qualities from the glorified Bodies in Heaven Vers 40. For it is to be observed that in the Resurrection there shall be 1. An improvement of all Mens estates who have their part in the Resurrection of the just above that which they here enjoy Vers 41. 2. There shall be degrees of glory of one above another as Heavenly Bodies are more glorious than Earthly and one Heavenly Body more glorious than another so shall it be in the Resurrection Vers 42. For it is to be noted which is indeed the chief thing notable in this present Discourse that the Bodies which shall rise differ from those that die and the state of the Resurrection differs from that of this life That which falls into the Grave is a corruptible Body that which shall rise again an incorruptible Vers 43. The Body which we live in here and must put off is subject to many dishonorable deformities weaknesses diseases age but the Body which we shall take up again and put on shall be a Body glorious and strong Vers 44. The Body we carry about with us while we live and lay down in the Grave when we die is nourished and sustained by meats and drinks whereas the Body in our future state will be immortal wanting nothing to sustain it For indeed such Bodies there are of both these sorts Vers 45. For thus we find it written in the Scriptures that we have one nature from Adam such a Body as Adam is mention'd to have had before his fall Gen. 2.7 we derive from him who communicated it to his Posterity But another Nature and another Body we shall receive from Christ who at the Resurrection shall restore us from the Grave and change our vile Bodies that they may be like unto His glorious Body Phil. 3.21 Vers 46. The mortal Body was first formed which needed sustenance without which it must needs perish and when this is put off by death the immortal Body shall be returned to us instead of it at the Resurrection Vers 47. The stock of our animal life was Adam so called as an earthy Man made and taken out of the Earth The stock of the life immortal is Christ the Lord who came down from Heaven Vers 48. Such a Body as Adam had such have all mortal Men and such a Body as Christ now hath shall we have who live according to his Precept and Example at the Resurrection Vers 49. As we have first been made like the mortal Adam here on Earth so we shall be made like the immortal Christ when we come to Heaven Vers 50. I shall add but this one thing more that it is not possible for these earthy corruptible weak ignominious Bodies of ours which are in a state of growing and feeding to come to Heaven but they must first be changed purified and immortaliz'd Vers 51. Therefore concerning those who shall be found alive at the Day of Judgment I shall tell you a Secret not yet discovered to you that though they die not at all yet they shall all be changed before they go to Heaven for these Bodies thus qualified as they now are cannot come thither Vers 52. And this change shall be wrought in a minute at the point of time when all the World shall be summoned to Judgment For God shall make the Angels alarm all the World of Men that ever was or shall be as by the sound of a Trumpet to appear before his Tribunal and when that alarme is given all that were formerly dead shall arise with immortal Bodies and they who shall be then alive shall from their mortal Bodies be changed into such Vers 53. For it is most certain and necessary that our mortal Bodies must be changed into immortal Vers 54. And when this is done then shall that saying of the Prophet be made good Hos 13. Vers 14. that death shall be devoured and destroyed for ever never to recover strength again over any thing nothing from thenceforth shall ever die Vers 55. In contemplation whereof a Christian may look upon death as a hurtless thing the sting or plague or wounding power of it being by Christ taken away and look upon the state of separation of Soul from Body to be such as shall not last for ever Vers 56. The only thing which makes Death sting like a Serpent and puts it in a capacity to hurt us is sin for were it not for sin Death would differ nothing from a calm sleep and that which gives sin any strength to mischief us is the Law which prohibits it and so consequently upon the breach brings guilt upon us Vers 57. But thanks be to God who by what Christ hath done for us hath given us victory over Sin and Death and by Conquest of Sin hath made Death but an Entrance to Immortality Vers 58. These Arguments may suffice to teach any Christian constancy and perseverance in doing Gods will and in suffering Gods will too and may oblige him to the utmost industry and diligence in the service of God knowing that nothing which we thus undergo shall fail of receiving a reward Vid. Dr. Hammond Rubrick When they come to the Grave while the Corps is made ready to be laid into the Earth the Priest shall say or the Priest and Clerks shall sing Note Here follows another very seasonable part of the Funeral Office to mind the standers by and those who are yet alive of the shortness miseries and uncertainty of this life Job 14. vers 1 2. Man that is born of a Woman hath but a short time to live and is full of misery he cometh up and is cut down like a flower he fleeth as it were a shadow and never continueth in one stay That is Man is born of a Woman and as he hath received being from her so he hath derived weakness he lives here few Years but in so short a time he suffers many miseries He is born like a flower and passeth away like it he is like the shadow of our Quadrants in a perpetual motion and change is so far passed into his nature that notwithstanding all his endeavours he cannot remain one sole moment in the same condition Note here That the sticking of the Herse with Flowers and the use of Garlands at such a time is a custom which hath some resemblance with the Jews who as they went along by the Corps used to pluck up the Grass 1. To note the shortness of Man's life that Man is but as Grass as the flower of the Field It was said of a great Emperour that he was Parietira a wall-flower and so are we all our time is proclaimed Isay 40.6 withering sooner than the Grass which is short fading sooner than the flower of the Grass which is shorter From April to June the Sith cometh nay the Wind but bloweth and we are gone Hodie in agro cras in clibano Flourishing in the Morning fading cut down and withered before Night 2. To note the certain
Persons any way visited or afflicted in mind body or estate that I cannot conceive them liable to any the least exception they are most what taken out of the Psalter which is a rich Magazine of Devotions furnishing all sorts of Men in all conditions both to praise God and to pray unto him Psal 20. vers 1 2 3 4. Psal 25. vers 15 16 17 18 19. and other places out of the Book of Psalms will furnish us not only with the materials but also with the very phrase and manner of expressions whereof the forementioned Prayers are made and composed Rubrick Then shall the Minister exhort the sick Person after this form or other like Note The Exhortation is left arbitrary for the Priest to use this or some other at his own choice as he sees occasion administred to him from the Sick Person for he is to apply his spiritual aids according to the Sick parties needs yet this Exhortation framed by the Church is so formed that a better cannot be devised to suit with all Mens conditions however visited and afflicted and it is grounded upon these and the like places of Scripture 1 Sam. 2.6 Job 5.17 18. Job 12.9 10. Job 12.14 Job 13.15 Job 13.26 Job 14.16 17. Job 16.11 12 13 14 15 16 17. Job 19.21 Job 19.25 26 27. Job 23.12 13 14. Job 27.5 6. Psal 39.7 8 9 11 12 13. 1 Sam. 3.18 Jam. 1.2 3. Jam. 1.12 1 Thess 3.3 4. Jam. 4.10 Jam. 5.11 1 Pet. 1.5 6 7. 1 Pet. 4.1 2. 1 Pet. 4.12 13. Rubrick If the Person visited be very Sick then the Curate may end his Exhortation in this Place or else procéed Note By Curate in this Place is not meant only a stipendiary Minister but every Rector and spiritual Incumbant who hath Curam animarum He is left to use his discretion either in lengthning out or cutting short his Exhortation as he sees the sick party in a capacity to admit of any longer or shorter discourse The following part of the Exhortation is grounded upon these places of Scripture Heb. 12.6 7 8 9 10 11. Heb. 12.2 3. Rom. 6.3 4 5. Rom. 8.29 Luk. 24.26 2 Tim. 2.11 12 13. 1 Pet. 4.13 1 Thes 4.14 15 16 17. Heb. 10.23 Heb. 9.27 2 Cor. 5.10 Rom. 14.10 1 Cor. 11.31 32. After this Exhortation the Minister is to rehearse to the sick party the Articles of our faith that the party may know whether he believes as a Christian Man should or no. Admirable is that saying of St. Augustine Male vivitur si de Deo non recte creditur we live ill and dye so too if we believe amiss of God Heaven Gates are shut up against Male-fidians as well as Nulli-fidians and Soli-fidians If our faith be wrong all is wrong Christian Religion is made up of these two constituent parts a right faith and a righteous life as a right faith without a righteous life will not save us so neither will a righteous life without a right belief He who lives justly but blasphemes impiously cannot be safe Vid. Haman Lestrange Alliance of Divine Offices pag. 297. Dr. Sparrow Rational pag. 327. Therefore this is a very considerable question put to the sick Person whether he believes as a Christian ought to do and there can be no better rule to try his faith by than the Creed which is the summary of all contained in both Testaments touching God the Father Son and Holy Ghost August Serm. de Temp. 137. Ruffin in Symbol Tertull. de praescript Irenaeus lib. 1. c. 3. 19. Here I have assumed to my self a liberty of inserting this short Exposition following upon the Apostles Creed The Apostles Creed or Rule of Faith Creed So called from the Latin word Credo because it contains our Credenda it is Lex credendorum all necessary points of faith are comprized in it To believe what is laid down there is necessary for all points in it are fundamentals but to believe all deductions drawn from thence is not so absolutely necessary in regard they are but superstructures in the fundamentals we should all agree and it were to be wished we could agree also in the explication and application of the superstructures Lis de nugis ha tamen nugae ad seria ducant The Apostles Creed So called 1. Because they or their Disciples made it Tertul. Apolog. cont gent. c. 47. August Serm. 5. de Temp. c. 2. Cyprian in Exposit Symbol Ruffin in Symbol n. 10. It is very ancient in use before the Epistle to the Hebrews was written Calvin in Heb. 6.1 It was in use before any part of the New Testament Irenaeus lib. 3. c. 4. 2. Because it contains the chief heads of the Apostles Doctrine It is as a rich Treasure digg'd out of the Golden Mines of the Apostles The Object of the Creed 1. God Father Son and Holy Ghost 2. The Church of God The general Heads of it 1. Touching God the Father and the Worlds Creation 2. Touching God the Son and Mankinds Redemption 3. Touching God the Holy Ghost and the Churches Sanctification As concerning the Church it treats 1. Of her signal properties 2. Of her sublime priviledges The particular Heads of it Twelve Articles or Joynts knitting together the whole Body of Christian saith Fides una copulativa The 1. Article I believe in God the Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth Where Note 1. The Act Believe The Christian Religion is a Religion of faith wherein Reason is not so properly contradicted Rom. 1.16 Hebrews 11. 1 John 5.4 Hebr. 10.23 1 Tim. 3.9 1 Tim. 3.16 as raised up to a higher pitch and supernaturaliz'd Our Saviour did not clear Nicodemus his Quomodo by any Arguments of Reason but resolved the great mystery of Regeneration into a principle of faith John 3. Tertullian's answer to Marcion was I deo verum quia impossibile This honour hath the Christian Religion above others that it rests upon surer Principles than carnal Arguments 1 Cor. 1.20 Luc. 5.22 The first Lesson taught in Socrates School was silence and in Aristotles to rest in the judgment of their Master So in Christs School Oportet discentem credere We must not reason much about matters of Religion but piously rest in them Pruritus disputandi scabies ecclesiae it would be more for the honour of our Christian Religion did we practise more and dispute less Minus Scientiae might be allowed as to unnecessaries had we Plus Conscientiae as to necessaries 2. The Personality I we must pray for others but believe for our selves We may put others into our Pater-noster Habak 2.4 we must put only our selves into our Creed Matth. 9.22 No Mans saith can do us good but our own we cannot believe by an Atturney Luke 7.50 nor be saved by a Proxie We are received into the bosom of the Church upon the faith of the Church but when we are arrived up to the use of our reason we must make confession with our
of our deceased friends unto the Grave we do not lay up these precious Reliques in the Wardrobe of the Earth as Carkasses lost and perished but as having in them a seed of Eternity in sure and certain hope of a Resurrection to Eternal Life this is to bury Christianly the hope of the Resurrection being the proper hope of Christians Vid. August de Civit. Dei lib. 1. c. 13. Now this hope is grounded upon Christ's Resurrection who is our Resurrection and Life John 11.25 He is Primogenitus mortuorum Colos 1.18 As he rose in se so he rose Pro aliis As an Angel proclaimed at his Grave Resurrexit non est hic Mat. 28.6 So from his Resurrection we have added on our Tomb-stones to Hic jacet this happy clause Spe Resurgendi What is gone before in the Head shall follow in the Members if the Head be above there is hope for the whole Body if the Root have Life the Branches shall not long be without Christ the first fruits being restored to life all the rest of the dead who die in him are in him entitled to the same hope Rubrick Then shall be said or sung Note This following is another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or triumphant Hymn to be sung by Priest and People or said by the Priest alone to show our expressions of joy over our deceased friends whereby we do in a holy valour laugh at death I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me write From henceforth blessed are the dead which die in the Lord even so saith the Spirit for they rest from their labours Note This place of Scripture is primarily applied to the great Trials and Persecutions which were then to fall upon the Church within a short time which should be so great that they should be counted happy who were well dead before and were gone to enjoy their reward of peace and bliss being taken away from the Earth before such combats and storms as these should fall The holy Divine accounts those happiest who should die soonest and be taken out of this life from having their parts in the evil to come Isay 57.1 So upon mention of oppressors and strength on their side and the no comforter the Preacher tells us that he praised the dead which are already dead Eccles 4.1 2. And to this belongs the answer of the Spirit in the words following they shall have rest from their labours that is from those Persecutions which attend them here and which only death can put an end to But our Church very fitly applies it to all the Saints and Servants of God departing this life as finishing their warfare and going out of the World to receive the reward both of their Christian combat and conquest Rubrick Then the Priest shall say Note Here the Priest is Vox Populi the Peoples Mouth to God-ward Luk. 18.13 Lord have mercy upon us To God the Father Mat. 15.22 Christ have mercy upon us To God the Son Mark 10.48 Lord have mercy upon us To God the Holy Ghost Note This is thrice repeated to shew our faith in the Trinity This was called the lesser Litany and was of very early usage in Church Offices Clem. constit lib. 8. cap. 5. 6. Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name Our Father Great in our Creation Good in our Redemption Rich in Goodness and good in the riches of thy mercy sweet in love and slow to wrath willing to hear us for our Father able to help us for in Heaven Which art in Heaven The Glass of Eternity the Crown of Felicity the Treasure of all Complacency In Heaven Eminenter chiefly there but not only there in Heaven the Throne of thy Glory the Place of thy Majesty teaching us both whither to direct our Prayers and where to setle our affections when we pray Hallowed be thy Name in us by us upon us thy Kingdom come That it may be as Hony in the Mouth Melody in the Ear Jubily in the heart as Holiness is chief in Thee so let it be chief in our account and esteem of Thee May thy Name of Father be so hallowed in us and by us in our words lives and actions that we may deserve the title of Sons Thy Kingdom come Thy Kingdom of Grace come to us that we may come to thy Kingdom of Glory Thy Kingdom come that the Kingdom of Sin Satan and Death may be destroyed Thy Kingdom of Power to defend us Thy Kingdom of Grace to Sanctifie us Thy Kingdom of Glory to establish us in all bliss and happiness We are in this World but thy Kingdom is not of this World call us out of the one into the other Here thy Kingdom is begun in us by grace hereafter it must be perfected in us by glory Here is truth mixed with error here is joy mixed with grief here is tranquility mixed with trouble Here thy Kingdom thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven hath many enemies who seek the division of it labour the ruine of it malice the glory of it though avert it they may evert it they cannot The gates of Hell cannot prevail against the gates of Sion nor the kingdom of Satan against the Kingdom of Christ But O Lord let it come in its power and full glory that there may be in it Truth not mixed with errour Joy not mixed with sorrow Peace without trouble Glory without shame and a Kingdom so setled it upon us and we in it that there may be no more fear of losing it Thy will be done c. Thy will not ours be done in us and by us Freely without coaction fully without imperfection faithfully without fraud or hypocrisie In us that is in us men as it is done in Heaven that is in and by the holy Angels So that we may love those things which thou lovest hate those things which thou hatest shun those things which thou forbidest and do those things which thou commandest Give us this day and suffer those things with patience which thou art pleased in thy wise providence to inflict upon us Give us this day c. Give for we cannot have it except thou give it Dicimus da nobis ne putetur esse a nobis We are taught to ask it of God to shew that we have it not of our selves Us thou teacheth us that we are not to pray for our selves alone but that we are to seek the good one of another Pro se orat necessitas pro aliis charitas This day Day is here taken for life so long as we live so long shall we stand in need of God's givings and may say this Prayer Give us c. This day should teach us moderation in the pursuit of earthly things They are Utenda not Fruenda things to use not to enjoy Like Israel's Manna we are to feed upon them only till we come to the borders of our Canaan This life is Via the way Daily bread is
Ecclesia Extra Ecclesiam Uzzah is not to touch the Ark. Nor Oziah to meddle with the censer Nor Saul to offer the sacrifice Obedience is better than such Sacrifices Quae sacra sed sacrilega vota non vovenda sed devovenda Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Here we pray that we may readily and promptly obey all the Laws of the Kingdome before mentioned not to live as we list but to live as we ought to make God's Word our Rule his Spirit our guide and his Sons life our example that we may as cheerfully do God's will on earth as the Angels do it in Heaven do it sincerely not in hypocrisie do it not because we will it but because God wills it though it be contradictory to our own wills We must not only do Gods will but suffer GOD's will as it must cheerfully be done by us so we must patiently submit when done upon us when Gods hand is upon our backs our hand must be upon our mouths Could we in all accidents and various changes of this world resign up our wills to GOD's will it would make the Cross easy here and keep us from those everlasting burnings hereafter We must not only do what God wills but as he wills it too Voto desiderio animo We must not do it Utcunque in any manner but with a sicut in the best manner 1. Voluntas Dei est decretum Haec est voluntas quam Deâ— vult Voluntas haec adoranda non scratanda 2. Voluntas Dei est mandatum Haec est voluntas quam ipse nos velle vult Voluntas haec scrâ—tanda facienda Converte meum nâ—n velle Domine in tâ—â—â— velle Tolle voluntâ—teâ— tuam O Homo ego extinguam infernum 'T is Factum Domini So Eli. Obmutui quia tu fecisti So David Modo occidat fiduciam non deponam So Job Perdidit vitam ne per deret obedientiam So Christ Bonum est verbum Domini So Ezekiah Bonum bene God loves adverbs better than verbs Quid Deus vult quomodo Deus vult Give us this Day our daily Bread Here we pray that God who is the giver of all good would bestow upon us those temporal blessings which are convenient for us in this life That he would give us the necessaries of our lives from day to day proportioned to every Mans being or sustenance neither do we pray only for our selves but for others the motive of necessity puts us upon the first the motive of Charity puts us upon the latter Omne bonum Dei donum We must beg our daily Bread before we have it Dicimas da nobis ne patetur esse a nobis In sudore vultus Gen. 3.19 Deus habet sinum facilem sed non perforatum Jacob 's Prayer Gen. 28.20 Agur 's Prayer Prov. 30.8 Paul 's Dimensum 1 Tim. 6.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meat and cloathing are sufficient for us Non mihi sed nobis non meam sed nostram And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us We are no sooner taught to pray for our daily Bread but as soon as those words are out of our mouths to pray for the forgiveness of our sins so apt we are to make the blessings of God instruments of Rebellion against him and to enslave our faith to our present enjoyments And in regard our sins hinder the current of his blessings and keep good things from us we are taught to beg that God would be merciful unto us forgive us our sins and work in our hearts though not in the like measure yet in some measure the same mercy towards others as he bears towards us How can we expect pardon from God when we will not pardon our Brethren Again in begging pardon we confess how much we need it and that our righteousness is depending on Gods forgivenes Least I be full and deny thee Pro. 30.9 Then beware least thou forget the Lord Deut. 6.12 Religio peperit divitias filia devoravit matrem Plenty causeth forgetfulness noted in Joseph's two Sons Ephraim and Manasses Gen. 41.51 52. When GOD is most mindful of us we are most unmindful of him Vid. Aristoph Plut. Quid alimenta proderunt si illis reputamur revera quasi taurus ad Victimam Tertul. Quid est ad pacem Dei accedere sine pace ad remissionem debitorum cum retentione quomodo placabit patrem iratus in fratrem Tertul. Qui petit veniam delictum confitetur Tertul. And lead us not into Temptation In this Petition seeing our own nature is so strong in its weakness as to incline us to sin we pray that God would support us by his grace to keep us from falling and when we are fallen to raise us up again by repentance Ne nos patiaris induci a diabolo qui utique tentat Tertul. Christus a diabolo tentatus praesidem artificem tentationis demonstravit Tertul. But deliver us from evil Seeing we are exposed to many temptations in this World and by reason of our sins lie open to many dangers so that in the midst of life we are in death one evil opening a way to another the evil of sin to the evil of punishment therefore we pray that God who is so powerful that he can and so merciful that he will would keep us from the evil of sin by his grace and keep from us the evil of punishment by his mercy Haec clausula priorem interpretatur Tertul. Qui Deo se committit diabolum non timet Ambros Libera nos 1. a malo mundi 2. a malo carnis 3. a malo diaboli Libera nos a nobis For thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory for ever and ever This clause is an Appendix to the Prayer and shews that when we pray in this forme and take the meaning along with the words and our hearts and words go together we may have an humble confidence we shall be heard and have our requests granted either according to our desires or according to our needs in another kind which may not be so well known to us in regard He we pray to is a King invested with all Power and Authority and will deny us nothing which tends to the advancement of his glory Deus vult dare quod petimus potest dare quod petimus 1. Ab officio regis Tuum est regnum 2. A potentia dei Tua est potentia 3. A causa finali Tua est gloria This Doxologie is often omited because in St. Luke it is no part of the Prayer nor is to be found in that most ancient Manuscript of St. Matthew's Gospel but is thought to be added by the Greek Church and used in their Liturgies but divided from the Prayer as if it were no part of it Vid. Dr. Sparr Ration pag. 28. Amen This Word being an Index of the Peoples ascent to the preceding Prayer was usually in the Primitive Church
note the state of death and taking it out again to represent the Resurrection 10. But Chrysostom Tom. 3. pag. 514. and Theophylact and others understand Baptizing for the Dead to imply this and no more The being Baptized in the faith and profession of the Resurrection of the dead And so Harmenopulus refuting the Marcionites interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Sect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Only the Resurrection of the dead is expressed here by way of abbreviation by this word Dead Vers 30. And why do we Christians run hazards and encounter dangers and difficulties which may certainly bring death upon us if we had no assurance that there was another life wherein all our patience and valour for Christ should be rewarded by Him Vers 31. For my part I protest by my fidelity to Christ which is the greatest thing I joy in in this World that I daily run the hazard of death which sure I should never do if I had not confidence of another life after this Vers 32. Certainly all the hazards which I ran at Ephesus Act. 19. being as far as Mans purposes could go to have me sentenc'd and condemned to have me combat with wild Beasts upon their Theaters however I was by God's good providence snatched out of those dangers can be nothing at all advantageous to me unless there be another life after this Besides if it was so that there is no other life it would excuse and justify that common saying which is used amongst some of you Let us enjoy the good things of this World at present for when Death comes which cannot be far of there is an end of all Note This Place of fighting with Beasts at Ephesus is variously expounded by learned Men. Tertullian Theophylact and others take it to be spoken metaphorically of Men in shape Beasts in condition and Oecumenius saith That these Beasts were the Jews at Ephesus and Demetrius with his faction called Beasts in the same sense as Nero is called a Lyon 2 Tim. 4.17 and Herod is termed a Fox Luk. 13.32 David's Persecutors Bulls of Basan Psal 22.12 The Scribes and Pharisees Vipers Matth. 23.33 The Enemies of the Church wild Boars Psal 80.13 with these did Paul fight by strength of Argument proving them to be no Gods which are made with hands and so cut the throat of that Ephesian Beast Idolatry as that all the Silver-Smiths of Diana could not Hammer out a Reply to his Charge Chrysostom Ambrose and others take it literally as if Paul did actually encounter with Beasts upon their Theatre and Pareus inclines to be of the same judgment For to fight with Beasts was a punishment which Malefactors were condemned to in those days it was used in Asia as appears by the Epistle of the Church of Smyrna about the Martyrdom of Polycarpus Euseb lib. 4. c. 15. For upon their Festivities and Solemnities they performed these barbarous inhumanities as an honour to their gods and they made choice of such times for the punishing of Malefactors not only to make their punishments more exemplary but to be as a piece of sacrifice to their gods Now that there was a Theatre at Ephesus for this purpose we read Act. 19.29 and that Christians as Malefactors were punished after this manner we find in Tertullian that Christianos ad Leones was a common word and of Damnatio ad Bestias Bestiarii we may read at large in the Jewish Antiquities But the most genuine and proper sense of this place is by very learned Men taken to be this that Paul was condemned at least by the Multitude designed to this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or combating with Beasts at Ephesus as appears Act. 19.30 31. 2 Cor. 1.8 9. The Sentence of this kind of death was passed on him but God took him out of their hands and snatched him out of those dangers raising him as it were from the dead by delivering him from so great a death 2 Cor. 1.9 10. whereas Gaius and Aristarchus two of Paul's Companions were hailed to the Theatre Act. 19.29 The devout Christians would not permit Paul to come amongst them vers 30. and the Asiarcha who had some kindness for him which was a work of God's Providence to him sent unto him that he should keep close and not run the hazard by coming out of being carried thither vers 31. By which it is evident that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the manner of Men signifies this that Paul so far as Man's purpose extended concerning him was condemned to this death of fighting with Beasts at Ephesus only God by a wonderful providence delivered him from it Now it had been very strange should the Apostle have exposed himself to so apparent danger of death as Men led on by nothing but that which is humane such as vain glory and some other respect have done had not he by faith looked at a Resurrection and at God the Rewarder of those who suffer for him at that Day Vers 33. But have a care that ye be not seduced by any Philosophical or debauched Discourses to disbelieve the Resurrection Take heed that such Atheistical temptations to sensuality under pretence of no other life after this do not work upon you and the rather because good natures and the most flexible dispositions are the soonest cheated and deceived by such corrupt converse and foolish dispute Vers 34. Ye have all the Reason in the World and now it is more than time that ye should rouse up your selves out of the drouzy condition of sin which ye have been in for a long time in so much that some of you by your behaviour and discourse show your selvs to be very Atheists stil and meer Heathens of whom I am forced to speak only to work shame in you for suffering such Men among you and that ye may not permit your selves to be tempted by them into such Errours and Debaucheries Vers 35. But some perhaps may object that if Men die How can they live again or what kind of Body shall they have seeing that which they had is rotten in the Grave Vers 36. But this is a foolish Objection for even in Corn that is sowed the rotting of the Corn is necessary to the enlivening of it or springing of it up again Vers 37. And it is not the custom to sow that very thing which after comes up the Blade and Ear and Corn in it but only the Corn without the rest as the Corn of Wheat and the like Vers 38. And whensoever such a single Grain is sown in the Earth without any Ear or Chaff about it God causeth it to grow up out of the Earth in this or that forme with Root and Blades and Ears of Wheat and of all other Seeds proportionably according to their kind Vers 39. And as amongst us here below one sort of flesh differs very much from another so the Bodies of Men here differ in their