HOM. IX. everlasting joy; a tasting of heavenly pleasures, so great, that neither tongue is able to express, neither eye to see, nor ear to hear them, no, nor any earthly man's heart to conceive them. So exceeding great benefits they be, which God our heavenly Father, by his mere mercy, and for the love of his Son Jesus Christ, hath laid up in store, and prepared for them that humbly submit themselves to God's will, and evermore unfeignedly love him from the bottom of their hearts. And we ought to believe, that death, being slain by Christ, cannot keep any man that stedfastly trusteth in Christ, under his perpetual tyranny and subjection; but that he shall rise from death again unto glory at the last day, appointed by Almighty God, like as Christ our Head did rise again, according to God's appointment, the third day. For St. Augustine saith, The Head going before, the members trust to follow and come after. And St. Paul saith, If Christ be risen from the dead, we shall rise also from the same. And to comfort all Christian persons herein, Holy Scripture calleth this bodily death a sleep; wherein man's senses be, as it were, taken from him for a season, and yet, when he awaketh, he is more fresh than he was when he went to bed. So, although we have our souls separated from our bodies for a season, yet at the general resurrection we shall be more fresh, beautiful, and perfect than we be now. For now we be mortal; then shall we be immortal: now infected with divers infirmities; then clearly void of all mortal infirmities; now we be subject to all carnal desires; then we shall be all spiritual, desiring nothing but God's glory, and things eternal.

Thus is this bodily death a door or entering unto life; and therefore not so much dreadful, if it be rightly considered, as it is comfortable: not a mischief, but a remedy for all mischief: no enemy, but a friend: not a cruel tyrant, but a gentle guide; leading us not to mortality but to immortality, not to sorrow and pain but to joy and pleasure, and that to endure for ever; if it be thankfully taken and accepted as God's messenger, and

patiently borne of us for Christ's love, that suffered HOM. IX. most painful death for our love, to redeem us from death eternal. According hereunto St. Paul saith, Col. iii. Our life is hid with Christ in God; but when our Life shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in glory. Why then shall we fear to die, considering the manifold and comfortable promises of the Gospel, and of Holy Scriptures? God the Father hath given us everlasting life, saith St. John, 1 John v. and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son hath not life. And this I write, saith St. John, to you that 1 John v. believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have everlasting life, and that you do believe upon the name of the Son of God. And our Saviour Christ saith, He that believeth in John vi. me hath life everlasting, and I will raise him from death to life at the last day. St. Paul also saith, 1 Cor. i. that Christ is ordained and made of God our righteousness, our holiness and redemption, to the intent that he which will glory should glory in the Lord. St. Paul did contemn and set little by all other Phil. iii. things-esteeming them as dung, which before he had in very great price-that he might be found in Christ, to have everlasting life, true holiness, righteousness, and redemption. Finally, St. Paul maketh Rom. vi.i. a plain argument in this wise; If our heavenly Father would not spare his own natural Son, but did give him to death for us; how can it be, that with him he should not give us all things? Therefore if we have Christ, then have we, with him and by him, all good things whatsoever we can in our hearts wish or desire, as victory over death, sin, and hell; we have the favour of God, peace with him, holiness, wisdom, justice, power, life, and redemption; we have by him perpetual health, wealth, joy, and bliss everlasting.

THE SECOND PART OF THE SERMON AGAINST
THE FEAR OF DEATH.

Ir hath been heretofore shewed you, that there be

HOM. IX. three causes, whereforemen do commonly fear death. First, the sorrowful departing from worldly goods and pleasures. The second, the fear of the pangs and pains that come with death. The last and principal cause is, the horrible fear of extreme misery, and perpetual damnation in time to come. And yet none of these three causes troubleth good men; because they stay themselves by true faith, perfect charity, and sure hope of the endless joy and bliss everlasting.

Rom. xiv.

2 Cor. v.

All those therefore have great cause to be full of joy, that be joined to Christ with true faith, stedfast hope, and perfect charity; and not to fear death, nor everlasting damnation. For death cannot deprive them of Jesus Christ; nor can any sin condemn them that are grafted surely in him, which is their only joy, treasure, and life. Let us repent of our sins, amend our lives, trust in his mercy, and satisfaction; and death can neither take him from us, nor us from him. For then, as St. Paul saith, whether we live or die, we be the Lord's own. And again he saith, Christ did die, and rose again, because he should be Lord both of the dead and quick. Then, if we be the Lord's own when we be dead, it must needs follow that such temporal death not only cannot harm us, but also that it shall be much to our profit, and join us unto God more perfectly. And thereof the Christian heart may surely be certified by the infallible or undeceivable truth of Holy Scripture. It is God, saith St. Paul, which hath prepared us unto immortality: and the same is he which hath given us an earnest of the Spirit. Therefore let us be always of good comfort; for we know that so long as we be in the body, we be as it were far from God in a strange country, subject to many perils, walking without perfect sight and knowledge of Almighty God, only seeing him by faith in Holy Scriptures. But we have a courage and desire rather to be at home with God and our Saviour Christ, far from the body; where we may behold his Godhead, as he is, face to face, to our everlasting comfort. These be St. Paul's words in effect: whereby we may perceive, that the life in this world is resem

bled and likened to a pilgrimage in a strange coun- _HOM. IX. try, far from God; and that death, delivering us from our bodies, doth send us straight home into our own country, and maketh us to dwell presently with God for ever, in everlasting rest and quietness: so that to die is no loss, but profit and winning to all true Christian people. What lost the thief, that hanged on the cross with Christ, by his bodily death? Luke xxiii. Yea, how much did he gain by it! Did not our

Saviour say unto him, This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise? And Lazarus, that pitiful person, Luke xvi. that lay before the rich man's gate, pained with sores, and pined with hunger; did not death highly profit and promote him, which by the ministry of angels sent him unto Abraham's bosom, a place of rest, joy, and heavenly consolation? Let us think none other, good Christian people, but Christ hath prepared, and made ready before, the same joy and felicity for us, that he prepared for Lazarus and the thief. Wherefore, let us stick unto his salvation and gracious redemption; and believe his word, serve him from our hearts, love and obey him: and whatsoever we have done heretofore contrary to his most holy will, now let us repent in time, and hereafter study to correct our life; and doubt not, but we shall find him as merciful unto us, as he was either to Lazarus, or to the thief: whose examples are written in Holy Scripture for the comfort of them that be sinners, and subject to sorrows, miseries, and calamities in this world; that they should not despair in God's mercy, but ever trust thereby to have forgiveness of their sins, and life everlasting, as Lazarus and the thief had. Thus I trust every Christian man perceiveth by the infallible or undeceivable word of God, that bodily death cannot harm nor hinder them that truly believe in Christ; but contrariwise shall profit and promote the Christian souls, which being truly penitent for their offences, depart hence in perfect charity, and in sure trust that God is merciful to them, forgiv ing their sins, for the merits of Jesus Christ his only natural Son.

some do fear death.

HOM. IX. The second cause why some do fear death, is sore The second sickness and grievous pains, which partly come because why fore death, and partly accompany or come with death, whensoever it cometh. This fear is the fear of the frail flesh, and a natural passion belonging unto the nature of a mortal man. But true faith in God's promises, and regard of the pains and pangs which Christ upon the cross suffered for us miserable sinners, with consideration of the joy and everlasting life to come in heaven, will mitigate those pains, and moderate this fear, that it shall never be able to overthrow the hearty desire and gladness, that the Christian soul hath to be separated from this corrupt body, that it may come to the gracious presence of our Saviour Jesus Christ. If we believe stedfastly the Word of God, we shall perceive that such bodily sickness, pangs of death, or whatsoever dolorous pangs we suffer either before or with death, be nothing else in Christian men but the rod of our heavenly and loving Father; wherewith he mercifully correcteth us, either to try and declare the faith of his patient children that they may be found laudable, glorious, and honourable in his sight, when Jesus Christ shall be openly shewed to be the Judge of all the world, or else to chastise and amend in them whatsoever offendeth his fatherly and gracious goodness, lest they should perish everlastingly. And this his correcting rod is common to all them that be truly his. Therefore let us cast away the burden of sin that lieth so heavy on our necks, and return unto God by true penance and a endmënt of our lives. Let us with patience run this course that is appointed; suffering, for his sake that died for our salvation, all sorrows and pangs of death, and death itself joyfully, when God sendeth it to us; having our eyes fixed and set fast ever upon the Head and Captain of our faith, Jesus Christ; who, considering the joy that he should come unto, cared neither for the shame nor pain of death, but, willingly conforming and framing his will to his Father's will, most patiently suffered the most shameful and painful death of the cross, being innocent and harmless.