FUnerall Sermons aime at Two Ends. 1. TheVide Nys­sen. orat. in fu­nere Miletii. — Nazianz orat; 10. in lau­dem Caesarii fratris; orat. 11 in laudem Gor­gon [...]ae Soro­ris, &c. Honour of the Dead, that they who die in the Lord, may live in the Memories of Men. 2. The Comfort of the Living, that they who through Mercy are yet alive, may not through the violence of Affection, be opprest with Grief, for them who are dead. This latter End was the moving cause, why the Primitive [...]. Chrysost. hom. [...]. Jam fama volans totius urbis populum ad exequias congregabat. Sonabant Psalmi, &c. Hieron. tom. 1. Epist. 30. cap. ult. Church did bring the dead to the Grave [...] with singing of Psalmes, and with Prayers, as St. Chrysostome and St. Hierome testifie. And this [Page 2] latter End is the principal cause, why I have chosen this Text at this time, as very seasonable, and in some degree necessary:

For which way so ever I look, I behold many Eyes glazed with Tears, and in those watery glasses I see streams of Grief flowing forth. Which way so ever I look, I behold many faces clouded with sadness, and in those black clouds behold showers of Sorrow gushing out. Therefore it is very season­able to present some Text, which may be like theExo. 14.16 Rod of Moses, to divide these waves of Sorrow, lest they make a Deluge. And likewise it is in some degree necessary to provide a portion of holy Scripture, which may be like the2 Kings 2.14. Mantle of E­lijah, to restrain these swelling floods of Grief, lest they over-run their bankes. Such a Text, such a portion of Scripture, is this, which I have read unto you. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

The first word of the Text, Wherefore, is a Con­junction illative, and doth like theJani simu­lacrum duplici facie, & bi­frons effinge batur &c. Alex ab Alex gen. dier. lib 1. cap. 14. Roman Janus look forward and backward; as it looks forward, it prescribes a Duty, as it looks backward, it speaks forth a Reprehension. The occasion of the Reprehen­sion is this. The Thessalonians, who were Graecians that dwelt in Thessalonica (one of the chief Cities in Macedonia) were passionately affected, and extream­ly afflicted, with the death of their dear Friends, and near Relations. The Apostle doth not con­demn their natural Affection; For Christ himself, as Man, wasLuke 19.41, 42 John 11.35, 36. Matthew 9.36 — de passi­onib [...] in animâ Christi, Aqui. 3^•.15.4.0. full of Affection; and it is aRom. 1.31 heathenish sin to be [...], without natural affecti­on. [Page 3] He doth not prohibitEst ali­quis & dolen­di decor, hic sapienti ser­vandus est. Sen. Epist. lib. 1 Epist. 99. [...]. Chrysost. hom. [...]. moral mourning, for then he should either approve a Cynical turpitude, which is destructive to humane society, or else he should allow a Stoical dulnesse, w^ch doth assimilate man unto a stock. But the Apostle doth advise them to regulate their natural affections, that they be not Exorbitant. He directs them to moderate their Grief, that they do not violate the boundaries of Christian Hope, verse 13. But I would not have you to be ignorant, Brethren, concerning them which are asleep that you sor­row not, as others, which have no Hope. And that he may pe [...]swade them to this vertuous, and truly-re­ligious moderation of Grief, he mingles his bitter Pill with two precious Cordials.

The first Cordial is drawn from a principle of the Gospel, namely, the Resurrection of the dead, (a prin­ciple which the highest natural Reason, elevated by the industrious improvement of those imbred Principles, which Arianus callsArian. Epi. lib. 1. cap. 22. [...]. [...], praenoti­ons, could never mount unto, unlesse it wasActs 17.32. Aug. tom. 6. lib. de Epicurëis et Stoicis, cap. 1. as­sisted with the wings of super-natural revelation) the Apostle bids them comfort themselves in this, that the Bodies of their Friends, are so far from an­nihilation, as the Atheists imagine, or from a finall dissolution into irrecoverable atomes, as the Epicu­reans dream, or from a perpetual elementary trans­mutation, as the Peripateticks maintain, that they shall rise again out of the earth in theirVide Au­gust. de civit. Dei, lib. 22. cap. 12. et cap. 19. & cap. 20. true di­mensions, and be admitted into the retinue of the King of Glory, when he comes in his triumph, v. 14. For if we believe that Jesus died, and rose again: even so them also which sleep in Jesus, will God bring with him.

The second Cordial is drawn from another prin­ciple of our Faith, namely, the everlasting blessedness of the Saints with God; The which blessedness consists partly in theBeatitu­do formalis consistit, & in actu intellect­ûs, quo essen­tia divina vi­detur, & in actu volunta­tis, quo beatus illâ visâ frui­tur, & in utro­que actu, & postremò etiā in his omnibus simul, quae ad perfectionem tum animae tum corporis absolutam, in coelo pertine­bunt, Greg. de Val. to. 2. disp. 1. quest. 3. punct. 4. — Rich. de med. villâ in 4^•. sent. dist. 49 art. 1. quest. 6. — Aq. 12; 4.6.0. eternal vision of God, by an act of the Understanding perfectly beholding him who is the Truth. And it consists partly in the eternal fru­ition of God, by an act of the Will abundantly im­bracing him who is the greatest Good. And it consists partly in the excellent disposition of the Body, to be perfectly subject to the Soul, Verse 17. Verb. ult. And so shall we be for ever with the Lord.

And now our Apostle having presented these delectable Cordials to his weeping Thessalonians, he doth like a wise Physician enjoyn the use of them; for what actual healing is in the rarest Balsoms, if you do not apply them? what operative vertue is in the most soveraign Antidotes, if you do not receive them? what complacentious sweetnesse is in the droppings of the Hony-combe, if you do not taste them? and what Soul-contentment is there in these spiritual cordials, if the fainting Thessalonians do only Tantalize, and not inwardly apply them? therefore our Apostle requires the present application of them. Comfort one another with these words.

The Text without any violence falls asunder in­to two parts. First, a Precept, Comfort one another. Secondly, a Rule to guide our obedience to the Pre­cept, with these words.

First, of the Precept. Comfort one another. The word in the Original is [...], which properly signifies advocare, vocare ad se, to call unto; and in this sense it is onely once used in all the New Te­stamentSemel ad­voco — Pa­sor. Lex: in N. T. tit. [...]. (as Pasor observes) namely, Acts 28.20 [Page 5] —usually in Scripture it signifies [...]. Interdum pre­cari, interdum consolari, in­terdum [...] signi­ficat: Vid. Bezae Annot. in Luc. 3.18. & in Matth. 2.18. Num. 23. three things. 1. To exhort, Heb. 3.13. —2. To beseech, Rom. 12.1. — 3. To comfort, 2 Cor. 7.6. —The two former significations may be found in profane Authors, but the last signification which my Text carries, is onely to be found in Holy Scripture

The English word to comfort, is derived from the Latine word Confortare, to strengthen, for Grief is the privative contrary to Comfort, doth weaken the Vitals, obstruct the Animals, exhaust the radi­cal moisture, extinguish the natural heat, oppresse the Appetite, and causeth the Pulse, which is Na­tures Clock to strike false; and the Heart which is Natures Primum Mobile, to move slowly. Therefore whatsoever doth strengthen the Vitals, refresh the Animals, cherish the radical moisture, quickē the na­tural heat, recover the Appetite, and procure a nimble and equal motion in the Pulse and heart, is vulgarly called Comfort. But all this is onely cor­poreal, and sensitive comfort, and may be plenti­fully supplied from the wel-stored Herbal of an ex­pert Galenist, or from the subtile limbeck of a stu­dious Paracelsian.

Therefore there is a second sort of Comfort, which is incorporeal, and spiritual; answerable to which there is another Grief, which is inward and invisi­ble; The proper effect of which Grief, is the weak­ning of the rational Soul, in the moral Operations of it, by a misty over-clouding the Ʋnderstanding, a passionate perplexing the Will, a tumultuous di­sturbing the Memory, and a violent untuning the Affections. Such a Grief as this cannot be cured by any collegiate Dispensatory. It is not the Apho­rismes [Page 6] of Hippocrates, nor the Rules of Avicenna, nor the Councels of Fernelius, that canProv. 18.14. Jer. 2.13. heal this distemper of Soul. It is not the harmonious Musick of Juball, nor the melting voice of Herodias, nor the sparkling cups of Belshazzar, nor the Magnificent Palace of Nebuchadnezzer, nor the savory meat which Isaac loved, that canEcclesiastes 21, 8. Dan. 5.6. expel this Melan­choly of Spirit. There must be aJer. 3.23. Psal. 73.16, 17 2 Kings 6.27. Cordial of spiritual Comforts prepared, that the drooping hea [...]t may be strengthened, or else it will faint, lan­guish, and die.

The great Physician who doth prescribe the in­gredients of this Divine Cordiall, isIsa. 57.19 Almighty God, for he onely hath theHos. 6.1, 2. Balm of Gilead, and can drop it into the bleeding Heart. He onely hath the Oile of the good Samaritan, and can poure it in­to the wounded Soul. He onely hath those sove­raignRev. 22.2. Leaves of the Tree of Life, which are ap­pointed for the healing of the Nations.

It is true there are other Physicians, who do con­fidently pretend to very excellent Restoratives, & boldly proclaim the vertue of their Antidotes, as all­sufficient; but upon serious examination, theirIsa. 50.11 Jer. 2.13. choisest Drugs will appear corrupted, their most spirituous Distillations will be found sophisticated, themselvs will be proved Mountebanks, and all their comforts (though many of them in their kind may be useful) will be but like the Lapwing, w^ch makes a great noise, & hath but a little body, or else but like to Plaisters, which may skin a sore, but cannot heal it at the bottom.

Wherefore be exhorted in the sorrows of your Souls, and in all the griefs of your Spirit; to look [Page 7] up to this Almighty Physician, who is the Father of Spirits. Say with David, Psalm 6.2. Have mercy on me O Lord, for I am weak, O Lord heal me for my bones are vexed. Say with Moses, Psalm 90.14. O satisfie us early with thy mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our dayes. Suppose your Sorrows are as deep as the wa­ters of Noah, God can send aGen. 8.1. Zephyrus to abate them. Suppose they are as bitter as the waters of Marah, God can provide aExod. 15 23.25. Tree to sweeten them. Many a Child of Light dothIsa. 50.10 walk in darknesse, but God can so light your Candle, that you shall be as it were inEx. 10.23. Goshen, and your dark­nesse shall be turnedPsal. 18.28 to Light. He that made the great World with a Word of his Mouth, is able to comfort the little World, which is MAN, with aIsa. 30.21, 22 Word of his Spirit. He that brought Israel out of Pharaoh's slavery, can lead them through a red Sea, and make a Rock1 Cor. 10.4 [...]. to follow them in a dry Wildernesse. And thus God hath, and it may be doth comfort some by the ministry of Angels, or by the evidence of Miracles, or by extraordinary ra­vishments of Spirit. But because God doth usually act in a way of ordinary Providence, and hath ap­pointed aIs. 38.21. lump of Figs for Hezekiahs boile: And a pool ofJoh. 5.4, 7 Bethesday, into which the impotent man must be put, if he would be healed. Therefore let nōe of us tempt God by an over-daring presumption, but wait upon God for comfort in the obedient use of the means. Let us consult those bills of Com­fort, which he by his holy Prophets & Apostles hath filed up in sacred Scripture, and by the infallible di­rection of these sure Receipts, comfort one another.

But may not Christians comfort themselves? yes, [Page 8] doubtlesse they may, and likewise they ought so to do. We find1 Sam. 30.4, 6 David encouraging himself in the Lord his God, when he, and the people with him, had wept at Ziklag, untill they had power to weep no more. We findActs 27.20, 25. Paul cheering up him­self with a Promise, when he was tossed with so cloudy a Tempest, that neither Sun, nor Moon, nor Stars appeared for many Dayes. But there are few such Worthies now alive, who have attained so high a measure of Faith, both in point of Evidence, & Adherence, that they can be Physicians to them­selves. Indeed some there are who can say withJob 13.15 Job, Though thou killest me, yet I will trust in thee; Who can nobly resolve with thePsal. 23.4 Psalmist. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evill. Who can with a holy displeasure in­terrogate withActs 21.13. Paul, What mean you to weep, and to break my heart? Yea, credible Histories tell us, that there were some vertuous men among the Heathen, who could by the Principles of Moral Philosophy, present a handsom face of Comfort to the eyes of Men, under the secret gripes, and silent rackings of their tenderest Affections. Thus did theConemur mederi nobis ipsis, &c. Cice­ro de consol. in principio. most eloquent of Latine Oratours, compose a Book De Consolatione, to comfort himself and his Relations, under the early death of his Beloved Tulliola. Thus did the gallant Quintus Fabius deliver a consolatory. Oration in publick, to comfort himself and the mournful Senate, upon the immature death of hisQuintus Fabius Vir Consularis, qui jam magnas res gesserit. — Unico mortuo laudationem in soro dixit, Cicero ut supra. onely Son, who was both the darling of Rome, and the prop of his Ancient Family. But these [Page 9] worthies are — tot quot Thebarum portae, vel di­vitis ostia Nili. here and there one. the greater part of Mankind are like theJu sat. 7. n. 159. [...]. Epict. cap. 31. Arcadian Youth — cui laevâ in parte mamillae nil salit. without Spirit or Judgement under the (p) pressure of self calamity. Yea the greater part even ofJer. 12.1. Hab. 1.2, 3. Saints, by reason of their imperfect sanctification, are prone to feele inward convulsions with Jacob, to expresse outward despondencies with Rebecca, and to say upon the struglings of sorrow in their minds whatGen 25.22 she said upon the strugling of the children in her Womb. If it be so, why am I thus? and therefore there is great need to comfort one ano­ther.

Besides, who knowes how soon himself may need Comfort. Adam in Innocency lost Paradise, and man by sin doth lose Comfort.

Whom the Morning Sun beholds glistering with Majesty, the Evening Sun beholds tumbling in Mi­sery. The Hieroglyphick of a Moon doth aptly repre­sent all sublunary things, for they are only con­stant in unconstancy; the highest tide may sink into a very low ebb, the loveliest day may set in a thun­dring storme, and the brightest comforts be over­clouded with a sad Eclipse. Sesostris the proud King of Egypt was taught an Emblem of the vicissitude of humane glory and adversity, in theCammerar. med. hist. cent. 1. cap. 12. turning wheeles of the royal chariot, which four captive [Page 10] Princes did draw, for one of the Princes did cour­agiously tell him, that those golden spokes which were now advanced, and pointed towards Heaven, were soon after depressed, and did roule in the dust.Lipsius de Const. lib. 1. cap. 16. Nihil stabile aut firmum arbiter ille rerum esse volu­it, praeter ipsum. The great Master of Heaven and Earth will have nothing immutable besides himself. If any thing in the World be honoured with that priviledge, it must be the Coelestial Bodies, which some call Quinta Essentia, a substance specifically di­stinct from the Four Elements, butStella illa nova quae Anno 1572. in con­stellatione Cassiopeiae ap­paruit. Et Anno 1574. e­vanuit — censeo stellam illam in Fir­mamento, ubi stellae fixae sunt extitisse — Vid. Clavii comm [...]n [...]. in 1. cap. sphaerae. pag. 217, 219.. learned Ma­thematicians demonstrate, that New Stars have ap­peared, & vanished in the Starry Heaven, and there­fore they are capable of generation, & corruption. As for Terrestrial Substances, the Iron begets his own rust, and the Oake breeds his own worm. The fairest flower fades though never pulled, and the full eared corn hangs his head, and rotts, though it be never reaped. We all dwell in Houses of Clay, saithJob 4.19. Job, in Tabernacles of flesh, saith Paul, 2 Cor. 5.1 and therefore are unavoidably exposed to every blu­stering tempest. We are all in the Body, saith theHeb. 13.3 Apostle, and therefore are indispensably subject to all diseases and infirmities, which invade the Body, or the Mind by the Body. The strongest HeadEgregium versum audi, & dignum Publio. Cuivis potest accidere quod cuiquam potest. Sen. ad Marc. cap. 9. may turn round with a swimming Vertigo; the stout­est Heart may shake with a trembling Palsey; The ablest Understanding sink, with a stupifying Apo­plexy; and the most envied Prosperity expire with a Falling Sicknesse, that is a sudden Adversity. If then you desire comfort from others, under the Convulsion fits of discomfort, express a sympathi­zing Spirit, and Comfort one another.

A Word or two for Application. The first, To them who lie under the heavy burden of Discomfort. The second, To those who ought to be Comforters.

First, To those who lie under the burden of Discomfort; 1 That they do not add the weights both of sin, & of guilt to their present pressures, by imitating Rachel, who Mat. 2.18 refused to be comforted. I desire them to con­sider, That it is theIsa. 45.9. height of folly to repine at his actings, who is the1 Tim. 6.15. King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. That he who afflicts them is their GOD, and their SAVIOUR, and willPsalm. 31.7. Know their Soul in the saddest Adversity. That he who by hisJob 1.21 just Prerogative hath took away one of their Com­forts, hath in much mercyLam. 3.22. left many others: and yet hath an undoubtedJer. 18.6. 1 Chron. 29.11, 12. Royalty without the shadow of real wrong, to send for all the rest when ever he pleaseth. That all the Creatures in the World arePsalm 10 [...].29. Mal. 3.6 mutable; because they are Crea­tures; andMicah 6.13. miserable so far as sinful. That our sins of daily incursion, and much more our sins of inexcusable presumption, are, and ought to be theJer. 31.19 proper objects of our serious Sorrow. These and such like Meditations should be admitted into the recesses of our Mind, that at length some beam of spiritual Comfort might refresh the troubled Soul.

But if these Meditations are too intellectuall for the present dulnesse of a violent Affection, then be advised to apply these sensitive remedies, in the intervals of Passiō, namely; That he whō we lament, is butNon re­liquitille nos, sed antecessit. Sen. ad Polyb. cap. 28 gone before us, and we must ofOmnes eodem cogi­mur, omnium versatur urna, &c. — Hor. car. lib. 2. od. 3. Ne­cessity follow after him: That immoderate Tears are [Page 12] the prodigality of Affection, andQuid est autem quod plus valeat ad ponendum do­lorem, quàm cùm est intel­lectum nihil profici. Cicero Tuscul: quaest: lib. 2. cannot restore the dead to life. That the wound which bleedes inwardly, is oft times Mortal: and the Grief which over flowes the Heart is seldom curable.

I shall conclude this with the words of theSen: ad Polyb. cap. 37. Moralist; Fluant lachrymae, sed eaedem desinant: tra­hantur ex imo pectore gemitus, sed iidem & finiantur. Let thy Tears flow; but let them ebb at length to a low water. Let thy sighs be breathed from the bottom of thy heart, but let them at last be broken off. Or I shall rather conclude with the exemplary practice of that devout and holy Matron Paula, who was (asHier. to. 1. Epist. 27. cap. 9 St. Hierom saith) a Woman exercised with sorrows, and did usually refresh her perplexed Spi­rit with the Heavenly Musick of Davids Psalmes. The Psalm she commonly sung was the 42. Psalm, the Verses which did taste like Manna, were the 5th. and the 11th. the words are these, Why art thou cast down O my Soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my Countenance and my God.

2 To those who ought to be Comforters, that they undertake the work with all readiness, & discharge it with all sincerity and faithfulnesse, for (to wave other Arguments) it is aDecus est mortali bene­sacere morta­lem; & haec ad aeternam glo­riam via. Plin. nat. hist. lib. 2. most worthy imploy­ment to be instrumental in the recovery of a faint­ing heart. Haec qui faciet (saithCicero orat. 40. pro M. Mar­cello. Numb. 8. Cicero) non ego eum summis viris comparo, sed simillimum Deo judico. Who­soever doth these things, I do not parallel him with the most renowned Heroës, but judge him to be most like God himself. The Heathens Theologie cal­led their supream God Jupiter, and that name in the [Page 13] Etymology of it, isJovem Latini veteres à juvando ap­pellavêre cun­demque alio vocabulo jun­cto patrem dixerunt. A. Gell. noct. Att. lib. 5. cap. 12. juvans Pater, the comfo [...]ting Fa­ther. Our Scripture which is the Christians Divinity, calls the true God,John 14.16, 26. [...] the Comforter, and that word in that signification is, Peculium Christianae Religionis, the proper goods of Christian Religion. It may be observed, that in all the New Testament, God is not once called the Lord of Hosts, which is a title of terror, but he is often called the2 Cor. 1.3. Father of Mercies, the 1 John 4.14 Saviour of the World, the Rom. 3.25. 1 John 2.2. propi­tiation for our sins, which are precious names of Comfort; Let us therefore be followers of God as dear Children, and comfort one another.

Neither let any fear that the Meal in his Barrel will waste, or the Oile in his Cruse decay, because he doth so freely spend it; for this imaginary sub­straction will prove in God Arithmetick a real mul­tiplication. Spiritual things are like the beauteous Tulips, w^ch when they spread their inamouring leavs in the aër, multiply themselves in the root. Jesus Christ did thenMat. 14.19, 20. augment the Loaves, when they were distributed among the multitude. You see the Sun-beams are by reflection doubled, and the heat of them is by refraction encreased, when they have been bountifully darted upon the Earth, Spiritual Parsimony is the broad road to Soul-poverty, and he thatMat. 25.2 [...] wraps up his Talent in a Napkin, is justly punished with the total privation of it. Wherefore hearken to the Exhortation of the Apostle, 1 Thess. 5.11. Comfort your selves together, and edifie one ano­ther, even as also you do.

But lest any miscarry (as some do) in the dis­charge of this charitable, and necessary Duty, give me leave to present a few Directions.

1 Comfort one another in a right Order. The God of Heaven is the1 Cor. 14.33, 40. God of Order, and he hath by theVide Hooker Eccl. Pol lib. 5. num. 76. & 77. light of Nature, the Custom of all civilized Nations, and theEph. 4.11. Acts 20.28. Law of the Gospel, declared, that there is a real distinction between those who minister about holy things, and those who are to be instructed in the same. It is readily granted, That every gifted Ch [...]istian may administer Comfort to them that want it Charitativè, from the universal Duty of Love; but it is denyed, that any can dis­pense it, or apply itDavenant in Col 3.16. pag. 328. 1 Cor. 4.1. Authoritativè, that is, by special call, and peculiar commission, but only the Ambassadours of Christ, and the Stewards of the Oracles of God.

There is an inestimable Comfort, more precious then the Gold of Ophir, which is prepared for all them who mourn in Sion, who cry out of the burden of their sins, and are truly contrite for them. This Comfort is called Absolution or Remission of sins, which is the1 Joh. 1.9. Gospel-Cordial to an humbled and distres­ed Conscience, but none can communicate this unutterable sweet Comfort (whereby many a Soul hath gon to Heaven with inward Peace) butMat. 18.18 on­ly a Lawful Minister. Christ who is the Head of the Church hath given to them, and onely to them this delegate Authority, John 20.23. Whose sins you remit, shall be remitted, and whose sins you retain, shall be re­tained.

There is an unvaluable Comfort, (more precious then all the Jewels which lie upon the Arabian shore) which is provided for every Christian who hungers and thirsts after Gospel-righteousnesse, & this is the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, which [Page 15] the1 Cor. 10. [...]6. holy Apostle calls [...] the Communion of the Body, and the Communion of the Blood of Jesus Christ. Which theAp [...]d Patres hoc sa­cramentum appellatur. [...] —Casaubon ad annal. Eccl. Ex 16. Num. 39. Patres Eucha­ristiam passim appellant. [...]. Ibid. Num. 37. ancient godly Fathers call, [...], the Bread of Life, [...], the Mithridate of the Soul. [...], the spiritual food. And which was so much valued by the Zealous Primitive Christians, that many of them re­ceived it every Week, and many of them longed to receive it on theirVid. Histo­riam Serapionis lectu dignissi­mam apud Euseb. lib. 6. Eccl. Hist. cap. 43 Patres nomi­nârunt Viatica, ipsa sacramen­ta —Casau­bon ad annal. Eccl. exercit. 16. Num. 43. pag. 398. Death beds, as their Viaticum, their spiritual journy-provision, to strengthen their Faith under the conflicts of Death which were ap­proaching. But none can consecrate this blessed Sacrament, but onely a lawful Minister. Christ Jesus saidLu. 22.19 onely to them, [...], this do ye. If any other person though a supream Magistrate; if any other creature though anChrysost. de sacerdotio lib. 3. & lib. 6. Angel or an Archan­gel, presume to do it, he violates one of the most sacred mysteries of Christian Religion; and instead of distributing a holy Sacrament, deludes the cre­dulous multitude with a piece of ordinary Bread, and some drops of common Wine.

To add no more. There is a heavenly Comfort, appointed by divine right for the conversion of men to Christ, and for the Edification of them in doctrinal, and habitual Faith, until they come to a perfect Man. This Comfort is the preaching of Gods Word, which howsoever under-valued by men of carnal hearts, is1 Cor. 1.18 21. called by the Apostle [...], the Power of God. But none can preach with au­thority but a lawful Minister. None can preach with the Comfort of a Divine Promise, but they who ac­cording to theT t. 1.5. 1 Tim. 4 14 precept, andActs 14.23 1 Tim. 4 14. practice of the holy Apostles, and according to the observance [Page 16] of theMe [...]ò Sanctorum Pa­trum venera­biles sanctio­nes, cùm de sucerdotum el [...]ctione lo­querentur, &c. Leo M Epist. 87. Universal Church of Christ, in all ages, have been lawfully ordained to that sacred em­ployment. Wherefore let me use the words of Saint Paul, 1 Thess. 5.12. I beseech you, Brethren, know them which labour amongst you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you,and esteem them very highly in love for their work sake, and be at peace amongst your selves.

2 Comfort one another in the right season. There is a little Branch which growes upon the spreading Tree of Time, which the Hebrewes call [...] the Greeks call [...], the Latines Opportunitas, and we in our en­glish tongue, the Season, which derives aEccles. 3.1.11. [...]. Act. 1 1.7. sweet­nesse, and wished successe to every created Being, and to every humane endeavour. The purest grapes are soure, the most delicious fruit unpleasant, the rarest plants invalid, if they are gathered out of their Season. Theseus, Romulus, Lycurgus, and the rest of those Worthies, which antiquity admires al­most to adoration, had missed their Garlands of Glory, if their Prudence had not seen the fore-lock of flying Time, and their Courage laid hold upon it, and their Magnanimity acted vigorously with the season, which all-guiding Providence presented to their hands. The friends of Job who gave their visits with an intent to comfort him, did wait with a mournfull silence, until thatJob 2.13. Time opened a pas­sage to the swelling torrent of his Grief, and put into their hands a due Season of speaking; There­fore comfort one another in the right Season.

Consider that high passions are like theSicut ubi Nilus ad illa­quae Catadupa nominantur, praecipitat ex altissimis mon­tib [...]: ea gens quae illum lo­cum accolit, propter mag­ni [...]udinem sonitus, sensu audiendi ca­ret. Cicero in somnio Sc pionis. cata­racts of Nilus, which deafen those who are under the command of them, that they are like to the rocks [Page 17] of Adamant, which are impenetrable to a furious violence. Therefore refraine a while with pru­dential Patience. Passions must have some leisure for digestion. We know that the most scorching Sun, after the expiration of some moments will decline to the cooling West. The rowling spring-tide after the rage of some hours, will sink into a sensible ebb. The strongest Feaver upon some cri­tical dayes, will remit his malignity, and render the Patient capable of the Doctors art. The Cani­cular Star hath but his Moneth.

God that fits seasons, doth set a signal Mark up­on them for peculiar services. It is much question­ed by Divines, whether the right reading of Ro­mans 12.11. be [...]. i. e. serving the Lord as St.Chrysost. hom. in loc. Theophylact. in loc. Chrysostom, Theophylact, and our English Translation reads it, or else [...], serving the season, As Erasmus, Calvin, Erasmus in loc: Calvin in loc. Vide Beza annotat. in loc. and our Greek Testaments printed at London, with some short Notes of Causabon, and of Scaliger reads it. If this later be the right lection, then Beza's judgement is this; Velit Paulus nos studiosè omnem juvandi occasio­nem captare. The Apostle Paul commands Chri­stians, industriously to lay hold on every Season to help, and to comfort one another.

Comfort one another in a right manner. And to the 2 composition of this Electuary, many Ingredients are necessarily required. There must be (I will but name them) a reall Affection, a gentle Meeknesse, a com­passionate [Page 18] Patience, a discreet Prudence. There must be healing words for Animo aegrotanti Medicus est ora­tio, saith Socrates. Sweet discourse is the Physitian of a troubled Mind. And there must bePro. 24.26 perti­nently healing words; for several sores require se­veral salves; and different maladies call for distinct medicines. Every distemper in the Head is not cured with Hellebore, nor every paine at the Heart with Dioscordium, Job 6.25. How forcible are right words? Therefore provide proper words of comfort, accor­ding to the true nature of the Grief. If the Greif a­rise from the death of our dear friends, then our Apostle supplies us with precious words, and pre­sents them as a spiritual Cordial. And this brings me to the second part of my Text, which is the Rule to guide our Obedience to the Precept. With these words.

THis Phrase is relative, and therefore we must lay out a little time in inquiring what the words are, with which we are obliged to comfort our selves. Cajetan in his comment upon the place, conceives they are, Verba divina non humana, divine words, not humane, and so indeed they are. But yet the Apostle doth not hereby exclude all humane words of comfort, as either unlawful, or inconve­nient. The Apostle who didWhitaker de S. scripturâ contr. 1. quaest 1. cap. 70. Matriculate into Scripture an Heröick Verse of Epimenides the Cretā, Titus 1.12. —An Hemistychium of Aratus the Astro­nomer, Acts 17.28. An Iambick of Menander, the Comick Poët, 1 Cor. 15.33. — doth not prohibit, much [Page 19] lesse excommunicate all the morall, and rationall sentences of the Heathen from Christian Service.

It cannot be denyed, that the Heathens hadGen. 1.26 intellectual souls (which are the rayes of Divine Perfection, and the glasse of immortal beings) gi­ven them from God, as a Creator, as well as we. They had [...],Rom. 1.19.2, 14, 15 first Principles of natural Truths, engraven on their Understanding, and like­wise [...], common notions of Morality, im­printed upon their Cōscience, by the finger of God, as a Law-giver, as well as we. Therefore whatso­ever conclusions of Comfort are truly and properly deduced thence, ought not to be accounted, [...], the works of darknesse (because theyJames 1.17. originally flow from that God, who is the Father of Lights) but they ought in Duty to be entertained as the glimmerings of the Candle of the Lord, for soPro. 20.27. Solomon calls the rational Soul. And to be wel­comed as the emanations of [...]. That which may be known of God by the Light of Nature. For so St. Paul Rom. 1.19 calls the first Theoretical Principles. And likewise they ought to be further improved by those gracious beams of Light, which the Sun of Righteousnesse, John 1.9 who inlightens every man that cometh into the World, hath2 Cor. 3.18 Eph. 3.5 more freely, and most boun­tifully imparted unto us.

I do observe in the Writing of the Morally wise Heathen, six principal words of comfort, wherewith they did usually support themselves under the common tryal of the death of their beloved Relati­ons. The three first were some thing sensitive, and therefore proportioned to the capacities of the inferiour sort of men. The three latter [Page 20] were more intellectual, and therefore suitable to the thoughts of the more sublime Spirits.

The first word wasArrian E­pict. lib. 1. cap 27. this [...]. There is a necessity of dying.Hor. car. lib. 1. od. 28. Nullum saeva caput Proser­pina fugit. Cruel Death spares neither young nor old. The longest Day is shut in with the darkness of Night. And the longest life is wound up in the bottom of Death. It was but [...]. Arian. Epictet. lib. 2. cap. 22. Alexanders weak­nesse to command the Temple of Aesculapius to be burnt, because his favorite did die, for he himself did die not long after. Maximum ergo solatium est cogitare, id sibi accidisse, quod ante se passi sunt omnes, omnes{que} passuri, saithSen. ad Polyb. cap. 21. Seneca. It is therefore a very great comfort to consider, that such a thing is happened to us, which all men have suffered before us, and all men shall feel after us.

The second isSupervacu­um est dolere, si nihil dolen­do proficias. Sen. lib. 1. Epist. 99. this Dolendo nihil proficias. Al thy Tears, thy sighs, and heart-breaking Lamenta­tions can do no good. If thou couldst melt thy self into Tears, like Narcissus, or weep another de­luge, like that of Deucalion, yet all would be in vain. The house of Death is like the Lions cave, from which are no returning footsteps. Orpheus in the Ethnick Mythologie, could move the trees and stones to follow the Musick of his Lute, but could not with all his melodious Harmony reduceQuod si Threicio blan­dius Orpheo, &c Hor. car. lib. 1. od, 24. his deceased Euridic from the power of the Grave. Nolis longum esse quod irritum est. Thou do'st not desire, that should last long, which is to no purpose.Si fletib. fata vincantur, conferamus, eat omnis inter luctus dies — sed si nullis plan­ctibus defun­cta revocātur, — definat dolor, qui pe­rit. Sen. ad Marc. cap. 6. Definat dolor qui perit. Let that grief finish, which is thrown away.

A third isSi futura mala avertit, si praesentib. medetur, si nos ex pluri­mis vel mor­borum vel a­cerbitatum periculis edu­cit, cur eam tantoperè ac­cusare veli­mus. Cicero de consol. Moriar? hoc dicis, desinam aegrotare pos­se, alligari posse, mori posse. Sen. Epist. 24. this Mors est vitae miserae finis. Death is the finall end of a miserable life. We enter into the world with Tears, continue our lives with Cares, but Death brings a Writ of Ease from both. That which the Port is to the weather-beaten Mariner.] Or the Bed is to the weary Labourer, that is Death unto the Body. Death is the Panacaea to cure us of all diseases: the Habeas Corpus to set us at liberty from all restraints, the invincible castle to protect us from the raging tyranny of Malice it self. Mor­tem perfugium esse aerumnosae vitae nemo dubitare potest. Cicero de consol. saith wise Artabanus to weeping Xerxes. No man (saith he) can make any doubt, that Death is the sanctu­ary of a calamitous life.

A fourth is [...] follow God. Submit to the Di­vine Will. This was the advice ofInstillabas auribus quoti­diè meis, Py­thagoricū illud [...] Boët. de consol. lib. 1. pros. 4. Pythagoras, a very ancient Philosopher, who is eminent for his Aenigmatical Apothegmes. Qui Deorum voluntati re­pugnat. cum Diis gigantum more bollare videtur. He that struggles with the Will of the Deities, seemes Giant-like to fight against Heaven. Death is a Serjeant who acts by a divine commission, and they who resist the serving of those Writs, are accused byTheophra­stus & Xencora­tes eos qui communes ca­sus recusant imprudentiae at{que} injustitiae condemnat, al­ter etiám Diis ipsis adversos non dubitat appellare, &c. Cic. de consol. Theophrastus and Xenocrates, of three heinous crimes. First, of grosse Imprudence. Secondly, of extreme Injustice. And thirdly, of Rebellion against Almighty God. Arianus hath divers excellent notions to per­swade submission to the Will of God, in his Third Book, and 24. Chapt. So likewise hath Epictetus in his Enchiridion, Chapter 11. and Chapter 22 and Chapter 36.

A fifth Comfort wasNon omnis moriar multa{que} pars mei vita­bit libitinam. Hor. Car. lib. 3. od. 30. Non omnis moriar, the Soul is immortall, the Body is, Pulvis & umbra, [Page 22] crumbling dust, and a vanishing shadow, but the Soul is Divinae particula aurae, a parcell of Divine breath, and therefore priviledged from the Law of Mortality. All the sects of PhilosophersMortalem esse docens animam, &c. Lucret. de rer. nat. lib. 3. ex­cept the Epicurean (whose Author was de grege por­cus, a swine or a swine-heard, rather then a Philo­sopher) acknowledged the immortality of the Soul, and therefore will rise up in Judgement a­gainst a sect of men, who say they are Christians, and yetPrimus ferè omnium putidum illud dogma de ani­marum dormi­tione in Eccle­siam introdux­it Vigilantius, — exorti deinde sunt Anabaptistae. Vide Tactica sacra lib. 3 cap. 3. maintain that after the death of the Body, the Soul sleepes. O let not this brutish opinion be told in Gath, lest the mis-believing Mahometans, who lead Morally honest lives, and confesse the Souls immortality, cast dirt in the face of Christian Religion! Oh let not this Common-wealth-destroying opinion be published in Ascalon, lest the Idolatrous Pagans, who never heard of Moses, or of Christ, spit in de­testation of Christian Religion. Socrates spake more like a Christian when he told his unjust Judges,Plato in Apologiâ So­cratis apud Cicer. Tuscul. quaest. lib. 1. haud longè à fine. Mortem esse migrationem in eas oras, quas qui è vitâ ex­cesserunt, incolunt. That Death was a departure in­to those Regions which they who are deceeased do inhabit. And that then he should ad eos venire qui verè judices appellentur, appear before them, who are truly called Judges. Convenire{que} eos qui justè, & cum fide vixerint, and meet those who had lived righte­ously & faithfully. Seneca the good Heathen, seemes to speak more like a Christian, when he thus com­forts his friend Polybius, who excessively mourned for his Brothers death.Cap. 28. Ne invideris fratri tuo, tandē quiescit, tādē liber, tādem tutus, tādem aeternus est. Do not envy thy Brother, he is at rest, he is at the last a freemā, he is at last in safety, he is at the last eternal [Page 23] And this brings me to their 6. and greatest Comfort, which being evident by Natures Light doth make the vicious Heathens inexcusable, and that is this.

Mors est initium melioris vitae. Nesciam quae sedes ex­pectet animam solutā legibus humanis? — Major sum, & ad ma­jora genitus &c Sen. Epist. 65. Animus [...]rat [...]is velut ex diuti­no carcere e­missus, tandem sui juris gestit, & rerum natu­rae spectaculo fruitur. Sen. ad Polyb. cap. 27. Death is the beginning of a better Life. It was the general opi­nion of all the wise men among the Heathen (ex­cept that one voluptuary premētioned) that Death was like unto a Porter which turnes the Key to ad­mit vertuous men into a glorious Palace. That Death was like a dark Porch, which mortals must walk thorough, before they can be admitted into the Starry House of Blessednesse. Beatam mortem quae ad beatissimam vitam aditum aperit! O blessed Death which opens the door to a most blessed life! as Ci­cero worthily speaks, with much more to the same purpose in his book de Consolatione.

This Meditation of another, and of a better life did comfort [...] Epictet. cap. 66 Socrates, when he drank that fatall Hemlock. Did supportPlutarch in vitâ Catonis Utic. Cato when the sword was entring his bowels: did refresh Phocion when con­demned by the Areopagus to Death. This principle writ by the finger of God upon the Soul of man, did move Curtius to leap into the gaping gulph at Rome, did move Leonidas the Spartan to dye willingly for his Country. This caused Theramenes to drink cheerfully the potion which the thirty Athenian Tyrants sent him; and perswaded the old Britains (who were instructed by theirVos quo{que} qui fortes ani­mas, bello{que} peremptas lau­dibus in longū vates dimittitis aevum, Plurima securi sudistis carmina Bardi, Lucan. lib. 1. Num. 446. Et vos Druidae — longae, canitis si cog­nita vitae Mors media est, &c. Ibidem Num. 457. Bards, and Drui­des of the Souls immortality, and of the feli­city of valiant men in another world) to court a noble Death. That speech of Scipio was high­ly rational.Vide som­niū Scipionis ex Ciceronis lib. de repub. sexto excerptum. Omnibus qui patriam conservavernit, juverint, auxerint, certum esse in coelo, ac definitum lo­cum. [Page 24] There is a certain, and an appointed place in Heaven for all them who have preserved, assisted, or inlarged their Country.Ibidem paulò post. Hi vivunt, &c. — Vestra verò quae di­citur vita mors est. Hi vivunt qui è cor­porum vinculis, tanquam è carcere evolaverunt. They really live (saith he) who have escaped out of the fetters of their bodies, as out of a Prison. I shall con­clude this (omitting [...], &c — Ho. odys. Δ Ve­teres Philoso­phi in beatorū insulis fingunt qualis natura sit vita sapien­tûm, quos curâ omni liberatos &c — Cice. de finib. lib. 5. Devenêre lo­cos laetos, & amaena vireta fortunatorum nemorum, sedès{que} beatas &c. Aeneid. lib 6 much which might be spoken) with theSen. ad Marc. cap. 24 speech of the Moralist, who perceiving that Marcia a noble Roman Matron, did pine her self with Grief for the death of her Son, doth thus comfort her. Imago tantùm filii tui periit, & effigies non simillima, ipse quidem aeternus, melioris{que} nunc status est. The counterfeit of thy Son is vanish­ed, and his Effigies which was not very like him is gone: but verily he himself is eternal, and in a hap­pier condition then he was before. These and such like words of comfort dropped from the Tongues and Pens of the more learned, and vertuous Natu­ralists, whereby they endeavoured to cheere up the drooping Spirits of Men under the sad pressure of Mortality.

But give me leave to tell you, that though these moral comforts, especially the three later, were great Lights in those times of Darknesse, (for a little taper in the night makes a more glorious shew then a blazing torch in the day) And though I observe that the Spirit of God doth mention themPsal. 89.48 2 Sa. 12.22, 23. Job 3.17, 18. Acts 21.14. Eccl. 12.7 Rev. 14.13 all, in holy Scripture, to help the natural dulnesse of our Understanding, whereby very few men, asDoctrina per revelatio­nem est necessatia—quia veritas per rationem investigata à paucis, & per longum tempus, & cum ad­missione multorum errorum homini proveniret. Aq. 1^a. 1.1. c. A­quinas tells us) and that not without much labour, could attaine the knowledge of them: yet if you [Page 25] do compare them with themselves, as they are im­proved by Scripture light; Or if you do compare them with those comforts which are purely Evan­gelical, then they will appear but as the glimmer­ings of a Glow-worm in the night, to the lustre of a bright Constellation.

For all these Moral Comforts, (which are useful in their due place) are (in the writings of the Heathen) asRom. 1.21, 22. 1 Cor. 2.6, 7. silver mixed with much drosse, as Wine allayed with too much water, and we may safely say of them, what the divine prophet as­serts of humane policies, Isa. 28.20. The bed is shorter, then a man can stretch himself in it; and the covering narrower then he can wrap himself in it. All these Moral Comforts (though irradiations of Gods na­tural image in man) are but as the water of Jacobs well, of which who ever drinks, shall not be satisfied. Or like the Antimonian Cup, which may evacuate some pituitous humors in full bodies, butIsa. 61.1, 2. cannot cure any internal wasting Infirmity.

Therefore I beseech you, to enquire after spi­ritual comforts, seek elaborately after the consola­tions of the Gospel: These and these onely, are the sure Anodynes, and the real Cordials of the faint­ing Soul. These are the Harp of David to drive away the evil Spirit, and the Dove of Noah to bring the Olive branch of inward Peace and Tranquillity. Without these you wander in a miserable Laby­rinth, and unless God reveale Christ in an extraor­dinary, or in the ordinary way, you areActs 4.12 John 14.6. Vid Eccl. Anglic. art. 18. Verissimum est quod scribit illustriss. Cardinali^s. Ex. omnibus mortalibus, qui inde ab exordio mundi fuerunt, neminem aeternam salutem esse consecutum nisi à Christo, & per Christum. Casaubon ad annal. Eccl. Exercit. sure to [Page 26] perish everlastingly. That which Seneca affirms ofSen. ad Helviam. cap. Philosophy, and of the liberal Sciences, is one­ly true of these spiritual comforts, illa sanabant vul­nus tuum, illa omnem tristitiam tibi evellent. These will perfectly cure thy wound. These will pull up all thy sorrow by the roots. There is no dew like the dew of Hermon, and no Comforts like the Comforts of holy Scripture.

My Text presents two of these spiritual Com­forts, (and I may not at this time mention any more) but yet these two are like a Wedge of fine Gold, whose value transcends many plates of brass; or rather like two precious Jewels, whose worth surpasses many small heaps of Silver.

The first Comfort is this, That there shall be a Resurrection of the Body, Verse 14. For if we believe that Jesus died, and rose again: even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

The second is this, That after the Resurrection of the 1 Body, the Body as well as the Soul shall everlastingly enjoy God. Verse 17. ult. Verb, And so we shall be ever with the Lord.

There shall be a Resurrection of the Body. This is aA Philoso­phis olim ne­gatam & irrisā fuisse resurre­ctionem mor­tuorum cog­noscimus aper­tè ex Act. 17.32. &c. Gregor. de Val. to. 4. disp. 11. quaest. 3. puncto 1. purely Scriptural Comfort. For though Phi­losophy did assure the Heathen that their Souls did not die; Yet it could not demonstrate unto them, that their Bodies which were either eat by worms, or torne in pieces by wild Beasts, or devoured by Fishes, or carbonadoed by the Fowles of the aër, or converted into the flesh and blood of the Cannibals should rise again. Dictates of sound Reason taught them, that their Spirits were of aVid. Alci­noum de doctr. Platonicâ, cap. 25 tit. [...]. Coelestial Na­ture, of a Coelestial Original, and like to the deity [Page 27] it self in regard of duration. ButAq. S. q. 75.3.0. August. de Ci­vit. Dei lib. 22. cap. 5. & cap. 20. it could not re­veal unto them, that their Bodies which mouldred into dust, the which dust was tossed up and down by the restlesse Winds, and did run thorough a numberlesse number of elementary transmutations, should be recollected into the same Bodies they were before, and likewise be new-married to the very same souls they before enjoyed. This was their Tenet in reference to the Body.

The Sun may set in the Evening, and rise again in Morning, but when once our short day doth set, there is one perpetual night to be slept. But now behold the Excellencie of Scripture, whichJo. 5.28, 29 1 Cor. 15. per tot. cleerly dis­covers this Soul-contenting-comfort. That though our bodies die, & are buried in the Earth, yet our bo­dies shall live again, & rise out of the Earth. Though our bodies like weak houses of clay fall into the dirt, yet God who is the infinite Land-lord of these Houses, and the absolute Lord of the Ʋniverse, Dan. 12.2, 3. Matth. 13.43. will build them up again in greater beauty by his all-mighty power. That he who made all things at the beginning from a Negative Nothing, both1 Thess. 4.13, 14. can, and will raise the body when it is dissol­ved into a comparative Nothing. That he who did beautifie the heavens with glistring starrs, did adorn the Earth with the variety of Plants, did replenish the Aër and Sea with astonishing wonders by a single Fiat, bothRev. 20, 13 can, and will reduce the dead [Page 28] Body to a new life, by an absolute Mandate. This was expresly prophesied of by Isajah, Isa. 26.19. Thy dead men shall live together with my dead Body shall they arise, awake and sing yee that dwell in the dust, for thy dew is as the dew of Herbs, the Earth shall cast out the dead.

But this is not all the Comfort of a Christian, for the Scripture doth not onely declare that the dead Bo­dy shall like the Phoenix arise from her cold Ashes; but alsoJob 19.25 declares, that the very same Body, which was dead and buried, shall also rise again. You who are Husbandmen do know that when you have sowed your seed in the fields, your seed doth die, this is a representation of Mortality, and the seed doth afterwards quicken and spring again, which is a shadow of a Resurrection; But you know that seed which springs, is not the numerical seed which you sowed, for it is returned to you twenty, or thirty fold. So likewise you know that in Au­lumne the Trees do shed their leaves, this is a repre­sentation of Death, and in the Spring they are now cloathed with leaves, which is a shadow of the Resurrection; But yet no man will say, that the green leaves in the Spring, are those individual leaves which were upon the Tree in Aulumne. But now behold, and in beholding admire the Comfort of Christian Religion. That theHaereticum est dicere eun­dem hominem non resurre­cturum, qui mortuus est, alioquin enim homo vanè fa­ctus esset, si ad finem propter quem factus esset, perveni­re non posset. Aq. 5. q. 79. 2. c. very same numerical body which was sowed as seed in the womb of the earth; That the same individual Body which drop­ped like a withered leafe into the ground, shall rise again in the numerical identity, that is, with the same flesh, with the same bones, and with the same Substantial parts and Members which appertained to it. This was the Faith of Job, Chap. 19. Verse 25. [Page 29] I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though after my skin wormes destroy this body, yet in my flesh I shall see God; whom I shall see for my self, and my eyes shall behold and not another, though my reins be consumed within me. This was so much the faith of the Primitive Church, that some of them did use theRuffinus in symbolum. demon­strative Pronoun [hujus] in the article of the resurre­ction of the Body. And when they repeated that Article, they struck their hands upon their breasts, saying, Credo resurrectionem carnis hujus; I do believe the Resurrection of this Body. And it may be this was one great cause, why our Apostle doth three times in three several verses preceding my Text, resem­ble the death of a Christian to a sleep, namely verse 13.14, 15. For as in a sound sleep, there is not one­ly a rest from all paine and labour, (in which sense bothHabes somnum ima­ginem mortis eam{que} quoti­diè induis. Tuscul Quaest. lib. 1. Stulte, quid est somnus, gelidae nisi mortis imago? Ovid. Amor. lib. 2 [...] Eleg. 9. Cicero and divers others call death a sleep) but also there is expected an awakening from sleep after the intermission of some hours, and a cheerful arising of the very same body which did lie down to sleep. So shall it be at the resurrection of the dead; The very same Body which was put into the Grave as into a Dormitory, shall1 Thess. 4.16 awaken by the voice of the Archangel, and the sound of the trump of God: And then it shall be re-united to the Soul by the All-mighty, and irresistible power of him, whoRom. 4.17 calleth things that are not, as though they were.

But there is yet a further Comfort, that not only the same individual Body shall arise out of the Grave, but if it be the body of a Saint, it shall be enriched with many glorious perfections; these per­fections [Page 30] are usually calledImpassibi­litas, claritas, ubtilitas; & agilitas, hae quatuor sunt corporum bea­torū dispositi­ones, quae ideo Dotes vocātur quia, &c. Rich. de mediâ villâ in sent. lib 4. dist. 49. art. 4. quaest. 1. c. Dotes Corporis, the dowry of the Body: the which dowry the God of Heaven, who is the Father of Mercies, doth bountiful­ly bestow upon the Body, at her new marriage with the Soul. Time will not suffer me to nominate these Perfections, they are four in number, and they are the pleasing subject of almost every Scholastick Quill that writes upon the Resurrection. The Apostle Paul who was wrapt up into the third Heaven, dothVide Nid. in decal. prae­cept 10 cap. 7. num. 4 & 6. & 8. & 11. sufficiently confirm them, 1 Cor­rinthians 15.42, 43, 44. The Body was sown in cor­ruption, it is raised in incorruption, it was sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory, it was sown in weaknesse, it is raised in power, it was sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.

The second Gospell-comfort is drawn from the e­ternall fruition of God, both in Body and in Soul after the Resurrection. This is a Comfort indeed, such a Comfort as can onely be digged out of the rich Mine of holy Scripture. I acknowledge that thePhilosophi existimant perfectam bea­titudinem ani­mae tunc fieri, cùm omni prorsùs corpo­re exura ad Deū simplex, & sola redierit. Vid. August. de civit. Dei lib. 13. cap. 16. & Annot. Ludo­vici Vives in loc. Stoicks, who were the worthiest sect among the Gentiles, in point of vertuous Practice, as also the Platonists, who were the most noble sect among the Gentiles, in point of high speculation, do make large discourses of the happinesse of the Soul, in statu se­parato in the state of separation from the Body; and do freely dispute of the Union that the Soul hath attained with the Summum bonum which is God, whē she is set at liberty from the Prison of the flesh: But (if I mistake not) both these sects in these sub­lime discourses, werePlatonici multa disseruerunt de supremo hominis bono, quod statue bant in eo esse ut Deo similis eva­deret, ac tandem etiam Deus. — Sed Philosophi quidem balbutire de istis aliquid fortasse noruerunt, certi verò aliquid pronunciare non potuerunt. Casaubon ad annal. Eccl: Exercit. 16 Num. 30. like to Saint Peter at the [Page 31] transfiguration of Christ, who being in an extasie talked he knew not what.

Something (it may be) they might have gleaned from Tradition; For most of theLaertius in vitâ Platonis Democriti, &c. Wise-men among the Graecians did travel into Aegypt, whereGen. 12.10.46, 6.7. Abraham and the Patriarchs had often been: whose excellent Knowledge in super-naturall Truths, might like to some Aromatick Drugs leave a very sweet savour behind them.

Something (it may be) they might have gathered from the Pentateuch of Moses, asDe prae­parat. Evang. lib. 11. Eusebius con­ceives, which Moses wasLactant. de verâ sap. lib 4. cap. 5. much ancienter then Linus, Orpheus, Homer, or any of their Poëtick Writers.

Something they might have collected from the Book of Job, which is a mostPhilo Ju­daeus saith that Job lived in the dayes of I­saac. Hanners Chronogr. pa. 546. ancient writing, as appears by the stile of it; or else from the writings of the Prophets, theAdeo an­tiquiores etiam Graecis scripto­rib. Prophetae reperiuntur. Lactan. de verâ sap. lib 4. cap. 5 youngest of which is more venerable in regard of Antiquity, then their most famous Philosophers.

And this probability is improved, because the Aegyptian priests, who were alwaiesPrimi hominum post Hebraeos Ae­gyptii hoc sci­endi desideri­um excolue­runt. &c. Causinus de symbol. Aegypt. sapientiâ in prolegom. Act. 7.22. eminent for their industrious searching after mystical Know­ledge, might have gained all, or some of the Books of the Old Testament in the Hebrew or the Greeke Tongue,Versas a 70. interpre­rib. esse scripturas Graecè dubium non est — sed Clemens Alexandrinus libi. strom affirmat longè ante haec tempora Graecè conversam, at{que} à Platone lectam fuisse scripturam, &c. Whitaker de S. scripturâ contr. 1. quaest. 2. cap. 3. long before they were translated by the Septuagint, and might privately keep them as a Treasure in some of their famous Temples, and ha­ving skill in the Hebrew and Greeke Language, [Page 34] stumble upon many divine Truths.

But if none of these possibilities (some of w^ch have the authority of Clemens Alexandrinus and Eusebius) are the secret fountains of those admirable speech­es, but that they are the natural results of (that which Seneca calls)Ita est, mi Lucilli, quic­quid Vera Ra­tio cōmendat, solidum & ae­ternum est. Sen. Epist. 66. true Reason; Yet (under fa­vour) this is certain from sacred Scripture, that their notions of these precious Truths are not one­lyActs 26.18 [...]. Acts 17.27. Vid. Bezae an­not. in loc. Eph 1.18. dark and confused, but likewise [...]. Rom. 1.21. ming­led with much Vanity, This is manifest from their most admired writings. That their appre­hensions of these verities, are not onely mixed withMors nos consumit, aut emittit, Sen. Epist. 24. Mors aut finit, aut transfert. Sen. cur bonis ma­la? cap. 6, &c. frequent Scepticismes, but likewise de­filed with many Errours. Yea further, that Union with God which they speak of, hath noActs 17.18 menti­on of Jesus Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and by whomRom 5.2. alone we have a salvificall accesse unto the Father. They knew nothing of the future fruition of God as a tri-une Majesty, that is, in the1 Cor. 2.7, 8. incomprehensible and ever blessed Trini­ty, the which fruition is solely and fully beatifical. They knew nothing of a Union with God both in Body and in Soul, and that by vertue of the [...]. Col. 1.18. [...]. 1 Cor. 15.20, 57. Resurrection of our Saviour, who is [...] God-Man, in Unity of Person, and1 Tim 2 6. who is [...], a Ransome for all, and [...], a1 John 2.2 Propitiation for our sins. Wherefore the Excellency of this Comfort as delivered unto us in our Scripture, is very transcendent and pe­culiar to holy Writ.1 Tim. 3.16

Behold I beseech you the Comfort of a Christian; [Page 33] That though the earthly Tabernacle of our Body be taken down by the irrisistible Hand of Death, and every pin of it thrown into the silent Land of humane forgetfulnesse: yet the most Wise, Powerful and Faithfull God shallRev. 20, 12, 13. 1 Cor. 15.53, 54. raise up this ruined Ta­bernacle, and return every pin into his right place, and restore the Immortall soul unto her ancient Lodgings, which are now beautified with such ir­radiancies of Glory, thatMat. 13.43 the Sun in the Meri­dian is not more illustrious. Then shall the Soul with the Body be brought into the presence of God,Psa. 16.11 in whose presence is fulnesse of joy, and at whose right hand are pleasures for ever more. Then shall the Soul with the Body, be admitted into the new Hierusalem, where there is ‘ [...].’ no Snow, nor Winter, nor Raine, asOdys. Δ: Homer speaks of his Elysian Fields, where there is no Night, no Candle, nor Light of the Sun, asRev. 22.5 Saint John speaks of the holy City, where there areRev. 21.4. No Tears, no Sin, no Enemies, no Tentations, as may be proved out of the 21^th. and 22^th. Chapters of the Revelations.

In a word, then shall the Soul with the BodyAugust de civit. Dei lib. 22. cap. 29. & cap. 30. August. Medit. cap. 22. & cap. 27. solace it self eternally in the blessed society of Saints and Angels: Satisfie it self without satiety, in beholding the God of glory1 Cor. 13.12. face to face. And take an actual andMat. 25.34 personal possession of that Inheritance, which is theCol. 1.12. inheritance of the Saints in Light, which is an 1 Pet. 1.4. Inheritance uncorruptible, and [Page 34] undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in Heaven for us. I shall conclude with the Rhetoricall Cli­max of Saint PAƲL, 1 Cor. 3.9: Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, neither have entred into the Heart of Man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.