A godlie sermon preached the xxj. day of Iune, 1586. at Pensehurst in Kent, at the buriall of the late right honourable Sir Henrie Sidney Knight of the noble order of the Garter, Lord President of Wales, and of her Maiesties most honourable priuie councell, By Thomas White professor in diuinitie.

A godlie sermon preached the xxj. day of Iune, 1586. at Pensehurst in Kent, at the buriall of the late right honourable Sir Henrie Sidney Knight of the noble order of the Garter, Lord President of Wales, and of her Maiesties most honourable priuie councell, By Thomas White professor in diuinitie.

Table of contents

Title page

To the Reader.

A SERMON PREACHED the xxi. day of Iune 1586. at Pensehurst in Kent, at the buriall of the late right Honorable S. Henry Sidney knight, of the noble order of the Garter, Lord President of Wales, and of her Maiesties most Honorable Priuie Counsell,

The second part.

The third part.

Errata.

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A GODLIE Sermon preached the xxj. day of Iune, 1586. at Pensehurst in Kent, at the buriall of the late Right honourable Sir HENRIE SIDNEY Knight of the noble order of the Garter, Lord President of Wales, and of her Maiesties most honourable priuie Councell,

By Thomas White professor in Diuinitie.

AT LONDON Printed by Henrie Midleton. M.D.LXXXVI.

To the Reader.

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HAuing gotten the copie of this godly Sermon into my handes, which containeth so excellent matter for al estates, especially to beate down the pride of flesh with the consideration of their mortalitie, & to rayse vp the poore and distressed seruaunts of God, in regard of their glory after this life: I thought it my duety in consciēce to make it common to the church. Wherefore so reade and remember the thinges that are written therein, that thou maiest feare the Lord al thy daies, & reape thy life with ioy, in the resurrection of the righteous.

A SERMON PREACHED the xxi. day of Iune 1586. at Pensehurst in Kent, at the buriall of the late right Honorable S. Henry Sidney knight, of the noble order of the Garter, Lord President of Wales, and of her Maiesties most Honorable Priuie Counsell,

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By T. W. Professor in Diuinity.

1. Iohn. 3.

2. DEerely beloued: Now are we the sons of God, but yet it doth not appeare what wee shall bee. And wee knowe that when hee shall appeare, wee shall be like him, for wee shall see him as hee is:

3. And euery man that hath this hope purgeth himselfe, euen as hee is pure.

THis scripture (right Honorable) doth naturally diuide it selfe into three principall partes. The first is an Euangelicall 1 proposition of the Apostle Deerely beloued: Nowe are wee the sonnes of God. The second is an Anticipation or preuenting 2 of an obiection. But yet it doth not [Page]appeare what wee shalbe.] The third is an exhortation vpon the premises. Hee that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe, euen as hee is pure.

The proposition, or assertion, is worthy to be considered and thought vpon: nay, to bee wondred and maruayled at, which at this daie is admirable to the Aungells, and Spirituall powers them selues, 1. Pet. 1. 12. excepte wee shalbe found vngratefull vnto God, and that that should bee respected of Angels, and not of men, which pertayneth to men, and not to Angels, Namely to bee the sonnes of God. By nature there is but one onely sonne of God, Iesus Christ, by creation many, euen all the Myllions of Angels, good and bad, Iob. 1. And by redemption not a fewe, but an infinite number of men, euen the sonnes of Adam, as many as are elected, Gal. 3. And for a certaine péece or spice of the glory and maiesty of God, shyning in the gouernment of the world, the kinges and magistrates of the earth are called gods, as sonnes of God: Psalm. 82. So that albeit in creation Adam be inferior vnto Angels, yet in the vnspeakable worke of our redemption, he is superior: [Page] for the sonne of God did take our nature, and not theirs, Heb. 2. 16. and made men the sonnes of God, and not Angels: he often appeared in their forme, but neuer tooke their substance, so that they all lie vnder the iudgement as many as fell, and are reserued in chaynes, vnto the darknes of death, 2. Pet. 2. 42. And of many rebellious spirites not one shalbe saued: but of all the race of Adam not one was despised of him that died for all, though not all, but many doe become the sonnes of God: as more at large it might be cleared by the scriptures.

The proposition is indefinite, equiualent to an vniuersall, you are the sonnes of God, for you are all the sonnes of God, as it is expressed else where, Gal. 3. 26. For there is neither Jewe nor Gretian, bonde nor free, male nor female, there is no respect of persons in Christ: and all the children of Adam are the sonnes of Abraham if they beleeue, younge or olde, riche or poore, wise or simple. The which although the Lord him selfe doe say and that very oft in scriptures, nay albeit for our faith sake hée sometimes doe sweare that by two immutable things [Page] wherin it is impossible that God should lie, wée might receaue strong consolation, Heb. 6. 18. Yet notwithstanding it is, and hath bene alwaies a Paradox vnto vs, vntill the spirit doe bring his testimony to it, in our hearts crying Abba father, as it is Rom. 8. It is no maruaile therefore if one, a most learned Rabby of the Jewes, a ruler, Nichodemus, so long as he remained naturall in him selfe, did not onely wonder and doubt of this principle of religion, but plainely doate, when hée sayd, How can a man bee borne againe which is olde? can hee enter into his mothers wombe againe, and be borne? Iohn. 3. 4.Obiect. For thus the braine of man might reason. Whatsoeuer is borne of flesh is flesh: and to repeate the birth is impossible in nature, and further then the naturall course of thinges the heart of man can neither reach, nor conceaue, and therefore as ouercome in this care, hée standeth still: howe can it bee? nay, he is armed on the contrary side with many reasons and respectes. Sprange wée not all of Adam? came not hée out of the earth? went hée not into the earth againe? and is not this the way of all flesh? how say you then, wée are [Page] the sonnes of God?Solutiō. I answere that this Generation is not after fleshe and bloude, nor of the will of man, but of God, Iohn. 1. That there came an Adam after Adam, which was before Adam, who came from God, and God was with him, and hée was God, euen our Emanuell, God with vs, who himselfe was made man, and the son of man, that wée might be made the sonnes of God. For as many as receaued him, that is, that belieued on his name, he gaue them power to bee the sonnes of God, Iohn. 12. Wherefore call no man father vppon the earth, saith Christ, for one is your father in heauen, Mat. 23. A father, not for sunne, and raine and no further, but wée are heires and ioynt heires with Christ of his kingdome, Rom. 8. In déede with the wicked God dealeth as Abraham did with ye sonnesGen. 25. 6. of his Contubins, hée geueth them certaine giftes, and sendeth them away. But he that shall inherite is Isaak, the Childe of promise, with whom wée are heires annexed of the same blessing: and the excellency of this thing passeth ye poore measure of mans capacitie, whether you respect the cause, (Gods merries:) or the effect thereof, (mans [Page] saluation) especially if you fall into the consideration of the greatnes of ye price, which can no more bee valued than God him selfe, for he gaue himselfe which is God: & albeit Iudas plaid the traitor kindly to sell him for 30. siluerlinges, yet Peter maketh him inestimable & therefore doth reiect both siluer & golde as base and corrupt Mettal. You are redeemed (saith hée) not with siluer or gold but with the precious bloude of Christ, as of a lambe vndefiled, and without spotte, 1. pet. 1. All the worlde is not worthy to serue for one counter in this reckoning: for all the treasures thereof are but meere corruptiō. And men & Angels must geue place to the sonne of God, and let him alone with this matter for euer who hath opened all the Treasures of his goodnes, euen the fountaines of his loue, and hath powred out the bowels of his mercy. Wherefore, if either the great price a man payeth doe cause great loue of the thinges so bought, or the grieuous paine a woman suffreth in thē Throes and pangues of her Trauaile doe procure a perpetuall minde and memory of her Issue and will not possibly admit forgetfulnes of the same for euer, Isay. 49. [Page] Then there is no cause at all of any doubt in Christ whose loue cannot goe backe, him selfe being risen from the dead and ascended into heauen who stucke fast vnto vs in all the agonies and anguish of his death, & though hée turned his head, yet hée chaunged not his heart: but drancke the draught of death and damnation for the time. Justly therefore might Iohn ye apostle terme the christians here (deerely beloued) at which loue him selfe séemeth to stande astonied in the first verse of this chapter, and therefore by way of admiration hée laboureth to expresse it. (Beholde what loue the father hath shewed on vs, that wée shoulde bée called the sonnes of God.) Wherefore séeing God him selfe hath sayd it, and shewed vs all his secret counsell in it, (for otherwise Christ so borne and buried, so rising and raigning shoulde haue bene but happy for him selfe, and not at all for vs) except God had so ordained him to bee a mediator for vs and set him out to bee a propitiation for our sinnes, Rom. 3. Nay, séeing the Lorde hath sworne it as you haue heard, let vs geue glory vnto God and belieue and liue, let vs belieue not hystorically, which is prophane, [Page] but after the spirit. For as an heauenly knowledge of earthly thinges by the meanes of faith doth help a man to heauen, so an earthly knowledge of heauēly things bée it neuer so excellent, yet through ye flesh it doth but send a man to hell: And because the Apostle doth so vrge the instance of the present time, directly pressing this worde: (Now) now are wee the sonnes of God, Let vs not dreame that wee were his sonnes before wée did belieue, as if it were of nature: or that wée shall become his sonnes after wée haue belieued, as if it were not of grace: but let vs firmely hold with the apostle that wée are nowe the sonnes of God, euen when we doe belieue. You were darknes, but you are now light in the Lorde, Ephe. 5. 8. Prooue your selues therefore whether you bee in the faith, sayth the apostle, 2. Cor. 13. 5. You shall easely finde whether you haue faith or noe, except you will deceaue your selues. And it fareth not with faith as with the eies of ye body, which the further off it seeth, the brighter and better it is; but true faith, except it be the naked name, or shrine of faith, the greater it is, the neerer it findeth and beholdeth the [Page] Lord, not aboue in the cloudes, but beneath in our hearts, whose Temple wee are, that is, God dwelleth in vs by faith, 1. Cor. 3.

The second part.

Here followeth the answering of an obiection, in these wordes, But yet it doth not appeare what wee shalbe, &c.

It is most sure that God doth know who be his, albeit men may easely deceaue them selues with an opinion of faith. For superstition séemeth to bee true Religion, and Hypocrisie is very like to christian profession, and there is a faith which is maruelous forwarde and feruent for the time, but proueth but temporary in the ende. Wherefore it standeth vs vpon to cast off all Hypocrisie and double dealing with God, and to looke soundly to our selues, for Cocle cannot bée discerned from Corne in the blade, & Chaffe ariseth of the same seede, groweth in the same field, and by the same meanes is nourished with the Wheat: many are glorious nowe, but yet it appeareth not what they shalbe. This doctrine is true, and were exceeding good for our cunning counterfaites [Page] in Religion which roabe themselues with the out side thereof for the time, but robbe God of his honour, which professe the gospell, but in peace doe plague and persecute the sainctes, which are afrayd of nothinge more than of an extraordinary measure of the light, they are nowe Gods sonnes: for so they wilbe called: but yet it doth not appeere what they shalbe when hee commeth which hath his phanne in his hande: who can seuer the shéepe from the goates: who called as déepe dessemblers as them selues, Hypocrites and painted Sepulchers, let the pollicies of men yéeld them what alowance they list they get none of God nor of his Christ with whom whosoeuer is not wholly with, hee is directly against, and such indifferent midlesised men ye scripture knoweth none.

But these wordes goe another way and cary another sense, it doth not yet appeare, it is a concession or a graunting to the aduersary so much: that whatsoeuer appeareth in this life, or can appeare, it is but poore and miserable, & too vile and base for ye sonnes of God in their estate, whether you respect our breath or life or death, for vnto [Page] all and euery one there is but one and the same comming in, and going out. Betwene the riche and poore you can finde no difference, nay wise and foolishe are all one in this thing, and that which is most of all. There is no oddes betwene a man and a beast, if you respect the body, Eccle. 3. For man being in honour may well be compared to the beaste that perisheth,Psal. 49. 1 [...]. wherefore you may not iudge by sight, but by faith, not after the externall thinges which are present, but after those thinges which are prepared and to come. For as sense onely apprehendeth the thinges present, and memory the thinges that are past, so faith beholdeth thinges that are to come, and spirituall wisedome considereth all thinges: and knoweth that albeit the kinges daughter bee neuer so richly clad, as in a vesture of gold, yet al her beauty is within. 4. 5. Psal.

Isay doth properly play the Harold when he maketh corruption the coate of all men: All fleshe is grasse,] Esay 40. And least hée should seeme to doe iniury vnto great men, hee doth geue it with a difference, And all the glorie of it is as the flowre of the field, To whom Solomon the kinge consenteth [Page] who termeth the totall summe of all things vanity of vanities. All thinges vnder the Moone (say the Philosophers) are mutable, but the prophet telleth vs that euery thing vnder the Sunne is corruptible and vaine. I will not now speake of the infinite necessities of the poore, with the which hee being daily pinched and pressed, cannot choose but he weary of his life: (for it is most euident) neither can I conueniently discourse of the godly, whose condition is not better, but rather worse than the rest. For how so euer it goeth they are certayne of bitternesse in this life, if they hée euill, God wilbe vpon them, if they bee good the euill will both hate, and hunt, and persecute them: they are sure to bée exposed to the tyrants of the time, the proude persons of the worlde, and to all the sonnes of the Deuill. If any spéede well in this life, by all likelyhoode it is the Rich, for they are the men of this worlde, the day and time is theirs, they rule and strike the stroke, they liue and take their pleasure as they list, and therefore is the world set in their heartes, for where the treasure is there the heart will bee.Mat. 6. 21. But yet notwithstanding, if a man shall duely [Page] waigh the continuall vexations of spirit, the sodaine reciprocations and chaungings as often as of the Moone, the ircksomnes of pleasures themselues, together with the vncertainty and shortnes of their breath, which is as it were a hooke of God set in the nostrells of all the sonnes of men to restraine them with all, he will soone gene his consent, that the states and starres of this worlde are miserable for all their riches, if not the more miserable, which is most certaine. For the greatest part of riche men, they are miserable, because whatsoeuer they enioy, it is but as a dreame, & but as a shadowe whatsoeuer they followe after, it is all vncertayne & vnconstant: yea, as the Ship doth swiftly trace the Seas, ye Birde with quicke winge doth fly in the Skies, or as an Arrowe shot strongly at a marke, so hasteth and passeth pleasure fast away, and riches with Eagles winges doe often take the morning flight. Wée see that great rentes, and reuenewes doe not alwaies keepe vs company in our life, and in death they are sure to depart: they are but as the Aples of Sodom, which if you touch them they turne to dust, or as the Goord of [Page] Ionas which withered in a moment: neither doe they redéeme the life from ye graue.Psal. 49. They cannot, wisedome is not able to do it, because time as a tiraunt casteth all downe and laieth all a longe, yea being the appointed line and measure of euery thing, it weareth out the very heauens as a garment, and being swift in all other thinges it is both swift & short in the life of man. Wherfore the prophet saith our life is but a span long, 49. Psalm.

You haue heard the difference that Isay gaue betweene the grasse & the flower. The flower is more orient, but not more permanent: yea, sooner fadeth the flower than the grasse, and though in corruption there be no difference, yet to corruption there is greater spéede in the one than in the other: as ye Sunne, the eye of the worlde can testifie. And as soone, as soddayne, as often, and as miserably dieth the Riche and honourable person as the poore and naked soule, which thing this presēt spectacle can demonstrate. The reason is, because all the grace and glory of the fleshe, it is but as the grasse or flower of the field, I haue said you are Gods but you shall die like men, Psalm. 82. 6. [Page] Wherefore if a man coulde possibly bee as glorious as ye sunne: yea, though he were ye crowned king, or second to the king his son, or as one of the Princes fellowes, so that for his excellency and beauty he might well bee compared to that glittering Image in the Prophet Dan. 2, 31. whose head was of golde, his breast and armes of siluer, his belly and thyghes of brasse, and legges of Iron: yet his féete are alwaies parted with brickle clay. This is the foote of all fleshe: claye, and this is their only way into the earth, in the which way wée are all caried with continuall motion. And as all the Riuers doe runne into the Sea from whence they sprange, so by a decree hasteth Adam into the earth from whence hee came, and stayeth no where, from the byrth vnto the graue. For as we all increase wée doe decrease, and in vaine doth a man expect his death to come, a great part whereof is past to him that hath liued many or any yeares. Singular therefore is the Metaphor of the flower to florish out the nature of the great ones of the earth, who in scripture are vnder these termes otherwise commended to them selues, as by vapoures, shaddowes [Page] blastes of winde, bladders of water, & not onely vanitye, but vanitie of vanities, so quickly in the turninge of a hande, nay in the twinckling of an eye commeth man to naught. And as the great worlde in the closing vp and conclusion of nature, shall at once euen in a moment receaue a chaunge, so in an instant Adam ye litle worlde falleth and commeth to his end, for too day a man, & too morrow none: nay, now a king, and now a piece of clay. Wherefore, if the dayes of man vppon earth were as the dayes of an Duke, if his height were as one of the Cedars of Lybanus, so ye his excellency might mount vp to the heauens, & his heade reach vnto the cloudes, if hée were alwaies as gréene and fresh as the Lawrell, or fat as ye Olyue: if all ye daies of his yeares were euery one as longe as the day of Iosuah when the sunne stoode still in the middest of Heauen,Iosua 10. 13 yet it must bee night at last. Our fathers lyued longe, yet sawe the graue at length: many of them continued nine hundred and odde yeres, but none, no not Methusaleth reached out the thousande yeare. Gen. 5.

The poore man laboureth for his liuinge, [Page] and the riche man for his life, and whose cō dition is better iudge you: for both are resolued quickly into ashes, and doe loose their bones, euen the pillers of their bodies in the dust. Nowe, if the greatest parte of our life past may iustly séeme vnto man to bee but yesterday (so soone it is spent and gone) why shall not the least parte remaining appeare but as too morowe, especially séeing it may be consumed this very day or houre. For besides the shortnes of our spirites, the vncertainety is woonderfull, when there are a thousand waies and meanes to geue a man his ende, and to cutte the corde or thred, the very line of life. But men are for the most part carelesse and secure in life, and too too timorous & fearefull in their death, and so Adam is alwaies in extremes, & therefore after the prouerbe many had rather choose to bee lyuing dogges than to be dead Lyons.Eccle. 9. I doe not speake this as if it were not lawfull to feare that which Christ himselfe hath feared. And if a beaste made for the slaughter doth yet abhorre to dye, howe much more shall man doe it vpon whom this euill cōdition came after he was made to liue:Rom. 8. but spirituall fortitude doth alwaies [Page] become a christian man both in his life and death.

As I trust I may both freely and faithfully speake vnto you of this late right Honorable person, to the laying vp of whose bodie in the treasury of the earth, you are this day assembled, who doe yet liue and florish in the worlde in great wisedome, honour, and dignity. That hee was a stemme of a noble house, which himselfe hath honored with many and principall vertues, but especially with faithfull seruice alwaies to his king, vnto whom both younge, and olde, hee was euer in great trust, either in warre a valiant Captaine, or in Peace a worthy Counsellor, besides many honourable Embassages. As in the time of king Edwarde that swéete and fragrant flower (who was cut downe in his springe, and died in his armes) hee was sent into Fraunce & since her Maiesties most excellent raigne, both into Fraunce and Scotland diuers times, being of the most noble order of the Garter, and of her Highnes right honourable priuy Counsell, foure times Lord Justice, & three times Lord Deputy in the Irish parts, and also Lord chiefe President of the Countrey [Page] of Wales, in which place he gouerned with great honor 26. yeres, & being visited of God in a good age of 57. yeres he deceased in Worcester. What should I stand to play the Orator or the painter in this place, I know it is not looked for at my handes, but yet to tel the trueth it shall geue glory vnto God. And séeing hée hath sowed the fruite of his wisdome in peace, it shall yéelde vnto himselfe a worthy Fame, and to his Seede a certaine print or marke of their fathers steps, who was a treasure of the common wealth and a common good of his countrey. And surely the land hath lost a mightie man, and as it were a starre is fallen which sometimes shined in his place, but nowe beholde he lieth in the dust: and so doeth the righteous person, and no man regardeth the euils that are to come, Isay 57.

If the wisedome of a man do make his face to shine, and if without light the sonne be nothing worth, surely his name deserues with vs a pillar of gold which had and held so many offices & so great: nay which bare them so long, and weilded them so wel, who truely as a candle consumed himselfe in yelding light to other men: Besides his special [Page] gift of affabilitie to poore and simple men the very grace of all his greatnes. It is no hard matter for a man to be humble in low estate, but to be lowly in greatnes is not a common gift: and if pride her selfe be often forced to dissemble humilitie, because lowlinesse maketh a simple man to be highly commended, how much more doeth it excell, when it shall in deede appeare in persons of value & renoune? Wherfore if any man wil builde his house high, let him lay his foundation very lowe, forenuie shootes at high marks and pride goeth before a fal. But the greatest praise that I cā giue, or he receiue, either in this world, or in the world to come, is of his constant perseuerance in that faith which he had long professed, and of his patience and ioy in his last end. Of al which being credibly certified, I doubt not in Gods behalfe to pronounce him moste happy. And here I intended to haue spoken in fewe wordes to his noble issue, but it shal nowe suffice that I pray for him, that hee which must succeed him in his family, may if it be possible excéede him in his vertues, or at the least imitate them, that God may gyrd him with his fathers gyrdle, & fasten the naile [Page] of his tent in a sure place, that he may be the glorie of his fathers house, and a father to many inhabitants of Iuda, which ye Lord promised to Eliachim his seruant whom he made steward vnto king Ezekias, because he loued well the faithfull, Isay 22.

And because there can not be a readier way to cut the throte of the cōmon wealth, than by exalting of the wicked and vnworthy, the Lord blesse our Magistrates, and rulers with true religion, wisedome, fortitude and humilitie, and all wayes free our countrey from tyrantes and proud persons, who as Nymrods doe but wound by oppression the poore people, and neuer heale them by counsel. And as this day especially requireth let vs beséech the Lorde to maintaine our peace at home and his warres abroade, together with the excellent and honorable persons imployed that wayes, that all the enemy Papists may knowe that there is a God of Israel which is able to giue the victorie to his own name, when they are broken and confounded. But I haue dwelt too long on these things, I wil returne and make maruelous haste in the rest.

In the meane time the Question remaineth [Page] strong all the honour in the worlde,Obiect. notwithstanding, how mortall men inuironed with a thousand euils, closed vp and concluded with so many kinds of miseries, may be saide to be the sonnes of God: especially considering howe they are sodenly taken away by death, as if they had not béene, or as if they should neuer be againe.

The Apostle answereth effectually,Solutiō. It appeareth not what we shal be. For we might as well except against Christe with the Jewes, waying his birth in a maunger, his life loaden with miseries of all sortes, his death most accursed, that he was not ye sonne of God: but in his resurrection hée begun to appeare, and more clearely hee shewed himselfe in his ascension but in his second comming, it shalbe most manifest vnto all the world.Phil. 3. Colos. 5. 3 And when he which is our glorie shal appeare, thē we shal also appeare with him in glorie. A thing that is hid cannot be seene, our life is hid with Christ in God, and therfore he saith it doth not appeare, &c. Foure thinges I must needes obserue vnto you by the occasion of the words following, the first is, how that all the excellencie of the sonnes of God lieth in these words (We [Page]shalbe like vnto him,) which in truth excéedeth all declaration, and therefore after certaine similitudes of a crown and kingdome, wherby the Scriptures do speake vnto our capacitie, they conclude the glorie to be such, as no eye hath seene, no eare hath heard, and no heart can conceaue, 1. Cor. 2. 9. For we must not thinke that onely vulgar and common persons, but the kings and princes of the earth shal feele in themselues an admirable brightnesse when they shall taste of this glorie in such sort that they shal confesse that they were nothing before. For if Salomon the most glorious king that euer was, yet in all his Royaltie was not like a lillie of the fielde, what shal we iudge of them that shall be like vnto the Sonne of God.

And when he saith (like:) he maketh vs not equall and fellowelike, for in all things Christ the head of Angelles must haue the preheminence, because he is the Sonne: and if the Saintes shal differ from themselues in glorie, which séemeth by the similitude of the starres vsed in the same cause, 1. Cor. 15. howe much more shall the naturall sonne of God excell in glorie, because he is [Page] the head? And if the beautie of the militant Church restored, is said to be such, as if the Moone should shine as the Sunne, and the Sunne should excéede himself seuen times, Isay 30. 26. how much more shall it be in the Church Triumphant in the heauenly Jerusalem, where Christ himselfe is the light and glorie of all the saints? The forme of which citie, and the riches excéeding all golde or precious stone is yet by such things described as it could, Reue. 21.

And here the resurrection is moste euidently affirmed and assured, albeit that order aske the head before the other parts, and we know that Christes is first and past: So surely shall they that are Christes be next at his comming, and then commeth the iudgement: it shalbe sodaine in a moment but in a wonderful order. If any doubt hereof, because it is to come, as a foole he is reproued by the naturall euidence of a séede dying and quickening againe, whereby the resurrection is more than shadowed out vnto our faith, 1. Cor. 15. It shalbe with the same bodie, and the same skin, and with the same eyes and no other shall I sée my Redéemer faith the moste patient Iob. 19. 27. [Page] that is, the substance of the body remaining the same, the qualitie shalbe cleane altered, which is no monstrous paradox, as that of Poperie:The Papists grosse error of transubstantiation. (the accidents remaining the substance being taken away) which in reason is absurd, & most monstrous against nature her selfe. The glorious chaunge is noted, 1. Cor. 15. for mortalitie immortalitie, for corruption incorruptiō and glorie &c. There is nothing that can more comfort vs in or against death, than the resurrection from the dead by the hope whereof our bones doe liue in the graue, and our flesh doth rest because he shal not leaue our soules in hell nor suffer his holy ones to see corruption, Psal. 16. In the olde time this matter was plainly signified by the translation of Henoch and Elias, but nowe it is more fully sealed and assured by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, whose resurrection and ascension is ours in as much as he is ours appointed to be our head, and we his body.

The second is that though the time when all this shalbe, be not here nor else where particularly assigned in the Scriptures, yet it is most certaine When hee shall appeare. The day is dated and most certainly determined [Page] with God, but otherwise vnknowen to men and Angelles, nay hidden from the eyes of the Sonne of man him selfe in as much as he is man. They are therefore the more bolde or blinde coniecturers, who doe thrust them selues most fearefully into the secretes of God, & dare appoint a day which he hath kept alone vnto himself.Demer. Act. 1. Faith thorough hope doth expect the very instant, but yet knoweth not the day, and therefore thorough patience doth quiet her selfe, and resteth within vs no lesse vntil the time, than the Coarse doeth tarrie in the graue. Christ did rise the third day, perhaps to day or to morowe the dead shal arise, but when soeuer it shalbe, it shalbe as to morowe to all that are a sléepe in the earth, albeit they haue lyen in the dust fiue thousande yéeres before, because there is no time to them, and both the bodies of the good and bad fare all alike in the graue, but yet there is a difference of their soules now, and shall be of their bodies then, when the voyce of God shall rayse them out of the pitte, neither shall it be necessarie for the soules that are separated from the bodies to spend time in returning from heauen, or hell againe, [Page] when as the Scriptures do teach vs, that in the twinckling of an eie and in the least and last moment, not without wonderfull and fearefull miracle, both the resurrection and the iudgement by the power of God shal be begun and finished.

The third thing is,Heb. 6. the certaintie of our saluation, and as it were the anker holde in this that he saith, We know we shalbe like vnto him, which maketh mightely against the Papistes, who do holde that for a chiefe point of their faith, which we knowe to be a great infirmitie of our fleshe, that is, to doubt or to distrust, and they call it presumption to say we knowe, which yet is the doctrine of God that cannot presume.

The certaintie of faith is greater than of any sense, because of the promise, from the which faith may no more be parted than the house may be separated from his foundation and stand. And the reason that causeth all the faithful to be so bold? is because that that which might alter the case, cannot fall in the nature of God, with whome is no chaunge,Iames. [...]. nor shadow of chaunge, neyther in will, nor power, both which are as firme and constant as himselfe: and therefore [Page] he that will distrust the Lorde, let him beléeue nothing. In this pickle they stand, or rather in this puddle they sinke, who wickedly trust vnto their workes, and foolishly beléeue that there are thrée sortes of places for resorte of soules after death: namely, Heauen, Hell, and Purgatorie, and to which of these the soule doeth passe, Poperie cannot tel, which is a warme comfort to a soule departing. As if a man were cast into the Sea and comming to the land were returned backe againe, perhaps he might sinke and perhaps he might swimme. But we thanke the Lorde and his Christe we are better dealt with all than so. We know we shall liue if we beléeue, because he hath said it, and we know that they that do not beléeue are so sure of death as that they are iudged already, Iohn. 3. 18. Wherfore in the meane season, hope serueth to nourishe our faith and patience to possesse our soules which were but séely and simple meanes to relieue the heart, if that faith were not out of al doubt in the promise of the word. Last of all is the reason to confirme vs in the expectation of our glorie, For we shal see him as he is, which words do send vs vnto [Page] Christ as he now sitteth at the right hande of God his father, and as he shall most gloriously appeare in the cloudes, with all his Angelles, armed with fire and power for reuenge. He is now ascended from the Center of the earth, vnto the very heigth of heauen. We must not therefore basely thinke of Christ, as apish Papistes dreame, because he is full glorified in himselfe. He was born in a manger, he did liue poorely vpon earth, hee died miserably on the crosse, hee was crowned, but with thornes, mocked, and scorned in all the anxietie of his soule, and in the anguish of his death he was forced to yéelde forth strong cries in the dayes of his flesh, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken mee. Mat. 27. 46. It was so because it became Christ so to suffer, but nowe it is nothing so but otherwise, and, we shall see him as he is, and not as he was. We shal sée him, but not as Peter and the rest, when he appeared glorified on the mount Tabor but partly, and after a sort, Matt. 19. whose brightnesse yet the Apostles could not beare, though it were not long, nor fully reuealed vnto them: but we shal beholde him, as the onely Emperour sitting in the throne of heauen, [Page] with all his hoste of Saintes, and spiritual powers, not by faith as nowe, but truely by sight: not in the mirror of his worde, but in the presence of himselfe.

So the wicked shall see him when he commeth,Obiec. for al flesh shal beholde him, Mat. 29. 30. It is true. But this thing shalbe their death a thousand times,Solut. that they shal sée him, in whome they haue not beléeued, nay him whom they haue pearced Ioh. 19. Zach. 12. They shall sée him as Adam heard the voyce of God in Paradize, and ran away Gen. 3. If no mortall wight can beare or abide the glorie of an Angell, but he must tremble and feare, melt and fall in sunder for the brightnesse: how much greater horror and confusion shalbe to the sinnefull creature, when the Creator is in presence, and ready to enter his indgement? But mercie shall worke in that day toward all beléeuers, according to the couenant, and we shall be chaunged into his glorie after an image, when we shall behold him as he is, 2. Cor. 3. 18. These things ought to kéepe our faith and hope aliue in the promise, and against all temptations to make vs moste patient: for if we be afflicted, we are more [Page] sutable vnto Christe. We must kéepe the possession of our selues, and of our soules by patience, not by insensibilitie, but by suffring after Christ, & by Hope we must correct and cut off all preposterous humors and affections of the fleshe, which doe but wound our faith, and cast a man into many perplexities remedilesse, if he promis to him selfe any other thing, or do looke for it otherwise, or sooner, or later than God hath ordeined in his word. It is lawfull for a man to burne in desire, and for this cause speaketh the Apostle to stirre vs vp: and celeritie in desire séemeth alwaies to be delaie, but the qualitie of faith through hope, is to be contented with the opportunitie of God, called the Lordes leasure, knowing for a suretie that she shall once sée him as he is.

The third part.

And he which hath this hope in him, purgeth him selfe euen as he is pure.

These words concerne ye exhortation, that we should labor to be holy as he is holy Leu. 19. 2. for albeit the promises of God do passe [Page] most fréely frō himself, yet there are alwais certaine couenantes & conditions required, as faithfulnesse and obedience to the word. So Abraham our Father with whome the contract was first made, and as it were left in his hand for vs, is commaunded to walke vprightly before the Lorde, Gen. 17. 1.

And so albeit we are saued fréely, yet it is by faith, and not by euery starting faith, but if we doe continue to the end, Matt. 10. And because there is no other way to make our calling sure, than by adding vertue to our faith, therefore true faith is alwayes fruitefull, neuer idle nor wearie of good workes: for albeit they be no cause, yet they are the way to heauen, for by these meanes an entring into the euerlasting kingdome shall be ministred aboundantly vnto vs, 2. Pet. 1. 11. Saint Iames reasoneth thus, No workes and no faith, and Saint Iohn in this place thus, No purging of our selues, and no hope, all one in conclusion. He that mindeth not sanctification shall neuer sée the Lorde, Hebr. 12. 14. but the pure in heart are blessed, for they shal see God, saith Christ, Matt. 5. 8. Neither let the deuill insinuate himselfe to make vs thinke Gods [Page] grace the lesse, or our state the worse, for these conditions, (as he delt with Adam our father about the trée forbidden:) for our saluation standeth most sure in Christe, & the he [...]uens haue no sounder foundation, the whole matter being firmely past by worde, and othe from God: nay, beeing fully done and finished by the life and death of Christe. Wherefore if Adam in Paradize, and the Angels in heauen, euen in their creation did stand vpon their obedience, which when they forsooke they fell: howe much more should man in his redemption content himselfe with the couenants of God, especially séeing they are such as doe not hinder, but further him in the faith & life of Christ?

And albeit such perfection is required,Obiect. as séemeth & is impossible vnto mā, To be pure as he is pure, in whose sight the Angels are not without spot:Solutiō. yet we must cōsider, that he dealeth not with vs as by the rigor of the law, (though he might iustly iudge vs for all our transgressions and wants therin) but he setteth vp himselfe as a marke of perfection to aime & contend vnto, as Philip. 3. 14. And because we can neuer come néere vnto perfectiō in this life, and yet we ought to presse [Page] hard, and to followe after it, what else doth the Apostle meane by these words, but that there should be in vs a continuall indeuour to procéede from vertue to vertue, and neuer to desist, vntill we come into the brightnesse of his presence?

And as this place giueth no allowance to mens workes after the Romish rate, who may aswel think to clense durt with dung, as to purge sinne with their desert: (for if we trust to merit then we must dispaire) so it answereth thē as Calumnious enimies, which so shamefully béelye the doctrine of faith, to be against good works, where as nothing is more oft, or vsual in scriptures, thā after faith workes. It is the course that all the Apostles take, as it were the line they al draw in. The fountains do not more naturally break forth and issue into streames, than the holy Scriptures doe plentifully powre out themselues into this kinde of exhortation. Wherefore, if they could hit vpon it, they should sée themselues lyers. For it is meritte of workes and not good workes [...] disclaime. And herein as we are wise [...]aue the law which is impossible to saue vs, because of sin, so are we found faithfull [Page] vnto God when we sticke vnto his ordināce, and will not séeme to saue our soules otherwise than he hath appointed in his worde, (which is by faith onely.) But I haue béene ouer long and tedious, & séeing this part is an exhortation, with an exhortation I will conclude it: That séeing to sin, and do wickedly hath béen the way, both of men & Angels, but to arise and repent pertaineth only to Christians, the saued of God: and séeing we may not as stockes and stones suffer the spirite of Christ which is in vs, to passe thorough vs insensibly without all effect of holinesse, as water runneth through his pype, but our continual diligence and indeuour is required: let vs craue the continuance & increase of Gods grace, & spirit, in our hearts, yt therby séeing the infirmity of our liues, we may be able to purge our selues, our bodies, & soules, euē as he is pure: and that we vse not the spring to purge the body, & think the fall good enough for the soule, after the olde maner, making Winter-worke of our saluation, lest we be preuēted in an houre: that we consume not the strength of our dayes vpon our selues, the worlde, and the deuill, and bring to God our bleared eyes, & palsey [Page] handes, which was forbidden to be offred in the Law, Mala. 1. (except we shall thinke it a sacrifice good enough for the Gospell,) but that taking, nay redéeming the time, because the dayes are euill, we may shake off presumption, and preuent desperation our deadly enimies, and so disapoint the Deuil. And albeit we cannot winne heauen by our merits, who are the sonnes of him that lost paradize by his works, the entrance whereof an Angell of anger did alwayes kéepe against him with a brandeshing sword:Gen. 3. 14. yet séeing we are all the sonnes of God by faith, & heires annexed with Christ of eternal life through the spirit, let vs contend thither by continual righteousnes, & holinesse of life, as by ye way, & let vs neuer faint, or giue ouer, vntil we come to that place, where only we shalbe perfect, and without spot, and where we shall sée him as he is, that is moste glorious: To whom with the Father, and the holie Ghost, thrée persons, and one eternal, & euecliuing God, be all honor, glorie, praise, and power, both now, and euermore, Amen.

Errata.

In the third page of A in the third verse of the text, adde in him. In the 14 page of A the last line, breath for birth. In the 15. 22. line adde saying. Ibid. line 23. And for Yet. In B. pag. 7. line 18. person for perish. In B. 13. line 26, When for That.

[Page]

Information about this book

Title statement

A godlie sermon preached the xxj. day of Iune, 1586. at Pensehurst in Kent, at the buriall of the late right honourable Sir Henrie Sidney Knight of the noble order of the Garter, Lord President of Wales, and of her Maiesties most honourable priuie councell, By Thomas White professor in diuinitie.

White, Thomas, ca. 1550-1624.

Edition statement

1586

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Text Creation Partnership,

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Date

2005-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A15106

ID [STC]

STC 25404

ID [STC]

ESTC S101855

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99837658

ID [PROQUEST]

99837658

ID [VID]

1996

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A15106)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 1996)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1016:13)

Source

— A godlie sermon preached the xxj. day of Iune, 1586. at Pensehurst in Kent, at the buriall of the late right honourable Sir Henrie Sidney Knight of the noble order of the Garter, Lord President of Wales, and of her Maiesties most honourable priuie councell, By Thomas White professor in diuinitie., White, Thomas, ca. 1550-1624..

Extent

[40] p.

Printed by Henrie Midleton,. At London :: M.D.LXXXVI. [1586]. (Running title reads: A godly sermon preached at Pensehurst.) (Signatures: A-B C⁴.) (Reproduction of the original in the Folger Shakespeare Library.)

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