assured hope to all Gods Children of a ioy ful resurrection to come it remaines we presse the Doctrine yet further to your comfort and tell you how wee shall bee changed and when For the first rise we shall with these verye bodies of flesh skin blood bone nor shal the least ioynt sinew or Artery bee lost but found and fashioned to the rest of the members to giue the body all feature grace and beautie There shall bee no transubstantiacion from one substance into another but an alteration of quality tending to further perfection and therefore wee say with one who said well Gloria non tollit sed perficit naturam our glorie shall not destroy our nature but perfect it And for distinction of ages there shall be no more there as saith the Prophet a Childe of yeares nor an olde man that hath not fild his daies that is in this wonderfull worke of restauration there shal be no weakenes of youth not infirmities of age but all shall bee fresh and flourishing for as when GOD first created man and woman hee made them not eyther Infants old crooked or deformed but strong ripe and beautifull so in the resurrection which is called a new creation It is not like but shal be conformable to the first if not much more excelleÌ„t nor doe I doubt but as the Apostle saith wee shall all meete together vnto a perfect Man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnes of Christ so fully blessed with daies glory and immortalitie This so wonderful change and excellent state is shadowed out vnto vs by Christ his transfiguration vppon the holy mounte when the fashion of his countenance was changed and his garments white and glistred splendor infacie splendor in vestimentis sic gloria in capite gloria in membris brightnes in the face of Christ with brightnes in his garments is nothing else but glorie in the head and glorie in the members This sawe the disciple whome the Lord loued when with a feeling soule and spirit he said dearely belooued now are wee the Sonnes of God but it is not yet made manifest what we shall bee for we knowe that when he shall bee made manifest meaning Christ wee shall be like him for wee shall see him as hee is like him see him and see him as hee is ô excellent state of immortallitie and soueraigne dignitie of Gods elect to bee like him is much to see him is more but to see him as he is moste of all Paul saw the like when he longed after a deliuerance and said wee looke for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ who shall change our vile body that it may bee fashioned like vnto his glorious bodye according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all thinges vnto himselfe whereuppon I may inferre to your further ioy and greater wonder thus That wee shall bee changed is much that our vile bodies shall bee changed is more but that our vile bodye vppon the change shall bee fashioned like vnto the gloryous body of Iesus CHRIST is moste of all Manye fashions there are in this worlde and all weare out of fashion There 's but one suite for the Saints of GOD and for that it 's cut after the best Patterne viz. after CHRISTS it neuer weareth or waxeth olde but is alwayes faire fresh and glorious had wee been apparelled like Aaron in his holyeâ—obes or like Salomon in his Royall array had wee put on the brightnesse of Angells vpon our change wee might haue thought our selues sufficientlye graced but as and if all that were not sufficient The Lord hath changed our vile bodie that it might bee fashioned like vnto his glorious bodye And this will hee doe when our case is most desperate euen finde vs out when we are lost take vs vp when wee are furthest fallen from him when our woundes are deepest then rediest to power in oyle and to binde them vp when no eye pityeth vs I say when by blacke death we shall be made vile base and despicable Then will he fashion vs like vnto himselfe and as the Psalmist saith make vs glorious by deliuerance For it is an excellencie in our Christ and a mercie infallible found true in the practise of his pyetye euen then to shewe mercye when wee are mosse miserable then to feele him nearest when wee deeme him furthest gone his graces to abound when our sinnes doe superabound I say his mercies are preuentions euer meeting with our miseries and then when wee are moste wofull and wanting When the Scepter was gone from Iudah then Shiloh came when the diseased woman had spent all without remedye then came CHRIST and cured without cost when the poore Paralyticke had laine eight and thirtye yeares by the Poole of Bethesda and none would helpe to put him in Then Iesus said rise take vp thy bed and walke when the Disciples said vnkindely send the people away nay saith Christ giue ye them to eate What should I say more The Lord raysed Lazarus when he stunke in the graue and whilst Martha mooued and Mary mourned he grieued in heart and was troubled in Spirit put to his hand tooke him out deliuered him said now loose him and let him goe So wil he doe in the day of our redemption when our sinnes shall bee full and miserie moste abound then mercie shall bee more full and grace superabound and as at his first coÌ„ming of his aboundance we al receaue grace for grace a chereful refreshing to our sinful soules so at his coÌ„ming againe wee that dwel in the dust shal awake sing at the shoute and shower of his glorie as also of the aboundance of his glorie receaue glory for glory Thy dew ô Lord is as the dew of hearbs for euen as hearbes dead in winter florish againe by the raine in the Spring tyme so shall they that liue in the dust arise vp to joy when they feele the dew of Gods grace as the hony droppes that water the earth And then shall wee say with a Godly â—uation now death is swallowed vp in victorie for our drie bones are moistned our forlorne hope is recouered we were cleane cut off but now are wee growne againe our bed is precious and our withered branch is glorious the Lord hath opened our graues wee are come out of the Sepulchres and he hath brought vs into the land of the liuing where wee shall see no sinne nor feele corruption any more Hasten thy iudgements ô Lord bowe the heauens and come downe discharge the graues of their dead the world of it doome our soules from sinne and our bodies from corruption ô hasten the daie of our deliuerie that wee may see in glorie what we feele in grace euen the beholding of thy face in righteousnes that when wee shall awake from death wee may be satisfied with thy likenesse and fild with
let vs chearefullie vse the creatures as in youth Let vs fill our selues with costly wine oyntments and let not the flower of youth passe by vs Let vs crowne our selues with rose buds before they be withered let al be partakers of our wantonnes let vs leaue some token of our pleasure in euerie greene field as for rigor rage tiranny what 's that to vs when we are dead come let vs oppresse the poore that is righteous let vs not spare the widdow nor reuerence the white haires of the aged but say they haue liued too lōg let our strength bee a law and let the thing that is feeble bee reprooued as vnprofitable Thus did the Atheist speake in the daies of old out of the error of their soules thus did they practise from a graceles resolution the Lord deliuer the land from such a burden his church from such pelfe our Prince from such a people to whome I may say if any there bee that so remaine yet vnreformed after so acceptable a time and free offer of all grace and Godlinesse I may say without repentāce they are a damned crew and depriued of glorie who for that they will not finde out the Lord in his mercies whilst they liue shal be sure to be found out in iudgement by him when they are dead for if a man die he shall liue againe O it shal not be then with the beastlie Epicure whose bellie is his God eate drinke dye and so an end it shall not bee with the wastfull wanton whose lust is his GOD spend sue pursue speede die and so an end it shall not bee with the greedy cormorant whose gold is his God greeue grate grind the poore oppresse the needy then die and so an end it shall not bee with the distemperate Spirits of bloody Tyrants whose reuenge is their God loath kill stabbe murder the Godlie massaker the Saintes then die and so an end it shall not bee with the idle minion whose pride is her God pricke pinne paint frisle the haire then die and so an end it it shall not be with the desperate ruffian whose villanie is his God sweare forsweare teare the heauens and tire the earth with bloodie oathes and blasphemies then die and so an end it shall not be with the grosse Idolater whose image is his God bow bend crosse creepe to the creatures then die and so an end finally it shal not be with the disloyal subiect whose treasons is his God plot complot practise at home and abroad on this side the seas and on that side the subuersion of a blessed state the deposing of a most gracious Prince as they did by their owne confession The best natured and moste heauenly qualified Queene that euer liued in England it shall not be Grieue her curse her depose her and depriue her of life crowne dignity thē die so an end for thē is but the beginning of sorrows after death commeth iudgement when to hide thy selfe with these sinnes it will bee vnpossible and to appeare it will bee vntollerable Lazarus to Heauen Diues to Hell both shal rise againe the one to death euerliuing the other to a life neuer dying for the Godlye shal haue boldenes in that day but the wicked shall crie vnto the mountaines fall vppon vs fall vppon vs. And so to leaue the wicked in their sins and with their brand to close with your religious hearts seeing you looke for better thinges be dilligent that yee may be found of him in peace without spot and blameles at the comming of our Lord Iesus christ to iudgemēt bee wel assured ye that are the elect of God christ his peculiar that though the wicked shal rise to their confusion yet shal ye liue againe as in soule so in bodie to your vnspeakeable ioy and consolation Which heauenlie Doctrine likewise of your liuing againe to beate out hath been the proper workeof all the Godlye from time to time in their succeeding ages Patriarches Prophets Apostles yea Christ himself as the fountaine whose streames if I should follow to the full it would bee tedious for you to passe ouer vnpossible for mee to keepe the current Onely Paules plea for life againe shall stand as a ground for all the rest whose seueral reasons to proue the resurrection layed downe to the Church of Corinth I referre you vnto resting vppon the first as a butteris or binding stone for all the rest which is this Christ is risen againe the first fruites of them that sleepe wherupon I inferre if he be first wee must second him if he be gone before we must follow after if he be risen we may not rest for where the head is of congruence must all the members follow And now that Christ is risen againe from the dead it is apparant by these seuerall proofes First it is promised in Paradice so to be when God said to Sathan hee shall breake thine head and thou shalt bruse his heele bruse he may by death but breake he may not Thine it is ô Christ to breake sathan sinne and death not in the heele but in the head neuer to rise vp in judgement against vs. 2 Secondly his resurection from the dead was prophecied in Iudah by old Iacob Gen. 49. 9. by a Lyon couchant vnder a painefull passion yet passant too by a glorious resurection so said Iacob as a Lyons whelpe shalt thou come vp from the spoile my Sonne Iudah meaning in a misterie from the spoile of Hell sinne and death to the glorie of Heauen life and immortalitie our english Iudah hath this honor in her armes and wee owe her homage our heauenly Iudah hath this honour in his person we owe him adoratiō al ye faithfull of Iudah take this honour to your soules blesse your christ in the scutchin of your hearts carrye him ô carrie him foorth in your Christian marche against all incounters and say terror hic est hominum quique hunc gerit est Agamemnon which I may english thus This Lyon heere of Iudah tribe a terror is to men and Diuils desperat debar'd of blis Who beares him as his Crest more puisant he then Graecian guide with all his chiualrie 3 Thirdly his resurection was figured by Sampson Iudg. 16 who at midnight rose conueyed away the gates of Azzah and bare them vp to Hebron The gates of Azzah are the bands of death which our true Sampson did breake in the night silence of his resurrection and in despite of death bore vp his blessed body to Heauen where now it abides a pledge of our inheritance Haue I not power to lay downe my life haue I not power to take it vp againe 4. Lastly it was signified in the heaue offering shaken vp shakend vne and shaken vp againe so was our Christ in body the substance of this shadow tost to and fro in
bee silent There saith the text are the companie of innumerable Angels and the congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen There is God the Iudge of all and the Spirits of iust and perfect men there is Iesus the meadiator of the new Testament and the blood of sprinckling that speaketh better thinges then the blood of Habel Whence I inferre to passe the rest and to come to that which more neerelie concerneth the matter in question that there are onely the spirits of iust and perfect men but neither bodie blood or bone other then that of Iesus Christ the mediator of the new Testament whose blood speaketh better thinges then that of Habels For the blood of Habel cryed reuenge but the blood of Christ euen there sprinckling as it were in his Fathers face cryeth pardon pardon I might to confirme this Scripture cote that of Iohn and open vnto you the first seale with the Altar of God the soules of the saints lying there vnder I might tel you of their inioyned silence to pray or pleade for any further repaire or perfection in body vntill the number of their fellowe seruants gone before and of their Bretheren to follow after dead as they were were fulfilled but I leaue the Doctrine to your further search and examination because the time hasteth on and for the present onelie content my selfe and I hope you to with the assoyling of some few doubts which happely might incounter the Docttrine deliuered First say some if there bee no bodies in heauen but that of Christs where then are the bodyes of Henocke and Elias the one taken away before the Flood and the other after in a fiery Chariot I answere with the learned whose iudgements I reuereÌ„ce as to inquire where they became is meere curiositie so to say they bee in heauen is ouer bolde presumption and if I should say with Dauid Kimhi not the meanest interpreter of the Hebrues that in the taking vp of Elyas his garments were consum'd with fire except his Mantell which fell from him yea and that himselfe was extinguished so as euerie one of the Elements of his body dissolued and return'd to the Element whereof it was but that his Spirit passed to heauen it were no singular opinion for of the verie same minde Oecolampadius seemeth to bee in his exposition vpon the last of Malachie But for vs it is sufficient that their translation shew there is a better life prepared if wee make it a Sacrament eyther of our resurrection froÌ„ the dead or last taking vp into heauen if we make it a testimonie of the immortallitie of soules bodies I holde it may well stand with the Analogie of faith and be as TertulliaÌ„ sayth documents of our perfection to come for the rule is good multa tribuuntur Symbolis quae tantum sunt rerum significatarum many things are said of figures which are onely true in the thing they signifie Therefore if any man say they are taken vp and glorified in body as in soule it is onely true in that they signifie and not in Symbole Heerein if I be deceiued I dare not say with the Prophet Lord thou hast deceaued me Ieremiah 20. yet may I say ye learned of this age Caluin Fulke Grenam Bale c. ye are deceaued and erre with me It sufficeth vs saith Caluin that their taking away meaning Henocke and Elias was a certaine extraordinarie death nor may we doubt but that they put of corruptible and mortall flesh that with the â—est of Christ his members they might be renewed into a blessed immortalitie might bee renewed saith hee therefore not yet renewed and with the rest of the members of Christ ergo not single by themselues The Rhemistes vpon the same place charge vs Protestants to bee Sectaries for that wee holde this Doctrine their words are these heere it appeareth that Henocke yet liueth and is not dead against the Caluinistes Mr. Fulke answereth the charge and layeth downe his iudgement in these wordes It appeareth not that Henocke yet liueth in bodye more then Moses or Elyas but that he was translated by God out of the world died not after the coÌ„mon maner of men with this marginall note more fully to expresse his minde in the point Enocke not still liuing But as for any passage into heauen that Enocke or Elias had in bodie or locall being there which is the maine point in controversie he is so farre from that opinion as in an other place he is bolde to vouch the contrarie in these verie wordes It is euident indeede that Elias was taken vp aliue but not that hee contynueth aliue yea because it is said expreslye that he was taken vp into heauen it is certaine that his bodye was not carryed into heauen for Christ was the first that in his whole humanity ascended into heauen Ergo say I with Mr. Fulke whose learning iudgement and authoritie I much reuerence and so may the Church of England that yet there is no Bodye in Heauen but that of Iesus christs for hee is the beginning and the first begotten of the dead as the Apostle saith that in all thinges he might haue the preheminence Exiled Bale in his image of both Churches and in his chaste Paraphras vpon the cited place Reuelation 11. inferreth thus against the Popish schoole Doctors who wold haue the two witnesses there mencioned to be Enocke and Elias vnlike it is saith he that God should call witnesses from the dead And what Godlie wise man can giue more to the figure then to the veritie more were they not priuiledged from death then Christ was though God wold not then haue it so to be knowne to declare his wonderfull worke Onely that which may deceaue is the Originall word Lakac which found in other places of Scripture else where doth implye rather a taking away by death then any traÌ„slation from death as in the 4. of Ionah where the prophet prayeth that God wold take away his life and Ezech. 44. 16. where the Lord saith beholde I will take from thee the pleasure of thine eyes meaning his wife the same original in both places is all one with that of Enocke Gen. 5. And therefore I see not yet why it may not inure to the same sense and signification vnlesse we may deeme that Ionah prayed for any such translation or that Ezechiels wife was so translated indeede which may not be for that the Prophet liued longer after and Ezechiels wife was found dead at euen and for the newe testament it is familiar with Christ and his Apostles to call death a translation or taking away to blessednes as Luke 9. 51. Iohn 13. 1. and 17 1. In all which places the Greeke will beare it to be a translation or taking away to a better life yet euer by a true and certaine death And therefore I answere to that of the Hebrues where it is said by faith Enocke
was translated that he shold not see death that though happily his departure out of this life was extraordinary without passion sickenes or greenance yet was it a dissolution and such as left a bodye behinde else why saith the Text that these whereof Enocke was one without vs should not bee made perfect had hee been taken vp and glorified in bodye as in soule hee had been perfect without vs but because the Scripture plainely saith that hee without vs should not bee perfected I holde as yet in bodie he is no more glorified then wee or the rest of that Calender It is recorded by Iude that Michaell th'a arch Angell stroue against the Deuill and dispuâ—ed about the bodye of Moses nor doe I doubt but the contention was anenst the funeralles The Deuil would haue them solemne Michael would haue them secret to auoide idolatrie and loue of religques least the succeeding age mâ—ght commit the sinne in adoring his dead bones of whome whilst hee liued they had so great a reputation of all pietye and holines So may I say of Henocke and Elias in that as the text saith they are gone not seene or found they are taken rom buriall and from all vsage of this world least succeeding ages might adore them dead whom they so honored aliue for not found not seene we say of meÌ„ rather lost on earth then gone to heauen Againe when Christ was transfigured vpon the Mount it is said that Moses and Elyas talked with him and tolde of his departure which hee should accomplish at Ierusalem and shall wee say that the one was more translated then the other more perfect or more glorified then the other pardon mee if I pleade a like perfection in both If Elias then Moses if not Moses then not Elias but it is plaine in the Scripture that Moses dyed and so it is of Enocke and Elias in the generall otherwise how should that sentence of Scripture bee veryfied Hebrues 9. 27. It is appointed to men that they shall once dye if wee shall then conclude and say from the premisses that by diuine dispensation and for the time Moses Elyas tooke vp their bodies to associat Christ in the glorification as did the Saintes who ryse with him to accompany him in the resurrection when hauing performed that which they were appointed to doe they were dissolued againe as before I holde it may well stand with the Anolagie of faith for that the Scripture saith concerning Christ. Act. 13. 34. God raised him vp from the dead no more to returne to corruption as and if others might twise returne where Christ should but once see the graue As for the Fathers doubtfull iudgement there anenst I say as I haue euer said I reuerence their gray haires but I blesse eternitie nor dare I subscribe to all the Fathers in the present point for that they are variable nor to any one of them further then hee hath good warrantie out of the word which is euer like it selfe and stable in al truth The Rhemistes would prooue in their annotations vpon the 11. of the Apocalips two speciall pointes of Doctrine against vs to make good their Antichriste yet to come 1. First that Enocke and Elias yet liue shall preach in the time of Antichrist and suffer martirdome theâ— that they now liue in Paradice and for denying of these two positions they say weâ— Protestants are too contentious and incredulous the matter being cleare as they auer in the opinion of all antiquitie and to that ende they presse vs with the sway oâ— the Fathers both Greeke and Latine T 〈…〉 whose quotations in that place I referr 〈…〉 you as also to the variable iudgement o 〈…〉 antiquitie there anenst whence I resolue and conclude To say with some of the fathers concurring with our aduersaries that Enocke and Elyas be yet in Paradice is idle to say they shall fight against Antichrist in the ende of the world and suffer Martirdome is more idle to say they be yet aliue is dangerous but to say they be dead as all others are is without all danger and whereupon neuer grew schisme in the Church of God neuer greefe to conscience or checke to the Royall dignitie of our Christ whose sole and soueraigne preheminence of being in heauen bodily I holde as an excellencie in him and a blessing to vs yet so as to beleeue or not to beleeue that Enocke Elyas be there may bee no barre to our saluation for that I doubt not but milions of soules shall bee saued who neuer heard or sought into that secret And now that I haue said God will witnesse with mee before whome I stand in the sight of men and Angels that I haue spoken nothing to the touch or preiudice of any contrarie iudgement or out of the pride or singularitie of my owne heart but in right and prerogatiue of my Christ whose peculiar yet I take it to bee alone to pardone our sinnes to pleade our cause and purchase our place whither first he is entred in body to make passage for all and as the Apostle saith Now to appeare in the sight of God for vs and so to conclude with Origen sicut ex mortuis primogenitus christus it a primus carnem euexit in caelum As Christ is the first borne of the dead so hee first caried his flesh into heauen 2. A second doubt encountering this Doctrine riseth from such as make question what became of the bodie of Lazarus after it was raised as also of the bodyes of those saints which at christ his resurection came out of their graues went into the holy citty and appeared vnto many To which I answere that all was done by myracle and diuine dispensation onely for that time to confirme and ascertaine vnto vs the resurection from the dead as in the head so in the members And well it might stand with faith and religion both that as by like dispensation Christ himselfe being yet mortall was transfigured vpon the holy Mount and glorified in body and beeing risen againe and gloryfied tâ—oke an impression of his mortalitie as the print of the Nailes in his hands and wound in his side to confirme the weake faith of Thomas So I say by the verie like dispensation hath he disposed of the bodies of those his Saints for that time to confirm the doctrine of the resurection who hauing performed that which they were appointed to doe by the iudgement of Augustine and diuers others settled in their graues as they did before for Christ being raised from the dead dyeth no more as and if the Apostle were resolued that manye raysed to life haue dyed againe of which sorte I take these to be 3. The third and last encounter is with our aduersaries who to aduance the bodye of the blessed virgin vp into heauen haue mightily abased the blessed bodye of Christ on earth pulling downe the one
fall vpon vs and then will it be to late For it is an assured ground you may build vpon it hee that will not lay holde on grace when it is offered hee shall seeke and sigh for it when it is to late Esau could not obtaine the blessing though hee sought it with teares iâ— was to late Abraham could not preuaile with God for Sodomes safetie though his prayer were many his pleading powerfull it was to late Noah preached repentance to the old world by the space of an hundreth and twentie yeares for so long was the Arke a making before their eyes and all that while they contemne grace but when the windowes of heauen were opened and the flood was out then they run to the Mountaines they rom'd at the trees they caught at the highest bowes they hung they clonge thereby to saue themselues but it was to late This our Sauiour maketh good vnto vs in the parable of the ten Virgins whereof fiue were wise and fiue were foolish the wise were prouident but the foolish slept and therefore vppon the sommons they faile to enter for that they were found wanting of oyle to their lampes they would haue borrowed they could not they â—ried Lord Lord open vnto vs but he would not it was to late Lastly to conclude with the â—ast pageant that euer shall bee acted on the Theater of this worlde The wicked shall â—leade when time shall bee no more Lord when saw wee thee an hungred or a thirst or â—arborlesse or in prison c. But al to late for â—hey may not inioy him in glory whom they â—aue contemned in grace And therfore must â—eare this earnefull voice of their endles seperation Item depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the deuill and his Angels The vse of the Doctrine is familier my deere Bretheren and to my Text for now is the appointed time euen the happie day of grace and ours it is to watch in nor can our changing bee far off euen the blessed day of glorie and thine it is O Lord to worke in had I therfore a thousand eyes they should watch for it had I a thousand eares they shold harken to it had I a thousand feete they should be shod to the preparation of that day a great day a fearefull day a day of changing indeed wherein the Godlye shall change all euill into all good haue boldnes but the Godles all good into all euill and crye to the Mountaines for feare fal vpon vs fall vpon vs watch therefore and pray yee knowe not when the houre will come death and doome are as the Cockatrise if they see vs ere we see them wee die in our sinnes but if wee see them first by trew faith heartie prayer and repentance wee are more then conquerors and may boldlye say death where is thy sting hell where is thy victorie thanks be vnto God which hath giuen vs victory through our Lord Iesus christ I might further prease the decayed doctrine and exiled practise of watchfulnes in these our daies then the which there is not a more continuall current in the word of God euer in the mouth of Christ watch and pray and neuer from his practise when as it is in the Gospell by day hee taught in the Temple and at night went out abode in the Mount of Oliues to pray but because the time is spent I leaue it to your further search onely with this sighe from the soule of Christ as a challenge to his Disciples and all the elect could ye not watch with me one houre it will not be long but the houre will bee out Iudas is at hand Iudgement I feare is ouer your heades then may you sleepe on and take your rest It is nearer my deere Bretheren then when I last spake therefore I say againe watch watch Twise haue the blasted eares eaten vp the ful cornes and twise haue the leane Kine deuoured the fat Pharoes dreame is doubled for the certaintie therof and expedition The famine is vpon Egipt iudgement is vpon all the world and will ye sleepe on ô that men were wise then would they vnderstand this then would they consider their latter end and so for end The verie God of peace sanctifie you throughout and I pray God that your whole spirit soule and body may be kept blamelesse vntill the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ faithfull is hee which hath called you which will also doe it And now my Bretheren to close with the dead for a conclusion of all The Lord hath answered me this day as he did Habacucke made it plaine vpon tables what I haue preached that he may run that readeth it The vision vppon this Gentleman was for an appointed time and now is the time and at last it shal speake to euerie one of you who heare me this day and not lye though it tarie waite for it shall surelie come and not stay It is not long since he was in life and liking as you are he sat as you doe in place and credit of this world hee heard where you now heare he prayed where yee now praye and in lowlinesse of heart hee lickt vp the dust of the sanctuarie which dust hath now deuoured him nor was it either the fauour of his prince the credit of his place the loue of his friendes the faithfulnes of his folowers his tennants teares or sighes of the poore could beg him of God or keepe him from the graue but down he must to demurâ—e with death thereby to bring vnto himselfe a state of inheritance indefeazible with a crowne of glory that wythereth not And now ô death what hast thou done Occidisti possedisti Thou hast slaine thou hast possessed but what onely the grasse flower of flesh as for the Spirit euolauit it is gone to God that gaue it and that verie body thou seemest heere to detaine it shal be taken from thee when thou the last enemie shall bee destroyed and swallowed vp in victory For the onely Son of God shall come with power great glory to seeke the saint whom thou hast shamed and euen those dead corps will he fashion like vnto his glorious bodye by the mightie power whereby hee is able to subdue all thinges vnto himselfe Nor is our friend Lazarus heere dead but sleepeth This is Dormitorium the house of sleepe Or as the Germans call it Gods acre wherein doe rest and are sowen the bodies of Gods Saints till their ioyful spring of their resurrection nor doth that which is sowen quicken except it die Et qui granum tritici suscitat propter te ipsum te non poterit suscitare propter se that raiseth vp the seede of wheate for thy good can he not raise vp the fallen flower of thy flesh ô man for his owne glorie Goe to then deuouring death
and drinke thy fil spare him not whome thou hast spilt stop his breath couer his face tye his handes binde his feete imbalme his bodye bury his corpes lay on the stone and seale vp the sepulchre yet Christ is at Bithinia greeuing at the graue and me thinkes I heare him crie with a lowde voice to him and all the dead arise and come to iudgement Evomuit prophetam marina bestia quem deglucierat et tu Humbertum reddes quem videris in tuo vastisimo ventre conclusisse So said Barnard of his friend Humbertus and so may I of this our deere deceassed The Maritine beast pickt vp Ionas whome hee had deuoured And thou earth shalt redeliuer this flower of gentrie whome thou seemest to haue closed vp in thy vaste vault In the last day ô Death thou shalt stand like a foole beguild of the dead when the Saint here fallen shall euer liue and thou his destroyer shalt euer die And nowe to that which thou canst not spil which is the sweete perfume of his life past I will bee the more sparing to speake thereof for that loue can keepe neither meane nor method The rule is good say nothing but well of the dead it is better say nothing but truelye of the dead And the truth is hee hath bin true to this my text for he hath bin watchfull watchfull of his place to performe it with good conscience to God and loyalty to his Prince watchfull of his family to gouerne it withall descretion and godlinesse watchfull of his Golde that the canker thereof should not rust his soule watchfull of his ground that the furrowes should not complaine against him the vniust detaining of the laborers wages watchfull of his building that neither the stone out of the wall should cry or beame out of the tymber should answer it with oppression And for this place and charge where nowe I stand my selfe can witnesse how watchfull and carefull hee hath been of it good with whome hee often dealt to furnish him of an able man as an assistant to ayde and helpe the pastor heere which I know ere this had bin effected but that the Lord delt with him as hee did with Dauid in the Fabricke of the Temple Euen put it of to Salomon his Son by him to bee perfected which I doubt not but he will performe and that readilie in the feare of God according to the zeale of his heart and good conscience towards this great people for thou ô Lord hast put fire in his heart and what is thy desire but that it should burne Besides all these the sweete balme of his hospitalitie was an honour to God a reliefe to the poore a credit to his place calling wherof I may say he was watchfull watchful as Abraham who laye in his Tent doore vnder the oake at Mamre to gather in strangers and at the last God was his guest watchfull as Lot who sat in the gate of Sodome to call in pilgrimes and at last hee receaued Angells Rich Christ is in his poore members and hiâ— ioyfull message is tyed to his word and Ministrie he relieued the one and countenanceâ— the other A good aduertisement to al christians that they beware against whome they barre their doores least happily cui Domum clauseris cui huminitatem negaueris ipsâ— sit deus Least happilye as Augustin saith it be God himselfe against whome thou shuttest thy doore and denyest thy curiositie The rule is Apostolic be good to all but especiallye to those that are of the housholde of faith And nowe to winde vp all with the watch of his last farewell at what time with good Ezekias seauen yeares before to my knowledge he set his house in order and prepared to die recommeÌ„ding then as now his soule to God his bodye to the earth his Land to hiâ— heire his goods to the world with much kinde remembrance of his friendes and many prayers for his enemies if hee had any Not so wicked Alcimus of whome it is said that at the time of his death he was plagued so as hee could neither speake to God or giue order concearning his house And for his Funerals nowe next in place and last in action you see they are not without forme like Ioachims of whome the Lord said by the Prophet They shall not lament him saying ah my Brother or ah my Sister neither shall they mourne for him saying oh Lord or ah his glorie For this so great a concourse of Christian people honouring his buriall following his hearse and giuing him the last duetie of obsequi doth argue they loued him liuing whome they honour thus dead nor is it done without compassion for oh husband oh father oh maister oh friend is in the lamentatioÌ„ of all ye see their teares ye heare their groanings God knowes their griefe To whom I leaue them as to the alone comforter doe further pray that the Lord wold teach vs to nuber our daies that we might apply our hearts vnto wisdome so at his comming may bee found watchfull with our oyle readie and our Lampes light Amen Amen FINIS 1. Sam 4 21. c. Mark 5 2 3. 4 5. Eccles 7 4 Psa 126. 5 Exod. 31. 2 1. Co 4 1 Ge 18 2 Gal 6 â— 1. Th. 4. 13 Reuel 14. 13. Eccles. 3. 1 Sophocles The crie of death Ps. 89. 48. Gen. 2. 17. Heb. 9. 27 Dan. 6. 8. Wisd. 2. 24 The reward of sin is death Reu. 10. 6 Ch. 22. 29 Sermo 48. ad â—ratres in Eremo Amos. 6. 2 Isai. 13. 19 Iam. 2. 13 Psal. 49. 1â— Phil. 3. 8. The Herâ—enger of death Eccles. 12. â— 3. c. Old men must die and young men may die Isaiah 40â— 6 7. 8. Exod. 14. The plea of death 2. co 5. â—â— 2. Pe. 3. 14 Phil. 2. 15. â—â— Iohn 5. 2â— 29 Re. 20 13. c. 2. Pe. 3. 13 Isa. 30. 33. Isa. 22. 13 Old Atheisme New Atheisme D. Parie Heb. 9. 27 Lu. 16. 22 1 Ioh. 4. 17 â—â—â— 23. 30 â— Th. 5. 23 The plea of life 1. Cor. 15. that christ is risen Gen. 3. 15. Iudg. 16. 3 Ioh. 10. 17 18 Exo. 29. 24 Mar. 16. 6. 7. Luk 24 5 10 20 17 1 Cor 15. 4 c. That we shall rise 2. co 4 14 Iohn 6 3â— 40 Rom 1. 4. Heb. 2 1. â— Heb 6 1â— Ez 33 11 Ioh 5 25 2. â— 13 2â— Iohn 11. 43 44 Iud. 14 Iob 19. 26 27 Isa 26 19 〈…〉 â—7 4 Dan 12. 2 2 Macc. 7 11 1 Cor 15 42 Phil. 3 21 1 Ioh 1. 1 Iohn 20 24 c. Not sore but open Iohn 5. 28 29 Reu. 6 9 10. 11. Heb. 11 40. Ro. 8. 11 Math. 27 52. 53. Ioh. 14. 3. Ro. 8. 34 Hebr. 9. 24 Re. 21 21 Eph. 2 2 3 A dangerous sect of whome we reade few â—r none to haue been called ma 22. 23 29 2. Tim. 2. 17.