were with a white vaile though in deede it bee very blacke for if the pleasures thereof be compared with the paines it will bee found that the paines exceede the pleasures both for their number greatnesse and continuance it being most certaine that no pleasure in the earth hath beene found to endure so long as the paines of a feuer whereas on the other hand if death bee looked vpon with the eyes of nature it seemes to be very terrible as it were couered with a blacke vaile but is white indeed being to the godly but a finishing of our miseries entrance to our endlesse glorie And this shall be euident if we mark these phrases by which the spirit of God describes death to vs in holy scripture the death of Abraham is called a gathering of him to his fathers the death of Moses a sleeping with his fathers Dauid calles the death oâ— his bodie a resting of his flesh in hope S. Luke calles the death of our Lord the time of his assumption S. Peter cals it the deposition of an earthly Tabernacle Now I pray you what here is terrible vnlesse to be gathered to our fathers to let our bodies sleepe for a time and rest in hope that our soules may be assumed vp into heauen be terrible to vs. But most cleerly doth S. Paul by three proper similitudes expressethe nature of death vnto vs for first he compares it to the laying aside of an old rotten garment in stead whereof wee put on a better teaching vs thereby that as no poore man will grudge to lay aside his contemptible garment when a better is offered vnto him far lesse shold a Christian murmure when God vncloths him of his corruptible bodie since he doth it that hee may cloth him with a more excellent garment of glorie and â—mmortalitie Secondly he compares the laying of our bodies in the graue to the sowing of seede in the earth teaching vs thereby that suppose our bodies being couered with moulds rot putrifie vnder the earth yet they shall spring vp again and theâ—fore we shold willingly render our bodies to the Lord that great husbandmaÌ„ to be dimpled like pickles of liuely seede by his owne hand in any parte of the earth hee pleases yea if it were in the bottome of the sea seeing the whole world is the Lords husbandry which he can cause to bring out fruite to him at his pleasure At his word both the earth and water brought out to him liuing creatures which neuer had been and shal we not thinke that at his word they wil render to him these creatures which haue bin before And thirdly he cals it here a flitting from one house to another a remoouing from our cot house on earth to a Palace of glorie in heauen Now this being spoken vpon the worde Dissolued for our comfort in death somthing further must we marke out of it for our preparation to death Howeuer death be most certaine yet the Apostle speaks indefinitly of it both in regard of the time the place and the kinde of death it is out of al doubt our bodies must bee dissolued but wee know not when nor where nor how in these three respects death is vncertaine As to the time of our death God hath hidden it from our eies Nihil certius morte nihil incertius hora mortis Many goe out of the body being disapointed as concerning the time lipning and looking in their owne thought for a longer time then they find ordeined for them In this folly by nature wee are all followers of that rich man who dreamed to himselfe that he had many daies to the fore when in very deed hee had not one for that same night his soule was taken from him Vita haec multipliciter illudit hominibus longam se simulat vt fallat Alway the vncertainty of death in regard of time God hath done it in wisedome to make vs the more carefull Ignoratur vnus dies vt obseruentur multi Hee hath made one day vnknowne that many daies may be obserued If the good man of the house had known what houre the thiefe would come hee would haue watched not suffred his house to be digged through Be ye therfore prepared the house is the body the theef that breakes it is death the treasure thou keepst in it is thy soule therfore watch pray the conclusion of the Parable telles vs that God hath hid the houre of death from vs not to snare vs but to stirre vs to vigilance Ideo voluit horam mortis incertam esse vt semper sit nobis suspecta God hath made the houre of death vncertaine because hee will haue it alway suspected The life of man on earth is but a life of seauen daies how manie yeares soeuer he liue yet hath hee but these same dayes multiplied vnto him As he therfore who hauing seuen seruants to serue him if he be aduertised that one of the seauen will slay him takes seruice from them with the narrower obserâ—ation of euerie one of them when they come by course to serue him so man whose life runnes vpon seauen dayes in the weeke which together with their shaddowes serue him by course since he is tolde that in one of them hee must die and he knows not which it is he shold the more carefully obserue them all to liue holily and godly in them let all of them be passed ouer in feare let none of them want their owne exercises of godlinesse so shall we die peaceably and with comfort in any of theÌ„ wherein it shall please God to call vpon vs. Secondly in regard of the place death is also so vncertain somehaue died in the wombe wherein they tooke life some in the Cradle as the infants of Bethlem some in the bedde as Ishboseth some in the Parlour as Eglon some on the stoole as Arrius some at the table as Ammon some in the Chappell as Sennacherib some in the Temple as Ioab In a word what place is there wherin we can come in the which or the like of it some men haue not died before vs and this to warne vs how in euery place we shold be prepared Vbique te expectatmors tu si sapiens fueris vbique cam expectabis Thirdly the kinde of our death is also left vncertaine vnto vs that against all kinds of death wee may be prepared there is one way by which we all come into the worlde but many wayes by which wee goe out of it for some die in the water as Pharao some in the fire as the King of Edom some by Lions as the disobedient Prophet some by Beares as the railing children some by dogges as cruell Iezabel some by vermine as proude Herod some by the sword as swift Azahel some smothered in the house as the children of Iob some by the fall
common order which God obserued in the rest for where other creatures were made by his word onely he puts too his hand to the making of man Consultation also among the persons of the blessed Trinity going before which was not in the creation of any other creature whereof thou mayst learne O man Quantitu vnus venias estâ—mandus in what great account thou art in regard of all the rest of his creatures all other like seruants were brought out by naked commandement homo tanquam eorum dominus ipsa Dei manu est instructus Man as their Lord is built vp by Gods owne hand All this preparation going before was to shew that some great thing was to follow as indeede it did for man is so made a worke of God his wisdome that he is a compend of all Gods creatures admired by those who had no more but natures light as a little world but more highlycommended bythose who had also the light of the word whereby to discerne him Omni miraculo quod fit per hominem maius miraculum est ipse homo Man himselfe said Augustine is a greater miracle then any miracle that euer was done by man And this not onely in regard of his soule but euen of his bodie also which here the Apostle calleth a comely house If there were no more to commend it yet as saieth Gregory this wereenough Quod a corpore humano in se similitudinem trahat deus That God borrows Similitudes from the body of a man to expresse and shaddowe himselfe vnto vs a scribing to himself an eye a mouth a hand and such like which we are not to thinke with the Anthropomorphites that hee hath per naturam sed per effectum But beside this if we doe take but a short view of the workmanship of man his bodie we shall be compelled euery one for himselfe to say with Dauid O Lord I am fearefull and wonderfull made The entrie to this house is the mouth which God hath fenced with a folding doore of the lips opening and closing most commodiously at the will of the Indweller Next vnto it are the grinders which God hath set in the entrie to prepare food for the whole man to nourish him the third roome hee hath assigned to the tongue which he hath made most artificially and set in the thorough gate of the houâ—e as the Trenchman and Messenger of the soule to declare his will vnto all that come neere And he hâ—tâ— set the head as an eminent Towre in the bodie wherein hee hath placed the seat of foure most excellent senses euery one oâ— them neere vnto another and not one of them impeding the function of another he hath locked vp the brain within it as a treasure and fenced it not onely with a couering of haire of skinne and of bone without but hath also spread ouer it within the Golden Ewer the least rupture whereof importeth death and because the windowes and watchmen are also in it hee hath made it to turne like a Wheele pleasantly and without paine to preuent all dangers that from any side may come vnto the body and if wee shall yet goe further in into this house and consider the daughters of singing which hee hath made most artificially for modulation of the voice if wee looke to the siluer cord stretched throughout the length of his body if we coÌ„sider the Well how it prepares and furnishes blood to all the members of the bodie if wee looke to the Pitchers by which as thorough Conduits it is conueyed through the whole body If we consider the Cesterne which is the heart the fountaine of life if this manner of way I say with Salomon we view the building of mans body beside other innumerable thinges which Naturalists and Theologs haue marked concerning it wee shall bee compelled to acknowledge that man euen as concerning his body is a world of wonders And this haue I but briefly marked that wee might learne to possesse our vesselles in honour acounting it a great shame vnto vs to pollute and defile this bodie in any dishonorable manner which GOD hath created so honorable comely and pleasant Secondly The bodie is called an house in respect of the soule which dwelles in it and this also highly commends the excellencie of the workemanshippe of man marueilous for the substances wherof it consists more marueilous for the wonderful vnion and coniunction of them in heauen there are vnderstaÌ„ding spirits without bodies as Angels In earth are bodies without vnderstanding spirits as beastes in man ye shall find them both wherefore one affirmed man to be all things for there is no creaâ—ure which liues but man partakes of the liâ—e thereof the plants and trees haue a life vegetiue by which they grow the beastes a life sensitiue by which they heare see smell taste and touch the Angels a life reasonable by which they vnderstaÌ„d in the first two man coÌ„municates with earthly creatures in the third he transcends them and is companion to Angels But the coniunction of these two substances and the habitation of the one into the other is yet more marueilous commonly the honourable and the ignoble the foolish and the wise thestrong the weake agree no better then Iron and Clay Non sic in opere tuo non sic in commixtione tua O Domine Not so in thy worke O Lord not so in the mixture which thou hast made for heere the Lord hath ioyned in most maruelous manner Spirite with flesh a heauenly substance with an earthly so that Communio haec mentis ad corpus inâ—ffabilis sit incomprehenâ—ibilis intellectu This communion of the minde and bodie can neyther bee conceiued by our vnderstanding nor vttered by our speech the soule being so in the bodie that yet it is not mixed with the bodie it is within vs and yet goes thorough all things that are without vs it is kept in the bodie by blood and breath and yet liues not by blood and breath beeing a Spirituall thing it giues vnderstanding to anie other Spirite by the earthly Organ of the tongue and receiues againe intelligence froÌ„ another spirite by the earthly Organ of the eare God hath done it we feele it but know not the reason of it all these and many moe â—hould moue vs to reuerence the goodnesse and wonderfull wisedome of our Maker â—hewed in the creation of man And of this we learn how farre the iudgement of Gods spirite differs from the iudgement of man and that euen as concerning man himselfe It is thought among carnall men that the body is the man Sic dediti sunt carni ac sanguini ac si nihil aliud quam carnem se esse reputarent and therefore are they so giuen to pamper flesh as if they were no other thing but flesh these do not separate the vile from the pretious
dissolued by death after the common manner before the flood HENOCH was taken away and hee sawe no death after the flood ELIIAH was transported into a Chariote of fire and strange is it that is written of MOSES that when hee died on the toppe of Pâ—sgah beeing an hundred and twentie yeare olde his eye was not dimme nor his naturall force abated But we haue not vppon these to fansie vnto our selues a priuiledge whereof God hath not assured vs neither are wee to thinke wee are the lesse beloued of God because after the same singular maner he takes vs not away out of the world but we must looke on the other hand to the remanent Patriarches Prophets and worthie Apostles who finished their daies as Ioshua speakes after the way of all flesh so Abrâ—ham the father of the faithfull died being worne with the infirmities of his age and Isaac thorough weaknes waxed blinde before he died and Iacob that famous Patriarch being in his bed by ordinary death pulled vp his feet vnto him and we must bee content after the same manner to suffer the dissolution of our bodies by diseases which are the Sergeants and officers of death It is true also that they who shal be found aliue at the second comming of Christ shall not be dissolued but suddenly transchanged but this priuiledg in like maner we are not to looke for hauing no warrant that we shall continue alike vntill that day for that man of sinne is not yet so weakened by the Gospell as hee must bee Neyther are our eldest brethren the Iewes conuerted to the faith of Christ as in likelihood they wil be before Christs second appearing Sixteene hundred yeares were they in the couenant when we were strangers from it During that space sundrie of the Gentiles in sundrie partes of the World became Proselytes as Naaman in Syria and Ebedmelech in Ethiopia but that was not the accomplishment of the promised calling of the Gentiles till the bodie of IAPHETS house were perswaded to dwell in the Tentes of SEM. And now other sixteene hundred yeares haue wee beene within the couenant they strangers from it in which space sundry of them also haue embraced the faith of the Gospel but that as wee conceiue is not the performance of the promised recalling of the Iewes but the body of that people shall be conuerted that the prophecy may be fulfilled And there shall be one Shepheard and one Sheepe folde then shall our Lord appeare the second time for our full redemption So that these words of the Apostle doe not make any peraduenture of our death farre lesse doe they giue vs any exemption from death but rather assures vs that our bodies must be dissolued Our life on earth is no inheritance our breath is but a vapour wee haue heere no continuing Citie Men may preasse to repine and sit the summonds of death made by sundrie diseases as long as they can and do all they may to fortifie themselues against the dart of death but it shall not bee eschued These daintie women which wil not suffer so much as their soles to touch the earth must at length lay down not the soles of their feete onely but the Crowne of their head also to be couered by it The labour of man in his life is to turne ouer the earth in the sweate of his brow seeking in her bowels food and fewell materials for building and Mineralles of sundrie mettals for his other vses in all which shee renders to man her seruice receiuing at leÌ„gth for a recompence man in her bosome to fil vp her wants whose finest flesh is turned by her without difficulty into dust If we were as AdaÌ„ who neuer saw one die before him by the course of nature for Abel was takeÌ„ away by violence it were somwhat more tollerable then now it is to doubt whether if or not wee shall bee dissolued It was threatned against him that if he brake the commandemeÌ„t he shold die yet after the transgression he liued a bodily life I meane nine hundred and thirty yeares euen to the eight generation a father of many children in both the houses of Caine and Seth as he was the first man that liued in the world so it seemeth he was the first that died by the ordinary course of nature But now death is become Via trita a paide gate All generations of men since the beginning of the world haue walked through it Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and all that Congregation of the first borne who stand as witnesses that there is no danger in death and shal we onely scare at it and stand affraid as though it would deuoure vs yea euen the very Ethniks esteemed death to bee Non supplicium sed tributum viuendi Not a punishment but a tribute which euery man must pay for his life and therefore said one of them Quod debeo paratus sum soluere vbi me faenerator appellat I am ready to pay my debt when he who lent mee it shall call vppon me and require it And if notwithstanding oâ— al this we liue in securitie as if we were in couenant with death and it would not long come neere vs in verie truth wee deserue that we should perish in it Our earthly house Somtime both the soule bodie of man are compared to an house and that is in regard ofGod dwelling in them by his spirit but heere by thâ— house the bodie alone is to bee vnderstood in regard of the soule that soiournes in it and this is cleare in that also he calles it an earthlyhouse And here wee haue three things to consider First that the bodie is called a house next a house of earth and thirdly a Tabernacle and the reasons why Our bodie is called an house for two respects first in respect of the comely and orderly work-manshippe thereof for as Artificers out of an inordinate heape of things amassed together do rais vp most pleasant buildings by walling out one of them from another by preparing theÌ„ and placing euery thing in the owne roome and making them by line and measure one of them proportionall and answerable to anoâ—her so that now they make vp a comely house pleasant to looke vnto wher before they were a dissordered masse So is it with the body of man which of a confused lumpe of clay without forme God hath builded vp in this pleasant forme and comely order wherein now it stands It is true al the works of God are very wonderfull what euer is done by him cannot bee but very excellent and good hee himselfe being most excellent and infinitly good But a singular wisedome goodnesse hath God showne in the creation of man for hee came out in the last roome as the perfection of Gods workes and last design of the thoughts of God and therefore was he not created after the
the Lord from the seruant the indweller from the lodger â—or in the iudgment of Gods spirit the body is no more but the house the man is hee that dwelles in the bodie and looke what difference there is betweene a house and him that dwelles in it such are wee to put betweene the soule and the body in exteriall dangers thogh the house bee burnt and blowne downe with windes if the indweller be safe we account that the losse is the lesse and much more if the soule escape when the house of the body is throwne downe by death are we to esteeme that the losse is but small It is reasonable indeed that the soule should loue the body but so that it neglect not the owne selfe let Aâ—am loue his Euah but so that hee hearken not vnto her voice more then to the Lords if we seeke the welfare of our bodies with neglect of our soules we shall lose theÌ„ both but if we subdue the body by discipline that the soule may be safe then shall the body also bee partaker of her glory Earthly The second general obserued here is that the Apostle cals our body an house of earth and this he doth for two causes first in regard of the matter for it was made of the earth next in regard of the means by which our bodies are continued and vpholden for they are earthly As to the first that man is made of earth which is manifest out of the second of Genesis it doeth highly commend the great power of the Creator to doe great thinges by great meanes is no great matter but when by smallest meanes greatest things are done it doth argue without all doubt the great excellency of the worker as that God made all things of nothing and that of the basest matter he had made before man hee made man a more excellent creature then any other that hee had brought out before him hee made him of clay but in many respects more honourable then that whereof he made him in this that he hath giuen to man Vt sit aliquid sua origine gloriosius Hee hath set out the glorie of his power and wisedome As likewise in that hee hath placed such a Grace and Maiestie in that same face which hee framed of Clay that the feare and terrour of him was vppon all liuing creatures which they acknowledged by their first comperance before him at his calling to receiue names from him as it pleased him to improue them and yet euen after the fall by the benefite of restitution wee haue in CHRIST they so reuerence man that albeit in nature there can bee none stronger then the Elephant stowter then the Lyon fiercer then the Tygre yet all these dooth seruice to man Et naturam suam humana institutione deponunt Secondly we learne heere GODS Soueraignty ouer man he is but a vessell of earth framed by the hand of God therfore VVoe must be vnto him if he striue with his Maker a vessell of clay is not so easily broken by the Potter as man is confounded by his Maker if once his wrath kindle in his breast against him It were therefore good for man before hee enter into enmitie with God to bethinke himselfe of an answere to that question of the Apostles Do ye prouoke God vnto anger are yee stronger then he The Sidonians would not make warre with Herod because they were nourished by the kings land and it might more iustly be a reason to keep vain man from waging battel with the Lord that he holds his life of the Lord that if he do but take his breth out of our nostrils wee fal incontinent as dead vnto the ground Surely of all follies in the world this is the greatest for a man to cast himselfe in danger of Gods wrath which he is neyther able by flying to eschâ—e nor yet by suffering to endure Thirdly the consideration of our originall learnes vs humility siâ—ce wee are of the earth why shal we wax proude specially for any quality of our body which was taken from the earth and must returne to earth againe Therefore God gaue vnto the first man the name of Adam signifying redde earth that as oft as hee heard his name he might remeÌ„ber his originall and and his posterity also considering the Rocke froÌ„ whence they came might let fall the comb of their naturall pride Which if we cannot learne by looking to our originall let vs at least remeÌ„ber our end it shall learne vs that we are but dust yea much more vile then common dust for as beautifull Snow when it is resolued into water whereof it was congealed becomes fouler water then any other else so man being turned again into earth it becomes viler earth then any other earth whatsoeuer so that the flesh which in life is most beloued death causes to be most abhorred Abraham loued Sarah well but froÌ„ the time that her soule departed from her bodie hee was glad to entreate the Hittites for a Sepulchre that hee might burie his dead out of his sight And truely if as Gregory councels vs Vnusquisque hoc quod viuum diligit quid sit mortuum pensaret euery man would pondâ—r what that creatur is being dead which so greatly man loueth while it liueth it would serue to represse in vs the immoderate desires of our affections O man why wilt thou bee bewitched with that which in the bodie seemes worthy to bee loued Is it for the strength or the beautie or stature therof that thou art delighted with it I pray thee consider what these are Is not the strength of the body weakenes Ere it be long the grashopper shall be a burden to the strongest And as to beauty is it not deceitfull All flesh is grasse and the glorie thereof as the flowre of the field As a wall of clay plastered ouer and painted after that a little winde and raine hath beaten vponit the Lime fals away and the clay appeareth so is it with the most pleasant bodie which now being trimmed with the colours of God seemes very beautifull but after that the storms and showers of diseases hath beaten vppon it then shall it appear that which it is to wit but Clay indeede and though for stature thou were like to the sonnes of Anack yet neither art thou for that the more pretious for the highest trees are not most fruitfull the mightie Oakes of Basan beares fruit for Swine where the little Vine-tree renders comfortable fruite for man neither can thy height protect thee against death for euen gold thristy Babel which grewe vp like a great tree so high that the fowles of heauen made their nests vnder it was at leÌ„gth broght to the graue like an abhominable branch so shall it bee with the pompe of all flesh the wormes shall be spread vnder thee and the Wormes shall couer
thee Let it therefore bee farre from vs to glorie eyther in the strength or beauty or stature of our mortall bodies they are but rotten and ruinous habitations nothing is there in them to puff vp our pride if we consider them aright but much matter to humble vs. It is written of Agathocles who of a Potter was made a King that he caused to furnish his table with vessels some of Golde and some of Loame that by the one he might be serued as a King and by the other admonished that hee was once a Potter and it much more becomes vs who now are called to the high dignity of the sonnes of God to remember what wee were before that so we may bee humbled in our selues be thankfull to our God Secondly the bodie is called an earthly houâ—e because by earthly meanes it is susteyned and vpholden so that the verie food by which we liue dooth warne vs of the fragility of our mortall bodiâ— the fowles of the ayre and beastes of the earth are slaine to feed vs they must quit the silly life they haue before they can bee conuenient foode for vs And I pray you what enduring life can they cause vnto vs which must die before they can helpe our life yea within short time if they bee let alone they corrupt and putrifie of their owne accord thus euerie creature that feedes vs testifies to vs in their kinde that our life is but a silly life the ende whereof is death and filthy rottennesse Of this Tabernacle the third generall point we marked heere is how our body is called a Tabernacle And that first for some similitude of the building a Tabernacle being such a soiourning place as Tectum habeat non fundamentum hath a couering but not a foundation to warne vs that how euer in this life wâ—e haue aboue vs the protection of God as a Couert for the storme and for the raine yet beneath there is heere no foundation whereon we may rest and settle our selues but we are with Abraham Isaac and Iacob to looke for that Citie aboue hauing a Foundation that is our Temples building in which without danger wee may lay vp our treasure hauing both a roofe a foundation fundamentum est stabilitas aeternae beatitudinis tectum consummatio perfectio ipsius Secondly our bodies care called Tabernacles in regard of the vse of them since our life is a warfare wee should soiourne in the body as souldiers in their Sconses Tents that out and in them wee may watch for vantage ouer our enemies to annoy them and defend our selues from them but it is to bee lamented that our bodies which should be vsed as Tabernacles for warre are turned in domicilia turpissimae captiuitatis in little houses of seruitude bondage And thirdly to shew their mortality they are compared to Tabernacles for they are moueable at the will and arbitrement of God who hath pitched them we haue here no continuing City but should liue in the body as ready euery houre to bee transported for wee know not when it shal please the Lord to pull vp the stakes of our Tabernacle to slake the cordes and folde vp the couering therof which shortly must bee done to euery one of vs but our comfort is that as the Arke of God which in the Wildernesse dwelt in a moueable Tabernacle was afterward placed in a fixed and stablished Temple in Canaan so our soules shall bee translated from this earthly Tabernacle to haue their dwelling in that Temple of God in heauen Great ioy was in Ierusalem when Salomon transported the Arke from the Tabernacle to the Temple but greater ioy shall be to our soules when God shall carrie them from this earthly Tent to that heauenly and eternall habitation Be dissolued Heere we see that in the Christian death dooth no more but dissolue his earthly Tabernacle It is demaunded by Augustine what kinde of death it was which God denouÌ„ced to man in paradise if he did eat of the forbidden tree Vtrum corporis an animae an totius hominis an illa quae dicitur secunda And he aunswers that into that death which is the proper punishment of sinne all kinds of death concurres for as the whole earth coÌ„sists sayes he of many earths the Catholike Church consists of many particular Churches so vniuersal death which is the proper punishmeÌ„t of sin consists of all sorts of death Now the Scripture makes mention chiefly of two sorts oâ— death the first and second the first death hath in it two deaths the one of the soule the other of the body the death of the soule is when the soule quickening the body is not quickened of God but is as the Apostle speakes a straÌ„ger froÌ„ the life of God by this death many are dead who in regard of their bodies seem to be liuing as is spokeÌ„ of the Ephesians before their calling of the waÌ„toÌ„ widows who liuing are dead of the Angel of Sardis the death of the body is the separatioÌ„ of the soule from the body So then the death of the whole maÌ„ is Cum anima sine deo corpore ad tempus paenas luit but the second death which is so called because by many degâ—ees it is greater then the other and there is not any other behinde it is Cum anima sine Deo cum corpore aeternas paenas luit Where that we may yet more cleerely distinguish the death of a Christian from the death of the wicked it is to be enquired seeing in the resurrection the wicked shall haue their soules and bodies vnited together how shall they be punished with death The aunswer is that this vnion of their soules and bodies shall be with such a fearfull diuision from God among themselues that they shall rather wish to be extinguished and turned into nothing then be vnited againe Ad augmentum tormenti hic de corporenolens educitur impius illic in corpore tenetur inuitus In this life the wicked is taken out of the body against his will and in the life to come hee is kept in the bodie against his will and by both of these his torment is encreased In the first creation God conioyned soule and body that they might be a mutuall comfort one to other but in the second death by the coÌ„trary they are vnited for the mutual punishment one of another so that the body shall bee for no other ende quickened by the soule but to make it feeling and sensible of horrible paine for if euen now in this life it bee come vpon man as a iust punishment of his rebellion against God that the body is not so seruiceable to the soule as it was in the beginning Anima quippe quia supâ—riorem DominuÌ„ suo arbitrio deseruit inferiorem famulum sibi subiectuÌ„ non habet how much
is none but good and if the pasturage heere bee so pleasant where Goats Sheep feede together what pleasures are there where the Sheepe are gathered together by themselues and their Pastor lies with them and rests feeding them without feare in the noone tyde of the day And as the consideration of the place renders vs comfort so doth it also giue vs this instruction that we must be holy if we desire to dwell there for no vncleane thing can enter into heauenly IerusaleÌ„ we see that in the frame of this world thingsare placed according to their excellency the earth as grossest is set into the lowest roome â—boue the earth is the water as being purer then the earth aboue the water is the ayre which is purer then the water aboue the ayre is the fire aboue the fire is the Firmament with the celestiall spheres which ar purer then any of them and aboue them all is the third heauen wherein our building is situate excelling in purity all these things which are seene whereunto wee are admonished that we who by nature are not onely of the earth but are also earthly minded must be transchanged by grace and endued with a heauenly disposition before we can be admitted to these new heauens wherein as saies Saint Peter dwels righteousnesse and none but righteous and renued men can inherit them Ver. 2. Therefore we sigh desiring c. The Apostle hauing laid downe that solide ground of comfort which stands to all Christians as a strong preseruatiueagainst the feare of death comes now to build vpon it and drawes out of it a three-fold fruit of godlinesse which hee protests the certain knowledge of the glory to come wrought in his heart and which if wee also can feele wrought in our owne hearts by the spirit of God shall serue vnto vs as wholsom preparatiues to prepare vs in our life and makes vs capable of that comfort of all Christians in our death the first fruite is an earnest desire of that glorie to come the second a contentment with boldnesse to remooue out of the bodie the third a continuall care both in life and death to please the Lord. Heere first wee perceiue the nature of that true and liuely knowledge which by the Gospell is wrought in the minds of men not onely doth it let vs see high and excellent things but also carries our hearts affections after them for the Gospell is not onely a mirrour wherein wee behold the glorie of God with open face but also the power of God vnto saluation by which we are transformed into the selfe same Image similitude therefore the Apostle denies that they haue learned Iesus Christ who haue not learned to cast off the old man which is corrupted thorough deceiueablelusts and to put on the new which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse And if by this rule the meÌ„ of this generation be tryed many shal be found ignorant of Christ who seeme vnto themselues to haue learned him well enough In the heauens are two lights wherof the one to wit the Moone hath light without heat or chaunging vertue the other to wit the Sunne doth not onely shine but sends out such heate and vertue that by it things hard are mollified dead creatures are reuiued and fading hearbs and trees are made to flourish so is there in the minde of man two sorts of knowledge the one lets him see the good way and allures his heart to follow it the other giues him light whereby he may discerne things but allures allures him not to follow the best it encreases light in the minde but works not holines in the heart it doth not conuert but convince them so is it with many in this age whose knowledge is better then their conscience of whom wee may say with the Apostle it had bin better for them not to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse nor after that they haue knowne it to turne from the holy commandement giuen vnto them We sigh The first effect which the certaine knowledg of the glory to come wroght in the Apostle is as we heard a feruent desire therof which caused him to breake forth in sighing for it for the man who knowes better things which are to come can not be coÌ„tent with the best of these which are preseÌ„t but doth in such sort vse theÌ„ that he declares he longs for better by sighing and lameÌ„ting for the long delay thereof as Iob protests that his sighing came before his meat and Dauid mingled his cuppe with teares so al the godly who know a better thinke long till they enioy it Non satis futura gaudia nosti nisi reâ—uat consolari anima tua donec veniant Thou knowes not rightly the ioyes to come vnlesse thy soule refuse all other comforts till thou obtaine them In the children of God desire goes before satisfaction but it is certaine what they desire according to Gods word they shall obtaine it It is the faculty of them who are in heauen that they are satisfied with the fulnesse of ioy which is in Gods face it is the felicity of them who are militant on earth to hunger and thirst for righteousnes with the which they shall be satisfied they haue obteyned in a great part that which they desired we ar made sure by Gods word to obtaine that which now we desire through his grace for his promise is The Lorde will fulfill the desires of them who feare him whether it be righteousnes here or glory hereafter If then we cannot do as we shold at least let vs desire to doe so tota vita boni Christiani Sanctum desiderium est the whole life of a good Christian is a holy desire yea the Apostle is not ashamed to protest of himselfe that his desires were better then his deede for hee desired to doe the good wherunto hee could not attain such is the fauor and indulgence of our God toward vs that our desires hee accepts them for deeds therfore should wee bee comforted against the conscience of our waÌ„ts insufficiency by the vnfeined desires of better which through his grace are in vs for true desire of grace and glorie is an vndoubted argument of grace receiued and glory to be receiued But this as I haue said is to bee vnderstood of true not of vain desires such as was the desire of Balaam who desired that he might die the death of the righteous Two wayes may the one be discerned from the other first these desires which are wroght in the soule by the holy spirite are ay the longer the more feruent wheras the other is but a false conception which incontinent dies and euanishes away Secondly true desire of the glorie to come vses carefully all those meanes which may bring vs vnto it such as are the exercises of the Worde
must looke to other of the Fathers who dâ—ed the common course of death Gen. 27.1 Gen. 49.33 The godly also aliue at Christs comming shal not be dissolued But we haue no warrant that wee shall be of that number For before Chriâ—ts comming the Iâ—wes must be recallâ—d Rom. 11.24 It is out of al doubt our bodies must be dissolued by death Heb. 13.14 Al fortification against death is in vaine Deu. 28. marg As Adam was the first liuing man so the first that died by the course of nature But now so many haue gone through death before vs that it is a shame for vs to scare at it Seneca By the earthly house our body here is to be vnderstood For two causes is our body called an house I For the câ—mly and orderly workmanship thereof Other creatures were made by the word of God but to the making of man God put too his hand also And consultation among the persons of the blessed Trinity goes before Basil hexam hâ—m 10. Tortul de resur car This preparation before shewes that some great thâ—ng was to follow as it did indeed Aug. de ciuit Dei l. 10. cap. 12. Man an excellent workmanship euen iâ— respect of his bodie Gregor mâ—ral l. 32. Sect 13. Bernard A short view of the excelleÌ„t workmanship of mans body as it is giuen by Salomon Psal. 139. Man euen in regard of his body is a world of wonders Eccles. 12. VVe should not dâ—shonour the bodie which God hath honouredso highly 2 The bodie is called a house in respect of the soule dwelling in it Man for his two substances whereof he consists is a compend of all Gods creatures But the coniunction of these two substances is more marueilous Bern. in die â— Natal dom er 2. Nazian That flâ—sh and spirit should agree so well together That the soule shâ—uld be kept in the bodie by blood and breth yet not liuing by them Carnal men so liue as if they were nothing but flâ—sh onely Ierem. 15. VVhâ—reas the body is but the house the man is he who dwels in the bodie Let vs so care for the house that much more wâ—â—â—re for him who dwâ—ls in it The bodie is called an earthly house First because it was made of the earth And herein appeares Gods power and wisdome that of so base a matter hath made so excellent a creature Tertul. de resurrect car Gen. 2. Ambros. hexam l. 6. cap. 6. The soueraignty of God ouer man is more thâ—n that which the Potter hath ouer his clay 1. Cor. 10.22 Therefore wo to him who liues in â—nmity with God Act. 12 20. The consideration of our originall does leâ—rne vs humility They who will not learn it by their originall â—et them looke to their end and they shal see no cause of pride Gen. 23.4 Greg. moral l. 16. sect 105 Neither is there strength nor beauty nor stature of the body to be delighted in Esa. 40.6 The body like a wall of clay plastered ouer and painted with colours Esa. 14.11.19 Remâ—mbrance of that which we haue bin should keepe vs from waxing proud for that which we arâ— Secondly the bâ—dy is called an earthly house because it is vphoâ—den by earthly meanes Our body is called a Tabâ—rnacle first because we haue here a couering but not a foundation Ber. parui Sermones Esa. 4.6 Heb. 11. Ibid. Sâ—condly because we should vse it as a Sconse or Tent for the warfare Basil. ser. 10. in Psal. qui habitat Thirdly because it is not fixed in one place as an house but is made for transporting That death whâ—rein all deaths concurre is the proper punâ—shment of sinne Aug. de ciuit Dei l. 13. cap 12. Of the two kindes of death mentioned in holy scripture Eph 4. Eph. 2. 2. Tim. Reuel 3. Death of the whole man what it is It is demanded seeing the soule and body of the wicked shâ—ll be vniâ—ed in the resurrectâ—on how shall they be punished with the second death Gregor moral l. 15. Sect 55. It is answered that this â—nion of their â—oule and body is for their greater punishment Aug. de ciuit dei l. 13. c. 13 A great difference betweene the death of the Christian and the wicked The Christian shall neuer die that death which is the punishment of the wicked And the wicked cannot free themselues of that death which they inflict on the godly â— beside that a worse abides them By death we get deliuerance from our present euils Aug. de ciuit Dei l. 9. cap. 10. VVhat a great benefit it is that our bodies are mortall By death we are set at libertie to enioy our greatest good Aug. de ciuit dei l. 9. c. 20. Athanas in qâ—estionibus quaest 18. Many lookes to the dissolution but not to the coniuction made by death and therefore are affraid at it Two things remoued which make death fearefull 1 The feare of punishment after death Ambr. de bono mortis c. 8 But indeede death is not to be blamed for thatwhich comes after it 2 An apprehension that death destroyes man Ambros. ibid. Death it self is not terrible but the opinion of death Nazian orat de funere patris Greg. moral l. 4. sect 47. Death should not be looked vpon in the glasse of the law but in the mirrour of the Gospell Comfortable phrases by which death is described by the spirit of God Gen. 25.8 Deu 31.16 Psal. 16.9 Luke 2. Pet. 1.14 S. Paul expresses the nature of our death by thrâ—e similitudes 1. He compares it to the changing of a garment To the sowing of seed in the earth thaâ— it may grow againe 1. Cor. 15. 3 To a flitting from one house to another Albeit death be certaine yet the time place and kinde thereoâ— is vncertaine Many dreame of more daies theÌ„ they haue are far deceiued at the length Aug. Ber. de fallatia vitae praesentis Time of our death left vncertaine to make vs the more vigilant Gregor The life of man is but a life that turnes vpon seuen daies and in one of them man must die Therefore shâ—ld he take heed to them all The place of death vncertaine VVe can come to no place in the which some haue not died before vs. Bernard The kinde of death is also vncertaine that for all deaths we might be prepared VVe come all into the world by one way but we go out of it by many VVe should not much care for the kind of death but for the way we goe after death Aug. de ciuit dei l. 1. c. 11. Men should not be violeÌ„t actors of their owne death but patient sufferers Gen. 9. 2. Mac 14. A selfe murtherer neuer allowed but condemned in holy scripâ—â—re The second parâ— oâ—â—he verse conteynes the vantage we â—aue by death The comfort giuen here against death concernes the soule onely Comfort concerning the losse of our bodies by death is to be sought â—n other places of Scripture The Lord will noâ— forsake that body whiâ—h was
takes on it both the tast and colour of the Wine so shall all humane cogitation and affection cease from that which now it is the Lord shall so replenish vs that he shall become all in all vnto vs he shall make vs pertakers of the diuine nature and transchange vs into the similitude of his owne Image And this also should vpholde vs against our naturall feare of death Now we goe to life but through death and wee leaue behinde vs for a time a deere pledge in the power of death for death like vnto a cruell monsterâ— bytes from vs in the by-passing the halfe of vs to wit the bodie wherefore Mors a mor su nomen accepit â—aid Augustine because one part it bytes away and another it leaues behind it but at length when the day of our full victory shall come and the course of the battell changed not a part of death onely shall be deuoured but altogether it shall be swallowed vp in victory VER 5. And hee who hath created vs c. LEast it should seeme that the Apostle in that which he hath saide before were carried away with a vain desire of that which shall neuer come to passe hee doth now prooue by two arguments that it is no vaine desire but such as at the length shall bee fulfiled both in him all the rest of the children of God The first argument is taken from Gods ordinance and appointment the Lord saith he hath appointed vs to immortality and life therefore of necessity we must obtaine it for it is not possible that the Lord can be frustrate or diâ—apointed of his end If we looke to the first creation wee were created to the Image of God and consequently to be immortal for immortality is a part of the image of God and if we looke to the second creation this same shall bee more manifest for this cause did Christ die for vs that we might liue eternally with him and certainely his death was in vain if that life which he hath conquest vnto vs did not at the length ouercome all mortality and death in vs. But there is yet greater comfort in this argument as it is proposed by the Apostle for hee shewes vs that not onely are wee by Gods ordinance appointed to this end but that the Lord also by his effectuall working in vs aduaunces vs to the same ende for so the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which heere the Apostle vses imports a present action of our God perfiting in vs our saluation against all impediments In the first creation when once he began he continued working ay and while he finished it and no intervening impediment could stay him from the perfiting of his purpose it pleased him in six daies to absolue it in euery one whereof hee made something to bee which was not before but til he had done all which he would he rested not so is it in the worke of our new creation he hath begunne it and we may be sure hee wil make an end In one day he might if hee had willed perfetly haue regenerate vs but pleases him in many daies and by degrees to doe it alway we are sure that neither Satans malice nor corruption of our Nature can stay him from finishing that which he hath begunne The same God who first commandâ—d light to shine out of darkenesse is hee who hath shined in our harts to giue vs the light of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ and he first made vs of dust giuing life and beauty to that which was dead without forme hath taken in hand through death misery to perfit vs to eternall life The certainty then of our glorification stands neither in vs nor in our desires but in the stability of the purpose of the vnchangeable God of the which it is not possible that hee should be disappointed as to man many a time he proposes to himselfe an ende of his actions whereof he is frustrate hee builds a house and dwels not in it he plants a Vineyard and eâ—tes not the fruit thereof he betrothes a wife and another marries her but the counsel of the Lord shall stand The Lord of hoasts hath determined it and shall disanull it his hand is stretched out and who shall turne it away wil Satan wil sin will death keepe vs from that glory whereunto God hath appointed vs No no it is not possible what the Lord hath said he will doe blessed bee the holy name of the Lord for euer who hath locked vp our saluation and made it sure in his own vnchangeable purpose It is true indeede that Satan is a restlesse tempter of all the children of God he doth what hee can to impede the work of our saluation but let vs bee comforted hee fights not against vs but against the Lord let vs therfore in the strength of our God fight against him and we shal be sure to ouercome him onely remember that as in some temptations hee is to bee resisted as when he tempts vs to sinne either by presumption or desperation so in other temptations he is to bee despited and reiected as when hee dare suggest that vnto others the contrary wherof he beleeues himselfe as namely that there is not a God nor a iudgement to come in others againe hee is to bee sâ—orned as not worthy of an answere as when hee charges Gods children with those things which they neuer did as he can craftily abuse their phantasie to troble the peace of their minde for hee that will answere euery shamelesse assertion of Satan shall not haue leaue to doe any other thing But in all these as I said let vs hold fast our former ground of comfort that we feare not for him that is against vs but stand sure considering that the Lord is with vs he that is the enemy of our peace is also an enemy of the glory of God yea which is very comfortable hee was an enemy to God first ere euer he became an enemy to vs and it is onely for the hatred hee hath to the Lord our God that hee hates vs seeking to deface the glory of God which shined clearely in the first creatioÌ„ but more clearly in the second creatioÌ„ of man but all in vaine for the Lord shall confound him and trample him shortly vnder the feete of his Saints And hereunto also tends it that the Apostle as hee saide before that God is the builder of our house which wee haue in heauen so now he saith that God creats and perfits vs vnto it these two ioyned together ' render vs most sure comfort that the Lord hath not only prepared a Kingdome for vs but also prepares vs for it he reserues in heauen saith Saint Peter an inheritance for vs reserues vs also in earth for it thus all is of him both the place of our glory and
the grace by which we come to it that the praise of all may returne vnto himselfe alone Who hath also giuen vs the earnest of the Spirit The second argument by which the Apostle prooues that the desire of immortality in the godly is no vaine desire is here that God hatâ— not onely in his word promised to giue it but hath also therevpon geuen vs the earnest of his Spirit and therefore of necessitie it must be performed for God is not as man that he shouldlye or repent the Lord is faithfull and will doe as he speakes This is the greatesâ— argument of comfort that we haue in this life to susteine vs It is indeed much that we haue the word the promises and the Oath of God sounded in our eares and that we haue the sacraments as the seales of God presented to our eares but none of these can make vs sure of a better life after this vnlesse with them we haue receiued the earnest of the spirit into our harts By the workes and word of God wee may know that vniuersall couenant which God hath made with all mankind â—hat he wâ—ll not drown the worlâ— againe with waters for as God in his word hath promised it so hath hee also set his rainebow in the firmament for a witnesse to confiâ—me it By the word and Sacraments all that are in the visible Church may know that speciall cauenant which God hath made with his adopted children but that this same couenant of grace is particularly bound vp with thee thou canst not know except with the Sacraments thou hast also receiued the spirâ—t Now to make this comfort the more sensible vnto vs we are here to consider these foure things first what is meant here by this Spirit Secondly why is it called an earnest Thirdly how is it receiued Fourthly wherby may we know whether wee haue receiued it or not By the Spirit here we vnderstand that speciall grace of the holy Spirit by which the Lord renews strengthens stablishes and confirmes his own children which for the purging vertue that is in it to make cleane them who receiue it is compared to fire and water and for the corroboratins and strengthening vertue that it hath is compared to holy oyntment for the vertue it hath to stablish and confirme our hearts against all doubting is caled the earnest the Seale and the 〈◊〉 And this grace of the spirit is called the earnest of the spirit first for the measure next for the nature and vse therof for now we haue it in a small measure in comparison of that which we shall receiue hereafter And wee are to obserue it against the customable policie of Satan who casts vp to Gods children the smalnes of their faith loue and other graces of the spirit of purpose to driue them to dispaire as if they had no grace at all because it is but small and little which they haue but we are to remember against him that the best measure of grace we haue in this life is compared to an earnest pennie wee will not therefore faint because now wee haue not the fulnesse but rather will be comforted knowing assuredly that the Lord who now hath giuen vs the earnest will afterward giue vs the principall for the Kingdome of God in vs proceedes to perfection from smal beginnings and therefore is the groúth thereof coÌ„pared by our Lord to the grouth of a little grain of mustard seede which in the beginning is small but by time increases to an high tree And truly that same little beginning of grace which god hath wroght in vs howsoeuer SataÌ„ extenuates it labours to make it seeme little in our eies yet is it not smal in our owne eyes but much more theÌ„ he wold with to be in vs therfore doth hee what hee can vtterly to quench it but in vaine this same seed of grace in vs how little soeuer yet is it blessed of God shal grow and increase to cast Sacan vtterly out of that Kingdome which once he possessed in vs for if the beginnings of grace inable vs to resist Satan shall not the perfection thereof much more inable vs to oueâ—come him Now the nature and vse of the earnest is as we know to binde both the giuer and receiuer the giuer is bound by it to stand to his word and promise whats'euer that he hath made the receiuer againe is bound to staÌ„d to the conditioÌ„ whervpon he receiued it here we are admonished that if on Gods part wee would haue his earnest valid to binde him to stand to his promises wee must on our part declare that they are forcible to binde vs to stand to our promised dueties But alas in this generation men liue as if the Lord were onely bound to bee mercifull to them and they were not bound to be seruiceable to him but it were free to them to liue as pleases them The Lord giue vs wise vnderstanding hearts and sanctified memories to remember it as oft as our enemies would solicite vs to transgresse the commaundements of our God that by the bond of creation by the right of redemption by our oath in baptisme by receiuing the earnest of God in our regeneration beside innumerable other obligations wee are bound seruants to the Lord our God with a solemne renuntiation of the Deuill the world and the flesh As to the third the giuing and receiuing of this Spirit it is certaine that the giuing is euery where ascrybed to God as Eph. 1.13.2 Cor. for the ministry of grace God hath reserued it to himselfe the Ministry of the word by which hee giueth grace he hath concredited to men Moses gaue the law but grace comes by Christ Iohn baptises with water Iesus baptises with the holy Ghost Paul may plant and Apollo water but God must giue the increase Yet is it much that it pleses god to giue his grace by the ministery of the word and therfore if we loue the one we must not mislike the other That same holy spirit who commanded Philip to ioyne himselfe to the Eunuches Charioâ— to teach him might by himselfe haue taught the Eunuch but he would do it by the minstery of a man And the Lord might haue caused th' Angel whoÌ„ he sent to Cornelius to haue taught him but he would do it by the ministry of Peter and notable is it that while Peter is preaching the holy Ghost descended vpon Cornelius and his friends Thus we see how God who giues the grace giues it by the ministrie of the word God hath linked in one chain all the meanes of saluation and man should not presse to sunder them they who call on the name of the Lord shall be saued but how shall they call on him on whom they beleeue not how shal they beleeue but by hearing how shal they heare but by preaching and how shall men preach