come which will burne for euer and euer and then being brought to the fire hee was filled with boldnesse and harty thankes giuing reioycing that the Lord in that day and houre had vouchâ—afed to receiue him in the number of his Martyrs to drinke of the cup of his Lord Iesus Christ Thus was he offered in a burnt offering to the Lord and no feare of death could be perceiued in him And the like Christian boldnesse was shewed by Basil in that persecution vnder Valens made by Modestus and Eusebius his Deputies I will neuer sayd hee feare death which can dono more but restore me to him that made me all these beside many other innumerable examples which might be alledged if they bee coÌ„pared with that great timiditie feare which is in vs at the least mention or appearance of death may iustly make vs ashamed of that smal progresse which wee haue made in spirituall strength Now in this time of so cleare a light and plentifull grace of our Lord Iesus Christ. Alway But here least the Godly de discouraged by reason of that feare of death which many a time they finde in themselues it is to be considered if the Apostle was alway so bolde that at no time hee was fearfull or if such confidence can bee in any of Gods children as is without all vicissitude of feare No surely for the same Apostle who here reioices in his boldnesse proâ—ests in an other place that hee had fightings without and terrors within Yea our blessed Sauiour albeit he longed with a greate desire to eate the passouer which was his last meale and after which immediately hee knew his passion was to folow yet when he entred into the garden to his sufferings hee began also to be affraid proceeding in feare hee sweat blood and confessed that his soule was heauy vnto the death It is true there is no comparison betweene his death and ours for he suffered that death to be a satisfaction for our sinnes and he alone trod the wine-presse of the wrath of God but our death neither is it a satisfaction for sinne neither a stroke of the wrath of God neither endure we it by our owne strength but are sustained in it by the spirit of our Lord yet is it in such fort made comfortable to vs that in some manner it is conformeable to his death for so saith the Apostle that God hath predestinate vs to bee conforme to the image of his son and that not in heauen only by rayning with him in glory but in earth also by carrying his image and bearing of his Crosse both in our life and death and that not onely by suffering the outward dolors of death caused by the seperation of the soule and body but also the inward feares terrors thereof that so in our little measure tasting of that cup wherof our Sauiour dranke before vs wee might some way learne the great loue he hath caried towards vs. So that wee are not exempted froÌ„ our owne feares wherewith in death after our small measure God wil haue vs exercised which I haue marked that wee should not be discouraged with this tentation of the feare of death we may tast of it but it shall not remayne with vs for it is certaine that in all Gods children faith shall preuaile at length and confidence in Gods promises shall breed such boâ—dnes as shall cast out and ouercome all contrarie feare in vs. Knowing that while we are at home in c. In the end of this verse the Apostle casts in two reasons which wrought in him this coÌ„fidence and willingnes to goe out of the body one is that soâ— loÌ„g as he was in the body he was absent froÌ„ the Lord another that remouing out of the body he knew hee should dwel with the Lord the Apostle to expresse this vseâ—two words in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which caÌ„not be turned in to full significant speeches in our languag yet do they import thus much that so long as we are here among our owne people in the body we are absent from our people who are with the Lord. So that hee wil here draw vs to consider of two Cities two Countries and two fellowships of people whereof the one is in the earth the other in heauen with the one wee haue fellowship so long as wee are in the body and by expeâ—ience knowe what are the comforts of our carnall kinred of our earthly country city but with the other wee cannot haue familiar conuersation till we remoue out of the body And this also serues greatly if we consider it to take from vs our natural vnwilingnesse to dâ—e the cause whereof is that we haue no will to depart from our country kinred and people but here we are taught that if it greiue vs to depart from this people it should much more reioyce vs to bee gathered to that people there is a better Country there a more glorious Citie a more excellent Burgeship there is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof th'Apostle by which we are made free to greater liberties and priuiledges then any we can haue here there is a kinred of people sibber to vs much worthier to be loued then that which is heere as the heauens are more high and excellent then the earth Oh that this light did a way shine in our minds that as oft as wee are troubled with the griefe oâ— Nature to forsake our people which are on earth we might be comforted by grace and made willing to goe to our people which are in heauen For â—he Apostle coÌ„paring these two together he accounts our abyding here but a Pilgrimage in respect of our remaining there which is dwelling at home in our own country our best estate wherin we can be vpon earth is but an absence from the Lord of all places in the world a man naturally loues his natiue countrey best and of all parts of his countrey hee esteemes himselfe most homely in his own house and of all that is in his house what hath he neerer to him then his owne body yet is it of truth that not onely in his owne Country but euen in his house at his owne fire in his own bed yea euen in his owne body he is but a stranger and therefore so should wee liue in it as ready to remoue out of it for here we haue no continuing Citie We are absent from the Lord. The losse that we sustaine by our soiourning in the body the Apostle takes it vp in few words but very weighty to wit that it keepes vs absent froÌ„ the Lord and truely if there were no more to sparre vs from the loue of this life yet this were enough that it holdes vs from the Lord our God whom aboue all wee ought to loue most deerely for this cause Nazianzen writing of the calamities of his soule and
presence of euill whereof now we would faine be releeued and yet it lyeth still vpon vs. Concerning this last it is a notable saying the Apostle hath we are now in heauines through manifold tentations that the tryall of our faith being much more precious then Gold when it is tryed by fire might bee found to our praise honour and glory at the appearing of Christ there we see that the end of euills which now are suffered to lie vpon vs is the tryall of our faith and thaâ— for our owne greater praise and glory for where no fire is how can gold bee purged where no trouble is how can faith be tryed and where faith is not yet tryed how can it be praised And as to the other when these good things which God hath promised are not seene of vs but hidden from our eyes and delayed to bee performed vnto vs this is also for the tryall of our faith for where we see saluation what praise â—s it to beleeue but where we can neither see nor feele thâ—â—e good things which God hath promised but rather are exercised with contrary terrours and feares if yet wee still cleaue to the truth of the wordofgod that certainely is an argument of a great faith and such was the faith of that woman of Canaan who beeing not onely refused but as it were disdainefully reiected by Christ did so trust vnto the truth of Gods word that constantly shee looked foâ— mercy at the hand oâ— Christ who strongly by word had denied it vnto her and therefore receiued this commendation in the end O woman great is thy faith Thus we see how in â—he children of God all these hinderances which wee hâ—ue to stay vs from beleeuing do so much the more commend and approue our faith vnto God Wee loue rather Of two loues wee see in the Apostle the stronger ouercomming the weaker he loued his body protested before he had no will to want it but he loued the Lord Iesus better then his body and therfore perceiuing that hee cannot now enioy them both together for while hee was in the body he was absent from the Lord he is now very wel content to remoue out of the body that he might dwell with the Lord there is nothing naturally a man loues more then his body nothing he feares more then death because it imports a dissolution of his body but where the loue of Christ is strong in the heart it casts out not onely the feare of death but ouer comes also all other loue whatsoeuer And here haue wee a point of holy wisedome discouered vnto vs by which we may cure that vnquietnesse of minde which arises in vs of the wandring of our affections after secondary obiects the best way to remedy it is to set our affections vpon the right obiects if the loue of the creature haue snared thee set thy loue on the Lord and bend thy affection toward him and the otheâ— shall not troble thee If the feare of men terrifie thee learne to sanctifie the Lord God in thine hart make him thy feare and and thou shalt not feare what flesh can doe vnto thee and if the care of the world disquiet thee cast thy care vpon God and labour by continuance in prayer how to feele the sense of his loue toward thee in Christ and thou shalt finde that where the one care like thornes did pricke thee with sorrowes the other shall bring contentment peace and ioy vnto thee But to returne when we consider this strong loue of Christ that was in the Apostle wee we haue great cause to be ashamed of that weak and little loue which in our heartes wee feele towardes our LORD how many this day professe that they loue him who for his loue will not want the superfluities of this life and what hope then is there that for his sake they will lay down the life it selfe if smaller crosses be vnpleasant to vs and his loue be not so strong in vs as to make vs reioice in them how shall death be welcommed of vs wherin there is a concurse of all crosses into one Wee must therefore learne for the loue of Christ to inure our selues with the beginnings of mortification not onely to slay the vnlawful affections but also to want ouâ— wills euen in those things which are lawful that so by degrees we may be inabled willingly to want the body and all that euer we loued in the body for Iesus Christs sake To remooue out of the body Two manner of waies in this treatise doth the Apostle discribe death first in regard of that which it doth to the body and then he calleth it a dissolution of our earthly Tabernacle Next in regard of that which it doth to the soule and so he calles it a remouing out of the body so that if we will think of death as the spirit of God doth teach vs there is no cause why wee should bee discouraged with it Againe we see heare that the death of the godly is a voluntary remoouing out of the bcdy to dwell with the Lord as to the wicked like as they liue in disobedience so they die in disobedience their death is involuntary that which is spoken of that one wicked rich man O foole this night they will take thy soule from thee is true in all the wicked their spirits are taken from them against their will exeunt istinc necessitatis vinculo non voluntatis obsequio whereas the Godly willingly commend their spirits into the handes of GOD offering vp both soule and body to him in death in a full free and voluntarie oblation This difference betweene the death of the Godly and wicked men may be commodiously shadowed by the fourth comming of Pharao his Butler and Baker out of prison whereof the one knew he shold be restored to serue the king his Master and therefore went out with ioy the other knew by Iosephs Prophesies hee should be hanged within three dayes and therefore if it had beene giue to his choice would still haue remained in prison rather then to haue come foorth to be hanged euen so is it with the godly who are certified before hand that they are receiued into fauor and after death shall haue plaâ—â— to stand about the throne of God there to serue him by praising him continually are well content wheÌ„ the Lord cals them to remoue out of the body whereas the other having receiued a sentence of condemnation within themselues no maruaile they go out of the body with feare and trembling like malefactors going from the prison to the place of execution vincti impliciti catenis variorum peccatorum ad terribâ—le illud iudicium trahuntur Or otherway if at any time the wicked bee willing to dye it is not for any loue or knowledge they haue that they shall be with the Lord but either els because they are impatient of
will not seeke that which God hath granted to â—ome but conditionally that it may stand with the wil of God may not wee bee ashamed to seeke that which he hath denied and forbidden vnto al Oh that we could remember this as ofâ— as our corrupt nature provokes vs to desire those things which God hath forbidden O man why wilt thou follow a will contrary to God his most holy wil or what good can that doe vnto thee which thou knowest thou canst not inioy with the fauour of thy God Againe wee see that albeit there be one end of all the children of God for at length they shâ—ll all bee gathered from vnder the foure corners of heauen and â—et downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of God yet doe they not all come to it after one manner for some of them as wee haue spoken shall not lay aside their bodies but keeping them still shall be transchanged in a moment others againe must leaue their bodies behind them till the resurrection And this last suppose our nature abhorre it wee must learn to be coÌ„tent with it euen to bee broken with the dolors of death as other Godly mâ—n yea and our blessed Sauiour hath beene before vs esteeming it comfort sufficient for vs that wee dye in the Lord and so are sure to rest from our labours But of this wee haue spoken before Ver. 4. For wee that are in this Tabernacle sâ—gh and are burdened because c. The Apostle here insists in his former purpose explayning more clearely what it is that hee desired he protests hee liued in this body as a malecontent who knowing a better and sighing for a better esteemed it a burthen to him to be holden backe from it And yet least it shold seeme he were offended at the body he declares againe that he desired not to sunder with the body iâ— it might please the Lord that keeping still the body he might bee superuested or clothed vpon with his other most excellent hoâ—se which is from heauen Heere first it comes to be enquired seeing the Apostle Phil. 1. affirmes that hee desired to be dissolued and to bee with Christ and againe cryed out Rom. 7.6 Miserable man that I aâ— who will deliuer me â—rom this body of deaâ—h how is it that heere he saies he had no will to be vnclothed of the body The answere is that these are not contrary for in the one when he desired to bee loosed from the body it was not for any hatred of the body but for the loue of Christ and hatred of sin wherof hee knew hee could not be quitt so long as he dwelt in the body And now when hee protests that he desired not to want the body it is not for loue of sin in the body nor â—or aâ—y contentmenth had to be absent froÌ„ Câ—â—ist for afterward considering he could not both abyde in the body and dwell with the Lord too hee resolues willingly to remooue out of the body that hee might dwell with the Lord So then the deire he hath to keepe stil the body is vpon a two folde condition First that sinne and mortality weare not in it but vtterly swallowed vp of that life and next that in the body hee were transported to abyde and dwell with Iesus Christ. In holy Scripture wee finde that there thinges hath mooued Gods children to wish a delay of death The first is want of preparation in themselues for the Godly are nor alway in that estate of life wherein they dare be bold to dy and then they desire a prorogation of their life as Dâ—uid did Stay a little that I may recover my streÌ„gth before I goe hence and be not It is a comfortable meditation which Naziansen hath concerning this It is hard saith he for me to determine whether I shal desire life or death on euery hand are extremities As to life my sins haue already made it bitter heauie to me and as to death alas if once it come there is no medicine after it left vnto me by which I may cure my sinnes wherof it is euident that the desire which this holy man had to liue in the body was that hee might mourne for his sinnes which hee had done in the body admonishing vs by hs example that as long as God spares vs wee shold vsâ— our time weâ—l not to multiply more offences which may bâ—eed vs terrour in the houre of death but carefull to purge our consciences of theâ—e which wee haue contracted already When Dauid came vpon Saule in his camp and found him sleeping he would neither slay him himself nor suffâ—r Abner to slay him only he tooke away his speare and his water-pot and these also after that he had wakened him hee did againe restore vnto hiâ— declaring thereby that he no manner of way intended his distruction Bâ—t this is no way comparable to these maniâ—old prooffes which God hath giuen vs of his louing kindnesse for many a time hath he visited vs in this campe of our warfare and alas hath found vs sleeping when wee should haue been waking and hath not taken vs away in our sinnes to slay vs but onely hath taken from vs those thinges wherein we placed ouâ— strength and maintenance of our life yet so that he hath graciously restored them vnto vs. But alas how many is thâ—re among vs who are no other way wakned with all this working of God then Saul was with the working of Dauid for it wroght in him a temporall repentance and no more incontinent hee returned to his old sinnes no better is it with many of vs â—or a while after our recouery from sicknes or deliuerance out of otheâ— troubles we are somewhat religious but shortly after our repentance vanishes like the morning dewe and wee returne againe to our old manners as the Sow to the puddle and the Dogge to his vomit this is but to abuse the time of Gods patience Where it were better for vs to doe as did the Ambassadours of Dauid who being abued by the King of Ammon who cutted their garments to their hips shaued their beards at the counsell of Dauid their King tarried still in Iericho the border of their land till their beards were grown again and their garments were prepared for them so wee if we follow the counselâ— of our King and Lord Iesus Christ should tarry heere vppon earth which to the Godly is the border of heauenly Canaan for no other end but that the shame which Satan hathdone vs by deforming our face in spoiling vs of the image of God may be taken from vs and therefore it â—hould â—ee farre from vs. to make oâ—r shame any more by new sinnes but rather by grouth in godlines to recouer againe our former Image otherway if we still abuse the patience of God we iustly deserue that tribulation anguish of spirâ—t feareful
appointed vs to that end buâ— also by his owne working in vs perfils vs to it He finished the first creatioÌ„ against al impediments so shall he doe the second 2. Cor. 4.6 Comfortable iâ— it to vs that the certainty of our life stands in Gods purpose which cannot be altered Esa. 46.10 This shoulâ— vphold vs against Sà tans temptations VVhat a shamelesse tempter Satan is Satan was the enemy of gods glory ere euer hee became the enemy of oâ—r saluation Rom 16. But wâ— are not to regard him seeing God hath taken in hand to worke the worke of our saluation 1. Pet. 1. 2. He proues it by thâ— earnest of the spirit which God hath giuen vs vp 〈◊〉 his word VVithout this earnest of the spirit we can haue no surety of our saluation There is a couenant of God â—which man knoweth by his workes another by his word only the third by his word Spirit Foure things to be considered in this argument 1. â—hat is meant by the Spirit to wit that special grace of the Spirit by which Gods children are renued and confirmed How this grace of 〈◊〉 spirit is called the earnest of the spirit for two causes The first is â—ecause â—hat now we haue it but in small measure Yâ—t the smal begining of grace we haue is not small in SataÌ„ his eiâ—s yea more then he is able to quench The next is in â—egard of the vse thereof which is to bind â— o th the giuer and receiuer 3. How this Spirit is giuen and received The giuer is God by the meanes of his word Act. 8.27 Act. 10.1 VVeâ— must not despise the word if we desire to reeiue the spirit Rom. 10.13.14 4. How may we know we haue receiued this spirit Many in this age haue heard the Testimony of God who neuâ—r receiued the seal therâ—of 1 Cor. 6. Eph. 1.13 Act. 19.2 The spirit is God his seale and he imprints the image of God in all who receiues him Rom. 6.17 This proues that licentious men haue not receiuâ—d Christs spirit The second fruit of godlines which the Aopstle gathered of his Generall ground of Comfort is A willing contentmâ— to remooâ—â— out of the body Of our Christian confidence in death VVhat strong enemies wee must fight withall that through death we may wonne to our Lord 1. Pet 3 â—â— 8 Boldnesse of the Christian in death wherfrom proceedes it The confident â—oldnesse of Ignatius in death â—â—en lib. 5. cont valent Euseb. lib. 4. ca 16. The confident boldnesse of Policarpus in death The confident boldnesse of Basilius in death Nazian de vita Basil. It is demanded if such boldnesse be in Gods children as is wâ—thout all feare It is answered foreâ—en our Sauiour though hee longd for death yet he suffered it not without feare Mar 14.33 It is true there is no Comparison betweene his death and ours Yet must our death someway be conformable to his both in outward and inward sufferings Rom. 8. And therfore shall we be exercised with our owne feares also VVhat made the Apostle willing to remoue out of the body Of the two Cities or Fellowshiâ— of people whereof the one is in the earth the other in heauen Death is but a râ—moving from a Burges-ship on earth to a better Burges-ship in heauen Our life on earth is a Pilgrimage in heauen is our hâ—me If there were no more to make us loath this life this is sufficient that it holds vs from God Nazianzen de cala animae suae How the bodie is Remora Animae Exod. 33. Rom. 7. If euen the godlie in the â—â—dy be 〈◊〉 from God in what miserabâ—e absence aâ—e the wicked Ephe. 4. Act. 17. VVe haue now God present with vs but that presence is absence in respect of that which is to come Our lâ—fe on earth is a walking Take heede we be in the right way otherway our life is not a walking but a â—andring Iohn 14.6 How our life is a walking by faith And not by sight which is not simply spoken but in comparison For heere wâ—â—re not witâ—out the sight of God Rom. 1. 1. First we see God in his workes Ber. in Cant Ser. 31. 2. The Fathers haue seene him â—y sundry Visions Ibid. 3. In his Church he is seene by his word Psal. 27.4 1. Cor. 3.18 His Saints see him by inward CoÌ„tempâ—ation Yet this sight if it be â—ompared â—â—th the â—ight we shal get is no sight Aug. de Consen Evang Gregory And the sight of faith which presently we haue lets vs see a better to come And prepares also the eye of our mind for it Ber. in Cant. Serm 31. â— The order appâ—inted by God is that by faith we walke to sight by â—earing to seeing A corroboratiue against such temptations as come from the world Seeing wee walkâ— by faâ—â—h no shew of worldly pleasâ—re falâ—ing vnder ouâ— sight should allâ—re vs. VVhat euer the world can offer to our sense is lesse then that which wee hope to see Iob. 19.27 A threefold precept to be obserued in vsing the things of this world 1. Cor. 7.3 1. Cor. 6.12 Ibid. The wicked walke by sight here and not by Faith they shall neuer see better things nor these they see now The Vanity of worldly pleasures discouered in two thinges Eccles. 1.8 The Apostle returnes to finish his second conclusion How the impedimeÌ„ts of our faith tends to the greater commendation thereof Bâ—ering of present euill whereof we wouâ—â— faine be releeued our faith is tryed 1. Pet. 1. By the Delay of good things promised which faine we would haue our faith is also tryed It is greatest faith to beleeue where least is felt or seene Of two loues the stronger ouercomes the weaâ—â— in the Apostle The readiâ—st way to be quit of the perturâ—ation of our affections is to set them vpon the rightâ— obiects The strong loue of Christ that was in the Apostle condemnes the cold loue that we haue to â—im How is it likely we wil giue our life for him who will not quit thâ— superfluities of our life for him How death is discribed in regard of her effects toward the body and toward the soule The death of the wicked is not a voluntary but a compelled remouing Luk. 12.20 Cyprian de mortal This different death of the godly and 〈◊〉 is shâ—dowed in the â—ourth câ—mming of Pharao his Butler and Bâ—ker out oâ— prison Chrisost in Math. 〈◊〉 Or if the wicked die willingly they die impatiently not for any loue to be with Christ. 〈◊〉 reliefe 〈◊〉 wicked get by putting hand in them selfs is no better nor if a man â—o saue himselfe from water shold leape in the fire Paines of this life compared with paines of hell are but like reeke going before the fire He cannot remooue willingly and well out of the body who finds not a hand behind him to put him out and another before him to receiue him Soules of good men remouing out of the body dwelt with the Lord.