Greenham - Houston-Packer Collection BX9315 .G82 1601

q.66 Ofthe `Refi?rreîiion. fulnefe ofdayes, aregathered in their due time into the Lordhis battle, as a rickeof Borne. Then they hailingfoughtagood battaite, runnetheir full race, andke tatrue faith, canwith ioy in Chrift looke forthecrowne ofgloriewhich is preparedfo r them. To this holfome meditation and fore-thinking of death , the daily mortalitie and dropping away of others ought to [titrevs vp. For weefee many round about vsof the fame complexions, of the fame age that wee are of, breathing of the fame aire, 'vfing thefaine diet whichwedoe, who goebefore vs, andaregleaned from tholemifera- ble calamities, whichour longcontempt ofthe word bath threatnedtofall vponvs. Let Simile. vs labourthen to lay vp our flefh in hope that our departure from hence, may¢e as the faylingouer the Seas ; as the trauailingof a woman; as a deliuerieout of prifon,'and a returningfrom exile. Certainely a man is neuer more tried to bèe aClirifian, then in The deathof contemningdeath r for heretikes concerningother things, mayhaue asgreatgifts as o- beretikes. therprofefòurs, But in death theywi11bewray their hypocrifie , either inmurmuring as Note » dogs,or in vnfen1ibienei1 asbiocks.But in Chriftians thereappeared)fuchanheroical! ,, alacritie, tempered with fogratious.lmmilitie,that theydelire not toliue,but tokeepe a, r, good confcience;they refuteMatto dlefor nothing, butfor hopeof amore happie inbe- s, ritance. Itmaybe, thatothers, asWeelaid, may fhew fomecheerefull countenanceto " die, but it either proceedcthoffomephrenfevnaduifedly, or ofrafhnefèefpecially, or as ofnut/Metre carelefly. . Neither would Ihaue any to accelerate their death, or to reade me as fome ha= read Plato, that thereby they fhould flatten the time of their deliverance; but that wee fhould learue, when God lothbecke for vs, wee fhould bee roadie Coremoue; and, that for none other caufes, but for faith, and in hope of Gods promifes ; afull feeling of our finnes difcbarged; a fure confidenceof God his power in railiing vs. vp againe ; anda ltedfàft hopeofa moreglorious polfeflion after this life. By theremeans we (hallfo relit in the hands of God, that whennature decayeth, we (hall baneour de- parture with calmnes, and inagood time (hallthrough a naturall ripenes rather vo- luntarily fall offthen violently be pulled off. Whereforewe fee that thisrafh and vn- difcrect delireofdeath,.is either inminds, that are abieLt, orin men,in wholefefh their fpirits are alreadie buried : as alto that thetriumph ofthegodly proceeded)fromhence, euen a fullafurance, that ltce`which railed them vp emery morningwill raife them in the laßt day; and that he which railed Chrift their head, will alto mile them his mein_ bers. This is thatwhich will Rayallquiuering of theHell, wherewith many are fobe- nurnnsed,that they cannotwithgladnesdrinke of chatcupwhereunto the Lord allotted thenl.Ifeuer this doehrineofthe refurre&ion was needeful,it is now adayes moltneede- fal,wherein wickedheretikeswould depriuevs ofthecomfort ofiólt wil notferue in the timeof temptation,whetherit come immediately fromthe diuel,or mediatelybyhis in- Theimplieit ftruments,toref in ourinfolded faith with the papifts,or tofay webeleeueasit is in the PAW, creed,webelceueas the Church beleeueth.Butto 'cane thediuelhimfelfe,hehathlabor- cateotbel a nedfilch priuieand treacherous aduerfaries of this doetrine, as with impudent faces will agree with vs in matter, and inword will graunt the refurre&ion; andyet fhift tJereticallopi away in their manner, and in fenfe and truth blafpliemoufly deny the power of the Momcomer- lame. Thus Hymineus and Phlletus would not flatly deny the refurre&ion, nay Piing tberefire- they wouldgraune it, but how? they laid it was pall. Thuscunningly Satanwould rettmn. ' ouerthrow the manner ofthe refurredion, by permitting them to dally in the matter. Againe, (hall we thinke that the Sadduces did generally refill it? no: they had their falle glofès, and their forced interpretations, with whom Satan in pollrcte would pretend a maintayning ofthat,which inpurpofehefought to mangle andmarre. The plülofophers had many glancing and glorious fpeeches of the immortalitieof the finale ; but when they cameto this poynt, concerning the riling againof the flefh, nothingwas moreridiculous and incredible vnto them. In fo much that many of them, ofthe Epicures and Stoikes, mocked Paul difputing ofthis matter, and laid, Whatwill this babblerfay, as wee may reade Aét.r7.18. Andwhenhefpakeofthe refrer- re£lionfrom the dead, foremocked, and others . faid,.wewill hears thee opineofthis thing. Surely

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=