Sermons upon Deuteronomy

Now if God give such tokens of his wrath on the bodies that have no feeling: what shall become of the souls, wherein is the very seat of evil, and the kingdom of Satan? For our hands, our feet, our eyes, and our ears, offend not of their own proper moving; but by the direction and provocation of our wicked thoughts and affections. And wherely all those things, or whence proceed they but from our souls? Seeing then that the bodies which were but instruments, do feel the wrath of GOD, and do answer to the same as we see: let us not suppose that the souls go quit. Let us therefore look evermore higher than to this transitory life for to w•ken us. and to make us to walk in such obedience, that after we have fought against sin, and against Satan, and have been exercised in patience, and in diverse, afflictions in this world, having done our endeavour to serve GOD with all diligence, our souls may be taken up to rest, and that our Lord in likewise may show the self same favour upon our dead bodies. Notwithstanding, this favour and blessedness of having their bodies buried, doth not always happen to the faithful, whereas it falleth ou• that many of the wicked are very honourably buried; howbeit that the same is nothing to them, neither is their state any whit bettered thereby. We see what is said in the Psalm concerning them that have faithfully served GOD:¹ namely, that their bodies were laid ou• for a pray to the fowls, and the beasts; and yet were they the children of GOD. And albeit that this be a testimony of Gods wrath upon the wicked: yet may it oftentimes come to pass, that our Lord will use the same manner of chastisements upon his own people: And yet it shall be nothing to their hurt.

Nowe if God giue such tokens of his wrath on the bodyes that haue no feeling: what shall become of the soules, wherein is the verie seat of euill, and the kingdome of Sathan? For our handes, our feete, our eyes, and our eares, offende not of their owne proper mouing; but by the direction and prouocation of our wicked thoughtes and affections. And wherely all those things, or whence proceede they but from our soules? Seeing then that the bodyes which were but instrumentes, doe feele the wrath of GOD, and doe aunswere to the same as we see: lette vs not suppose that the soules goe quit. Lette vs therefore looke euermore higher than to this transitorie life for to wken vs. and to make vs to walke in such obedience, that after we haue fought against sinne, and against Sathan, and haue beene exercised in patience, and in diuerse, afflictions in this worlde, hauing doone our endeuour to serue GOD with all diligence, our soules may be taken vp to rest, and that our Lorde in likewise may shew the selfe same fauour vppon our dead bodyes. Notwithstanding, this fauour and blessednesse of hauing their bodyes buried, doth not alwaies happen to the faithfull, whereas it falleth ou that many of the wicked are verie honourably buried; howebeit that the same is nothing to them, neither is their state any whit bettered thereby. We see what is sayde in the Psalme concerning them that haue faithfully serued GOD: