PAVLS DESIRE OF Dissolution, AND DEATHS ADVANTAGE.
A SERMON PREACHED at the Funerall of that right vertuous and religious Gentlewoman Mrs Rebekka Crisp, togither with the Testimonie then giuen vnto her.
By T. G. B. of D.
LONDON, Printed by Edward Griffin for William Bladen, and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the Bible, neere the great North dore of Paules. 1620.
TO MY LOVING VNKLE Mr NICOLAS CRISP, AND TO MY KIND COSENS Mrs Rebekka Stroud, Mrs Anne Skelton, Mrs Ester Whitaker his Daughters, with the rest of that Familie; happy imitation of the holy deceased both in Life, and in Death.
MY right deere, and deseruedly beloued Allies; finding among my loose papers the notes of that Sermon that I made at the enterrement of that blessed Saint, lately wife to the one, and mother to the rest of you, collected and transscribed not long after at the request of some of you for your owne priuate vse and benefit: I thought it would not be amisse to make it more publike; (the rather for that diuers seemed to desire it) and to adde vnto it the [Page] testimonie then truly and vpon good ground giuen vnto her: partly for the propagating and perpetuating of the memory of so worthy a seruant of God, and partly also and more principally for the enciting and egging on of others, of that Sex especially, to the imitation of her. [...] Aristo [...]. ethic. l. 10. c. 1. Exempla maximè mouent. Cic. de orat. lib. 3. Validiora sunt exempla quàm verba, & plen [...]us opere d [...]cetur quàm vcce. Leo serm. de ieiun. Good Examples (as the Heathen man obserueth) are of great force; and are therefore (not without cause) so frequently propounded1. Cor. 11. 1. Ephes. 5. 1, 2. Phil. 3. 17. Hebr. 12. 1, 2. & 13. 7. Iam. 5. 10. in Gods word.Longum est iter per praecepta: breue & [...]fficax per exempla. Sen. epist. 6. They preuaile oft more then precepts. Precepts shew vs what we should do: Examples goe further, and shew vs how we may doe it; andHoc plus valent exempla, quod fieri posse docent quod factum est. Sermo quidam vinus & efficax exemplum operis est, facilè persuadens quod intendimus, deum factibile probat esse quod s [...]ademus. Bern. de resurr. ser. 2. Ex aliorum factis fieri poss [...] credunt, quod forte, dā putant non fieri posse, pigrescunt. Aug. epist. 134. Adiuvari se exemplie exoptat humana infirmitas, quo facilius ipsa etiam nunc faciat, quae ali [...] fecisse ante cognoscat. Saluian. ad eccles. cath. l. 3. that the things enioyned vs may be done of vs, because they haue been done by others [...] Iam. 5. 17. Lege Bern. serm. de Martino. like our selues before vs: and so they take away that obiection of impossibilitie, as if that were required of vs, that could not be done, or that none before vs euer did. Againe, as Examples in generall are vsefull; so Examples of this Sex are in some respect of the twaine the more needfull. That Popish conceit sticketh still in the mindes of many; that knowledge and booke-learning is for great Clarks onely; meane men, and women much more then, haue no neede of it, neither indeed can attaine vnto it. Yet God telleth vs that they mustIerem. 31. 34. all know him from the highest to the lowest, Iohn 17. 3. whom he sheweth mercy vnto in the remission of their sinnes. And surely, if to know God in Christ be life eternall; thenSi cognitio Dei vita aeterna, tum ignorantia Dei mors aeterna. Bern. in Cant. to be ignorant of him, cannot be, or bring but eternall destruction. Besides thatGalat. 3. 28. [...]. Basil. Sel. hom. 2. Christianitie maketh no distinction of Sex. [Page] 1. Tim 2. 15. [...] Clem Alex. Paed [...]g l. 1. c. 4. The same common saluation is propounded to both Sexes: [...] Basil. the same meanes of attayning it are likewise common to either.Act. 4. 12. 1. Cor. 11. 11. No saluation to man or woman but by Christ:Mark. 16. 16. John 3. 16. no interest in Christ but by Faith,1. Tim. 2 15. Iohn 11. 27. 2. Tim. 1. 5. exacted therefore of either: andRom. 10. 14, 17. [...]. Clem. Alex. strom. l. 5. [...]. Marc. de lege spir. 102. Indiget fides cog [...]iti [...]ne, sicut & cognitio indiget fide: neque enim esse potest sides sine cognitione, ne (que) est cognitio aliquid sine fide. Theodor. de cur. Graec. aff. l. 1. no Faith without knowledge, the maine ground-worke of Faith. Now as there is a necessitie of knowledge, faith, feare of God, and other spirituall graces in either, so there is no impossibilitie of attaining them, and some good measure of them, vnto either. Examples of the weaker Sex apparantly prouing this, are in that regard the more effectuall; for that, as they shame men, if they come short of such, so they giue women incouragement to contend, and good hope to attaine vnto, what they see others of their Sex haue before them by like contending attained. But domesticall examples are of all other the most powerfull. And therefore whatsoeuer effect this shall haue with others, it ought in speciall manner to preuaile with you, who had so speciall interest in her, whose memorie is so sacred with all those that here knew her, and who were continuall eye-witnesses of those her gratious parts and godly courses, which most others had in part onely by heare-say. And doubtles that is the greatest honour we can doe to our religious Auncestors deceased, if we endeuour so to resemble them in good [...]s and godlinesse, that by our religious courses and cariage we may be knowne to haue come of them, and they may seeme to surviue in vs. The manner of her end, so sweet, so cheerefull, so comfortable, should the rather encite you hereunto, that, if you desire to finde that comfort then that she did, and to giue that comfort to [Page] others, that you had then in her, you take that course that you saw shee did, lay a sure foundation in life for comfort in death, and be continually building vpon it when it is once surely laid. Now that this weake worke may a litle at least further you therein, he vouchsafe to grant, whose power appeares in our weaknesse, and who by weake meanes is able to effect weighty matters: To his blessing, I commend both you and it, and so rest
THE TESTIMONIE Giuen to Mrs REBEKKA CRISP at her Buriall.
THE Bodies of Gods Sants as well as their Soules are1 Cor. 6. 19. members of Christs bodie, and1 Cor. 6. 19. Temples of Gods Spirit: and are therefore in decent and honest manner to be laid vp in the wombe of our common Mother the Earth. The performance of this last office to our right deare and deseruedly respected Christian Sister, Mrs Rebekka Crisp, hath occasioned this Assembly. Concerning whose religious course of life and conuersation, togither with the Conclusion thereof sutable and correspondent to the same, much might be said, and much be spoken, yea so much, that it might to strangers seeme either meere formalitie or plaine flatterie, yet by those that throughly knew her, would not onely be acknowledge [Page] for truth, but to come far short of that that [...] But neither [...] my wont, [...] I, [...] long in this kinde: [...] rather, for that many take therin too much libertie, and this exercise being intendedMagis viuorum solatiae, quàm mortuorum subsidiae. Aug. de cura pro mort. ger. more for the instruction of the liuing then for the commendation of the dead.
That which I shall speake of her, to the glory of Gods grace in her, and the prouoking of others to the imitation of her, shall be in few words, and referred to two heads, her Piety, and her Patience.
For the former: it had pleased God to grace her with a measure more then ordinarie of spirituall grace, and of such graces as are not so ordinarily incident to that [...] of [...], and soundnes of judgement [...]. Which [...] accordingly applied and imployed, (part [...]y by constant frequenting of the publike Ministerie, while God gaue leaue and libertie, and p [...]tly: [...] both then and during the times of [...] meditation and priuate conference with such as reforted vnto her,Rom. 12. 2. and might that way further her, * to the searching out of the good and holy and acceptable will of God. In this hinde shee was a great Questionist▪ and (as those religious Romane Paula, Marcella, & Eustochium. Legatur Paulae epitaph: & Hierenymi Epistola ad easdem. Ladies were sometime to [...]) a whe [...]stone to my selfe, and I doubt not but the like also to others,Sic Hieron. ad Marcellam; Maguis pro [...]cas quaestionibus, & torpēs acio ingenium, dum interr [...]gas, doces. by her studious enquirie occasioning the mo [...]e diligent search, and the more exact discouery of many particulars: In regards whereof I may well, and doe freely and sincerely confesse, that, so oft as I resorted [Page] vnto her, I did tam proficere quàm prodesse, as well benefit by her, as benefit her.
Neither were these her Questions, as with many, Later unculis I [...] ditur; In supervacuis sub [...]ilit as teritur. s [...]hol [...], noes vitae discitur. Sen. epist. 106. Qu [...]scire magis i [...]vat quàm prodest▪ Ibid. In quibus [...]ihil ali [...]d quàm acumen exercetur. Ib. 109. Quibus quisquis se tradidit, quaestiunculas quidē r [...]fras nectit; cater [...] ad vitam nihil profici [...] Ibid. 111. Quibus doce [...] magis disputare quàm viuere. Ib. 9. 5. tending to idle speculation; meere curiosities, or vaine niceties, like a game at Chesse; rather quirks of wit, fit for disputation in schooles, then rules of vse for direction of life; but of such points as bent and aymed at the practise of piety, the tryall of faith, and sound sanctification: That wherein shee principally desired and endeuoured to profit; and so profited, that I may truly say of her, that shee had not [...]. 2. Tim. 3. 5. an outward shew and semblance of godlinesse, or a verball discourse of it, (the common fault of too many professors among vs) but the very power and efficacie of it in extraordinary manner and measure both imprinted in her heart, and expressed in her life: She had learned,Sen. epist. dicta in facta vertere, to turne words into works; and as Luk 2. 19. to treasure vp with Mary what shee heard and learned in her heart, so to worke it into the affection, and to bring it forth into action, to affect it with her heart, and to effect it in her life.
This, among other things, her sincere piety, appeared in her singular Patience. And it is Patience indeede, that putteth Piety to the proofe. God had trained her vp a long time in the schoole of affliction; and shee was therein a good proficient: her afflictions being vnto her, asGen. 17. 7. the waters to Noahs Arke, a meanes to carry vp her thoughts and desires higher to heauen-ward. It pleased God to bruise her with paines and weaknes, and euen to [Page] [...] Esai. 53. 10. [...] Psal. 90. 3. grinde to po [...]der her vigor with continuance of affliction. Which yet she euer sustained with great willingnes ofminde,Psal. 90. 3. hauing oft in her mouth that worthy speech of Dauid, 2. Sam. 15. 26. Behold, here I am, let him do with me what he will; and [...]rudir [...] cupiens flagell [...], non erut [...] do Job [...] Bern. in Cant. 33. desiring euer, as she protested oft in the middest of her paines, not so much the remouall of the crosse, which shee esteemed but light, as patience to beare it, and grace to make vse of it: complaining of nothing so much in her afflictions, as that by meanes of them she was disabled to the performance of such duties as shee desired with her Familie, and restrained in the intention of her spirituall meditation; if in any thing impatient, impatient of [...]ought that hindred that way.
Neither was this her patience such as proceeded either from some senselesnes and stupiditie, or from some kinde of immanitie and inhumanitie,Qualu Stoicorū illa [...]. Asfecti [...] humana (vel inhumana potius) canine aequanimitatis stupore formata Tertuli depatient. Indolentia ista nō sine magna mercede cantingit, immenitaris in, stuporis in corp. re. Grantor apud Oic. Tuscul l. 3. Et verè Archytas in ethic. apud Stab. tō. 2. c. [...]s Ita enim [...]mendandus est locus ille, qui nō sine mendo in vulgat ishabetur: nec corrigunt sed corrumpunt mentē autoris, qui pro substi [...]u [...]t: sicut & ijde [...] frustra sunt, dū [...]lausulam novissimam sine causa solicitant. as in some; (for she was a woman made of meekenes and lowlines, of minde, as of a tender constitution her selfe naturally, and therefore soone sensible of paine and griefe, so full of bowels of mercy and tender compassion towards others, and free from all austeritie and harshnes of spira) butNon et vera pa [...]ientia, vbi non est vera sapientla, (vbi non est vera pietas.) Cyprian. de patient. from an apprehension of Gods hand in those things that befell her and a concoience of submitting her will to his pleasure whose wholly she acknowledged herselfe to be, and was content therefore wholly to be disposed of by him.
[Page] But becausePers [...]uerantia sola virtutū coronatur. Bern. de temp. 114. Sola est cui aeternitas redditur. Idem de consider. l. 5. Non inch [...]antibꝰ sed perseuerantibus praemium propunitur. Isidor. de sum. bon. l. 2. c 7. Siquidem, Non perseuerare cultus est mutilus. Bern. in Cant. perseuerance, as Bernard saith, is all in all; and is that that carieth away the crowne or the garland from all: Superest vt laudabile principium condignum consequatur finem, & cauda hostix capiti coniungatur. Bern. ep. 24. & 165. Caput animalis cum cauda in sacrificijs offerendū. Lev. 3. 9. quia sine perseuerantia nihil placet. Rad. Ardens in 1a. 40a. As the rest of her life had bin, so her latter end was not vnlike; full of piety and patience, of alacritie and cheerefulnes, wholy taken vp with holy and heauenly meditation, and longing exceedingly for the time of her dissolution. God shewed in her to all that were about her, that it is not in vaine sincerely to serue him; and that a constant course of a religious life will minister aboundance of sweet comfort in death.
About the beginning of her last sicknes, she sent for me to her, whom (though the meanest of many that resorted vnto her) in regard of some bond of alliance she desired to be, and made account shee might be boldest withall; and before some few of her familiar frends, made a worthy and pithy confession and profession of her Faith, too long to relate; laid open the grounds and notes of her assurance fetched forth of Gods word, of Gods loue vnto her, and of her owne vnto God; requesting either to be better informed, if in ought she were mistaken, or to haue further confirmed by pregnant proofes out of Gods booke, what she rightly apprehended. And this was the worke that by her good will shee then desired to be continually taken vp with; forgetting her paines and weaknes when she was about it, and neglecting her naturall rest to attend it. So that she might well say to God with Dauid, Psal. 119 97. Oh how loue I thy law? it is my continuall meditation. And with Iob, Job. 23. 12. I haue preferred the words of thy mouth, not onely before my most desired foode, but [Page] before my most needfull and naturall rest. Yea so eager was she vpon these things, that I was enforced oft to perswade her to forbeare, considering her great weaknes, and to intermit the intention of her meditation, by giuing some way to rest and repose. And here I cannot passe by one speech vsed by her vpou such an occasion, which the rather I relate, to prouoke others by her example not to neglect the meanes of mercy and grace that God vouchsafeth them now, while they may follow them. After long discourse to and fro, perceiuing, as I thought, her eyes to wax heauy, and her spirits fainty, and well knowing what need she had of some refreshing, I aduised her to compose her self vnto rest, which her long want of it required, and her eyes seemed to incline vnto, that it was best to take it while she might, lest she should after, want it when she would. Her answer was that this was her best rest, & that which she found best refreshing & sweetest repose in; and that, said she, which you say of the one, may I much better say of the other: if to giue way to rest I forbeare those meanes of comfort that God by your presence now affordeth me, I may hereafter want them when I would, and shall neede them.
Some conflicts she had the day before her departure; but such, through Gods goodnes, as lasted not long, and ended in that comfort, that continued with her to her end: which was so quiet and peaceable. that her departure was scarce sensible to those that were neerest about her.
I will add but a word, and that I speake vnfainedly: I know Gods hand is not straitned, neither is his [Page] grace scanted: yet, considering mine owne obseruation & experience, but small, I confess; as I haue not hitherto in all points met with her match, so I wish rather than hope to light oft on her like.
But let vs leaue her with the Lord in happines, in heauen: and apply our selues vnto that, that more principally concerneth vs, attending to such instructions as shall (by Gods assistance) be deliuered, not altogither vnagreable to the present occasion, out of that portion of Scripture, which I haue chosen to intreat of, concerning
PAVLES DESIRE OF DISSOLVTION, AND DEATHS ADƲANTAGE the ground of that his DESIRE.
THE Apostle Paul was in a great strait, when hee wrote this Epistle; in doubt, it seemeth, whether he should rather desire life or death: affected as a louing and loyall wife, saith one, Zanchius in Philip. whose husband in a far countrey aduanced to great honor, writeth to her to come to him, but to leaue her children behinde her, as deere to her as her selfe; and in that regard distracted, on the one side desirous to enioy her husband, and on the other side loath to leaue her children behinde her, especially yet vnable to helpe themselues; and in that regard content yet to defer her owne honor and ioy in her husband, till she see them better able to shift for themselues: Or, as a beggar-woman, saithBernard. in Cant. Bernard, who comming to a rich mans dore with a childe on her hand, is offered to come in and warme her and dine well, so she leaue her childe, because it is vnquiet, without; whose bowels earning with naturall affection toward the fruit of her [Page 2] wombe, make her willing rather to accept of a small pittance without dores with her childe, then to dine largely and liberally without it, within. In like manner fared it with the blessed Apostle at this present. He desired to be with Christ his husband, his head in happinesse, in heauen. But the Philippians his litle ones, whom he had newly1. Cor 4 15. Galat 4. 10. bred, and not throughly yet1. Th [...]ss. 2. 7. nursed vp, they hung on his hands, and had neede still of his helpe: whom being loath therefore to leaue,Indalgenaū est hounestis affectibus: & interdū, etiemsi premunt caussae, spiritus in honorē suorum vel cum tormento retinendus est; cum bono viro viuendum sit, non quamdiu iuvat, sed quamdiu oportet. Delicatus est, qui mori perseuerat, qui [...] amicos tanti putat, vt diutius in vita commoretur. Etiā qui vult mori, qui cepit, vbi suorū vlilitas exigit, intermittat, & suis se cōmodet. Ingentis animi est aliena causa ad vitam reuerti. Sen. ep. 104. Vitam tibi ipsi si negas, multis negas. Sen. Theb. he was content for their gaine to defer his owne good, and to continue yet some longer time in this mortall and miserable life, for the helping of them forward on the way to eternall lifeVise Clem. Alex. strom. l. 3. & Am bros. ep. 12. qui & idem de Acholio epist. 49. de Martino Seuerus epist. 3. & Bern. de temp. 105..
And this his distraction and doubtfulnes of resolution he propoundeth in the formervers. 22. verse, and in the former part of this verse: whereunto are annexed such motiues as endeuoured to draw his desires either way; his owne felicitie on the one side, which made him rather desire deathvers. 23.; their necessitie on the other side, that moued him rather to accept of then to affect life, to endure it than to desire itvers. 24.. So that the hastning of his owne eternall good on the one side, and the furthering of their spirituall gaine on the other side; wrought between them a great distraction in him. Yet so, that the things themselues, Life and Death, simply considered; if he should respect, and as he respected his owne good and gaine in either, his desire was rather to dissolution and departure by decease, that he might be with Christ vers. 23.. Whereof a reason is also rendred, because that simply considered, or in respect [Page 3] of himselfe, was without all question or comparison, [...]. the far greater good of the twaine.
Now the maine point that hence we obserue then is this, thatDoctrine. a Christian man may lawfully and iustly desire death.
Which point so conceiued,Branches 2. diuideth it selfe into two branches, both of them arising necessarily from the words of my text.
The one concerning the lawfulnes or warrantablenesse.
The other concerning the equitie or reasonablenesse of this desire.
For the former,Branch 1. that a Christian man may lawfully desire death in some kinde and in some case, (as did1. King. 19 4. Elias, and Simeon Luk. 2. 29. vpon sight of our Sauiour) is apparent, in that the Apostle not onely professeth it here of himself, but writing by the Spirit of God, approueth it also, as in himselfe here, so in others as well as himselfe else-where2. Cor 5. 8..
And it may be further confirmed vnto vs,Reason 1. if we shall consider;
First, that death and departure hence by death, it is propounded as a blessingApoc. 14. 13., promised as a blesing1. King. 14. 12, 13., and bestowed as a blessingEsai. 57. 1.; and therefore may as a blessing also lawfully be desired.Reason 2.
Secondly, that our deaths-day is our doomes-day Luk 16. 22, 23. Hebr. 9. 27.: that our going to ChristEccles. 12. 7. 2 Cor. 5. 8., as that his comming to vsJoh. 14. 3. 2. Thess. 1. 10. & 2. 1, 8.. Now a Christian may loue, and long after the one2. Tim. 4. 8. Hebr. 9. 28., and therefore may lawfully desire also the other.
In a word,Reason 3. wee pray or ought to pray dailyMatth. 6. 20., that Christs kingdome may be fully erected in vs; [Page 4] that Gods will may be prefectly fulfilled of vs: which can not be either of them wholy effected, but by dissolution and decease.
But here may a question or two be moued.
First,Questions 2. for what cause we may desire death: Secondly,Question 1. with what caution.
For the former, I answer; we may desire death: First, to be freed from mortalitie and the miseries of this life1. King. 19. 4.; that we may rest from our labours Apoc. 14. 13.; that mortalitie may be swallowed vp of life 2. Cor. 5. 4.; which can not be in ordinarie course but by death.
Secondly, to be freed from spirituall euilsRom. 7. 24., that will not leaue vs but by deathEccles 7. 22. Rom. 67..
And lastly,Question 2. in regard of those benefits, that death further bringeth with it; that we may come home to God2 Cor. [...]. 8., and be for euer with Christ1. Thess 4. 7..
To the latter question, I answer, that first this desire it must be without impatience: (that was Ionas his faultJona 4. 3.:) we may not desire death as weary of Gods worke,Ridiculum est ad mortem currere taedio vitae. Epicur. apud Sen. epist. 24. Vir. fortis ac sapiens non fugere debet è vita, sed exire. Et ante oīa ille quo (que) visetur affectꝰ qui multos occupauit, libido moriendi. Sē. ibid. of doing or enduring what he calleth vs vnto.
Secondly, it must be with submitting of our wils to Gods willMatth. 26. 39.; content to wait Gods leisure, and to abide Gods pleasure for death or for life2 Sam. 15. 26..
And thus,Confirmandus est anumꝰ. vel ad mortis, vel ad vitae patientiam, Sē. ep. 24. for these causes, with these cautions; death may lawfully be desired.
Now for the latter Branch, that euery Christian man hath good cause & great cause to desire death; (besides that the Apostle as he desireth it,Branch 2. so he hath good ground for his desire in that kinde2. Cor. 5. 8. and in this place.;) it may further more clearely appeare vnto vs, if we shall considerademptionē malorum, & aleptionē bonorum. the euils that death freeth vs from, togither [Page 5] with the benefits that it bringeth vs vnto.
Mors nulliꝰ mali est materia, multorum finis. Sen de ben. l. 7. c. 1. Malorum omnium remedium est. Idē quaest. nat. l. 6. c. 32. The euils that Death freeth vs from are either corporall or spirituall.Reason 1.
The corporall euils may be referred to 4 heads: First,Euils those iniuries and wrongs that Gods children sustaine at the hands of worldly men that here oppugne and oppresse them.Corporall 1. For all that will liue, godlily, while they liue here, must looke to suffer persecution 2. Tim. 3. 12. nunquā deerit persecutio Christiano, sicut nec Christo, Si ergo pro Christo pressuram nondum pateris, vide ne piè viuere in Christo nōdū ceperis. Aug. in Psal. 55. Fidenter dico, quia minus piè viuis, si minus persecutionem pertuleris. Greg. ep. 27. l. 6.; and the way to Gods kingdome is through many tribulations Act. 14 23.: the world hateth them, because though they be in it, yet are they not of itJoh. 15. 19.: and this hatred will last so long as the world lastsLuk 21. 12, 16, 17.; so long as the one is in it,Troa. 29. 17. and the other of it: neither will it cease to discouer it selfe in mischieuous attemptsJoh. 16. 2. Psal. 37. 12. 14., so oft as abilitie and opportunitie shall meete. In regard whereof, Christian men, saith our Apostle, had they hope onely in this life, were of all men the most miserable 1. Cor. 15. 19.. Christian men therefore as they haue no cause to loue life; so they haue no neede to feare death: yea as they haue litle cause to loue this life, considering the wrongs that here daily they endure; so they haue great cause to desire death, that putteth an end to them all; that setteth them and the wicked so far asunder, that they can not one come any more at the otherLuk. 16. 26., to vex or molest or annoy one the other. In respect whereof it is well said by some of the Ancients, that Gods children are neuer better deliuered, then when deliuered by death: for that then they are deliuered not out of one, but out of all troubles at once Aug. in Psal. 34. 17, 19.; and so deliuered as they neede no further deliuerance any more Bern. in Psal. 91. 15, 16..
Secondly,Corporall 2. those temporall corrections and chastisements, [Page 6] that the corruptions of Gods children by way [...] Arist. of cure here require. For here God is oftentimes cōstrained to smite them with the wounds of an enemie, in sharpe and seuere manner,ethic. l. 2. c. 3. because their iniquities are many and their transgressions great and grieuousJerem. 30. 14.; to iudge them in this world, that they may not be condemned in the next1. Cor. 11. 32.. But after this life, as there shall be no neede of naturall foode or physicke for the bodie; so there shall be no neede of such spirituall physicke for the soule. As we shall be rid of corruption, so we shall neede no more correction. As there shall be no vse of preaching or sacraments, so there shall be no neede of such sharpe courses, as God is now faine to take with vs: for all griefe and paine shall be then done awayEsai. 35. 10.; and all teares wiped away from our eyesEsai. 25. 8. Apoc. 21. 4. Mors omnium dolorū & solutio est, & finis; vltra quam mala nostra non exeant. Sen. ad Marc. c. 19. [...]. Aeschyl.: we shall neuer feare then to taste of Gods anger againeEsal. 54. 9. Corporall 3.; nor euer know what his displeasure meaneth any more.
Thirdly, all laborious and painfull imployments: they rest then from their labours Apoc. 14. 13.; which though the works themselues are not euill; yet the paine and toile accompanying them is of the punishment of sinneGen. 3. 19., and so euill in it selfe. Martha shall not neede then to complaine of Marie Luk. 10. 40, 41.: nor the Prophet neede by preaching to waste his lights and his lifeEsai. 49. 4.. As all misery, so all mercy and works of mercy shall then ceaseIpsa cessabunt misericordiae opera, vbi nulla erit indigentiae miseria.. As there shall be then no hunger nor thirst, nor other necessities of natureApoc. 7. 16. & 21. 4.: so we shall not neede there either to feede the hungry, as we did hereMa [...].25. 35, 36., or to haue a fellow-feeling of their hunger;Aug. de 10. chord. [...]. Sophal. that which maketh vs many times [Page 7] as miserable, as those themselues are to whom we shew mercyHeb. 10. 33, 34. & 13. 3. mis [...] ricordia nonnall is q [...]od miserum cor faciat. Aug. contr. aduers. l. g.l 1. c. 20. & Isidor. orig. l 10..
Fourthly, all infirmities and bodily paines and diseases. Death is the best Physition [...]. Sophocl. [...], Aeschyl. Vltimus & optimꝰ medicus morborum etiam immedicabilium mo [...]s., the best physick for them [...]. Euripid. Mors omnibus finis, multis remedium, nonnullis votum. Sen. ad Marc. c. 20.: it cureth vs not of one but of all, and of all at once; not for once onely, but for euer [...] Euripid..
And what speake I of diseases, or of other diseases? Death cureth vs euen of death.
Old age; saith one, is a disease euill enough of it selfeIpsa senectꝰ morbus est. Terent.: yea our life it selfe is a diseaseIpsa vita morbus est. Aug de tēp. 74., and a deadly disease, a disease vnto deathPsal. 89. 48.: and there is no meanes to cure vs of this disease but by death. We [...] freed from death by death; as by death Christ destroyed deathHebr. 2. 14.; while mortalitie is swallowed vp of life2. Cor. 5. 4., and immortalitie, the only true healthIpsa immortalitas vera sanitas est. Aug. ibid., is atchieued by death.
The spirituall euils that death freeth vs from, are also of 4. sorts.
The first of Satans temptations. The Christian soule, while it is in this world, is in fight euer with SatanEphes. 6. 11, 12., who is continually labouring to worke our euill1. Petr. 5. 8., and to worke vs vnto euill1. Chron. 21. 1.: and if he can not draw vs out of Gods way, by beating and buffeting vs to vex and annoy vs2. Cor. 1 2. 7., and so to make Gods way as tedious and troublesome, as he can possibly, vnto vsApoc. 12. 4, 13, 15, 17.. And this course he continueth with vs to our liues end, raging many times most furiously when we draw neerest to our end, because he knoweth his time then is but shortApoc. 12. 12.. But byEuils. Spirituall 1. [Page 8] death we preuaile against him, and get full victorie ouer himApoc. 15. 2. & 20. 4. & 12. 11.; when he is not onely so cast out of vsIoh. 12. 31., that he can not sway in vs, as before our conuersion sometime he didEph [...]s. 2. 2.; but is so shaken off from vs, that he can neuer once returne againe, as with our Sauiour he did sometimeLuk. 4 13., to tempt vs. For our soules are out of his reach, when they are taken vp into heauenApoc. 12. 5., whither that wicked one hath now no accesseApoc. 12. 9, 10..
The second sort is of worldly prouocations and euill examples.Spirituall 2. The children of God while they are in the world, can not but liue among, and conuerse with the wicked of the world1. Cor. 5. 10.: and liuing among them, and conuersing with them, they can not but heare their blasphemous speechesPsal. 31. 13. Ier. 20. 10. Esai. 36. 22. & 37. 23, 25., and see their lewd coursesPsal. 55. 9. & 119. 158., whereby they abuse and dishonor God: that which is a matter of no small griefe and vexation to Gods childrenPsal. 119. 136, 158. 2. Pet. 2. 7, 8.; yea so great that it maketh them oft á-weary of their liuesGenes. 27. 46.. As indeed how can it be but a grieuous heart-sore to any faithfull subiect and well-affected to his Soueraigne, to be constrained to abide in such a place,Psal. 120. 5, 6. and among such people,Ierem 9. 2, 3. where his Lord and master is daily railed on and reuiled in his hearing, and those things done daily in his sight, that tend to the disgrace and dishonor of him, whom he deseruedly most respects? But we are freed from all these euils also, when we go out of the world1. Cor. 5. 10.. For howsoeuer here the graine and chaffe lye togither in one fieldMath. 13. 25, 26, 30.; yet there the chaffe goeth one way, and the good graine another wayMath. 13. 12. Luk. 3. 17., the tares are cast one way, and the good corne is caried another wayMath. 13. 30., euen [Page 9] into Gods garner, to a place where there shall be no matter of scandallMath. 13. 41., to make them stumble and fallRom. 14. 21. 1. Cor. 8. 9. or to vex and grieueRom. 14. 15. them any more.
The third sort of spirituall euils is of sinne and corruption;Spirituall 3. then which nothing is more burdensome and combersome to a Christian souleRom. 7. 24., not so much for feare of wrath,1. Cor. 8. 12. as for desire to please God, and for griefe that thereby he should shew himselfe vnkinde and vnthankfull to him, whom he hath euer found so gratious and good to himselfe. And if this be so heauy to a Christian soule, that he should so displease and dishonor his heauenly father by his errors and ouer-sightsRom. 2. 23., whose honor ought to be deerer to him than all the worlds wealth,2. Sam. 12. 14. yea then his owne soule it selfeMath. 5. 16. & 6. 10.; how is death then to be desired of him,Exo. 32. 12, 32. that freeth him from this burden; that giueth an vtter ease from it, an eternall discharge of it? For he that is dead, is freed from sinne Rom. 6. 7.. Death, it strippeth vs of our old man, our old skin, all at once, not, as sanctification doth it here, by degrees: yea it placeth vs in far better estate, then our first parents were in before their fallAd [...]m acceper at posse quod vesset, [...] velle quod posset: nos accipimus & posse quod volumus & velle quod poss [...] mus. ille posse non peccare; nos non posse peccare. Aug. de corrept. & grat. c. 11.. For they were so free from sinne, that yet they might haue will to sinne: we shall be so freed by death from sinne, that we shall neuer haue either will or minde againe therevnto.
The fourth sort of euils spirituall is of diuine desertion, whereby God in this life,Spirituall 4. though he neuer indeede leaue his childrenIoh. 16. 32. Hebr. 13. 5., yet sometime seemeth to forsake them Math. 26. 46. Psal. 22. 1.; though he euer remember and regard themEsai. 49. 14, 15., yet sometime seemeth to forget them Psal. 13. 1.: he doth many times, for secret causes best knowne [Page 10] to himselfe, with-draw from them the sight and sense of his gratious presence and assistance, and looke vpon them with a frowning and a lowring countenance. Which thing how grieuous and heauy it is to Gods saints for the present, may appeare by those mournefull plaints that they powre out in such casesPsal. 6. 1, 2, 3. 6. & 13. 1, 2. & 27. 9, 13. & 30. 7. & 31. 16, 22. & 77. 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 10.: euen so grieuous, that (for the time) they seeme to be in the very suburbs of hell. Whereas by death they are freed from all such dreadfull desertions; being placed in such a state thereby, that as God shall neuer be againe displeased with them, so he shall neuer in displeasure againe turne his face away from themEsai. 54. 7, 8, 9..
And thus haue we seene the euils of all sorts, that death is a meanes to free vs from.
Now in the next place,Reason 2. consider we the Benefits that death bringeth vs vnto: which may likewise be reduced to 4. heads.
The first is the full consummation of Grace,Benefit 1. that is here but imperfect and in part1. Cor. 13. 9, 11.: as first fruits Rom 8. 23., but an handfullLevit. 23. 10. to the whole crop; as an earnestpenny Ephes. 1. 14. 2. Cor. 1. 22. & 5. 5. giuen in pledge of full payment. But if the first-fruits be so pretious1. Cor. 2. 9, 10, 11, 12. 1. Pet. 1. 7. 2 Petr. 1. 4., those small beginnings of Grace, that the true Christian, the wise merchant, would not take the world in exchange for themMath. 13. 46.; that he counteth all the wealth of this world, but as trash, as dr [...]sse and dongue in regard of themPhilip. 3. 7, 8, 9, 10.; oh what will the full crop be? if the earnest-penny be so pretious, what will the entire payment be? And if we then thirst and long after growth ofMath. 5. 6. grace, how should we desire death that bringeth with it a full consummation of1. Cor. 13. 10. Viuere volunt vt perfecti s [...]nt. mori v [...]lint, & perfecti [...]. Aug. [...]n Mat. sig. 17. grace, that bringeth grace to it full growth?
[Page 11] The second Benefit is a perfection of gloryPsal. 84 11.; such an excellencie as shall make vs not onely gratiousBenefit 2. in our selues,Rom. 2. 7, 10. & 5. 2. but most glorious also in the eyes of all that behold vs:2. Tim. 2. 10. that which the Apostle calleth2. Cor. 4. 17. [...] an exceeding excessiue eternall weight of glory: [...]. Themist. apud St [...]. c. 119. and saith further,that all the afflictions of this life, are not worthy once to be named with that glory, that in the next life shall be manifested, not vnto vs onely, but euen in vs Rom. 8. 18. [...] in nobis, Beza. neque enim erimus [...]tiosi spectatores, sed participes gloriae. Bern. de diuers. 1..
When the sunne of righteousnes shall shine full vpon vsMalac. 4. 2., and shining full vpon vs, shall make vs like vnto himselfeColoss. 3. 4.; so that we shall also shine as the sunne in the kingdome of heauen Math. 13. 43.. This we are not able to conceiue what it is.1. Ioh. 3. 2. We can guesse somewhat at the former,2. Cor. 3. 18. because we haue the first-fruits of it here:2. Thess. 1. 10. but this we are not able to giue almost any guesse at. But the Apostle Peter, in Christs transfiguration, seeing a glimpse of it (oh it is good being here, saith he) would faine haue stayed there stillMath. 17. 4.. And the Apostle Paul that had seene it,bonum est nobis esse hîc. could not vtter what he had seene2. Cor. 12. 4., but longed exceedingly after it, as one neuer well till he were there2. Cor. 5. 2.. And vndoubtedly, enlarge we our mindes all that may be, we shall say, when we shall come to see and enioy it, as the Queene of the South, when shee came and saw Salomons royaltie1. King. 10. 6, 7., the one halfe, nay the hundreth part of that we shall finde there, was neuer either reported vnto vs, or conceiued of vs here.
The third Benefit,Benefit 3. is the inseparable company of Christ. They shall follow the Lambe there, whithersoeuer he goeth Apoc. 14. 4.. In this world is Christ said to be with vs Psal. 91. 15.: after this life are we Math. 28. 19. said to he with him Iob. 14. 3. & 12. 26. & 17. 24..
[Page 12] Here he is said to be with vs, while we soiourne from him 2. Cor. 5. 6.: there are we said to goe to him, and to be at his home with him 2. Cor. 5. 8.. And if it be matter of much joy to haue Christ with vs here, what will it be to abide for euer with him there1. Thess. 4. 17.? If Christs presence by his spiritIoh. 14. 16, 17, 18. be so comfortable here, that it is able to cheere vs vp in all our greatest afflictionsRom. 5. 3. & 14 17.: what shall his glorious presence be eternally there?
Conceiue we it by some comparisons.Psal. 23. 4. It were a great grace,Philip. 4 4. and such as would minister much comfort to a Courtier lying sicke at home of the gowt,1. Thess. 5. 16. to haue the Prince not onely to send to him,2. Cor 1. 3, 4, 5. but in person also to visit him:Esse Christum cum Paulomagna securitas: Esse Paulum cum Christo summa felicitas. Bern. in Psal. Qui hab. but much more comfort and joy would it be to him, to be able, being recouered, to repaire to the Court, and there enjoy his Princes presence, with such fauors and pleasures, as that place may afford. How much more then, in this case, is it a great grace and a comfort, that God vouchsafeth to visit vs here by his spiritIoh. 14. 23., sometime more familiarly and feelingly, but euer so effectually,Apoc. 3. 20 as thereby to support vs euen in our heauiest afflictions? but yet how much more exceedingly shall our ioy and comfort be increased, when being freed from all infirmities, we shall be taken home to him, that we may liue in ioy and blisse for euer with him? As that Courtier hauing assurance giuen him of recouery by such a time, would exceedingly reioyce to thinke of the ioy of that day, and count euery day a weeke, if not a yeere, to it, wherein he should being recoured returne againe to the Court, and be welcommed thither in solemne manner by all his frends there, the Prince himselfe principally: [Page 13] so well may the faithfull soule not a litle ioy to forethinke with it selfe, what a ioyfull howre that shall be vnto it, wherein by death parted from the body, it shall be solemnly presented before the face of Christ, and entring into the heauenly palace, shall be welcomed thither by the whole court of heauen, by all the blessed spirits that there abideHebr. 12. 22, 23, 24..
Againe; this life is the time of our contract with ChristHosh. 2. 19, 20.desponsabo te mihi. after this life commeth our mariage-dayApoc. 19. 7. & 21. 2.. Now as a virgin espoused to one that is trauailed to the East-Indies, if she do indeed faithfully and vnfainedly affect him, though she ioy to read a letter, or to see some token from him, yet it is nothing in that kinde that can giue her contentmentNil mihi rescribas: attamen ipse veni. Penelope Vlyssi. Ovid. ep. 1., but shee longeth for his presence, desireth to heare of his returne, and joyeth to thinke on that day, when meeting againe they shall be so matched, as they shall neuer more againe be so seuered. So here, though the Christian soule contracted to Christ, during the time of this contract, in his absence from herLuk. 19. 12., receiue many fauors and loue-tokens from himEphes. 4. 7, 8., as are all the blessings she enioyeth here, be they spirituall or temporall1. Cor. 3. 21, 22, 23.; yet they can not all of them giue full contentment vnto her,1. Cor. 12. 4, 8, 9, 10, 11. but helpe rather to enflame her affection towards him, and make her,Rom. 8. 32. if she sincerely loue him, as she professeth and pretendeth to do, the more earnestly and ardently to long for that day, wherein she shall come inseparably to be lincked vnto him, and euerlastingly to enioy his personall presence, which aboue all things she most desireth.
The fourth and last,Benefit 4. but not the least Benefit that [Page 14] death bringeth vs vnto, is immediate communion with God: when God shall be all in all and vnto all 1 Cor. 15. 28.: when we shall draw our delights from the fountaine of allJam. 1. 17., from the well-headPsal. 36. 8, 9.: when God shall conueigh and minister vnto vs immediately by himself,Apoc. 7. 17. whatsoeuer he now communicateth vnto vs by meanesApoc. 21, 22, 23.. This (though it be the greatest benefit of all,Esai.58.13.Psal. 122. 1. & 63. 3, 4, 5. yet we can say the least of all of it. Onely thus much: If the meanes whereby God now imparteth his mercies vnto vs, be so sweet to Gods saints, (the ministerie of his word, his holy mysteries, and religious offices) that they earnestly thirst after them when they want themPsal. 42. 1, 2, & 63. 1, 2. & 119. 20., delight exceedingly in them when they haue them, seeme to be euen rauished and enamoured with themPsal. 84 per totū. & 119. 97., prefer1 Petr. 2. 2, 3. the sweetnes of them before the sweetest sweetsPsal. 19. 10. & 119. 103. Iob. 23. 12., yea seeme to doate so vpon them, that they haue neuer enough of themPsal. 27. 4. & 63. 5, 6. & 119. 62, 57, 147, 148, 164. if the dimme beames, I say, of Gods face and fauor shining through these thick clouds and veiles be so comfortable to them, that they esteeme all worldly ioyes and delights, as nothing in regard of themb: oh what shall God himself be, when we shall see him fully face to faceEsai. 33. 14, 15, 16, 27. 1. Cor. 13. 12. 1. Ioh. 3. 2. ‘Quis oculis glorietur, qui suspicentur diem? quibus Sol per caliginē splendet? licet contentus interim sat effugisse tenebras, adhuc non fruitur bon [...] lucis. Tunc animꝰ noster habebit quod gratuletur sibi, cum emissus his tenebris, in quibus volutatur, non tenui visu clara perspexerit, sed totum diem admiserit, & redditꝰ cælo (Deo) suo fuerit.’ ‘Sen. ep. 79. Quid tibi videbitur divina lux, cum illam suo loco videris? Tunc in tenebris vixisse dices, cum totam lucem totus aspexeris, quem nunc, per angustissimas oculorum vias, obscurè intueris, & tamen [...] tam procul. ep. 102.’, when we shall finde all togither in him, draw all immediately from him, and enioy whatsoeuer our heart can desire or minde imagine, yea far more than either of them can possibly now reach toEphes. 3. 20., in him.
And thus we haue seene the benefit of death, [Page 15] both in regard of the euils from which it freeth vs;Conclusion. as also in regard of those good things that thereby accrew vnto vs: whence we may well conclude, that as Gods children may lawfully desire it, so they haue iust cause and great cause earnestly to long after it.
Now the Vse then of this point is first to ouerthrow the opinion of those that thinke it not lawfull in any case to wish or desire death,2 King. 22. 20. yea in regard of freedome from outward euils;Esai. 57. 1, 2. sithence it is promised,Apoc. 14. 13. as we haue shewed,Ʋse 1. by God as a blessing, and as a blessing in that very kinde1 King. 14. 12, 13..
Yea but, may some say, if we may desire it, we may do it: we may then hasten our owne end.
It followeth not. A man may desire many things to be done,Tuscul. lib. 1. which yet he himselfe may not doe. A man may desire the ministerie1 Tim. 3. 1.: yet he may notQu [...]ntots mperator terrae huius in peregrinis l [...]is aut honoris specie aut muneris alicuius causa iubet degere? nunquid hinc inconsulto Imperator [...] discedunt? & quāto amplius est [...] parere quàm h [...] manis? Ambros. de bon. mort. c. 2. make himselfe a ministerHabr. 5. 4, 5.. He may desire to haue some malefactors taken away by the sword of iustice: yet, being a priuate person, he may not do it himselfe. So a man may desire death, and seeke it at Gods hands; but not procure it or hasten it by any meanes of his owneVetat ille dominans in nobis Deus iniussu hinc not suo demigrare, Ci [...]..
Secondly, it serueth to shame and condemne such as are so loth to dye, that they can not endure to heare of death and dissolution:Ʋse 2. so far from desiring that which they haue so great cause to desire, that they can not brooke or abide any mention or motion of it, can worst of any thing away with it: in so much that some forbeare the doing of some things, some matters of conueniencie, yea some necessarie duties, as making of their Wils, out of a [Page 16] friuolous and superstitious conceit, that they shall dye shortly, if they do them.
Yea many though they can not liue, yet are vnwilling to dye [...]. Epictet. apud Stob. cap. 120. Inter mortis m [...] tum & vitae tormenta miseri fluctuant: & viuere nolunt, & mori nesciunt. Sen. ep. 4. Patinon vultis, exire timetis; qui [...] faciam vobis? Cyprian, de mortal.. Though they liue in that miserie, that they can haue no ioy of their liues, that their life is rather a lingring death than a lifeHerodicum [...]. Plato apud Plut. de sera vind. Quid huius viuere est? diu mori. Sen., yet would they rather continue still in such miserable plight,epist. 101. then be content to haue an end put to their intolerable torments, much more bitter than many deaths, by an easie dissolution, by a speedy dispatch. No paine, no torment, no pangs of death, can preuaile so with them, as to make them willing to vndergo what they can not auoide [...]. Homer. Odyss. [...] Eurip. Iphigen. Debilem facito manu, Debil [...]m pede, coxa: Tuber adstruegibberum; Lubricos quatedentes. Vita du [...] superest, benè est. Mecaenas: Qued miserrimum erat, ft incidisset, optatur; & tanquam vita petitur, supplicij mora. Invenitur qui malit inter supplicia tabescere, & perire membratim, & toties per stillicidia amittere animam quam semel exhalare? Invenitur, qui velit trahere animam tot tormenta tracturam? Vs (que) adeò ne mori miserum est? Est tanti, habere animā, vt agam. Sen. epist. 101. Interdū obnixè petimus, quod oblatnm re usar. mus. Mulia videri volumus velle, sed nolumus. Saepe aliud volumus, aliud optamus. & verum ne Dijs quid [...]m dicimus. Sen. epist. 95.?, or content to goe to God.
Now for Heathen, or such as haue no hope but herePsal. 17. 14. 1. Thess. 4. 13., to be thus affected, were not greatly to be wondred at. But for Christians, that professe themselues to be but pilgrims and strangers herePsal. 39. 12. 1. Pet. 2. 11., this world a strange country to them, and heauen their owne countreyPhil. 3. 20., their home, their fathers house; for them to be so vnwilling to leaue this world, to depart hence, to returne to their owne home, as if their fathers house were not an heauen but an hell, it is a foule shame, it is no small blemish to their Christian profession.
Yea it sheweth such persons to be possessed still with a great measure of hypocrisie. For what is it [Page 17] but hypocrisie, when our prayers and our practise concur not, when the one is directly contrary vnto the other, when we are most vnwilling to that, that daily we would seeme to desire Or how do not our prayers and our practise the one directly crosse the other, when we pray daily to haue, not our will, but Gods will to be done Matth. 6. 10.; and yet when it commeth to the point,Meminisse debem [...] voluntatem not nō nostrā, sed Dei facere debere, secundū quod nos Deus iussit quotidiè orare. Cyprtan. de mortal. that God calleth vs to come to him, we hang back, and are vnwilling to do what he willeth vsQuam preposterum est, quamque peruersum, vt cum Dei voluntatē fieri postulemus, quando evocat nos & aecersit de hoc mundo, non statim voluntatis eius imperio pareamus? Hoc nitimur & reluctamur, & pervicaciū more seruorum ad conspectū Domini, cū tristitia & maerore perducimur, nō obsequio voluntatis; & volumus ab eo praemijs caele stib [...] honorari, ad quē venim [...] inviti. Idē ib., would rather writh Gods will to ours, than conforme our will to his, would rather haue our owne will done against Gods will to our owne euill, then the will of our louing father wrought on vs for our good? How do not our tongues and our hearts apparently and exceedingly jarre, when we pray daily to God, that his kingdome may come Matth. 6 10., and yet we wish and desire rather to stay here still, where Satans throne Apoc. 2. 13. and kingdome2. Cor. 4. 4. Joh. 12. 31. & 16. 11. is; and where we our selues are in some degree still of thraldomeRom. 7. 14, 23, 24., then to be translated hence vnto that eternall kingdomeQuid rogamus & petimus vt adveniat regnum coelorum, si captiuit as nos terrena delectat [...] quid precibus frequenter iteratis rogamus & poscimus, vt acceleret dies regni, so maiora desideria, & vota potiora sunt seruire isthic diabolo, quàm regnare cum Christo? Cyprian. de mortal.; where we shall be absolutely free from all spirituall seruitude, and shall reigne in glory for euer with Christ Iesus our head?
And surely strange it is to see here, asMornay of Life and Death. one well obserueth, how contrariwise we are in this kinde affected to our owne courses otherwise. For the labourer hasteth to repose himselfeJob. 7. 1, 2.; the mariner roweth with all might to gaine his [Page 18] port, and is glad at the heart when he is once come within kenning of it; the trauailer is neuer quiet till he be at his wayes end. And yet we tied in this world to a perpetuall taske, tossed as on the sea, with continuall tempest, toyled and tyred out with a tedious and combersome passage, can not see the end of our paines but with griefe, view our port but with teares, thinke on our home but with horror and dread: Seeme weary of our worke, of our waues, and our way; and yet when death commeth to rid vs of them, to set vs at an end of them, and to put vs into our port,ad Polyb. cap. 28. Iusto mors salut is portus. Ambros. de bon. mori. [...]. Plut. de tranquill. [...]. Sotades. In hoc tam procelloso & in oēs tempest ates exposito marl narigantibus, nullus portus nisi mortis est. Sen. we shun it as a rocke, and cannot endure the sight of itNemo sine querela moritur: quis non recusans, quis non gemens exit? Morney ibid. Sen. de benef. lib. 5. c. 17. Quis non, vbi mors prope accesserit, tergiversatur, tremit, plorat? Idē epist. 78.: do as litle children, that go crying out of some maladie all day, and at night when the medicine commeth that should heale and helpe them of their paine, or the Barber-Surgion that should pluck out the akingtooth, haue no griefe more now, but are wel enough without it; feare the meanes of ease more than the disease,: the medicine more than the maladie it self so we feare what we should wish for, and wis what we should feare; yea feare most and abhorre what we haue most cause to desire [...]. Plato apolog..
Oh but life is sweet, will some say: and man is a creature that loueth life [...] Aesop. fabul..
Do we loue life? let vs loue true life, loue eternall life, loue that life that is life indeed2. Tim. 6. 19. [...]. vel vt [...].. For this life is no life, but a death rather than life [...], Eurip. [...]. Plato Gorg.. It is no true life that yeeldeth to death, that tendeth to death, that [Page 19] endeth in deathGen. 5. 27.: that is true life, that is eternall: that is true life,Psal. 88. 48. that cannot be dissolued by deathHebr. 7. 16. [...]. If we desire such life then, let vs desire death: for there is no way to such life but by death2 Cor. 5. 1, 4. Quod interim morimur, ad immorialitatē morte transgredimur: nec potest vita aeterna succedere, nisi hi [...]c contigerit excire: [...] est exitus, sed trā situs, & temporali itinere decurso ad aterna trāsgressus. Cytrian. de mortal.
As a Christian man therefore hath no cause to feare or abhorre deathQuid ni non timeat, qui mori sperat? Sen. ep. 102., because it can neither bereaue him of spirituallMath. 22. 32., nor debarre him of eternall lifeApoc. 20. 6.: (he dieth not, though he dyeIoh. 8. 51, 52. & 11. 25, 26.: his death is no death:) so he hath great cause to loue and desire death, because it bringeth him to perfection of spirituall life1 Cor. 13. 10., it placeth him in possession of eternall lifeMath. 25. 46.. As he hath no cause to dread death, because it cannot seuer him from ChristRom. 8. 38, 39.: so he hath good cause to desire death, because it bringeth him home vnto Christ2. Cor. 5. 8.. And it is no death, but life, to be joyned vnto him; as it is no life, but death, to be seuered from himNon est mors sed vita, quae morientem Christo sociat: non est vita, sed mors, quae viuentē Christo separat. Ambr. 1. Tim. 5. 6.
Ʋse 3 Thirdly, this serueth to shew the efficacie and excellencie of faith: it maketh those things most cheerefull, most comfortable, most desirable, that are most dreadfull, & discomfortable, and terrible [...]. Arist. ethic. l. 3. c. 6. [...]. Epicur. ad Menaec. apud Laert. in themselues: it altereth cleane the nature of things: it maketh the world irkesome to Paul Galat. 6. 14., which all men naturally desire and delight in: it maketh death and dissolution desirable and delightsome vnto him, which all men naturally abhorre; insomuch that though they be weary of life, yet they are vnwilling to dye; though they haue no pleasure of their life, yet loath are they to leaue life, and to dye once, that they may liue euer. It is cleane contrary with Paul. His life is not deere to himAct. 20. 24.: and death is desired of him2. Cor. 5. 10.: yea so much desired, [Page 20] that he can hardly, but for others, induce himself to liue longerPhilip. 1. 22, 23, 24 Quod viuit, liberalitas est. Sē. ep.: it is as hard a matter to make him patient of life, as it is to make other men patient of deathPatienter viuit; delectabilitur moritur. Aug. in 1. Ioā. tract. 9.: it is a mastery with them to make them willing to dye; it is a masterie with him to make himselfe willing to liue. And surely a great matter it must needs be, that maketh a man dye cheerefully, not as one weary of life2. Cor. 5. 4., but as desirous of deathNet spe mortis patienter dolet, nec taedio doloris libenter moritur. hunc fert, illam expectat. Sen. epist. 98. Tam turpe putat mortem fugere, quàm ad mortem confugere. Ibid.; as desirous of death, as other men are of life, because in death and by death he looketh for lifeProv. 14. 32. Ʋse 4..
Fourthly, this should incite vs to the loue and desire of that, which we haue so good, so great cause to desireSapientis est totum in mortē prominere, hoc velle, hoc meditari, hac sempercupidine ferri. Plato apud Sen. ad Marc. cap. 23. Oi [...]. Plato Phaed.; For what should we desire rather than to be at rest, at an end of all our troubles and trauels; to be freed from the burden and bondage of sinne, from Satans assaults, from the present wicked world; to be rid of infirmitie; to be stript of our mortalitie; to be made perfectly gratious, and vnspeakably glorious; to be in ioy vnconceiuable, and in happinesse eternall; to be present with Christ, and for euer with God? This was the end of Christs descending, that we might ascendDescendit altissimus, & suo nobis descensu sis [...]uem ac sa!ubrem dedicauit ascensum. Bern. de temp. 66.: of his descending to vs, that we might ascend vnto him: he to misery, we to glory; he to be crucified, we to be crowned; he to be crucified for vs, we to be crowned with him. And if he were content to do the one, how much more we the other? If he counted it meat and drinke to do that for our goodIoh. 4. 34. Luk 12. 50. & 22. 15., how much more should we desire to do this for our own good? And indeed his descending cannot be beneficiall vnto vs, vnlesse we ascend vnto himAscendit qui descendit. descendit, vt sanaret te: ascē dit, vt leuaret te. Aug. de diners. 12.. That was the end of his descending: and that is the end [Page 21] of his ascending. As he descended, so he ascended that we might ascendEphes. 4. 9, 10.: he went into heauen before vs, to prepare a place for vsIoh. 14. 3., and to draw vs vp to himIoh. 12. 32., that we might reigne for euer with himApoc. 20. 6.. And shall we then be vnwilling to follow him to our eternall glory, to our endles good? Certainely with an euill will would wee accompanie him to the crosse, if we be so vnwilling to come after him to the crowne. Oh let vs rouse vp therefore our dull and drowsie spirits; let vs sharpen and whet on our affections and desires herevnto, that we may be willing to dye, that we may euen desire death. For, He liueth but euill, that cannot dye well Malè viuit, quisquis nescit bene mori. Sen. de tranquill. c. 11.. And, It is one point of well-dying, to be willing to dye Benè mori est libenter mori. Sen. epist. 61.. And no man dieth more willingly, than he that desireth death.
Now that we may (with this blessed seruant and Apostle of Christ) loue death and desire death, let vs so liue as we may not feare death. For how can a man desire what he feareth1. Ioh. 4. 18.? Wouldest thou therefore haue death to be not terrible and horrible, but desirable and delectable; not lamentable, but comfortable; not dreadfull, but cheerefull and delightfull vnto thee? (For it is not, neither can it so be vnto all, but vnto some onelyAd refrigerium iusti vocantur, ad supplicium rapiuntur iniusti. datur mors tutela fidentibus, perfidis poena. Cyprian. de mortal.; to those alone that are qualified so,Meanes 1. as our Apostle here was.)
Then first suffer not thy soule to be glewed to this world. For it is the loue of this life that maketh death bitterVna est catena quae nos alligatos tenet, amor vitae. Sen. ep. 26.. Therefore are so few content to be dissolued, beeause they are so wedded to the worldSic veteres inquilinos indulgentia loci & consuetudo; etiam inter iniurias detinet, Idē ep. 70.; whereas to a minde that loatheth and misliketh the world, nothing is so welcome as death, that taketh him out of the world.
[Page 22] Yea take heede that the good blessings that God here vouchsafeth thee, cleaue not too close to thee. For euen they are often vnto vs, as Absolom to Dauid 2. Sam. 15. 6., a meanes priuily to filch our affections from God, and to make vs more vnwilling to go hence vnto God. Let vs remember that these things, though good things, are but as rings and louetokens that God wooeth vs here withall. And as it were but an harlotry loue in vs, to affect the present more than the party that sendeth itMeretricius amor plus annulum quàm sponsum diligere. Aug. medit.; so an absurd and a preposterous thing, that Gods louetokens sent to vs, should lessen our loue to him, and make vs lesse desirous of the fruition of him. Which that therefore they may not do, we must take heede that our hearts be not set too much on them Psal. 62. 10.; that we vse them so that we do not abuse them 1. Cor. 7. 30, 31.; that we be not so desirous still to retaine them, that they make vs more vnwilling, parting with them, to depart to him that sent them, when he shall call vs to come to him. Let vs so possesse them, that they hang loose about vs: then when death commeth to strip vs of them, they will go off with ease, as we slip off our garments, when we lay vs downe to sleep. Otherwise if they cleaue to vs, we shall not part but with paine; as the shirt that sticketh fast to the vlcerous body, and pulleth skin and flesh away withall: as the tooth, that standeth fast in the head, commeth not out but with much difficultie, teareth the gum, or bringeth a peece of the jaw away with it; when the tooth that is loose, commeth out with ease.
Secondly,Meanes 2. hate sinne, and death will be delightfull vnto thee. It is the loue of their corruptions, [Page 23] that maketh men loth to leaue themJob. 20. 12, 13., and loath to appeare there, [...]. Clem. [...]l. strom. l. 5. where they must be called to account for them. The loue of sinne maketh men feare death: and the hatred of sinne would make men loue and desire death. For he that hateth sinne in himselfeRom. 7. 16, 17., cannot but desire to haue the bodie of sinne wholy abolished in his souleRom. 6. 6.: which, because it will last with him as long as he liuethEccles 7. 22., and will not be vtterly abandoned till death;1. Joh. 1. 8. therefore the more he hateth it,1. Knig. 8. 46. the lesse he loueth life; the more he abhorreth it, the more he desireth death. As the more impatient of sicknes, so the more impatient of sinne, the more desirous of deathRom. 7. 24..
Thirdly,Meanes 3. lay a good foundation for life eternall 1. Tim. 6. 19.. Labour to keepe a good conscience, and the comfort of a good conscience2. Cor. 1. 12. & 5. 8, 9., and death shall not be dreadfull but cheerefull vnto thee. For the godly hath hope euen in death Prou. 14. 32.. The worldly man hath his hope, as his happinesse, in this life Psal. 17. 14. alone. And therefore so long as life lasteth, some sory hope he may haueDum spirat sperat. Eccles. 9. 4. Aegroto dum aīa est, spes esse dicitur. Cic ad Attic. lib. 9. ep. 12. But when he dieth, his hope dieth with him Prou. 11.7. & 10.18. [...] Theocr. idyll. [...] Eurip. Troad.. And therefore iustly feareth he death, that putteth a finall end, as to his happinesse, so to his hopes. Whereas the godly man retaineth his hopes, euen when life decayethProv. 14. 32. Dū expirat, sperat. therefore iustly rifest then with him, because he approcheth then neerest to the accomplishment of them. And therefore litle reason hath he to feare or abhor death, much cause to affect it, and cheerefully to expect it? For he that is in the state of grace and life, cannot be put beside it, or depriued of it by deathIoh 5. 24.. And he may well cheerefully expect,Rom. 8. 37, 38. and euen with triumph entertaine [Page 24] death1. Cor. 15. 55, 57. 2. Tim. 4. 7., that is to receiue and enioy a crowne of eternall life after death2. Tim. 4. 8. Apoc. 2. 10.. That therefore we may be confident in these our desires, in coueting to remoue hence, that we may goe vnto God; let vs studie so to carry our selues, that both staying here, and remouing hence, we may be acceptable vnto him 2. Cor. 3. 8, 9..
Labour then for this:Meanes 4. yea labour not onely for it; but labour further, in the fourth place, to get assurance of it to thine owne soule2. Petr. 1. 10.. Labour (I say) to get assurance of Gods fauour in thy life, and thou shalt not neede to feare death1. Ioh. 3. 14, 19, 20, 21.. A man will neuer be afraid to go to God, if he know that in Christ he is reconciled vnto God2. Cor. 5.5.. He will neuer be afraid to lay downe this cotage of clay, if he be assured that he hath an eternall housing, not made with hands, reserued for him in the heauens 2. Cor. 5. 1, 2.. The want of the former, of the thing it selfe, maketh the vnfaithfull feare death; and not without cause; because they haue laid no foundation for life after death; and therefore when they dye, they dye irrecouerably, they dye eternally, they passe not from death to life, but from death to deathApoc. 20. 14, 15. & 20. 6., or from death to such a life, as is worse than any death, a dying life and a liuing deathMors sine morte: mors semper viuit: semper occidit, nanquam peroccidit. Greg. mor. l. 9. c. 38. & Beru. de cōsider. lib. 5.. The want of the latter, to wit, of the assurance of it, maketh euen many faithfull feare death; (though that without iust cause;) because, though they haue laid a sure foundation for life, and therefore cannot miscary, but must needs doe well in death; yet they want the comfort of it, because they do not apprehend it, because they are not assured of itMiser est beatitatcm qui nescit suam.: which maketh them therefore with feare to expect death, as a sergeant that came to [Page 25] arrest them, and to carry them away to hell; which, if they could consider of things aright, they had cause rather with great ioy to welcome, as Gods messenger,Meanes 5. sent to conueigh them hence to heauen.
Fiftly, learne to dye whiles thou liuest; learne to dye before death1. Cor. 15. 31. Mortē, dum adbnc viueres, imitatus, Ambr d: bon. mort. Egrogia res est mortem condiscere. Sen. epist. 26.. Forecast thine endDeut. 32 19. Nulla res magis proderit, quàm cogitatio mortalitatis. Sen. de [...]ra. l. 3. c 42. Nullius rei melitatio tam necessaria est. L [...]em ep. 70. thinke oft on itMeditare mortem. Qui hoc d [...]cit, medi [...]ari libertalē iubet. Idē. ep. 26.; fit thy selfe for it; that though it come neuer so soone, neuer so sodainly, it may not surprise thee vnawares, it may not finde thee vnfitted. He can not dye with alacritie, he can not in holy manner desire death, that hath not fitted himself for death, that hath not before hand seriously thought on his end, and addressed himselfe thereuntoMortē nemo hilaris excipit, nisi qui se ad ill [...]m di [...] compusuerat. Sen. epist. 10.. Therefore men feare it, because they are not prepared for it: therefore they dread it, because it commeth ere they expected itI [...]pectata plus aggrauant. no vitas adijcst calamitatibus pondus. noc quisquam mor: aliū non magis, qu [...]d etiam miratus est, doluit. Ideò nihil nobis im; r [...]uisum esse debet. In [...] p emittendus est animus. Sen. ep. 91.. As thou art wont therefore ere sleepe come vpon thee, to compose thy selfe vnto rest, by stripping thy selfe, lying downe in or on thy bed, drawing the curtaines about thee, closing thine eyes, acting sleepe as it were, before thou sleepest: So endeuor daily, before death seize on thee, to compose and addresse thy selfe vnto deathCompo [...]e te ad diem illū. [...] ep. 26., by the serious meditation of thine vnauoydable end, as most certainely not farre ofDehemus animo pr [...]meditari, qu d aliquand [...] sut [...]ri sum [...], & quod, velimus nelimus, abesse longius non potest. Hierō. cpitaph Nepo [...]., so vncertaine how neere, by labouring to work out of thy minde such secular, carnall, or satanicall conceits, as may bring thee out of loue with it, and by striuing to bring thy selfe acquainted with it, yea to worke thine heart to a loue and a liking of it, that when it commeth, [Page 26] thou maist entertaine it, neither as a foe, nor as a meere stranger, but as a wonted guest, as an ancient acquaintance, as a familiar frendEffice mortē tibi cogitatione familiarem, vt possis, vbi fors tulerit, illi (laetus & alacer) obuiam exire. Sē. ep. It is a matter, as of much consequence, for the furtherance of a cheerefull departure, so of great difficultie, not so soone atchieued, not so easily learned,Magna res est, & diu discenda, cum adventat hora illa inevitabilis, aequ [...] animo exire. Sen. epist. 30. as many men imagine: yea it is that, that we may well all our life long be a learning;Viuere totae vita discendum est; & quod magis fortasse miraberis, tota vita discendū est mori. Sen. de brev. vitae. cap. 7. since it is, or ought to be the maine ayme of euery mans whole life, to prepare and fit him for deathPrimus Pythagoras dixit Philosophiam esse meditationē mortis, quotidie de carcere corporis nitentem edu [...]er [...] animae libertatem. Hi [...]ron. c [...]nt. Ruffi [...]. Philosophiā esse. Socrates apud Clem. strom. l. 5. Plato apud Plut. de plac. philos. Oi [...]. Plato Phaedon. Platonis sententia est, omnem sapientum vitam meditationem esse mortis. Hieron. epit. Nep [...]t. Plato Philosophiam meditationem mortis esse dixit: Idem epit. Marcel. Philosophum nihil op [...]rtet sic agere, quam vt animum semper studeat consortio corporis separare, & ideò e [...]istimandum, philosophiam esse mortis affectum, (conatum Hieron.) consuetudinem (que) moriendi. Apul. de philos..
Sixtly and lastly, when thou lookest towards death, looke withall euer further than it. When thou meditatest on death, meditate withall on those benefits that shall accrue vnto thee by death. Oh could we see them, as Paul did, when he was rapt into the third heauen2. Cor. 12. 4.: we would neuer be well, vntill we were there. Nay, could we see but some glimpse, as those three Disciples didMatth. 17. 3., of that glory; we would neuer lin longing till we were entred or entring into it. But this since we cannot hope for, till we come there; let vs labour with Moses the meane while, with the spirituall eye of the soule, with the eye of faith and meditation, to see him that cannot be seene Hebr. 11. 27.; yea to see that, that cannot be seene Hebr. 11. 26.; to see that with the spirituall eye, that cannot be seene with the naturall eye: with our Apostle, to looke not on the things that are seene, [Page 27] but on the things that are not seene 2. Cor. 4. 18.: not consider death as it sheweth it selfe to the eye of flesh and blood, and as it is in it owne nature, as an enemie to man, as a punishment of sinneGen. 2. 17. Rom. 5 12. & 6. 23.; but as it is manifested to the eye of faith out of Gods word, as it is now altred and changed through Gods mercy in Christ, as a great benefit, as a blessing, as the messenger of GodLex est, [...] poena perire. Sen. epigr. 7. Vltimum diem, nō quasi poenam, s [...]d naturae legem aspicis. Idem ad Helv. Mors naturae finis est, non poena. Cic. pr [...] Milon. & Sen. suasor. 7. imò nec finis, nec poena bonis.; as Gods messenger, I say, for the good, yea for the endlesse good of all those that belong vnto God. Open the eye of thy soule to looke not vpon it, but beyond it. Muse oft vpon the happinesse that shall ensue vpon it, and cannot be attained but by it. That will make thee desire death, though not for it selfe, yet for it [...]. Plato in Phaedon.; yea it will make thee euen in loue with death, if thou beest in loue with it; since thou canst not but by death attaine vnto it.
Fiftly, this helpeth to confute certaine erroneous conceits.
First, the popish opinion of Purgatorie. For what cause or reason should Christian men haue to desire death, if they were to goe to such a place after death? to passe not from paine to ease and rest, but from paine to paine, from lesser paines to greater paines;Ʋse 5. to greater torments after death, then euer they did or could endure in this lifeConstat enim poenas Purgatorij esse atr [...] cissimas, & eti illes nullas poenas huius vitae comparandas. Bellarm. de purg l. 2. c. 14.: not to goe vnto Christ, bnt to goe further from Christ; not to conuerse with him immediatly after death, but to be depriued of those meanes, whereby they had spirituall society with him, and did comfortably enioy him by his spirit here vpon earth. A meere dotage of mans idle braine, hauing no shadow [Page 28] of ground or warrant out of Gods word, teaching the Saints of God to expect after death wo and paine and hell, where the Spirit promiseth nothing but life 2. Tim. 4. 8., rest Luk. 16. 25., ioy Math. 25. 23., and heauen Luk 16. 22. & 23. 43. 2. Cor. 12. 2, 4..
Secondly,Apoc. 2. 10. it confuteth likewise another vnsound assertion,Ioh. 5. 24. & 11. 25. to wit, of those that denie vnto the soules of the Saints deceassed entrance into heau'n,Apoc. 14. 13. and accesse vnto the presence of Christ,Esai. 35. 10. vntill the last day. This erroneous conceit was of old broached by Irenaeus In lib. 5. aduers., and was of late againe reviued by Pope Iohn 22Guil. Ockam in oper. 93. dierum. & Adrian. in 4. dist.. But was then opposed by the most of his Cardinals, Valent. cap. vl [...]. Sed & Tertull. idē habet adv. Marc. l. 4. & in lib. de anim [...] prope finem. and confuted by the Diuines of the Uniuersitie of Paris, and the Pope himselfe (as some write) constrained by Philip the Faire, then King of France, publikely to recant itErasm. in prefat. ad Iren. Gillius Annal. Franc. tom. 2. & Gag [...]in. l. 8.; as also Benedict 12. his next successor, solemnly condemned itIn Extra. Bened. Deus. Vise Al [...]ns. de Castr [...] cont. haeres. l. 3. Beatitud [...]..
And it is a point indeede directly contrary to the promise of Christ,7. & Io.. Gerson in serm de Pasch. and to the Desires of the Saints.
To the promise of Christ made to the Theife on the Crosse; This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Luk. 23. 43.: which Paradise this our Apostle expoundeth to be the third Heauen 2. Cor. 12. 2, 4., the present place of Christs residence and abodeAct. 5. 21..
To the Desires of Gods Saints; this our Apopostle, and others, as well here, as else-where, who desire to remoue hence, that they may goe thither to Christ2. Cor. 5. 6, 8.. But in vaine should they desire for that end to remoue hence, if when hence they departed, they should not go to christ, but wait without, I wot not where, secluded from all accesse to him, and [Page 29] from the sight of him. So that of necessitie either we must shut Christ himselfe out of heauen, or else we must admit the soules of the Saints, who by direction of the Spirit of God (which cannot mis-informe them, either delude or deceiue them,) desire therefore to be dissolued, that they may goe immediately to be and abide with him where he is.
Lastly, it teacheth vs not to mourne excessiuely for the deceassed1. Thess. 4. 13.. For how can we desire to goe after them, if we mourne for them, as if some euill had befallen them? or what cause haue we to bewaile them, that are therefore happier than vs, because they are gone thither before vsPremissi, non amissi: praecesserunt, nō decesserūt. Aug. epist. 6. & 120. & de diuers. 43. abijt, non obijt. Ambr. de Theodos. Quem putas perisse, pramissus est. Quid autem dementius, quàm cum idem tibi iter emetiendū sit, flere cum qui antecessie? Sē ep. 99. dimisimꝰ illos, imò cōsecuturi praemisimus. Idem ad Marc. c. 19. Cogitemus cito n [...]s eb perventuros, quo illum per venisse moeremus. quem patamus perisse, praemissus est. Idem. ep. [...] 3. Non est lugendus qui antecedit, sed desiderandus. id quique desiderium patientia temperā dum. cur enim imm [...]deratè feras abisse, quē mox subsequeris? Tertul [...] de patient. Nō sunt lugendi fratres nostri accersione dominiea deseculo liberati, cum sciamus eos non amitii sed praemitti, recedentes praecedere: vt proficis [...]ētes & nauigā tes desiderari [...] deberi non plangi. Cyprian. de mortal., whither we must once follow them, and can neuer be fully happy here, vntill we be there with them? Rather; are they gone before vs, that were neere and deere vnto vs? Let their departure from vs, that were so much affected of vs, be a meanes to draw our affections more to the place whither they are gone before vs; and to those courses, whereby we may be partakers with them, as in the grace of God here, so in glory hereafter.
Quae Lipsius sic vertit.