this ought to go first for it went first in Christ even before his Body was glorified while he was in his mortality his soule was perfectly holy and enjoyed the vision of God These two estates of Christ viz. Before his resurrection and after represent our two Resurrections One of the soule to Righteousnesse and Holinesse begun in this state of mortality another of the Body glorified with immortality at Christs second coming to judgment The soules resurrection leads the way called therefore in Scripture the first Resurrection Blessed and holy is he that hath his part in that For over such the second Death shall have no power Revel 20.6 Two deaths we read of before the end of the world The souls death in sin and the bodies death in the Grave Both would have their resurrection But first the soule from the Death of sin to the life of righteousnesse which is by Grace And then the Body from corruption to Immortality which is by Glory To begin with the souls Resurrection to the life of Grace observable it is that this also is a plantation supernatural as well as the life of Glory No praise to us then in any good fruit we bear but to the Root Christ Jesus the Root of Jesse whereinto we are planted Without me saith he ye can do nothing for it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do according to his good pleasure What hast thou which thou hast not received Even the power and will of bestowing and doing good to others is none of ours to boast of it is bestowed from on high Ye see here the Apostle promiseth such a Resurrection by way of Reward Ye shall be planted so as to bring forth good works Not as if you were able to bring them forth of your selves but God will plant you so that ye shall be able to bring them The reason why the Apostle useth this Metaphor of planting may be to shew how entirely we are beholding to Christ and to his Resurrection for the whole power of well-doing As also to let us know that our fruit bearing in Christ is the very end of our planting Therefore we are planted indeed for the fruits sake for when that cometh then it appears we are living plants then is our Resurrection justified as good we were dead still as barren and yield no encrease to our Master If no fruit then no part sure in this plantation nor in the first Resurrection Well but by what means is this planting brought to pass ye will ask or how are we grafted into Christ's Rising By Faith say some for Faith is that by which we live the life of Grace called therefore sometimes the life of Faith Faith unites us that 's certain for by it we dwell in Christ and Christ in us that Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith Ephes 3.17 Others say by Hope Blessed be God who haeth begotten us again to a lively hope through the Resurrection of Jsus Christ from the dead 1 Pet. 1.3 Others again by Love for Love is the most uniting Grace of all which makes us one with Christ and Christ with us one undivided and not to be separated for What shall separate us from the love of Christ Rom. 8.35 Indeed by all three we are incorporated into Christs mystical Body and therefore enliven'd and planted in our first Resurrection But especially and above all is this Resurrection to appear by a holy Conversation in newness of life This is the lively Image and similitude of Christ's Resurrection that as he was changed from mortality to Glory so we from our former corrupt conversation to holiness and righteousness We are grafted into a better stock that we should henceforth bring forth better fruit in vain are we new grafted if our fruit be still the same As the grave made a great change in Christ his glorious Body far differing from his frail and passible one so our lives renewed by Repentance must be far estranged from former sinfull courses All is to be new framed after the Image of the new Man old things are passed away behold I make all things new for if any be in Christ he is a new Creature A new heart that which before delighted in vanity now in perfection of Vertue and Purity New hands those that were wont to hurt and defraud our brethren now exercised in helping and relieving them New tongues those that were given to lying and dissembling to railing and cursed speaking now filled with blessing and truth instruments of Gods Praises New eyes they that so much joyed to behold beauty and vanity now flowing with water for their youthfull follies New feet those that were swift to shed blood now shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace and prepated to run the way of Gods Commandements The whole man new not after the Image of the old Adam in the deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse but after the Image of the second Adam in sincerity and Truth This is rightly planted into the Similitude of Christ's Resurrection by being new framed according to his glorious Image And still we may go nearer For the likeness of Christ raised again is the very Image and likeness of God saith Leo. Now Gods likeness is in all Heavenly Vertue far above all passions and frail perturbations is his eternal Constancy He is all Mercy all Truth all Goodness imitate him what we may be mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull kind as he to the unthankfull and evil who sends his Rain upon the just and unjust long-suffering full of patience and slow to take vengeance Moreover see that all be in a right state of Government for Christs glorious Body is wholly subject to the will of the Spirit let our bodies also be in a right subjection to our souls and our souls in subjection to the Law of God Let our sense be ordered by our reason our reason by the Precepts of holy Scripture and especially in the manner of your vertuous working endeavour to resemble your Pattern for there is the right trial indeed Herein lyeth the main difference betwixt men regenerate and unregenerate betwixt those conformed to Christ's likeness and those unconformed That from a true Christian his works come easily voluntarily delightfully like the motions of Christ's glorified Body but from the unregenerate they proceed heavily cheerlesly wearisomly Ianguidly and interruptedly Will ye then discern the truth of your Plantation into the Rising of Christ Observe the manner of your fruit-bearing whether what ye do vertuously ye do delightfully heartily chearfully constantly abundantly without any tediousness or weariness of well-doing If so then ye may gather some comfortable assurance that ye have your part in the first Resurrection in which if you hold out with patience will without fail bring you to the second for that followeth as a Reward upon this and it is a Reward worthy waiting for indeed If ye have thus been planted into Christ's Resurrection
old Man that we may be planted into the New And what is there more in Christianity to be done Yet though this be the nearest and most genuine Exposition of the Apostle so to understand him as speaking of mortification and rising to a new life the other way of applying this Text to men naturally dying or pressed with great tribulations may not be excluded as altogether improper For even to that purpose also Saint Paul in other places applyeth this very Metaphor of dying and rising with Christ as 2 Cor. 1.8 We are troubled on every side but not distressed Persecuted but not forsaken alwayes bearing about in our body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the life also of Jesus might be manifest c. And though resembling Christs Death and Rising by true Repentance and a holy Life be the most excellent and most profitable way of imitating him as without which outward suffering availe little and therefore that sense needs most exhortation Yet we cannot deny such a conformity to Christs Death by our sufferings to be a neerer way and more fully resembling the likenesse of his plantation As our rising from corruption to glory draweth neerer the likenesse of Christs Resurrection than our rising to newnesse of life onely So our planting into Christs Death by a fellowship of his sufferings and by being brought down to the grave with him is a neerer and fuller resemblance of his passion than the Death of true repentance and mortification to sin only if no other affliction be added But how much more full if both be joyned together As in this our deceased brother to my knowledge they were an afflicted Body and a penitent soule a self-deniyn life and a patient and lamb like death a flesh crucified with the affections and lust and a spirit raised and revived with hope of immortality a soule aspiring to heaven while his body sunk to the earth What nearer what fuller what truer or more immediate planting into the death and Resurrection of Christ And he that is so farre incorporated what Text can fit him better For if we have thus been planted into the likenesse of our Saviours Death We shall be also into the likenesse of his Resurrection We proced to a division of our Text. Two plantations in this Scripture appeare joyned in connexion and inferred one upon the other The one a sad and heavy plantation the other a joyfull and comforting the one in weeping and mourning the other in triumph and rerejoycing the one may be called our Winner plantation the other our Summer If not rather the one our seed time the other our harvest out Winter planation or seed-time For if ye have been planted together into the likenesse of Chirsts Death And our Summer plantation or harvest Ye shall be also into the likenesse of his Resurrection The former of these containes our conflict the later our Crown Not more bitternesse and pains in the one than comfort and sweetnesse in the other We begin with the former which is our Winter plantation or sowing in tears For if we have been planted into the likenesse of Christ's Death Where the first word that meets us is the Conjunction Si implying a Condition Si complantati fuerimus If we have been planted Giving us to know that these two plantations are so connected one to the other as our labour and our reward our warfare and our victory that without having our part in the former there is no hope of attaining the latter unlesse we first communicate in the Winter plantation of our Lords Death at the summer plantation of his Resurrection there will be no arriving Except we first suffer with him no hope of reigning It is the Apostles way of arguing for some length together whereby he perswades Timothy to endure hardnesse as a good souldier of Jesus Christ 2 Tim. 2.3 If a man strive for Masteries yet he is not crowned except he strive lawfully The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits Remember that Christ first died before he rose againe and it is a faithfull saying If we be dead with him we believe we shall also live with him So the two plantations are inseparable and rightly we may conclude if any man misse his part in the later it is for lack of the former if any attaine not to the Resurrection of Christ it is because he failed in the suffering which may be the reason perhaps why the Apostle thus puts it upon an If as a thing to be doubted of If we have been planted into his Death For so hard appeares the condition and so rate the number of them that are truely so planted that it may well be doubted and doubted of the best of us all Insomuch that the Apostle speaks here in the first person as if he doubted of himself for company If we have been planted fully and throughly into the likenesse of Christs Death And it is but what ye find in the third to the Phillipians All things I account but dung that I may be found in him with the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable to his death If by any meanes I might attaine to the Resurrection of the dead Not as if I had allready attained or were allready perfect But I follow after if I may apprehend Phillip 3 12. If I may apprehend So that he doubts of his own sufferings likewise and whether this first plantation be compleat with himself Ye see therefore that he useth the preterperfectense also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If we have been planted Have been that we desire to be that we intend to be every one will be ready to say and no If no doubt upon that All the feare is whether or no we have allready enough of this plantation Which makes him say in another place I fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh Coloss 1.24 As if somewhat in this kind were still wanting on his part and therefore well may he utter it with Si si Dubitantis If we have been allready planted sufficiently into the likenesse of his Death Doubted it may be the rather because of the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here added Si complantati faith the latine if we have been planted together which is diversly expounded together with Christ or together with one another Together with Christ If we have been obedient as he was to the Death not shrinking from our pattern so much as in a wish but resolved with him who when he saw the cup coming prayed not my will O Father but thine be done And then together with out brethren If we have not deserted out companions in suffering As St. Paul complaines of Demas that he had forsaken him and embraced this present world 3 Tim. 4.10 And at my first answer to wit before Nero No man stood with me but all forsook me Si complantati may teach us that suffering together in a good
Christ and his Church shall be consummate and they are seven three in the soul and four in the body three in the soul to answer to the three divine Vertues which sanctifie the soul in this life namely Faith and Hope and Charity Unto Faith shall answer clear and beatifical Vision whereby we shall see God face to face Unto Hope fruition whereby we shall enjoy that we see and apprehend that whereof we are apprehended Unto Charity union implying fulnesse of joy and delight in the presence and possession of him whom our soul loveth Thus shall the spirits of just men in these three be made perfect In the Body shall be four more Perfections or Dowries curing all defects and penalties incident to this mortall flesh which are specially four viz. Heavinesse Grossenesse Passibility and Ignominy Heavinesse disabling it to move upwards or to make any great speed in passing any way This shall be done away by agility whereby the body shall become light and speedy as the wind able to be whereever the soul would wish it in a trice Secondly Grosseness not suffering it to enter in at a narrow place or to passe as water doth through a chink but by reason of its stiffe and grosse consistence it is barr'd out with doors and locks This shall be remedied by the gift of subtility whereby the substance of the body when ever the soul pleaseth shall become plyable as Oyl or Water to enter in at any cranny or chink and yet not loose its Figure but return as it lists to its shape and consistence again Thirdly Passibility or frailty exposing our bodies to be harmed and injured by heat or cold hunger or thirst fire or water sword or spear This shall be removed by the gift of impassibility our flesh shall no more be lyable to hostile injuries Violence shall not hurt it Time shall not waste it Hunger shall not pine it all diseases aches pains and infirmities shall be far away This is more than incorruption for the bodies of the wicked shall have a kind of incorruption they shall not die nor waste away yet they shall not be impassible for they shall be tormented with Hell-fire But the bodies of the Righteous shall be impassible never to know pain or sorrow more all teares shall be wiped from their-eyes Fourthly Ignominy our bodies are now subject to shame and noysomnesse there is a Turpitude in the nakednesse of the body 't is lyable to evil smells and unâ—omely deformity this shall be done away by the gift of Charity or Resplendency whereby these bodies shall be all bright comely and lovely filled with fragrancy and glory Câ—lestial more beautifull in their very nakednesse than any Apparel can render them So then in these four the body shall have all the perfections our hearts can desire even the excellencies of strength health activity and beauty The perfection of strength it shall have in subtility it can penetrate or passe through any thing The perfection of health in impassibility it can be harmed by nothing The perfection of activeness in agility it can be where the soul desires in a moment The perfection of beauty in Charity or Resplendency far exceeding all mortal comeliness whatsoever Now that we may not seem to go quite without book as if no ground of all this to be had in Scripture Observe that we are to be planted into his Resurrection who shall change our vile bodies according to the likeness of his own glorious Body and Christs glorious Body after his Resurrection had all these Agilities for he appeared to Mary Mag dalene suddenly and as suddenly vanished It was with the Disciples at Emmaus at Jerusalem with the eleven with her at the Sepulchre and all in a short distance of time Secondly Subtility it had for it passed through doors fast locked through the Sepulchre barr'd and sealed and was not restrained any where Thirdly Impassibility for as Christ now raised dyeth not so death hath no more dominion over him no sicknesse infirmity or injury is his glorious body any more subject to Fourthly Charity or Resplendency for it was not less glorious be sure than it was in Mount Tabor a shadow of the Resurrection and there his face shone and his Rayment became white as the Light only it was in his power now so to shine when he would and when he would to cease and in that respect the more glorious such a body If then we are to be planted into the likenesse of his Resurrection if as we have born the Image of the earthy Adam we shall also bear the Image of the Heavenly This is his Image this his likeness and into this if we have been rightly planted into the likenesse of his Death we shall grow up by the power of his Resurrection which God of his mercy grant unto us all even for the same our blessed Saviours sake Amen Turn we now to a word of Application upon this present subject of mortality here before us and so I shall commit you to God I am not ignorant how hard it is to satisfie the expectation of so judicious and full an Auditory touching so full a subject and worthy so great commendations as the life of this Reverend Gentleman whom we are now to speak of Nor am I troubled at the prejudice of some to whom he was lesse known and whose opinions are not much to be valued I must not fear to bear witnesse to the Truth having for these eleven yeares past so well known him and for some yeares lived so near him and so throughly acquainted with him for his judgement in matters of Religion as I believe toward his latter time no man in England more nor may I mince the matter because he was my special friend one to whom for many real favours and neighborly curtesies I was much obliged I care not whose thoughts may charge me of flattery or self-seeking so long as my own Conscience chargeth me not for delivering any untruth or smothering ought worthy commendable remembrance for fear of detracting tougues But I yield them too much respect in so long Apologizing I shall for brevitie sake passe over many things in his younger time worthy mention because I was no eye-witnesse of them As that his natural parts were so eminent by Gods great blessing as to out-strip many of his rank at School when he was a child and being quickly removed from School to the University from the University to the Innes of Court that he there grew so eminent as to be called to the Bar betimes with much honour daily increasing in repute and renown till be performed his publique reading with great applause nor could he have missed the degree of a Serjeant had times been as favourable as his worth was great That though one of the youngest sonnes of his Father and by a second Wife yet so highly he gained hi Fathers good opinion by his constant dutifulnesses and his known ability and worth that
mystically ye shall be really If ye had thus resembled him in soul ye shall in body also and that brings us upon the last point of our division and most proper to our comfort over the dead to wit the Resurrection of immortality and glory and our planting into that Ye shall be planted into the likenesse of Christ's glorious Resurrection And this may well be called a summer Plantation for in the bodies rising mans nature somewhat resembles that of plants Plants after they are wither'd in the depth of Winter begin to spring again at the opening of the year and returning of the Sun The Sun of Righteousness Christ Jesus when he returnes shall make a spring season wherein all the bo dies of dead men shall rise here they have their fall of the leaf in affliction and sicknesse the dead winter in the Grave but they shall insallibly have their spring againe Thy dead men shall live saith Isaiah Their dead bodies shall arise thy dew is as the dew of hearbs and the earth shall cast forth her dead Isa 26.19 Of plants none doubt it they die and spring againe there is hope of a tree if it be cut down that from the root somewhat may spring But man lieth down and riseth not Job 14.12 Nay man shall rise also the nature of man shall now resemble the nature of plants by this new and divine plantation they shall have a new spring and a better summer at the return of a better sun and be more vigorous than ever For it is planted into his resurrection and his resurrection is glorious and glorious for ever Christ being raised from the dead now dieth not Death hath no more Dominion over him which makes the difference betwixt Christ's members and others that shall rise That Death may have dominion over them but not over Christs members that rise after his likenesse for they shall rise in glory When Christ who is our life shall appeare then we also with him in glory And we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Like him and somewhat more More than resemblence is promised even a kind of union I in them and thou in me that we may be made perfect in one John 17.23 This therefore is the plantation most properly intended by St. Paul for he speaks in the future ye shall be planted and shall be intimates hope and hope would be of some glorious reward somewhat worth our waiting for But the Resurrection of Grace to holinesse and Righteousnesse seems rather a labor than a reward because of the imperfection and troubles that attend it in this life the fears the cares and temptations Shall be planted then points to some better estate than this life can hope for even to that of 1 Cor. 15.58 Wherefore my brethren be ye stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the work of the lord for a much as ye know upon his hope to wit of the bodies rising againe that now your abor is not in vain in the Lord. But take this hope away and our labor is vaine indeed then they that are fallen asleep in Christ are perished There must be a Resurrection therefore saith Crysostome on this place or God shall not be a full rewarder of them that seek him They that seek him most shall labor in vaine for how poorly is vertue recompensed here yea the best vertues Constancie and Striving for the truth unto death are least of all rewarded If no other life to be hoped for Christians were doubtlesse of all men most miserable But now is Christ risen saith the Apostle and risen as the first-fruits of them that sleep and therefore they that belong to him must rise like him This flesh now subject to wormes and dust shall be clad with a new garment of immortality he that made it of dust is not so weake that he cannot raise it out of dust again else if no Resurrection saith Damascene let us even turn Epicures eat and drink and live a beastly life and so an end If no resurrection what difference not onely betwixt holy and profane but betwixt men and beasts nay if no Resurection happier were the beasts that know no care feele no cumberance are not disquieted with sorrow for what is past or feare of what is to come If no Resurrection then neither God nor Providence All things are hurried by chance and confusion how many good men in this life have we seen heavily opressed And on the side of their oppressors there was power but they had no comforter how many wicked ones may we see unjustly prospering no bands in their death but they are lusty and strong they come in no misfortune like other folk nor are they plagued like other men their eyes swell with fatnesse they cotrupt others and speak wicked blasphemies How can this be endured if God be righteous and wise and all power in his hands Erit ergo Erit Resurrectio saith that Father There must there shall be a Resurrection for God is not untighteous to forget their work and labor of love which have suffered for his sake If the soul only have suffered in vertuous works It perils and conflicts have fallen upon the soule onely let the soule alone be rewarded But if the body the fraile body hath undergone toyles and paines if she sweat and faint hunger and pine and be even martyr'd and mangled for Gods service let either the body share in some proportionable rewards or confess God a weak if not an unrighteous Master Of the bodies Resurrection therefore no doubt to be made such a plantation it shall have but wherein consisteth the similitude ye will ask to the Resurrection of Christ School-writers answer in two things especially that is to say Clory and Impassibility the one defending the body from all harm the other crowning it with all good Two wayes we know a Glass that is broken may be conceived reparable one to be made whole as it was before but still brittle subject to casualties and apt to crack again another so repaired as to be changed into a solid hardness or metall-like firmness not to be broken any more The former of these is like the Resurrection of Lazarus or of Jairus his daughter the later like unto Christ's where this frail Glass of mortality shall be changed into firmness and immutability no more lyable to breaking this mortal to put on immortality and this corruptible to be cloathed with incorruption And again over and above such impassibility ye may suppose added to the Glass Charity and resplendency to give light of it self like a Carbuncle or Glow-wâ—â—n or the Moon in a clear night This likewise shall be added to the bodies impassibility namely Light and Glory The Righteous shall shine as the Sun in the Kingdome of their Father Matth. 13.43 Such is the likeness of Christ's Resurrection In fine the Schoolmen here tell us of the souls and the bodies Dowries when the Heavenly marriage betwixt
end it proved I doubt not that he was so long a planting into the Death of Christ The Crosse of mortification from the time of his full maturity might seem to be his daily practice whereby he learned to die to the flesh The Crosse of Tribulation he had his share in too having tasted of persecution as far as imprisonment and loss of goods for his Conscience whereby he was taught to die to the world The Crosse of natural Death was his last tryal whereby he learned to dye to mortality it self and to all the temptations of Satan and long he was a planting on this manner into the similitude of Christ's death Near upon two years I have perceived him declining when as his outward man perished so his inward seemed to renew day by day During which time the Vertues before-mentioned as peculiar to the Crosse of Christ might seem more and more to encrease in him To say nothing of his Piety addicting himself to read Books of Religion as his time would permit And of his justice so true and upright in his dealing so exact in paying every one his own The four Vertues of the Crosse ye heard commended to wit Humility Charity Patience and Constancy appeared more and more to manifest themselves in him the nearer he drew to his end Humility for he was courteous to the meanest ready to put off and yield reverence to any as fast as any to him nay to prevent in Courtesie and to give place to some his inferiours Charity for he excelled in bounty to the poor witnesse his last charitable Gift to this Parish and divers pious Legacies in his Will to the value well nigh of a thousand pound witnesse his loving invitation of his poor Neighbours in his weaknesse at Christmass last even when himself could not eat yet it joyed him to walk by and see others eat and drink at his cost And for an eminent proof of his Charity but a little before he took his bed in his last sicknesse he lent freely to one that had dealt falsely enough with him and was like for so doing to be utterly ruined by the fraud of another he lent I say to him notwithstanding a considerable summe of money to preserve him from perishing So notable was his Charity in returning good for evil and so well he seemed to remember If thine enemy hunger feed him if he thirst give him drink c. It pleased God to enlarge his patience by the manner of his last sickness which seizing at length on his lungs deprived him of the use of his speech for any length or continuance of speaking during which time I never observed in him the least impatient carriage in word or deed or any repining at the heavy hand of God upon him but silently he submitted himself under the scourge like him that said I became dumb and opened not my mouth for it was thy doing Psalm 39. 10. And lastly For his Constancy as he approved it in the course of his life so to the death constant he was to the Religion he had been born and bred up in an obedient Son of the Church of England as he had ever professed himself to be and suffered for Heartily he answered to all questions that were asked him about the profession of his faith willingly and readily submitted himself to Gods will for leaving the world gladly forgave all that had offended him and wherein he had offended any professed himself willing to ask forgivenesse and to make restitution Being put in mind of the Sacrament he would not for reverence sake receive it in the evening but deferr'd it till the next morning and then most piously and devoutly like one that bowed the knees of his heart when those of his body failed him with eyes lifted up and hands bent to Heaven he received it and when he heard after both kinds taken Lord grant it may nourish you to eternal life chearfully and audibly he said Amen After which he dismissed us from longer praying by him being desirous to be left for the present to his own private devotions and requested us to pray by him again in the afternoon as if he had foreseen the certain time of his departure and in the afternoon according to his own appointment at prayer we continued by him till toward five in the evening at which time most meekly and silently and like a Lamb he departed and quietly slept in the Lord. And now being so rightly planted into the Death of Christ having thus sowed in teares we doubt not he shall be planted into the likenesse of his Resurrection one day in body as he is already in soul and reap in abundance of joy which God of his mercy grant unto us all for Jesus Christ his sake Amen FINIS