THose teachers of Gods truth, whose works be not answerable to the word, are fitly compared to Mercuries, the images in the streetes, which point the right way to o­ther men, but stand still and walke not thē selues: or to the stage player, who speaking of the earth, pointed to heauen, and meaning the heauen, pointed to the earth, & manu commisit soloecismum. Such haue the voyce of Iacob but the hands of Esau: of such the Apostle with teares exhorteth the Philippians to beware: in the 18. verse of the third chapter. And that they may the bet­ter be knowen, he setteth downe their properties, and painteth them out in their colours: as that they be ene­mies [Page 2] to the crosse of Christ, their bellie is their God, they glorie in their shame, they are earthly minded.

But such as build with both hands the church of God, that is, by sound doctrine and holy life: such as haue Vrim and Thummim, brightnesse of knowledge and integritie of conuersation: such as go armed before their brethren, as Ruben and Gad, and halfe Manasses did, not to be tou­ched with errour in faith or deformitie in life: these be good guides to folow, and sure loade starres to direct our course. Amongst which Paule with a good conscience placeth him selfe and such as be like him: setting downe in this place their conuersation to be heauenly. And good cause why: for that there is their Sauiour, and that thence they long for him: whose comming shall not be frutelesse to them: for he shall chaunge their bodies from such base infirmitie as now they are in, to such glorie as his body is clothed withall. Which may not be thought incredible, because his will and power which subdueth all things, shall bring this to passe.

In the farther vnfolding of which words the Apostle putteth in my hands these two principall things to deli­uer vnto you. First, the change that is in the soules of the godly in this life. Secondly the change that shalbe in their bodies after this life.

In the former there be these points to be han­dled,

• That their conuersation is not earthly but in heauen.
• The cause that draweth them thither, the Lord Iesus Christ.
• A longing and expectation of his comming.

[Page 3]In the change that shalbe of the bodie we are to consider

• What our bodies are nowe. They are vile.
• What they shall be then. Like the glorious bodie of Christ.
• The causes which bring this to passe. The will of God, and his mightie power.

These be the ioynts and parts of this present Scripture, whereof I will speake as the time shall permit me: your Honorable patience heare me: the Apostle direct me; and God shall assist me with his grace.

Saint Augustine parteth all the people in the world into two companies: the synagogue of Sathan, and the Church of God: into Babylon and Ierusalem: into the sonnes of the earth, and the Citizens of heauen. In which now are all the godly hauing their conuersation in hea­uen: that is, behauing them selues as free Burgesses of Ie­rusalem which is aboue.

Manie Cities in the world haue lawes and customes differing one from another, yet not so contrarie, but one may enioy freedome of diuerse at once. But heauen and earth haue so continuall and so vnreconcileable variance as no peace can be compounded betweene them. For he that is free to the one, must be disfranchized in the other: he that is friend to the one, must be foe to the other: he that hath giuen his faith to the one, must sweare against the other. It is as possible for light to agree with darknes, for life to be friends with death, for the Arke of God and the idol Dagon to lodge quietly in one place, as for a man to serue God and Mammon: to be true to the Lord and the world: to be free Denison beneath and aboue, to haue an earthly and a heauenly conuersation.

[Page 4]Therefore Elias doth sharply reproue the people of Is­raell for halting betweene two opinions, in following the Lord, and going after Baall. 3. Reg. 18.21.

The Samaritans for feare of Lyons which deuoured them, had a Priest sent vnto them to teach them the true seruice of God, yet withall they retained their old super­stition and affection to their natiue Idolles, and so be­came Mungrelles in religion, neither faithfull worship­pers of the true God, nor kinde followers of their false gods. 4. Reg. 17.33.

Naman the Syrian, after he was cleansed of his lepro­sie, made a vowe to offer incense or sacrifice to none but vnto the Lord: yet he will needes go with his Maister into the house of Rimmon, whereby he may keepe the kings fauour, keepe his authoritie, continue his honour, enioy his wealth, and this is to seeke to reconcile heauen and earth together. 4. Reg. 5.18.

Nicodemus his case was much like, who would glad­ly be a Disciple of Christ, yet commeth to him by night, that he might not loose his credit of the world. Ioh. 3.2.

Matth. 19.10. There came a young man to Christ, verie desirous to knowe what conuersation to vse in earth, that he might obtaine eternall life in heauen. Our Sauiour letteth him see the way to obedience of the com­mandements: Thou shalt not steale: thou shalt not kill, &c. Saith the young man, If this be all I am in good case: all these haue I obserued from my youth. Christ meaning to sift him, and to shake him out of the ragges of hypo­crisie, willeth him to sell all, and to giue to the poore, &c. When he heard this, the case was altered, and he went away sorie that he could not hold his possessions and Christ together. This young man is nowe become old [Page 5] and a grandfather of many children in these dayes, who will be thought to be Egles in affection to soare aloft, and yet are snailes with their houses vpon their backes, and creepe vpon the earth.

These haue squinting eyes, with the one looking at the heauens: with the other beholding the earth: these be outlawes who are faithfull to no common wealth, in­different men in factions, who fauour no side: these be such cakes as the Prophet Oseas speaketh of, baked vp v­pon the one side, and raw vpon the other, neither hote nor cold, and therefore to be spued out of the mouth of God.

In deede they are earthly minded, but in shewe hea­uenly affected: their tongues and countenaunce, their wordes and lookes are holy: but their hearts and hands, their affections and actions are worldly. The marke and brand of the flesh can not more fitly be set vpon any, then vpon many who carrie a zeale of holy profession. Let many aske their owne hearts whether I say truth, and they shall receiue answer, I lye not. They must confesse, that they are trees full of leaues, but voyd of frute: dung­hilles couered with snowe, white without and foule within.

The case of the foxe is more worth then his carkasse, and the profession of these men somthing to be esteemed: but the body of their behauiour is vile & nothing worth. They are painted graues: in truth they be citizens of the world, though in shew they pretend this [...], this heauenly conuersation.

But the true seruants of God, although in infirmitie without perfection, yet in sinceritie without dissimula­tion, in minde and affection are heauenly, and haue their [Page 6] conuersation as citizens of Ierusalem which is aboue: they acknowledge them selues to be pilgrims and stran­gers, hauing here no abiding citie, but looke for one, whose maker and builder is God. They are in the world, but not of the world: they vse the world as though they vsed it not: they do esteeme their houses as Innes to rest in, not as mansions to dwell in for euer: they know that all the manifold graces of God in the mind, in the bodie, without the bodie, are taken of their Maister, and they but stewards thereof.

They vse all worldly commodities as staues in their hands, which they will set downe at the last step of their iourney: or as oares to rowe with, which readily they will leaue when they come to the hauen where they would be. Their vnderstanding is lightened with Gods truth: their affections are strengthened by his will: their actions are reformed by his word. They looke not backe with delight to their old sinnes, as Lots wife to Sodome, nor returne with their hearts to Egypt againe with the murmuring Israelites, neither wish they to tarrie on this side Iordane without the land of promise, as Ruben and Gad, and halfe Manasses did: but as Daniel opened his windowes toward Ierusalem, so they lift vp their eyes to heauen, and send thither their sighes and grones in aduer­sitie, testifying that all their refuge is there: and lift vp their voyces with praise whē matters go well with them, confessing that all good gifts come from aboue.

As the Egle casteth her bil and renueth her youth, and as the snake strippeth of her skin and becometh smooth; so they leaue the rotten ragges of Adams corruption, and put on the innocencie of Christ, which is the wedding garment wherewith vnlesse we be clothed, we shall be [Page 7] shut out from the marriage feast. If God threaten, they tremble, if he shew foorth his louing countenance, they are cheered at the heart: if he teach, they giue diligent at­tendance: if he correct, they humble them selues. They labor in worldly causes, but not with worldly affections: they giue obedience to lawfull rulers, not as to men, but as to the lieutenants of God: they walke vpon the earth with the feete of their bodies, but in their desires, which are the feet or rather the wings of the mind, they are con­uersant in heauen.

The workes of darknesse are wearisome vnto them, because they are children of the light: the frutes of the flesh are lothsome to them, because God hath renued thē by his spirit: the freedom of Gods adoption is most sweet vnto them, hauing escaped the slauerie of Satan.

Whatsoeuer is purely good, they desire it with their whole hart: what is meerely euill, they hate it with per­fect hatred: things indifferent, which are good or euill as they are vsed or abused, in them they are carefull to make profit, and heedfull not to offend: in all things they first seeke the glorie of God, and next their owne salua­tion.

This is the narrow way that leadeth to life: this is the delight of Gods Saints in earth: this is to haue a heauenly conuersation: which may not be thought a matter of de­uice or imagination, as if no such were to be found, like Platoes common wealth, or Zenophons king, some [...] of a heauenly conuersation.

I sayd at the first, that none haue it in perfection, but euerie one lesse or more must haue it without dissimula­tion. For none are perfect in this life: the brightest fire hath some smoke, the cleerest water some mudde.

[Page 8]The face of Venus had a mole: the most heauenly affe­ction hath some infection of the earth. Noah the seede of the second world and the relique of the first, was yet o­uertaken with wine: Lot was a righteous man, yet foully defiled with incest: Dauid a man after Gods owne heart, yet had he not small slips but grosse falles: Salomon a wise king, yet bewitched with women: Peter a great Apostle yet an Apostata for a time.

But why do I vpbrayd the naked infirmities of the fa­thers, seeing all flesh hath corrupted his wayes, and none can say, my heart is cleane or my handes innocent. And yet God hath his flock, although it be but a litle one: and Christ hath his Church, his familie, although they be fewe in it. God hath his number in earth which in since­ritie without hypocrisie haue their conuersacion in hea­uen. Euery man may be a witnesse to himselfe, to whether number he belongeth, by that rule which S. Augustine hath set downe in Psal. 64. Duas ciuitates duo faciunt amores: Hierusalem facit amor Dei: Babiloniam amor sae­culi. Interroget ergo se quisque quid amet, & inueniet vnde sit ciuis. Two loues make two Cities: the loue of God, maketh Ierusalem; the loue of the world, Babylon.

Therefore let euerie man deale truely with his owne heart, and in euen ballances lay all his doings, putting thereto such loue as he hath. If it be the loue of God, it wil lift them vp, and shew them to be heauenly: if the loue of the world set them a worke, it wil bewray their conuer­satiō to be of the earth. To execute iustice with a straight hand, to cherish vertue, to roote vp vice, to foster reli­gion, to banish superstition, to do any good, to eschue any euill, for anie other cause but in loue and obedience vnto God, is not to haue an heauēly but an earthly cōuersation.

[Page 9]The spider of a drie slime which commeth off her bo­die, weaueth her webbe, and setteth her nets to take the flie which is her foode: and many times when curiously she hath finished her worke, a blast of winde taketh her and it away: so the loue of the world causeth manie to wearie their bodies, trouble their wittes, breake their sleepe, to set nets for commodities which are but small, and by the last breath of our life caried away. The loue of the world which ruleth in vs by corruption of nature, and custome of life, withdraweth vs from such con­uersation as is heauenly: whereas the loue of God if it be but as a graine of mustard seede, doth season all our do­ings, and cleareth them from earthly corruption.

Therfore let euery man as he groweth in yeares, so go forward in goodnesse, increase in faith, in knowledge, in vertue, in the loue of God: decrease in ignorance, in infi­delitie, in vice, in the loue of the world. As our age and gray haires come on, so let our olde conuersation vanish away, putting on the new man in holinesse of behauiour: the nearer we come to our heauenly countrey, to wish and desire it the more. For as the child in the wombe is more quick and strong the nearer the time of birth com­meth: so it should be with vs. For as Chrysostome sayth, Nos sumus in mundo vt puellus in vtero: and happie are they that are dayly more quicke and strong in godlinesse of life, that may with a good conscience say as Paule doth here, Our conuersacion or citie like behauiour is in hea­uen.

The cause which draweth vp mens hearts in desire & affection to heauen, is the sauiour the Lord Iesus Christ. The brasen serpent was lift vp in the wildernesse, that the people being stong might be healed & liue: the sonne [Page 10] of man is lifted vpon the crosse, lifted vp and set in the view of all men by the preaching of the Gospell: and by his glorious ascension into heauen, draweth all their hearts to him that looke for saluation in him: they feare him as their Lord, loue him as their Iesus, reuerence him as their Christ: they kisse him as their Sauiour, that find and feele by the seale of Gods spirit, that God hath made him Christ, appointed him and annointed him to be a Lord and king to gouerne them, a Priest to sacrifice him selfe for them, a Prophet to teach and instruct them.

What greater daunger then to haue our cogitations and affections as traitors and rebelles to worke treason within vs, and to conspire our destruction? and what happier benefite, then to haue them tamed, changed, and made pliable in obedience to an heauenly gouernment? This profite Christ worketh in his people, being their Lord to rule them, and this kingdome we pray for dayly to come vnto vs.

What greater discomfort then to lye in darknesse, and to liue in ignorance? and what sweeter mercie, then to haue our eyes opened, and the brightnesse of heauenly knowledge to shine about vs? This commoditie our Sa­uiour bestoweth vpon vs, and is made Christ our Pro­phet for this end.

No perill is so fearfull as to be out of Gods fauour, nor blessing so chearefull as to be at peace with him. Our Sa­uiour in loue hath giuen him selfe for vs a sweet smelling sacrifice, and in him the Father is pleased with vs.

Daniel was in great danger among the Lyons: yet his bodie could but be hurt, for his soule was comforted in that he suffered for the Lord: but mankind was in mise­rable plight being iustly condemned body and soule into [Page 11] hell. Christ hath reached forth his hand, and drawen vs out of the iawes of the Lyon, and is become a Iesus, a Sa­uiour vnto vs.

Therefore seeing as Christ is the mine where all these treasures lye hid, the iewell house where all these pearles are heauenly gouernment, he is the Lord: heauenly in­struction, he is Christ a Prophet: heauenly reconcilia­tion, he is Christ a Priest: heauenly redemption, he is Ie­sus a Sauiour. It is no maruell though the hearts of Gods children be with him, who hath in store all these trea­sures for them. The marchant hath his minde in those places where his goods are, and whence he hopeth for commoditie. The husbandmans heart is in the haruest, which is the end of his labour and the hope of his paine. Profit will carrie mens desires verie farre, euen through the world, yea to heauen: and happie are they which venture the farthest, for in this life there is no true treasure to be found.

The minde of man is wider then the world, and no­thing in the world can fill it. Nay the mo worldly things that are heaped into it, the more it retcheth as whitlea­ther, and is more voyd and emptie. Few things will suf­fise the bodie: but all is not inough to satisfie the mind, as Philip the king of Macedonia confesseth of himselfe: who in wrastling tooke a fall vpon the sand, and rising, looked vpon the place, where he might see the print which his bodie had made to be compassed in a small peece of earth: where the whole world was too litle for his couetous mind. For so he speaketh of him selfe.

The ambitious man which climeth to honour, the higher he is, the higher he would be, he still buildeth vp­wards. Nemrods tower is too low for him, and yet it was [Page 12] high 1174. paces. The pride of Lucifer which was amōgst the falling Angels in heauen, is now found among the sonnes of men in the earth.

The voluptuous man is like him who hath the drop­sie: the more he drinketh, the more he desireth: he would lye deeper and longer with the swine in the mire.

The couetous man (as the graue) neuer saith there is inough. Gods good giftes are without vse buried in him. His arke and his chest may be filled, but his heart in the chest of his body can neuer be satisfied. Honour, profite, pleasure, no earthly thing can content the heart of man. It is onely this Lord, this Sauiour, this Christ, which draweth mens hearts to heauen, and there fully satisfieth them.

The Israelites in the wildernesse did eate Manna and dranke of the water out of the rocke, but hungred and thirsted, and died in the end. But they which are fed with the true bread that came downe from heauen, and drinke of the water of life, they shall neuer be more a thirst, but shall haue eternall life. Christ Iesus is the euerflowing & ouerflowing well. Blessed are they that hunger & thirst for him, for they shall be satisfied in him: he is the pearle for which we must sell all and buy him. He is our head, and with the serpent we must be wise to suffer losse in our bodies, in our goods, in our fame, in our liberties, in our liues, so that we keepe our head safe.

Aeneas when Troy was won, hauing a grant (as all the citizens had) to carie away some one chiefe thing, which he made best account of, chose, and tooke away Patrios Poenates, the gods of his countrey: preferring them be­fore his father, his goods, or any other thing which might be of price with him. Which action of his, may [Page 13] teach vs in our desires and affections, to make choise of Christ, and lift vp our hearts to him. He requireth in the Gospell, to be preferred before those things, which other­wise be of most value with vs. He that doth not forsake father and mother is not worthie of me. He would not suffer one whom he called, to take his leaue of his friends at home, nor permit another to bury his father, a worke of humanitie and pietie.

Hieronimus ad Heliodorum hath a worthie iudgement agreeable to this: licet à collo paruulus pendeat infans: licet vbera quibus te nutrierat, ostendat mater: licet in limine iaceat pater, vt te à Christo retardent: abijciatur infans, contemne matrem, calcandus est pater: solum est pietatis ge­nus in his fuisse crudelem. If thy young child hang about thy necke: if thy mother shew her breasts wherewith she nursed thee, if thy father lye in the doore to stay thee frō following of Christ: cast from thee thy child, contemne thy mother, tread vpon thy father: ad Christi vexillum vola, flie to the banner of Christ to be his souldier and ser­uant: it is pietie to be cruell in this case.

Glaucus carieth the bell among all fooles for changing his golden armour for brasen harnesse. The Israelites lo­thed Manna, and wished the onions and garlicke, the grosse diet of Egypt. The Gergesens were more grieued for the losse of their swine, then glad of the presence of Christ: nay they desire him to depart out of their coasts. And all the sonnes of the earth these Terrigenae fratres may with the Athenians giue for their badge the gras­hopper, which is bred, liueth & dieth in the same groūd: so their whole desire both in life and death is in earth: and as the grashopper hath wings, but flyeth not, sometimes she hoppeth vpward a litle, but presently falleth to the [Page 14] earth againe: so they haue some light, and short motions to goodnesse, but they returne to their old affections of the world, their portion is only in this life: for they loue vanitie more then truth, drosse then gold, earth then hea­uen, the world then him that made and redeemed the world, riches that rusteth, before treasure that lasteth, trash and pelfe, not true wealth which maketh happie, anie earthly vncertaintie before this Sauiour the Lord Iesus Christ, the onely author of all felicitie.

Those foules that feede grossely neuer flie high: and they which feed their hearts with things below, can not haue their affections in heauen. The Sunne draweth out of the sea the clearest water, leauing the grosse and dregs behind, which some thinke is the cause of the saltnesse of the sea: so the sonne of God draweth vp the harts of them that are pure, but leaueth below the earthly minded.

If Christ be deare vnto vs, if the day starre be risen in our hearts, if we find in our soules that Christ is a Lord, a Iesus, a Sauiour; if the power of these offices take place in our consciences, it cannot be but our harts shal be with him. Gods spirit worketh this confession in vs, that with feeling we may say the Lord is Iesus, as Paule writeth, 1. Cor. 12.3. To speake the wordes without sence thereof is to no vse. The parrot vttereth wordes, but knoweth no meaning: but the godly do find with ioy, that Christ is the way by truth to life: the ladder by which they ascend to heauen: the good shepheard by whom they are safe: the henne vnder whose wings they rest quietly. In him is their health, wealth, ioy, rest, felicitie: he is their treasure, and therefore their hearts are with him: whereby it com­meth to passe, that they long for and desire his comming.

The first comming of Christ was long wished and [Page 15] most desired. The holy fathers who with the eye of faith a farre off saw that day, reioyced, as Christ speaketh of Abraham: and when he was come, there was great glad­nesse thereof. The Angell telleth the shepheards, that he brought tidings of great ioy to all people. The same night that he was borne there was great light, in token of com­fort: but at his death there was darknesse vpon the day, in signe of sorow. The Sunne put on his mourning gar­ment, and was ashamed to looke vpon that cruelty, which the sonnes of men were not afrayd to commit. If that first comming of Christ was so ioyful, which was but meane and simple, alone and solitarie: when he came to stand at the barre to be iudged: when he gaue vs but the ear­nest of our saluation: thrise more comfortable shall his se­cond comming be, which shalbe in glorie, attended vpon with ten thousand of Saints and Angels: when he shall sit him downe to iudge the wicked, & giue full possession of his kingdome to the elect.

Then shall the sheepe be gathered into the fold, neuer to be in daunger of wandering, or of the wolfe: then shall the corne be inned into the barne, neuer to be shaken with the winde or weather againe: then shall there be a Saboth, after which no work-day shal follow: then shall be an euerlasting Iubilie, when all bondage shall cease, and the chosen shall enter to their inheritance, which ne­uer shall be taken from them.

The hope of this day holdeth vp the heads of Gods children in the middest of infinite miseries of this life, and sweeteneth the bitter tast of sundry afflictions in this world, and breedeth a sound ioy in the hearts of them that haue eyes to see so farre. August. Psal. 147. Quare non gaudes cum venerit iudicare te, qui venerit iudicari propter [Page 16] te? Why art thou not ioyfull of his comming to iudge thee, who came to be iudged for thee?

The carelesse carnall man hath no sence or sight of this day: but as the oxe is fatted in the pasture, and the bird singeth sweetely, and feedeth without feare: and so­dainly the one is carried to the slaughter, the other taken in the snare: So the worldlings are drowned in securitie, and seldome thinke of, much lesse wish for the comming of this Sauiour.

Some fewe who are stong with sinne, and force the wrath of God against them, do tremble and feare at the remembrance of this day, and wish it might either not be at all, or else be deferred: and some foolishly perswade themselues that it is farre, and say as the euill seruant doth in the Gospell, my maister will deferre his comming.

But the godly crie, Lord Iesus come quickly: nowe they are wardes, then shall they come to their owne: now they are in the skirmish, then shall they be in the victorie: now they are in the tempestuous sea, then shall they be in the quiet hauen: now in the heate of the day, then shall they be in the rest of the euening: now in place they are absent from Christ, though in affection they be present with him: then shall they follow him whither soeuer he goeth: nowe their life is hidde with Christ, but when Christ shall appeare, they also shall appeare with him in glorie.

In the eight chapter to the Romanes and nineteenth verse, Paule saith, that all the creatures of God haue a fer­uent desire for the reuealing of the sonnes of God: much more should the sonnes of God them selues desire that day.

In the fourteenth of the Reuelation, the word of God [Page 17] is likened to the sound of many waters, to the thunder, to harping with harpes, because in the hearers it hath di­uerse effectes, as this particular point which now I haue in hand. For when the comming of Christ to iudgement is spoken of, to carnall men it is an idle sound, as if Nep­tune were mouing the sea: to other it is terrible and fear­full, as if Iupiter threwe his thunderbolt amongst them: these be wounded, but want the medicine. But to the e­lect it is sweete musicke, as if Apollo played vpon his harpe. I will iudge none, but the word which I speake will touch euery one: our owne consciences will accuse vs as carelesse, and fearfull of Christs comming, or excuse vs, as ioyfull therof. Let euery one make choise of his companie, and sit him downe with his owne fellowes: either with the carelesse, who neuer thinke of it, & their case is dangerous, vnlesse God reuiue them: or among the fearfull, of whom there is no hope, vnlesse God heale and cure them: or with the faithfull, who are in blessed state, because their redemption draweth neare.

This is the chaunge in the soules of the godly, which must go before that other of the body, as Augustine saith, Anima debet prius resurgere per gratiam quam corpus re­surgat ad gloriā: the soule must rise againe in newnesse of life by the grace of God before the bodie shall rise to glo­rie. Of the which change of the bodie I will now intreate in the same order as I first pointed it out.

Our bodies they are vile, base, full of infirmities: and therefore in the Scriptures compared to weake & meane things, to grasse, to the flower of the field, Esa. 40. to dust and ashes, Gen. 18.27. to houses of clay, Iob. 4.19 to earth­ly houses of this tabernacle, 2. Cor. 5.1. Our bodies when they are young, are weake twigges, when they are olde, [Page 18] are doting trees, in the best age as vessels of glasse, yea more brittle as Augustine saith: for by carefull looking vnto, glasses are kept a long time after their death who made them and vsed them. Euerie creature liueth of his owne: but man for the maintenance of his vile bodie, hath a licence to begge, and craueth the helpe of euerie creature. The Sunne lendeth him light: the ayre breath: the water drinke: the beastes, birds and fishes, and foules feed him with their flesh, and cloath him with their haire, wooll and skin. The rich man in the Gospell, who was cloathed in purple, whence had he it but of the sheepes fleece for the matter, and of the shell fish for the colour? His fine linnen, which nowe beareth all the viewe for bands like windmill sailes, which may not vnfitly be so termed, because mens heads are caried about with euerie wind and blast of vanitie: whence and what is it but the barke and as it were the skin of the line and flaxe. The silke wherein euen meane persons do ruffle, is but the ex­crements of the wormes. The golde and pearles where­with this bodie is attyred, are the guts and bowels of the earth: yea some do borrow the haire of the dead.

We came naked into this world, and should so conti­nue if we had not help of the creatures, who lend vs their feathers to couer vs, as in the end naked we must returne to the earth. They that be come of noble houses, borne of honorable parents, descended of the kings stocke and blood royal, yet haue their bodies vile, as Paul here mea­neth, as subiect to diseases, as needing all helps for health, as vnable to endure labour, heate, cold, to abide hunger, thirst, as vnable to want sleepe, rest, as other men. There­fore if they that be great haue their bodies vile, much more we that be wormes and no men.

[Page 19] Alexander was perswaded by flatterers, that he was the sonne of Iupiter, a god and no man: but by want of sleepe when he was wearie, and by smart of body when he was wounded, confessed that he was mortall as o­thers be.

The same Alexander with a proud minde sayling vp Nilus, intending to find the spring thereof, which yet ne­uer could be knowen, was perswaded by an old man to returne, who gaue him a pearle of this propertie, that being layd in ballance with anie mettall, it was to heauy, but couering it with dust, a feather was heauier then it. By which was meant, that Alexander him selfe, who in his life time was too strong & mightie for all the world, being dead was as weake as other men. So that sicknesse and death, are incident to the greatest of all: whereby is plaine, how vile and base our bodies are.

This cutteth downe the pride of all the world, where euerie man kisseth his owne handes, and thinketh too well of him selfe for his birth, strength, youth, beautie. We must remember that we were made of the slime of the earth, and must returne to the dust: euen the best and highest of vs all must confesse as Iob. 17.13. The graue shall be my house: I shall make my bed in the darke: I shall say to corruption, thou art my father, and to the wormes, you are my sister and mother.

There is an old riddle, what should be both the mo­ther and the daughter: the answer is of the ise: but it may as well be said of the bodies of men which are made of the dust, and shall thither returne againe.

The consideration that our bodies are vile, should take away that too much curiositie to attire and pamper the bodie: which commonly is in them that thinke too wel [Page 20] of them selues, deeming their bodies to be too good to be fed but with dainties, or cloathed but with costly ap­parell. The winde may not blowe vpon them, nor the sunne shine vpon them. Our beginning is base of the earth: our abode here is full of vncertaine prosperitie or sundrie miseries: our end is most vile. We must die like the beastes as Dauid saith Psal. 49.12. This is the state of our bodies before they be chaunged and made like to the glorious bodie of Christ.

Some sight of this glorie Peter saw when Christ was transfigured, Mat. 17.2. His face did shine as the sunne, and his clothes were white as the light.

Of this Daniell speaketh in the twelfe chapter & third verse. They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament: and they that turne many to righteous­nesse, shall shine as the starres for euer and euer.

1. Cor. 15.43. the Apostle saith, they rise in incorrup­tion, in glorie, in power, a spirituall bodie. He that loo­ked vpon Ierusalem, as it is described in the Scriptures, shall see the houses, gates, walles, strong and faire: yet made of timber, stone, and ordinarie matter. But the new Ierusalem in the Reuelation is most glorious, the walles of Iaspir, the foundations of precious stones, the gates of pearles, the pauement of pure gold. For our capacitie the spirit of God doth thus set foorth the difference betwixt things in this life, and things in that better life. And the like difference there is in our bodies.

Now they are but shadowes, but then they shall be as the sunne: now they are simplemen, then they shall be as the Angels of God: now they are as cloudes, some higher some lower, some brighter some darker, as mens places differ in the world, but all hanging vncertainly in the [Page 21] aire, then shall they be as the starres in the heauens: now they are as gold in the mine mingled with the earth, then they shall be purified seuen times in the fire: now our bo­dies are vile, then made like the glorious bodie of Christ.

Then all teares shall be wiped away, all infirmitie shall cease, all deformitie shal haue an end. There shalbe health without sicknesse, strength without weaknesse, pleasure without paine, youth without olde age. Rest shall not be needfull, for there shall be no labour, there shall be felici­tie with certaintie, and life without the reach and gun­shot of death: now our bodies are vile, then like the glo­rious bodie of Christ.

Let vs not therefore be dismayed in the sundrie daun­gers: nor let not our hearts faile and fall in the most grie­uous sicknesse of the bodie, which can but last for a time, neither can it bring destruction. It may ouerthrowe the bodie into the graue, and there death shal haue dominion for a season: but at the last our bodies shall be taken out of the power of death, and made like to Christs glorious bodie.

This account the Martyrs of God haue made: Quid si tyrannus sit interfector corporis mei cum Deus sit susceptor animae, & erit restitutor corporis mei? Quid si membra la­ceret inimicus cum capillos annumeret Deus? What if the tyrant kill my bodie seeing that God will receiue my soule, and will also restore my bodie? What if the ene­mie teare in peeces my members, seeing God hath num­bred the haires of my head? The bloodie hand of cruell tyrants may wast and rend a sunder the bodies of Gods people: but they shall be gathered together againe by the will and power of God: which two causes working to­gether, will performe a harder matter then this. For if [Page 22] God were willing and not able, or of power but not wil­ling, then some doubt might be made of this change. But he is both willing and able to make this chaunge of our vile bodies, to make them like to the glorious bodie of Christ.

That God is willing, both authority of Scriptures and reason agreeing thereunto doth warrant vnto vs. Esa. 26.19. Thy dead men shall liue, euen with my bodie shall they arise: awake and sing ye that sleepe in the dust: for thy deaw is as the deaw of herbes, and the earth shall cast out her dead.

Ezech. 37.14. I wil open your graues, and bring you foorth of your sepulchers.

Ioh. 5.28. The houre shall come when all they that are in the graues, shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God, and shall come foorth.

1. Thess. 4.14. If we beleeue that Iesus is dead and ri­sen: euen so they that beleeue in Iesus will God bring with him.

1. Corinth. 15. There is a iust treatise of this matter, and manie reasons alledged why the dead should rise a­gaine. Many mischieuous inconueniences and inconue­nient mischiefes doe followe the denying or doubting hereof: as that Christ is not risen: that Paule had prea­ched an vntruth: that the people had beleeued an vntruth: that the Apostles had bene false witnesses. Againe, that their sinnes were not taken away: that the dead are vt­terly perished: that to hope in Christ is most miserable. For fiducia Christianorum est resurrectio mortuorum: the trust of Christians is the resurrection of the dead, as Ter­tullian saith.

Besides Christ is primitiae resurgentium, the first frutes [Page 23] of them that rise againe: and by his resurrection hath san­ctified all the elect thereunto. Whatsoeuer Adam hath lost, Christ hath restored: but Adam lost life, and by his sinne brought in death, which Christ hath vanquished in his death. Farther, the beginners in religion, when their death approched, made hast to be baptized: not that their bodies might be washed cleane for the graue, but rather cleansed against the happie day of the resurre­ction; as Epiphanius in Corinthianos expoundeth that point. Lastly, the godly endure persecution to no purpose if there be no rising againe.

The name and nature of death doth proue the resur­rection. For it is a sleepe, and so named many times in the Scriptures: as 1. Thessal. 4.13. Brethren I would not haue you ignorant concerning them that sleepe, that you sorrow not as they which haue no hope. August. epist. 120. cap. 32. Quinque virgines fatuae & quinque sapientes dormierunt, id est, moriebantur: mors enim in Scripturis dicitur somnus propter resurrectionem velut euigilationem. The fiue foolish virgins and the fiue wise slept: that is, died: for death in the Scriptures is called sleepe, and in respect of the resurrection, as it were an awaking againe. Death is a sweet sleep without dreams as Socrates named it: not an euerlasting sleepe as Secundus the Philosopher said to Adrianus the Emperor. It may be called a brasen sleep, a strong & a long sleepe, for so Homer thinketh of it.

That which Christ spake of the rulers daughter, may be truly affirmed of all them that be departed out of this life; that they are not dead, but fallen a sleepe, and at the last day shall rise againe. The places of buriall for this cause are called caemeteria, of which men would not haue such care if there should be no resurrection.

[Page 24]Olde father Iacob vpon his death bed in Egypt, ma­keth his sonne to burie him in the holy land: and Ioseph at his death giueth commaundement to his brethren to carrie away his bones. Which desire of theirs was part­ly to be free from that idolatrous nation euen when they were dead: but chiefly it shewed the hope of this change. Tobias is commended for burying the dead: and Christ sayd, that the woman who annointed his bodie to buri­all, should be spoken off in all the world. The men of Ia­bes Gilead shewed mercie vpon Saul and Ionathan, in burying their bodies. Talia pietatis officia ad mortuorum corpora pertinent propter fidem resurrectionis astruendam. Aug. 1. de Ciuit. Dei. cap. 13. Such duties of godlinesse do appertaine to the dead, in token that we beleeue the resurrection.

The iustice of God requireth this, that the bodies of men, hauing bene partners in well or euill doing with the soule in this life, should be partners in reward or pu­nishment after this life. The hand which is open to re­ceiue bribes, the foote which is swift to shed blood, the tongue that speaketh proud things, the eyes that behold vanitie, the eares that are open doores to let in vnchast talke, the minde a nest of wicked imaginations, the head that deuiseth mischiefe and euill, the heart which boy­leth in lust and malicious reuenge: euery part with the whole which is a fellow with the soule in sinning, shall beare companie in the punishment. Contrariwise, those bodies which haue borne the heate and burthen of the day: shall haue part of the penie and wages.

The Hebrue Doctors haue made plaine this by a pa­rable deuised in this sort: A man planted a vineyard, and hauing cause to go from home, was carefull to leaue such [Page 25] watchmen as might keepe it safe from strangers, and such as should not deceiue him them selues: therefore he ap­pointed two, the one was blind, but strong of his limbes, the other had his sight but was a creeple. In the absence of their maister, they conferred how to deceiue him: and craftily the blind tooke the lame man vpon his backe, and got of the frute. At the returne of their Maister, he found out their subtilty, that they had ioyned their labour toge­ther, and so he punished them both together.

Man standeth of two partes: the bodie is blinde, but strong to commit sin: the soule hath his sight & know­ledge, but vnable to worke outward wickednesse: but both helpe forward to sinne, and therefore in iustice must abide the punishment. 2. Cor. 4.18. We must all appeare before the iudgement seate of God, that euery man may receiue the things which he hath done in his bodie whe­ther they be good or euill.

The infinite goodnesse of God to his people, nor the vp heaped measure of his seueritie against the vngodly, could not be shewed, if this chaunge should not be. For now the ioy of the elect and paine of the wicked, is but as a dreame to that which shalbe. Esa. 61.7. For your shame you shal receiue double; euerlasting ioy shalbe vnto you. Which place Lyra and the enterlined glosse expound of ioy of soule and bodie.

The truth of God cannot stand if this chaunge should not be. For he hath promised to raise vs vp at the last day, and that not one haire of our head shall perish: Luke 14. When thou makest a feast call the poore, lame, &c. who cannot reward thee, but it shalbe recompenced at the re­surrection of the iust. The last enemie that shall be de­stroyed is death. 1. Cor. 15. And lest death might alleadge [Page 26] prescription, God hath in all times of the world hindered his possession, and taken from him the bodie of some, to shew that he had title & right vnto them. As in the time of nature he tooke Enoch: in the time of the Lawe, he tooke away Helias: in the time of Christ, he tooke our Sauiour. To conclude this point, the authoritie of the Scriptures, the reasons of the Apostle, the name of death to be sleepe, the maner of buriall, the iustice, mercie and truth of God: are strong chaines to binde vs to beleeue: and are sure proppes to vphold this maine piller of our faith, that our bodies shall be changed. By these it is eui­dent that God is willing as his power is answerable ther­unto.

God hath giuen to his creatures some portion of his power, whereby things are brought to passe which sha­dow out this change, which by his owne arme he will bring to passe.

The Lyon being long absent from his whelpes, be­cause in due time he could not find his pray, finding them dead, roareth in his caue, and reuiueth them againe. The Pellicane by her blood quickeneth her young ones. La­ctantius worthely describeth the maner of the Phoenix death and birth againe out of her owne ashes.

The fire lyeth hid in the flint stone, yet a small force will make it appeare. The sunne setteth and riseth againe: the moone waineth, and renueth her light: trees are cut downe, yet they spring afresh: the herbes wither in the winter season, but are greene againe in the sommer time. The whole course of nature telleth vs that we shall die, and putteth vs in hope of our rising againe. Our nayles being pared, our haire being cut off, yet they increase and growe againe. If the dead part of our bodie be resto­red [Page 27] by the ordinarie power of God in nature: much more shall the bodies of men be restored by the mightie power of God.

What if our bodies be consumed to ashes in the fire, dryed in shew to nothing in the aire, rotten to dust in the earth, swallowed vp of fishes in the sea, those fishes taken and eaten of men, those men deuoured of wild beastes, those beasts made a pray to rauenous foules: Disperse as farre as may be by imagination, the partes of mans body: yet shall this mightie power of God call them together a­gaine. Aug. de Ciuitate Dei, lib. 22. cap. 20. Absit vt aliquis sinus naturae ita recipiat aliquid subtractum à sensibus no­stris, vt omnino creatoris aut lateat scientiam, aut effugiat potestatem. God forbid that any secret place should be thought so to hide any thing remoued from our senses, that it can either be kept from the knowledge of the crea­tor, or auoyd his power. For this cause the sea is sayd to giue vp her dead, Apoc. 20.13. because the bodies that pe­rish there, are least like to be restored.

But looke howe easie it is for the husbandman by his seruants to gather the wheate into his barne: so easie it is for God by his Angels, to bring all people before him.

The potter can make a new vessell of the same lumpe of clay if the first fashion dislike him: much more is God able, out of their dust to raise againe our dead bodies. As the Captaine by the sound of his trumpet doth awake his souldiers: so the trumpe shall blowe, and the dead shall rise: for all shall heare that great voyce, whereof Chryso­stome thus speaketh: Verè vox magna est quae petras scin­dit, monumenta frangit, vniuersos mortuos resurgere facit, & ad iudicium ire compellit. It is surely a great or strong voyce, that cleaueth the rockes, that breaketh tombs, that [Page 28] raiseth the dead, and that draweth men to iudgement.

Shall napkins be brought from Paules bodie to the sicke, and diseases depart from them: shall the shadow of Peter helpe the weake and sicke: shall Elizeus thinke by sending his staffe to reuiue the Sunamites sonne: shal the sayd Elizeus bones giue life to a dead corps cast into his graue? And shall not the mightie power of God change these vile bodies, and make them like the glorious body of Christ?

Aarons rod had leaues, bloomes and almonds: Moy­ses staffe was made a liuing serpent: Sara her dead wōbe was mother to a sonne. These saith Epiphanius lib. 1. hae­res. 9. are some tokens of the resurrection. The graue may be the mother of the sonnes of the resurrection, hauing this great power of God to strengthen it.

The Behemoth is a huge beast vpō the land: his bones are like staues of brasse, and his litle bones are like staues of iron: the trees and reedes are too low to couer him: the riuer Iordan seemeth not enough for him to drinke. The Leuiathan is a monstrous fish in the sea: out of his mouth go sparkes and lampes of fire: his heart is as strong as the stone, and as hard as the neather milstone: he esteemeth brasse as straw, and iron as rotten wood. Iob. 40.

If there be such power in the creatures, farre more in the creator. Christ commandeth the windes and the sea, and they obey him: he chargeth a legion of vncleane spi­rites, and they departe at his word: he wrastleth with death and taketh a fall, and is caried prisoner into the graue, which is the strongest hold and castle of death: but he bursteth his bandes, and breaketh open the gates, and taketh away the power of death, and will in the end vtterly vanquish it.

[Page 29]Christ raised the rulers daughter in the house, and the widowes sonne carried out to be buried, and Lazarus which had lyen fower dayes in the graue. For with him it is all one to restore to life, them that haue bene lately or long dead. For as the beame of the eye discerneth in like space, things that be neare and things farre off: so doth the power of God in this case. August. Epist. 49. vseth this comparison.

The garments of the Israelites waxed not old, neither were their shoes worne in 40. yeares. This was done by the prouidence of God for that people: neither shall the bodies of men by death and corruption be so wasted, but the Lord by his power shall renew them. God can of the stones raise vp children vnto Abraham: farre more easie is it to raise our bodies againe out of their owne dust.

It is possible with God that a cammell or a cable be drawen through the eye of a needle: therefore death can not shut vp the graue so close, but God will and can draw out thence these our vile bodies, and make them like the glorious bodie of Christ.

If one Angell in one night can bring downe to death 185000. of the greatest men in Senacheribs armie: shall not infinite thousands of Angels call from death all the world, hauing this vanquishing power working with them?

To winde vp all: it was harder for God to make wo­man of the ribbe of man, to make man of the slime of the earth, to make the earth, the heauen, and all in them both and betweene them both of nothing, then to raise vp man out of his owne dust: which if our eyes cannot see, nor our vnderstanding conceiue, nor our reason reach vnto: yet our faith will apprehend it, being founded vpon the [Page 30] wil of God declared in his word, and grounded vpon his power shewed in his workes. The want of these two foundations was the cause of this error in the Sadducees: for so Christ reproueth them. Do ye not erre, not know­ing the Scriptures nor the power of God?

The wise Athenians mocked at Paul when they heard him preach the resurrection: and Festus sayd he had o­uer studied him selfe, and by too much learning was be­come mad, when he disputed before him of the same matter. But the godly are not faithlesse but beleeue, as Iob confesseth: I knowe that my redeemer liueth, &c. and Martha saith of her brother: I knowe he shall rise at the last day. For they build their beleefe vpon these two pil­lers, the will and power of God: not calling flesh and rea­son to counsell. For as Augustine ad Volusianum saith: Si ratio quaeritur non erit mirabile: si exemplum poscitur non erit singulare. Demus aliquid posse Deum quod fateamur nos non posse inuestigare: tota ratio facti in talibus est potentia facientis: If reason be sought, it will not be strange: if an example be asked, it will not be singular. Let vs graunt that God can do some thing the reason whereof we can­not find out: In such things the whole reason of the deed, is the power of the doer.

The foresight of this chaunge should make vs warie to keepe cleane our bodies: seeing they must be chaunged and made like to Christs glorious bodie.

The husbandman hath great care of that corne which is for his seede: our bodies are the seed of the resurrection. The huswife will keepe sweete and faire those vessels which are for the table: our bodies are vessels or should be vessels of sanctification. The Church and temple of God should be kept cleane and comely: our bodies are [Page 31] the temples of the holy Ghost: therefore should be heed­fully looked vnto.

This is litle thought of, of the oppressour, who is be­come a Lyons denne full of pray and rauine: or of the drunkard, who maketh him selfe a swill-tub: or of the proud man, who maketh his bodie a painted puppet: or of the luxurious man, who is a cage of vncleane birds, or rather a stable or a stye. We dishonour God as much by abusing our bodies, as Iehu did the temple of Baal, who made it an house of the vilest vse. God neuer tooke plea­sure with his Temple of Ierusalem after it was defiled by the Babylonians, but burnt it downe with fire: and he hath in store a more fearfull fire if we abuse our bodies.

Therefore let vs be carefull to vse well these crackt and brittle vessels, for that they must be in better case: now vile, but shall be changed, and made like the glorious bo­die of Christ: and shall be vnited to the soules, and receiue that blessed inheritāce which God the Father of old hath prepared, God the Sonne of late hath purchased, God the holy Ghost doth dayly seale in the hearts of Gods chil­dren. To which three persons, one true and euer­liuing God, be all honor, glorie and praise both now and for euer. Amen.