then in the Cloud of our Flesh now in the Clouds of Heaven then to be judged now to Judg. Note 1. Who shall come He. 2. Whence from Heaven 3. When. No time set it is certain come he shall but most uncertain when Latet ille dies ut observentur omnes 4. What to do To judge 5. Whom The quick and dead Act. 10.38.40 41. Rom. 2.16 2 Tim. 1.8 Jam. 5.9 8. Article I believe in the Holy Ghost This Article is touching the third Person in the sacred Trinity the Author of Man's Sanctification wherein we are to Note 1. The Divinity I believe in which we could not do was he not God 2. His Nature A Spirit an holy spirit 3. His Nature and Office both Holy 1. He is so The highest Holy 2. He makes us so He is Spiritus Sanctus spiritus sanctificans 1 Cor. 1 21 22. 1 Pet. 1.2 9. Article I believe there is an Holy Catholick Church which is a Communion of Saints As the other Articles were touching God and the chief works of God Creation attributed to the Father Redemption attributed to the Son Sanctification attributed to the holy Ghost So this and the following Articles are touching the People of God called a Church or the Lords People Catholick for time and place Apostolick for faith and government Holy and a Communion of Saints because sanctified in Baptism by the holy Spirit and dedicated to the service of God which is an holy service Note 1. There is a Church 2. There is but one 3. It is distinguished from other Societies by these badges or marks 1. Holy 2. Catholick 3. Apostolick 4. A Communion of Saints Ephes 4.15 1 Cor. 10.16 Heb. 10.25 1 John 1.7 Ephes 1.3 4. Ephes 2.21 Colos 1.22 Isay 54.2 Psal 87.4 Act. 1.8 Ephes 2.14 Revel 5.9 10th 11th 12th Article I believe there is a Remission of Sins Resurrection of the Body and a Life Everlasting In these last Articles are contained the priviledges and special immunities of the People of God 1. Touching the Soul Remission 2. Touching the Body Resurrection 3. Touching both Life Everlasting Amen So it is I believe Lord help my unbelief Note here once for all that a very great part of the Service-Book or Common-Prayer may be resolved into this Creed and was the Method of the Common-Prayer warily and considerately observed the Apostles Creed would need no other explication then what the Church in her Liturgick Office hath in one part or other one office or other clearly made out to our hands I am very confident the Service-Book cannot be faulty in any one thing unless it will be confest that this confession of faith according to which most of the Service is composed be faulty also 1. The Te Deum The Athanasian and the Nicene Creeds are but explications of this and the growth of heresies in the Church gave the occasion to those explications that the Members of the Church might be the better secured from the infection of them 2. The Gloria patri c. so often repeated is but a shorter confession of the Trinity which this Creed teacheth us to believe in 3. The Lord have mercy Christ have mercy c. Lord have mercy c. which is the lesser Litany used in all Divine Offices is of the same use and design 4. The greater Litany which begins O God the Father of Heaven c. is as to the first part of it the very same and those passages in it which some scruple at By the mystery of thy holy Incarnation c. is but a pathetical enumeration of all those acts and passages of our Redeemer mention'd in this Creed by which we pray for deliverance and without which our deliverance we pray for could not possibly be obtain'd 5. Many of the Collects Epistles and Gospels for the Dominicals and Festivals may be reduced to this Creed and may serve for a clear explication of it As that for Trinity-Sunday to the whole Creed The Prayer for Rain In time of dearth and Famine with many other Collects to the first Article The last Prayer but one in the Visitation of the Sick to the second Article as also many other Prayers and Collects The Collects for the Annunciation and the Nativity to the third Article The Collect for the Sunday next before Easter and the first Collect for good Friday to the fourth Article The Collect and Epistle for Easter Even The Anthems Collect Epistle and Gospel for Easter Day for Munday and Tuesday in Easter-Week for the first and second Sunday after Easter to the fifth Article The Collect Epistle and Gospel for Ascension-Day and the Collects for the Sunday after Ascension to the sixth Article The Collect for the first Sunday in Advent to the seventh Article The Collects Epistles and Gospels for Whit-Sunday Munday and Tuesday in Whitsun-Week and the second Collect for good Friday to the eighth Article The Collect for the 22th Sunday after Trinity for all the Festivals of the Apostles and Evangelists especially for all Saints to the 9th Article The Confession and Absolution at the beginning of the Service-Book the Absolution and following Collect in the Visitation of the Sick The general confession in the Office for the Communion and the Absolution together with many other Collects and Prayers to the tenth Article The most part of the Office for the Burial of the dead and many other passages in the Service-Book as the Collect for the second Sunday in Advent to the eleventh and twelfth Article Hither all the Festivals touching Christ then Apostles and Evangelists together with the Collects Epistles and Gospels proper Lessons and proper Psalmo may be reduced and may serve not only to explain every Article in the Creed but to imprint it in our memories that it may have the greater influence upon our lives So that I very much wonder that any People can be offended at the Service-Book it being of so admirable contrivance and so singularly useful would People but follow and observe as well as follow the Churches method I could easily reduce the most of it to the Lord's Prayer Apostles Creed and Ten Commandements After the Minister hath rehearsed the Articles of the Faith The sick Person is to return this Answer All this I stedfastly believe That by it the Minister may be assur'd that the sick Person believes as a Christian ought to do and so may proceed to the other part of the Office in that order as the Church directs Rubrick Then shall the Minister examine â— Note It is not enough that the sick Person declare his assent to all the Articles of Faith contained in the Creed but that his faith may appear sound and sincere and be in some sort evidenced to the Minister that so it is by the fruits and effects of it the Minister is to examine him further touching his life and conversation 1. Touching his charity without which a bare profession of faith is nothing worth Fides non
qualities from the glorified Bodies in Heaven Vers 40. For it is to be observed that in the Resurrection there shall be 1. An improvement of all Mens estates who have their part in the Resurrection of the just above that which they here enjoy Vers 41. 2. There shall be degrees of glory of one above another as Heavenly Bodies are more glorious than Earthly and one Heavenly Body more glorious than another so shall it be in the Resurrection Vers 42. For it is to be noted which is indeed the chief thing notable in this present Discourse that the Bodies which shall rise differ from those that die and the state of the Resurrection differs from that of this life That which falls into the Grave is a corruptible Body that which shall rise again an incorruptible Vers 43. The Body which we live in here and must put off is subject to many dishonorable deformities weaknesses diseases age but the Body which we shall take up again and put on shall be a Body glorious and strong Vers 44. The Body we carry about with us while we live and lay down in the Grave when we die is nourished and sustained by meats and drinks whereas the Body in our future state will be immortal wanting nothing to sustain it For indeed such Bodies there are of both these sorts Vers 45. For thus we find it written in the Scriptures that we have one nature from Adam such a Body as Adam is mention'd to have had before his fall Gen. 2.7 we derive from him who communicated it to his Posterity But another Nature and another Body we shall receive from Christ who at the Resurrection shall restore us from the Grave and change our vile Bodies that they may be like unto His glorious Body Phil. 3.21 Vers 46. The mortal Body was first formed which needed sustenance without which it must needs perish and when this is put off by death the immortal Body shall be returned to us instead of it at the Resurrection Vers 47. The stock of our animal life was Adam so called as an earthy Man made and taken out of the Earth The stock of the life immortal is Christ the Lord who came down from Heaven Vers 48. Such a Body as Adam had such have all mortal Men and such a Body as Christ now hath shall we have who live according to his Precept and Example at the Resurrection Vers 49. As we have first been made like the mortal Adam here on Earth so we shall be made like the immortal Christ when we come to Heaven Vers 50. I shall add but this one thing more that it is not possible for these earthy corruptible weak ignominious Bodies of ours which are in a state of growing and feeding to come to Heaven but they must first be changed purified and immortaliz'd Vers 51. Therefore concerning those who shall be found alive at the Day of Judgment I shall tell you a Secret not yet discovered to you that though they die not at all yet they shall all be changed before they go to Heaven for these Bodies thus qualified as they now are cannot come thither Vers 52. And this change shall be wrought in a minute at the point of time when all the World shall be summoned to Judgment For God shall make the Angels alarm all the World of Men that ever was or shall be as by the sound of a Trumpet to appear before his Tribunal and when that alarme is given all that were formerly dead shall arise with immortal Bodies and they who shall be then alive shall from their mortal Bodies be changed into such Vers 53. For it is most certain and necessary that our mortal Bodies must be changed into immortal Vers 54. And when this is done then shall that saying of the Prophet be made good Hos 13. Vers 14. that death shall be devoured and destroyed for ever never to recover strength again over any thing nothing from thenceforth shall ever die Vers 55. In contemplation whereof a Christian may look upon death as a hurtless thing the sting or plague or wounding power of it being by Christ taken away and look upon the state of separation of Soul from Body to be such as shall not last for ever Vers 56. The only thing which makes Death sting like a Serpent and puts it in a capacity to hurt us is sin for were it not for sin Death would differ nothing from a calm sleep and that which gives sin any strength to mischief us is the Law which prohibits it and so consequently upon the breach brings guilt upon us Vers 57. But thanks be to God who by what Christ hath done for us hath given us victory over Sin and Death and by Conquest of Sin hath made Death but an Entrance to Immortality Vers 58. These Arguments may suffice to teach any Christian constancy and perseverance in doing Gods will and in suffering Gods will too and may oblige him to the utmost industry and diligence in the service of God knowing that nothing which we thus undergo shall fail of receiving a reward Vid. Dr. Hammond Rubrick When they come to the Grave while the Corps is made ready to be laid into the Earth the Priest shall say or the Priest and Clerks shall sing Note Here follows another very seasonable part of the Funeral Office to mind the standers by and those who are yet alive of the shortness miseries and uncertainty of this life Job 14. vers 1 2. Man that is born of a Woman hath but a short time to live and is full of misery he cometh up and is cut down like a flower he fleeth as it were a shadow and never continueth in one stay That is Man is born of a Woman and as he hath received being from her so he hath derived weakness he lives here few Years but in so short a time he suffers many miseries He is born like a flower and passeth away like it he is like the shadow of our Quadrants in a perpetual motion and change is so far passed into his nature that notwithstanding all his endeavours he cannot remain one sole moment in the same condition Note here That the sticking of the Herse with Flowers and the use of Garlands at such a time is a custom which hath some resemblance with the Jews who as they went along by the Corps used to pluck up the Grass 1. To note the shortness of Man's life that Man is but as Grass as the flower of the Field It was said of a great Emperour that he was Parietira a wall-flower and so are we all our time is proclaimed Isay 40.6 withering sooner than the Grass which is short fading sooner than the flower of the Grass which is shorter From April to June the Sith cometh nay the Wind but bloweth and we are gone Hodie in agro cras in clibano Flourishing in the Morning fading cut down and withered before Night 2. To note the certain
hopes of a Resurrection Such Ceremonies are used in exprobration to Death and Mortality By them we shew that we are not sorry for our departed friends as Men without hope we look upon them only as Herbs and Flowers cropt off for a time and to spring up again in their season We sow their Bodies in the Earth with as much faith as we do our Seeds and Herbs and equally expect the spring of both In the midst of life we are in death of whom may we seek for succour but of Thee O Lord who for our sins art justly displeased Note Our end borders upon our beginning Finisque ab origine pendet Death and Life like Jacob and Esau take hold on each others â—eel Orimur morimur We bring sin and death into the World with us Haeret lateri lethalis arundo 'T is in vain to hope for long life which is so short that it is at an end whilst we are speaking of it Dum loquimur fugit vita The Man in the Gospel sung a Requiem to his Soul for many Years when the summons came presently Stulte hac nocte Luk. 12.20 Vitae summa brevis spem nos vetat inchoare longam A Christians hope is not in this life only which is not the only life indeed not to be reckon'd of as life at all Via non vita A midling betwixt life and death Mortalis vita vitalis mors but truly my hope saith David is in Thee O Lord who canst deliver my Soul from sin and my Body from the Grave Psal 39.7 8. Thou killest and thou makest alive thou bringest down to the Grave and bringest up 1 Sam. 2.6 Yet O Lord God most Holy O Lord most Mighty O Holy and most Merciful Saviour deliver Us not into the bitter pains of Eternal Death Note As there is a two-fold Resurrection a Resurrection from sin to the life of grace which is glory begun Rom. 6.4 1 Cor. 15.34 and a Resurrection from the Sepulchre to the life of glory which is grace compleat 1 Cor. 15.54 Philip. 3.21 So there is a two-fold death The first death to which the first nature which we derive from Adam is subjected For upon Adam's sin all that are partakers of his nature are concluded under the sentence of death pronounced against him 1 Cor. 15.22 It was a statute made in Paradise a Decree not to be reversed a Debt not possible to be declined Gen. 3 19. Statutum est omnibus semel mori Heb. 9.27 All Men must die the first Death Wherein the Sepulchre like the Serpent feeds on nothing but dust it is not so much the death of the Body as the Death of the Corruption of the Body Mortalitas magis finita est quam vita And there is a second death to which all regenerate Christians who belong to Christ are not subjected but as they derive another nature from Christ so in that nature they shall be raised again to the life immortal 1 Cor. 15.22 Souls and Bodies both For however there is a death of the Soul not that it ceaseth to be but when it ceaseth to be righteous Habet anima mortem suam cum vita beata caret quae vâ—ra animae vita dicenda est August Perdere animam est non ut non sit sed ut male sit So the glosse upon Matth. 16.26 Yet they who belong to Christ who live according to his Doctrine and Example shall be raised Souls and Bodies to an endless life of endless felicities They who have a part in the Resurrection of grace shall have no part in the Second Death Which first Resurrection is proverbially applied to the flourishing condition of the Church under the Messias after a long time of Persecution Revel 20.5 According to that of the Apostle speaking of the Jews received to favour as Persons raised from the dead again Rom. 11.15 and the Second Death is applied to an â—tter final irreparable excision and cutâ—ing off Revel 20.6 Now against this Second Death the bitter pains of Eternal Death in the burning Lake where the Worm never dies and the Fire is not quenched the Church here teaches us to pray for as to the first Death which is a Debt to be paid to that nature which we derive from Adam there is no avoiding of it Palvis es in pulverem reverteris â—s Man's Epitaph written with Gods own Finger Gen. 3.19 But Libenter mortalis sum qui sim futurus immortalis is the faithful Man's subscription Thou knowest Lord the secrets of our hearts shut not thy merciful Eares to our Prayers but spare us Lord most Holy O God most Mighty O Holy and Merciful Saviour Thou most worthy Judge Eternal suffer us not at our last Hour for any pains of death to fall from Thee Note Here we pray to God who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Maker of hearts and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Knower and Searcher of hearts and of actions as well as of hearts that he would in mercy hear our Prayers and in equal mercy pardon and forgive us our sins that he would sanctifie us by his Holiness imparted to us that he would defend us by his power save us in his infinite mercy and as we must all stand before him at the day of Judgment so he would stand by us at the Hour of Death that so the Devil who assaults us in the heel Gen. 3.15 and is most busie at the end and close of our life may have no advantage of us but that by the Shield of Faith we may put by all his Fiery Darts and never come into those everlasting Burnings but dying as Moses did Ad osculum oris Jehovae At a kiss of the Mouth of God So the Chalde paraphrase in Deut. 34.5 We may depart in the arms of God and so pass by Death temporal to Life Eternal Rubrick Then while the Earth shall be cast upon the Body by some standing by the Priest shall say Note This is left arbitrary for any by-stander to perform by which it is implied that it shall be the state and condition of every One one day He that casts earth upon the dead Body to day may have earth cast upon his tomorrow Hodie mihi cras tibi For as much as it hath pleased Allmighty God of his great mercy to take unto Himself the Soul of our dear here departed Eccles 12.7 we therefore commit _____ Body to the ground earth to earth ashes to ashes dust to dust Eccles 12.7 Eccles 3.20 Gen. 3.19 in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to Eternal Life Psal 16.9 1 Cor. 15.20 21 22. 1 Thes 4.13 14. through our Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile Body that it may be like unto his glorious Body according to the mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things to Himself Philip. 3.20 21. Note When we perform these officia postremi muneris as the Fathers call them and decently commit the Bodies
Purification of sin whereby the Blood of the Lamb of God and the death of the Messias was prefigured Levit. 14.6 7. Numb 19.6 So shall I be restored to that blessed estate from which I have so sadly fallen by my sinful miscarriages Vers 8. I am yet in a sad and most wretched condition thy wrath continuing over me sets my soul upon torture my own conscience under thee being my dreadful executioner but O be thou pacified unto me again and that shall be the most joyful news which ever came to any poor tortured suppliants ears when he is taken from the rack his bones set and he restored to ease again Vers 9. Lord pardon my sins return thy wonted favour towards me Vers 10. I have sadly fallen from my wonted purity and sincerity but O Lord by the good work of thy grace upon my heart restore me to it again renew me inwardly and throughly my thoughts as well as actions that I never fall into the least beginning of any such pollutions again Vers 11. It is just with thee to cast me from thy spiritual commerce who have resisted thy spirit it is just with thee to withdraw thy grace to which I have done such despite but O do not thus severely punish me by withdrawing that which I now more than ever stand in need of Vers 12. Without thy gracious aid and assistance I am not able to get out of this broken condition the free assistances of thy Spirit are so necessary to me that without them I cannot indeavour in the least the recovering of that purity from which I am fallen Therefore Lord restore them to me that I may be restored unto thee Vers 13. This thy exceeding mercy to me a sinner so sadly lapsed may be a means to bring wicked livers home to repentance by mine own happy success I shall encourage them to return who have fallen as sadly as any of them can have done and yet have met with mercy and many I doubt not encouraged on by my example by the assistance of thy grace will be brought home to thy service and the practise of the duties of new life Vers 14. The sin of Murder is an horrid and crying sin of a black and deep die deliver me from that so far as my conscience assures me guilty though my own hands have not been polluted with it Blessed Lord from whom all deliverance comes be pleased to deliver me from this and all other foul commissions which will be welcome news to me and make me with greatest exultation of Heart to proclaim abroad thy abundant mercies Vers 15. Thy work of grace towards me shall set my lipps wide open in praysing thee Vers 16. It is not any Hecatombe or most chargeable oblation for sin thou requirest of me for the truth is my sins are such as for which all exteriour performances afford no reconciliation Vers 17. 'T is my sincere humiliation confession and renovation which alone thou admittest and which thou art mercifully pleased to have respect to however I am in this foul condition and to look upon them as the most acceptable oblation These with an honest heart presented unto Thee will be sure to find a favourable and welcome reception Vers 18. Be merciful O Lord not to me only but to all that love and fear thy Name and meet uniformly in the place appointed for thy service Be thou a defence and succour to all such Let them be walled about with thy protection and preserve them from falling into any wilful and presumptuous sins Vers 19. For then shall all our services of Prayers and praises typified by the Legal sacrifices our solemn acts of the most ardent devotion to Thee and most diffusive charity to our brethren be accepted by Thee being upon an humble but cheerful confidence of thy acceptance presented to Thee upon the Altars of our very hearts Vid. Dr. Hammond Glory be to God the Father maker of all the World and to God the Son Redeemer of all Mankind and to God the Holy Ghost Sanctifier of the Church or all the Elect People of God Answer This was the confession of faith taken up from the first beginning of the Christian name and grounded upon Christ's own institution Matth. 28.19 therefore against all Arrians and Antitrinitarians we make confession of the same faith in the ever blessed Trinity and pray for the continuance of it to the Worlds end subjoyning our Amen of confirmation that so it is and of option that so it may continue Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Note These Versicles are of very ancient usage in the Church-Service mention'd in the Clementine Constitutions lib. 8. c. 5. c. 6. Council of Vas c. 5. Ann. Dom. 440. received both in the Eastern and Western Church called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seasonable at all times and therefore it hath a part in all our divine Offices and is set ever or for the most part before the Lord's Prayer as a fit preparative to usher it in Vid. Haman Lestrange Alliance of Divine Offices Pag. 83. Dr. Sparrow's Rational pag. 71 72 73. Our Father which art in Heaven c. Note This Prayer is Tanquam sal omnium divinorum Officiorum Upon which I have here added this Paraphrastical Prayer Preface O Lord God who art great in power rich in mercy whose glory is above the Heavens whose goodness is over all the Earth who art Almighty for in Heaven who art most merciful for our Father in Heaven so able to help us our Father so willing to hear us Lord what art not thou able to do for us who art in Heaven Lord what art not thou willing to do for us who art our Father Here we lie prostrate before Thee upon the Earth yet pressing in our affections towards the Heaven where thou art and presume not for any merit in us but for thy mercies in Christ that thou wilt deny us nothing which may do us good who vouchsafest us this to call Thee Father 1 Petit. Thou art an Holy God and delightest that all thy Worshipers should worship Thee in the beauties of holiness we desire Thee to shed thy Holy Spirit abroad in our hearts that we may perform this our bounden duty and service in an holy manner that we may lift up holy hands with holy hearts to Thee who dwellest in the Heavens Thou who art the sanctifier of all that is made holy make us to be holy as Thou art holy give us holiness in our thoughts words and actions sanctify us inwardly and outwardly in our Souls and Bodies make us holy in our lives that we may be happy at our deaths Let thy Name of Father be hallowed in us and upon us that we may in our lives and conversations walk before Thee in newness of life and as it becometh the Sons of God 2 Petit. To this end we humbly beg of Thee to sanctifie our corrupt nature and to beautifie
out again at the Resurrection The Spring for the time the Gardens for the place present us with significant emblems of the Resurrection sufficient to convince Heathens to subscribe to the truth of it And this is a critical reason given by some why Christ made choice of the Spring and of a Garden for the place both of his Sepulture and rising again Bishop And. Serm. in Mark 16.1 2 3 4 5 6. The Hebrew Doctors in their Language express the Place of Burial by a word which signifies the House of the Living The Greeks Latines and others by words which signify Dormitories Dortors Sleeping-Places Places of Rest Euseb lib. 7. c. 12. Where the Bodies of God's Servants rest in hope of a joyful Resurrection A carnal Mans hope is but Spes Spirantium a hope while he breaths but a Christian Man's hope is Spes Expirantium a hope when he can fetch his breath no longer Dum spiro spero saith the one whilst there is breath there is hope Dum expiro spero says the other when there is no breath yet there is hope My flesh doth rest in hope saith David Psal 16.9 And this is the Christian hope laid up in the bosom of every departing Saint and Servant of God that though his Body and Soul by a natural death be for a time separated the one from the other yet they shall meet again at the time appointed in inseparable unions Now howâ—ver such consecrated Places are made choice of for the Sepulture of Gods Servants it is not to be conceived that our Religion teacheth us to call any place holy in it self since the Temple only some we esteem of as more holy in their use than others and these distinctions of places are made only out of a respect to decency and order and to keep up that honourable esteem which is due to Christian Profession and to shew our selves charitably affected towards the remains not of dead Men but of dead Christians and those whom we hope one day to see glorious As we neither scorn the Carkasses of our Friends with the old Troglodites so neither do we with the old Aegyptians respect them more than when they were informed with a living Soul but we keep such an even mean betwixt both in disposing of their Bodies to the Earth from whence they first came that we keep as close as may be to the Apostles Canon of Decency and Order avoiding on one hand the indelible brand of barbarous inhumanity and on the other hand the more tolerable errour of being superstitious What a more than common esteem the first Christians had of these Places where the Bodies of God's Servants sleep in peace we may be sufficiently taught out of Eusebius Splendidissima Sepultura So He. lib. 7. cap. 15. lib. 7. c. 10. And out of St. Augustine Curatio Funeris conditio Sepulturae pompa exequiarum magis sunt vivorum solatia quam subsidia mortuorum So He. de civit Dei lib. 1. c. 12. And out of Origen Rationalem animam honorare didicimus So He. Cont. Cels lib. 8. And out of our own Sir Henry Spelman as much as any de concil tom 1. proem Yet in making choice of such places for Burial and using such Rites and Ceremonies however in Origen's sense we may express a civil honour to Christian Souls departed in committing the instruments or cases of them honourably to the Grave We intend them not saith Augustine as helps to the dead but only as comforts to the living shewing how great account we Christians make of Heaven and of a Resurrection Therefore in this pompous manner are the Priest and Clerks to go before the Corps either into the Church or towards the Grave saying or singing John 11.25 26. I am the Resurrection and the Life saith the Lord he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die Note These words are Christs words to Martha touching Lazarus wherein our Saviour told her that he was able to raise the dead to life again whensoever he pleased One that is a Believer said he and faithful Disciple of mine such as thy Brother Lazarus was I can though he be dead and buried raise him presently to life again And he who is now alive and so not capable of such a present Miracle shall if he receive and obey my Doctrin though he dies after the manner of other Men rise again unto life immortal Job 19.25 26 27. I know that my Redeemer liveth and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth and though after my Skin worms destroy this Body yet in my Flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another Note These are the words of holy Job that Miracle of Patience Tertullian applies them to Christs Incarnation but the most as our Church doth to the Resurrection The words carry this meaning Whatsoever terms I am forced to make use of to express my grief yet I know that he from whom I expect my salvation is living and that after he hath tried my patience he will bring me out of that miserable condition to which I am reduced And I may well believe it since faith perswades me that I must rise again after my death that my Bones shall once again be cloathed with Flesh that in my own Body I shall see the God who I adore and hear from his Mouth a Sentence favourable to my Innocence This holy Job who was poor even to a Proverb was enriched with this singular faith I shall see God in my Flesh that is I in my flesh shall see God Videbo Deum in carne hoc est Deum incarnatum I shall see God having taken flesh on him 1 Tim. 6 7. We brought nothing into this World and it is certain we can carry nothing out Note That Christianity is an advantageous calling is in one sense most true for a Christian life with a competent subsistence is as much as all the wealth in the World For any thing above sufficiency for this life is no way advantageous to us for as we brought nothing into the World with us so neither can we carry any thing out so that all that which we do not spend or use is lost to us Job 7.21 The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away Blessed be the Name of the Lord. Note Job being prostrate upon the Earth for to adore and kiss the hand which struck him said with sentiments of râ—spect I came naked out of the womb of my Mother and shall enter naked into the bosom of the Earth the bounty of God gave me Riches Children Friends and his Justice takes them from me the loss though it be sensible is welcome to me since it is he that ordains it and by whatsoever misfortune he tries my patience his Name shall always receive praises from my Mouth Now the Priest and Clerk go in
this pompous manner before the Corps saying or singing these places of Scripture to note the Christians Triumph over Death and to shew that Christ by his Death and Resurrection hath taken away the sting from Death and Victory from the Grave an expression 1 Cor. 15.55 borrowed from the Heathen Romans who used to paint Victory whom they termed a Goddess in their Ensigns and Banners The like custom we read observed by the Ancients Hieron Ep. 30. ad Ocean de Fabiola Chrysost Homil. 4. in Hebraeos What mean saith the last of these Authors the bright burning Torches Do we not follow the dead like Champions These Followers are the Friends of the deceased and the People not the Priest and Clerks for it was the general voice among the ancients of those who followed their friends to the Grave Vale nos te ordine sequemur hence came the word exequiae a sequendo from following after and hence proceeded the custom which we stil retain to have the Corps carried before and they who attend it to go behind thereby figuring and putting them in mind that they must all one day follow the same way Una semel calcanda via lethi Hodie mihi cras tibi now is my turn to morrow thine But the Father goes on What mean the Hymns do we not thereby glorify God for that he hath crowned our departed Brother that he hath freed him from labours that he hath with himself freed him from fear All these are expressions of joy whereby we do in a holy valour laugh at death Chrys Now what is this but to shew our selves truly Christian that we fasten not the anchor of our hopes here below that we build not our felicities here upon a sandy foundation in the dirt and dust Inter pulices culices tineas araneas vermes whereas should we go with dejected and down-cast looks as Men without hope Mortem Christi qua mors superata est calumniamur we should cast a blemish of disgrace upon the death of Christ who hath by his death conquered death for us we should manifest our selves to be so doubtful as to fasten a lie upon Christ's Resurrection and so make his Cross Passion and Triumphant Resurrection of none effect in so much that very Heathens would scoff at us and say as once they did which brought the use of the Cross into Baptism where is the crucified God in whom ye trust if he hath conquer'd death Why do not ye Christians contemn it Why glory ye in his Passion who resent the death of your friends with so much impatience Your sadness confutes the Triumph of his Resurrection certainly he is in the Grave stil he is not risen neither hath he taken the sting from the Prince of Terrors as ye say seeing the death of a friend and relation appears thus terrible to you Now to prevent the Objections of these Heathens we bring the Bodies of Christians to the ground in this Triumphant manner the Priest who is Christs Deputy here on Earth going before saying or singing I am the Resurrection and the Life saith the Lord c. The other Clerks and subordinate Ministers where so many are saying after as representing the dead Party I know that my Redeemer liveth c. Rubrick After they are come into the Church shall be read one or both of these Psalms following Psal 39. Psal 90. Note These Psalms are admirably chosen by the prudent care of our Mother the Church of England to fit and prepare all her Children living in the bosom of her for the time of their dissolution and departure out of this life that they may like the wise Virgins in the Gospel have Lamps always in their hands and Oyl in their Lamps and be in a readiness to go forth to meet Him when ever the Bridegroom of Souls shall come The Psalms set before us the certainty of death and the shortness of life as also many more excellent and seasonable Lessons touching our Mortality which I shall explain in this following Paraphrase Paraphrase Note This Psalm was composed by David upon the scandal he took at the prosperity of the wicked whilst himself was in misery it sets before us the vanity of all worldly things to be as a motive to repress all impatience in us upon any adversity whatsoever which may befall us he commended it to Jeduthun a skilful Musitian and Prefect of his Musick Psal 39. Verse 1. I have stedfastly resolved within my self to set a very strict guard over my self especially over my tongue which in time of affliction and calamity is most provoked to utter things which are not fit to be spoken by Persons who have a tender regard to indear the reputation of their Religion So oft as I see my adversaries and consider in what a prosperous state they are it concerns me to keep my tongue well guarded that I do not break out into intemperate and passionate speeches Vers 2. Therefore I have resolved that when ever I see them or hear others discourse of them I will keep perfect silence neither using words to vindicate mine own innocence or to blame their injurious dealings with me Yet after all when I thus bridled my tongue suppressed my sorrow restrained my passion I did by this Method of mine but increase my sorrow and passion so much the more as the Water-course stopt becomes the more raging and fire pent in is the more violent to make an out burst Vers 3. So that while I was in this condition the fire of my passion was heightned into such a degree of heat that it flamed out and at last found a vent towards Heaven so that in all humility I made my mone to God and thus addressed my self unto him Vers 4. Lord if it be thy will and pleasure that I should live no longer in this world to discharge that Office whereunto thou hast called me if my sins have so far provoked Thee as to think me unfit to be any longer imployed honoured and owned by Thee here yet be pleased to grant me this request which is that thou wouldst reveal unto me what I must expect more in this world and that thou wouldst bestow upon me thy grace to fit and prepare my self for it what ever it is Vers 5. I know my life is very short a meer nothing compared to thy Eternity and this is not my state only but the state of all Men living in the World who are all as frail mortal and almost as short-liv'd as the meanest Creature There is not that frailty and fadingness in any Creature which is not to be found in Man Vers 6. The Life of Man is but as a Picture shadow or dream of Life it vanisheth in a moment and when we are gone hence we have no power over those riches which we have anxiously scraped together here and must leave behind us when we have run through all the labours of acquisition and have nothing visible to interpose betwixt