run as to obtain 1 Cor. 9.24 that having finisht their course they have not rest onely but their Brabium their Crown also which was laid up for them 2 Tim. 4.7 8. their Crown of righteousnesse their works do follow them 'T is a Metalepsis a figurative speech as much as to say the fruit of their Works the Reward the Crown of their Righteousnesse which was laid up in Heaven is given to them by the Lord the righteous Judge at that day the day of their death as S. Paul speaks 2 Tim. 4.8 That which is the Argument of this Scripture is now our Text and must be anon the Argument of our Discourse Blessed are the dead a most sweet and comfortable Argument a Theme beloved full of gracious solace wherewith to arm the faithfull against the evil day that of death that it is not as the Epicurean Sect of Philosophers taught Extrema linea rerum the end of all our being that when the body returns to the earth as it was made the spirit does not so too but unto God who gave it Eccles 12.7 that we are not born at all adventure and shall be hereafter as though we had never been as those ungodly fools dream'd Wisd 2.2 that the breath of our nostrils are not as smoak and a little spark in the moving of our heart which being extinguished our body shall be turned into ashes and our spirit shall vanish as the soft aire They taught ill and their Disciples the Sadduces learn'd as ill from them that there is no Resurrection Act. 23.8 No if Christ be preach'd that he rose from the dead we may ask S. Pauls question How say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead 1 Cor. 15.12 And. If in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable v. 19. but we are therefore miserable in this life that at our death we may be blessed as my Text hath it Blessed are the dead In the handling of which to fit you to the more profitable hearing of what shall be delivered let me put you in minde of the Wise mans counsel Eeclus 7.36 Remember the end the last things and thou shalt not do amisse There are Quatuor novissima four things which do last befall the state of man Death Judgment Blessednesse in Heaven and Torments in Hell These would be often thought on and duly consider'd by us as a most soveraign Antidote against the Infections of this world a pretious preservative against Sin Death which must bring us to Judgment Judgment which must either convey us to Heavenly Blisse or condemn us to eternal restlesse misery there is the blessednesse of the Saints in Heaven to inflame our hearts with a holy desire after it and the wretched state of the damned in Hell to make us wise and wary for the avoyding of it 'T is a rule of St. Chrysostom's that we should be so and a promise thereupon to ascape it Non sinet in Gehennam incidere Gehennae meminisse the awfull thinking of it will keep us from falling into it These are the Quatuor novissima the four last things which the Wise man would have ingraven in our memories with a Pen of Iron and with the point of a Diamond to keep us from doing anisse Memorare novissima Remember the end and thou shalt not do amisse Within the compasse of this short Text Divisio Textus we have two of these four last things to imploy our thoughts upon Death and Blessednesse Death which all men by nature fear Blessednesse which all men by that same instinct desire and therefore no man living but this Text concerns him no man but may reap profit from the Doctrine it affords That 's two-fold in the unfolding and applying of which I intreat your attention and devotion 1. That Death though in it selfe it be bitter and terrible yet to Gods children it is so sweetned by Christ that in them 't is made the way to blessednesse Psal 118.80 This is the Gate of Heaven and the Righteous shall enter in thereby The Dead are blessed that die in the Lord. 2. That Blessednesse though it be so sweet a thing the object of all mens desires so generally aim'd at by all men in their severall endeavours yet all our life time here we come short of it we attain it not till our death Dicique beatus antiobitum nemo nemo before that and not omnes after not all of us then but they only who die in the Lord Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord. I desire first to fasten your considerations upon Death which is the way to blessednesse and to keep the best wine till the last in the second place to refresh you with the Meditation of Blessednesse which insueth upon death Nor will this former discourse Praefatio ad partem primam as it is pertinent to the businesse we are now upon the death of that Worthy and Right Honorable Patriot of his Countrey for whom wise men religiously mourn in a Sermon as witty men used to lament for Heathens in an Elegy be needlesse and superfluous to those that live since the often taking occasion as it is now most unhappily for us and most blessedly for him whom we remember offer'd by that God who hath taken him from us to himselfe to six the eyes of our minde upon the end of our life is so behoovefull that even Plato the Heathen Philosopher but admirable for wit and learning found such a benefit of it that he defin'd Wisdome to be the Meditation of death and though in that he aim'd not as we do to perswade men to the often thinking upon it for difinitions are the Common-Place of one sort of Learning the speculative and perswasions of another the practicall yet in this respect especially may we more truly affirm it than he did that it is a great part of wisdome to accustome our selves often to the meditation of death and howsoever the Divel that great enemy of Mankinde does for his own ends and the readier advancement and enlarging of his Kingdome labour by all means to lull us into security by the pleasures of this World and to steal out of our thoughts the remembrance of our death that so our death may steal upon us at unawares Luke 21.34 and take us unprovided to make us ducere in bonis dies nostros to spend our dayes in jollity that we may go down to the Grave in a moment Job 21.13 yet the Spirit of God directs us a safer course Eccles 11.8 If a man live many years and rejoice in them all yet let him remember the days of darknesse There is danger when death steals upon us Oh then we have lost that blessing of our Text which the soul of this our dear Father departed hath found 'T is a Curse let death come hastily and sure 't is lawfull to pray as we do in our Letany against
delicate Garments the basenesse of the Winding-sheet for his former neatnesse nothing but putrefaction for his perfumes a stinking savour and for his savour it selfe deadnesse for his Servants and attendants the company of crawling worms at the best which will more really destroy him than when alive the most unfaithfull of his servants could How must he be tormented with extremity of griefe for that which shall befall his body But then to imagine the state of the Soul which has not hope in Christ for we are in Nature yet to think of that Incognita that new Region unknown to any living Wight whither it must now travel naked and unaccompanied save with the horror of his gnawing Conscience to labour to conceive those unconceivable woes of that other world and to comprehend that incomprehensible eternity of them 't is wonder he can live a moment to digest that indigestible thought 't is a wonder that the terror of it does not prevent the hand and sythe of his approaching death that it does not anticipate his fate and prove more quick to dead him more nimble than his disease to strike and slay his soul For one to be taken from his wealth pleasure honour friends wife children to leave these outward contentfull things makes death bitter to him 't is another death This O mors quà m amara est memoria tuis 't is the Wise-mans exclamation Ecclus. 41.1 O death how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liveth at rest in his possessions that hath nothing to vex him that hath prospepity in all things The separation that is made betwixt him and his world afflicts him but the separation betwixt him and himselfe his soul and his body is intollerable how loathly it leaves that old companion how loathly it goes out of that beloved dwelling St. Hierome writes the life of Hilarion a good Christian a devout and holy man one that feared God and in most of his life so little feared death that he desired nothing more than to be dissolved and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 and yet when death began to seize upon him when he was now in his last agony his soul had a strong touch of this fear and was loath to go insomuch that he was fain to have recourse to his faith and by the help of it to encourage his fainting soul in his journey to Heaven Egredere go out my soul what fearest thou go out valiantly hast thou serv'd God these seventy years and dost thou now fear to leave thy body Beloved Eratenim eremita moriebaturoctoginta annos natus if this Holy man who had from ten years age dedicated his whole life to the service of God found yet the natural man so strong in him that he was put to his plunge in which he might have stuck had he not awaken'd his faith awake awake why sleepest thou O my faith and call'd that to his help how terrible must this dissolution needs appear to them who have liv'd in their sins and not yet cast off those sins by repentance who when they should grapple with death and conquer it by their faith in Christ alas they lie under the weight of their sins and cannot rise they struggle in vain that load oppresses them their sin 1 Cor. 15.56 which is the sting of death is fastned in their hearts and slayes them their death is a flaughter the worst death of all Mors peccatorum pessima Psal 34.21 Evil misfortune shall slay the ungodly Siccine separas amara mors may be their complaint in the bitternesse of their spirit they may well call it the darknesse of death as Agag did 1 Sam. 15.32 Beloved have you look'd enough upon death in his worst shape and can ye collect how terrible he must needs appear to the wicked over whom he hath full power since even to Gods holy servants out of a natural desire to preserve their being since even to Gods beloved Son when to shew himselfe truly man he was content to yield so sar to the sway of humane nature within himselfe he seem'd so odious that in the presence of some of his Apostles he did not let to discover his passion My soul is exceeding sorrowfull even unto death Matt. 26.38 Mat. 26.44 to pray to his Father thrice against it and but that the will of his Father was in the midst of his bowels and his obedience stronger than death he would have begg'd three times more that the Cup might have pass'd from him so odious that for the comfort of the Elect 't is one of the greatest blessings betroath'd to them in the New Jerusalem that there shall be no more death Rev. 21.4 Then now cheer up your thoughts again by faith in Christ and with that eye of faith behold death vanquisht by that Christ behold him trampled under those victorious feet so languishing so dead himselfe that he cannot hurt you he cannot scare you This is the second consideration of death Mors Porta Coeli that how evil soever it be in it selfe even the way to Hell yet by Gods goodnesse it is become a Portal to the Children of Grace by which the soul passeth out of the miseries of this life into the joyes of Heaven even the dead are blessed that die in the Lord. God made not Death Wisdome 1.13 through the envy of the Divel it came into the world Wisd 2.24 't is he that was the Murderer from the beginning Joh. 8.44 Murderer of our bodies and of our souls too death of both is his work 't is he that has the power of death Heb. 2.14 and if only the body di'd he would soon disown the name and disvalue all the power he had Now wherefore came Christ into the world wherefore was he manifested in the flesh why for this purpose sayes S. John ut dissolvat opera that he might destroy the works of the Divel 1 John 3.8 He took part of our flesh and blood why that he might die without that he could not die the Godhead is immortal and why die but that through his death he might destroy him that had the power of death the Divel Heb. 2.14 So truly might he say of himselfe John 10.10 I am come that they might have life This was it which was prophecyed so long since Hos 13.14 O mors ero mors tua O death I will be thy death thy plagues O grave I will be thy destruction the Prophecy is not yet fulfill'd if we read that place as the Vulgar Edition hath it I will be thy death Death shall be destroyd indeed but not yet 't is the last enemy 1 Cor. 15.26 that must be destroyd but if we read it as we have well translated it O death I will be thy plagues 't is every day fulfill'd in that glorious victory with which so many of the Saints of God at their dissolution do triumph over it Christ does not take away
thy trust thy hope in the Lord Let none by their impatience to bear a lesse misery rid themselves into a greater whoever he be that can speak with that Emphasis I am the man that have seen affliction Lam. 3.1 and does therefore with Job abandon the day of his birth Job 3.3 and importune for the hour of death would this man have death be good unto him and save him O then let him apply the counsel of the 26. verse as a remedy against the complaint of the first It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. Well Non omnes post obitum the last part remains yet to be handled no man can obtain true blessednesse till he leaves this world that we have done with nor then all men but morientes in Domino they who so cease to live as that they die in the Lord these are they who are blessed Beza renders it propter Dominum who die for the Lord who in their fervent love to him lay down their life for his sake as his Son did for theirs and lose it or rather give it or rather yet sell it in his quarrel and for the defence of his truth true this but not all for thus to expound it ties this promised blessednesse onely upon the Martyrs of God those valiant and faithfull Servants of his as if his many many promises to the faithfull became void if they were not valiant too or though valiant if they had not a cruel occasion to trie their valour who patiently underwent the torments of a violent death at the hands of persecutors for the witnesse-bearing to the truth of his Gospel These no doubt are blessed in Heaven He that loses his life for my sake shall finde it Matth. 10.39 blessed with a double crown both as they regarded the glory of God and the good of their Christian brethren by their example of constancy the bloud of the Martyrs having ever been the seed of the Church and that which is fire to their flesh and bones water to the Gospel to make it slourish a good confession witnessed before the wicked Tyrants of the world doth good service to God and his truth so it fell out in that martyrdome of S. Paul which he suffered in his life time for they are Martyrs too which for Gods cause stoutly endure any kind of misery besides death and yet to humour some rigid Interpreters who will not be brought to allow of a living Martyr let us for once call every affliction a death too not onely by the example of Pharaoh who persecuted the Church of God Take away this death Exod. 10.17 but especially by that of S. Paul who in this afflicted sense suffered many yea dayly deaths for the Church he was in deaths often 2 Cor. 11.23 he did die dayly 1 Cor. 15.31 The things which bappened unto him in his persecution at Rome they fell out unto the furtherance of the Gospel insomuch that many of the brethren in the Lord waxing confident by his bonds were much imboldned to speak the word without fear Phil. 1.12 14. This is it that has made many of Gods righteous servants not sparing of themselves that Christ might be magnified in their bodies whether it be by life or by death by life I say and S. Paul sayes so too as well as by death v. 20. and that they might be blessed after this life and death as those Martyrs the Apostle speaks of Heb. 11.35 who were tortured and cared not to be delivered that they might obtain a better resurrection But we must not restrain this blessednesse to those only who thus die for the Lord since the Lord bestows this crown of blisse upon them also who are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Text who die in the Lord. If we will know what this is Mori in Domino to die in the Lord and who they be that so do we must first understand what it is to be in the Lord while we live for even then this happinesse begins in us when we begin to be in Christ There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Rom. 8.1 If no condemnation then no wrath of God if not that then Grace and Love and Favour and consequently salvation and eternal life Man is no indifferent thing to his Maker if he does not hate he loves nay the very earth upon which Man is God does either blesse it with encrease or curse it with barrennesse and the Lord of the earth under the Lord of Heaven Man much more and no lesse than this is the effect of Gods love to Mankinde God so loved the World John 3.16 So how even to everlasting life v. the same Now what it is thus uncondemnedly to be in Christ we have it explained John 3.18 He that believes on him is not condemned so in the verse before Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish 16. Not be condemned not perish what them he shall have life everlasting that 's the effect of Gods love that 's the consequent of Gods not condeming So then to be in Christ is to be in the love of God and faith of Christ to cleave unto him and rely upon him then are we by his Holy Spirit ingrafted into him made his members spiritually joyn'd unto him and live in him There is a general conjunction which all men living have with the Son of God in that he took upon him our humane nature not the flesh of man but of mankinde Forasmuch as the Children are partakers of flesh and bloud he also himselfe likewise took part of the same Heb. 2.14 But this conjunction which is so general with all men does not therefore make all men to be in him we are thus conjoyned with him as I may say only in regard of the matter and to say sooth all this notwithstanding there is a great disjunction betwixt him and us and the nature of men as of men does much differ from that nature which the Son of God took upon him that Humane Nature of his now with him in Heaven is of it selfe immortal without spot or stain free from all sin adorned with all holinesse and purity and the fulnesse of all excellent graces ours is impure and unholy and wofully subject to corruption because miserably defiled with sin we are conceived in sin Psa 51.5 saies holy David we are by nature the sons of wrath saies S. Paul Ephes 2.3 our natural our first birth in the flesh separates us from him keeps us out of him but our second our spiritual birth our regeneration when we are born again Joh. 3.5 of water and the spirit when we are indued with the spirit of Christ to believe in him to live according to the direction of his Holy Spirit then is our nature so repaired so renewed that we come near to his nature we are thereby conformed to the image of the Son of God
unto it labour we by being in Christ as born of God by living in Christ as abiding in him that at length we may also die in the Lord. If to die in the Lord were all perhaps to perswade that also will not need much â—â—â—â—ur there is no man but with halfe 〈◊〉 Exhortation will be easily induced to 〈◊〉 of the Prophet Baâ—â—am's minde concent to die the death of the righteous and that his last end might le like his Num. 23.10 but will they consider that to effect this they must first be as well content to live the life of the righteous and let their beginning and continuance be like his If we would die in the Lord at the last and so be blessed we must in the mean holily endeavour to live in the Lord by Faith and Repentance Acts 24.16 and a good conscience both before God and towards men If we spend the time of our life upon our own lusts if we now live unto our selves little hope we have to die in him Live we not then and live we too do we both as S. Paul counsels 2 Cor. 5.15 not â—enceforth to our selves but to him who died for us Be we in Christ and abide we in him only this way we shall surely diâ— in Christ and be blessed by him and with him Beatus qui vigilat Revel 16.15 Blessed is he that watcheth To watch in holy Scripture is to live the life of fifth as on the other side sin is 〈…〉 the sleep of the soule Watch ye stan◠〈◊〉 in the faith 1 Cor. 16.13 and Awake thou that sleepest Epâ— 5.14 i.e. Rouze up thy selfe shake off the sleep of sin and lead the life of righteousnesse now this watch must continue till the Bridegroom comes this holinesse of life must hold out till Christ calls foâ—â—â—â—y dâ—ath we must watch till we shall never sleep we must be holy till we shall never sin we must do the one and be the other till we get up to Heaven Bratiquos cum venerit Luke 12.37 Blessed indeed are those servants whom the Lord when he commeth shall finde watching to have watcht before will be but a drowsie excuse if then we sleep in sin to have done many good things Mat. 7.22 even to the casting out of Divels will not avail us if we be not then found doing Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he comineth shall finde doing as he hath lived to so shall he die in the Lord of a truth the Lord will make him Ruler over all that he hath Luke 12.44 What an incouragement is this Consolatio beloved to the servants of God against the fear of death that as Christ when he began to give his Law which contained many Precepts that seem'd strict and difficult for our ability to perform that he might draw us the more willingly to an obedience to them does severally prefix before them this blessednesse whereto at last they bring us Mat. 5. so because death had been made by fin so terrible to the Natural man therefore Christ who died to overcome death and to take away sin which is the sting of it as by this means he has made it easie and sweet to them that die in him so he would make it appear so also by this assurance of blessednesse upon it Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord. Be we not therefore afraid of Death which must be the means to convey us unto blisse Be we not loath when God shall call us to leave the miseries of this life this warfare upon earth for the crown in Heaven nay be we carefull by a life to him that we may die in the Lord and we shall finde that such a certain remedy against the fear of death that we shall rather with S. Pauls cheerfulnesse make choice of S. Phil. 1.23 Paul's Cupio dissolvi even desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ the Lord we shall not pitch our thoughts upon that false shadow of blessednesse which the few and evil dayes of this life can afford but look toward our Countrey our Home to that green Pasture Psa 23.2 and those waters of comfort whither the Shepheard of our Souls shall conduct those Sheep which belong unto his Fold we shall resolve to fight the good fight here 2 Tim. 4.7 and expect to triumph in peace there we shall set up our rest to sow in tears here Ps 126.5 and comfort our selves with the assured hope of reaping in joy there In a word we shall not look for true blisse in this wretched world which cannot give it but stay our time with patience all our time wait with joy all the dayes of our appointed time till our change commeth 14.14 not hasten to gather our Grapes in the Spring before they be ripe sour Grapes to edge our teeth here Eze. 18.2 Lu. 13.28 and give us gnashing of teeth in the other World but constantly bear the heat of the Summer here and stay for the sweetnesse of Autumn and the delight of the Vintage in Heaven where we may gather oâ— full Clusters full ripe and drink of the fruit of the Vine even new with our Christ in his Fathers Kingdome This grant good Christ unto us all that we may live in thee by a true faith and holy life and die in thee by our constancy in that faith which we have here possessed and inherit that blessednesse which thou hast promised even for thy Names-sake and for thy great Mercies-sake To thee c. A SERMON Preached at the BAPTISME of the Right Honorable JAMES EARLE of Northampton Matth. 19.14 Suffer little Children and forbid them not to come unto me for of such is the Kingdome of Heaven THe whole History of this business is not long to be read unto you that you may better conceive the occasion of these words 'T is recorded by three of the Evangelists so worthy a passage it was thought by them not to be omitted but in fewest words by S. Matthew he concludes it in three short verses almost as short as sweet please you hear it Vers 13. Then were there brought unto him little children that he should put his hands on them and pray and the Disciples rebuked them Vers 14. But Jesus said Suffer little Children and forbid them not to come unto me for of such is the Kingdome of Heaven Vers 15. And he laid his hands on them In which short History there are three several parts acted The first by them who brought the children the Parents in all probability Christ had now for the space of three years travelled about that Countrey of Palestine helping and healing he went about saies S. Peter doing good and healing all Acts 10.38 For this the people magnified him and followed him but the Priests and the Pharisees they especially of Jerusalem were mad with anger and indignation to see a stranger so go in strength of Authority and Repute amongst
same Kingdome make good his promise upon all his humble his little Children Suffer little Children and forbid them not to come unto me for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven Come ye Children of my Father receive the Kingdom Amen To him even to him c. A SERMON Preached before the SACRED MAJESTY OF K. JAMES When he was entertain'd at the Right Honorable the Earl of Northampton's House in Castle-Ashby Matth. 21.13 My House shall be called the House of Prayer OUR Saviour Christ a little before he humbled himselfe to death the shamefull death would by this extraordinary act of Power proclaim to the World that he did indeed humble himselfe none else could do it that Pilate was deceiv'd in his imaginary Power he thought he had to crucifie him or to release him John 19.10 that he was the good Shepheard who gave his life for his Sheep John 10.11 No man could take it from him but he laid it down of himselfe v. 18. Therefore he would ride in triumph into Jerusalem and in the Temple his Fathers House he would do an act of Justice true but withall of Majesty and Authority one the greatest that ever he vouchsafed to shew while he liv'd among us Such opinion S. Jerome had of it though the giving sight to one born blinde were a great Miracle Jo. 9.6 7. and the restoring life to a Carkass putrified in the grave Jo. 11.44 a greater Mat. 17.2 and the shewing his glory on the Mount in his Transfiguration might exceed those yet Mihi inter omnia signa quae fecit hoc videtur mirabilius I account none like this saies he that one Man at that time grown contemptible amongst them so far that they had even mark'd him out for slaughter should then maugre the anger of the many Priests of the Chiefe Priests who were so potent in that place play Rex among them as Zachary's prophecy of him is applied to this one particular action should overthrow their Tables and their Seats and send them all packing Zach. 9.9 Mat. 21.5 21.12 not any of them not all of them daring to resist him Sure there appear'd more than humane Majesty in his face and his eyes sparkled Divinity thinks that holy Father and who can think otherwise As when in the Garden over Kedron Captain Judas and his Band of men came arm'd to take him he did with a word and his Aspect now was as his language then with an Ego sum Joh. 18.6 I am that dreadfull name of his Deity by which he would of old be made known to the Egyptians cast them all upon their backs Exo. 3.14 And besides his power manifested in his Miracle the story gives us a taste also of that care which he had of his Fathers glory and the just indignation which he had conceived against them that had dishonoured his House soon as he was entered the City in State whither goes he not to Davids Tower not to the Kings Palace no he sought not his own glory he had told them plainly before John 8.50 nay he shunn'd it when they would have taken him by force to make him a King John 6.15 His Kingdom was not of this world Jo. 18.36 But I honour my Father saies he John 8.49 He goes to his House and all the honour he had received by the Peoples late acclamations Mat. 21.9 he gives up to him he intends an imployment of great importance that concerns the honour of his Fathers House Luk. 2.48 wist ye not so he satisfies his Mothers griefe for his absence Wist ye not that I must be about my Fathers business Luke 2.49 This in particular above all other businesses he took speciall care of when he began his Preaching he began this Reformation against the first Passeover that we read he shewed himselfe at Joh. 2.13 that S. John only tels us of He whipt them out of the Temple Vers 15. and poured out the Money and overthrew the Tables And now he was to end his Preaching and his life he will end well as he began he will to the Temple and sweep it clean before he goes and once again cast out all that sold and bought there Mark 11.15 Lu. 19.45 and overthrow the Tables and the Seats and this we have related by every of the other three Evangelists And this we have followed by Christ with the greatest measure of severity that ever was forced from him in any other of his actions that we read of in all the story of his life Alas he was in his owne nature Isa 53.11 the Prophets Sheep before the Shearers the Prophets and the Evangelists Sheep and Lamb too Act. 8.32 for the slaughter dumb Joh. 1.29 and not opening his mouth the Agnus Dei not of Rome but of the World meeknesse was his Vertue his exemplary Vertue that he professed to teach and set up his Bill for it Matth. 11. Discite à me quia mitis Come to me to my School v. 28. If you will learn meeknesse Learn it of me v. 29. He came not to condemn the World but that through him it might be saved John 3.17 He was the Instrument of Gods mercy the Peace-Maker Matt. 5.9 blessed Title for ever the means of reconcilement betwixt God and the World and yet when it comes to the point of Honour for his Fathers House then this Mercifull and Peaceable this mediating and reconciling Man first falls upon himselfe the very Peace-Maker and after upon his Fathers Enemies then Zelus Domus tuae comedit me Psal 69.9 The zeal of thine House hath eaten me up It hath even-eaten and it hath eaten even-Me and us Moses to whom God himselfe gives testimony of being endowed with this Vertue of Christ's that he was very meek above all the men that were upon the face of the Earth Num. 12.3 yet when Gods worship was at stake I lost and the Golden Calfe had got the better and won upon the peoples hearts this meek man had anger for such a sin anger that waxed hot against the Idol and Idolaters Exod. 32.19 So this meeker than Moses even than when he comes according to that Prediction of the Prophet Ecce Rex tuus venit Metis Behold thy King commeth unto thee meek Zach. 9.9 yet when he sees the place appointed for his Fathers worship converted to a petty Staple of Merchandize Gods House of Prayer made a Den of Thieves this was a height of Sin to beget an anger in him who was made of mildnesse and though he spared the Adulteresse Jo. 8.11 pardoned an Extortioner Luk. 19.9 Zachaeus Ate with Publicans and sinners Mat. 9.11 Luk. 5.27 Lu. 23.42 received one Publican into his Service and one Thiefe into his favour nay into his very Paradise suffered the Betrayer of him to dip in the dish with him bear with great sins Mat. 26.23 and great Sinners in other kindes yet If any
of their faith that they might be blessed in not seeing and yet believing as Christ speaks to Thomas Joh. 20.29 for 't is not he that seeth but he that believeth on the Son of God hath everlasting life John 3.36 and Sicarni carnaliter adhaeseritis S. Austin tels us Capaces spiritus non eritis we cannot receive the Holy Ghost so long as we persist to know Christ and to love him according to the flesh onely And lastly expedient for this cause in my Text to which both the former tend 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to prepare a place for you So that these are shortly the two Parts of our Text Divisio The Tristitia implevit cor vestrum the sorrow which the Disciples of Christ conceiv'd in their hearts upon notice of his departure from them in the first word Vado I go And secondly the Non conturbetur cor vestrum the removing that sorrow from their hearts by informing them of the expediency of his departure in regard of themselves in the other words Parare vobis locum To prepare a place for you First he brings his Disciples and us into the Mount Calvary there we see him going departing from us by his death Vado I go then he brings us into the Mount Thabor where he shews himselfe unto us in his glory He prepares a place for us where we shall partake of his glory I go to prepare a place for you I go Vado Here it would be considered how Christ is said to go And for the better understanding it it will be needfull to answer Simon Peters question to calm his expostulation Lord whither Lord why to what end dost thou go And for that we have some light in this verse where my Text lies I go to prepare a place and that place is among those many Manfions in his Fathers House In my Fathers House are many Mansions And that thither he goes it is most evident by his owne cleare answer to the question John 16.5 I go my way to him that sent me or if we be ignorant who that is he gives it us in plainer termes yet John 14.12 Vado ad Patrem I go to my Father Now this brings in the difficulty that would be cleared Quomodo how Christ can be said to go to his Father God to God I will not take up time with that common objection that God is every where and fills all places Heaven and Earth full of his glory the answer is obvious but for this particular how Christ should go to the Father who has told us before that the Father is in him and he in the Father John 10.38 and that the Father who dwelleth in him he doth the works John 14.10 how can he be said to go to him shal we think that thought of blasphemy that the Father was now gone from him had forsaken him No Non derelinques Ps 16.10 thou shalt not leave my soul when it is in Hell not his Godhead only which he had from the Father but also his soul and that humane nature which he took from the Virgin Ego Pater unum John 10.30 I and my Father are one The Father is with that in that also and yet for all this relinquo mundum vado ad Patrem saies Christ I leave the World and go unto the Father Jo. 16.28 I leaven the World and go See if this phrase will help any thing for our satisfaction in this doubt we indeed do then go to God when we leave the World that is Col. 3.2 when we cease to set our affections on things which are below when we give over to love the World 1 Jo. 2.15 and the things that are in the World when by strength of faith we unintangle our selves from the Birdlime the baits and allurements of it when 2 Pet. 2.20 as speaks S. Peter we get to escape the pollutions of the world when having our mindes enlightned by Faith and our hearts encouraged with Hope and our brests inflamed with divine Love we begin to know God to contemplate his Goodnesse to delight in his Testimonies to trust in the Lord God then we go to him and we cleave fast to him andhaerere bonum we crie with David It is good for me to hold me fast by God Ps 73.28 Thus we leave the World and go to the Father But Christ does not so for he was never intangled never polluted he was that holy Innocent unpolluted he had never set his affections on things below that by a change of them he should go to the Father But yet we too go one step nearer than this by this we but begin to go to God we do not perfectly arrive at our journeys end we but come to the threshold the outward Court Gods House we then enter into his Privy Chamber Lu. 22.30 to eat and drink in his Kingdome when after this life instead of our faith we shall obtain the light of God instead of our Hope we shall come into possession instead of our weak imperfect charity here we shall be most safe in that degree of perfect love which casteth out all fear 1 Jo. 4.18 when in the light of his glory we shall heare himselfe speaking to our souls Euge bone serve Well done Matt. 25.21 good and faithfull servant enter into the joy of thy Lord. But neither does this assoil the doubt nor can Christs going to the Father hold any proportion with this second step of ours he in the very beginning of his Conception in the womb was thus forward that blessed Soule of his at the very instant of being created by God and joyn'd unto the Word had in it the fulnesse of all Wisdome Grace Glory eternal beatitude and therefore could not in this respect to speak properly pronounce his Vado ad Patrem I go unto the Father Proceed we then yet one step further in Mans journey and see if by that we can finde out the way that Christ went for all this while we have drawn but one part of Man his Soul out of the world and reduc'd it to its native home But at the last day when this Mortal body of ours shall put on immortality 1 Cor. 15 53. this corruptible flesh shall put on incorruption when it shall also be freed from those necessities with which it is incumbred in this world when it shall have no need to be refresh'd with meat and drink and sleep to be warm'd with cloathes and fire or cool'd with gentle blasts or defended with house and harbor then shall we go quite out of the world finish the utmost of our journey and the whole man come to the end of it to his God in Heaven This beloved is the third and last step which Christ himselfe had not yet gone and must go his Body was not yet in Heaven This was it he meant when he said of himselfe I came forth from the Father
and am come into the World Again I leave the World and go unto my Father John 16.28 What means he by the first I came from my Father into the World why I tooke upon me this humane body subject to hunger and thirst and cold and heat and troubles and sorrows and smart and death such as the rest of mens bodies in this world which are abased under the yoak and burden of mortality and corruption what means he by the last I leave the world and go to my Father Not that he leaves this humane body which he had once taken and remaines onely that which before he was God with the Father but I cast off all ensigns all badges and tokens of mortality and corruptibility I will still weare this humane body but now by me made a glorified body which shall still live but free from the bondage of worldly griefes of worldly necessities in rest in tranquility in joy in glory These are the words saies Christ to his Disciples after his resurrection when his Body was glorified These are the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you Luke 24.46 What thinke we of this while I was with you Was not Christ now with them when he spake thus unto them while I was with you while I was as you are in the world subject to those miseries which the world imposeth and in need of those supplies which the world affordeth now I am not with you I am with the Father I live now even in respect of my body that same life which the father lives free from all trouble from all change and thus may Christ truly be said to go unto the Father And why should this then breed so much grief to his Disciples why should their hearts be so fill'd with sorrow for this what should need our Saviours non turbetur cor vestrum any counsel or comfort where there is seeming so little cause of discontent one would think they should rejoyce rather and so Christ tells them plainly If ye lov'd me ye would rejoyce because I said I goe unto the Father v. 28. but poor souls they were so wounded with the vado 't should seem they minded not the rest so heart-stricken with the sad news of his going from them that they ne're thought of to whom their love was such to him that they would not go from him to any Domine ad quem ibimus when Jesus asked them will ye also go away Jo. 6.68 Lord to whom shall we go and their weaknesse did haply expect a reciprocal affection in Christ suitable to their ignorant desires Lord to whom shal we go from thee Lord to whom wilt thou go from us And in truth beloved let not the strongest amongst us blame this distraction in their opprest hearts 't is a word from Christs mouth I go enough to fetch blood not sighs alone from the greatest heart of the best resolved Christian Behold thy King cometh Mat. 21.5 O Hosanna for that Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest Mat. 21.9 his comming was the expectation of Israel I and expectatio gentium Gen. 49. the expectation of the world Ver. 10. Veniat dilectus Cant. 4.6 let my Beloved come into his Garden and veni dilecte mi 7.11 Come my Beloved let us go forth into the field 't is rogans eum ut veniret Luke 7.3 the Centurion sent the Elder to him beseeching him that they would come the most comfortable word that ever flew to the ears of any Christian ecce venio behold I come quickly then Rev. 22.12 Vers 20. merces mea mecum there is a reward to be lookt for even so come Lord Jesus hast thee unto us O Lord come though thou comest to visit our offences with thy rod Psa 89.32 Psa 23.4 and our sins with scourges Thy rod and thy staff shall comfort us come though thou comest to chasten us to rebuke us onely rebuke us not in thine anger Psa 6.1 neither chasten us in thy heavy displeasure onely in anger in displeasure come not Lord that 's a coming against us not to us but excepting that come any way this word venio of Christ I come to his servants should be as welcome as his venite will be at the last day Mat. 25.34 come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome but go from us spoken to Christ what man in his right wits can be so cruel to himself as to send such a word from his heart to his lips who but the besotted earthly-minded Gergesenes can beseech him to depart out of their coasts yes the Devils can too and they are both as two rare examples recorded together in the same passage of story at the latter end of the eighth chapter of St. Matthew they can cry quid nobis tibi Jesu what have we to doe with thee Jesus thou Son of God Indeed I read it once from St Peter in his weakness in the beginning of his conversion Depart from me Vers 8. Lord for I am a sinful man Lu. 5. But the Lord knew it was a speech of modest humility in him when upon the first sight of his sins he apprehended Christ as an angry Judge according to the desert of them and was therefore so desirous afterward to redeem that fault when he knew him better with his loathnesse to leave him with his readiness to go with him both into prison and to death Lu. 22.13 our discede to Christ now our putting him from us should be as irksome to every of his servants as his discedite shall be at the last day to his enemies Matt. 25.41 depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire And as our discede to him cannot be spoken but with horror so his vado alone to us his going from us cannot be heard but with extremity of grief and therefore in one place where 't is set down alone it has a vae with it to the Author of it Filius hominis vadit ve autem Matt. 24.26 the Son of Man goeth but woe to that wretch woe to that man saith Christ by whom he is betrayed and therefore too in so many other places where himself must give notice of it to his Disciples he knew it would be so heavy news to them if alone deliver'd yet he seldome throughout all the Gospels utters the word without another word of comfort to poyze with it in the ballance vado I go Jo. 14.12 that dejects them but presently ad patrem I goe to the Father that to raise them up again si abiero if I depart Jo. 16.7 there 's the weight of grief but presently mittam eum I will send the Comforter unto you there 's the ease of consolation i th' next verse to my Text if I go that confounds them with sorrow but presently I will come again and receive you unto my self that to chear them with unspeakable joy