THis Text that I haue chosen, being consi­dered as it standeth here related, is but a part of a sentence. For in this verse with the 22. going before, and the 24. following, the Apostle consulteth of two things set before him, whether hee maye choose: not of any inconstant light­nesse, neither of any discontent­ment, but because he seeth in either thing good cause to desire it.

The two things whereof he con­sulteth whether to choose, are life and death: (in which consultation most men would quickly resolue. For many desire life with any con­ditions, as Augustine truly affirmes in one of his Sermons, saying: Lon­gam vitam, etiam malam pene omnes volunt habere: all men welnie desire a long long life, though euill and troublesome).

The commoditie of life, for which the Apostle can bee content to choose it, is the profitable seruice that hee might doe to the Church. This he mentioneth as drawing his desire after life in the 24. verse, say­ing: Neuerthelesse, to abide in the flesh is more needefull for you. Where note by the way, what it is should make thee desirous to liue in this world, onely to profit others, and to do the office of a good seruant among thy fellow seruants.

The commoditie of death for which hee wisheth, that is, the fellowshippe of Christ in heauen so to be obtained. This hee men­tioneth as drawing his desire after it, in the wordes of my Text, say­ing: Desiring to bee loosed and to bee with Christ, which is best of all. Where note I pray you, what is the hope & desire of the godly in their death, namely, to be gathered to their Sa­uiour.

If wee consider these wordes a­part, singled from the rest of the E­pistle, they containe a perfect in­struction concerning the death of true beleeuers: wherein are these three things.

First, that death is a thing of the godly to be desired, in these words, Desiring to be loosed.

Secondly, that the godlie are gathered by death, into the companie of Iesus Christ in hea­uen [Page 8](which is the thing that maketh their death to be so much (to be de­sired) in these wordes: and to bee with Christ. Thirdly, that the fellowship of Christ, which the godly obtaine after death, is the greatest happi­nesse that can bee desired or obtei­ned, in these wordes: for that is best of all.

This Text I haue chosen at this time for this reasō. We are come to­gither to cōmit to the groūd the bo­die of a seruāt & childe of God, who with all his hart desired to be dissol­ued. Who desired his dissolution with the same reason for which the Apostle desired it; namely, that hee might be with Christ: and desired this fellowshippe of Christ, with the same iudgement, with which the A­postle desired it, because hee knew that to be best of all.

By the handling of this text, you shal see the wisedom of of his choice [Page 9]and his desire, and so, I hope, bee drawen with desire and iudgement to wait for the day of your dissoluti­on, that you also may bee gathered to Christ, which is best of all.

Desiring to be loosed, eis to analusai: for so the Apostle describeth death to bee an vnbinding and loosing of man, that the soule set at liberty from the fetters of the flesh, may return to his Creator freely. Which it cannot doe so long as it is shackled here in the body. And this description of death is most conuenient both to confute all Sadduces, and also to in­struct vs howe to iudge rightly of death.

Euery childe of man is compoun­ded of these two parties: of an hu­mane body, that is as the house and dwelling, and of a reasonable soule, that is the tenant dwelling there. So are wee taught in the historie of the first mans creation. Gen. 2.7. The [Page 10]Lord Gad made the man of the dust of the ground, there is the body, the house of clay; and hee breathed in his face the breath of life. That is, saith Tremelius, Animam vitalem elemen­tari corpori inspirauit: by inspiration hee placed a liuing soule in his ele­mentarie bodie, and the man was a liuing soule, so soone as these two partes beeing ioyned together the man liueth.

And that which we cal death, is no thing else but the dissoluing of this composition, and the seperating of these two parts, that the soule may be loose and at liberty to returne vn­to God, as Salomon describeth death in Ecclesiastes, 12.7. Dust returneth to earth as it was, and the spirit returnes to God that gaue it.

Death is not the destruction, ey­ther of the whole man, or of any part of him, as many suppose, that say in the Booke of Wisedome, 2.2. [Page 11] Wee were borne at all auenture, and hereafter wee shall bee as if wee had ne­uer beene. For the breath is a smoke in our nosthrills, and the words are a sparke raised out of the heart, which being ex­tinguished, the bodie is turned into a­shes, and the spirit vanisheth as the soft aire. Thus foolish men thinke that in death they perish and come to nothing, and die as the beasts doe.

And of this opinion, in the Church of the Iewes, were the ab­surd Saduces, who beleeued no re­surrection to come of the body, and therefore thought that the body pe­rished in death. And they belee­ued that there was no spirit sepera­ted from flesh, no such inuisible and spirituall creature, and therefore thought that the soule perished in death. Their absurd opinion is re­corded in Acts, 23.8. The Sadduces say, that there is no resurrection, nor Spirit, nor Angel.

But we beleeue and teach contra­rie to all Sadduces, both the immor­tality of the soule remaining after death, and also the resurrection of the flesh at the last day. For the soule of Lazarus being dead, ascended to a place of comfort. Luk. 16.22. And all that are in the graue (which is the receptacle of our dead bodies) shall at the last daye heare the voyce of Christ, sending forth his Archangel with the sound of a Trumpet, and they shall come forth to iudgement. Ioh. 5.28.

So that neither body nor soule in death perisheth and ceaseth to bee: and death is no destruction of man, but the loosing of the Spirrit out of the prison of the flesh, and a dissol­uing of man into his parts, as the A­postle here speaketh, desiring to bee dissolued. Wherein it behoueth no man to bee an agent, to loose him­self, as they which lay violent hands [Page 13]vpon themselues: but we must all be patients, and wait vpon God, till he that tied the knot of life in thee, vn­tie the same. The Apostle, to bee with Christ, desired not to lose him­selfe, but to be loosed.

The Apostle in these words shew­eth vs his desire: and in his desire, sheweth vs that death and desoluti­on is a thing to bee desired of the godly. When the labourer hath wrought stoutly in the vineyard all the day, and at length the euening commeth wherein he may rest, hee is glad of it, yea hee doth desire and wait for the comming of the eue­ning that he may rest. Our life here beneath, is but as a day, and a short winter day; and here vpon the earth as in the Lords vineyard, we are ap­pointed to labour: so the Parable of the labourers hired to worke in the vineyard, Matth. 20. doth teach vs. [Page 14]When the euening of our daye, namely, death dooth come, the ser­uant of God reioyceth that he may rest from his labour: yea, in wise­dome hee shoulde desire the com­ming of it, that hee might rest from his labour: for death bringeth such rest. The holy Ghost from heauen affirmed to Iohn the Euangelist, Reu. 14.13. that they which die in the Lord, doe rest from their labours, and are therein blessed. And a wise Poet truly saide it, Est finis mise­ria in morte, in death our miseries end.

When the souldier hath put on armour, and lieth in Campe against the enemie, hee longeth for victo­rie, that hee may put off his armour, and rest from that daungerous and painefull seruice. And when that wished day is come, hee reioyceth for his rest. For as the King of Israel answered the king of Aram, though [Page 15]he that girdeth on his armour boast himselfe, yet he that putteth it off af­ter victorie, hath whereof to boast. Now wee are all Souldiers, and our life vpon the earth is a warfare. So Ierome reades the first wordes of the seuenth chapter of Iob, Milita est vita hominis super terram: A warfare saith hee, fighting against inuisible aduersaries. And wee are sent into this world as the Lordes prest men, vnder the Banner of Christ, fol­lowing him our Captaine, to fight against sinne, against the flesh, the diuell, and the worlde, by dooing good workes, and resisting tentati­ons.

Sinne fighteth against vs, and of­ten taketh vs captiues. Rom. 7.23. Paul saith, I see an other Lawe in my m̄ebers rebelling against the Law of my minde, and leading mee captiue vnto the law of sin which is in my members. The flesh fighteth against vs, striuing [Page 16]against the spirit, as the spirit striueth against the flesh. And Peter biddeth vs, Abstaine from fleshly lusts, because they fight against the soule. 1. Pet. 2.11. The Diuell commeth fiercely vpon vs as a roaring Lyon, and fighteth a­gainst vs. Eph. 6.16. beeing armed with fierie darts. And the worlde dooth not loue those whom God hath choson out of the world. Iohn, 15.19. and the battel which we haue to maintaine against those enemies is most perillous, because, Eph. 6.22. wee wrastle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the worldly gouer­nours, the princes of the darknesse of this world.

This battell endeth not till the day of our dissolution commeth: then are wee freed from tentations, and deliuered from sinne. For Romans, 6.7. the Apostle saith: Hee that is dead is freed from sinne. Then doe wee [Page 17]rest and reioyce, triumphing ouer all our enemies, sauing that death for a time holdeth our bodies in the dust of the earth. And therefore the day of our dissolution, as the end of our both painefull and dangerous warre is to be desired.

Hee that can discerne betweene labour with wearinesse, & rest with reward, betweene warre with perill, and victorie with ioyfull peace, hee will say, that the daye of death to a good man is to bee desired more then life; because life is labour with wearinesse, and woe with perill: but the houre of death bringeth rest with reward, and victorie with ioy­full peace. Ciprian in a Treatise of his, De mortalitate, in the third secti­on saith of life; Quid aliud in mundo quam pugna aduersus diabolum quoti­die geritur? quam aduersus iacula eius & tela conflictationibus assidius dimi­catur? While wee are in the world, [Page 18]what do we but fight against the di­uell? and warre with continual con­flicts against his arrowes and darts? but of death hee saith: Illa est pax no­stra, illa fida tranquillitas, illa stabilis, & firma, & perpetua securitas: Death is our peace, our sure tranquilitie, our stable, firme and perpetual secu­ritie.

When Balaam that false Prophet, that loued the wages of iniquitie, beeing hired by the King of Mo­ab to curse Israel, had considered that cursing could not bee the ende of Gods people, but that they were heires of blessing, hee pronounced these wordes, Numbers, 23.10. Let mee die the death of the righteous: let my last end be like his. The man did see, his eyes beeing opened of God, that the end of the righteous, for the peace and happinesse thereof was to be desired.

The day of dissolution to a righ­teous man, is like that day in which Ioseph was brought out of prison, and stoode before Pharaoh: Hee had long beene in bonds. In pri­son hee was basely clothed as be­came a prisoner. In the end his fet­ters are laid aside, hee is taken out of prison, he putteth off his base attire, he is washed and shauen, hee put­teth on new apparrell, is brought in­to the presence of the King, and made a ruler throughout the King­dome.

The iust mans life is like the time of his captiuitie; and his death is like to his deliuerie. While wee liue, the soule is inclosed in the bodie as in a prison, and is clo­thed with the flesh, as with fil­thie garmentes, and is clog­ged with sinne, as with fetters of yron and brasse; and is cum­bred with iniuries and tentations, [Page 20]more greeuous and noysome then the hunger, colde, and noysome sa­uour of the prison.

But when the houre of dissoluti­on commeth, the prison is broken, and wee are deliuered. Wee put off the ragges of the flesh, and are clo­thed with white: we are loosed from the fetters of sinne, we are washed in the blood of Christ, wee are admit­ted into the presence of God, and are made togither with Iesus Christ heires of a heauenly kingdom. And therefore as Ioseph desired to bee de­liuered, and had cause to riot when that daye came, euen so may the righteous desire their dissolution, & they haue cause to reioyce when the day thereof draweth nigh.

The death indeed of the wicked is very fearefull, and by all meanes to be auoided, if it could bee auoi­ded: For their death is like the eue­ning to the slothfull seruant, when [Page 21]his Maister will examine his daies worke. It is like the comming home of the Lorde to the vnprofitable ser­uant, that had wrapped his Tallent in a napkin, and buried it in the ground: hee was called to account, and because he had beene idle, Mat. 25.26. his Talent was taken from him, and giuen to an other, and after sharpe rebukes, hee was cast into vt­ter darknesse, where is weeping and gnashing of teeth. It is like the feare­full assises, and day of goale deliue­rie vnto the malefactor, who being brought from the prison to the Bar, and there condemned, is led from thence to the place of execution. It is like the birth day of Pharaoh vnto his officer the Baker, who was taken out of prison, led to the gallowes, hanged, and made a praie to the foules of heauen.

The death therefore of the wic­ked is euill, and to be shunned (if it [Page 22]could bee shunned) for in it endeth all their rest, and beginneth all their labour. In it, endeth all their happi­nesse, and beginneth all their mise­rie. In it endeth all their pleasure, & beginneth their torment, which neuer shall end: and they fall as the tree that is cut downe for the fire. Reade the report of the vnmercifull glutton, in Luk. 16.19. what pleasures his life abounded withall; which all turned to torments when hee died.

But the righteous are cut downe like to ripe corne, that with care is brought into the barne: and they are deliuered from the euills that are to come. Esay, 57.1. they rest from all their labours past. Reuel. 14.13. They come to their perfect ioy, in hope whereof they reioyced bee­fore. Matth. 25.11. It is saide to the good seruant, Enter into thy Mai­sters ioy. And when they put off the [Page 23]earthly house of this tabernacle, 2. Corin. 5.1. they haue a building gi­uen of God, not made with handes, but eternall in heauen. They leaue earthly possessions, which com­ming naked into the worlde, they found here, and going naked out of the world, they leaue here: and for them they receiue an inheritance immortal, vndefiled, that fadeth not away, but is reserued for them in the heauens: and then doe they truly begin to liue, when they depart out of this darke vale of fraile morta­litie.

Truly that seruant of God (the ru­ines of whose earthly tabernacle lie here before vs to be interred) know­ing that the death of the righteous was to bee desired, did with de­sire and longing, expect and en­tertaine the houre of his dissolu­tion.

And when hee had, not yet in [Page 24]deede, but onely in his purpose and resolution, put off his flesh, and re­ceiued in himselfe the sentence of death, hee could by no meanes bee drawen in his affections to put it on againe, though the fraile flesh and his fading life, as enticing harlots, did earnestly striue to drawe his li­king vnto them.

But as a wise and stout trauailer, when after long & wearie iournies, he sees at last, not farre off, the place of his habitation, dooth then with double desire contend to come vn­to it; and wil not then suffer himselfe to bee staied, but saith in his heart, Oh long desired seate of my wished rest, often haue I thoght vpon thee, now shall I obtaine thee: my feete forget their wearinesse, and my hart forgets all faintnes, for loue of thee: and my desire shall not end, till I ob­taine the end of my desire.

Euen so this man, made wise by [Page 25]the word of God, which maketh wise vnto saluation, & being strong and of good courage in the Lorde, when after wearie trauaile and long iournies, in this wildernesse of the world, & vale of tentations, he was admonished by sicknesse and infir­mitie, that he was not farre from the end of his way, and that his resting place vpon the hill of Gods holines was not much distant: hee lifted vp the eyes of his minde toward hea­uen, and contemplating the beautie of the heauenly new Ierusalem, and of the glorious kingdome prepared for the sonnes of God; with doub­led desire he contended thither, and casting of all those things that might stay him (the loue of this world and of fraile life) hee wholly breathed heauen, with this resolution; Long haue I desired thee, nowe haue I found thee. When thou wert fur­ther of I desired thee, and now that [Page 26]my ioy be fulfilled in comming vn­to thee.

I speake not these things as onely intending to praise him, though it be his iust and great praise that these things be truly spoken of him, and such a praise as men doe not vsually deserue, namely, to renounce this world, & to contend, with ful course of strong affections toward heauen. For his praise only, I speak not these things of him (though to the righte­ous there belongeth a blessed me­morie, Prou. 10.7.) himselfe desired not praise among men, but the praise that is of God.

But I remember also for your sakes, and in him I shadow forth vn­to you (as in an example agreeing aptly with the doctrine of my text) what ought to be the desire and re­solution of euery of you: namely, to meete the Lords purpose with your desire, and to goe hence with ioy, [Page 27]when the houre of your dissolution commeth, and not to looke backe in your loue and wishes, to this world, as Lots wife looked backe to Sodome, whē her departure out from thence was her safetie, and her stay could not haue beene any longer without her hurt.

Thus much shall serue to haue spoken of the first wordes, wherein the Apostle signifieth his desire of death. Now let vs cōsider of the cō ­moditie that he looketh to reape by his dissolution, which maketh him so much to desire it.

The commoditie of life was pub­like, hee might doe good to others. His wordes for that, are in verse 24. Neuerthelesse to abide in the flesh is more needefull for you. The commo­ditie of death is priuate, he shall win good to himselfe. That he pronoun­ceth in the words of this verse, Desi­ring [Page 28]to bee dissolued, and to bee with Christ. In which words, giuing rea­son of his desire, hee teacheth vs a fruit of our death, and what it is that should make vs desire death, name­ly, that thereby we might be gathe­red vnto Christ.

Many men for many causes desire the day of their dissolutiō. But as the Lord Iesus said, Luk. 10.42. of Maries choyce, One thing is needefull: so may we say of the reasons, driuing men to desire death, one is laudable.

Abimelech, the base sonne of Ge­deon, besieged a Tower in Tebez, and comming neare vnto the wall there­of, a woman threw down vpon him a peece of a milstone, wherewith she brake his head. Iudg. 9.53. Then he called his seruant that bare his ar­mour, and bad him draw his sword and kill him: yeelding this reason for his desire of death; That men might not say, a woman killed him. The [Page 29]valiant man, for the auoiding of that dishonour, desiring the speede of his owne dissolution, by his armour bearers hands.

In the daies of Dauid, Absolom re­belled against his father. And Achi­tophel, a man very politike, and a sub­till counseller, tooke part with him. His counsell Absolom refused, & fol­lowed rather the counsell of Huspai. Herevpon Achitophel, partly angrie, and disdaining that his counsell was not followed, & partly fearing that Absoloms faction could not preuaile, letting slip the opportunitie that he had counselled him to take, sadled his Asse, forsooke Absolom, went to his owne house, set all things in or­der, and then hanged himselfe. The proud Polititiā, not able to beare the disgrace, and fearing afterclaps, (for he suspected Absoloms fall) hastened with his own hands his dissolution. So Iudas the traitour, not able to [Page 30]beare the disgrace of his owne trea­son in betraying the innocent blood of his Maister, made a quicke dis­patch of himselfe. Matth. 27.5.

And not onely the wicked, but the godly also, haue sometime ha­stened their death, and desired the day of their dissolution, vpon weake reasons, which as I dare not disa­low, so I cannot greatly commend. When Sampson, by the subtiltie of a Harlot, came into the handes of the Philistims, they put out his eyes, and caused him to grinde in a mill. And when on a certaine day, the Princes of the Philistims were come togi­ther to sacrifice vnto Dagon their god, to whom they gaue the praise, to haue deliuered their enemie into their hands, then Sampson was called for, hee must bee brought forth to make them merrie. And within a large house, whose waight was born vppe with two mighty pillars in the [Page 31]middest, Sampson was placed neare those same pillars: who praying vn­to God to strengthen him, with all his power prested the pillars, and o­uerthrew the house, Iud. 16.30. and slew a great multitude. For there were without, vpon the roofe of the house, three thousands, besides them that were within: and among the multitude, he himselfe perished. The good man considered that it was his calling to destroye the ene­mies of the people of God; and hee loued not his life, that hee might with losse thereof, finish the worke of his calling.

And good Elias, that zealous Pro­phet of God, in the daies of Ahab, fleeing from Iezebel, into the wilder­nesse beyond Beersheba, and sitting vnder a Iuniper-tree, desired to die, saying; 1. Kings, 19.4. It is enough O Lord, take away my life, I am no better then my fathers. Hee was somewhat [Page 32]impatient, and would haue had his dissolution hastened, because hee could rest no where in safetie from the wrath of Iezebel.

For many & diuers causes, which for the time haue taken away the sweetnesse of life, and the bitternesse of death; many haue desired the ha­stening of their dissolution. But sud­den, short, vncōstant, & not alwaies iustifiable, is the desire groūded vp­on those causes. Burdens presse vs not continually, that wee should be euer weary of bearing. Perils indure not euer, that we should euer feare. Reproach doth not alwaies attend vpon vs, that we should out of a big heart mislike our liues for shame. Paine and discontentment doe not abide with vs still, that we should e­uer wish to die: the desire to bee dis­solued, grounded vpon these causes, cannot be lasting.

There is onely one true reason, [Page 33]that taketh awaye all bitternesse of death, and ouercommeth all sweet­nesse of this present life, and bree­deth in vs a true, constant and sound desire of dissolution. And that is this, that the Apostle here remem­breth, as the commoditie or aduan­tage of death, drawing his desire, namely, that by this meanes hee should be gathered vnto Christ, and obtaine fellowshippe with him by fight, and not by faith: the gaine, and glorie, and sweetnesse of which fellowship, wee shall consider when we come to handle those last words, (Which is best of all). Here it is more proper to consider and shewe, that the fellowshippe of Christ is gained by dissolution, and that the godlie dying, doe goe vnto him.

Of the two malefactors which was crucified with the Lorde Iesus, the one vpon the Crosse besought him, saying: Luk. 23.42. Lord remem­ber [Page 34]me when thou cōmest into thy King­dome: to whom hee made answer in the 43. verse: This day thou shalt bee with me in Paradise. Of which fauour afforded to the theefe, Ambrose spea­keth excellently, writing vpon the 38. Psalme, and framing a little short speech to the diuell, by whom Iudas had beene lately before set on to be­tray his Master. The theefe vpon the Crosse, saith Ambrose, in his vn­derstanding sawe the kingdome of Christ, which Iudas could not see in the feast & Supper of Christ. There­fore did this heauenly voyce second the theeues praier, This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. Thou didst tri­umph ô fierce Dragon, that thou hadst drawn away an Apostle from Christ, Plus amisisti quam sustulisti qui latronem vides in Paradisum esse tran­slatum: Thou hast lost more then thou hast got, and so thinke when thou seest the theefe translated into [Page 35]Paradise. For who shal be excluded, when a theefe is admitted? Thy mi­nister, ô diuell, entred thither from whence thou wert cast out. But lea­uing further commenting vppon those wordes, in them wee may see that the same day and houre when the soule of a true beleeuer depar­teth from the body, it taketh a hap­pie iourny, and is carried by Angells into Paradise, to enioy the compa­nie of Christ.

In the fourteenth of Iohn, verse, 2. Iesus saith: In my fathers house are ma­ny mansions. If it were not so, I would haue told you. I goe to prepare a place for you: and though I goe to prepare a place for you, I will come againe and receiue you vnto my selfe, that where I am, there may you bee also. His Fathers house that hee speaketh of, is the ample kingdom of heauen: the many man­sions there, are the blessed resting places of the Saints: Iesus went to [Page 36]prepare those places in his ascensiō: Hee commeth againe to euery one of vs in the houre of dissolution, and by the ministery of Angels, receiues our soules to himselfe, that in the same Kingdome they may rest with him, till they receiue their bodies in the resurrtction, when both in body and soule, they shall continue with him for euer. This promise of Christ to come againe and receiue them to himselfe, did make them, saith Au­gustine, in his 77. Tractate vpon Iohn, Certes & fidentes, post pericula tentatio­num, se apud Deum cum Christo esse mansures: Sure and confident, that after the perill of tentations, that is, after death & dissolution, they shall continue with Christ in the pre­sence of God.

Vnto that former place, ioyne an other testimonie out of Iohn, in his seuenteenth chapter, frō the twenty verse to the 25. Iesus praieth for [Page 37]those that beleeue in him, that they might bee one with him by a most strait coniunction. And in the verse 24. that they should come vnto him, saying: Father, I will that those which thou hast giuen mee, be where I am, that they may see my glorie which thou hast giuen me, for thou didst loue mee before the foundation of the world, I will, saith Iesus, that they be where I am. Then, as hee left the world to ascend vnto his Father, so they must leaue the world, which they doe in death, to ascend vp vnto Iesus Christ.

A notable place is that of the Apo­stle Paul in the second to the Corin­thians, 5. chapter 6. verse. Wee are al­waies bold, thogh we know that while we are at home in the body, we are absent frō the Lord: for wee walke by faith, and not by sight: Neuerthelesse we are bold, and loue rather to remoue out of the body, and to dwell with the Lord. So long as wee dwell in these houses of clay, where [Page 38]faith is the stay and comfort of our soules. We are strangers from the re­all presence & companie of Christ, from heauen, & from our Countrey and resting place. We are not in pa­tria, but in via, not in our Countrey, but in the way vnto it. But when we put off the earthly house of this ha­bitation, Quam seperamur à corpore, saith Anselme, presentamur Domino, vt eum in specie diuinitatis suae videamus, & apud eum maneamus. That is, when we are seperated from the body, we are presented to the Lord, that wee may see him in the show and beauty of his diuinitie, and may remaine with him.

Lastly, let vs consider what wee read, Reuelations, 14.1. Iohn seeth ma­nie thousands standing on Mount Sion, with the Lambe Iesus Christ, They are in his company, and they follow the Lambe whither soeuer he goeth. These places doe plainely [Page 39]teach vs, that this followeth the dis­solution and death of the Saints, as a thing for which it is to bee desired, that they do goe vnto the Lord, and inioy the company of Iesus Christ their redeemer: their soules doe so when they die, and their bodies also in the resurrection, as the Apostle witnesseth in his first Epistle to the Thessalonians, 4. chapter, 16. verse, The Lord himself shal descend from hea­uen with a shout, and with the voyce of the Archangel, and with the trumpet of God: and the dead in Christ shal rise first. Then shal we which liue and remaine, be caught vp with them also in the cloudes, to meete the Lorde in the aire: and so shal wee euer be with the Lord. But the body resting in the graue, & waiting for that glorious resurrection, the soule in the meane time leauing the flesh, and leauing the world, goeth to Christ.

O blessed and most comfortable [Page 40]death of the Saints, which gathereth the members to the head in whom they liue: and setteth the branches close to the tree in the liuely sappe whereof they flourish: which brin­geth home the Bride into the cham­ber of the Bridegroome, in whom onely shee reioyceth: and gathereth the redeemed people together a­bout their redeemer: who onely hath made them free, and leadeth vs out of this vale of miserie, vnto our Lord Iesus Christ, that wee may see his glorie, and bee partakers with him of his kingdome.

The worst then that can be said of death, for his doings vnto the faith­full is this, that he is a cruell & chur­lish guide, that leadeth vs vnto a most sweet and curteous Lord: that he is a rough & boisterous minister, that performeth and dooth for vs a most acceptable seruice: that his countenance is much deformed, & [Page 41]hee fraieth those to whom hee appea­reth: that his hands are burning hot, & hee scorcheth those whom he appre­hendeth. Yet among the faithfull, those whom he laieth hold vpon, hee bringeth to Iesus Christ.

This is not out of the naturall condi­tion of death, that the faithfull reape such aduantage by it; for death was born of sinne, which diuideth vs from God: and it was ordained as a heauie punishment of sin, and it is still a signe and remembrance of Gods anger for sin. But this commeth to passe by the benefit and fauour of him, who by his death hath destroyed death, and him that had the power of death, that is, the diuell. It commeth to passe by the benefite of Iesus Christ, who hath made vs more then conquerours ouer death & euery aduersary, taking away the sting of death, & making a plague to be a blessing, an enemie to be a ser­uant, because now without death, that [Page 42]is, otherwise then by the passage of death, flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. This commeth to passe by the merit of him, and by faith in him, who is vnto vs both in life and death aduantage, and whose wee are both liuing & dying, that whether we sleep or wake, we might liue togi­ther with him. Augustine speaking of benefite, attained by death in this world, I meane this first death, in his 13. Booke of the Citie of God, and 4. chapter, saith: Non quia mors bonum ali­quod facta est quae ante malum fuit: sed tantam Deus fidei prestitit gratiam vt mors, quam vitae constat esse contrariam, instrumentum fieret per quod transiretur in vitā: It is not because death is now become a good thing and a blessing, which before was an euill thing and curse: but so much grace hath God af­foorded to our faith in Christ, that death which was knowne to bee con­trary to life & happinesse, should now [Page 43]become an instrument of our passage to life and happinesse.

And therefore not vnto death and dissolution that dooth bring vs vnto Christ, but vnto Iesus Christ, that by death and dissolution doth bring and gather vs vnto himselfe, doe wee giue thankes for this aduantage of our death, that when we are loosed, we go vnto the Lord, for dread full death, in tantam vtilitatem non vi sua sed diuina opitulatione conuersa est: is become a matter of great profite to vs, not by it owne force & vertue, but by the helpe of God. Yet from hence the faith full may learne & gather vnto themselues plentifull comfort against the terrours of death, and strong incouragement, if not to desire & long for, yet to enter­taine with reioycing the day of their dissolution, because from thenceforth they shall be with Christ.

This did that seruant of the Lord see, whose body wee followed to the [Page 44]graue. And therefore quietly, yea ioy­fully, hee accepted, yea desired his dis­solutiō, sometime saying; Come Lord Iesus: and sometime saying, I come Lord Iesus: only desiring, & constant­ly desiring to be with the Lord Iesus.

And this is it that shall make death (bitter in it selfe) to be both sweet and pleasant vnto vs, when it commeth. And therefore I beseech you learne now in time, lay this doctrine vp in your harts, & often think vpon it, that the faithfull departing hence, doe goe vnto the Lord, that when the houre commeth, whsch canot be auoided, we may embrace the pleasure of God, as the meanes of our owne good, and may not murmure in vaine.

But it may be, some will say, is it a matter of so great price to be gathered vnto Christ, that a man should despise al the pleasures of this life, & cōtemne all the bitternes & terrors of the houre of death: & with the Apostle here de­sire [Page 45] to be loosed, and to be with Christ! I surely, and that is it that followeth in the next place to bee considered, and in the last wordes of my text.

Vnto the Lord Iesus at the last day, all both good and bad, shall be gathe­red in the 25. of Matth: at the 31. verse, It is saide, When the Sonne of man shall come in his glorie, and all his holy Angells with him, then shall he sit vpon the throne of his glorie, and before him shall be gathe­red all Nations of the earth. And in the 2. to the Corinthians, 5. chapter, & 10, verse, Paul saith, Wee must all appeare before the tribunall seate of Christ, that e­uery one may receiue the thinges that are done in his body, whether it be good or euil.

All therefore at that day shall bee brought before the Lord Iesus: But the wicked shal not come to be and to abide with Iesus Christ from that day. Neither shal they in the houre of their dissolution bee gathered vnto him, to [Page 46]be & abide with him before that day. They shall come vnto him as vnto a Iudge, armed with authoritie to con­demne. They shall come vnto him as vnto a reuenger, appearing from hea­uen with flaming fire to destroy. And their iudgement when they appeare, shal be to depart for euer from his pre­sence. As wee reade the sentence set downe in the 25. of Matthew, at the 14. verse, Depart from me ye cursed into euer­lasting fire, prepared for the diuell and his angells. And of the iudgment of them, in that great day, that either know not God, hauing had no calling, or obey­ed not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ, hauing obeied no calling, Paul saith, in the second to the Thessaloni­ans, 1. chapter, and 9. verse, That they shall be punished with euerlasting perditi­on from the presence of the Lord, and from the glorie of his power. Their comming therefore is not to bee and abide with Christ. And for the time of their com­ming [Page 47]and abiding before Christ, it shall be most fearefull vnto them: of whom it is written, Reuelations 6. chap­ter, 16. verse, That they shall say vnto the mountaines and hills, fall vpon vs, and co­uer vs from the presence of him that sitteth vpon the throne, and from the Lambe, for the great day of his wrath is come, and who can stand? (that is, who shall be able to abide his iudgement)?

But the faithfull at that great day come vnto him, to be, and abide with him: to whom Iesus shal say in the 25. of Matthew, 34. Come yee blessed of my Father. And of whom Paul doth say, in the 1. to the Thessalonians, 4. chap: 17. verse, So shal we be euer with the Lord. And that their being and continuing with him is their happines, as here Paul saith, Euen best of all. To this purpose it is an apt speech that is in the 6. chapter of Augustines Manuale, Faelix anima quae terreno resoluta tarcere libera coelum petit, quae te dulcisimum Dominum facie [Page 48]ad faciem ceruit, quae nullo metu mortis affiicitur, sed de incorruptione perpetua gloria letatur. Happy is that soule, which freed from her earthly prison, dooth now in libertie enter into hea­uen, and there beholdeth thee most sweete Lord Iesus, face to face, and is affected with no more feare of death, but reioyceth in the incorruptible e­state of eternall glory.

Marke the words of the Lord Iesus spoken to the Apostles, touching this very matter of his fellowship in hea­uen, and you shall finde them to con­temne all consolation. In the 22. of Luke, at the 29. verse, I appoint vnto you a kingdome, as my Father hath appointed to me, that you may eate and drinke at my table in my kingdome, and sit on thrones, iudging the twelue Tribes of Israel. In the fellowshippe of Christ they shall bee made partakers with him of all glorie and gladnesse, they shall be made par­takers with him of all glorie: for they [Page 49]raigne with him as Kings, and be co­partners of his Kingdome, and ioyne with him in iudgement, when he shall condemne the wicked. And they shall bee made partakers with him of all gladnesse, for they shall sit with him at table, after the blessed manner of hea­uenly entertainement, and they shall eate and drinke with him, after the manner of heauenly diet, and it shall be done to them that was saide to the faithfull seruant, they shall enter into their Maisters ioy.

The blessednesse of this fellowship is described and shadowed forth vnto vs in the Parable, by the happy suc­cesse of the fiue wise Virgins, of whom it is said in the 25. verse of Ma­thew, 10. verse, That they entred with the Bridegroome into his wedding Cham­ber. What meane these thinges, the wedding day is a day of ioy and glad­nesse? The place where the wedding is kept, is a place abounding with re­ioycing [Page 50]and feasting. Those that are guests, admitted to the fellowship of that time and place, and admitted to the fellowshippe of ioy and gladnesse. The wine was merely spent at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, when the company was sober, and Iesus, his mother, and Disciples were bidden and present. And the faithfull com­ming to Iesus, (for the state of all the faithful in those fiue wise Virgins is shadowed) enter with him into the wedding chamber: that is, they come to the place of mirth, of ioy, and of gladnesse. Where, as Anselme saith, Munda anima sempiterno diuino consor­tio copulatur: The pure soule is cou­pled as in marriage, with euerlasting fellowship with God.

Father, saith Iesus in the 17. of Iohn, 24. verse, I will that those which thou hast giuen me, be with me where I am, that they may see my glory which thou hast giuen mee. That is, that at leisure and at their [Page 51]pleasure, they may satisfie their soules with viewing whatsoeuer delight the Kingdome of heauen, and the glorie of the Sonne of God may affoord. Which how great delight it is vnto the soule, they cannot conceiue that are not yet admitted to see.

The Queene of the South, came a far iourney, to see the wisedome, the riches, the glorie of Salomon, whereof she had heard report. And in the se­cond of Chronicles, 9. chapter, she came and saw, and wondred. And in the se­uenth verse, pronounced the seruants of Salomon and his men happy; be­cause they stoode before him & heard his wisedome.

And when wee shall come vnto Christ to continue with him, and to stand before him; is there not a grea­ter then Salomon there? In wisedome, and riches, and glory, farre passing Sa­lomon? How much more then shall we be happie and blessed, to heare his [Page 52]wisedome, in whom all the treasure of wisedome and knowledge are lai­ed vp? Peter saith, Hee had the wordes of eternall life in his mouth, whiles he was poore and despised on earth. His wise­dome then must needes be the words of eternall comfort and glorie, which his followers shall heare from his mouth in heauen.

And how much more shall we be happie in beholding his riches and glorie, when wee shall obtaine with him all vse of his riches, and shall bee transformed into the like glorie? For the iust shall shine as the Sunne in the Kingdome of their Father, Mat. 13.43.

The beautie of Lillies and other flowers exceedeth, by the saying of our Sauiour Christ. Matth. 6.29. the beautie and glorie of Salomon. But the glorie of the Lorde Iesus Christ farre exceedeth the glorie of the heauens, his exceeding glorie giuing light and beautie to the heauens. As it is said, [Page 53] Reuelations, 21. chapter, and 23. verse, The Citie of the heauenly Ierusalem hath no neede of the Sun, neither of the Moone to shine in it, for the glorie of God did light it, and the Lambe is the light of it. Then necessarily it must giue much more true content and delight, and bee a greater happinesse, to bee and a­bide with Christ to see his glory, then to be & abide in Salomons Court, and to see his glory.

Yea so happy a thing it is to be with Christ, & behold his glory, that when hee was transfigured vpon the Moun­taine, and had onely two of the Saints in company with him, Moses & Elias, and they conferring with him of no pleasant discourse, but of his death that hee should shortly suffer at Ierusa­lem: yet the view of that short glorie, was so excellent in Peters iudgement, that though hee and his two fellowes were open to the checke of all wea­ther on the mountaines top, and were [Page 54]not themselues inlightened and glo­rified with that glorie, yet was hee so wholly surprised and rauished with the sight of it, that hee would gladly there haue made his continual abode, to haue had libertie still to behold the same: saying in the 17. of Matthew, 4. verse, Master, it is good for vs to be here: if thou wilt, let vs make here three Taber­nacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

Consider still the circumstances of that glorie of Christ which they then sawe, and compare it with the reuea­led circumstances of the present glory of Christ, which the soules of the faithfull now after dissolution doe see in heauen: and it will appeare, that though it were a good thing, and a signe of great fauour, to bee admitted to see that glorie of Christ vppon the mountaine, yet it is as my text dooth call it, Multo magis melius, much better, best of all: and the full fruit of infinite [Page 55]fauour to be with Christ after dissolu­tion, and to be admitted in heauen to behold his present glorie.

The Lord Iesus for his owne part did then shine in glorie, his face as the Sunne, his garments as the light. So that Peter doth call it, in his second E­pistle, 1. chapter, 16. verse, Maiestie, ho­nour and glory: yet putting a difference betweene that and another, which he calleth excellent glory. From whence that voyce came, saying: This is my wel­beloued Sonne, in whom I am well pleased.

But Iesus was then vpon an earthly mountaine, vpon Mount Tabor, he was not then vpon Mount Sion, which Iohn in the Reuelations saw. And he was ac­companied onely with two of his Saints, wanting the honorable traine of an hundred fortie and foure thou­sands, hauing his Fathers name vpon their fore-heads, and with heauenly musicke attending him vppon that mountaine. And the glory of Iesus in [Page 56]that open and solitary place was short. Peter heard Moses & Elias talking with him of his death that should shortly follow at Ierusalem. Peter also that be­held that glory, was as slenderly ac­companied with Iames & Iohn, and in a sort diuided from the fellowship of the Saints. And he was also cloathed with mortalitie, and in himselfe still full of frailtie and infirmitie, and yet hee was astonished at the view of so great glorie.

But now is Iesus in heauen, sitting at the right hand of God, cloathed with maiestie and glorie. Now is hee accompanied and attended by armies of Saints and Angells. Now is his glo­rie constant, and shall neuer more ad­mit any eclips. The Saintes that now come vnto him, by putting off their bodies in death, they put off mortali­tie, corruption, frailty, and all infirmi­tie, they are brought by Angells into the societie of Saints and Angells, as [Page 57]the Apostle to the Hebrewes speaketh in the 12. chapter, the 22. verse: Ye are come vnto the mounts Sion, and to the Citie of the liuing God, the celestiall Ierusalem, and to the company of innumerable An­gells, and to the congregation of the first borne, which are written in heauen, and to God the Iudge of all, and to the spirits of iust and perfect men, and to Iesus to Me­diator of the new Testament. And while thus accompanied, they behold the glory of Christ, themselues shall bee transformed into glory.

Our iudgement esteeming of this happinesse to be with Christ, may be directed and helped something by our wordes in recounting this happi­nesse. But yet neither can our wordes expresse, nor our heart fully conceiue the great happinesse that the Saints of God finde, when departing from vs, they come vnto the Lord Christ.

Is not the naturall childe glad to be with his father, and doth he not there­in [Page 58]find content? Is not the louing wife satisfied to bee in company with her kinde husband, and dooth not that please her minde? Is not a true hear­ted and faithfull friend glad to enioy the companie of a true hearted and faithfull friend, and doe not they be­ing met, reioyce togither? Euen so the Christian soule that loueth the Lorde Iesus, will desire to bee loosed and to bee with Christ, for it knoweth that to be best.

Such to be the desire of a true holie soule, euen by death to come vnto him, rather then by still liuing here, to be kept from him, may appeare by the words of priuate meditation, that Au­gustine vseth in the first chapter of his Soliloquia, saying: Cur faciem tuam ab­scondis? forte dices non videbit me homo & viuet. Eia Domine, moriar vt te videā, videam vt hic moriar, nolo viuere, volo mori, dissolui cupio & esse cū Christo, mori desidero vt videā Christum, viuere renue [Page 59]vt vivam cum Christo. O Domine Iesu accipe spiritum meum, vita mea suscipe animam meam, gaudium meum attrahe cor meum. That is, why doost thou hide thy face? Thou wilt say perhaps, no man shall see me, and liue. Come on then Lord, let mee die, that I may see thee: Let mee see thee, though I die here. Oh I desire not to liue, I de­sire to die, I long to bee loosed that I may bee with Christ: I wish to die, that I may see Christ, I refuse to liue, that I may liue with Christ. O my Lorde Iesus receiue my spirite, O thou my life, receiue my soule, O thou my ioy, drawe my heart vnto thee.

Those which were present with this man in the time of his sicknesse, and houre of his death, know with what constant desire he waited for and desi­red his dissolution: therefore desiring to die, that hee might be with Christ: & therfore desiring to be with Christ, [Page 60]because he knew it to be best of all.

That the power of faith, and true knowledge of Iesus Christ hadde wrougth in him, that he preferred Ie­sus Christ before al things, before life, riches, friends, & whatsoeuer, know­ing that to bee with Christ, was more then all.

Blessed be God that is wonderfull in those that beleeue. And let vs by such examples bee moued to treasure vp faith in Christ. The Apostle saith in his Epistle to the Philippians, 3. chapter, 17. verse, Looke on them which walke so, as they haue vs for an example. The Apostle himselfe was the exam­ple. He desired to be loosed, that he might be with Christ, which is best of all. This man walked so, for hee desired to bee loosed, that he might be with Christ, knowing that to be best of all. Let vs looke vpon him, and while wee haue time & helpes, let vs lay hold on faith, that knowing death to bee the gathe­ring [Page 61]of vs vnto Christ, and that com­panie of Christ to be the highest hap­pinesse, wee may with quiet and glad mindes, put off our flesh, when the day of our dissolution commeth, and may rest in the Lord, as this our Brother doth.

Laus Deo. Amen.