and that wee know not how soone, (as the Lord sayde vnto Abra­ham, Exi de terra tua) we be in lykemanner charged to goe out of this earthlie tabarnacle, let vs forecast with our selues, and thinke of our after-estate, which is not to bee for a short tyme, but eternall for ever: and therefore let vs be like that wise steward spoken of in the Gospell, & make friends to our selues with the mammon of iniquitie; that when wee fayle, wee may be receaved into everlasting habitations; Pros­pice & praemitte, must bee the practise then of a pru­dent Christian; that so he may know the reason of his cupio dissolvi, to bee with the Apostle; this confi­dence of his after-estate, esse cum CHRISTO: else dole­full will bee the sight of death, lyke Iehues march be towards him, when hee can onlie say this, or worse, with that heathen wretch, Animula blandula vagula, quae nunc abibis inloca?

And if it please the Lord in this lyfe to exercise vs [Page 73] with crosses, or discontentments, yet let vs not grudge with our lot, but possesse our Soules with patience, & remember, that our tyme of bearing the crosse after our Saviour, is but short; & a tyme dra­weth neare, wherein wee shall depart from them, & they in lyke manner giue an eternall farewell to vs: the Canaanite shal no more be in the land, the rod of the wicked shall be no more vpon the backe of the righteous, the godlie shall no more sowe in teares; but it shal be sayd to the soule by her blessed Bryde-groome, as wee haue in the Canticles, Aryse, my loue, Cant. [...]. my faire one, and come away; for loe, the winter is past, the raine is over, and gone; The flowers appeare on the earth, the tyme of singing of birds is come, and the voyce of the turtle is heard in our Land, &

Secondly, this Text intimateth vnto vs, that death, or this bodylie departure, is common to Gods ser­vants, as well as to the wicked: therefore sayeth old Simeon, Now, Lord, let thy servant depart in peace: and accordingly doeth the Psalmist inquire, without any exception, saying, What man is hee that liveth, and shall not see death? for which cause wee see that this is ever the common clausule of that record of the lyues of all those worthies from Adam to Noah, Gen. 5. [ and [...]ee died.] Howsoever, then, that Abraham bee com­mended for fayth, Isaac for pietie, Iacob for integritie, Ioseph for chastitie, Moses for meeknesse, Samuell for vprightnesse, David for zeale▪ Salomon for wisdome, and Iob for patience, &c. yet deaths sythe mowed them all downe as grasse, and they slept with their Fathers.

The reasons of which the Lords doing, are, 1. For the manifestation of his trueth, in that threatening [Page 74] of Adam, and all his posteritie, Dust thou art, and to dust thou shalt returne: 2. For declaration of his power, 1. over sinne, which brought in death, wherein Gods wonderfull power is seene, that hee maketh death which sinne brought in, vtterlie to abolish sinne which bred and brought in the same: so that thereof it may bee sayde, Filia devoravit matrem: and that sinne which in vs grace maketh moribundum, death killeth out-right, and maketh it to bee mort [...]um: the brood of this viper gnawing foorth so, the wombe which hatched the same, and Goliah's sword cutting off as it were his owne head. Next, hereby the Lord declareth his power over death (as well as formerlie, over sinne by death) that altho death seeme so to prevaile over the Godlie, as to turne their bodies in­to dust, and to haue them surelie laid fast in his strong holde of the graue: yet as Potiphars wyfe catched on­lie and kept the vpper garment of Ioseph, but him­selfe went free, and thereafter being advanced was royallie arrayed; even so death layeth holde or elie on the garment whereof wee must bee vncloathed, before our better part get free, or that wee bee glo­riouslie arrayed in that place of heavenlie advance­ment: As also, the power of our good GOD shall ap­peare yet more wonderfull, when in the resurre­ction, death and the graue shall render vp the bodies of his elect, as being onlie there Depositum: and as the Apostle sayeth, that which was sowne in cor­ruption, and weaknesse, shall aryse in incorruption, in glorie, and in strength. And 4. This is done by the Lord, for working a conformitie of the members with their head, CHRIST IESVS, that as he tasted of death, and thereby entred into lyfe eternall; so must they in lykemanner. And last, as Saynct Au­gustine sayth. It is ad certamen, and that by the strug­ling [Page 75] with the feare thereof, and overcomming the same, the strength and power of fayth may appeare, the fortitude of patience, and the victorie of the Godlie thereby▪ may be the more compleet and glorious. Therefore sayth that holie Ancient, Si enim parva virtus esset fidei quae perdilectionem operatur, Aug. de pec­catorum me­riti [...] & re­missione. lib. 2. pag. 147. mortis metum vincere non esset tanta martyrum gloria, nec diceret Dominus, majorem hac charitatē nemo habet quam ut animam suam ponat pro amicis suis, nequaquā ergo pro justitia in morte subeunda vel contemnenda lan­daretur praecipua patientia, si mortis non esset magna mul­tum (que) dura molestia, cujus timorem qui vincit ex fide, magnā ipsius fidei comparat gloriam justam (que) mercedem.

The third thing which we haue to consider in this Text, is, how the death of Gods servants is called, as the word [...] signifieth vnto vs; to wit, that the same is a dimission from servitude or captivitie, or a departure out of prison. This prison being the bo­die, the doore whereof by death is opened, that the soule may goe free: and as Noah's doue returned to him who sent her foorth, with an oliue branch in her bill; so the spirit of man which came from God, may returne (as sayeth Ecclesiastes) vnto God that gaue it: Mors ergo obstretricatur animae. Death then is but the midwyfe to the soule: and as our first birth brought vs out of the prison of the wombe, and our second out of nature and sinne; so this third and last birth, by death, shall bring vs perfectlie, the soule out of the prison of the bodie, and the whole man out of the prison of all worldlie miserie; the pangues of death-being but the showers or throwes of the bodies travelling before the foules deliverie; and our sicklie groanes and dead rattle at last, beeing but the sound of the jaylours key (as it was ope­ning the prison doore.) Death doeth then to the [Page 76] Godlie, as GIDEON and his souldiours did to their earthen pitchers, wherein the burning lamps were inclosed, and as it were imprisoned: their earthen pitcher is broken, that the lampe of their soule may bee at libertie, and shyne more brightlie in Glorie: or as the fyre of that fornace wherein the three children were casten, did onelie burne the fetters wherwith they wer bound, without harming themselues; even so death bursteth onelie that bond of naturall lyfe whereby the soule & bo­die are tyed together here in miserie; but can not bereaue vs of our true lyfe, eyther in Christ of grace, or with Christ of glorie. As Pharao's Butler then was glad at the ende of the three dayes, to go [...] out of prison▪ and comfortable was the incomming of the jaylour to him for his liberation; so whe [...] the few and evill dayes of the pilgrimage, and the im­prisoment of the Lords servāts in their bodies, is at an ende, O how joyfull is the comming of the messen­ger of death vnto them! for as the wicked man dying, may say vnto death, as Ahab sayd to Eliah, Hast thou found mee, 1. Kings. 21.20. O myne enemie? and trembleth (lyke Felix) at the hearing of the same; so on the contra­rie, Act. 24.26. as Adoniah sayde to Ionathan the sonne of Abia­ther, Come in, for thou art a valiant man, and bringest good tydings. 1. King▪ 1.4 [...] And as David in lyke manner sayde of Ahimaaz, that hee was a good man, and brought good tydings with him: 2. King. 18. so death is a good messen­ger to them, and bringeth good tydings with him; even (as the Angell sayde to the sheepheards at CHRISTS birth) Tydings of great joye; to wit, that their soules are to be fred from all earthlie miserie, and to enter into eternall joy: and that as the blessed of the Lord, they shall rest from their labours, and their workes follow them. Therefore as Laban wel­comed [Page 77] Abrham's servant, and sayd, Come in, thou bles­sed of the Lord: even so the Godlie may justlie wel­come death, and invite him as it were to come in, the curse, and course, whereof to them is turned to a blessing.

Seeing therefore the death of the Godlie, is a free­dome, and delyverie, out of prison, and captivitie, we see how farre we should be from the loue of this lyfe, being the tyme onelie of such a painfull impri­sonment, such a languishing labour, an Egyptian bōdage, a Babylonish captivitie, a woful exile, a stormy seavoyage, a weariesome pilgrimage, & a dangerous warrefare, fraile it selfe; and having an hourlie and circular necessitie of such frayle things to support the pillars thereof, whose foundation is in the dust, which is nourished by dust, and in ende the honour & vigour whereof must be laide in the dust; involved in a world of vanities, and wrapped about with a cloud of vexations, carnall lusts, thornie cares, and domesticke discontentments; Satan [...]empting with­out, corruption betraying within, the conscience stinging, pleasures alluring, feares affrighting, ad­versitie fretting, prosperitie flattering, sickenesse as­saulting, and death ever at last (as a burreau) at­tending our execution; besides, who can recount the losses and crosses, the cares and calamities, disquye­tings & discontentments, with the miseries & muta­bilities that are incident to this mortall and momen­tarie lyfe; rightlie therefore compared to grasse, which withereth; a flowre, which fadeth; a buble, or water bell, which breaketh; smoke, which evanisheth; a weavers shittle, which passeth▪ a traveller, who posteth; the fatte of lambes which consumeth; a shep­heards tent, which f [...]itteth; a fraile ship, which floateth; a dreame, without soliditie; a thought, for celeritie; [Page 78] a hyrelings tyme, for miserie: and, in a word, meere and onlie vanitie. Wherein to be then, is not to liue, but to be daylie dying, thoughts tossing the mynde, cares torturing the heart, paines pinching the bodie, pensiuenesse possessing the soule, feares fretting, cros­ses consuming, and death at last consummating. And wherein there is not any houre wherein we are not eyther in the remembrance of calamities by-past, or the sense of some present, or vnder the feare and foresight of some that are to come. So that it is most true which Iob sayeth of man in this lyfe; Iob. 14.1. Man that is borne of woman, is of short continuance▪ and full of trouble.

O then (as sayeth Moses) That men were wyse, a [...]d would consider their latter ende, Deut. 32.29 and would thinke on the worlds vanitie, to despyse it; lyfes frayltie, to contemne it; deaths certayntie, to expect i [...]; judge­ments severitie, to prevent it; hells miserie, to avoyde it; and heavens felicitie, to attayne it.

Seeing the death of the Godlie is a parting, & not a perishing; 2 a delyverie, and not a destruction; an an­nalysing, & not an annihilating, In qua potius miseria Christiani, Phil. 1.23. quam ipse Christianus moritur. Therefore the same is not to be feared by them who die, nor yet excessiuelie deplored by vs who surviue, praemit­ [...]untur enim, & non amittuntur; oriuntur potius quam moriuntur, eorum (que) funera sunt iis maxim [...] foenera. So that death vnto them is rather premiall, nor penall; lyfe, nor losse; and the day thereof, lyke a birth-day, to bee celebrated (in respect of them) rather with mirth, nor mourning. Therefore they rather desire, nor dread the same, saying with David, My soule [Page 79] thirsteth for God, even for the living God: when shall I come, and appeare before God? Or with S. Paull, Psal. 42.2. I de­sire to bee dissolved, and to bee with Christ. Phil. [...].23. Or with Si­meon here; Lord, now let thy servant depart in peace ▪ Or with the Sayncts, saying; How long, O Lord, which art holie, and true? Come, Lord Iesu, come quicklie. Revel. 6.10. and 22.2 [...]. And good reason they haue for doing so, because three things concurre to them which are matter of great joye to vs in this lyfe; a glad marriage, a glorious triumph, and a solemne coronation; the marriage with Christ, the triumph over all their enemies, & the coronation with a crowne of righteousnesse. If poore Esther, then, and all her kinred, were glad when shee was assumed by king Assuer [...]s, to bee his Queene: If David rejoyced when hee came backe triumphing after the slaughter of Goliah; and if the earth it selfe rang for joye with the acclamations of the coronation of Salomon; O how joyefull a day is that wherein the poore soule of a Christian, is mar­ried gloriouslie with Him who is King of kings, and Lord of lords; and at the sight of that blessed Bryde­groome, (as at Elizabeth's hearing of the blessed virgines salutation the Baptist did) how doeth that soule spring and leape for joye? O with what joye­full acclamations also doe these glorious spirits welcome the triumphant soule that is victorious over the enemies of Gods glorie, and man's good, and who so rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner, much more shall they not at the coronation of a Saynct, assumed vp to heaven, associate to the Pa­triarches, made equall with the Angels, and confor­med to Christ?

The fourth thing which this Text offereth to our consideration, is the difference betweene the death of the Godlie, and the death of the wicked: the one is [Page 80] in peace, the other not: therefore, sayeth the Pro­phet, Isai. 57. There is no peace to the wicked (sayeth my GOD.) But on the contrary, Marke the Godlie, and the vpright man, Psal. 37.37. (sayeth the Psalmist) For the ende of that man is peace: for according to his soules estate, (as sayth Isaias) hee entereth into peace; and according to his bodie, Isai. 57.2. he resteth in the graue, as a sweet sleeping bed: so that hee may say with David, I will lay mee downe in peace, Psal. 4.8. and sleepe; And when I awake, I shall be satisfied with thy lykenesse. The cause of which death in peace, Psal. 17.15. is the lyfe of grace: and because they lived the lyfe of the righteous, therefore they die the death of the righteous. But as for the wicked, they depart not in peace, because their life was destitute of grace: both which the Apostls joyne as inseparable in their salutations [ grace and peace:] therefore sayth the Pro­phet of them, The way of peace they haue not knowne, and there was no vprightnesse in their goings: Isai. 59.8. but they made them crooked pathes, wherein whosoever goeth, hee shall not know peace: wherefore they shall be in death, as Balthassar was in his agonie, seeing nothing but their guiltie conscience wryting bitter things against them; sorrowing for their sinnes bygone; being in anguish for their present miserie, and in terrour for torments to come. Satan now accusing them, the conscience convicting them, the lawe condemning them, the Gospell forsaking them, the Heavens de­barring them, and (lyke Ionas whale) hell gaping to swallowe them. O dreadfull perplexitie, when feare is so on everie syde▪ a wrathfull judge aboue, vnquenchable flames beneath, a gnawing worme within, a dreadfull dittie before, fearfull fiends about, and a dolefull doome at hand. Whereas on the contraire, the death of the Godlie hath peace for perplexitie, solace for sorrow, and for dreadour, de­sire [Page 81] of dissolution, their sinnes are silent, their con­science calme; the Law absolveth them, the Gospell comforteth them▪ their Saviour attendeth them, Hea­ven is open to them, the Angels accompanie them, & their good workes doe follow them. O comfortable is the clayme that the soule maketh in that houre, to God, as a reconciled Father▪ to Christ, as her bryde-groome, and Saviour; to his blood, as her ransome; to his sufferings, as her satisfaction; to his promises, as the covenant; to Heaven, as his purchase for her; and to the societie of the Sayncts and Angels, as fellow-citizens in eternall glorie with her.

1. Seeing then, that this is onlie the priviledge of Gods servantes, to depart in peace, let not Satan's slaues, in their senselesse securitie, clayme or expect the same: For such a Pearle, is not for swyne; nor this Bread of God's Children, is not to be given to doggs. Therefore, it may be sayde to them, [...]. Kinsg. 9. as Ieh [...] sayd to Ioram, What hast thou to doe with peace, so long as thy impieties are so manie, and thy impenitencie so great? Or as the Lord sayth to the wicked, What hast thou to doe, Psal. 50. [...]6. to take my Covenant of peace in thy mouth, & that thou shouldest expect to die the death of the righteous, who wilt not liue the lyfe of the righteous? Seeing that, Qui in vita moritur per viti [...], certò in morte transire oportet ad aeterna supplicia?

2. Seeing the departure of the Godlie is in peace, & that (as the Prophet sayeth) in that houre they en­ter into peace, or into a joyfull and peaceabe estate, Isai. 17▪ resting from their labours; it followeth then, that they depart not with the terrifying expectation of a fyrie purgatorie, wherein their perplexed soules are to satisfie, and suffer in those infernall flames, no lesse torment nor the soules of the damned, except onlie in shorter indureance. For this were not to die in [Page 82] peace, but perplexitie, and in the fitt of such a pani [...] feare as over-tooke Balthasser, and by which▪ their godlesse and groundlesse assertion, whereby lyke the scorpion tailes of those locusts in the Revelation, they stryke with the terrour of torment poore simple soules, Gods mercie is marred, CHRISTS merit maimed, his trueth belyed, his death debased, his sufferings stained, and his people abused, by these who haue made gaine their godlinesse; but not godli­nesse to bee gaine; turning Gods Temple againe into a Den of thieues; and therein making merchandise, not of doues, Revel. 18.13 but of mens soules, (as is fore-tolde of them) being better seene (as one sayeth) in the golden number of actuall receat, nor for their war­rand in this poynt, in the dominicall letter of sacred and holie Writ.

Out of these thinges also which haue bene formerlie spoken, to wit, that the death of Gods ser­vants, is a peaceable departure out of the prison of this bodie, and miseries of this world, wee may con­sider these three things in the same; to wit, the 1 ne­cessitie of their death; 2. The facilitie; and 3. The felicitie thereof. Necessitie, which maketh resolu­tion; facilitie; which giveth consolation; and felici­tie, which causeth appetition. Necessitie showeth it to bee in evitable; facilitie, easily tollerable; and fe­licitie, greatlie desiderable.

1The necessitie is herein, that it is our Posse-over, & that wee must depart out of the Egypt of this world, before wee can enter into that heavenlie Canaan. A dissolution it is called; and therefore, a separation must be of the soule from the bodie, before that coe­lestiall vnion can bee effectuated with our Saviour Christ. A devesting of Mortalitie must be, before we put on Immortalitie; 2. Cor. 54. and a throwing downe of our [Page 83] earthlie tabernacle, before wee get that better house to dwell in, not made with hands, eternall in the Heavens.

2. The facilitie of the death of Gods servants, is in this, that their death is a peaceable departure; death having lost its perplexing feare, its paynfull sting, and horrid shape; and the soule being more ravished with that approaching sight of God, than the bodie is payned with the sense of death: the passion of mortalitie, being so beaten backe with the impression of aeternitie, that the soule is so farre from slacke­nesse to goe foorth, Gen. 1 [...]. (as Lot was out of Sodom) as on the contrarie, it hasteth to bee in that place, where it may truelie say with the disciples, Bonum est nobis esse hic: even as Abraham hasted to meete the Angels; or Peter and Iohn hasted to the graue to see that CHRIST was risen. And as willinglie they lay downe the bodie, when death commeth for them, as Peter did his shackels wherof he was vnloosed, Act. 1 [...]. when the Angell came to bring him out of prison. Hence it is called in Scripture, onelie a falling asleep, a giving vp the Ghost, a gathering to our fathers, a laying downe of this earthlie tabernacle, and an vnclothing of vs, lyke Ioseph, of his prison garments, or the pro­digall of his beggerlie raggs, to bee gloriouslie ar­rayed, and highlie advanced to a heavenlie pre­ferment, where all losses are recompenced, all wants supplied, all crosses removed, all teares wiped away, all promises performed, and all happinesse procu­red; where Satan is trod vnder, death overcome, cor­ruption abolished, sanctification perfected, and glo­rie at last obtayned.

3. The felicitie also of the death of the Godlie, in the bright sight of the Lords salvatiō, is vnutterable, when that eternall Sabbath commeth, and joyefull [Page 84] jubile approacheth, when the Lambes Bryde shall enter into that marriage Chamber, to sight most spe­cious, in rowme most spacious, and in beautie most glorious; wherin to come, is hghiest dignitie; to dwel, is greatest felicitie; and to liue in, is most joyfull eternitie: the pleasures whereof are so plentifull, that for greatnesse they can not bee measured; so manie, that they can not bee numbered; so precious, that they can not bee esteemated; and so dureable, that they can not bee limited: which wee shall enjoye, without wearinesse; admire, without ignorance; affect, without measure; and feed on, without loath­somnesse: never to bee terminated, impossible to be determinated: where securitie is with safetie; peace, with all plentie; light, with all libertie; rest, with all rejoycing; and tranquillitie, with all felicitie: where youth flowrisheth, that never fadeth; health con­tinueth, which never altereth; beautie lasteth, which never blasteth; loue aboundeth, which never aba­teth; and lyfe endureth, which never endeth.

The fift poynt, is, from whom this peaceable de­parture is sought; to wit, from the Lord, who onelie can make it such, by that inward assurance of re­concilement with himselfe; wherein as wee see the practise of the Godlie, ever for all good, or comfort, eyther in lyfe or death, to haue their constant re­course to God onelie, and to no creature, Saynct, or Angell, whatsoever. So wee see, that the godlie are so farre from putting the memorie of death away (as others doe) from before their eyes, as a tormenter of them before the tyme, that they holde it ever in their sight, and (with olde Simeon here, and the Apostle) earnestlie desire the approach thereof, Psal. 142.7. saying with the Psalmist, Bring my soule out of prison, O Lord, that I may prayse thy Name. And so they can [Page 85] not onelie pray with Moses, Lord, teach vs to number our dayes, that wee may apply our heatrs vnto wisdome; but also can wish the acceleration thereof in GODS good tyme; even as the workman longeth for the shadow; or the hyreling, for the ende of his worke. Iob. [...].2. And this they doe not out of a fitt of impatience, as wee see in Ionas; nor out of such discontent, as wee perceaue even in Godlie Eliah; but out of a longing, Ionas 43.1, King. 19.4 Psal. 42. with David, to see Gods face with joye, and of that happie conjunction with CHRIST, whereof the Apostle speaketh. Hence it is, that they make not themselues for death when sicknesse commeth, be­cause they must die, out of natures necessitie; but be­cause they would die, out of graces desire: manie things giving vp their last worke at death, which make the godlie with the Apostle to crye out in life, Who shall delyver mee from this bodie of death? For then Satan giveth his last assault, sinne leaveth her temptation; the world its allurement; corruption, its repyning; the conscience, its accusing; the bodie, its painfull toyle; and men their hurtfull injuring: and then the soule, in the strongest affection thereof, (set vpon Heaven and heavenlie thinges) having gone before, now in its purified substance, is not so much thrust by deaths hand out of the bodie, (as Lot was out of Sodom by the Angell) as it goeth foorth joye­fullie (lyke Noah out of the Arke) and is pulled in­to that coelestiall Mansion, by the hand of God, as the Doue was taken into the Arke againe, when shee could find no rest to the sole of her foote.

The last thing which this Text offereth to our consideration, is the reason of this wish of olde Si­meon, or what it is that maketh the death of the god­lie, to bee peaceable, & consequentlie so appetible; to wit, even the sight of the Lords Salvation; for so [Page 86] calleth hee CHRIST, and which word in the greeke ( [...]) signifieth as much, as that hee is the au­thor, yea, the verie treasurie and store-house where in all salvation is contayned: as hee is lykewyse called so by the Prophet ( Isai. 52.10.) and so clearlie distinguished from all others, who in Scripture were styled by the name of Saviours. Neyther is it, that wee must thinke that a corporall sight heere is onelie meant, for that was common; but that with the eye of fayth also, which is speciall and proper onelie to the elect, hee sawe this blessed Babe to bee that sal­vation, preordayned and appoynted by the LORD▪ promised, and now sent in the flesh, for the redemp­tion of mankynd. Whence wee obserue,

1In that it is formerlie sayde, that this just and de­vote man, Simeon, wayted for the consolation of Is­raell, & had it revealed vnto him, by the holy Ghost, that before hee sawe death, hee should see the LORD'S Anoynted: and now that his longing is satisfied, and that promise which was made vnto him (as hee confesseth) is fulfilled, wee see, that as the Godlie hunger and thirst speciallie after spirituall things, so they are ever heard in their Godlie desires, and in such things that concerne their salvation: therefore as in Davids words doubtlesse hee had sayde before, O Lord, I haue longed for thy salvation; yea, my soule faynteth for the same: Psal. 119.174.81.82. when wilt thou comfort mee? and with the holie Patriarches▪ (as the Apostle showeth) as hee had embraced the promise thereof spirituallie, which was made vnto him there anent; so now at last, Heb. 11. wee see, hee getteth him who was pro­mised, to embrace in his armes corporallie; and ac­cordinglie acknowledgeth joyfullie, that his eyes now did see the Lords salvation. And so the Lords promise is performed, his longing satisfied, and his [Page 87] wayting accomplished. Let vs then onelie (with olde Simeon) wayte patientlie, and constantlie, for his consolations; & rest assured that he is myndfull of vs, and his owne promises; and in his owne good & fitte tyme will come vnto vs for our joye, and will make no tarrying.

2. Wee see the ground or cause of a peaceable and comfortable death; to wit, a preceeding sight of the Lords salvation, which hee hath decreed to bee, by the Sonne of his loue, CHRIST IESUS; and for whose sake and merit of his death, hee hath admit­ted such of mankynd to lyfe, as hee hath elected, for the manifestation of the ritches and glorie of his grace. This therefore is the right arte of dying well, to get true fayth, and to fix the eye thereof (as the people in the wildernesse did) vpon that true brasen Serpent, CHRIST IESUS, the Lord of lyfe. In­corporate thy selfe in him then, and there shal be no condemnation to them that are in CHRIST. Wrap thy selfe in his righteousnesse, and it shall bee lyke Elias mantle, which devyded the waters of Iordan: cleaue thereby to his crosse, and it shall be lyke that tree that made the waters of Marah sweet; or Moses rod, which made a safe passage to Israell, thorow the red sea. Set the Arke of the Covenant in these wa­ters, and from the desert of this world thou shalt haue a patent and pleasant path to that heavenlie Ca­naan: yea, tho stones were flinging about thy eares, to braine thee, as was done to that protomartyr Ste­ven ▪ yet looking vp with the eye of fayth, & getting a sight of IESUS CHRIST, standing at the right hand of his Father, readie to receaue thee, thy de­parture shall bee most calme and comfortable; and thy sinnes being silenced by him who is this salva­tion spoken of, thou shalt heare nothing but the [Page 88] sweet voyce of that blood of sprinkling, which speaketh better things nor the blood of Abell; and dying, as it were, in the armes of thy Lord: As Iacob sawe with joye of heart, the chariots that Ioseph sent for him for his transportation; so shalt thou see the glorious and blessed Angels sent for thee, and thy good workes following thee; the one to guyde thee, and surren­der their charge; the other to gladden thee, and re­ceaue their reward.

3. As wee see what is the ground of the peaceable death of the Godlie; so on the contrarie, wee may perceaue what is the cause of the terrour of death in the wicked; and that the memorie thereof so much tormenteth them before the tyme, that as Pharao did to Moses, they bid it goe packing out of their sight: even this is the cause thereof; that being blinded by Satan, all the dayes of their lyfe, in committing sinne, & never once looking with a tearing eye of true repentance vpon them, therefore in death they never get a sight of this salvation of the Lords, nor haue they anie assurance, that hee who is the Sa­viour of the world, shall bee a Saviour to them: but on the contrarie, then they finde that hee who was their Tempter, beginneth to bee their Tormenter: then they begin to heare the clamours of their ac­cusing conscience, to see the vglie shape of their sin­full soules, the dreadfull aspect of their haynous sinnes, the wrathfull face of the angrie Iudge; Hea­ven closed aboue, to debarre them, as Adam was from the tree of lyfe; and hell opened beneath, to swallow them, as the earth was to swallow vp Ko­rah: then they beginne to feele the approaching flames of that infernall fyre, paynfullie to scorch them; the worme that never dieth, drawing neare, to guawe them; the wrath of GOD, that never shall [Page 89] bee appeased, most furious to astonish them▪ and the infernall fiendes, who attende, to terrifie, and cruellie to torture them. In which wofull estate, to hyde themselues, is impossible; to avoyde these miseries, inevitable; and, to endure them, intollerable. Hence the sting of death shall torment them; the remembe­rance of judgement, perplexe them; the gulfe of de­spare, (without hope or helpe) swallowe them; and the apprehension of eternitie, in easelesse & endlesse payne, confound them. O! who can then expresse their sad sorrow for sinnes past; their agonizing an­guish, for miserie present, and their trembling ter­rours, for the tormentes to come? being justlie thus served, as they haue deserved: and finding at the dolefull parting of the sinfull soule, from the wret­ched bodie, (whose meeting agayne, and re-uniting, to be a faggot in hell fire, shall be much more dole­full and dolorous) no comfort from Heaven, nor earth; the Creator, nor the creature; but matter of confusion. The ground of all which deepe distresse beeing this; Because the soule (with olde Simeon here) can get no sight of the LORDS Salvation.

4. Wee see here a neare and cleare way, howe to contemne all earthlie and worldlie thinges; the be­witching loue whereof, hath made manie to make ship-wracke of a good conscience, and clogged their hearts so to the earth, that it hath debarred them for ever from the joyes of Heaven. Eeven this is the way; Labour to get a sight of the Lord's Salvation; which if thou doe, all other thinges will seeme but dung, and losse: and that which dazeleth the eyes of the wicked, with the glorie of them, (wherewith Satan would haue tempted our SAVIOUR) will ap­peare vnto thee, but as they are; to wit, base dust, vayne tryf [...]es, and altogether worthlesse. Then, get­ting [Page 90] this comfortable, and contenting sight, thou wilt not care, tho thy eyes bee closed, from seeing anie other earthlie after-sight; and wilt say rather with old Simeon, Let thy servant depart in peace, from seeing farther here, in respect of that sweet sight of thy sal­vation, which I haue gotten by grace, and long to haue it more clearlie, and fullie in glorie. Surelie, as when the three Disciples sawe this Salvation of the Lord in His transfiguration, they despysed all sights beside, and sayd, Bonum est nobis esse hic; so will they who get this spirituall sight of Him, and assurance of salvation in Him, despyse all worldlie thinges, and say, that to be dissolved from them, and to be with Christ, is the best of all: whereas others, alia non despiciunt, quia non eum respiciunt; and are so in loue with earth, because they were never acquaynted with Heaven.

5. If this was such joy to old Simeon, to see Christ Iesus, a poore Babe, in the estate of humilitie, that hee desired to depart in peace, O what joye is it and shall be, to His Sayncts, to see Him as He now is, in the estate of Glorie? not (as then) vpon earth, but nowe in Heaven; not amongst sinfull men, but glo­rious Angels, and spirites of the just: and not subject to passion, and injuries; but now in exaltation, and inhabiting prayses. Old Iaakob was so ravished with joye, when hee saw Ioseph in Aegypt, that almost with the verie lyke words he cryed out with olde Simeon, Now let me die, Gen. 46 30 since I haue seene thy face. The people of Israell also they shouted for joy, when the Arke of God came into the hoste: the earth it selfe lykewyse rang for joy, when the people saw Salomon anoynted, and crowned their king: and the Baptist also in his mothers wombe leaped for joy, at the approach of our Saviour, newlie conceaved. O then, howe shall the elect soule, departing out of this earthlie bodie, [Page 91] be ravished with joye, when it shall see Christ Iesus, glorious in the Heavens; when it shall beholde that true Arke of God, and heare the Heavens ring with joyfull prayses of that true SALOMON, the King of kinges, and Lord of lordes, who sitteth vpon the Throne? And if Moses face did shyne, when hee was but a few daies with the Lord on Horeb, and saw but His back-parts; O, how shall they shyne, then, who in all aeternitie shall see Him face to face, vpon that heavenlie Mountayne? Or if those servantes of Salomons were pronounced blessed, who stood before him, and heard his wisdome; how much more bles­sed shall His servantes and sonnes bee, who is greater than Salomon, who in those Coelestiall Mansions stall stand before Him, heare Him, see Him, and for ever liue with Him? Whom to see, is felicitie; to heare, is heavenlie melodie; and to liue with Him, a most blessed societie.

6. Last of all, these words of olde Simeon, decan­ted neare his death, are called The Song of Simeon; beeing heerein lyke the Swan, who is sayde to sing sweetlie, about that tyme when death approacheth vnto her: Wherein wee see, what way to make our death joyfull, and comfortable vnto vs; wherein we may not begin to sorrow, but to sing, to wit, with Si­meon, who is sayd to be a just and devote man; to leade a holie lyfe, and embrace offered salvation: and so we shall die a happie death, and eschow damnation. Sow then in tears betyme, if thou wouldest reape in joy; and let thy tears here, prevent thy terrours here­after; a holie lyfe, a hellish death; and true sanctifica­tion, aeternall condemnation.

Having thus expounded this Text, I made choyse thereof in this Funerall Commemoration of the la [...]e Right Reverend Praelate, our most worthi [...] Diocesane, [Page 92] and Ordinarie, for these respects: 1. Two days before his happie departure, having an earnest desire to par­ticipate of the blessed Communion, with vs his Cler­gie, Ministers of Aberden [...], and ordinarie Assessors; when, most devotelie, hee with vs had receaved that blessed Pledge of his Salvation, there was read vnto him thereafter this portion of holie Scripture: vnto which wordes of olde Simeon, Lord, now let thy ser­vant depart in peace, &c. (with his eyes lifted vp) hee gaue an heartie AMEN. This being then the portion of Scripture which was read, & whereof he so tooke holde before his death, I haue now made choyse of at this tyme, after his death, to expound.

Next, with this Text, and him who vttered these words, to wit, olde Simeon, this Reverende late Prae­late most fitly in these things is found to symbolize: 1. Simeon was an old man; and so the Lord honoured him, in whose Funerall Commemoration these words are handled, with many years, and a full age, which is a Crowne of Glorie, being found in the way of Righ­teousnesse. 2. Simeon was a devote and just man; and so was this Religious Praelate, adorned both with Pietie and Equitie; devote towardes God in his wor­ship of Him, and just towardes men in his dealinges with them. 3. Simeon was of good report amongst his people; and so was this worthie Praelate, as Paull willeth a Bishop to bee, of good report, even amongst those that were without ▪ and of a singular both great respect and good report amongst them that were within, both in Church and Policie. 4. Simeon was a Priest in the Iewish Church; so this Venerable & Ho­nourable Mā was a Praelate in the Christian Church; advanced to that top of Eminencie, for his lyfe and learning▪ worth & wisdome, godlinesse and gravitie. 5. Simeon now stricken in age▪ having gotten a sight [Page 93] of the LORD'S Salvation, desired to depart in peace; Even so this Reverend and Glorified Prae­late, beeing also stricken in age, having not onelie gotten himselfe a sight of the LORD'S Salvation; but also having given, by his manie years preaching, a sight thereof to others; at last having finished his course with joye, hee desired lykewyse to depart in peace, and be with his LORD. Of whose blame­lesse lyfe, sound literature, vigilant care, sober con­versation, good behaviour, hospitall heart, (all re­lucent Vertues requisite in a Bishop) besides his kyndnesse and cowrage, prudence and patience, worth and other Vertues, rare partes, and just pray­ses; seeing my Reverend Colleagues which went be­fore, haue more amplie discoursed, ne ligna in syl­vas feram; and that my Speach seeme not to wrong, by a ruder rehearsall, and needlesse tautologie, what so truelie & worthilie hath beene alreadie spo­ken, I can not but abruptlie ende; deploring the losse which both Church and Common-wealth su­stayneth in him▪ who (as yee all knowe) was borne honourablie, lived amongst vs piouslie, preached the Trueth powerfullie, mayntayned the same cou­ragiouslie, ruled in this Church prudentlie, died at last most comfortablie, and nowe resteth (wee hope) vvith CHRIST IESUS in Glorie aeternallie: To whom, with the Father, and the holie Spirit, be ascribed all Honour, Glorie, Majestie, Prayse, Power, and Dominion, for ever and ever, world without ende: AMEN.

I Haue made choyse, this day, of this Text, Introdu­ction. both that I may aedifie you in Holinesse, I. Our pur­pose. and that I may performe that duetie, and pay that debt, which I owe to the Vertues, and Memorie, of our Holie, Reverend, and Worthie Prae­late, of blessed memorie.

The holie Prophet Moses, in praeceeding verses, in this now read, and in some following after, II. Intention of GODS Spirit here set­teth downe the direction of GOD, concerning the Holie Vestments of Aaron, and his sonnes, who were to succeed him in the Office of the high Priest. Dignitie o [...] the high Priestes Vestments and their significa­tion. Glo­rious were those Vestments; giving the high Priest more than a humane splendor. Glorious, 1. consi­dered in themselues, and with reference to the high Priests Dignitie, and one of the most precious things in the world; highlie esteemed, and most carefullie kept by the Iewes, as you may see at length in Iose­phus. [Page] [...] [Page 95] [...] [Page 96] Whence Iesus, [...]oseph. l. 15. Antiq. 14. the sonne of Syrach, speaking of this, ( Eccles. 45.7.) sayth, that God beautified or bles­sed the high Priest, with comely Ornaments; and cloathed him with a Robe of glorie. Hee put vpon him perfect glo­rie; and strengthened him with rich Garmentes. And vers. 13. Before him there were none such: neyther did anie stranger ever put them on; but onelie his children, and his childrens children, perpetuallie. 2. Much more precious yet were they in respect of their significa­tion; which was, 1. of the incompable excellencies of Christ Iesus, that great high Priest for ever, who is the ende of the Lawe, adorned with all perfections, whereby hee is to GOD most acceptable, and most venerable to vs. 2. Of the excellencie required in those of that place, whether vnder the Law, or vnder the Gospell; which challengeth greater perfection. That (sayeth Beda) which outwardlie did shyne in the Ornamentes of the Priestlie Vestmentes, Beda. should inwardly be deeplie seated in the mynds of our Priestes; being spiri­tuallie vnderstood; and should outwardlie shyne glorious in their actions, aboue the ordinarie vertues of the fayth­full. It is not anough for them, to be lyke vnto other men, though good: for the Priestlie Authoritie (sayth Ambrose) requireth a singular weyght of vertues, Ambros. Lib. 1. Ep. 6. Nazian. Orat. 20. Cone. Car­thag. 4. Can. 45. Clericus [...]ofession [...]m suam et ha­bitu et inces­su probe [...]. Conc. Ma­ [...]isco. 1 can. 5 Sido. Apol­linar. ep. 24. [...]ib. 4. Habi­t [...]s vero g [...] ­vis, pudor, sermo reli­gios [...]. and a most serious endevour therevnto. So Greg. Nazianzen, speaking of sainct Basil, sayeth, that hee accounted the vertue of a private man, to stand in fleeing of evill, and attayning to some degree of goodnesse: But that it is blameable in a Praelate, not to bee excellent; since even by his excellencie scarce can hee drawe people to a mediocritie of vertue. The Christian Church hath thought it good, to enjoyne her Priestes, even an outward habit, and conversation, differing from that of others: But much more different, and much more excellent, should bee the inward disposition, and [Page 97] vertues of their mynd, which is before God of great pryce. Let the Priests be cloathed with Salvation; and the Sayncts shall shout for joye. PSAL. cxxxij.16.

In the wordes which I haue read, II. The first part. a singular piece of this holie Vestment is commanded to be made; to wit, the plate of the holie Crowne, I. Of the ho­lie Crown, what it was. having this inscrip­tion, HOLINESSE TO THE LORD. Let vs consi­der, 1. The Crowne it selfe: 2. The inscription of it. The accomplishment of this commandement heere concerning it, is set down, EXOD. xxxix.30. And they made the plate of the holie Crowne of pure golde, & wrote thereon a wryting lyke to the ingraving of a signet, HO­LINESSE TO THE LORD. SO LEVIT. viij.9. And hee put the Mitre on his head: also vpon the Mitre, even vpon his fore-front, did he put the golden plate, the holie Crowne, which the Lord commanded Moses. ECCLE­SIAST. xlv.12. He set a crowne of gold vpon the mitre, wherein was ingraven HOLINESSE; an ornament of honour, a costlie worke, the desire of the eyes, goodlie and beautifull. Here it is called a plate of golde, EXOD. 29. a crowne of holinsse, [...]. It was, as it were, a semi-circle, from the one eare, to the other, vpon the fore-front of the mitre, tied behind with a blew lace, EXOD. xxviij.37. And thou shalt put it on a blew lace, that it may be vpon the mitre: vpon the fore-front of the mitre it shall be. Iosephus sayth, that beside the or­dinarie Cap of the Priestes, the high Priest had an­other, which a golden crowne did compasse, Ioseph. lib. [...] Antiq. cap. [...] ▪ in a threefold order. His words are these; The high Priests Hat was such as the other Priestes vsed; on which there stood another sewed therevnto, and flowrished with Hya­cynthyn. This, after a triple order, was environed with a golden crowne, in which there were divers vessels of gold, made after such a sort as may be seene in that herbe which we call Daccharus; and amongst the Grecian Herbalists, [Page 98] Henbane. But the Scripture, though verie exact in the description of these garmentes, mentioneth no such thing. Howsoever, the plate was the ornament, and, as it were, the crowne of the high Priests crown. And indeed it was a kynd of crown covering a good part of the head, from the one eare, to the other be­fore, vpon the Mitre.

A Crowne was appoynted, to adorne the head, the most eminent, II. What sig­nifieth a Crowne. and most absolute part of the bodie; to declare, that it signified the greatest and most ex­cellent thing. No greater thing amongst men, than Vertue; and the reward thereof, Honour, as the Philo­sopher calleth it. Arist. lib. 4. de moribus. cap. 17. Therefore a Crowne was vsed, to signifie Holinesse, Ingine and Learning, Cowrage and Victorie, and finallie, high Dignities, Ioye, and Fe­licitie therein. All this was signified by a Crowne. Hence whatsoever in lyfe is perfect, and excellent, even the top, ende, consummation, and perfection of everie thing is so called. He that sayth a Crown, sayth al this. Ecclesiasticus 1.2. The feare of the Lord is Honor, & Glorie, Gladnesse, & a Crown of rejoycing Ecclesiasticus 25.6. Much experience, is the Crown of old men; & the feare of God, is their glorie. Plinie sayth, that a Crowne was not given of olde to anie, Plin lib. 16. cap. [...]. but to GOD. The Hebrew Doctors make a three-folde Crowne, of Kingdome, of Knowledge, and of Priesthood. Of which last wee are now more particularlie to speake.

This Crowne was given to the high Priest by God; 1. Because he was a type of Christ, III. What sig­nified this Crowne of Priesthood Clem. Alex. lib. 5. [...]om. p. 241. who is not only a Priest, but also a King; a King, whose Kingdome is [...]n everlasting Kingdome, and whose dominion hath no end. DAN. vij.14. And this is marked by Clem. Alexandr. who sayeth, that the golden Hat of the high Priest, exalting him, did signifie [...], the Royall power of our Lord. 2. To [Page 99] signifie the dignitie of his priestlie Office, and the ex­cellencie or Crown of Vertues, wherwith such should be adorned, both then and now. For if the dignitie of high Priests was so great vnder the Old Testament, and their Vertues answerable therevnto; how much greater is the dignitie of Priesthood vnder the New Testament, and of Vertues requyred to it? 2. COR. 3.7. If the ministration of death written and ingraven in stones, was glorious, &c. how shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious?

For clearing this, it shall not be amisse, shortlie to looke to the Crowne of all faythfull Christians. IV. Crowne of Christians. W [...] finde in the ancient Monumentes of the Christian Church, that all Christians after Baptisme were crowned. This ceremonie indeede was not vsed be­fore Tertullian, nor in his tyme, as appeareth by his booke de corona militis. Yet was it in vse in the tyme of Nazianz. as appeareth by his 23 Oration; where hee desireth Hero the Philosopher, to come to him, Nazianz. Orat. 23. Elias Cre­ [...]ens ▪ indeed interpre­teth him there otherwise. Severus A­lex. de Bap­tismo, & elevant baptizatos ad altare eisque dan [...] mysteria Eucharistiam, & sertis co­ronat eos Sacerdos. Ord [...] confirmat. secūdùm usum Ethiopum: Domine Pater, bone & sancte, qui coronasti servos tuos, corona qu [...] non corrumpitur, benedic eis, qui dignos [...] fecisti, qui eas imponeremus capitibus famulorum tuonum, ut sint eis corona honoris & glori [...], Amen. Corona benedistionis & s [...]lutis, &c: that he might crowne him. So Orat. 40. So Chrysost. Homil. ad baptizatos, concerning the vertue of Bap­tisme. Severus Alexand. lib. de Baptismo, most playn­lie expresseth it. So the forme of Baptisme, according to the forme of the Ethiopians. All Christians are [...], a Royall Priesthood. 1. PET. 2.9. Nothing is so Royall, sayth Leo, Serm. 3. in annivers. die suae assumptionis, as that our soules being subject to GOD, should rule the bodie: Nothing more Priestlie, than to con­secrate to GOD a cleane conscience, & to offer to Him vn­spotted sacrifices of pietie, vpon the Altar of our heart. [Page 100] Unspeakable is the matter of joye that wee haue, through the benefit of Baptisme: wee are fred there­by from the servitude of Satan. Nazianz. Orat. 40. [...]. Therefore sayeth Tertullian, When one is baptised, the Devill perceaveth him plan [...] libera [...]m, truelie delivered out of his hands. And Nazianzen calleth Baptisme, a freeing of vs from ser­vitude. Yea, by it wee are advanced, not onlie to Li­ber [...]ie, but also to the Dignitie of GODS Children: for it is the washing of the new birth, Chrysost. [...]o­mil. ad Neo­phyt. TIT. iij.5. Hence Chrysost. By Baptisme we become free: and not onlie free, but also righteous; Op [...]at [...] Mi­ [...]vit. lib. 5. cōtra Parm. Nazianz. Orat. 40. [...]. and not onlie that, but also Children: and not onlie Children, but also Heyrs: and not only Heyrs, but also the Brethren of CHRIST, and joynt-Heyres with Him. Hence also another of the Ancients calleth Ba­ptisme Coelestis Regni comparationem, the obtayning of the heavenlie Kingdome. By it CHRIST becommeth our Crowne. In that day, the LORD of Hostes is vnto vs for a Crown of Glorie, Clement A­le [...]. lib. 2. Ped [...]g. [...]. 8. [...]. Chrysost. ho­mil. ad Neophyt [...]s. Clemens A­lex. lib. 2. Ped [...]g. c. [...]. and for a Diademe of Beautie, ISAI 28.5. And wee by it obtayne a title to the incorruptible Crowne of Glorie; which vndoubtedlie wee shall re­ceaue, if wee, as a Royall Priesthood, or Priestlie Kings, fight valiantlie the Battels of the LORD. This is that Crowne of lyfe, which the LORD hath promised to them that loue Him, IAM. 1.12. Which none getteth, but he that stryveth lawfullie, 2. TIM. 2.5. And which everie one receaveth, that doeth so. Be thou faythfull vnto the death, and I will giue thee a Crowne of Lyfe ▪ REV. 2.10. This is that incorruptible Crowne, 1. COR. 9.26. And which fadeth not, 1. PET. 5.4. The beau­tifull Crowne of Amaranthus, sayeth Clemens Alex▪ is layd vp for him that doeth well: it is Heaven alone, and not the earth, that can bring foorth this Flowre. This onlie Flowre fadeth not, and hence hath this name▪ To this purpose Sever. before cited, sayth, that at this Ceremonie, Plin. lib. [...]2. cap. 8. the prayer was, The Lord make you [Page 101] worthie of His heavenlie Kingdome; Post qu [...] desecer [...] cu [...]cti flores▪ madefactu [...] aqua revi­visc [...], & hyberna coronás facit, summa eju [...] natur [...] in nomine est, appellato quonia [...] [...]n marcescit. and in stead of this corruptible crowne, crowne you with the Crowns of Righ­teousnesse and good workes. To signifie and remember these things was this Crowne given to all Christians.

If the dignitie of all Christians, if their combates, V. The Crowne o [...] Christian Bishops. Concil. Tau­rinat. Can. Cons. Agat [...] Can. 6. Cons▪ Hispal▪ 2. Can. 7. Tertull. [...] Bapt. c. 16▪ Summus sa [...]cordos qui est [...]piscop [...] Optat. Mil [...] vit. l. 1. con [...]tra Parm. Sidonius A [...]pol, l. 4. ep. 2 l. 7. ep. 5. e [...] Plin. lib. 1 [...] cap. 4. & [...] 22. cap. 4. Quod si [...] vica hou [...] [...]n [...] aliqu [...] ac vel hu [...]milli [...] [...] servato pr [...]clarus sa­cer (que) habe [...]tur, quid t [...]dem exist mari de [...] unius vi [...]te servat [...] univers [...] exercitus Dionys. C [...]l. Hie­rar. cap. 3. cowrage, and hope, bee so great; how much more is it with the spirituall rulers, whose duetie is to leade and bring them to the Crowne? According to the an­cient phrase, all Christian Bishops are summi Sacerdotes, high Priests: albeit in the third Councell of Carthage this Title was forbidden, because by some abused, to cherish their ambition. Great is their prehemi­nence, great and manie their battels; wherein if they acquyte themselues worthilie, there abydeth them a farre more glorious Crowne, than others, 1. PET. 5.4. The Civicke Crowne, or Garland, was much estee­med of amongst the Romanes. Plin. calleth it, the most notable testimonie of militarie vertue: yet was it given for the saving of one. How much then was the Crowne to bee esteemed, which was called Graminea, given for the safetie of the whole Armie? Plin. Such a Crowne belongeth to a faythfull Bishop. He not on­lie saveth his owne soule, but the soules of manie. They that turne manie to righteousnesse, shall shyne as the starres, for ever and ever, DAN. 12.3. What more Di­vine thing can there bee, than to bee a worker with GOD, in procuring the salvation of men, for whom the Blood of CHRIST was shed? Of all Divine Perfections, (sayeth that olde Wryter that goeth vn­der the name of Dionysius the Areopagite) it is the most Divine, to bee GOD'S Fellow-worker; especiallie in so Divine a worke, as is the saving of soules. What ad­vantageth it a man, to gayne the whole vvorlde, [Page 102] if hee lose his soule? There can bee nothing aequal­led to the soule, (sayeth Chrysostome) in the whole world: Chrysost. hom. 3. in Ep. 5. ad Corinth▪ and therefore sayeth hee, Though thou wouldest giue huge riches to the poore, yet shouldest thou doe more, by converting one soule. How glorious a thing had it beene for a man, to haue beene a worker with GOD in the framing of this worlde! Chrysost. Hom. 55. ad popul. An­tioch. But (to applie to our purpose the wordes of that same golden mouth) GOD giveth a greater honour to Pastors; to whom Hee sayeth, as it were, I haue made Heaven and Earth; but I giue thee power to make Earth Heaven: Ammian. Marc. l. 29. [...]ap. 25. [...] sign [...] & co­ [...]onam [...] interce erat nihil [...]. I haue made cleare Lightes; but make thou more cleare: thou canst not make a man; but thou mayest make him gracious, and ac­ceptable vnto Mee. Hence they are sayde to saue, IUDE▪ 23. 1. COR. 9.22. 1. TIM. 4.16. IAM. 5.25. Thus yee see that Christian Bishops haue their Crowne, and that precious. Their outward Crowne, though olde, can not bee compared vnto it: it is but a small resemblance thereof.

VI. Popes Crowne [...]ot here. Cor [...]el. á [...]ipide, vpon [...]his place. Lori [...] ▪ [...]. Pet. 2.9. Martha [...] epistola [...]om [...] scrip­ [...] ad [...] 5. They pain­ [...]d PAUL [...]e 5. at [...] with [...]is inscri­ [...]tion. Staple [...]. in pr [...]fa [...]. [...] pr [...]c. [...].If anie man will strayne the wordes farther, and labour to finde the Pope's triple Crowne of Golde heere, his travell will bee lost: For that is exalted not onlie aboue the Church, but also aboue the Crowns of Kinges, directlie, or indirectlie: and the inscription (as if that of Christ's Vicar were too base) is a Mo­narch, a Spirituall King: so Cajet. Cathar. and Salmer. speake, sayeth Lorinus. Yea, and as if this were too small, hee is intituled, The sole Emperour in the world. Neyther stay they heere; hee is to his flatterers, Vice Deus: Omnipotentiae Pontificiae Conservator: another God, as it were, and conserver of the Papall Omni­potencie: and, in a word, Optimum, Maximum, sempi­ [...]ernum Numen in terris, as Stapleton calleth him. This Crowne of our high Priest, was onelie the Crowne of Pristhood; and no inscription in it, but Holinesse to the [Page 103] Lord. Who, I pray you, gaue the Pope such a crown? Christ? His owne Kingdome was not of this worlde, IOHN 18.36. And all that Hee promised to S. Peter, was to giue him the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven. HEE is nowe indeed crowned with Glorie and Ho­nour; but on earth was crowned with Thornes▪ Did saynct Peter weare a Crowne of Golde, who sayde truelie, Golde and Silver I haue none? It is saynct Bernard's argument. Bernard, a consideratio [...]ne ad Eug [...]nium, lib. 3▪ cap. 2. Though the Churches estate then had beene most prosperous, would saynct Peter haue worne such a Crowne, who would not haue his head vpwardes vpon the Crosse wherevnto hee was nayled, as was the head of his Saviour? Hier. in Petr [...]. But Constan­tine, they say, gaue this Crowne of Golde, and the earthlie power with it, vnto Silvester, Lauren [...]. Valla, de d [...]atione Con [...]stanti [...]. and his succes­soures. This of all Fables the most impudent, hath beene long since solidlie confuted. Yea, more, I am perswaded, that those holy Fathers, and blessed Mar­tyres, that first did holde that Sea, would not haue accepted of such an offer, though it had beene made. The Crowne they thought vpon, was the Crowne of Martyrdome. They thought deeplie vpon Christ His Crowne of Thornes. If Godfray of Bulloyg [...]e, proclaymed King in Hierusalem, refused a Golden Crowne, because Christ there had worne a Crowne of Thornes; what would they haue done? By that Crowne of Thornes, sayeth Gregorie Nazianzen, Nazianz▪ Orat. 25. Cl [...]m. A­lex. lib. 2. Pa [...]. cap. [...] I haue learned to crowne my selfe with severitie of lyfe. So Cle­mens Alexand ▪ sayeth, wee ought not to haue so much as a Crowne of Flowres, since our Lord was crowned with Thornes. What would these, and the rest of the holie Fathers say, if they did now see the Papall Crowne▪ Yet even they are called to bee witnesses of this earthlie Crowne, and Monarchie. But wee might wryte vpon their Statues, as some did vpon that [Page 102] [...] [Page 103] [...] [Page 104] of Brutus: when Caesar vsurped in Rome the lyke su­perioritie, S [...]et [...]n▪ in [...]ita Iulii C [...]sari [...]. Vtinam viveretis; O that you were alyue. Yea, they liue, and by their writs proclayme alowde with ESAI, 25.1. Woe to the crowne of pryde. They cry to all that haue eares to heare, That the Crowne of the greatest Prelate then, was this holie Crowne, where­in was ingraven, HOLINESSE TO THE LORD: the inscription which now wee come to.

IT may, perhaps, seeme strange, that the noyse of my mourning, for the death of our late Worthie Prelate, was not these dayes by-past, with the rest of my Reverend Colleagues, heard in publicke. This duetie had beene performed ere nowe, were not Death (fearing that my vnappeased griefe, through sense of my [Page 150] great losse, should haue made mee to burst out into bitter and T [...]agicke Invectiues agaynst her; and so haue brought you all in hatred with her, as with that vvhich the Philosopher saieth is omnium terribilium, terribilissimum; Of all thinges that are terrible, the most terrible) did arrest mee, by her mightie Herauld Sick­nesse: to the end, that by neare communing with her, I might knowe, and impart the same vnto you also; that shee is not so indeede, as her grieslie lookes doe praetende: not an enemie to the Godlie, as nowe in our mourning shee is holden to be, but a friende: and herefore, in your mourning, you should bee comfor­ted. For by the death of CHRIST, her nature is changed: Through death Hee hath destroyed him that had the power of death; that is, the Devill: and delivered them who through the feare of death, were all their lyfe tyme subject vnto bondage, Hebr. ij.14.15. Death is no more death. I am (sayeth our Saviour) the Re­surrection, and the Lyfe: hee that believeth in Me, though hee were dead, yee shall hee liue. And whosoever liveth, and believeth in Mee, shall never die, IOHN xj.25.26. By her the Godlie are bound in the bundle of Lyfe. Shee is but the way that all flesh doeth goe; to put an ende to their miseries: Shee looseth them out of Pri­son, gathereth them to their Fathers, maketh them lay downe their tabernacle, and putteth them into a sound sleepe, from whence they shall bee awakened to ever-lasting Lyfe.

But because it were endlesse, to showe you all the good we nowe obtayn by Death, I haue bounded my selfe within the limites of this Text, wherin we haue a sweete Cordiall, for the reliefe of the heart of Man, from two great evils; to wit, The ignorance of the na­ture of Death it selfe, and the ectate of men after death. Feare not to taste therof; for it is praescrybed by the [Page 151] Greatest DOCTOR in Heaven, or in earth, GOD Himselfe, the Soveraygne, and onlie Physician, both of Soule and bodie. The Apothecarie by whose hand it was delivered, was an Angell, who gaue it for a strong Consolation vnto Daniel; and hee who hath left it vnto vs for that same vse, was this same Da­niel, Vir desideriorum, A man greatlie beloved of GOD; A Pen-man of holie Scripture; who spake and writ as hee was inspired by the holie Ghost: And it is of an immortall and never-fading Vertue, flowing from the immortall, and all-sufficient Worth and Merit of the death and Resurrection of IESVS CHRIST.

That Death, by the ignorance of the true nature thereof, doe not dismay you, learne to knowe, That it is but a sleepe. That the estate after death doe not dishearten you, learne, that it is but a wakening: and such a one, as is to Lyfe; and such a lyfe, as shall haue no death: an ever-lasting Lyfe; a sweete Cordiall in­deede: but the comfort contayned in it, doeth not indifferentlie concerne all. All indeede shall sleepe, all shall awake; but not all to ever-lasting Lyfe. The awa­kening of some, shall bee to shame, and contempt; for Qualis vita, finis ita: Lyke lyfe, lyke ende, lyke awake­ning: Who liveth in the LORD, shall die in the LORD; rest from their laboures, and awake to ever-lasting Lyfe. And who liveth in sinne, their ende is destruction, and their awakening is to shame. For this Text hath its own both Extent, & Restraynt. Extent, all indeede shall sleepe, all shall awake. Restraynt, Some to ever-lasting Lyfe, some to shame, and contempt.

There bee some, I knowe, doe not allow to it this just Extent; in regard it is sayde onlie manie that sleepe in the dust. For they thinke, that all men shall not suf­fer death, which by sleepe is meant heere. Grounding themselues vpon the wordes of the Apostle, 1. COR. [Page 152] xv.51. Beholde, I showe you a mysterie: Wee shall not all sleepe, but wee shall all bee changed. Hee distinguisheth all men vnto those who shall bee alyue, and remayne vnto the comming of the LORD, and those that shal be asleepe. Which distinction importeth, That those who then shall bee alyue, shall not die, but shall im­mediatelie, or without anie death intenveaning, bee caught vp, with the rest of the Elect, to meete the LORD in the ayre.

Tyme will not serue mee, to speake of this my­sterie, as Paull calleth it, at such length as I would: onlie yee shall know, that the ancient Fathers of the Church haue bene much divided in their judgemēts, concerning those whom the LORD at His comming to Iudgement shall finde alyue. Chrysostome wryting vpon that place, and diverse Greek Fathers following him, haue thought, that they shall not die; but that they shall bee changed, from the estate of Mortali­tie, vnto the estate of Aeternitie. Of this opinion also were some of the Latine Fathers; in speciall Ter­tullian and Ierome; and diverse moderne Wryters, both Papistes, as Cajetane, and some others, led by his authoritie; as also Protestantes, as Calvine, and some others, following him.

But manie haue beene, and are yet, of another opinion: that is, they haue believed, or at least thought it more probable, That even those who shall bee alyue at the LORD His second comming, shall truelie and reallie die; that they may vndergoe the common punishment of Man-kynde; and shall im­mediatelie thereafter bee raysed vp, or quickened, that they may compeare with the rest vnto Iudge­ment. Of this opinion were diverse, both of the Greeke Fathers, as Dydimus, one of the Doctors of Alexandria, and Acacius, Bishop of Caesarea, (as we [Page 153] may perceaue by Ierome his Epistle to Minerius, and Alexander, EPIST. 152. vvhere the judgement of them both in this particular is related) and Oecume­nius in his Commentaries expounding this place: and also of the Latine Fathers, as the Author of the Com­mentaries vpon Paul's Epistles, attributed to Am­brose, in Thes. Cap. 4. Augustine, in some places of his workes, as Lib. 20. De Civitate DEI, Cap. 20. although in other places hee seeme to encline to the former opinion, as Quaest. 3. ad Dulcetium. (For he was ever doubtfull of this matter, even when he writ his worke of Retractions, Lib. 2. Retract. Cap. 33.) I could also for this opinion, cite diverse of the An­cientes, who will haue the wordes read, Wee shall all sleepe, but wee shall not all bee changed.

But besides these two readinges of this place, (which both were to bee found in the Greeke Edi­tions of that age, as Ierome witnesseth in the ende of that Epistle before cited) hee lykewyse telleth vs, that there was a third most frequent in the Latine Editions; but not at all to bee found in the Greeke Copies: to wit, Wee shall all ryse, but wee shall not all bee changed. Which reading occurreth frequentlie in Au­gustine's workes: and Ruffinus, before him, followed it, in the exposition of the Creede, expounding the ar­ticle of the Resurrection.

I will not take vpon mee, to define, or deter­mine peremptorilie, this question: For I thinke with Lombardus, Lib. 4. Sent. Dist. 43. that horum quid ve­rius sit, non est humani judicii definire: vvhich of these are most agreeable to the trueth, it is not for humane wit to determine. Nor yet will I take holde of that other reading of the Apostle's speach, Wee shall all sleepe, but wee shall not all bee changed; although Aca­cius affirme, That it was in plurimis Graecorum codici­bus, [Page 154] to bee found in manie Greeke Copies, as Ierome relateth of him: I will only declare two thinges vnto you, concerning the Extent of my Text, or the vni­versalitie of Death, and Resurrection.

The first is; That from this speach of the Apostle, even taking it according to the ordinarie reading of it, as it is now in the Greeke Copies, nothing can bee infalliblie concluded, to proue, that those whom the LORD shall find vpon the earth at His second com­ming, shall not taste of Death; properlie and truelie so called. For whereas the Apostle sayeth, Wee shall all sleepe, it may bee verie probablie alleadged, That by sleeping, hee vnderstandeth not Death it selfe; but the continuance of Death: or, to vse Oecumen. his phrase, that the Apostle is speaking [...], of a long death, or of a death continued for so long tyme, that the dead bodies may bee altered, and dissolved into dust. This may, out of all question, bee, That they who then shall bee living, shall not sleepe: for al­though they die, yet their death shall not bee as a sleepe, but rather a sudden slumber; a winke, or nod, of one that would sleepe.

Never-the-lesse, seeing manie Interpreters, both ancient and moderne, doe expound that speach of Saynct Paull otherwayes; thinking, that hee is there speaking of Death it selfe; and, consequentlie, that his speach importeth, That some men, and in speciall those who shall bee living at the day of Iudgement, shall not vnder-goe, or suffer, Death. Therefore my second Assertion is, That the vniversalitie of Death & Resurrection, is to bee vnderstoode, with an exemp­tion of those whom GOD Himselfe, for some spe­ciall or extraordinarie causes or respectes, hath exee­med from them. This Peter Martyr observeth, speaking of Henoch and Elias, who for extraordina­rie [Page 155] respectes were exeemed by GOD from Death; And such, sayeth hee, will bee the condition of those whom GOD shall find alyue when Hee commeth to judge­ment. Yet albeit of this extraordinarie exemption, it is the ordinarie course of all Man-kynde, to die, ac­cording to that of HEBR. ix.27. It is appoynted for men, once to die.

The Iewes, although they allow this just Extent of this Text, in this, That all shall die, yet they denye, that all shall awake: R. D. [...]imhi, on this place. grounding themselues on the wordes PSAL. j.5. Therefore the vngodlie shall not ryse in Iudgement. But for answere to them, first, The reading of this place is wrong: for the wordes are to bee read thus, The vngodlie shall not stand in Iudgement. Secondlie, the Text it selfe here refuteth them; for it sayeth, That some, meaning the wicked, shall awake, to shame, and contempt. And our Saviour, IOHN v. 28.29. The houre is comming, when all that are in the graues, shall heare his voyce, and shall come foorth; they that haue done good, vnto the Resurrection of Lyfe; and they that haue done evill, vnto the resurrection of damnation.

That the Extent, then, may bee full, the word ma­nie must bee eyther taken distributiuelie, referring it to both members, Manie shall awake to lyfe, and many to shame; so that multi, is as much as multitudines duae; one companie to Lyfe, another to shame: or the word is to bee taken collectiuelie; not exclusiuelie, but extensiuelie, and vniversallie, as ROM. v.18. By the of­fence of one man, the fault came vpon all vnto condemna­tion. And in the next verse following, Manie were made sinners. Whereby it is evident, that manie is taken for all.

The Restraynt is, That some onlie shall awake to ever­lasting Lyfe, and some to shame, and contempt. Of this [Page 156] last part, I will speake nothing at this tyme; but (as Daniel sayde in his exposition of Nebuchadnezar's dreame) let it bee to them who by finall impeniten­cie hate the LORD, and the interpretation onelie to his enemies: Wee haue onlie here to speake of this Text, so farre as it concerneth the Godlie. Their death is called a sleepe; and their estate after death, awakening to ever-lasting lyfe.

Death in Scripture vsuallie is so tearmed, Deuter. xxxj.16. the LORD speaking to Moses of his death, sayeth, Beholde, thou shalt sleepe with thy fathers. And our Saviour, Matth. ix.24. The mayd is not dead, but sleepeth. And Iohn xj.11. Our friend Lazarus sleepeth: but I goe, that I may awake him out of sleepe. And the Apostle, 1. Thess. iv.13.14. I would not haue you ig­norant, brethren, concerning them that are asleepe; that you sorrow not, even as others, which haue no hope. For if wee belieue that IESVS died, and rose agayne: so them al­so which sleepe in IESVS, will GOD bring with Him.

This sleepe, doe not thinke that it is of the soule, as some fondlie dreamed, that the soules seperated from the bodies, were casten into a dead sleepe, and remaine without all action, vntill the generall Resur­rection: or, that that they doe rest a space in the dust, with the bodies. Alace! these men are truelie inju­rious, to the soules of the Godlie departed, that would eyther denye them all fruition of GOD, or all action, whyle they are seperated from the bodie. I affirme not, that their happinesse is such, or at such an hight, as it shall bee, when the tyme commeth, of which Peter speaketh, 1. PET. v.4. that is, When the chiefe Shepheard shall appeare, and they shall receaue a Crowne of Glorie, that fadeth not away. But that they enjoye GOD, and even separated from the bo­dies, they laude and prayse Him, is evident in that [Page 157] vision, Rev. v. 11.12. where Iohn sayeth, hee behelde, and heard the voyce of manie Angels round about the Throne, and the Beasts, and the Elders: and the number of them was ten thousand tyms ten thousand, and thousandes of thousandes, saying with a loude voyce, Worthie is the Lambe that was slayne, to receaue power, and riches, and wisdome, and strength, and honour, and glorie, &c. And as th'Apostle witnesseth, 2. Cor. v.8. being absent from the bodie, they are present with the LORD. And Phil. j.23. his desire was to depart, and to bee with CHRIST. And expresslie Augustine sayeth, Lib. 13. de Civita­te Dei, Cap. 8. In requie enim sunt animae piorum à cor­pore separatae; impiorum autem poenas luunt, donec ista­rum ad aeternam vitam, illarum ad aeternam mortem, quae secunda dicitur corpora reviviscant. The soules of the Godlie (sayeth hee) being separated from the bodie, are at rest, and the souls of the wicked are punished, vntill that tyme the bodies of the one bee awakened to aeternall lyfe, and the bodies of the other to aeter­nall death; which is called The second death.

The bodies then onlie of the Godlie doe sleepe in the dust of the earth. The souls of men may haue, and haue their▪ owne actions, without commerce with the bodies: For in that the death of man is cal­led a sleepe, it evidentlie signifieth, That the soules of men are not as the souls of other creatures, who lose beeing with their bodies; their death being no other than a destruction of both. But as when the bodie sleepeth, the soule will bee then thinking, meditating, and discoursing; so when the bodie is lying asleepe in the graue, the soule then is exercysing its owne hea­venlie and spirituall functions.

That nowe, then, wee may knowe the nature of the death of the Godlie, we haue to learne wherefore speciallie it is resembled to sleepe. This appellation it [Page 158] getteth in Scripture, is to testifie, what good, what happinesse, the Godlie gayne by Death. And, to omit manie other resemblances betwixt them, I will show it in this: Even as a man all the day long wea­ried with toyle, and travell, when the night com­meth, laying aside all traffique of the world, hee vn­cloatheth himselfe, goeth to bed, willingly yeelding to Nature; where the senses beeing tyed vp by sleepe, hee resteth from all his travels, and sense of evill: by which rest, hee is more enabled agaynst his awa­kening, for better exercyses, as the Poët sayth of it;

So the Godlie, when the night of death commeth, or when death approacheth, they lay aside all worldlie thinges, and prepare themselues for it: with Ezekiah they set their house in order; knowing, that they must die: they yeeld to the God of Nature, saying vnto them, Returne, yee children of men, Psal. xc.3. They vncloathe their souls, and put off their earthlie taber­nacle. Then their bodies are layde downe in the dust, as in a sweete sleeping bed: and, as Iob sayeth, as the waters fayle frrom the sea, and the flood decayeth, and dryeth vp; So man lyeth downe, and ryseth not: till the Heavens bee no more, they shall not awake, nor bee ray­sed out of their sleepe, Iob xiv.11.12. Where they are delivered from all cares, all toyle, and sense of evill, wherevnto before they were subject: and therin they are fitted, and prepared, for all Happinesse.

By this resemblance, we may perceaue, first, that the death of the Godlie, putteth an ende to all miseries: For by it wee are delivered both à malo culpae, and à malo poenae, from sinne it selfe, and from the punishment of sinne. After death, the Godlie doe not sinne anie more. Howe great Happinesse this is, may bee easilie [Page 159] vnderstood by that groaning petition vttered by the Apostle, Rom. vij.24. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver mee from the bodie of this death? By death they are delivered from it; for he that is dead, is fred frō sin, Rom. 6.7. & delivered frō the bondage of corruption, into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of GOD, Rom. viij. [...]1. Yea, from all occasions and temptations to sinne. Desiit peccare, desiit jactari, desiit miser esse: He ceasseth to sinne, or to bee tossed with anie winde of tempta­tion to sinne. In a word; Hee ceasseth to bee mise­rable: and therefore I sayde also, that hee is fred à malo poenae. In this lyfe man that is borne of a woman, is of few dayes, and full of trouble, Iob xiv.1. And Salomon acknowledgeth, That there is nothing vnder the sunne, but trouble, and vexation of spirit. The bodie of man is morborum seminarium, a seed-plot of all diseases. No sooner, yea, before wee begin to bee borne, wee begin to bee sicke: Quis ille qui non aegrotat in hac vi­ta? Quis non longum languorem trahit? nasci hic in cor­pore mortali incipere, aegrotare est. Aug. in Psal. cij. an­te med. Who is hee (sayeth hee) that is not sicke in this lyfe? Who is hee that languisheth not? To be­gin to bee borne in this mortall bodie, is to bee sicke. The mynde and soule of man is subject vnto griefe, and anguish; which is an intollerable miserie: David compareth it to arrowes, Psal. xxxviij. 2. For thyne arrowes sticke fast in mee, and thy hand presseth me sore. Consonant wherevnto is that of Iob, Chap. xvj.13. His archers compasse me round about: hee cleaveth my reynes asunder, and doeth not spare. And, A wounded spirit, sayd Salomon, who can beare? The sense of it made CHRIST Himselfe say, My Soule is exceeding sorrowfull, even vnto death, Matth. xxvj.38. The estate of man is subject to Povertie, and Want: a grievous punishment; for ridiculos homines facit: the poore are the object of [Page 160] mockerie. Salomon sayeth, Prov. xiv.20. The poore is hated, even of his owne neyghbour. And Prov. xix.7. All the brethren of the poore doe hate him; howe much more doe his friendes goe farre from him? Hee persueth them with wordes, yet they are wanting to him. The name of man is subject to shame and contempt; which even evill men abhorre more than death. Saul did rather choose to fall on his owne sworde, than to bee matter of sporte to his enemies. The wicked at the day of Iudgement, ere they endured the indignitie of this evill, would rather that hills and mountayns should fall vpon them. Yea, besides to howe manie miseries daylie is man lyable, to hunger, thirst, heate, colde, inaccommodation in dwelling, much travell, vaine hopes, &c. howe manie are his private crosses, his publicke calamities, and evils, which wee bring vp­pon our selues, injuries done to vs by others? Yet when Death commeth, it freeth vs of all these. By Death wee lye still, and are quyet; wee sleepe, and are at rest, Iob iij.13. And, Blessed are the dead, that die in the LORD: they rest from their laboures, Rev. xiv.13. Before Death come, there can bee no perfect free­dome from these evils: for, as Bernard speaketh, Li­beratio plena atque perfecta ante diem sepulturae esse non poterit, quod maneat jugum gravè super filios Adam, à die exitiu [...] de ventre matris ipsorum, vsque in diem se­pulturae in matrem omnium. In hac ergo die eripiam eum (nempè, justum) inquit, quando nihil jam vltra vel quod corpori, vel quod animae faciat mundus habebit. Ber [...]. Serm. 16. in Psal. xc. A full and a perfect free­dome, before the day of our buriall, there can not bee: for there is a heavie yoake layde vpon the sonnes of Adam, even from the tyme they come out of their mothers womb, vntill the day of their buriall, when they are receaved in­to the bowels of their common mother. Then (sayeth the [Page 161] LORD) in that day I will deliver the just man; when the world hath nothing more to doe, eyther with his bodie, or with his soule. Wherevnto consonant are the wordes of Isidorus, cited by Bernard; O mors, quam dulcis es miseris! quam suavis es amarè viventibus! quam jucun­da es tristibus, at (que) lugentibus! O Death, how sweet art thou to them that are in miserie! how pleasant to those who liue in bitternesse! how delectable to the sad, and mournfull! For truelie of Death wee may say; Pon it finem omnibus malis in hac vita: dat terminum malis in hoc saeculo; adimit omnem calamitatem. Mors prebet ter­minum hominibus, in tribulationibus in hoc mundo. It putteth (sayeth hee) an ende to all evils in this lyfe, a period to all miseries that fall out in this tyme; it taketh away all calamitie, and maketh an ende to all troubles which befall men in this lyfe. Hee doeth therefore heerevpon conclude, Sed heu exspectata mors tardè venit! But alace, (sayeth hee) long looked for, and much desired Death, commeth slowlie! No marvell a Christian sayde so, since Cicero, an Ethnicke, Lib. 1. Tusc. quaest. could say, Pro dii immortales, quam illud verè jucundum hominibus esse debet, quo confecto nulla reliqua cura, nulla solicitudo futura sit! That is; O you immortall gods, how sweet and pleasant should that bee to men, which once being brought to passe, there shall bee no more care, nor anxietie!

The next Happinesse included in this, that it is called a sleepe, is, That heereby wee are fitted and prepared for heavenlie Happinesse. By Death there is a preparation made, for our change, to the en­joying of aeternall Felicitie; whence it is called by BERNARD, Ianua vitae, initium refrigerii, sancti montis scala, & ingressus in locum tabernaculi admirabilis, quod fixit Dominus, & non homo Bern. Serm. on the 19 verse of the 5 chapter of IOB. The doore of lyfe, the beginning [Page 162] of our refreshing, the ladder whereby wee goe vp to the ho­lie mountayne, an entrie vnto the place of that admirable Tabernacle which the LORD Himselfe made, and not man.

What sleepe, then, is lyke to this Sleepe? and what Sleepe more to bee desired than IT, were not the Bed wherein IT is enjoyed, seemeth to lessen all the former happinesse? For it is sayde by the Angell, They sleepe in the dust of the earth. The rememberance in­deede of this Bed wherein man must take his last sleepe, deoth teach man Humilitie and Sobrietie; since as he was made of the dust, to dust he must re­turne againe. The Graue must be his House, & he must make his bed in darknesse. Hee must say to corruption, Thou art my father; to the worme, Thou art my mother, and my sister, IOB xvij.13.14. Yet it doeth nothing derogate from the happinesse of Death: For, first, al­beit it seeme base, to lye in the dust of the earth; yet it is the common & onlie recept appoynted by GOD, to receaue our bodies, in our passage to Heaven. Neyther is there anie other place for our bodilie rest alotted, vntill our finall awakening: Dust (sayeth the LORD) thou art, and to dust thou shalt returne, GEN. iij.19. And therefore, Quis quaeri potest se in ea condi­tione esse, in qua nemo non est? SEN. Epist. 30. Who can complayne of that estate, wherein all men are alyke with him? Next; Of all Beds a man can lye downe into, it is the most kyndlie Bed: For the earth is ma­ter omnium nostrum. And when wee are layde downe in IT, wee are but in the bosome of our common mother, who will bring vs foorth agayne into another vvorlde: in regarde whereof the Resurrection is cal­led [...], Regeneration, MATTH. xix.28. Thirdlie; IT is of all Beds, the onlie Bed of Rest, where­in man most securelie sleepeth. Of all other Beds, eve­rie [Page 163] man, in some sort, may complayne with IOS, When I say, My bed shall comfort mee, my couch shall ease my complaynt; then Thou scarrest mee with dreames, and terrifiest mee through visions, IOB vij.13.14. For great travell is created for everie man, and an heavie yoake is vpon the sonnes of Adam, from the day that they goe out of their mothers wombe, till the day that they returne to the mother of all thinges. ECCL. xl.1. No quyet anie where in the interveaning tyme; but then they shall enter into their peace: they shall rest in their Beds, ISAI lvij.2.

Fourthlie, IT is a Bed perfumed with the most costlie Perfume in the worlde. Wee reade PROV. vij.17. that the harlot had perfumed her bed with myrrhe, aloës, and cynamom: but it was a bed of whore­dome and wickednesse. This Bed is a Bed of Holinesse, sanctified by the buriall of CHRIST IESVS. For as Hee died on the Crosse for vs, so lykewyse Hee would bee buried; that by the touch of his most ho­lie Flesh, our buriall might bee sanctified. Fiftlie, IT is of all sortes of Beds most honourable: herefore it is written of Cyrus, in Zenophon, that hee sayd to his sonnes, When I am dead, lay not my bodie in golde, nor silver, or anie thing else: but, with all haste, lay it down in the earth. For what is more blessed, than to bee mixt there-with; which not onlie breedeth all good and pleasant thinges, but also nowrisheth and cherisheth the same?

And lastlie; The second Comfort in this Text sud­denlie ensuing, taketh away all matter of dishearte­ning: For they shall not lye in the dust for ever. For, as one sayeth well, Est somnus quidem diuturnior soli­to, non diutius tamen, quam ad CHRISTI novissimum adventum duraturus: that is, It is a sleepe longer than other ordinarie sleepes; yet not to last longer, than the second comming of CHRIST IESVS. For they [Page 164] shall bee awakened, to enjoye an happie estate, even Ever-lasting Lyfe.

The knowledge of this estate after death, and long sleepe, wherein the bodies doe lye, it bringeth, wi­thout all mixture of sorrow, vnexpressable comfort. First, that man shall be awakened out of this long sleepe; heere is a singular comfort: but to bee awakened to everlasting lyfe, it is the hight of all Comfortes.

Shall awake to everlasting lyfe: this is all one with this, their bodies shall be raysed againe out of their graues; and after they are vnited with their soules, shall obtayne everlasting Lyfe. This doctrine of the resurrectione of bodies, is onlie revealed in the word of GOD. It is to all those who haue not learned it herefra, as it was to the Athenians, Mockerie, Act. 17.32. And yet it is the onlie ground of our comfort: For, if in this lyfe onlie wee had hope in CHRIST, wee were of all men most miserable 1. COR. 15.19. It is that which giveth vs confidence and hope: For Resurrectio mortuorum, est fiducia christianorum, sayeth Tertul. de resur. carnis· It is an speciall article of our Fayth, which wee must holde vndenyable against all such wicked Hereticks, who would denye the same; wickedlie thinking, that the bodies being resolved into their first principles, shall lye without hope of restoreing to lyfe. Or, if there bee any bodies at all glorified, they shal not be the same which were layde in the graue, but some other made of the ayre, or such lyke thing. An im­pious Heresie, most manifestlie against infinite testi­monies of Scripture, whereof this is one most evi­dent. Wherefore, Augustine, Lib. 20. de Civit. Dei cap. 23. showeth it to bee the same with that of our Sa­viour, Iohn 5.28.29. For those whom the Angell sayeth, that they sleepe in the dust, are sayd by our Sa­viour, to bee in the graues. And what is to the Angell, [Page 165] They shal awake. It is to Christ, They shal heare the voyce of the Sonne of man, and come foorth. The Angel sayeth, Some to everlasting lyfe, some to shame, and eontempt. Our Saviour sayeth, Who haue done good, vnto the re­surrection of lyfe, and who haue done evill vnto the resur­rection of damnation. So clearlie consonant, that our Saviours wordes are a plaine exposition of the An­gels, Tertullian most learnedlie in his booke De re­surrectione carnis, refuteth this Heresie: and the lear­ned after him haue done it most fullie.

As for that they object, That the bodie being a base, vyle, contemptible, and corrupted thing, how can it bee awakened to glorie? they should haue con­sidered, That albeit in matter it be base, yet it is made wonderfullie honourable. By GOD Himselfe was man created to bee immortall: and Hee made him an Image of His owne aeternitie. And CHRIST IE­SUS now incarnate, hath honored vs with this, That wee are members of His bodie, of His flesh, and of His bones. Ephes. 5.30. And by the glorification of His bodie, our bodies, His members, are alreadie begun to be glorified. And that Hee might present vs vnto Himselfe glorious, hath cleansed our bodies by the washing of regeneration, and made them temples of the holie Ghost: and wee are fed by the bodie and blood of IESUS CHRIST, to the certayne hope of this Resurrection, according as our Saviour sayeth Iohn 6.54. Who so eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternall lyfe, and I will rayse him vp at the last day. And as that father well marketh, Non possunt separari, in mercede quos opera conjungit. For who worketh toge­ther in justice, should bee rewarded together.

In this poynt I marvell much how they dare dero­gate from the power of GOD: for Hee who made man first of nothing, what can hinder Him againe [Page 166] now to make him vp of some thing? For Hee that calleth things which are not, as though they were, ROM. 4.17. how easilie may Hee call backe those thinges that were, and quicken the dead?

For what although the bodies bee burnt in ashes, bee devoured of beasts, eaten of fowles or fishes? For Tertullian answering to this, sayeth, Habet et car [...] suos sinus interim, in aquis, in ignibus, in alitibꝰ et bestiis. The flesh also hath her own receptacles in the meane tyme, in the waters, in the fyre, in the fowles and beasts. Cum in haec dissolvi videtur, velut in vasa diffun­ditur. And when in these it is dissolved, it is powred in as it were in vessels. Si etiam ipsa vasa defecerint, cum de illis quoque defluxerit in suam matricem terram, quasi per ambages resorbetur, vt rursus ex illa repraesente­tur. And if (sayeth hee) these vessels fayle, and it flowe out thereof, by turning againe, it is drunken in into the earth, and out of it, it may bee refounded againe, according to that which is wrytten, Revel. 20.13. And the sea gaue vp the dead, which were in it; and death and the graue delyvered vp the dead that were in them: and they were judged everie man according to his workes. Showing whatsoever kynde of death they died, they must all aryse, and giue presence, at judge­ment. Knoweth not the LORD by His infinite wis­dome, where the smallest part of the dust, wherein their bodies are dissolved, lyeth? and by His infinite power, is Hee not able to collect them altogether? Shall wee denye Him that skill a master of familie hath in his owne house; or a gold-smith in his shop, who can readilie bring everie thing out of its owne place, and as they ought, in a perfect manner, put them together?

Dyverse [...]f the An­ [...]ients, and in special Tertullian in his boo de Resurre­ctione ea [...] [...]is, cap. 13. doe bring the Phoenix, as an argument of the Resurrection: eyther because they thought the storie of the generation of this Fowle, to be vndoubtedli [...] true; or else, because they knewe that it was vniversallie believed; which wa [...] sufficient for their purpose.This power of GOD is evidentlie witnessed in the Phoenix, who albeit burnt in ashes, returneth to [Page 167] lyfe: in the Flees and Wormes, dead in Winter, reviving againe in Summer; in the day buried in the night, the nixt day returning.

And to affirme, that those bodies which shall bee glorified with the soule, shall not bee the same bo­dies, which were layde asleepe, it is to deny the Resur­rection. For who can call that a Resurrection? that is, a raysing vp of that bodie which was fallen, a wake­ning of that which was asleepe. It were meerlie ridi­culous, as the strength of the former argumentes evi­dentlie evinceth. Wherefore, we must vndoubtedly holde with Tertullian, that Resurget caro, & quidem omnis, & quidem ipsa, & quidem integra. In deposito est ubicunque apud DEVM per fidelissimum sequestrem DEI & hominum, IESVM CHRISTVM, qui & homi­ni DEVM, & hominem DEO reddet, carni spiritum, & spiritui carnem: that is, The flesh shall aryse, and all flesh, that selfe-same flesh, whole, and in its integritie. For, where ever it be, it is in sure keeping with GOD, through that faythfull Mediator betwixt GOD and Man, CHRIST IESVS; who will restore GOD to Man, and Man to GOD; the spirit to the flesh, and the flesh to the spirit.

The same bodies, then, which were layde asleepe in the graue, shall bee awakened, and that by the mini­sterie indeede of the holy Angels, who are ministring spirits, for the good of the Elect▪ but efficiently it shal bee by the voyce of IESVS CHRIST, as Hee testi­fieth of Himselfe; Verilie, verilie, I say vnto you, The houre is comming, and now is, when the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of GOD; and they that heare it, [Page 166] [...] [Page 167] [...] [Page 168] shall liue, IOHN. v.25. Hee is their Head, and there­fore will awake His owne members, to the participa­tion of His owne Glorie. Hee is their King, and will therefore call on them, to share of the Happinesse of His Kingdome, and to giue them a full and finall Evi­dence, That Death is swallowed vp into victorie. Hee will declare by His voyce, what vertue is in Him, to quicken them; & will possesse them with that, which is the ende of their awakening, even everlasting lyfe.

This is that happie Estate, which the Godlie both in their soules and bodies shall enjoy, at the last day. Happie, I say, because of Lyfe; but more happie, be­cause Aeternall. The happinesse of this Estate, the wit of man can not conceaue; no tongue can expresse it: for no eye of man hath sene it, no eare heard it, nor haue entered into the heart of man, the thinges which GOD hath prepared for them that loue Him, 1. Cor. 2.9. And Gregorie speaking heereof, sayeth, Cùm homo mortalis de aeterna gloria disserit, coecus de luce di­sputat: that is, When as a mortall man reasoneth of aeternall Glorie, it is as a blinde man discerning co­loures. Yet because such is the eagernesse of man's desire, to knowe somewhat of that Estate, and such vnspeakable Contentment it bringeth to the heartes of the Godlie, which haue the least glimpse of it; therefore the Spirit of GOD in Scripture, hath not left vs in this comfortlesse; but is content to expresse it, in some sort; that at least afarre off wee may see that which one day wee shall enjoye. Hee telleth vs, That that lyfe, is a lyfe of all brightnesse, joye, felicitie, and glorie; That therein wee shall get a Kingdome, an Inheritance vncorruptible, vndefyled, that fadeth not away. 1. Pet. j.4. A Crowne of Righteousnesse, 2. Tim. iv.8. A Crowne of Lyfe, a Crowne of Glorie, 1. Pet. v.4. An exceeding aeternall weyght of Glorie, 2. Cor. [Page 169] iv.17. That there shall bee Glorie, Honour, and Peace, to everie man that worketh good, Rom. 11.10. The bodies shall haue their glorie: For wee looke (sayeth the Apostle) for the LORD IESVS CHRIST, who shall change our vyle bodie, that it may bee fashioned lyke vnto His glorious bodie, according to the working; whereby He is able to subdue all thinges to Himselfe, Phil. iij.21. That bodie which was sowen in corruption, shall be raysed in incorruption: that which is sowen in dishonour, shall be raysed in glorie: and that which is sowne in weaknesse, shall bee raysed in power: and what is sowen a naturall bo­die, shal be raised a spirituall bodie, 1. Cor. xv.42.43.44. Wherevpon it is, that the Schoole-men gather foure speciall Enduementes, wherewith the bodie, as with a most gorgeous Robe, shall bee glorified. It shall be impassible, glorious, agile, and spirituall; suffering no corruption, shyning in brightnesse, as the starres in the firmament, with all readinesse and pleasure doing what the soule shall command: free from all animall employmentes, as eating, drinking, begetting of chil­dren: neyther marrying, nor giving in marriage; but aequall with the Angels of GOD, Luke xx.36. The soules agayne shall bee in perfect Happinesse, in re­garde of their cleare vision of GOD. Heere wee see Him but darklie, as it were in a glasse: but there wee shall see Him face to face. Now we know but in part, but there wee shall know, even as wee are knowne, 1. Cor. xiij.12. And next, in regarde of their fruition of GOD: For the Lambe which is in the middest of the Throne, shall feede them, and leade them to the fountaynes of living waters: and GOD shall wype away all teares from their eyes, Revel. vij.17. And thirdlie, in regarde of their perfect loue of GOD. Yea, in a word, man in that estate enjoying GOD, shall participate of that same Happinesse, wherewith GOD Himselfe is happie. [Page 170] For as the Happinesse of GOD consisteth in the Vi­sion, or Contemplation of His owne Essence; So our Happinesse shal stand in the viewing of the Essence of GOD: or, which is all one, in beholding of the glo­rious, and amiable Countenance of that LORD, in whose presence there is fulnesse of joye, and at whose right Hand there are pleasures for evermore. Wherefore I may saye with BERNARD, Et quis non illic habitare vehementer desideret, & propter pacem, & propter amoenitatem, & propter aeternitatem, & propter DEI visionem? that is, And who will not earnestlie desire to dwell there, for the peace, the pleasure, the aeternitie, and the sight of GOD there?

Having thus shortlie run through this CONSOLA­TORIE Text, the doctrine whereof, as it is at al tymes, so nowe moste necessarie, when your heartes are fraughted with griefe, for the death of our late Vene­rable Prelate; of whome albeit much hath beene worthilie spoken, yet it is impossible for vs, (not beeing of aequall worth with himselfe) to speake according to his worth: Vt enim de pictore, sculp­tore, fictore, nisi artifex judicare, ita nisi sapiens, non potest perspicere sapientem, Plin. Sec. Lib. 1. Epist. 10. Onlie a wyse man (sayth hee) can fullie obserue a wyse man: and hee must bee of aequall worth, who can remarke in the Worthie, what is worthie to bee observed. Therefore I resolved to cover his pray­ses with silence, and now onlie comfort you agaynst his death.

But fearing, if too suddenlie I did stop the current of your griefe, it should rather over-flow, nor cease; I can not but giue you this vent, and with you ac­knowledge, that great is the losse which both Church and Policie doeth sustayne, beeing deprived of him: For justlie may that testimonie of prayse bee given [Page 171] him, which the wyse man giveth to David, Eccl. 47.2. As is the fat taken away from the Peace-offring, so was David chosen out of the children of Israell: For albeit all the Peace-offering amongst the Israelites, was by a speciall lawe consecrated vnto the LORD, yet onelie the fat would the LORD haue given vnto Himselfe, as the speciall, chiefe, and best part. So al­beit all the people of Israell were holie vnto the LORD, yet DAVID, in comparison with them, was as the fat of the Sacrifice, aboue others chosen of GOD, and delectable vnto Him. So may I say of our worthie Prelate, As the fat taken away from the Peace-offering; so hee, a man full of fat, that is, of choyce and excellent giftes, was speciallie chosen out by GOD, to bee consecrated to His glorie, in the good of His Church, and Common-wealth heere.

For hee testified, in all the actes of his lyfe, that the grace of GOD had appeared vnto him, and taught him to denye all vngodlinesse, and worldlie lustes, and to liue godlie, righteouslie, and soberlie, in this present worlde: still seeking for that blessed Hope, and glo­rious Apperance of our LORD and SAVIOVR IESVS CHRIST.

And, in particular, in the actes of his Priestlie, or Ministeriall Calling, hee did testifie, that hee was a chosen Vessell vnto CHRIST, to carrie His Name. For hee was a worke-man, who needed not to bee asha­med▪ rightlie hee could divide the Word of Trueth, fled youthfull lustes, and did followe Righteousnesse, Fayth, Charitie, and Peace, with them that call on the LORD with a pure heart, &c.

In the actes of his Prelacie, hee kythed, that the LORD had separated him, for this worke, as a man fit to rule. For hee was one that did rule his owne spi­rit: and so, in Salomon's esteeme, better than one that [Page 172] taketh a Citie, Prov. xvj.32. In which Charge, as you haue heard, hee worthilie did discharge himselfe; provyding for Seminaries of Learning, and now­rishment for seede to growe therein. In these Semi­naries, the Youth, as pleasant Plantes, did aboun­dantlie spring vp in his tyme: and he, after due tryall of their worth, planted them in the LORD'S Vine­yarde: yea, after hee had planted them, hee transplan­ted some of them from one part of it, to another. For, as a wyse master Gardner, sometymes hee pluc­ked fullie vp vnprofitable trees, out of their places, that they should not trouble the ground anie more; sometymes, according to the nature of the soyle, and the worth of the Plantes, hee did transplant them; that profitable trees, might haue profitable rowmes. And, aboue all, hee had a care, that the pestilent weedes of Haeresie and Schisme, should neyther abyde, nor enter therein: that almost heere, by his meanes, hee hath plucked vp Popish Superstition by the rootes.

And in the actes of Policie, as a States-man, hee did evidentlie declare, that our mightie Prince did choose him out, according to the wyse counsell of Iethro to Moses, for an able man, one that feared GOD, loved the Trueth, and hated covetousnesse, Exod. xviij.21. And so hee discharged himselfe in all Em­ploymentes of that kynde, that with IOB hee might haue sayde of himselfe, that hee was in such admira­tion amongst the Princes, and Nobles, that when hee spake, they refrayned talking, and layd their hand on their mouth: they held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roofe of their mouth, Iob xxix.9.10.

That such a man is taken away, it can not bee de­nyed, but that it praesageth some heavie judgement vpon this Land: and that the rather, as Esay in the [Page 173] lyke case complayneth, because the righteous perish, and no man layeth it to heart; and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away, from the evill to come. Esay. lvij.1. Oh, if men would consider, howe that such men are both Lightes and Pillars, where they liue; and what respect the LORD hath vnto them; and howe from tyme to tyme Hee hath wonderfullie spared others, for their sakes: how all Israll was spared, for one Moses: and howe hee would haue spared Sodom and Gomorrah, if there had beene ten righteous men therein, Gen. xviij. and how that the Angell could not doe anie thing agaynst them, vntill LOT did escape to the mountaynes: The consideration of this, would make them to take to heart the death of the Righteous, and in tyme by re­pentance praevent these judgementes, which seeme to ensue.

This is the speciall vse should bee made of our Prelates death: and not, as we are all doing, mourne or weepe for him. For, knowing the happie estate wherein hee is, wee haue matter to rejoyce, and bee glad. His soule is convoyed to the bosome of Abra­ham, wherein the glorious companie of Angels, and blessed Sayncts, hee is praysing the LORD. His bo­die nowe resting from manie toylesome travelles, is layde in a sound sleepe; out of which, one day, by the sweete voyce of his Saviour CHRIST IESUS, it shall bee awakened: and when Hee shall come in Glorie, Hee will then bring him both in soule and bodie to Glorie with Him: and then, with other wysemen, hee shall shyne as the brightnesse in the firma­ment; and because he hath turned manie vnto righteous­nesse, as a farre for ever and ever, DAN. 12.

Wherefore should wee then mourne for him? For as Bernard sayeth, Pro defunctis fidelibus, non de [Page 174] bemus plorare; sed DEO gratias agere, quia eos de mise­ria hujus seculi dignatus est liberare, & eos ad loca refri­gerii, lucis, & pacis, sicut credimus, fecit transire: that is, wee ought not to mourne for the faithfull that are dead, but giue thankes to GOD for them, who hath vouchsafed to delyver them out of the miseries of this lyfe, and as wee are perswaded, hath made them to flit vnto the places of refreshment, light,, and peace. And, I am assured, if hee were now speaking to you, hee would tell you of his Happinesse; that hee resteth now from his laboures, and that his workes haue followed him. So that if wee mourne nowe, wee may hurt our selues, but not profite him. Let those onlie carnallie mourne for their friends, that are ignorant of the nature of Death, and denye the Resurrection. But let vs rejoyce, who knowe they are asleepe, and shall bee awakened, to everlasting Lyfe.

First, then, you worthie Citizens, cease now, and leaue off your mourning for your Reverende Prelate: bee no more lyke Rachel, who wept for her children, and would noo bee comforted; nor with Ioash, weeping over the face of Elisha, and crying, O my father, my father; the chariot of Israell and the horse-men thereof. Albeit I must yeelde this much to your griefe, that being depryved of him, you haue these concurring judgementes: There is taken from you the Iudge, and the Prophet; the prudent, and the ancient; the honourable man, & the counseller, the eloquent orator, ESAI. 3.2.3. Therefore I cannot better speake vnto you, than in the wordes of our Saviour, to the women who fol­lowed him to the place of his sufferinges, Weepe not for mee, but weepe for your selues, O yee daughters of Ie­rusalem. So you haue no matter to weepe for him, but onlie for your selues. Weepe, that when you had him, you made not a good vse of him; that you [Page 175] did not obey his doctrine, follow his counsels: and yet in this hee hath not left you comfortlesse; for more carefullie he hath provyded Pastores for your instruction, nor ever anie that went before him: whose doctrine if you hearken vnto and obey, when Death (which may bee shortlie) shall sease vpon you, and yee shall bee gathered vnto him; with com­fort you shall see him, and say, Heere is hee that turned vs vnto righteousnesse: and at the sight of you joyful­lie shall hee say, LORD, loe, heere am I, and the chil­dren which thou hast given mee. HEB. 2.13.

Next, you my Reverend Colleagues, his much re­spected Presbyters, why continue you your mourning, lyke Orphanes destitute of a father? you are not ignorant, as these who haue not hope. Remember you not how carefull hee was, not to leaue you comfortlesse? what testimonies at his death had we of his loue? did hee not shortlie before his death communicate with vs alone, in the holie Sacrament of the blessed bodie and blood of CHRIST IESUS▪ which was the last testimonie of CHRIST his owne loue to his Disciples? when Elijah was to bee rapt vp into the Heavens, being desyred of Elisha, saying, I pray the let a double portion of thy spirit bee vpon mee; It seemed hard this petition to Elijah: yet how glad­lie did our ELIjAH, when wee Elisha-lyke, on bowed knees, did begge His blessing, answere vs, with his hand on everie one of our heades, saying, The LORD blesse you, and double his grace, and loue to you, that ever hee granted vnto mee. What can wee but hope for Vertue from that hand, as Elisha receaved Vertue from the Cloake of Elijah? Remember that storie regi­strated by Ambrose, de off. lib. 1. cap· 41. of Sixtus Bishop of Rome, and Laurens his Deacon: who seeing his Bishop going to Martyrdome, weeping, said, Quô [Page 176] progrederis sine filio pater? Quô sacerdos sine diacono properas? nunquam sacrificium sine ministro offerre con­sueveras? quid in me displicuit pater? num degenerem probasti? experire certè vtrum idoneum ministrum ele­geris, cui commisisti Dominici sanguinis dispensationem, cui consummandorum consortium sacramentorum: huic consortium sanguinis negas, &c. That is, Father, whi­ther doest thou goe without thy sonne? O thou my priest, whither hastenest thou without mee thy Dea­con? it was not hitherto thy custome to offer sacri­fice without thy helper? what is there in mee nowe hath displeased thee? hast thou found mee faynte hearted? essay mee yet whether or no thou madest choice of a fit helper for thee, to whom thou diddest commit the dispensation of CHRISTS blood, and whose societie thou refusedst not in performing the holie Sacramentes; why wilt thou denye his fellow­ship, in shedding of his blood with thee?

To whom Sixtus replyed, Non ego te, fili, derelin­quo aut desero, sed majora tibi debentur certamina, nos quasi senes levioris pugnae cursum recepimus: te quasi juvenem manet glori [...]sior de tyranno triumphus mox ve­nies, flere desiste, post triduum me sequeris: that is, O my sonne, I doe not vtterlie forsake thee: there are greater conflictes abyding thee: we as olde men haue vndergon lesser skirmisses: to thee, as to a young man, abydeth over this Tyrant a more glorious triumph. Thou shalt come shortlie: cease therefore to weepe. For within three dayes thou shalt follow mee.

How often in lyke manner before his departure did hee thus comfort vs? yea, if hee were nowe speaking to you, would hee not say? I doe not leaue you succourlesse; but as I haue foughten cow­ragiouslie my fight; so follow my example: the tyme you haue to abyde behinde mee, is but short: [Page 177] your Victorie shall be great, and your triumph glo­rious: and where I am as a starre in the firmament, you also shall bee there as brightnesse, shyning with mee in Glorie.

And as for you his Kinsmen and Friends, let the dayes of your mourning and weeping haue an ende: Non amisistis, sed praemisistis, you haue not lost him, hee is but gone before you. You had his travelles while hee lived: let him now enjoy his rest, the ende of his travelles. I may say to you as Calvine, in a case not vnlyke to this, sayde to a friend, Ideo DEVS sustulit, quia & illi è mundo emigrare, & hac orbitate vel te humiliari, vel tuam patientiam probari vtile erat. Epist. 19. GOD therefore tooke him away, because to him to flit out of this world, and to you by lacke of him, your parent eyther to humble you, or to trye your patience, it was alwayes profitable. Neyther hath hee left you comfortlesse: for there bee few of you, but enjoyeth some reall testimonies of his loue and favour. For never was anie parent more affectio­nate to his children, than he to his respected friends. You haue also in his place a sonne worthie of such a father, in vertue and pietie tracing his steppes: whom if you duelie honour, his worth and affection shall supplie much the losse of such a father.

And lastlie, let vs all not onlie cease to mourne for him, but also cease to fret at death, since such vtilitie shee bringeth to the godlie, and let our murmuring against death bee turned to an endevouring to liue a godlie lyfe; that living well, wee may die well. For bona mors justi propter requiem, melior propter novitatem, optima propter securitatem: the death of the just man is good for his enjoyed rest; better for his newenesse of lyfe; and best of all, for that safetie and securitie hee is put into. The LORD then grant that wee all [Page 178] may liue the lyfe of the righteous, whereby we may die the death of the righteous▪ that sleeping with them in the dust of the earth, with them also wee may bee awakened to everlasting Lyfe, through IESUS CHRIST. AMEN.