despyse not the Poore when ye look vpon their base and contemptible worldlie estate but rather be readie to helpe them remembering this which the Spirit of God here telleth you That if they die in the Lord they shall one day bee participant of that same Kingdome that same Robe of immortalitie that same Banquet of Angels which yee looke for And therefore holie Augustine checking the disdaynfull and vncharitable carriage of the Rich towardes the Poore wittilie pithilie sayth vnto them Wherfore shall not the Poore eate with thee who shall one day reygne with thee Wherefore wilt thou not giue so much as thy olde Coat to him who shall one day receaue the Robe of immortalitie with thee How is he not worthie of thy Bread who hath obtayned one and the selfe-same Baptisme with thee or of the reliques of thy dishes who is with thee invited to the Banquet of Angels Be not prowde then of your worldlie prerogatiues neyther apprehend such distance or difference betwixt you and the Poore as yee doe The difference which these few worldlie thinges maketh betwixt you and them is but for a short tyme and in things of small moment the matters of greatest consequence God hath made coÌ„mon to rich and poore even the two best thinges that can befall men to wit grace glorie the two worst things to wit sinne and damnation and the two most dangerous things to wit death and judgement The Poore are not excluded from the first two more than the Rich neyther are the Rich exempted from the other two more than the Poore And as for the last two neyther Rich nor Poore can eschew them For it is appoynted vnto men once to die but after this the judgement Such like ye that are poore in this world and rich in faith possesse your soules in patience and bee not grieved because the Rich ye meet vnequall vpon the streets for ye shal meet equall with them aâ— the right Hand of the Iudge Yea if they be not rich towards God and as they are charged 1. TIM 6. rich in good works they shall meet verie vnequall with you in judgement for yee shall haue dominion over them in maâ—utinâ— illo in that morning of Resurrection when by the bright appearance of the Sunne of Righteousnesse these thinges which now are invisible during this night of ignorance shall be brought to light to wit the hid things of darknesse the secret counsels of the heart the mysteries of Gods providence in governing the world and the glorie happinesse and excellencie of the sonnes of God For although we be the sonnes of God yet it doeth not appeare what we shall be that is how happie glorious wee shall bee in the world to come But in that Day it shall appeare to all and the wicked shall see it with vnspeakable grief astonishment shal say of the godlie maÌ„ whom before they despised This was he whom we had sometyms in derision a proverbe of reproach we fools accounted his lyfe madnesse and his ende to be without honour How is he numbred amoÌ„gst the children of God! and his loâ— is amongst the Sayncts Secondlie I say all these who die in the estate of grace are happie whatsoever the cause of their death be that is whether they die as Martyrs for the Lord or as ordinary professors in the Lord. For first as for the matter it selfe although the Martyrs haue an eminent degree of glorie in HeaveÌ„ aboue manie others which the School-men by a barbarous word of their own devysing call aureolam martyrum yet neyther is Blessednesse immediatelie after death appoynted onelie for them even by the confession of our Adversaries nor yet is that wherein the glorie excellencie of martyrdome chiefelie consisteth altogether proper and peculiar to them but in some sort common to other Sayncts The dignitie and excellencie of martyrdom standeth in two things which as Bonaventur sayth doe make vp a compleat martyrdom First in a pious willingnesse or desire to vndergoe whatsoever tribulation yea death it selfe for the testimony of Christ if God should require it Secondlie in the goodnesse of the cause wherfore we suffer For Martyres non facit poena sed causa sayeth holie Augustine it is not the suffering but the cause of suffering which maketh the Martyr Now the cause of suffering is two-fold to wit Causa calamitatis the cause wherfore the calamitie coÌ„meth vpon the Martyr and Causa tolerantiae seu patientiae the cause wherefore he willinglie doeth vndergoe and endure it The dignitie and glorie of Martyrdome dependeth as much from the second as from the first and perhaps more For although a man be persecuted for a good cause that is for professioÌ„ of the trueth yet if the cause or motiue which maketh him to vndergoe persecution be bad perverse as for example If hee suffer onlie or chieflie that he may be praised or admired of men he sheddeth his blood in vayne as Ierome sayth Now to apply all this to the present purpose Manie who doe not actuallie suffer death for the cause of Christ haue in some sort both these two things wherein the glorie dignitie of Martyrdome chieflie consisteth to wit First a pious willingnesse or readinesse to suffer the losse of all things yea of lyfe it selfe for Christ's sake which is a thing so acceptable and gracious in the sight of God that Hee esteemeth this a kynd of dying for His sake And therefore Chrysostome wryting vpon these words ROM 8.36 For thy sake we are killed al the day long we are couÌ„ted as sheep for the slaughter sayeth that although we actually can die but once for the Lord's sake yet God hath granted this to vs that if wee bee readie or willing to die for Him we may by vertue of this our resolution and willingnesse die everie day for Him yea everie day we may die manie tymes for Him and so obtayne not one but manie crowns of Martyrdome herafter Secondlie as for the cause of the ordinarie sufferings of true Christians although in tyme of their troubles or distresses the evill or calamitie doth not always come vpon them for the Lord's sake yet it is for the Lords sake that they patientlie suffer it And wheÌ„ they die although we cannot say that they are put to death for the Lord's cause yet wee may say that they accept of death and suffer willinglie all the pains of it for the Lords cause to wit because it is the Lords will and because they long to bee with Him and consequentlie wee may even say in some sort that they die for the Lord. Hence it is that divers of the Fathers haue exteÌ„ded this glorious title of Martyrdome to those who died not for the cause of Christ as to the blessed Virgine to the penitent Thiefe yea in generall to all Sayncts Next as to the Apostles phrase although the particle
and my selfe both with the debating and discussing of these quaestions which are too curiouslie agitated and too boldlie determined by manie Divines anent it I shall onlie show you what is and hath bene holden as certaine and vndoubtedlie true by the greatest part of Christians and what is called in quaestion by judicious and orthodoxe Divines concerning the estate of the Godlie after this lyfe First then it is certaine that these who die in the Lord shal in the day of resurrection and judgement attaine to perfect and consummate happinesse of soule and bodie for in that day the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue the crowne of righteousnesse vnto all these who loue his appearing Secondlie the greatest part of Christians haue ever believed that the blessednesse which we shall then attaine vnto consisteth in the vision and fruition of the glorious essence of GOD which the Schoole-men call visionem DEI per essentiam This is evidentlie revealed vnto vs in diverse places of Scripture For our Saviour promiseth this as a reward to the pure in heart that they shall see God And Paul telleth vs that this vision of God shall be a cleare immediate and intuitiue sight of his essence For he sayeth that we who now see God through a glasse darklie shall then see him face to face And Sainct Iohn lykewyse sayeth that when he shall appeare we shall see him as he is This also hath bene constantlie believed by the Fathers of the Ancient Church for none of them ever denyed this except some fewe Greeke Fathers following Chrysostome who in diverse places of his workes affirmeth that God his infinite essence can not be seene by anie created or finite vnderstanding Thirdlie as for the estate of the souls of men during that tyme which interveaneth betwixt death and judgement although some haue most fondlie and absurdlie believed that the soule perisheth with the bodie and that both soule and bodie shall be raised vp together at the day of judgement others no lesse foolishlie haue imagined that the soule after it is separated from the bodie hath no operation nor knowledge of its owne estate but lyeth as it were in a dead sleepâ— vntill the day of judgement for the which cause they are called Psychopannychitae neverthelesse the Spirit of God in the holie Scripture telleth vs that these who kill the bodie can not kill the soule and consequentlie that the soule liveth when the bodie is killed that in the heavenlie Hierusalem there are not onlie Angels but also the spirits of just men made perfect that the Godlie when they are dissolved are with Christ and in Paradyse Lykewyse that they are not there sleeping but haue vse of their vnderstaÌ„ding we may clearlie see by the parable of Dives Lazarus by the Storie of Christs transfiguration in the which we reade that Moses and Eliah talked with Christ and by that which we reade concerning the soules of Martyres crying vnder the Altar for acceleration of the punishment of their persecutions Herefore the Fathers constantlie taught that the souls of men when they are separated from their bodies doe remember of the things which they did vpon earth and that those of them who are glorified in Heaven are sure of their owne happinesse and sollicite or carefull for the weale of the Church militant and in particular are myndfull of their parentes children brethren and other friends whom they haue left behind them on earth longing to see them in that place of glorie where they themselues are Yea even these of the Fathers who believed that the departed souls of godlie men are not fully glorified as yet and that they shal not attaine to the perfection of that happinesse whereof they are capable before the day of Iudgement thought not that they are sleeping and senselesse during the tyme of their separation from their bodies but on the contrarie thought that they are in Abrahams bosome in a state of refreshment and joye Fourthlie although some few of the Ancients taught that the souls of the Saincts departed are not as yet rewarded but keeped in one place and in one estate and condition with the wicked not being as yet so much as assured of that glorie which shall be revealed in them yet the common opinion of the Church of God in all ages hath bene that they are in an happie and blessed estate and with vnspeakable joye doe exspect the accomplishment of their happinesse yea manie of them affirme that they are with Christ that they reygne with him and that they in some sort see Gods face This is also clearly revealed in Scripture for Paul wisheth to be dissolved and to be with Christ and telleth vs that when wee are absent from the bodie we are present with the Lord. Christ also sayde to the poenitent Thiefe To day shalt thou bee with mee in Paradyse and here a voyce from Heaven proclaymeth the happinesse of the dead who die in the LORD This trueth so manifâ—stlie revealed in the Scripture although as I haue sayde it hath bene constantlie professed in the Church yet it hath bene vitiated or corrupted by the admixtion of two erroneous doctrines For first although none before holie Augustine did talke of such a Purgatorie-fyre as our Adversaries doe mayntayne yet some Fathers who lived in the third and fourth age of the Church to wit Origen Lactantius Hilarie Ambrose Ruffinus and Ierome believed that there shall be a generall Purgatione of all souls by fyre at the day of Iudgement and that none shall bee free of it except Christ who is the Righteousnesse of GOD no not the blessed and glorious Virgine Marie This opinion is not nowe mantayned by anie at least it doeth not trouble the peace of the Church and therefore I will not meddle with it Secondlie since the 400 yeare of our Lord about which tyme Augustine flowrished some Fathers haue mentioned expressed in their workes a sort of purgation by fyre verie farre different from the former For they thought that all the Elect doe not vndergoe this Purgation by fyre but onlie they who die in some kynde of guiltinesse and that these begin to be purged immediatelie after their departure Saynct Augustine spake doubtfullie of this sort of Purgation Gregorie the Great did holde it as a thing certayne but hee knew no matter or cause of this Purgation except the guiltinesse of these smaller sinnes which are called veniall for hee dreamed not of that imperfect remission of mortall sinnes committed after Baptisme which Papists doe now holde as a mayne ground of their doctrine concerning Purgatorie But I haue alreadie confuted this fond conceat and haue showne that poenitentiall remission of sinnes committed after Baptisme is no lesse perfect and absolute than baptismal remission It is true indeed these who after Baptisme or after their first justification doe fall backe into grievous sinnes haue
ad Romanum â— Samul 1.23 Psal. 133.1 Luke 17.34 35.36 Iob 2.4 Heb. 1â— â—â— Ephes. 1 1â— Lib. 1. contra Iovinianum Lib. 1. de peccatorum meritis remiss cap. 27. Psal. 87.3 Psal. 48.2 Rom. 8.1 Gal. 2.20 Ephes. 3.12 â— Cor. 12.9 Psal. 143.2 Psal. 23.4 Luke 23.46 Psal. 143.7 Iohn 15.5 Isai. 57.21 2. Tim. 4. â— Matth. 5.8 1 Cor. 13.12 1. Iohn 3.2 â—omil 14. in Iohann â—omil 3. de â—â—compraeâ—ensibilâ— Dei â—atura * This opinion â—s maintaiâ—ed by Anâ—baptists was of old maintained â—y those â—aeretickes â—hom Auâ—ustine calâ—eth Arabiâ—s in his â—ooke De â—aresibus ad Quod Valâ—â—eum haâ—es 83. â—att 10.28 Heb. 12.23 Philip. 1.23 Luke 23.43 Revel 6.9 * Plenissimâ— docuâ—t Dominus noÌ„ solùm perseverare animas sed et meminisse operuâ—â— quae egerunt hic Iren. lib. 2. contra haereses cap. 62. ‡ Magnus â—â—lic charorum numerus noâ— exspectat parentuÌ„ fratrum filiâ—â—uÌ„ frequens 〈◊〉 copiosae turba desiderat jam de sua immortalitate secura adhuc de nostra salute sollicita Ciprian serm de mortalitate in fin◠†See concerning this Tertull in his booke De Anima cap. 58. Chrysostome wryting vpon the Epistle to the Philip. serm 3. August lib 20. de Civit. Dâ—â— cap 9. 13 For he also believed that the souls of the Godlie attain not vnto the perfection oâ— that happinesse whereof they in themselues are capable before the day of the gâ—â—nerall judgement as we may easilie perceaue by his 12 booke De Genesi cap. 35 where he affirmeth that the soule separated from the bodie seeth not God as thâ— Angels see him Yea sometyme he was of that opinion which manie other of thâ— Fathers did holde concerning the place where the soules of the Saincts departed are nowe to wit that they are keeped in secret and subterranean places vntill the Daye of Iudgement Lib. 12. De Civit. DEI Cap. 9. enarraâ— in Psal. 36. Conc. 1. But hee seemeth to haue left this opinion afterwardes as appeareth by his 20 Booke De Civit. Dei Cap. 15. †Nec tamen quisquaÌ„ pucet animas post motem protinâ—â— judicari omneâ— in una communique custodia detiâ—â—ntur doâ—â—c 〈◊〉 Lactaâ—â— Lib. 7. divinaruÌ„ instituâ— c. 21. Philip 1·23 2. Cor. 5. â— * Ambros. enarrat in Psal. 118. octonar 20. vers 153. ideo unus igneÌ„ illum sentire non potuit qui est justitia Dei Christus quia peccatum non fecit †Hilar. enarrat in Psal. 118. octonar 3. vers 20. Aâ— cum ex omni ocioso verbo rationeÌ„ 〈◊〉 praestituri diem judicii concupiscâ—â—â—s in quo nobis est ille indefessus iguis obâ—undus in quo subeuÌ„dâ— sunt graviâ— illa expiandâ— Ã peccatis animae suppliciae si in judicii severitateÌ„ capax illa Dei virgo veâ—tura est desiderare quis audebit à DEO judicari ‡ Lib. 21. De Civitate DEI Cap. 26. in Enchiridio Cap. 69. Lib. De Fide Operibus Cap. 16. * Lib. 4. Dialog Cap. 3â— in Psal. 3. pâ—â—nitent * Chrysost. Homil. 39. in 1. Cor. Homil. 28. in Epist. ad Hebr. Ambros lib. 2. de Cain Abel Cap. 2. Lib. de bono mortis Cap. 10. 11. August Epist. 111. ad Fortunatianum Lib. 12. de Genesi Cap. 35. Bernard in seâ—to omnium SanctoruÌ„ Serm. 2.3 4. †Calvin lib. 3. Institut Cap. 25. §. 6 Spalat lib. 5 de Repub. Eccl Cap. 8. num 75. sequent Psal. 17.15 Matth. 20.8 2. Tim. 4.8 1. Iohn 3.2 Ibidem Psal. 8.4 Gal. 2.20 Psal. â—4 10 Psal. 48.8 1. king 10.7 Psal. 145.5 a Psal. 32.1.2 b Psal. 1.1.112.1 â—19 1 c Psal. 144.15 d Psal. 94.12 Matth. 5.10 11.12 e Genes 15.1 f 2. Cor. 4.17 g Matth. 5.4 h Lib. 19. de Civit. Deâ— cap. 27. lib. 3. contra duas Epistolas Pelagianorum cap. 7. i August lib de vera falsa poenitentia c. 13. TaÌ„diu enim gaudeat speret homo de gratia quamdiu sustentatur à poenitentia Et infra Hinc semper doleat dâ— dolorâ— gaudeaâ— k Idem ibid. Et non satis sit quod doleat sed eâ— fide doleat non semper doluisse doleat 1. Cor. 15.55 Isai. 52.7 Isai. 57.2 Psal. 126 5. * Cyprian tom 2. lib. dâ— mortalit Chrysost. in epist. ad Plilipp serm 4. Ambros. lib. de bono mortis cap. 12. †Veniebat ille â— Christus ille s. SimeoÌ„ ibat sed donec ille veniret ille â—re nolebat Iaâ— senectuâ— matura excludebat sed sincera pietas dotinabat August serm 3. de verbis Apostoli * Vide â—ustum velut corporea carcere molis inclusum velle dâ—ssolvi ut esset cum Christo. Ambros. lib. 2. in Lucam †Philip. 1.23 Psal. 39.13 Iob 10.20.21 Rom. 8.23 2. Cor. 5.8 †In his Booke of Sentences if that Book be his Eecles 5.14.17 Hebr. 11.25.26 Ibidem 1. Pet. â— 8 Psal. 4.7 Heb. 12.2 Act. 14.22 Luke 24.26 Epist. 1. ad Heliodorum 1. Cor. 15.53 Luke 12.37 * Iudicaturo Domino lugubre munduâ— immugiet adducetur cuÌ„ suis stultus Plato discipulis Aristotelis argumenta non proderunt Tunc tu rusticanus pauper exultâ—bis ridebis dices Ecce crucisixus DEVS meus ecco Iudex qui obvolutus pannis in praesepio vagiit Hic est ille operarit quaestuariae Filiâ—â—s hic qui matris gestatus sinu hominem DEVS fugit in Aegyptum hic vestituâ— coccino hic sentibus coronatus c. Hieron ibidem * S. August in the explication of the 27. psal vers 13. calleth HeaveÌ„ terraÌ„ viventium this earth terraeÌ„ morientium †O mors crudelis bestâ—a amaritudo amarissima foetor horror filiorum Adam quid fecisti occidisti possedisti quid curnem â—tique solaÌ„ animae enim noÌ„ habes quod facias Bern. serm in obitu Humberti devoti monachi †Sed ipsum corpus quod videris habere anferetur à te Ibidem In Trinum 2.4 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orat. 21. in laudem Athanasit †His judicious accurat Treatises coÌ„cerning the visibilitie of the Church the lawfulnesse of our calling to the Ministerie as also his excelleÌ„t CommeÌ„tary vpoÌ„ the book of the Revelation shall beare witnes of it to the end of the world Orat. 1. Apol pro fuga †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Tim. 2.15 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 27.4 Tom. 2. Carmine 64. Pliniuâ— lib. 35. cap. 1â— Acts 20.24 1. Pet. 3.21 Magna verba excidunt cùm tâ—rtor poposcit manum cum mors propius accessit Seneca Epist. 82. Thuanus hist. tom 5. lib. 125. pag. 947. Nihil in tota vita nisi laudandum aut fecit aut dixit aut sensit Velleius Paterâ—culus lib. 1 hist. Rom. I le filii â—â—lebrate exequias nunquam majoris civis fuâ—uâ— videbiâ—â— Act. 21.14 Anno 1546 Iudges
away from them And on the contrarie miserable and mad fooles are they who haue set their heartes vpon worldlie thinges and are vnited vnto them by affection For first they shall shortlie be divided or separated from these things Next that separation shall procure more griefe to them nor ever they had delight or contentment by enjoying these evanishing trifles And thirdlie which is worst of all in that dreadfull judgement which followeth after death they shall be condemned to everlasting torments for the inordinate loue which they carried to them Bernard sayeth verie wittilie that the death of the wicked man is evill in respect of the losse of worldlie things worse in respect of the vnhappie separation of his bodie from the soule and worst of all because of that double torment or vexation of the worme and of the fire Moreover the indissolubilitie aeternitie of that vnion which the Godlie haue with Christ maketh the vnion which they haue amongst themselues perpetuall and indissoluble by death They are louelie and pleasant in their lyues as David in his mourning Song sayd of Saul and Ionathan and in death they are not divided For although some of the members of Christs bodie be called out from this lyfe before others yet they remaine still vnited to one head and consequentlie are still vnited amongst themselues and albeit they be locallie separated for a tyme yet they shall shortlie meet together in their Fathers house and shall joyfullie sing for ever that Song of DAVID Beholde how good and how pleasant a thing it is for Brethren to dwell together in vnitie Yee then who are vnited vnto Christ by a true and lyuelie fayth be carefull by your godlie admonitions and good example to make these whom yee tenderlie affect to be participant of the same vnion Fot if yee effectuate this neyther death nor judgement nor anie other thing shall divide you But if it be otherwayes death and that judgement which followeth thereafter shall so divide you that yee shall never haue a joyfull meeting together agayne For when Christ shall come to judge the world two women shall be grinding together the one shall be taken and the other left two men shall be in the field together the one shall be taken the other left yea of two which shall be in one bed one shall be taken and the other left But what if they be both left and condemned to Hel fire shall they haue anie comfortable societie or fellowship together No. For as in Hell there is fire without light night without rest and death without an ende so there is companie without comfort yea those who were companions in sinne when they meet together there they salute each other with mutuall execrations and curse the day that ever they saw other Secondlie consider for your vse how sweete an effect this our vnion with Christ produceth seeing by vertue of it we spirituallie liue both in death and after death If lyfe be so sweet as we commonlie say if this mortal yea this momeÌ„tanie life be so much esteemed by vs as that a man will giue skin for skin and all that he hath for his lyfe how much should we esteeme and affect this spirituall lyfe and that blessed vnion with Christ by vertue whereof it is begun and also conserved in vs vnto all aeternitie HORMISDAS the Persian as I shew you before thought little of all the glorie and statelinesse of Rome and that because he perceaved that men were mortall there as well as in other cities of the world O but if GOD had given him grace to enter by fayth into that heavenly HierusaleÌ„ the Citie of the living God and if the eyes of his vnderstaÌ„ding had bene enlightened that he might haue known what is the hope of our calling and the riches of the glorie of GODS inheritance in the Saincts that is if he had known that GOD the Father of our LORD IESVS CHRIST according to his aboundant mercie hath begotten all these who are trueâ—lie and indeed citizens of this Citie in spem vivam vnto a lyuelie hope that is in spem vitae vnto the hope of lyfe as Ierome expoundeth it or in spem vitae aeternâ— vnto the hope of aeternall lyfe as Augustine readeth it and to an inheritance incorruptible and vndefiled and which fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for vs if he I say had knowne this singular praerogatiue of the citizens of heavenlie Hierusalem he would haue thought the glorie of Rome and of all other cities in the world to be basenesse in comparison of it and would haue sayd with DAVID Glorious thinges are spoken of thee O Citie of GOD or as he sayeth in another place Mount Sion is beautifull for situation and the joye of the whole earth Thirdly obserue I pray you how sweet and comfortable a thing it is to the Godlie in the houre of death to consider that they are in Christ and that the vnion which they haue with Christ is perpetual and indissoluble How comfortablie and joyfullie may the faythfull servant of Christ then say There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ I am now dying neverthelesse I liue yet not I but Christ liveth in me in Christ my Saviour I haue boldnesse and accesse vnto the Throne of Grace with confidence by the fayth of him O how excellent and happie a thing it is to a man then to haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 boldnesse with God to speake what he pleaseth and to propound all his sutes to say Lord strengthen me against all my infirmities and my feares perfect thy strength in my weaknesse put an ende to all my miseries and my pains and enter not into judgement with thy servant LORD walke with mee in this valley of the shadowe of death that I may feare no evill Father I comend my spirit into thy hands Heare me speedilie O Lord my spirit faileth hide not thy face from me lest I be lyke vnto them that goe downe into the pit The wicked cannot haue this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this boldnesse of speaking to God when death approacheth They shall then finde how true that saying of our Saviour is Sine me nihil potestis facere Without me ye can do nothing For they may well in that houre cry Miserere with their lips and say Lord let thy servant depart in peace but their heart shall contradict them and tell them that there is no peace to the wicked I come now to the consideration of that blessednesse or happinesse which is here attributed to these who die in the Lord in the handling whereof I intend not to fall out in a Theologicall discourse concerning that most noble and divine operation of our soule wherein our Summum bonuÌ„ consisteth I meane the vision and fruition of the glorious countenance of GOD nor yet to trouble you
not so easie accesse vnto the Throne of Grace for obtayning Mercie as they had before which I thinke moved the Ancient Church to enjoyne such hard pennance to these who after they were baptized fell into great sinnes as also because of their ingratitude for bygone favoures and benefits they are oft-tymes I will not say alwayes punished or chastised with greater and more fearfull judgementes even after they are reconciled to God by repentance But this will never proue such a reservation of temporall punishment to bee inflicted in Purgatorie in case of not satisfaction by poenall exercyses in this lyfe as our Adversaries doe mayntayne Fiftlie it is certayne that the glorie and happinesse which the dead who haue died in the Lord shal haue after the generall judgement shall be greater extensivè in extention nor it is now and that because it shall be extended or communicated to their bodies also But whether or not it shall be intensivè greater after the generall judgement that is whether anie farther degree of glorie shall be then given to their soules it is not so certayne For manie of the Ancients and some judicious and orthodoxe Divines doe thinke that although they are now with Christ in the companie or fellowship of the blessed Angels and in an estate of vnspeakable joye yet they haue not attayned as yet vnto that consummate and accomplished happinesse which consisteth in the vision or immediate sight of God's glorious essence and which the Schoole-men call beatitudinem essentialem essentiall happinesse or if they haue attayned vnto it yet they haue not attayned to the perfection or the fulnesse of that joyfull and blessed sight which they shall haue hereafter Others boldlie affirme that they haue alreadie gotten a full sight of God's glorious essence and that nothing is wanting to their happinesse but the glorification of their bodies For my part although I incline most to the first opinion esteeming it more probable in respect of the consent of Antiquitie and of diverse places in Scripture which seeme to favour it for wee reade in Scripture that wee shall bee satisfied with the lykenesse of God when we awake that is in the day of our resurrection that the labourers shall bee called together in the evening that is at the ende of the worlde and shall then receaue their hyre that the Crowne of Righteousnesse shall be given that day to all these who loue the Lord's appearing and that when Hee shall appeare wee shall bee lyke Him and shall see Him as Hee is yet I thinke they are wysest who suspende their judgement and are not bold to determine anie thing in such matters as are not clearlie revealed in God's word of which sort this whereof I am now speaking is one Iudicious and learned Calvine who also inclined more to the first opinion condemneth their foolish rashnesse who prye too narrowlie into this secret and willeth vs to be content with these boundes or limites of our knowledge concerning this matter which are praescribed in Scripture And truelie it is sufficient for our comfort and encowragement agaynst Death as also for that Christian and cowragious desire of death which we ought to haue it is I say sufficient to know that it is an estate of such heavenlie glorie and such joyfull happinesse that all worldlie happinesse or contentment is but miserie in respect of it That yee may the better conceaue this consider I pray you that if wee thinke it a delightsome and joyfull thing to dwell in a statelie and glorious Pallace with these whom we loue best and whose companie is most pleasant vnto vs it must be a thing exceedinglie farre more happie and joyfull to liue in that heavenlie Pallace whereof wee nowe see nothing but the pauement yea nothing but the inferiour superfice of it and yet wee see more glorious statelines in it than in all other partes of the world For in it doe shyne those glorious Lightes which enlighten and beautifie the whole world and which made DAVID to say Lord what is man that thou art myndfull of him and the sonne of man that thou visitest him It must bee a most delightfull thing and a matter of exceeding great joye to dwell in that coelestiall Paradyse with an innumerable companie of Angels with all our pious friendes who haue gone before vs and who shall followe after vs with the Prophets Patriarchs Apostles Martyrs and other famous Worthies whose vertues are so much praysed admired on earth and with our great LORD and Master our kynde Saviour CHRIST IESUS who loved vs and gaue Himselfe for vs. What joye I pray you shall wee haue there in beholding Him who died and suffered so manie things for vs How shall wee bee affected and ravished in mynde when wee shall viewe His glorious Head which was one day crowned with Thornes for vs His Handes and Feet which were one day pierced with nayles for vs and His syde which was runne thorowe with a Speare for vs But aboue all if wee shall then be admitted to the cleare and immediate fight of God's infinite essence which truelie is verie probable what admirable vnspeakable yea inconceauable delight and contentment shall that sight worke in vs although it bee not so full and perfect as it shall bee after the generall judgement How joyfullie shall wee then say with DAVID A day in thy Courts is better than a thousand or as hee sayeth in another place As wee haue heard so haue wee seene in the Citie of the LORD of Hostes or rather as the Queene of Sheba sayde Beholde the halfe was not tolde vs the glorious honour of thy Majestie infinitelie exceedeth the same which wee heard This doctrine concerning the felicitie vnto which the Godlie doe attayne when their soules are separated from their bodies affordeth manie profitable lessons and vses vnto vs. For first wee may justlie collect from it that although the Godlie bee manie wayes blessed or happie while they liue heere to wit in respect of that inaesteemable benefite of the remission of their sinnes in respect of these supernaturall vertues wherewith they are endewed and of the operations or actions of the same in respect of God's Fatherlie providence and care which hee hath of them yea even in respect of his chastisementes and of their manyfolde sufferinges yet this their happinesse is nothing in comparison of that exceeding great reward or of that farre more exceeding and aeternall weyght of glorie which they get after this lyfe Glorious thinges indeede are spoken of the Citie of GOD that is of the Church militant The estate of these who truelie and indeede are Citizens of it is an estate of happinesse but of such happinesse as consisteth in sorrowing or mourning for their sinnes and manyfolde infirmities It is an estate of righteousnesse but of such righteousnesse as standeth rather in the remission of sinnes nor in
doe continuallie vexe themselues with anxious care and paynfull labour in acquiring more wealth so that these riches which they haue perish by evill travell and all their dayes they eat in darknesse that is with much sorrow and wrath This estate or condition of wicked men in this lyfe is called by SALOMON a sore evill and by BERNARD via laboriosa ad mortem a paynfull and wretched way vnto death In a word thē whatsoever be the temporal estate of wicked men in this lyfe death is to them an vnhappie change even in respect of the terminus à quo of their change For to some of them it is both a change and an ende of their joyes to others it is a change but not an ende of their sorrowes and a meane whereby they are infinitelie multiplyed and increased Last of all yee see here how wyse a choyse they make who with MOSES choose rather to suffer affliction with the Children of GOD having respect vnto the recompence of rewarde than to enjoye the pleasures of sinne which last but for a season and therefore are called by Bernard momētaneae dulcedines horariae suavitates that is such delights such sweetnes of earthly objects as last but for an houre yea but for a moment The estate of the Godlie in this lyfe seemeth to our corrupt reason a troublesome and melancholious estate For whē they enter into this estate they must put on the mourning weede of repentance and never put it off while they liue they must put on the whole Armour of GOD and never put it off vntill their Wynding-sheet be put vpon them They must perhaps put on Lazarus his ragges and never put them off vntill they die vpon a Dung-hill or by a dyke syde Neverthelesse our estate is an estate of joye vnspeakable and full of glorie And although it were not yet the joye which is set before vs might make vs yea should make vs gladlie to vndergoe it and all the vexations troubles and griefes which accompanie the same All these who haue gone before vs to Heaven haue entered into that Kingdome through much tribulatione yea it behoved Christ Iesus himselfe first to suffer and then to enter into his Glorie And therefore if anie of you be vnwilling to take vp his crosse in hope of this glorie I will say to him as IEROME sayde to HELIODORUS Delicatus es frater si hìc vis gaudere cum mundo postea regnare cum Christ◠Thou art too delicate my brother if thou wouldest both rejoyce here with the world also reygne hereafter with Christ. And as hee sayeth in the words following so say I to everie one of you That day shall come in the which this corrubtible and mortall shall put on incorruption and immortalitie Blessed shall the servant be whom his Lord shall then finde watching If he finde thee so the earth with the people which are in it shall shake and tremble at the voyce of the Trumpet but thou shalt rejoyce When the Lord shall come to Iudgement the worlde shall sadlie roare and groane foolish Plato with his schollers shall then be arraygned Aristotle his argumentes that day shall avayle him nothing Then thou although thou be a poore clowne shalt rejoyce and laugh and say Beholde my God who was crucified beholde the Iudge of the worlde who one day cryed as a new-borne Chylde being wrapped in swedling clowts and layde in a manger This is Hee who was the son of a Crafts-man and of a work-woman This is Hee who being God fled from the face of man into Aegypt carried vpon his mothers breast This is Hee whom the souldiours by way of derision cloathed with Purple and crowned with Thornes c. Having gone through my Text I now apply my selfe and my Text both to this present Text which lyeth before vs I meane the dead halfe of our late most worthie and Reverend and now most blessed Praelate whom death hath not destroyed but divided into two halfs or parts his one halfe his living and better halfe is now in suo elemento in its owne element in terra viventium in the land of the living that is in that land where death hath no place His other halfe is as yee see seazed vpon by death But I may justlie say to death which hath seazed vpon it as Bernard said in a Funeral Sermon vpon Humbert the devote Monke O death thou cruel beast thou most bitter bitternesse the stinch and horrour of the sonnes of Adam what hast thou done thou hast killed thou hast possessed But what truelie nothing but his flesh or his bodie And this was dead before it was dead for Paul sayeth the bodie is dead because of sinne to wit through infirmities sicknesse and troubles and in respect it is by a judiciall sentence nigh 6000 yeares since condemned to die The most then O death which thou hast done is this thou hast put a dead bodie out of payne a bodie condemned to die out of feare of death and this is a vantage for the feare of death is worse than death Morsque minus poenae quam mora mortis habet Well then thou hast gotten little thou hast little and therefore as Christ sayeth that from him who hath little even that which hee hath shall bee taken So say I to thee and Bernard in that same place sayde it before mee even that same bodie which thou seemest to haue shall bee taken from thee This bodie was the receptacle ingentis generosi animi of a great and generous mynde It was hospitium the lodging house of a mightie and most actiue spirit But what a lodging house It was ever hospitiū exile a slender lodging house but within these few years it was also incōmodum ruinosum hospitium an incommodious and ruinous lodging to vse Plautus his phrase it was hospitium calamitatis for manie bodilie infirmities and diseases lodged in it And now at last it is to vs documētum mortalitatis a document of our common mortalitie or to vse your owne ordinarie phrase it is to vs a memento mori yea a memento mori in Domino a memento not onlie of dying but also of dying as he died that is in the Lord. This can not bee so well declared vnto you as by showing you that hee lived in the Lord and that hee lived so I can not demonstrate but I must fall out into his justlie deserved prayses or rather into the prayses of Gods bountie and liberalitie towards him For as Gregorie Nazianzen reasoned concerning Athanasius his prayses to prayse him it is to prayse vertue and to prayse vertue it is to prayse God who is the author and giver of it I say that to prayse him is to prayse vertue because as Nazianzen there sayeth of Athanasius manie rare vertues both morall and spirituall were collected and vnited together