Thrēnoikos the house of mourning furnished with directions for the hour of death ... delivered in LIII sermons preached at the funerals of divers faithfull servants of Christ / by Daniel Featly, Martin Day, John Preston, Ri. Houldsworth, Richard Sibbs, Thomas Taylor, doctors in divinity, Thomas Fuller and other reverend divines.

Vox Coeli. OR THE DEADS HERAULD.

SERMON XLV.

APOC. 14.13.

And I heard a voyce from Heaven, saying unto me, write, blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, from henceforth, &c.

VBi Vulnus, ibi manus; From whence we took our Wound, from thence we receive the Cure: a voice from Heaven struck all the living dead, saying, All flesh is grass, * 1.1 and the glory or goodliness of it, is as the flower of the field, The grass withereth, &c. But here a voice from Heaven maketh all whole again, and re∣presenteth all the dead in the Lord living; yea, and flourishing too, saying, Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord. To give a touch at the Wound, that the smart thereof may make the sense of the cure more de∣lightful: * 1.2 Omnis caro foenum, & omnis homo flos, All flesh is grass, and every man is a flower. There is difference in grass, some is longer, and some is shorter; so some men are longer lived, some shorter; some grass shooteth up with one leaf, some with three, some with five, or more: so some men have more in their Retinue, some fewer, some none at all. Some grass withereth before it is cut, as the grass on the house-top; some is cut before it withereth, as the grass of the field: so some men decay before the Sythe of Death cuts them; all other after.

Likewise, there is a great difference among flowers.

1. Some are for sight only, not for the smell, or any vertue in medicines; as Tulips, Emims, and Crown Emperials.

2. Some for sight and smell, but of no use in Medicines; as Sweet-williams, the painted Lady, and July-flowers generally.

3. Some are both for sight and smell, and of singular use in Medicines, as Roses and Violets. So some men are of better parts, and greater use in the Church and Common-wealth, others of less. Some flowers grow in the field, some in the gar∣den: so some mens lives and imployments are publike, others private. Some flowers are put in Posies, some in Garlands, some are cast into the Still: so some men are better preferred them others, and some live and die in obscurity.

Lastly, some flowers presently lose their colour and scent, as the Narcissus; some keep them both long, as the red Rose: So some men continue longer in their bloom, grace and favour; others for a short time, but all-fade, and within a while are either gathered, cut down, or withered of themselves and die. And for this rea∣son it is as I conceived, that we stick hearbs and flowers on the Hearse of the dead, to signifie, that as we commit earth to earth, and ashes to ashes; so we put grass to grass and flowers to flowers. For, omnis caro foenum, All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness, thereof as the flower of the field, the grass withereth, and the flower fadeth away; But the comfort is in that which followeth; But the word of the Lord endureth for ever, and this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you; Whereof this verse which I have read unto you for my Text, is part.

Which Saint John inferreth as a conclusion or corrolary upon the conclusion of the Saints and Martyrs lives, this conclusion is inferred upon two premises.

• 1 The end of their labours.
• 2 The reward of their work.

The Syllogisme may be thus formed.

• All they who are come to an end of their labour, and have received liberally for their work, or are paid well for their pains, are happy:
• But all the dead that die in the Lord, are come to an end of their labour, for they rests rom their labours, and receive liberally, for their works follow them.
• Ergo, all the dead that die in the Lord are happy.

As in other Texts, so in this we may borrow much light from the occasion of the speech which here was this; Saint John having related in a vision a fearful persecuti∣on to falt in the latter times, * 1.3 whereby the earth should be reaped, and the Saints mowen like grass, and true beleevers like grapes pressed in such sort, that their blood should come out of the wine-press, * 1.4 even to the horse bellies, breaketh into an Epiphonema, verse. 12. here is the patience of the Saints; that is, here is matter for their patience, and faith to work upon: Here is their patience, to endure for Gods cause, whatsoever man or divel can inflict upon them: to part with any limb for their head Christ Je∣sus, gladly to forfeit their estates on earth for a crown in heaven: chearfully to lose their lives in this vail of tears, that they may find them in the rivers of pleasures that spring at Gods right hand for evermore. Here is work for their faith also, to see heaven, as it were, through hell; eternal life in present death, to beleeve that God numbreth every hair of their head, and that every tear they shed for his sake shall be turned into a pearl, every drop of blood into a Ruby to be set in their crown of glory. To confirme both their faith, and patience Christ proclaimeth from heaven, that howso∣ever in their life they seemed miserable; yet in their death they shall be most blessed, and that the worst their enemies can do, is to put them in present possession of their happiness; Blessed are the dead, &c. So saith the spirit, whatsoever the flesh saith to the contrary.

Here we have

• 1. A proposition, De fide, of faith.
• 2. A Deposition, or testimony of the spirit.

• A Proposition of the happy estate of the dead.
• A deposition of the holy Ghost to confirm our faith therein.

• 1. Saint John sets down his relation.
• 2. A most comfortable assertion.
• 3. A most strong confirmation.

The relation strange, * 1.5

The assertion as strange, * 1.6 of a possession without an owner; a blessed estate of them, who according to the Scripture phrase, are said not to be.

The Confirmation as strange as either, * 1.7 by an audible testimony of an invisible wit∣ness; So saith the spirit.

* 1.8

Or because this asseveration concerning the condition of the Saints departed, is propositio necessaria (as the Schools speak) we will cloath the members of the division with terms apodictical, and in this verse observe,

• 1. A conclusion sientifical, whereof the parts are.
  • 1. The subject indefinite, mortui, the dead.
  • 2. The attribute absolute, beati, blessed.
  • 3. The cause, propter quam, the Lord, or dying in the Lord.
• 2. The proof demonstrative, and that two-fold.

• 1. A priori.
  • 1. By a heavenly oracle, I heard a voyce, &c.
  • 2. A divine testimony, So saith the spirit.
• 2. A Posteriori, by arguments drawn.

• 1. From their cessation from their work, They rest from their labours.
• 2. Their remuneration for their works, Their works follow them.

Where the matter is pretious, a decision of the least quantity is a great loss: and therefore (as the spie of nature observeth) the Jewellers will not rub out a small clowd, or speck, in an orient Ruby, because the lessening the substance will more dis∣advantage them, then the fetching out of the spot advance them in the sale; Neither will the Alcumists lose a drop of quintessence; * 1.9 nor the Apothecaries a grain of Bezar, nor an exact Commentatour upon holy Scriptures any syllables of a voyce from hea∣ven, the eccho whereof is more melodious to the soul, then any consort of most tune∣able voyces upon earth can be. In which regard I hold it fit to relinquish my for∣mer divisions, and insist upon each word of this verse (as a Bee sitteth upon each par∣ticular flower) that we may not lose any drop of doctrins sweeter then the honey, and the honey comb, any lease of the tree of life, any dust of the gold of Ophir.

1. J: there were three men in holy Scripture termed Jedidiah, that is, Beloved of God; Solomon, Daniel, and Saint John the Evangelist: and to all these God made known the secrets of his Kingdome by special revelation, and their prophecies are for the most part of a mystical interpretation. This Revelation was given to John, when he was in the spirit upon the Lords day; and if we religiously observe the Lords day, and then be in the spirit as he was, giving our selves wholly to the contemplation of Divine mysteries: we shall also hear voyces from heaven in our souls and consci∣ences.

Heard, with what ears could Saint John hear this voyce, sith he was in a spiritual rapture, which usually shutteth up all the doors of the sences? I answer, that as

spirits have tongues to speak withall, whereof we read 1 Cor. 13.1. Though I speak with the tongues of men and Angels: so they have ears to hear one another, that is a spiritual faculty answerable to our bodily sense of hearing. The Apostle saith of himself, * 1.10 that he was in the spirit; and as he was in the spirit, so he saw in the spirit, and heard in the spirit, and spake in the spirit, and moved in the spirit, and did all those things which are recorded in this Book. When Saint Paul was wrap'd up into the third Heaven, and heard there words that cannot be uttered, and saw things which cannot be represented with the eye; he truly and really apprehended those objects, yet not with carnal, but spiritual sences, wherewith Saint John heard this voyce.

A voyce from Heaven. The Pythagoreans taught, that the Coelestial sphears by the regular motions, produced harmonious sounds: and the Psalmist teacheth us, that the Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his handy work, and that there is no speech nor language where their voyce is not heard; but that was the voyce of Heaven it self, demonstrately proving, and after a sort proclaiming the Majesty of the Creatour. But this is vox de coelo, a voyce from Heaven pro∣nounced by God himself, * 1.11 or formed by an Angel; so Gasper Melo expresly teacheth us. * 1.12 Saint John heard a voyce, not sounding out wardly, but inwardly framed by that Angel, who revealed unto him the whole Apocalypse.

Saint John here heard a voyce from Heaven commanding him to Write; and Saint Austin heard a voyce from Heaven commanding him to Read, Tolle lege; and most requisite it is, that where Heaven speaks, the earth should hear, and where God writes, that man should read. There never yet came any voyce from Heaven, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 did not much import and concern the earth to hear. The first voyce that came from Heaven, was heard on Mount Sinai; and it was to confirm the Law to be of divine authority, and establish our faith in God the Creator. A second voyce from Heaven we hear of in Saint Peter on the holy Mount, when the Apostles were there with Christ, and it was to confirm the Gospel, and to establish our faith in Christ the Redeemer. A third voyce, (or sound) was heard from Heaven in the upper room, * 1.13 where Christs Apostles were assembled in the day of Pentecost, and it was to confirme our faith in the holy Ghost the Comforter. * 1.14 A fourth voyce that came from Heaven, was heard by Saint Peter in a vision, and it was to confirme our faith in the Catholike Church, and the Commu∣nion of Saints, * 1.15 and the incorporating both Jewes, and Gentiles in one mystical body. Lastly, a voyce was heard from Heaven by Saint John in this place, to establish our faith in the last Article of the Creed, concerning the happiness of the dead, and the glorious estate of the Tryumphant Church, and the life of the World to come. If we de∣sire to be informed concerning the affaires of the Abissens, * 1.16 or those of China, Sumatra, or Japan; we confer with those that are of the same Country, or have travelled into those parts: and for the like reason, if we desire to be instructed concerning the state and condition of the Citizens of the Heavenly Jerusalem; their insinite number, their excellent order, their singular priviledges, their everlasting joyes, their feasts, their robes, their palmes, their thrones, their crowns; we must enquire of them who either are inhabitants there, or have brought us news from thence; nothing but a voyce from Heaven can enforce our assent to these heavenly mysteries.

Now as all words of Kings are of great authority, but specially their Edicts and Proclamations; so all voyces from Heaven are highly to be regarded and religiously obeyed, but especially Decrees and Statutes which are commanded by the authority of the high Court of Heaven, to be written for perpetuity; such as this is, in my Text, I heard a voyce from Heaven, saying

Write, * 1.17 with a Pen of Diamond, in letters never to be oblitrated, write it so that it may be read of men in all succeeding Ages, even to the last man that shall stand upon the earth. Here I cannot sufficiently admire the boldness of Cardinal Bellarmine, who to disparage the necessity of holy Scripture, and cry up unwritten traditions, which are the best evidence he can produce for his new Trent Creed; blusheth not to publish it to the World in print, that the Apostles and Evangelists had no com∣mand from God to write their Gospels or Epistles, but that they wrote upon the en∣treaty

of some friends, * 1.18 or some emergent occasious. Were there no other Text in all the holy Scriptures but this, nor word in this Text but this one, Write, it were alone sufficient to convince him of gross ignorance, if not rather giving the lie to his own knowledge. But yet farther, rather to confound him with shame, then con∣vince him with evidence; doth not the Apostle affirme in general of the whole Scrip∣ture, that it is given by Divine inspiration? and what is inspiring but a kind of dictating to all the Pen-men of the holy Ghost? and doth not he that dictateth to a∣nother, both tell him what he shall write, and bid him write it? Besidesin the 1 of the Apocalypse, * 1.19 vers. 10, 11. Saint John heard a great voyce as of a trumpet, saying; I am Alpha, and Omega, the first and the last, and what thou seest write in a Book. Thirdly, besides the general command of committing the whole Word of God to writing, and a special mandate for the writing the Apocolypse, we have a singular precept for the writing the precise words of this Text; * 1.20 and must not that needs be thrice worthy our observation, which is written by a threefold command? and what is that?

Blessed are the dead, If the dead are blessed, the dead are, for an argument a terito adjacente ad secundum, ever holdeth if the tearms be taken in the proper sence. The Metaphisicks demonstrate, non ent is nullus esse affectiones, that such things as have no existence, have no qualities nor real attributes: but blessedness is here attributed to the dead, the dead therefore are. And the Philosopher who being demanded whether the li∣ving or the dead were more in number? answered, that doubtless the living, quia mortui ne sunt quiedm, because the dead were not to be reckoned upon, in regard now they are not at all, spake without book, and uttered that which is most false, as we learn from the mouth of Truth himself; who not only affirmeth that the dead are, but that they are also living, though dead to this World, yet not to the World, yet not to the World to come; * 1.21 dead to men, but not dead to God, have ye not read saith our Sa∣viour, what is spoken unto you by God, saying; I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, God is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him? * 1.22 but are all the dead blessed? the Text answereth, all the dead that die in the Lord; That die in the Lord? Yea, but you will say, those that are already dead, cannot die, what then is the meaning of this phrase, the dead that die in the Lord? Saint Ambrose answereth, he that is dead already cannot die in the same sence that he is dead, but he that is already dead in one sence, may be said to die in ano∣ther; he that is dead to the World, as all the regenerated who have mortified the deeds of the flesh, may afterwards die to the body, and so die in the Lord, that is, breath out his soul into the hands of the Lord. This is sound Divinity, and a true propo∣sition, * 1.23 but no true exposition of this place; in which the latter seemeth to be a limitation of the former: as God is near to all that call upon him, yea, all that call upon him faithfully; so here, blessed are the dead, what all dead howsoever they die? no, but all that die in the Lord.

There is much variety, among the interpreters about the interpretation of this phrase, to die in the Lord. Some will have the meaning thereof, to be those that die for the Christian faith, and seal the truth thereof with their bloud. And they alleage for themselues, first parallel texts of Scripture, wherein the preposition in, is put for pro: for as Gen. 18.13. Omnes in te benedicentur, all Nations shall be blessed in thee, that is for thee, and in thy seed, that is, for thy seed; and Gen. 28.18. servivi Berachel, word for word, I served in Rachel, that is for Rachel. Next they alleage the antecedents, together with the occasion of these words verse 12. here is the pa∣tience of the Saints, here are they that keep the commandements of God, and the faith of Jesus Christ: and truly the main scope of the Text seemeth to be, to arm the god∣ly with patience, and to encourage them to fight against the Beast, upon whom be∣fore God execute vengeance, if it so fall out that many of Gods faithfull servants loose their lives: Yet that none should be dismayed therewith, because all that so die are blessed, for they exchange a temporal life in this World, for an eternal in ano∣ther. Thirdly say they, it cannot be well conceived how any can die, in Domino, in the Lord, who is the Lord of life, if we take the preposition in the proper sence: for though in the natural body a member may be cut off and die, the head being alive;

yet it is not so in the mystical body of Christ, no true Member thereof can be cut off, much less die, while it continues in that body, by dying in the Lord, therefore we must understand dying for the Lord, so they.

Others will have the words not to be restrained to Martyrs only, but to belong to all that die in the fear of God, and the faith of Christ. And they alledg for themselves also a parallel Text; * 1.24 1 Cor. 15.18. where to fall a sleep in the Lord, is spoken gene∣rally of all true believers departing this life. Besides Saint Bernard and other of the Ancients apparantly distinguish these phrases, mori in Domino, & mori propter Do∣minum, to die in the Lord, and to die for the Lord: mori pro Domino martyrum est, mori in Domino omnium confessorum, si beati qui in Domino moriuntur, quanto magis qui pro Domino moriuntur? to die for the Lord is the glory of martyrs, but to die in the Lord, the glory of all Confessors: if they are happy who die in the Lord, how much more they that die for the Lord? Thirdly, the reward here promised is common to all believers, and not peculiar to the Martyrs: for all true believers when they die rest from their labours, * 1.25 and their works follow them. If the Spirit had meant Martyrs only, he would rather have said, they have ease from their torments, then rest from their la∣bours, and their trophies and victories follow them. All that die for the Lord, die also in the Lord; but all that die in the Lord, do not necessarily die for the Lord: we deny not that the Martyrs have the greatest share in this blessedness, but all Con∣fessors have their parts also: the Martyrs Crown is beset with a Rubie or some richer jewel then ordinary, their Garland hath a flower or two more in it, to wit some red flower as well as white; yet the Crown and Garland of all Confessors are compleat. And therefore not only Beda, and Bernard, and Richardus, and Andre∣us, and Primasius, and Haymo, and Ansbertus, and Ioachimus, but also the Greek, and the Roman, * 1.26 Church; yea, and the reformed also understand these words, of all that die in Gods favour: for they read these words at the Funerals of all the dead, and not only at the Funeralls of Martyrs. Yea, but how can any be said to die in the Lord, that is continuing his Member, sith Christ hath no dead Members? I answer that the faithful die not in the Lord in that sense in which they live in him; but 〈◊〉〈◊〉∣ther, they die not spiritually, nor cease to be his mystical Members; but naturally, that is, they continuing in Christs faith and love, breath out their souls, and so fall asleep in his bosome, or die in his love, laying hold of him by faith, and relying on him by hope, and embracing him by charity. All they die in the Lord, who die in the act of contrition, as Saint Austin, who reading the penetential Psalms with many tears, breathed out his last gasp, sighing for his sins. Or in the act of charity as Saint Jerome, who in a most fervent, or vehement exhortation to the love of God, gave up the Ghost. Or in the act of Religion, as Saint Ambrose, who after he had received the blessed Sacrament, in a heavenly rapture, and a holy parley with Christ, left the body. Or in the act of Devotion as Aquinas, who lifting up his eyes and hands to heaven, pronouncing with a loud voyce those words of the Spouse in the Canticles, Come my beloved, let us go forth, went out of this world. Or in the Act of gratulation, and thanks-giving, as Petrus Celestinus, who repeating that last verse of the last Psalm, Omnis spiritus laudet Dominum, Let every breath, or every one that hath breath, praise the Lord, breathed out his soul. Or in an Act of divine contemplation, as Ger∣son that famous Chancellor of Paris, who having explicated fifty properties of di∣vine love, concluded both his Treatise, and his life with fortis ut mors dilectio, Love is strong as death. To kint up all, six sorts of men may lay just claim to the blessedness in my Text.

First Martyrs, for they die in the Lord, because they die in his quarrel.

Secondly, Confessors, for they die in the Lord, because they die in his faith, and in the confession of his name.

Thirdly, all they that love Christ, and are beloved of him, for they die in the Lord, because they die in his bosome, and embracings.

Fourthly, all truly penitent sinners, for they die in the Lord, because they die in his peace.

Fifthly, all they who are engrafted into Christ by a special faith, and persevere in him to the end, for they die in the Lord, because they die in his communion, as being members of his mystical body.

Lastly, * 1.27 all they that die, calling upon the Lord, or otherwise make a godly end, for they die in the Lord, because they die in the works of the Lord, and happy is that ser∣vant whom his Master when he cometh shall find so doing.

From hence-forth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Beza and some other render the word in the original perfectly, because the dead obtain the blessedness they hoped for; but this Exposition cannot stand, unless we restrain this blessedness to the soul. For the persect and con∣summate happiness of all that die in the Lord, consisteth in the glorisication of their bodies and souls, * 1.28 when they shall see God face to face, and the beams of his counte∣nance directly falling upon the soul, shall reflect also upon the body: and most true it is which Paraus observeth, * 1.29 the deads blessedness, far exceeds the blessedness of the living; for here we have but the first fruits of happiness, but in heaven we shall have the whole lump: here we hunger and thirst for righteousness, there we shall be satisfi∣ed. To this we all willingly assent, but it will not hence follow, that they have their whole lump of happiness till the day of judgment: blessed they are from the hour of their death, but not perfectly; blessed, but not consummately: blessed intensive, as blessed as the soul by it self can be for that state in which it now is: not blessed extensive, not so blessed as the whole person shall be, when the soul shall be the se∣cond time given to the body, and both bid to an everlasting feast at the marriage of the Lamb. Others therefore more agreeable to the Analogie of faith, render the original 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, from hence-forth, and refer the hence-forth, not to the time of the ut∣tering this Prophesie; as if before it none were blessed (for before this prophecie all the Apostles (Saint John only excepted) and thousands of Saints and Martyrs had dyed in the Lord, and were at rest from their labours) but to the instant of their dying in the Lord, * 1.30 they no sooner lost their lives for Christ, then they found happi∣ness in him. * 1.31 So soon as Lazarus dyed, his soul was carryed by Angels into Abra∣hams bosome. So soon as the Thief expired on the Cross, he aspired to paradise, and was with Christ; So Nazianzen teacheth concerning every religious soul; I be∣lieve, faith he, that every noble soul which is in grace and favour with God, presently as soon as she hath shaken off the body, which kept down her wings, flyeth joyfully streight up to her Lord; and Saint Cyprian, Death to the godly is not a departure, but a pass from a temporal to an eternal life, and no stay by the way, as soon as we have finished our course here, we may arrive at the goal there; And S. Bernard, The infidels call the parting of the soul from the body, Death, but the believers call it the Passeover, because it is a pass from death to life. For they die to the world, that they may per∣fectly live to God.

To strike sayl and make towards the shoar, if all that die in the Lord are bles∣fed, from the very moment of their death, and this blessedness is confirmed by a voyce from heaven: let us give more heed to such a voyce, then to any whisper of the flesh or devil. Whatsoever Philosophy argueth, or Reason objecteth, or sense excep∣teth against it: let us give more heed to God then man, to the spirit then the flesh, to faith then to reason, to heaven then to earth; although they who suffer for the testimony of the Gospel seem to be most miserable, their skins being fleyed off, their joynts racked, their whole body torn in pieces, or burned to ashes; their goods con∣fiscate, their arms defaced, and all manner of disgraces put upon them: yet they are most happy in heaven, by the testimony of heaven it self, the malice of their enemies cannot reach so high as heaven, it cannot touch them there, much less awake them out of their sweet sleep in Jesus.

Secondly, if the dead are blessed in comparison of the living: let us not so glue our thoughts, and affections to the world, and the comforts thereof, but that they may be easily severed, for there is no comparison between the estate of the god∣ly in this life, and in the life to come; for here they labour for rest, there they rest from their labour: here they expect what they are to receive, there they receive what they expected: here they hunger and thirst for righteousness, there they are satisfied; * 1.32 here they are continually afflicted, either for their sins, or with their sins, and they have continual cause to shed tears, either for the cala∣mities of Gods people, or the stroaks they themselves receive from God, or the wounds they give themselves; there all tears are wiped from their eyes. Here they

are alwayes troubled, * 1.33 either with the evils they fear, or the fear of evil: but when they go hence, Death sets a period to all fear, cares, sorrows, and dangers. And therefore Solon spake divinely, when he taught Crasus, that he ought to suspend his verdict of any mans happiness till he saw his end.

Thirdly, if those dead are blessed, that die in the Lord, let us strive to be of that number, camus & nos moriamur cumeo, Let us go and die with him, and in him: And that we may do so, we must first endeavour to live in him; For Cornelius a Lapida, his collection is most true; As a man cannot die at Rome, who never liv∣ed at Rome: so none can die in Christ, who never lived in him, and none can live in him, who is not in him; first then we must labour to be in him; and how may we compass this? Christ himself teacheth us: I am the Vine, and my Father is the Hus∣bandman, every branch that beareth not fruit in me; he taketh away, and every branch that breareth fruit, he purgeth, that it may bring forth more fruit; as the branch can∣not bear fruit of it self, except it abide in the Vine, no more can ye except ye abide in me. Hence we learn that we cannot bear fruit in Christ, unless as branches we be ingrasted into him; now that a graft maybe inoculated.

• 1. There must be made an incision in the tre.
• 2. The graffe or syence most be imped in.
• 3. After it is put in, it must be joyned fast to the tree.

The incision is already made, by the wounds given Christ at his death many incisions were made in the true Vine: that which putteth us in, or inoculateth us, is a special faith, and that which binds us fast to the tree, is love and the grace of perseverance. If then we be engrafted by faith into Christ, and bound fast un∣to him by love, we shall partake of the Juice of the stock, and grow in grace, and bear fruit also more and more, and so living in the true Vine, we shall die in him, and so dying in him, we shall reflourish with him in everlasting glory.

Fourthly, if we are assured by a voyce from heaven, that none but they are blessed, who die in the Lord: all Infidels, Jewes, and Turks; yea and such hereticks too as deny all special faith in Christ are in a wretched and lament∣able case; for it is clear that unbeleevers cannot live in Christ, for the just liveth by faith, and though hereticks, and among them our Adversaries of Rome have a general faith, yet because they want a special faith in Christ whereby they are to be ingrafted into him, and made members of his mystical body, they can make no proof to themselves or others, (at least unless they renounce some of the Trent Articles) that they live, or die in the Lord.

Lastly, if all that die in Christ are blessed, as a voyce from heaven assureth us, * 1.34 we do wrong to heaven, if we account them miserable: we do wrong to Christ, if we count them as lost whom he hath found; if we shed immoderate tears for them from whose eyes He hath wiped away all tears; to wear perpe∣tual blacks for them, upon whom he hath put long white robes. Whatsoever our losses may be by them, it cometh far short of their gain: our cross is light, in com∣parison of their super-excellent weight of glory; therefore let us not sorrow for them, as those that have no hope: Let us not shew our selves Infidels by too much lamen∣ting the death of beleevers. Weep we may for them, or rather for our loss by them, but moderately, as knowing that our loss is their gain, and if we truly love them, we cannot but exceedingly congratulate their feasts of joy, their rivers of pleasures, their Palmes of victory, their robes of majesty, their crowns of glory. Water therefore your plants at the departure of your dearest friends, but drown them not. For whatsoever we complain of here, they are freed from there, and whatsoever we desire here, they enjoy there: they hunger not, but feast with the Lamb; they sigh not, but sing with Moses, having safely passed over the glassy sea; they lie not in darkness, but possesse inheritance of Saints in light. They have immunity from sin, freedome from all tempta∣tions, and security from danger: they have rest for their labours here, comfort for their troubles, glory for their disgrace, joyes for their sorrowes, life for their death in Christ, and Christ for all, Cui, &c.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Esay 40.6
• * 1.2

  Nazianz de ob. Causar. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.3

  Psal: 16: 11.
• * 1.4

  Porheus in bunc loc ad∣versus bestiam spiritus sanctus consolatur pios, si ab ill a prius propter testime∣nium Iefu trucidantus qnam de ed supplirium sumptum sit, nam vel sic morientes bea∣ti sunt, qui temporariam vitam amit∣tentes in hoc seculo, oe ernam adipiscuntur in altro.
• * 1.5

  Gen: 42 : 36. of a voyce from heaven, without any speaker.
• * 1.6

  Ioseph is not, and Simeon is not.
• * 1.7

  Math: 2: 18.
• * 1.8

  Rachel mour∣ning for her children, and would not be comforted because they are not.
• * 1.9

  Isocr. ad Demonicum. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.10

  Ambrosius Ausbers, in Apoc. c. 14. ille nunc in spiritu raptus spirituali aure bonc vocem percipiens in∣vit eodem spi∣ritu ceelesism replendam esse at eundem ve∣cem andire po∣sset in suâ personâ
• * 1.11

  Psal. 19: 1, 3.
• * 1.12

  Melo in Apee. c. 14. audive vocem non corporalem ne∣que a foris sire∣pentom, sed rut us firmatam per Angelum gui tot am ti Apccalypsin Christo juben∣te revelavit.
• * 1.13

  2 Pet. 2.18.
• * 1.14

  Acts 2.2.
• * 1.15

  Acts. 10.13.
• * 1.16

  Amb. Ausber. quia maxi∣mum est quod nuncsolus au∣dis, stilo ex∣prime ut ad e∣jus aures per∣veniat cujus figuram geris, Gasper Melo scyibene trans∣volet quod ad electorum sola∣tium ad finem usq perseve∣rare debet.
• * 1.17

  Bellar. l. 4. de verb. Dei non scrip. c. 3. Si Chrivto & A∣postoles suisset propositum ver bum Dei coarctandi ad scripturam in∣primis rem
• * 1.18

  tauti momenti Christus prae. cepisset, & Apostoli ali∣cubi testarent, se ex Domini mandato sori∣bere, of id nus∣quam legimus.
• * 1.19

  Eusch 1.2. hist. ad Mat∣thaeum ca occa∣sione scripsisse, &c.
• * 1.20

  2 Tim 3.16. The Hebrews who say of one that is dead, that he is not, mean not sim∣ply that he is not at all, but he is not in the world, or ap∣pears not a∣mong the li∣ving, or is to us as if he were not.
• * 1.21

  Luke. 20.38.
• * 1.22

  Ambros. loc supr. cit. quis mortuns mori potest; Resp pii mo∣riantur mun. do priusquam moriantur corpori.
• * 1.23

  Psal. 145.18.
• * 1.24

  1 Cor: 15.18.
• * 1.25

  But è contra, all that die for the Lord, die in the Lord, So Martyrs, are not excluded though they are not included alone, but all true confessors with them.
• * 1.26

  Vid. Alcazarum in Apoc. c. 14.
• * 1.27

  Math. 24.46. Beza in hunc loc. quid si lega∣tur perfectè qui∣a tum optans piratam beatitu∣dinem.
• * 1.28

  Paraus in A∣poc.
• * 1.29

  Hic primitie, in coelo ipsa massa beatitudinis, bic sitimus justiti∣am, illic satiamer.
• * 1.30

  Luke 16. 22.
• * 1.31

  Orat. 24. in laudem Coesar credo generosum omnem caramq Deo auimam postquam vincu∣lis corporis hinc soluta excesserit excussis compe∣dibus quibus a∣nimi perinz∣deprimi solebas hilarem ad Do∣minum suum convolare. Cyp. de mortal. mors non est ex∣itus sed transitus & temporalis itinere decurso ad eierna trans∣gressus. Bern. c. 15. de amore Dei Insi∣deles mortem appellant fideles palch 1, qui mori∣tur mundo, ut perfecta vivet Deo.
• * 1.32

  Apoc. 7.17.
• * 1.33

  Herod Hist.l. 1. beaius est nemo nisi cusus prosperitatem Deus foelici exitu, & mor∣te confirmavit ut Cleobis, & Bitonis ac vi∣ventis, & pe∣riculis obonxi beatitudo ut currentis pra∣mium, & co∣ronaflaxa & vana est. Cornel. à Lapid. comment in A pcc. c. 14, ut Romoe mori non potest, qui Romoe non vixit, it a qui in Domino non vixit in eo non moritur. Joh 15.1, 2, 4.
• * 1.34

  Apoc. 7.13.