Fruitful and Comfortable Exhortation in Death, Exhortation against death

Fruitful and Comfortable Exhortation in Death · Exhortation against death

A FRVITFVLL AND comfortable Exhortatioun anent Death.

APOC. 14. 13.

Blessed ar they that die in the Lord, yea say is the Spirit, for they rest from their labours.

THis sentence was sounded from the Heavens, in the hearing of IOHN the beloued Apostle of Christ, confirmed be the asseueration of the Spirit, and commanded to be registrat in writ: that it might the mair grauelie be considered and imprented in the hearts of all the faithfull children of God, for strenthning of their faith, and framing of their willes to the obedience of the calling of God be death, with cheerefull contentment, being assured it sall turne p. 8to their euerlasting life ane weilfare.

Anent death, there is twa things even amongst Christians to be marueyled at; First, that many liues sa secure and dissolutelie, as though thay suld neuer die, quhilk is a wonder, in respect that nature it selfe teachis all, that thay man die: and daily experience tries, that we man leaue the things of the world, and they vsus, with how great a lust and pleasure soeuer we be caryed after them.

The vther is, that when death approches, we are sa greatlie troubled; & when it befals, we mourne and lament, quhilk also is strange among professed Christians, seeing haly Scripture preachis sa highlie the profit of death; the godlie Fathers sa pleasandlie hes died before vsus; the Saints oftentimes wished for death; and that quhilk is greeuous of all, seeing this is the chiefe poynt of our Christian faith, that IESVS CHRIST our Lord and Sauiour hath for vsus be death tryumphed ouer death, nether is there any vther way to life and immortall felicitie, but be the death to tryumph and be victorious p. 9pertakers with him of his crown and kingdome.

For remedie of the first, let vsus alwaies remember the penaltie, inflicted to vsus all in person of our first Father for his transgression; Thou shalt die the death, (sayis the Lord) Thou was taken of the earth, & to the earth thou sall returne. Remember the fragility of our nature be the saying of IOB; Man that is borne of a woman is of short life, repleat with miseries: as the flower of the field how soone it is sprung vp, it is cut down. And that of the 144. Psal. preatilie paraphrased be the Prince of Christian Poets.

O rerum genitor quantulus est homo,

Hac quam prosequeris munificentia?

Et curas patria solicitudine

Figmentum fragilis luti,

Quo nec bulla levis vanior est, ne que

Quae mentes agitant somnia turbidas.

Nec rerum fugiens vmbra crepusculum,

Nec fumi volucris vapor.

That is:

O Great begetter of the world,

How small a thing are we:

Whom so with graces manifold,

Thou tenders fatherlie:

p. 10A canne of brukkle clay, or like

A bubble in a dub,

Or as a dream quhilk we may call

a trattle of a tub,

Or as a shaddow when the Sunne,

Is set dois clean decay,

Or like a smoke ascending vp,

And wearing soone awaie.

Let vsus then ever thinke, we hauehave that dette of nature to paye, when it likes the author of nature to craue it: and that wee can neither tell when, quhere, nor how. The heauens dailie reclayming the saule wherefra it descended, and the earth the bodie, whereof it was taken; On this condition wer we borne that we suld die, and to this ende our maker continuis the vse of this life, that wee sulde learne rightlie to die.

Death is called the way of al the earth, 1. Reg. 2. and that way is wounderfull, for as sayling on the Sea, whither we sleepe or wake, we hasten to the Hauen; And that quhilk is stranger, we can na wayes erres from the course: for whither so euer p. 11wee direct, we tend towards death. In this way entred ADAM first, and continued 930. yeares, and yet died: So did METHVSALEM, and continued 969. yeares, and yet died: And so did the rest of the Fathers of the first age, eueryevery one many hundreth yeares & yet died. And so in all ages after to this houre, neither hauehave they passed another way, neyther yet can any nor that way of death. One Generatioun commeth, (saith the Preacher) and an other goeth, but the Earth standeth still: euen as a skaffold or stage whereon eueryevery man hes his part to play for a short space, & so to laie of his maske and leauing the vanities of this warlde, retire him selfe to his dust.

We suld neuer theirfore bee vnderunder the commoun and danger of time: saying, wald to God I had yet ane yeare, ane oulke, ane day or ane houre to liue, for wishing heir will not availe: but at all times be in readines to doe that, quhilk anes thou man do, weil thou wald doe, and when least thou wald do, maist may be vrged to doe.

p. 12Weil hath ane counselled and saide: He wha euerie day putis ane end to his life, hes no neid of time: therefore, thinke to liue but for ane daie, and esteeme euerie daie a new life: For there is nathing lyker the course of our life, than the dailie course of the Sun rysing in the morning, ascending to the noone, and declyning to the evening. No like thing to the graue then our bedds, to the winding-sheit, then the shiets to the wormes, nor the punneasses or flees to the sound of the Archangels trumpet, nor the Cock or morning wackner. Theresore, let vsus everie hour of the daie remember sa mekel of our life to be spent, every evening remēber death, everie night goe to bedde as we wald to graue: lap vsus in our sheits as in our winding- sheits and rest, attending for that wackner that sal summound vsus to judgement.

We hauehave no permanent Cittie, heritage, nor dwelling house heir, wee sit on an vther mans ground, and occupies ane vther mans house, without few-ferme, yea, without ane houres tack: therfore p. 13we suld bee euer readie to flit, seeing flit man wee of necessitie, whensoeuer that officiar death warnes vsus, chopping at the doore of this house of mudde: or rather clayming wherein the saul for a season is enclosed; Of nathing then, sa often and sa mekil suld we think of, as of the time, place and manner of our death, and migration from this life: in sik sort, that gif it were possible, the whole moments that wee passe of the life, suld bee no vther thing, but a learning or reckning ouer some new lesson of death.

This mooved IOSEPH of Arimathea that noble and honest Counseller, and faithfull Disciple of Christ, to prepare for him a Sepulcher in a Garden, after the auncient custome of the people of God; at the quhilk dailie he might meditate of death. The quhilk had the honour to ressaue the bodie of the victorious Dantoner of death.

This mooved the noble men of AEthiopia (after as appeares) they had received the Gospell, be the ministrie of Queene Candaces Eunuch, to keip this p. 14custome, that whensoever they went foorth to the fielde for pourmeneying them selues: they caused carrie before them a golden Basen full of earth, togeither with the signe of the Crosse, to remember them that they were earth, and suld turne to earth: and that onelie in the death of Christ Crucified, they had comfort against death, ane assured hope of life. This moved PHILLIP of Macedon, to commaunde his chalmer child euerie morning oft times to crye thrise in his ear; remēber Ppillip that thou art but a mortall man. This mooved also the auncient Aegyptians at all their bankets, to hauehave placed in a clew and open place: right in the sight of all their banketters, the Image and picture of death, to make them in the middest of their pleasure to remember their ende, and sa to moderate themselues from falling in sik vices, that easilie aryseth of intemperance of banketting.

And finallie, this same mooved the godly Father Ierome, whether he eate or drank, or whatsoever hee was occupied p. 15about, strongly to imagine the hearing of the sound of that Trumpet summonning to judgement.

And therefore that warning that the wise man gevis to the youth, that thinks their lustie age will never be spent: and therefore giues thame selues to all licentious sensualitie:ought to bee weill remembred of all: for, For all these things (sayis the Preacher, Eccles. 12.) God vvill bring thee to Iudgment. Remember thy Creator (sayis he) in the dayis of thy youth, whiles the evill dayes are not come, &c. The yeares quhairin thou sall saye, I hauehave na pleasure in them, whiles the Sunne is not darkned, nor the Light, nor the Moone, nor the Starres, &c. And after a long figuratiue and very artificious description of the decripped, weake, and sicklie auld age, he comes to this remembrance of death, whereabout wee are in these wordes: Whiles the silver corde is not lengthened, nor the golden round broken, nor the pitcher broken at the vvell, nor the wheele broken at the Cisterne, & dust returne to earth as it was, and the Spirit to God that gaue it.

p. 16But let vsus aboue all, giuegive heid to the wholesome warninges of our Maister Christ, and imagine with Ierome the samin to be alwaies sounding in our eares. Matth. 24. Watch (sayis he) for zee knowe not quhat houre zour Maister vvill come: Of this be sure, that gif the Gude-man of the house knewe at vvhat watch the Theefe wald cum, hee wald surely watch, and not suffer his house to be digged throwe. Therfore, be ye redie alwayes, for in the houre that ye think not, the Sunne of man will cum: Take heede therfore (sayis he againe) to your selfes, lest that at any time, zour hearts be oppressed with surfet, or drunkennes and cares of this life, lest that day cum vponupon you at vnawares, for it sall cum as a snare: vvatch therefore, and praye continually, that ye may be counted vvorthie to escape, so that yee may stand before the Son of man. Luc 21. To this same effect serues the Parables of the Talents, and ten Virgins: for that quhilk is insisted into be our Maister anent this point of watching for his comming, hes the same vse and weight for every ane in particular, when Christ sall call them to their severall p. 17judgement, as it hes for all in generall, when he sall appeir to the common and last.

Nowe in this continuall meditation of death, we suld remember, that it is the wages of sinne (as sayis the Apostle) and therefore the meditation thereof, suld strike our heart with a terror of sin, make vsus earnestlie to repent all our sinnes, and redeme the time that God spares vsus, with a richt amendement of our life, and gredelie to gripe at the remeid, the mercies of God plentifully offered in the merits and death of the Lord Iesus; lest that after the death temporall, wee die and perish eternallie.

Next, this vile brickle weak estate of our life is to be weyed, to make vsus eschue pride, ambition, lecherie, drunkennes, gluttonie, delicate feeding, pampering, and decking of this filthie claye, and sik vther vices of the flesh.

Thirdly, in that as wee brought nothing with vsus into this life, so wee are to carry nothing away with vsus at our death; but as we cam naked from our Mothers p. 18wombe, so ar we naked to be laid againe in our common mothers bellie. Let vsus learne to eschue avarice, greedines of landes and geare, vsurie, oppression, and all vther vnlawfull meanes customablie vsed, for attaining to ritches and honors in this warld; but as the Apostle counsells, having meate and rayment be content, and so passe throw thir things temporall, that by them wee tyne not the things eternall. It is easie (sayis one) to that man, to contemne all the things of this life, quha setledly thinkes that hee must die.

Fourthlie, let vsus lay as it were before our eyes, a dead carkesse putrified, and worme eaten, and of the foule smell and vglie sicht of every ane of the members, Let vsus learne to eschue the vices, quhairof they are commonly instruments: as to refraine the tongue and lippes from blasphemie, swearing, lying, flattering, and filthy talk: the eies from wantonnes, and vnchast looks; the whole face from f…rding and false shewes: the hands from blud-shed, oppression, theft: and finally, p. 19the feet and whole body from entering, going fordward, and continuing in evill wayes, against God, our neighbour, and our selues; without remorse and true repentance; lest a mair horrible spirituall spectacle be seene on the miserable saul, demayned in the hells be these spirituall Adders and Snakes, the Devils.

And last, in sa farre as death, with equall fute choppes as weill at the gates of Princelie pallaces, as at the doores of puir cottages; & taks plesure to wound as weill the flurishing youth, as the hairy languishing age: shuiting his darts continuallie, and never missing be Land, be Sea; be day, be night; at home, or a field: Let all estates at all times, in every place, learne to be ready. And this meikill for remeid of forgetfulnes of death & louse-living.

Now followis for comfort aganis the feare and force of death when he strikes. For this purpose, wee hauehave often and weightilie to considder, what a change and cosse wee sall make, when wee sall exchange this miserable and painefull p. 20pilgrimage, with that pleasand and happie habitation. For sen God first for the sinne of ADAM, enjoyned to him his penaltie in these tearmes. The Earth sall be cursed for thy cause, vvith sorrowe sall thou eate thy bread all the dayes of thy life, & with the sweat of thy browe sall thou feede, till thou returne to the Earth. Behold the estate of this brickle body heir, a booth of all sicknesses and diseases: so that no Apothecary hes his shop so plesant with drugs, vnguents, and salues; as the body of man is with dregges, corrupt humors, vennoms and sares, subject to all injuries of fortune; that is, of sik miseries and mischiefes, as God by his providence sends and sowes athort the warlde for sinne whose death the whole Elements he… dight, and to whose destruction and cutting off, innumerable enemies hes conspired: howe many wilde beasts? how… many creeping Serpents? howe many fleeing waspes? howe many sowmin… monsters? yea, how many men and women in shape and name, but indeede fo… crueltie, Tygers; for craftines, Foxes; fo… p. 21malitiousnes vnderunder a flattering fashion, Crocodiles; for vennome, Vipers; and finally, for all mischiefe against their owne kind, the greatest monsters in nature: and yet the most dangerous enemy of all against thy selfe, is thy selfe; be thy follies, thy fantasies, thy vanities, thy surfettings & excesse, thy lustes, thy anger, and the rest of thy affections, whereof within thy breist, thou fosters a Forrest full: as of all kinde of vndantoned and raging beastes, ravenous fowles, and venemous Adders; justly thereby procuring at the hande of God and man, the wrack of the miserable body.

Syne see whereabout this life is occupied: how vainely, how dangerously, howe painefully, howe grievouslie, in what company: as DAVID often complained in his dayes, of Lyons, of Dragons, of Dogs, of Swine, hungrie Foxes, Aspes, and Scorpions, devouring vsus, deceiving vsus, incensing vsus, traducing vsus, biting, scratching, barking, and pudling vsus in sik sort, that oftentimes there is greater securitie, and ease to be found among p. 22these evill beastes, nor amongst many men, with whome wee must liue in thi… warld.

And what estate I praye thee can thy puir saul ly intill, in the midst of sik bale full busines of the bodye, within th… quhilk, it is inclosed as ane Addercop, it the midst of her webbe; set a floght with the smallest twitch thereof: as a Mous… trapped in a fal, with the quhilk the children takes their pastime, or rather as DANIEL in the den of Lyons, SIDRACH MESACH in the fierie Oven, or IONAH groaning in the Whales bellie, overgone with the waues and surges o… the raging Sea; sobbing like a Doue chattering as a Crane, and mourning a… ane bewayling his Mother: What feare… what care, what grief, what sadnes, wha… sorrowe, what indignation, what vexation, and wanrest? No, it is in vaine to prease to expresse the infinite cogitations and commotions of the mind, in respect of that, quhilk daylie experience may make vsus to conceiue.

Nowe, the onelyonly rest and reliefe from p. 23all this, is in and be death: whereby wee sall change these diseases in health; these dangers, in safetie; these paines, in pleasures; this fighting and labour amongst deadlie enemies, in singing and honour among heavenly Angels: And finally, this wicked & evill company, with that most happy societie of the glorious and blessed God of the holy Trinitie, the Father, Sonne and Spirit, of the whole triumphant Kirks, Patriarches, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, and of the sweete fellowship of all these perfited spirits of the just and faithfull that hes gone before vsus, even of sik as was most neere and deere to vsus in the Lorde Iesus in this life: the want whereof, may mooue vsus to like the worse of this world, and the mair earnestlie to desire to be dissolved, and to be with them in the Heavens: Therefore was it, that from thir heavens as it were, the noyse and sounding of this blessed company, that that voice came downe, quhilk the beloved Apostle of Christ heard, saying: Blessed are thay quhilk dyes in the Lord, for that rest from thair labours.

p. 24But go to mair particularlie, and run throwe the ages and occupations of this life, quhilk when the Philosophers had done, they thought it worthier of the name of Death than Life: and so hath a godly learned mā vttered after the sense and feeling of his soule.

Vita mihi haec mors est, mors haec mihi vita perennis:

In vita exilium, patria est in morte propinqua. That is▪

This life to me is death, but death to mee is life but blame:

This life to me in bannishment, but death returnes me hame.

Howe soone the Infant comes into the world hee greets, and bewailes his cace: when he comes to barne-head, he is vnderunder whippes and roddes of Schoolmaisters and craftis-men: In his youth-heid driven in a hundred conceits, by his vnsetled braine, raging in his lust and ryotous excesse, ready to cast himselfe blind-folde every day in a newe sorte of danger and shame; wherin he is not able to be ruled, but be sik rigorous, maisters p. 25of fooles; as povertie, imprisonement, sicknes, and sik vther.

Meanes he to treade the way of vertue? it is rough stay, painefull and sweatie; hee man passe the merciemercy of the stormie sea, of the sworde of enemies, of the fire, and of the water, and of a thousand sortes of dangers; yea, of very deathes: or he can taste of the sweit fruite thereof in any honor or ease? throgh the quhilk, gif he fall happen to escape and come to man-heid, then is he moved to marriage, esteemed of all at the first, merrie age, but soone after, myred age, and at last cleane marred: for then vnbesets at once squadrons of cares for house, for moyen of life, for wife, for children, for honestie in the world: thereabout are pleyis, feides, quarrells, contentions, running, ryding, sayling, fighting, flyting without ease or end: whereby dolorous deathes, murders, burnings, heirships, shipwracks, pilleries; and sik like falles out every daye: wherewith the perfite age of man is consumed in vanitie, vexation, mourning, and mischiefe; till heavie and burdensome p. 26age overtake him, wherein hee can hauehave pleasure of nothing, wherein the puir conscience is bitten & pyned with remembrance and remorse of the bypast sinnes, and all the stresses and surfets of his bypast travels, with the lead of degenering humors to corruption, so vnbesettis the carkas, that there is nothing but hosting in the bowels, yaking in the bones, ytch in the flesh, gout, gravell, paralise, and infinite maladies, as so many scourges & Burreaues tormenting him, till the miserable life in end be pyned away and expelled.

SOLOMON sought out carefullie quhatsoeuer seemed profitable, pleasant, or might bring any comfort or contentment to the mind of man in this life: so that none culd be able sensyne to match him, to let be to go beyound him, in that inquisition, in respect of his moyen and wisdome incomparable, whereby hee searched out, not onelyonly the three greate continents of the warld Asia, Africk, and Europe: but also these falslie supposed to be new fund lands, to the quhilk p. 27his ships passed from three year to three: for sa long was the voyage; and brought Gold, Apes, Papingoes, Spyces, Odours and al vther pretious thinges in great abundance, and yet he found nathing but vanitie and vexation of spirit.

Quhat vanitie, vexation, paine and fasherie is in everie estate of life, trade and occupation, by this ane thing is most evident, that none is content with their awin estate: but everie one esteems his neighbours better: because he knawis it not so weil as his awin, and conferres ay the fasherie and bitternes of his, with the pleasures and commodities of his neighbours; so that the only ignorāce of things of the warld, maks the estimatiō of them: but when they are proven by experience as SOLOMON assayed, they are found to be nothing lesse, than they were supposed: so that how meikil the mair men lusted after them, so meikil the sooner do they loth them, and man confesse in the ende, all to bee but vanitie, labour and griefe.

Therefore hath experience plainelie p. 28paynted foorth the miseries of this life by diuers similitudes, and the happines of the exchange thereof, with the blessed death in the Lord, the quhilk addeth on (In the Lord) is alwais to be remembred, for who doubts, but it is better to liue in the most painesull estate of life: that is, than to burne in Hel fire for euer: onelie than tak heed, that thou die in the Lord: that is, in the merciemercy and fauour of thy God throgh IESVS CHRIST, stedfastlie beleeving according to the trueth of the worde of God; that death is swallowed vp, and devoured by the death of CHRIST, who therefore by the mouth of his Prophet, insults over death, saying O death, I shall be thy death. For seeing the sting of death is sinne, and the force of sinne (as speaks the Apostle) is the lawe; certainelie CHRIST fulfilling the law for vsus, and satisfieng by his suffering for all the transgressions theirof, hee hes so now plucked awaie that sting, that it canne no waies hurt vsus: as also he hes broken the force of sinne, that it canne hauehave no power to condemne vsus. And p. 29how be it, the decree of God be, that all man die and turne to the dust, yet properlie to speake; this death in the Lorde Iesus, is not to be tearmed death; but as the Scripture calleth it, a sleepe. And as Christ said to his Disciples, that LAZARVS sleeped: And the Apostle speaking of them that were departed this life, vsed this form, Concerning them (sayis he) that are a sleepe, &c. This ground then being layde, that thou die in the Lorde be certaine, then thou hes made a happy change, from miserie temporall, to everlasting felicitie.

For in this mortallife, wee are alwaies in Prison and bands, with the stinck and filth whereof, we are infected and defyled, pyned with hunger and thirst, dammished with darknesse, and demayned with dolours: but by death the bandes are loosed, the prison made patent, wherout of freelie wee flie vntounto Heavens, wherein wee are receiued, cleane and pure washen by the laver of that Lambs bloud: and beeing cled with his white garment of jnnocencie, wee are filled p. 30with delights, and findes the fruition of the light inaccessable. The consideration whereof, made the Apostle PAVLL to exclayme; O miserable man that I am, who sall deliuer me from this body of death. Rom. 7. And earnestlie desire to be loosed, and be with Christ. In like manner DAVID, in the difficulties of this prison, vttered these voyces; As the heart brayes for the streams of Water: so doeth my soule breath for thee ô God: my saul thirsteth for thee ô God, even for the living God: O when sall I go and appeir in the sight of God! Psal. 42. But againe, Psal. 17. he sweitlie comforts him selfe in the ende of ane vther Psalme, with an assurance of the jnjoying of the blessed light, as our Poet hes expressed the sam in these verses.

Puritas vitae mihi te tueri,

Corporis vinclis tribuet soluto

Illa lux vere faciet me ab omni,

Parte beatum.

Lux voluptatum cumulata cunctis

Gaudijs, cum se sone nube menti,

Pura majestas dabit in tuendam

Lumine puro.

The quhilks, for their pleasand comfort, p. 31are maire largelie paraphrased in this Dixiane following.

Cleanes of life sal mak me to behold,

Thy schyning face, when lousd ar bodies bands;

That happines be no toung can be told:

Quhilk all perfite, into thy presence stands

That louelove-some light, out throw those plesand lands,

Spreds out her beams of ioy abundātly:

Whereby the mind that clearely vnderstands:

But mist or cloud sall see thy maiestie,

In glistring gloir, ay glancing with sik light:

As dois obscure the face of Phoebus bright.

This life is but a bannishment, and we are strangers and Pilgrims therein, as testifieth DAVID Psal. 39.

Lord heir my sute and gif gude heed,

Regard my tears that fall:

I soiourne like a stranger heir,

As did my fathers all.

Heaven is our true Countrie, and dead the returning therto; for our sauls send from the Heavens, are put in these earthly Tabernacles & tents, to sojourne heir for a season, and syne, to returne p. 32when this messenger death is sent to call them hame to that heavenly Tabernacle, made without hands. This is verie plane and full of consolation: the 2. Cor. 5 For we know (sayis the Apostle,) that gif the earthly house of this tabernacle be destroyed, we hauehave a building given of God: an house not made with handes, but eternall in the heavens: for therfore we sigh, desiring to bee clothed with our house quhilk is in heaven, because that gif we be clothed, we sall not bee found naked. But indeid, we that are in this Tabernacle, sigh and are burdened, because we walde not bee vnclothed, but wald bee clothed vppon, that mortalitie might bee swallowed vp of life: And hee that hath created vsus for this thing is GOD, wha hes given vsus the earnest of the spirit: wherefore wee are alwaies bold, thoght we know that while we are hame at in the bodie, we are absēt from the Lorde: for we walk by faith, and not by sight: Neverthelesse wee are bolde, and louelove rather to remooue out of the bodie, and to dwell with the Lorde: Wherefore also we covet, that both dwelling at hame, and r…mooving from hame, we may be acceptable p. 33to him. And that to the Hebrews 13. Wee hauehave not a permanent Cittie heir, but looke for ane to come. The quhilk effect also the same our godlie Poet, hes moste pleasandlie and sweitlie sung to the glorie of God, and comfort of all the faithfull, in these verses.

O magne Rector orbis, indulgentiae

Munera terra, fretum sentit & astra, tuae:

Quaecun que caelum amplectitur, parentia

Legibus orta vigent, lapsa cadunt que tuis.

Modus aequitatis & tuae sapientiae,

Cuncta que quae fecit, cuncta que sacta regit▪

Longè niuosis montium fastigijs

Altior est, vasti gurgitibus que freti:

Humana gens hinc haurit auram & Spiritum:

Nec pecudes curam praeteriere tuam.

Hinc cuncta vitae suppetunt nobis bona,

Dum mens corporeo carcere vincta latet.

Foetus sub alis volueris vt tegit suis.

Praesidij fugimus spe mala cuncta tui.

At exul animus morte libor patrum

Cum repetet lunen sideream que donum.

Illic egestas & dolores exulant

Nemo feret votis non potiora suis,

Passim voluptas, pura passim gaudia:

Delicias largo flumine rivus agit.

Illic perenni vita fonte profluit,

Vita, gravis fati non r…anda manu:

Illinc fatiscent mentium caligines,

Quae modo sub tenebris pactora nostra premunt:

Vultu que radius purus …,

Lumine nos purae faelici…tis alit.

p. 34Translated thus to the tune of the CX. Psalme.

Great gouernour of al the world so wide,

The gudlie graces of thine indulgence:

Ar felt in th'earth & Seas at everie tyde:

And in the starnis heauens influence.

Quhat ever the life so large dois comprehend,

Dois rander to thy lawes obedience:

When they grow vp, & when they feal in end,

They waxe and wayne vntounto thy reverence.

The measure of thy sapience divyne,

And of thy righteous constant equitie:

Dois rightlie rewl and dresse vntounto their fyne,

What ever thou made, & what is found to be.

The snawie toppes of hilles so huge and hie,

… groundlesse, gulfes of the Ocean,

Ar not so heigh as thy benignitie,

Nor deipas is thy gudnes soverane.

Both mā & beast heir of dois draw their breth,

Their life, their fude and sustentation:

Th…ir g…ding, & their safetie from the death.

… evill and danger, preseruation.

Even as the foule dois foster tenderlie,

Hir hale golberts sitting on their nest:

p. 35Sik is thy care ô father verilie,

Of al thy children whom thou lovis best.

What ever neidful for this life is found,

Flowis out from this to vsus abundantlie,

So lang as saul lyes in this body bound,

As captiue in a prison heavilie.

But when the saul exyled sall returne,

VntoUnto her kyndlie cuntreys heavinlie house,

Deliuered by the death quhilk men do murne,

But cause, for his reliefe so precious.

All want and dolour there ar far exyld,

No man sal mis mair then his hart can wis,

In everie place ar pleasures vndefyld,

Sweet melodie in heavenly ioye and blis.

There riuers runnes on spate with delicats,

And fountans flowis with water there of lyfe:

Abundant store of fresh and freand meats.

There Angels fud, sweit Manna wonder ryfe.

Therewith a constant course dois flow, but end

That everlasting life in perfit ioy:

Quhilk dreadful destenies cannot offend:

Nor duleful death in any wise anoy.

p. 36The drowsie darknesse, terrors and the feares,

And melancholik cogitations,

All heavines, all sorrowes, griefs & teares

Ar banished from these heavenly mansions.

Their blessed beams effunded from that face,

Wheirin alone wil be our whole delyt:

Sal make in vsus that happie warke of grace,

In everie poynt for ever mair perfyte.

Now grant vsus father so to liue in Christ,

That we in Christ may end our miserie:

Ay watching for his comming to that trist,

And go with him to this felicitie.

We are plying in this life ane dangerous voyage, sayling throw a stormy and tempestuous sea, in ane vntight barge, evell accoutred, ever fearing shalds, craigs, or sum fore-land, where we may make shipwrack: in cōtinual peril of Pirats, the diuel, the world & sin, ever occupyed, ether rowing or pumping, spycing or skayring, wynding or howing sayl, weying or letting anker fall: with intollerable travell and danger. But death is the calme and chiereful herberie, the reliefe p. 37of all these labours and paynes, and halie cittie of the Saints, setled in safetie and ease. There is no thing but pleasure rest and merrines.

We wander heir in a wearisome way, throw wood and wildernesse, mosse and myre, throw rough craigs and burning sand, ever in danger of limmers and wild beasts, pined with hote and cald, hunger and thirst, creazed, crucked, brused and tyred, wil-some, in mist and darknes, ether gald and mangeid, like Mules with the weight and burden of the pelfe and dirt of this earth, or then stressed with the want of things neidfull for the necessity of our life. But be death wee put end to our jouruey, and rest from our travel: entering in the house of our heavenly Father, where there is many mansions, weil prepared and furnished in all things, according to the promise of our CHRIST.

This life is a perrelous and painefull weirfare, wherein wee hauehave many sore combats; not only carnall fighting with men, and striving with the worlde, & the fasheries of this life: but spirituall, with p. 36duplicate page p. 37duplicate page p. 36principalities, powers, Lords of the world, rulers of darknes and spirituall euils; from high places, as witnesseth the Apostle; meaning against Beelzebub & legions of his vncleane spirits, most frequent, forceable, craftie and walk-riffe enemies. The quhilks the surest haldes, and best fortified places cannot hald out. And from whose assaults and invasions, no place nor time is free: Seeing we carrie the most dangerous friends of them, to wit, our affections about with vsus in our bosomes, so long as we are in this bodie of sinne, by that we find them before vsus wheresoever wee go, and what soever about we be occupied; with these are we daylie wounded, chast, traquheld, overthrawne, and led away captiues: But by death reporting the last victorye in Iesus Christ, wee honourablie triumph ouer all, and obtaines the fruition of that peace of God that passeth all vnderstanding for ever.

And finallie, this world is a man-mil, a stane barrowe, a place of fair labour vnderunder rigorous maisters of wark, constraining p. 39vsus daylie to pay ane vnpardonable exaction of taske: even as in AEgypt, where the people of God were compelled by that spiritual Pharaoh, to worke tyle in great quantitie and number, and yet to gather strawe and stubble themselues, or then to be scourged & demayned, till wee sigh and cry vntounto God, and he send this death and his Moses for our deliverance: wherby, bringing vsus out of the house of labour and bondage, hee sets vsus downe in the libertie of his kingdome, even in that promised Canaā with Ioshua and Caleb, to feede with these on the plenteous fatnes thereof, overflowing with milke and hony.

Nowe then, by recapitulation to abridge the comparisons of the exchange of this life, with that vther quhilk is effectuate by death; wee may weill say with Salomon, Better is the Daie of our Death, then the daie of our byrth: For man is borne of a woman in travell, to liue in miserie, but hee dieth through Christ in ease to liue in foelicitie; incontinent after he comes in the world, with cries he p. 40vttereth his miserable estate: incontinent after his departure, with songs hee praiseth God for ever. He is yet scarselie in his cradell, when a number of deadly enemies assailes him: after his death, no enemie can annoy him: while he is here he displeaseth God: when he is dead, he pleaseth him perfitlie: In this life, he dyeth through sinne: in that to come, he liueth through righteousnes: Be many tribulations here he mortifieth sinne: with infinite joyes there hee liues in holines: heere he dieth every houre, there hee liueth continuallie: heere is hatred, there is louelove: heere paine, there pleasure: heere mourning, there melodie: heere corruption, there immortalitie: here time, there aeternitie: heere miserie, there felicitie: and finallie, here can we see nothing but vanitie, but there sall we see the Majestie of our God: with triumphand and vnspeakable joy and glory everlasting.

Is death then to be detested? suld it be abhorred? or suld men immoderatelie mourne for it? or rather suld it not bee imbraced, welcommed and kissed? Sall p. 41we lament without let, when God calles our neerest and deerest by death to his life? or contrariwise, hauehave wee not occasion as the Thracians, with feasting and gladnes to congratulate. For gif any euill be befalling therein, it is to vsus, and not to them: But so it is, as ane Ethnick weill reasons, to bewaile our incommodities, and to be heavilie grieved for any evill betyding to vsus, it is selfe-louelove, and not the louelove of a friend: and so to be sad for the safetie of a friend, it is rather the parte of ane enuyous persone, than of a Brother or favorer: and gif so the Ethnicks hes ressoned, what suld become vsus, Christians? Sall we contravene that rule of Christian duetie, lamenting for them that laughes, & mourning for them that singes: fasting for them that feasts: hurte our health, for them that are perfitelie whole: weare the black doole for them, quha clothed in white garments does accompanie the Lamb with joy wheresoever hee goes? For them, who are alwaies singing with the Angels. Holy, holy, holy, Lorde God of Hostes: Sall we with p. 42impatient clamours and plaintes repyne against the will of God? And finally, for sik as hes the blessed fruition of the companie of the Father, Sonne, and holye Ghost; of the holy Angels, Patriarches, Prophets, Evangelists, Apostles, Martyrs, and of all the just and righteous, who hes beene gathered before to that triumphant Kirk: Sall wee run like warwolfes to solitarie holes and corners, flying the societie of the faithfull, and comfort with the congregatiō of Gods people, quhilk they hauehave in their holy meetings; namely, for spirituall exercises of godlines, hearing of the word of consolation, and presenting of prayers & praises vntounto God, quhilk sort of exercise and conversation, approches neerest to the holy occupation of them that are gone before vsus to the heavens? Na God forbid. But rather, howbeit by the example of Abraham and vthers, some thing bee granted vntounto nature to satisfie the weaknes, and bewaile the frailty therof: shewing, that we are not stocks nor stanes, but touched with a feeling of the common p. 43miserie of mankinde: namely, because vtherwise we are so hard harted, that we cannot so earnestly as we ought be commoued for our sinnes: we may weill finding our heartes mollified at sik occasions, intertaine that constitution for the exercise of vnfayned repentance. Yet neverthelesse, we ought therewithall to rejoyce, and praise God with gladnes of spreit; quha hes vouchsafed in merciemercy happilie and weill to direct the course of sik persons liues, and giuegive them ane happie end; praying him instantly of his inestimable grace, so to deale with vsus also, that following the gude example of sik as hes tread that path before vsus; wee may go fordward rightlie and constantlie, till wee be gathered with them to that rest, where all together in end, we may glorifie our God and Father eternallie.

Now it rests to satisfie such, who fears their great losse and hurt by death; and first them who heavily regrates the want of their Parents, husbands, wiues, children, brethren, sisters, speciall friendes, and sik vthers: Let sik first considder that p. 44quhilk hes beene clearly declared; that they hauehave no cause to lament for them, that are taken so to their rest in respect of their estate; vnlesse they wald shew them selues envious of their weilfare, and to preferre our pleasure to thair so greate profite, or to make mair of doing of our turnes here, nor of their termeles felicitie there; it were to shewe vsus altogether addicted to the louelove of our selues, without consideration of the weilfare of them to whome we wish most weill vntounto. Wald thou desire for thy cause, and it were to effectuate never so good a turne to thee; that ane whome thou lovest best suld lye in Prison, liue in banishment, enter in a barrowis, in a perrelous voyage, in a dangerous journey, in a pyneful thraldome, and shamefull slaverie? Nay, thou dare not say it, lest thou wald bewray thy self-louelove, and testifie that thou caredst not what became of him, so that thy turne were done. Or gif thou wilt say, I wish him no worse nor my selfe; there is yet no token of louelove: For gif thou thy selfe were in miserie and continuall danger, p. 45or in worse estate than ill ynough, wald thou so shewe thy affection, by wishing thy friend partaker thereof? gif sik bee thy affection, very fewe wald be faine of it. LoueLove wisheth the weill, and not the woe of the person beloved: yea, gif it be in sorrowe, it findes the samin doubled, to see thy friend involved in the samin estate with it.

But now I pray thee, quha hes done this to thee? Is it not God that workes and dois all this? Yes certainly, be whatsoever Instrument hee works the samin. Dois thou not daylie pray, that his will be done? Why art thou than grieved because thou hes obtained thy prayer? Or thinks thou indeed that he is thy Father to whome thou hes prayed? and yet hes done thee that hurt and wrong? Then man he be in thy judgment ane vnnaturall and vnloving Father. Or esteemes thou thy selfe, to wit better what is gude for thee, nor he dois that hes made and redeemed thee? Oh beleeues thou him not to be al-sufficient, that can be to thee in steed of all, and furnish thee whatsoeuer p. 46thou wants? Or suspects thou his fidelitie and honestie in keeping his promises? Certainly ane or all of thir man be, or than thou art not in thy right wit, but is transported with ignorance, infidelitie, follie, and blinde affections; like vntounto a beast, a babe, a foole, or a phrenetick. Therefore, learne to take vppe and amend thy selfe, and turne againe vntounto the faithfull tread; enter into the Lords Sanctuarie, cast vp the buke of wisdome, learne thereof and be wise; and thou sall cleirlie see the Almightie hes wroght it and rightlie: he hes done his good will, and for thy weill: he hes played the Father in great favour: hee hes wrought wisely, and thou art fond quha cannot persaue it, in taking from thee thy leaning stocks that withheld thee fra him, that thou may leane to him allanerlie, and find in him whatsoever thou wants: he hes taken on him to be a Father to the fatherlesse, the husband to the widdow, the friend to the faithfull, the brother & sister of them that heares his worde and dois it: Father and mother may leaue p. 47thee, but he will not leaue thee, hee will not forsake thee: The mother may forget the fruit of her wombe, the husband the wife, the Father the son, the brother the sister; but the Lord will never forget his awin: either sall hee stirre vppe meanes for thy comfort, and make of fremd men, fathers and friends, and vnkend women, mothers, wiues, sisters, &c. gif thou be faithfull and patient; or then sall hee worke, and perfite the worke of his merciemercy in thee, and make thy saule with full contentment to say, Thou finds thy selfe satisfied by his al-sufficiencie, so that thou wald wish na mair, no nor neuer could hauehave looked for sa meikill.

Now the doubt quhilk remaines behinde, dois furnish vsus the greatest consolation of all. It wald appeare, that not without cause suld we feare, for the dissolving of nature; and separation of the saul from the bodie, and justlie lament the losse of our bodies; quhilk by death seems to bee destroyed and brought to nought: and thereby either to be made meat to the worms of the earth, foode to p. 48the fishes of the Sea, and foules of the aire; ar turned by the fearefull fire, in ashes and smokie aire. Let vsus then consider the losse, but meikle mair, estima… and view the commoditie and comfor… that redownd; to vsus thereby.

Certainelie, gif wee looke rightlie to the matter, we sall finde na losse at all, vnlesse thou wald esteeme the losse of thine enemie to be losse: for indeed, that olde man of sinne by death is destroyed, and alluterlie mortified and vndone. That poyson is put awaie, & that canker consumed, whereof fainest thou wald hauehave been free, gif thou be the free childe o… Cod; and for the quhilk cause, inspecial death ought to be embraced as thy best friend, and dearelie esteemed of, for defacing and slaying of thy deadly enemy. Of whom, by no vther meanes thou can be cleane quite but by death: for Christ our king, by the death ouercome and dantoned death, and made our greatest enemie, to become our special friend; even as the fire to eate out the fire of the scalded hand: The Scorpion to heal the p. 49Scorpions sting, & the Theryack made of the flesh of the Viper, to abolish the deadly venome thereof: What losse is there in the vre cast in the fornace, when be the fire out of the moules of the earth thou gathers silver and gold? What losse in the casting of the seede in the ground and scattering in abroade, when for ane thou resaues ten? The same losse, is in the laying off of this mortall body in the graue: wherefra, againe be the vertue of Christs resurrection, we sall resaue it immortall, cleane, and free from the seede of sinne, and so from all sorrowe, meet to bee joyned with the immortall saules, to hauehave the fruition of the face and light of the countenance of the God of immortalitie.

Then let vsus repose vponupon thir twa chief grounds of consolation against the feare of death; to wit, the immortalitie of the saull, and resurrection of the bodies, warranted to our faith, be the most clear and comfortable passages of the Scriptures of God. As touching the immortalitie of the saule, the Philosophers, Ethnicks, p. 50yea, the very American Cannibals this day doubts nothing off. But lo, wee hauehave a stronger consolation, in the blessed hope of the resurrection of our bodies, and ioyning of them with the saule in a glorious immortall, and perfite estate, to the stedfast standing of that wark of grace, in our whole man, body and saule for ever. Anent the quhilk, we man speak at mair length; because of the large and accomplished comfort arising therevpon.

Of innumerable things in nature, the reparation of the body of man in the resurrection may bee easilie beleeved: for any may easilie obserue, how of the auld and dead grashopper, bee shaking off of her slouch, the young dois lowpe out fresh and able: of the swear and decrepit cale-worme inclosed all the winter in a sorte of shell, to flye out a faire painted Butterflie in the Sommer. Or as the learned obserues, of nature hath left in writ: of the seary Emmets, become winged flyes: of the carion of a Calfe, the honie Bees: the silk wormes lies deade all the winter, and quickens again in the spring p. 54time: the Phoenix reviving out of her owne ashes. Quha is hee that espies not the pleasant Spring-time, and the gracious vicissitude of the returning newe yeare: wherein all herbs, trees, birds, and beasts, begins to shewe a newe force of nature; and brings foorth sik newe lustie and goodly shapes, as no naturall witte can giuegive the reason thereof. Seing then, that nature produces daylye so many things, whereof the minde of man can conceiue no cause: quha can denie, but the workeman of the whole world may raise vppe againe the bodies of men, in a mair bewtiful forme, nor ever they were in: seeing his hande that made nature, workes the like dailye, in nurishing and drawing out the putrified and corrupt seede, and making the samin to growe vp in a pleasant herb, or a faire and great trie; and sik like the seede of man and beast; liquid and hin in it selfe to growe in flesh, blude, hyde, haire; yea, in harde sennowes and bones.

And so Cyprian dois illustrat the truth of the Resurrection, be the Apostles Example p. 52of the seede. 1. Corinth. 15. Gif any (sayis he) wald mixe together divers sortes of seedes, and syne sowe or scatter them on the Earth: dois not every seede in a competent time, according to the kinde of the awin nature, bring foorth the blade, floure, and fruite thereof, for the reparation of the whole substance and bewtie of that bodye that perished of before: So also, the substance of the fleshe of man, albeit it be diverslie deiected; vvhen it sall please God, it sall be brought againe to life; in that same shape, quhilk death defaced; so that every saule, sall hauehave restored to it, not … confused, sought out, or strange body, but the very awin selfe bodye in substance quhilk it had before, onelyonly far altered for the better in qualities. Wherefore, the Apostle could not chuse a mair fit and neere figure to represent the resurrection, than the similitude of the seede sowen in the furrows of the Land: For as in nature the seede is cast in the furrowes; so in Christian burials, is the body laid in the graue: and as the seed after it is corrupt and rotten, begins againe to sprout and growe vp in a stalke, or Tree, flourishing and bringing p. 53forth fruite: so dois the bodie fresh and vigorious rise againe from corruption to life: a body subject to putrefaction is laid in the graue; but raised againe, free from all frailtie: it is laide downe, expond to wrack and destruction; but it is raised againe, cheerfull, quick, liuelie; cleane & pure, fyned from all drosse of earthlie or elementall alteration: a little assay wherof, may bee ordinarlie remarked in sicknesse; quhilk is the fore-runner, and messenger of death: for when with a feuer, ane is heavilie vexed, his colour growes pale, his body is heavie, his strength is gone; and of an able man, is turned in a lazie lump of clay; liker to a carion, than a living creature: but in some processe of time, by help of nature, meanes of medicine, and restoratiue foode, hee reviues, and becomes lustie, gude-like, and maire plesant and able, than before his sicknes. So in the Resurrection, the same bodie arises againe; but so purged, so fyned, so strengthened and trimmed, that no blemish nor wamb of the auld corruption or weaknes may be espyed.

p. 54So then, this separation for a time is no losse at all; but be the contrary, to the great gude of both the partes of man: for the body is laid at rest, free from all danger; not onelyonly of sinne and al miseries arising therevpon; but also from all temptations, peaceable sleeping in the graue, till that pleasant morning of the joyfull Resurrection. For howbeit, it appeare voide of life, in so farre as the saule being separate, carries with it all sense and mouing; so that at last, it is putrified and turned to dust: yet notwithstanding, for s… meikle as the power and spirite of God that quickens all things, leaues it not, i… cannot be esteemed altogether separate from life; but as the Apostle speaks, Rom 8. Gif the spirit of him that raised Iesus from the dead dwells in you, hee that raised Christ from the dead, sall quicken your mortall bodies, by the spirit that dwells in you: As also in the former similitude of the seede is euident; the quhilk howbeit it appeare to be dead, yet hath it life in it selfe before thou sowe it, and being sowne, it seemes to be slaine and buried; but it comes contrary p. 55wise to passe: for out of very rottennesse, it springs vp mair pleasant than it was: so that it is certaine, it had life in it, both before it was sowne, and in the midst of the corruption thereof. And when the Lord in his Lawe, calles himselfe the GOD of Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob; saying, hee is not the God of the dead, but of the living: as our Maister vses the samin against the Sadduces for the Resurrection: he meanes not onelyonly of the sauls of these his servants that wer living with him in the heavens, but also of their bodies, quhilk the Lord had laid vp in the earth, with the awin sort of life furnished thereto, by his power that quickens all creatures, even as the seede lying vnderunder the furrowes.

Mairover, we being by faith joyned & coupled with Christ as these fathers, not onelyonly in saule for the life and safetie thereof; but also in body, that quickning force of his life, whereby hee raised our nature from the death, never leaveth the bodies of the faithfull, but with a hid, fectful efficacie, lurkes for a while, as the p. 56seede vnderunder the clod, till it spring out in the awin tyme. And this is the grace of God that ever accompanies it, even in the midst of corruption, be the vertue of that everlasting covenant, quhilk is as a certaine spring and vaine of life, not to the saules onelyonly, but to the bodies also in the midst of the very graue: For according to that ground of our text, They that dyes in the Lorde, are pronounced blessed: Nowe, the saule is not properlie esteemed to die, but the bodye; so that this blessing man be on the body: but so it is, that no blessing can be without life, it followes then of necessitie, that the bodie is not destitute alluterlie of life, but hes in it, the awin sort and condition of life, even in the midst of death: and althogh through the corruption, it shews no token of life; yet retaines it thereof a certaine seede and vertue, quhilk in the day of the Resurrection it shawis forth, when the spirite of God sall put out his infinite power, to quicken these bodies, and raise them from the dust, to be decored with that glory promised to his elect.

p. 57Death then affrayes the godlie, but as a bowgle that feares bairnes: as a mother that wald put on a Maske to feare her childe; the child behalding her so disguised, cryes and flyes awaie: but how soone the maske is remooved, and the mother shewis her selfe as she is: then turnes the childe againe with joye, and embraces and kisses her. So is it indeed with the death, quhilk in respect of the new life it brings, may be called our mother, as IOB said to the graue: Thou art my father, and to corruption, thou art my mother: when we looke on it, as it is masked with the lawe and rigour of Gods justice and wrath, for the transgression theirof, then is it most terrible and feareful; But when that maske is shaken off, and it presence the selfe vntounto vsus, as it is becum to be in verie deede in Christ: than may we run to it and meet it, and embrace it as our mother, to be brought out therby vntounto the estate of a blessed life: sa that there is no losse by it, but great gaine: for like as on that ane part, wee can never bee free of the thraldome and vexation of sinne, p. 42but by death, so are we never throughly put in possession of the ritch graces of Christ; but be ye samin, for we liue heir vnderunder hope: and that quhilk is seene, is …ot hoped for: but that quhilk we looke to see and enioy, when by death we depart from this vale of miserie, vntounto that Paradise of all pleasure: Namelie, after the joyfull resurrection of the just, when that worke of Gods grace in vsus is fullie perfited: We are heir vnderunder tutorie, but there sal be free inheritors: here as Prentises and schollers, but then sall be free men and maisters; And as the damsell vnderunder the discipline of her dame, reioyces meikle, & whē she heares of the treatie of her mariage: but mair when she is contracted, and most of all, in the day of her marriage, when she beginns to hauehave the ful enjoying of all, quhilk she langed for: so we in this life, be the Gospel preached, heares of that marriage, & beleeuing of the samin, ar firmely hand-fasted; But the full fruition sall we not hauehave, till be death wee be turned to dust, and be the glorious resurrection, renued again, p. 59and presented to our husband in the heavens, perfit and comelie in body and saul: at quhilk time our mariage is solemnized in the sight of God, his Angels, and all the glorified Saints, with whom we sall enter in the wedding chamber, to enioy the perfection of vnspeakeable pleasures for ever: our beautifull bridegrome inviting vsus with these wordes. Arise my louelove, my faire one; Behold the winter is past, the rayne is changed and gone away, the flowers appeir in the earth, the time of the singing of Birds is cum, and the voyce of the Turtle is heard in our land: the Fig-tree hath brought foorth her young figs, and the vynes with their small grapes hath cast a sauour. Arise my louelove, my faire one, and come awaye &c. Cant. 2. Then sall bee accomplished the prophecie of the spirit; They who sawis in sorrow, sal shear with ioy; he wha carying his happer went mourning, sall returne carying his sheaues with dancing.

Let vsus then stedfastlie repose on Christ Iesus, who in nothing did shew forth the powe and glorie of his God-head, fo meikel as in rysing againe from the p. 60dead; and tryvmphing over the power of the graue: for the same without question, is to be effectuat in al his members, any of the quhilk, gif he suld leaue vnperfited, be that resurrection, hee could not be a perfit Christ and Saviour. Let vsus therefore certaiuelie beleeue the Apostle, Phil. 3. and looke for the comming of our Saviour from the Heavens at the last daie: at quhilk time, he sall transforme our humble and mortall bodies, and mak them conform to his glorious bodie, be that power, whereby he is able to subdue all thinges: and let vsus marke the exhortation and consolation of the same Apostle. 1. Thes. 4. I will not hauehave you to be ignorant brethren, concerning them quhilk are a sleepe: that ye be not sorrowfull, as those who hes no hope. For gif we beleeue that Iesus is dead and rysen againe, even so them quhilk sleepe iu Iesus, will God bring with him; for this say we vntounto you by the word of the Lord, that they quhilk liue and are remayning in the cumming of the Lord, sal not preuent them quhilk sleepe: for the Lord himselfe sal discend from heaven, with a shout & p. 61with the voyce of the Archangel, & with the Trumpet of God: and the dead in Christ sall ryse first. Then sall they quhilk liue and remaine, bee caught vp with them also in the clouds, to meete the Lord in the ayre, and sall be ever with the Lorde: wherefore, comfort your selfe (sayis the Apostle) one ane vther with these words.

The reason then, wherefore they that sleepes in the Lord, suld not bee immoderatlie lamēted, is, because they ar to be raysed againe, (be the word of God,) to hauehave the fruitiō of the ages that ends never: As Christ himself hes assured: Ioh. 5. The houre sall cum, when they that are in the graues, sall heir his voyce, and they sall cum foorth: they that hes done gude to the resurrection of life: but they that hes done evill, to the resurrection of condemnation. Now this gude doing, is beleeving in him, & shewing of the fruits theirof, in louelove and obedience: as he himselfe answered to the Iewes, in the saxt Chapter theirafter, when they asked him▪ What sal we do, that we may work the works of God? This is the worke of God, (saies or Maister) that ye beleeue p. 62in him whom he hes sent. This is the will of the Father that sent me, that none of those that hee hath giuen mee should perish: But that I suld rayse them vp in the last daie; This is the will of him that sent me, that whosoever knowis the Sonne, and beleeuis in him, sall hauehave eternall life, and I sall rayse him vp at the latter daie. Whereby our sweet Saviour brings solid consolation, vntounto all his elect and faithfull: to saue them from succumbing in these heavie tentations: wherewith Sathan seeks by distrust and infidelity, grieuously to afflict & deiect the minds of Gods children. Like as hee left nothing vnassayd against IOB the paterne of patience: and that in the midst of all the righteous servands of God, strenthened be his spirit: comforted him selfe in the assured hope of this resurrection, saying: O that my words wer now writtin, ô that they were written even in a buike, and graven with an Iron pen, in Lead or in stone for ever: for I am sure that my redeemer liveth, and he sall stand the last on the earth, and thoght after my skinne, wormes destroye the bodie; yet sall I see God in my flesh, whom I p. 63my selfe sall see, and mine eies sal behold, and none vther for me, though my reynes be consumed within me. Seeing then that all the hope and assurance of salvation, and all consolation, in the vtter extremitie, is in this beleefe, of the blessed resurrection: let vsus speciallie open this vn…o all the assaults and terrours, wherby Sathan and his foule spirits, seeks to subvert our minds, dash vsus with distrust, and cast vsus in most dangerous dispaire: and let vsus hauehave ane fixed faith, and vnshaken hope in him, wha is the author and purchaser to vsus of this last & greatest benefit, quhilk crownes and perfytes all the rest, the resurrection of our bodies, to the life everlasting.

Now, gif we wald know farther anent the suertie and maner of the resurrection, & what sort of bodies sal be brought thereby from the dust, meet and able to jnioy that spirituall kingdome of glorie: Let vsus for the assurance of our faith, and full instruction and comfort hear it out of the plaine wordes of the Apostle, out of the fifteenth Chapter, of the first p. 64Epistle to the Corinthians.

But some men will say, how are the dead raysed vp? and with what body, cum they foorth? O foole, that quhilk thou sawest is not quickened except it die: and that quhilk thou sawest, thou sawest not that body quhilk sall be, but bare corne: As it falleth of wheat or of some vther; but God giueth it a body at his pleasure, even to every seede his awin body. All flesh is not the same flesh; but there is one flesh of of men, and an other flesh of beastes, and another of fishes, and another of birds, there are also heavenlie bodies, and earthly bodies: but the glorie of the heavenlie is one, and of the earthly an other. Ther is another glory of the Sunne, and an other of the Moone, and another of the Starrs: and ane star differeth from an other in glorie; Sa also is the resurrection of the dead: the body is sawin in corruption, & is raised in incorruptiō, it is sawin in dishonour and raysed in glorie, it is sawin in weaknesse and raysed in power: It is sawin an naturall body, and raysed ane spirituall bodie. There is a naturall body, and there is a spirituall body: as it it also written. The first man ADAM, was made a liuing saul: & the last ADAM was made p. 65quickning Spirit: how be it, that was not first, quhilk is spirituall, but that quhilk is naturall: and afterward that quhilk is spirituall. The first man is of the earth earthlie: the second man, is of the Lord from heven: as is the earthlie, sik are they that are earthly, and as is the heavenlie, sik are they also that are heavenlie. And as we hauehave borne the Image of the earthly, so sall we beare the Image of the heavenlie. This say I brethren, that flesh and bloud cannot inherit the kingdome of God, nether doth corruption, inherit incorruption. Behold I shew you a secret thing: wee sall not al sleep, but we sal al be changed in a moment, in the twinckling of an eie, at the last trumpet: for the trumpet sall blow, and the dead sal be raysed vp incorruptible, & we sal be changed: for this corruptible, must put on incorruption: and this mortal, must put on immortalitie. So when this corruptible, hes put on incorruption, and this mortall, hes put on immortalitie, then sal this saying, that is written be brought to passe, Death is swallowed vp in victory, ô death where is thy sting! ô graue where is thy victorie! The sting of deatb is sinne, and the strength of sinne is the law: but thanks be to p. 66God, who hes giuen victory through our Lord Iesus Christ. Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast and vnmoueable, abound alwaies in the work of the Lord: for as meikle as ye know, that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord.

Then to conclude, the veritie of this resurrection of Christ hes wrought this farre, that thereby the victorie and tryumph obtayned, over death, in the verie darke and strongest dungeon theirof, the graue; no Christian suld doubt of perfit salvation of bodie and saull; but may hauehave a firme and vnshaken hope, that all sall be perfited in him, quhilk are expressed and done by his Christ, for his sake. So heere is the stay and solid foundation of our faith, grounded vponupon the death & resurrection of our Lorde Iesus: whereby he hath destroyed the force of death, and plucked away the sting thereof: quhilk turned vsus awaie from God, and cast vsus awaie from vtter danger of wrack & destruction. Sen we hauehave therefore obtayned so great and so sure felicitie, be the death and resurrection of our p. 67Saviour. Let vsus not suffer our selues to be carryed awaie with any doubting, or wandring error: but let vsus with all our maine prease, to injoy the vse and fruits of so great a gude: and let vsus fixe the eyes of our faith vponupon hie, wha hes promised vsus all this in Christ: wha is loving, trew, eternall, and almightie: and therefore, neither can nor will disappoynt vsus, seeing that of his singular fauour & merciemercy, be his Christ, raysed from the dead: he hes regenerated vsus in a liuely hope, & hes restored vsus to a life, free from all danger of death, and hath consigned to vsus an inheritance immortall: forgiving vsus all our sinnes; and blotting awaie all handwrits and obligatories theirof, that was against vsus.

The remembraunce theirof, suld alwaies walk before the eies of our minds; namelie, when we are to enter into this last conflict & battel: wherein detesting all the sinnes of our by-past life: Let vsus open to Sathan, death, sinne, and hel, the infinit mercy of God the Father, by faith in the Lord Iesus Christ: whereby salvation p. 68certainely prepared, is set before vsus with stretched out armes, to meet & imbrace vsus. So this faith and assurance of the promised merciemercy and life: infused in our hearts, be the haly spirit, is to be cherished and stirred vp in vsus be all meanes, that throw the merit of the perfit mediatour, we may confidently call vponupon him, Abba deere Father. Feeling that spirit of adoption, alwaies assuring our spirit, that he is our Father in Christ, and we are his deerely redeemed Children, be that ransome of his pretious bloud: and that this our father hes given vsus to his Christ, s… that no power is able to take vsus out of his hand, or stoppe vsus from entring into his rest: perswading vsus, that neither life nor death, principalitie nor power: heigh, nor lowe, thing present, nor to come: nor na vther, is able to separate vsus from the louelove of our gratious father in Iesus: So this spirit, is the earnest of our inheritance, putting vsus even presently in possession therof: be an assured & vnshaken hope: thereby, lifting vsus vp, and conforting vsus, hee remooues all trembling and p. 69terror from our conscience, & makes vsus to embrace the favour and merciful presence of our God, for the certain receaving of that redemption & reconciliatiō, offered alwaies be him vntounto vsus in Christ Iesus; whome hee hes proponed, a sure propitiation and attonement bee faith in his bloud: whereby, being justified, we finde rest and a pacified conscience; a quiet and secure minde, in sik sort, that all diffidence and desperation being shaken off, we conceiue an assured hope of the resurrection, and glorious immortalitie: And doubting nathing of that perfit joye and salvation purchased, we gladly resolue, and are weil contented to remooue and flit from this miserie, to that felicitie everlasting, and earnestly desire with all our hearts, to change this wandring Pilgrimage: with that heavenlie and eternall habitation, where wee sall finde the vnchangeable fruition of euerstanding pleasures: in the glorious kingdome of our Christ, who hes prepared it for vsus, gone and tane possession theirof in our name and nature before vsus, and p. 70sall send his blessed Angels, to transport and take vsus thereto. Come Lord Iesus; Even cum Lord Iesus, hasten Lord and tarrie not.

Nomb. 23. 10.

Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my latter end be like his.

FINIS.