Commentary on Judges, Sermon 13
THE THIRTEENTH SERMON ON THE BOOKE OF IVDGES.
The ſecond part of the Chapter.
VERS. 6. Now when Ioſhus had ſent the people away, the children of Iſrael went eueryevery man into his inheritance to poſſeſſe the land.
7. And the people had ſerued the Lord all the daies of Ioſhua, and all the daies of the elders that outliued Ioſhua; which had ſeene all the great workes of the Lord that he had done for Iſrael.
8. But Ioſhua the ſonne of Nun, the ſeruant of the Lord died, when hee was an hundred and tenne yeeres old.
9. And they buried him in the coaſts of his inheritance, in Timnah-heres in mount Ephraim, on the north ſide of mount Gaaſh.
10. And ſo all that generation was gathered vntounto their fathers, and another generation aroſe after them which neither knew the Lord, nor yet his workes which he had done for Iſrael.
11. Then the children of Iſrael did wickedly in the ſight of the Lord, & ſerued Baalim.
12. And forſooke the Lord God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other Gods, euen the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed vntounto them, and prouoked the Lord to anger.
13. So they forſooke the Lord and ſerued Baal and Aſhteroth.
NOw followeth the ſecond part of the chapter to the The ſenſe.end; which alſo containeth the ſumme of the reſt of the ſecond part of the booke vntounto the 17. chapter, and ſetteth downe the eſtate of the children of Iſrael vntounto the death of Sampſon, and that was after this manner. 1. The people prouoked God by their ſinnes. 2. God puniſhed them for them, and that by other nations. 3. He raiſed vp Iudges to them: and 4. When they cried vntounto him deliuered them. 5. After that they brake forth and fell to Idolatry againe. And this was their eſtate all the time that paſſed till the acts mentioned in the 17. chapter, as is ſhewed by perticular examples through all the chapters before that, beginning in the third. But if any ſee reaſon not to conſent that theſe verſes in this ſecond part of this chapter doe lay forth the ſumme of the ſecond part of the booke in generall, it maketh no great matter. He muſt yet grant, that in them is ſet downe the eſtate of the people generally at the time after Ioſhuas death, who knew not the Lord: and in the chapters following, more perticularly; vntounto the ſeuenteenth chapter. The diſtinct matters in this ſecond part of the chapter are theſe fiue now mentioned. 1. Their ſinne. 2. Their puniſhment. 3. Their crying to God. 4. Deliuerance. 5. Their reuolting. The firſt of them was their ſinne, the which is ſet downe from the eleuenth verſe to the fourteenth, with the occaſion that they tooke to fall in that manner, and that is from the ſixth verſe to the eleuenth. And the occaſion was the death of Ioſhua, and other good gouernours heere mentioned, that outliued him: for though in their time the people ſerued the Lord, as heere it is ſaid, yet after them aroſe another generation that knew not the Lord, and then they forſooke him. Of theſe now as it followes in order.
And firſt let vsus conſider what is ſaid of Ioſhua, then of the people, and laſtly of them both. Of Ioſhua firſt in his life, and ſo come to his death; then of the people after his death. In that it is ſaid of him that he had ſent the people away to their inheritance, before he died; as it is recorded, Ioſh. 24. it cauſeth a queſtion to bee moued, why hee had called them together before his death; that appeareth in the chapter mentioned now, throughout vntounto the 28. verſe: and it was to this end, to rehearſe Gods benefits to them, and to Ioſh. 24. 28.exhort them to ſerue the Lord, and this was a little before his death, at which time alſo he renewed a couenant betwixt the Lord and the people: the like to which we reade that Iehoida did betwixt the Lord, and Ioaſh the King. And ſo did Nehemiah, Ioſiah and other, whoſe rare & godly example is 2. King. 11. 17.ſet forth moſt clearly and liuely, to be a patterne to all Chriſtian magiſtrates, euen the higheſt, how they ſhould count it their greateſt honour to honour Doct. 1. In verſ. 6.the Lord among the people, and cauſe them to doe ſo likewiſe; to aduance his true worſhip alſo, and therefore to ſee true and ſound doctrine taught and not to ſuffer ſuperſtition, nor falſe opinions to bee thruſt vponupon the Church: and to prouide, as neare as may be, that the people may know, that they doe not require theſe things of them for faſhion, but in ſincerity; and that ſeeing the Lord is a plentifull rewarder of them that ſeeke him: therefore Heb. 11. 6.they muſt not thinke themſelues diſcharged, in that they prouide for the outward peace of the people only (wherein yet they doe very commendably) but that they may liue godly alſo; becauſe vnderunder God they are the maintainers and preſeruers of both tables. And the beſt that they can yeeld Cuſtodes vtriuſque tabulae. Pſal. 2. 11.the Lord for aduancing them is, to ſerue him in feare themſelues, and kiſſe the ſonne, and prouide that others may doe ſo, and that without diſturbance, by them that are corrupt in their religion, and profane. And thus they are to goe before them zealouſly, and faithfully in their owne practiſe, as this noble man Ioſhua heere did, profeſſing it openly that hee would doe ſo, ſaying, Ioſh. 24. 15. Deut. 17. 19.whatſoeuer other doe, I and my houſe will ſerue the Lord. And that then and now theſe things might the better bee done, the Lord commandeth in Deuteronomie, that the higheſt in authority ſhould be ſtudious in the book Deut. 34. 11.of God. All the forementioned things did Moſes, who gonerned the people before Ioſhua: who both are to bee followed in their religious courſe; becauſe experience hath alwaies taught vsus, that if the chiefe rulers bee zealous and religious, the inferiours will embrace piety and godlineſſe likewiſe; at leaſt, not be againſt it. And contrariwiſe: but if they ſhould not, yet the people muſt themſelues walke with God.
And thus did Ioſhua ſend the people away, as it is ſaid in the text, and with Doct. 2.gracious words exhorted them, and ſpake to them when hee was readie to die; as in the forementioned chapter of Ioſhua appeareth, that hee might leaue his laſt words ſo fruitfull among them, that their print might remaine in them after his death, euen as it did. And ſeeing he ſent them away in this manner, wee ſhould know, that it becommeth meaner perſons much more to do ſo; I meane, to giuegive exhortation to their children, ſeruants, and neighbours, if they hauehave freedome from paine, which often times hindreth right good men, and this is the beſt memoriall that they can leaue behinde them at their death. There ſhould be a wiſe putting of the houſe in order, & a ſetting of mens eſtates at a ſtay before death come, as Hezechiah was willed by 2. King. 20. 1.the Lord to doe; a chiefe part whereof is this giuing of exhortation: and this ſhould be; both that the minde of the viſited partie may bee eaſed and at quiet, and to preuent all trouble among thoſe that remaine behinde. For if this be not done before ſickneſſe) as commonly it is neglected, it had need to be then gone about with all ſpeed. But whiles this dutie ought to bee performed, of vſing good ſpeech to the ſtanders by, how many are there who are ſcarce able or willing to take direction themſelues, when they lie vponupon their death bed? ſo farre are they from bequeathing gracious counſell and exhortation to others, and all becauſe they ſought no ſuch matter in the daies of their peace, health, and liberty, nor deſired that their family ſhould. And this bee ſaid of Ioſhua; now of the people, according to the diuiſion made before, in the entring into this verſe. They being now ſent away, went Doct. 3.eueryevery man to his inheritance, as it had been before diuided to them by Ioſhua, and ſo reſted at home in peace, after their many hard battailes and troubles. Thus the Lord dealeth with his people, that for a time they finde hardneſſe, and afterward deliuerance and peace; as after a ſtorme commeth faire weather. Thus heauineſſe endures for a night, but ioy commeth in the morning. Pſal. 30. 5.We all ſhunne trouble, and it is of it ſelfe grieuous and vnwelcome; but herein we are much faulty, that as tedious as it is, few of vsus lay to auoide it aright, by eſchewing the ſinnes that cauſe it: but rather bring it vponupon our ſelues by our raſh attempts, and other wilfull, careleſſe, and bad doings; whereas we might be free from many troubles, if wee could take counſell of God in our matters, and ſtoope to his gouernment. And for example, it may be ſaid, wee prize not outward peace (to liue ſafely and quietly in our houſes) at any high reckoning, in which eſtate yet wee might doe much good; but we trifle out our precious time at leaſt, if we bee not worſe occupied; whereby, when wee raiſe trouble againſt our ſelues, wee take not the beſt way commonly to goe through it cheerefully, and meekely committing Pſal. 37. 3.our way to God wholly, by doing all the good we can, and ſo waite vponupon him patiently, for a good iſſue.
Now after the people were ſaid to bee ſent away, it is further ſaid, that Verſ. 7. Doct. 1.they ſerued God while Ioſhua and other godly gouernours liued. Oh therefore how happy a thing it is to enioy ſuch? For much helpe, encouragement See more of this in chap. 1. ver. 1. Doct. 1.and eaſe the inferiours hauehave by them (they bearing the burthen off from the ſholders of the other being more weake and vnfit thereto) who if they were not they muſt beare it themſelues. For when the people hauehave by their meanes the Goſpell purely preached, and liue ſafely vnderunder their vine 1. King. 9.and figge tree, as they did in the daies of Salomon, with the liberty to exchange and vtter their commodities and wares, little doe they weigh it, for the moſt part, what a benefit it is, who doe commonly enioy theſe bleſſings by the kinde, wiſe, and religious care of their gouernours. So to come lower euen among our ſelues, they who liue vnderunder inferiour guides, as people of the meaner ſort vnderunder godly headburrowes and guides in their townes, who hauehave great encouragement to Chriſtian duty by them, together with Note.good example, rather then checkes taunts, and diſcouragement (which many feele in bad townes) oh how ſweet a liberty doe they enioy that can prize it aright? what a furtherance to godlineſſe? So to be in a religious and well ordered familie, where God and his true ſeruice is chiefly regarded, it is a corner of heauen in reſpect of other houſes, though there want not in them many bodily comforts.
And if ſuch a thing bee ſet downe heere of the people to their commendation and their gouernours alſo, and for vsus to behold and thinke vponupon, that while ſuch liued together, the one was well guided by the other, and God religiouſly ſerued of both; then let all ſuch as enioy the benefit of good and Chriſtian gouernment, in houſe, or out of houſe, eſpecially in both, fall downe before the Lord, and acknowledge it to his great praiſe, and the binding of themſelues vntounto him, and pray earneſtly that they may giuegive good teſtimonie of it, by ſeeking to be ſetled in the feare of God, and to grow vp in faith, knowledge, and grace thereby. I know it is no common thing either to finde the one or the other, but where any are vnderunder the authority and wing of godly guides, let them make account that it is their ſummer ſeaſon, not like the winter ſnuffes and brunts. And as for ſuch as fauour not good Note.dwellings, but rather ſhunne them, as Eſau did good marriages, I deny not but they may hold vp their head with the higheſt, and beare out matters with the bigeſt, and ſhift to get a ſhare in the pleaſures of ſinne for a ſeaſon; but they are as farre from true happines as they are from ſpirituall and ſound comfort, though few hauehave eares to heare it, till they ſmart by it. Now further, for people that liue vnderunder a good miniſtry, (to ſay a little of them, Moſes his being among the people, doth wofully prognoſticate, vntounto what a paſſe they are like to grow, if they had elbow roome. For though none might liue happilier then they, yet who (for the moſt part) doe leſſe looke after it? for as they in Moſes abſence from them but fortie daies, made themſelues a calfe to worſhip: euen ſo the people are ſo brutiſh in theſe daies, and diſordered, euen while their faithfull paſtors liue with them, that the greateſt part of them, take no good by them: what did I ſay? nay they liue moſt offenſiuely vnderunder them. A ſigne of a wofull condemnation ready to come vponupon them, all may ſee it is in their ſo doing, for louing darkeneſſe, in the cleare light of the Goſpell more then it. And though ſome of them Ioh. 3. 19.who are more ſubtill doe carrie the matter more cloſely, yet they are reſtrained by neceſſity or ſhame, not reformed by grace, and the power of the word. And let others who are not ſo bad, and yet not brought to true repentance, let them (I ſay) make better vſe of ſuch helpes while they enioy them, as they did in the Acts of the Apoſtles, and eſpecially let them ſee that all bee well betwixt God and them; yea and let them get furniture of grace to vphold them afterward alſo, leſt too late they lament, that they tooke no good by them, and bewaile the want of them (as Saul did Samuel) 1. Sam. 28. 11.when there is no helpe.
But heere in as much as we ſee theſe people held out in Gods ſeruice but Doct. 2.for a time, and that was, while they had good gouernours and ouerſeers liuing with them: it auaileth much therefore to obſerue in our ſelues what it is that maketh vsus embrace religion, and what is the chiefeſt thing that cauſeth vsus to hold on the ſame. (A worthie point for all to learne, and namely ſuch as pretend they louelove the Goſpell) it much concerneth vsus (I ſay) to know and be aſſured whether it be fauour of men, commodity, credit, example, or other outward reſpect, which moueth vsus to profeſſe any thing more zealouſly then ſome other doe, or whether for conſcience ſake, in that God commandeth vsus ſo to doe, and for the ſauour and ſweetneſſe that wee finde therein and in the Goſpell which wee heare. For euen thereafter ſhal our welfare, proſperity, and perſeuerance be. For if wee hauehave taſted how good Mat. 19. 29.the Lord is, and hauehave found that hundred fold that is promiſed, and verefied in vsus which is written in the Pſalme, that a day in Gods houſe is better to vsus Pſal. 84. 11.then a thouſand elſe where; then we may know that wee hauehave builded vponupon a Matth. 7. 24.rocke, and our building ſhall ſtand, and till we meet with a better booty then that, and may ſerue a better maſter then the Lord is (which ſhall neuer be) wee will keepe cloſe to him, and count his ſeruice to bee perfect freedome. And to ſuch as demand of vsus whether wee will continue and hold on in a godly courſe, or goe backe, as Chriſt demanded of his Diſciples, we ſhall be Ioh. 6. 68.able to anſwere with Peter: whither ſhall wee goe? wee are in the way to eternall life, and we will not change our Chriſtian courſe for any other. Otherwiſe it is not enough to boaſt of our louelove to God, and to ſay [Lord, Lord] when yet we will take no paines throughly to gage our harts and to ſee our affection well ordered, that ſo good life may follow.
Now while the holy Ghoſt ſpeaketh of the people, how they followed Doct. 3.the Lord all the daies of Ioſhua, and the godly elders; hee ſtayeth a while about them, giuing them this teſtimony, that they had ſeene the workes of God which he had done among them: meaning that they had not barely looked Luk. 1. 38.vponupon them but obſerued, and (as Mary did the words of the Angell) had laid Luk. 2. 51.them vp in their hearts to conſider them. For what profited it then otherwiſe to ſee them? For there is no doubt, but that there were many more aliue at that time, who had ſeene the miracles and great workes which the Lord had wrought in placing them in Canaan; but they were not worth the naming, ſeeing they had not alſo made vſe of them; but theſe had ſeen them in another manner, ſo that they acknowledged the Lords power and goodneſſe toward them thereby; declaring that to be the cauſe of their conſtant ſeruing of God, and cleaning to him, euen becauſe they had ſeene them. And it is no leſſe (doubtleſſe) then a great cauſe of the godlineſſe of them that hauehave any in them; namely, that they are ſuch as hauehave ſeene and weighed Gods wonderfull acts, as his mercy and gracious working by the power of the Goſpell in themſelues or other; as alſo for that they hauehave had proofe of his mighty vpholding of thē in a good courſe againſt all aduerſary power of the prince of darkenes, and his band. In like manner this hath hartened them to duty not a little, for that as they hauehave ſeen it alwaies to go well with them while they feared the Lord, and departed from euill; ſo they …ue ſeene the heauie hand of God to hauehave been againſt others, that Note.hauehave peruerted their waies, & followed a bad courſe; ſo that although they hauehave proſpered heere for a ſeaſon, yet when God in his due time hath blowne vponupon their viſored felicity, they hauehave wanzed away in his diſpleaſure. This Salomon commendeth to vsus in his example, who profeſſeth that it Eccles. 7. 15. 17.was his practiſe to behold and conſider all things (not impertinent matters as a buſie bodie, but profitable) and eſpecially the courſes and iſſues of the righteous and wicked. By which meanes hee attained to great experience and wiſedome, both to guide himſelfe and others. Euen as his father Dauid did alſo; ſaying, that he was made wiſer then the ancient, becauſe he conſidered ſuch things. But this meditating of Gods wonderfull workes; and namely this one, the greateſt of other, how he hath appointed to ſaue ſome from vtter perdition, and letteth others goe on in their ſinnes, though it be a ſtrong motiue to draw men to God, yet (with griefe it may be ſpoken) it is vtterly wanting among moſt men. Their hearts are ſet on follie and vanity. He that hath liued to ſee many laid in graue, hath ſcarce a thought that hee ſhall follow, and goe the way that all hauehave gone before him in. As for that they heare, that except they repent they ſhall all periſh, although they know their Luk. 13. 3.hearts are hardened, ſo that they neither can repent nor hauehave the leaſt deſire after it; yet they crie peace, peace, as though all were ſafe. So that it may now iuſtly be complained of, which Salomon hath long agoe bewrayed, that the fooles eyes are in eueryevery corner of the world; meaning that they are buſying Prou. 17. 24.themſelues any way needleſly, and amiſſe; but as for things out of the world or aboue it, that is (as Saint Peter ſpeaketh) a farre off, their eyes are 2. Pet. 1. 9.ſore and pur-blind, they cannot looke after them; and as the Prophet ſpeaketh, they are wiſe to doe euill; but to doe well, they hauehave no knowledge. Ier. 4. 22.The Lord himſelfe bewaileth this brutiſhnes in men, that like vnreaſonable creatures they minde onelyonly that which is preſent, and before their eyes; but oh (ſaith hee) that my people were wiſe, and did conſider their end. For that is Deut. 32. 29.wiſdome indeed, which ſeeing the moſt doe want, therefore they neuer enioy the thouſand part of ſweet liuing heere, as they might doe.
Now the holy ſtory hauing ſpoken of the workes which Ioſhua and the Verſ. 8.people did in his life, maketh mention of his death, as that which followeth, when all the actions of life are ended. And therefore Dauid, when hee was departing hence, ſaid; I goe the way of all the world. As wee hauehave therefore 1. King. 22.heard much of the actions of our life; ſo let vsus heare ſome what of death, as the text giueth vsus leaue and occaſion. And in that we heare that he died the Doct. 1.ſeruant of the Lord, as hee had long liued, and had done ſo many worthie things in his life (death and departure hence being ſo ſolemne a thing as it is) we ſhould bee much moued, not onelyonly to thinke vponupon the end of all fleſh, but eſpecially of our owne death, and to prepare for it aboue all things, Pſal. 37. 37.and to learne to die; that ſo wee might with him, die the ſeruants of God. Which though to a naturall man it be impoſible, yet the Lord maketh it tolerable, yea eaſie, and a welcome thing, to all ſuch as hauehave firſt learned to liue well heere, or at leaſt are fit to die. For perſeuerance in good life, meeteth with a good death, and ioyfully embraceth it: in which reſpect Salomon ſaith, that the day of death is better then the day of birth, as being the entrance Eccleſ. 7. 2.into life. And therefore the text ſaith, Ioſhua the ſeruant of the Lord died: noting that his death was not as the death of eueryevery common man, but a bleſſed death, and a reſt from the worke of the Lord, in which hee had been faithfull in his life; and therfore now looking for his reward, from the Lord Heb. 11. 6.a bountifull paymaiſter, death was welcome to him. As it is reported of an ancient Father of the Church, that being 80. yeeres old, and being then to bid farewell to his friends, ſaid; Thus long hauehave I ſerued the Lord, and now it grieueth mee not to die; for I hauehave a good maſter, thereby meaning that death was far more welcome to him then life; euen as that day is to a faithfull ſeruant, wherein he is to receiue liberall wages for his long ſeruice, then all the daies are that went before. And thus S. Paul ſpeaketh of Dauid, that when he had ſerued his time, he ſlept: meaning that hee reſted from his labours Eccleſ. 12. 7. Act. 13. 36.in body, while his ſoule returned to God who gaue it. And when we hauehave learned, and fitted our ſelues to die, then the hearing of death, and the beholding it in other, is a fit meane to quicken vsus to the looking after it our ſelues, and to further and confirme vsus in readineſſe to die well; conſidering deepely of it and of our owne mortality with it. And it much helpeth to thinke vponupon the infinite thouſands mentioned in the Scriptures (who hauehave been taken hence by death) and namely, the rolles of Kings, ſuch as hauehave been more noble and memorable perſons, who ſeemed to hauehave an eternity heere, by their dignity, pompe, and prerogatiues aboue other men, as alſo among our ſelues more neerely to hearken after, and thinke vponupon the death of ſuch as wee hauehave knowne or liued with; oh it doth not a little helpe to cracke the pride of life in vsus, and to prepare for death. All which in fit ſeaſons and vponupon good conſideration, being ſet before our eyes, are ſinguler meanes to faſten this meditation vponupon vsus, that wee alſo may willingly and readily giuegive place to death: and this ſhall much eaſilier and the better bee, while by our reioycing that we hauehave in Chriſt Ieſus our Lord wee die daily 1. Cor. 15. 33.before death doe come. By meanes whereof, as it is vncertaine, when we ſee any to die among vsus, who ſhall bee next; ſo eueryevery one ſhould put forward himſelfe, as the Apoſtle did in a caſe not vnlike, being told by their maſter that one of them ſhould betray him; eueryevery one asked for himſelfe, ſaying, is it I Matth. 26. 22.maſter? Euen ſo (I ſay) we ought to reſolue, eueryevery one for himſelfe, that he may be the next, that ſo death may the better be prouided for. And let this ſerue by this occaſion, for a meditation of death.
His old age being an hundred and ten yeeres, are reckoned as an honour to him, that being ſo commended for his godlineſſe, hee liued ſo long. To Doct. 2.whom Moſes and Caleb may bee added, full of yeeres and grace. Doubtleſſe it is no leſſe to a man ſeruing God ſo religiouſly, ſo long a time. For it is not an honour beſtowed vponupon all, to become fathers and worthies, in the Church for their long continuance in grace, when we ſee the louelove of ſo many to waxe cold, and a farre greater number to bee reprochfull in their age. But gray haires are a comely ornament, when they are found in the way of righteouſneſſe. Prou. 16. 31.For although it bee happineſſe for the people of God to die betimes ſeeing to bee with Chriſt is beſt of all, yet to liue long heere, (if God Phil. 1. 23.may be honoured by vsus in our life, is an high honour alſo another way, euen by doing much good. And ſo Dauid confeſſed, ſaying, If I may liue to keepe thy word (for thereby God is glorified) I ſhall count it a great bountie Pſal. 119. 17.vntounto me. Which reaſon Dauid and Hezekiah vſed, deſiring life to this end, ſaying; The liuing, the liuing ſhall praiſe thee, Eſa. 38. 19. And in the Pſal. Eſa 38. 19.None can worſhip thee in the graue. This, a man would thinke, ſhould ſtir Pſal. 6. 5.vp all that hauehave made good beginnings in Chriſtian life, to long after perſeuerance therein, yea though they liue vntounto old age, and that they may bee experienced and well ſeene in the waies of God, that ſo they may declare them to others. Which as it is rare, and few mens caſes to doe; ſo it is their 1. Iob. 2. 14.honour that doe it, and their benefit who enioy it. I ſpeake this to the ſhame of ſuch as doe by ſmall occaſions depart from good beginnings, and in the pride of their hearts, and contempt of other, take conceits againſt their brethren, who hold conſtantly the profeſſion of their hope, and breake off their fellowſhip with them, directly contrary to the word of God, or ſome other way depart from a good courſe; ſo that few ſuch doe hold out to the end in their good beginnings, but loſe that honour that Ioſhua had, who in his Heb. 10. 25.old age died as he had long liued; to wit, the ſeruant of the Almighty, then the which title, the Angels had no greater honour.Heb. 1. 7.
It is further added of Ioſhua, that he was buried in his owne inheritance, Verſ. 9.which was in mount Ephraim, in the place mentioned in the text, and that without ſuperſtition. Now concerning buriall wee are to know, that God hath appointed that it ſhould bee for the honeſt and decent couering of the body, vntill the reſurrection day; and that the bodies of the faithfull ſhould bee as it were, laid vp in the earth, in hope of their honour at the laſt day; though many righteous perſons hauehave by the cruelty of their enemies eſpecially, been denied this liberty of buriall, which is the comlieſt manner of beſtowing them, but it hindred not their happineſſe. Beſide, the bodies of God children, for that they bee the temples of the holy Ghoſt, ought (if it may be) decently to be buried, and not to be caſt forth into the fields. And it was a kind of a curſe to Iehoiakim, to be buried like an aſſe. But to ſay no more of this, yet about buriall I adde one thing that whereas it goeth againſt the Ier. 22. 19.edge with men and women, that their bodies ſhould ſo bee abaſed at that time, as to be wrapped and wound vp, and laid in graue, ſome of them hauing liued ſumptuouſly, and daintily heere before, and therefore coſtly cloathed, and in fine apparell; they muſt know, that this mortality and corruption muſt, by Gods ordinance bee put off, before immortality and glory can be put on, and that this abaſement, together with the laying of them by the walles, in the vtmoſt and meaneſt roomes, which were wont to hauehave their abode in the coſtlieſt and ſeemelieſt places, as alſo the homely laying forth of them by meane people, they themſelues in their life time hauing had company with the wealthier and better ſort: this I ſay, with all other abaſements Note.and diſgrace, ſerueth to this end, euen to abate and pull downe the pride of men that is in them, and to cauſe them to eſteeme meanely of their bodies, in their flouriſhingeſt eſtate, which they hauehave too much pampered, and gloried in, by ſetting out of them ſo vainely. It is a fit cooling and check for ſuch as hauehave ſo abuſed them, to ſee in the vſage of other mens, what ſhall be done to their owne. As for other who hauehave glorified God in their bodies, and vſed them as meet inſtruments of their ſoules to make them fitter to ſerue God, they knowing that their graue is made (by the graue of Chriſt) a ſweet bed for their bodies to ſleepe in, till by the power of his reſurection, they ſhall riſe to partake eternall life with their ſoules; and that it is not as a priſon or dungeon to locke them vp in, till the reſurrection of condemnation, as whereto the wicked are reſerued: they (I ſay) knowing this, are not diſmaied but comforted in thinking of this. And further, they hauing Heb. 9 Iaſt. 1. Cor 15. Note.learned that it is appointed that all ſhall once die, and that ſuch abaſement of their bodies muſt bee, before they enioy immortality and glory, they I ſay, doe both ſubmit themſelues willingly thereunto while they liue heere, rather then take a pride in their bodies, as too many doe (yea euen in their haire) and they bewaile the ſinne rather which hath brought ſuch reproch, and farre greater miſery then that vponupon men, and with our Sauiour, deſpiſe the ſhame that is ſet before them, and beare contentedly ſuch reproch, Heb. 12. 2.in certaine hope of the glory which they are going to.
To this which I hauehave ſaid of burial, one thing more let vsus conſider: that Doct. 2.ſeeing Ioſhuas buriall is onelyonly ſpoken of ſimply and barely (without any addition) which alſo yee ſhall reade of the Kings and great perſons burials in their hiſtories: it is worth the conſidering, what ſuperſtition the Prelates of Rome hauehave brought into this ceremonie of buriall, as they hauehave done about all other pieces of their religion; partly to blind fold poore ſoules, in making them to thinke, that their dead ſhall fare the better for their trumperv (when yet they doe but deceiue and feed them with falſe comforts) and partly while they ſeeke their owne, and their ſhauelings gaine thereby; but both for the aduancing of their ſuperſtitious religion. In perticular, ſome of theſe abuſes are, that there muſt bee prayers made for their ſoules, ringing, to helpe them the ſooner out of Purgatorie, burying them neere the high alter, with candles burning vponupon their toombes; and diuers other ſuch ſuperſtitious orders whereby they perſwade the ignorant, that God is as buſie in making prouiſion for them in heauen, as they are in heaping and Note.vſing much trumperie about their buriall heere on earth. And this of buriall, and ſo of the reſt for this time.