remaineth unchangeable yet the sentence according to the externall expression seemeth altered to us so the change is in us and not in God Hence let us note something briefly for our selves and that is this First how to understand all those threatnings in Scripture that seeme peremptory and absolute by this rule A judgement is threatned against a nation against a person or family c. Yea and it is absolutely threatned in divers places because thou hast done such and such evils therefore such and such things shall come upon thee All such as these are to be understood conditionally though they seem to be expressed absolutely And the rule God himselfe giveth At what instant I shall speake concerning a nation and concerning a kingdome to plucke up and to pull downe and to destroy it If that nation against whom I have pronounced turne from their evill I will repent of the evill that I thought to doe unto them Whatsoever I threatned in my Word if they turne to me by true repentance I will turne all that evill from them that I have threatned against them and would certainly have brought upon them if they have not returned I say thus we are to understand all these and upon this ground we may build some further uses that I will but touch First to take off those discouragements that lie upon the hearts of many When they find themselves guiltie of a sin against God when they see that sinne threatned with severe punishment and judgement in the word of God now they conclude their case to be desperate it is in vaine to seeke further to use the meanes the Lord will proceed in judgement and there is no stopping of him This is an addition to a mans other sinnes to conclude thus Marke how the Lord expresseth himselfe in the 33. Ezekiel The people were much troubled about such things there say they Our transgressions and our sinnes bee upon us and wee pine away in them how should wee then live The Prophet had incouraged them notwithstanding their great sinnes to returne by true repentance and they should not perish neverthelesse they are muttering discouraged with feare breaking their spirits withdrawing themselves from God the judgements of God are begun upon us the hand of wrath is gone out against us wee are pining away in them though we are not wasted yet yet we are like a man in a consumption that wasteth by degrees how shall we live certainly wee shall die Saith the Lord say not thus among your selves but know if yee turne yee shall live As I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and live turne yee turne yee from your evill wayes for why will yee die oh house of Israel Beware of discouragements therefore it is Sathans devise that when once he hath drawne men from God by a path of sinne to hold them under discouragements that so hee may ever after keepe them from turning to God againe It was his devise whereby he would have kept Adam from turning to God after he had committed that great sinne in eating of the forbidden tree Hee thought of nothing but hiding himselfe from God and so he did hide himselfe amongst the bushes of the Garden I heard thy voyce and was afraid and I hid my selfe Marke here was a feare of discouragement in Adam that whereas he should have come and fell downe before the Lord and have begged mercy and said as David here Who knoweth whether the Lord will bee gracious to mee He ranne cleane away from God There is a feare of reverence that keepeth a man with God and there is a feare that draweth a man to God but this feare of discouragement driveth a man from God and that is the temptation of Sathan to keepe a man from God when once he hath turned aside from him Therefore that is the first thing take heed of such inward discouragements as may drive you quite off Secondly Take incouragement then to seeke the face of God in his owne meanes and way He hath threatned judgements against others for the same sinnes that yee find your selves guiltie of when they have returned to him they have found mercie Returne yee to him in truth and seeke his face aright and yee shall find the same mercie In the prophesie of Ioel yee shall see there that though God had threatned judgements nay though he had begun judgement for that was the case of those times judgement was begun upon them yet neverthelesse the Prophet calleth them to fasting and weeping and telleth them that the Lord is gracious and mercifull and ready to forgive and who knoweth if he will returne and repent and leave ablessing behind him Therefore let us doe our parts and seeke God in truth amend our lives and then no question of this but that God will returne It is an old device of Sathan to draw men in stead of Gods revealed will to looke to Gods secret will whether I be absolutely rejected or cast off or not But this is not the thought wherein a Christian should exercise himselfe his maine businesse is this to make his calling and election sure by all the â—…vidences of it by a holy life walke obediently to Gods revealed will and be certaine thou shalt not be rejected by Gods secret will He never rejecteth those by his secret will and purpose and decree to whom he giveth a heart to walke obediently to his revealed will So much for that Who knoweth that the Lord will be gracious to me that the child may live The incouragement is this That the child may live But marke his expression Whether the Lord will bee gracious to me that the child may live If he had said no more but this Who knoweth whether the childe may live A man would have thought this would fully enough have expressed his mind but there is more in it that could not be expressed without this addition Who knoweth whether the Lord will bee gracious to me that the child may live The life of a child is a mercy to the father David expresseth herein both his Pitty and his Pietie His Pittie He accounteth all the good or ill that befalleth his childe as his owne if death befalleth it he accounteth it as a miserie that befalleth himselfe if sicknesse befalleth his child hee accounteth it as an affliction upon himselfe This is his naturall pittie that same naturall affection of a Father to his Child See such an expression of the woman of Canaan Have mercie on mee thou sonne of David my daughter is miserably vexed of a divell The Daughter was miserably vexed and the mother cryeth out Have mercie on me There is such a simpathy ariseth hence from the naturall and free course that love hath in descending from the Father to the Child There are not only morall perswasions that may invite and draw on
a man had but alwayes some one before him as a witnesse he would not venture upon many things that hee now doth If a malefactour should see the Judge before him if the child had alwayes his fathers eye upon him or the servant had alwayes his Master sitting about him and above him though there are many that are unjust servants yet neverthelesse hee would serve him at least with eye-service Now set your selves in the eye of God that sees you in the darke heares you in your most secret whisperings knowes every action of your life and every circumstance of those Actions This will be a meanes to keepe thee from security I will adde but one more which is the sixth Consider thy latter end The night is now comming upon us If it were told any of us that this night thou shalt die as it was told the rich man in Luke 12. Thou foole this night shall they take away thy soule I thinke there is none that heareth me this day but hee would certainly keepe waking this night But it is not bodily waking we plead for but spirituall waking a waking from sinne a waking to repentance And we tell you that Death is now at the dore ready to seize upon you Wee speake not only to you that are aged that are at the brinke of the grave but we speake also to you that are young Death may seize upon you and strike you this night be awakened now to repentance I remember what God said to the Church of Sardis Bee watchfull and strengthen the things that remaine That Church was asleepe as many of us are at this day God commeth to awaken you now as he did them that that little goodnesse you have left may bee renewed and confirmed You that are quite out of the way of grace and goe on in a course of sinne fit now downe and humble your soules get into a secret corner wherein you may confesse those many provocations whereby you have provoked God all your dayes and resolve to amend if the Lord spare you Begin now delay it no longer it may be the last night the everlasting night to you take this warning now therefore be awakened to repentance This is that the Scripture calleth upon so much Eccles. 11. Rejoyce O young man in the dayes of thy youth and let thy heart cheare thee in thy youth and walke in the wayes of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know thou that for all this thou shalt come to Iudgement As if he should say You that are in the middest of your delights that solace your selves in the middest of the abundance of the earth which you enjoy that sport your selves in the pleasures of this world know that there will come a Judgement day see therefore now what will best answer God then Since the end of all things is at hand saith the Apostle let us bee sober and watch Wee know not how neere the end of the world is wee know indeed it shall not bee yet because Antichrist must bee destroyed and the Jewes called before that day come but neverthelesse certainly thy end is neere thy day thy particular death and that is the time of thy particular judgement may be sudden It is appointed for all men once to die and after that commeth the judgement That is the particular Judgement that commeth upon Death so I say this may be the night of thy death and the morning may be the day of thy particular doome Iudge your selves now that you may not bee judged of the Lord It was the use that the Apostle made even to good men For this cause saith he many are sicke and weake and many sleepe that is they are dead what then If wee would judge our selves wee should not bee judged of the Lord. So say I to you judge your selves now bring your selves as prisoners before the Barre arraigne your selves as malefactours before the Judge bring out the particular bills of inditement against your selves whereby you have provoked God yet there is mercie the day of grace and opportunity of repentance and turning unto God yet lasteth therefore doe it now I might adde many other helpes to this purpose but these shall suffice at this present Wee have an example before our eyes enough to warne us of this Here is an example of Death which should teach us now to awaken our selves and not to liue securely as men that dreame of a long life for many yeares Here is a young man dead tooke away in the prime of his time in the beginning of his dayes his sicknesse though it held him not long yet it was somewhat violent How know you what a short time you have though you are now young or if you live longer what sicknesse you may have it may be you may be deprived of your reason and senses therefore now while health and reason and sense while these Warning Sermons are afforded take time and make use of time lest your securitie make good this Text upon you When they shall say Peace Peace then sudden destruction commeth upon them as travaile upon a woman with child and they shall not escape FINIS A CHRISTIANS VICTORIE OR CONQVEST OVER DEATHS ENMITIE ROM 8. 37. Wee are more then conquerours through him that loved us HOSEA 13. 14. I will ransome them from the power of the Grave I will redeeme them from death O Death I will bee thy plagues O Grave I will bee thy destruction LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. A CHRISTIANS VICTORIE OR CONQVEST OVER DEATHS ENMITIE SERMON XIII 1 COR. 15. 26. The last enemie that shall be destroyed is Death IT could bee no Paradox to declare that every man hath more enemies in the world then friends both wicked and godly There is no question of it But it is true also that so long as a mans wayes please God hee can make his enemies his friends Of all the enemies men have the spirituall are the worst for they are common continuall enemies Common enemies I call them because they are every mans enemies Others though they bee enemies to some they are friends to others these to all Continuall because their warre is never at an end Other enemies we may have truce with now and then pauses and breathing times leasure given us when we have done one skirmish to make ready for another from these there is no intermission nor rest not for a moment wheresoever or whatsoever we are about it may be said to us as Dalilah said to Sampson Up Sampson thy enemies are upon thee The three principall of these yeeknow are commonly reckoned up to be The Divell the World and the Flesh. But the Apostle telleth us of a fourth which hee calleth our Last enemie the enemie which shall last of all assault us the other will leave assaulting us when we are in this world this when we are leaving the world mustereth up his forces against
it farewell then Farewell to all to profits and pleasures and honours we shall carrie none of them away with us None of our pompe and glory shall descend after us as the Psalmist saith Farewell to all the gold and silver we have gathered together to all the goodly lands wee have purchased to all the stately houses we have built to all the pleasant gardens and orchards wee have planted to all the sports and pastimes we have had to all our merry consorts wee have kept company with to all our Jewels and wardrope to our dauncing and feasting and musicke Death pulleth us from all these and layeth us levell with the Dust It mingleth shovels and Scepters together It makes rich and poore the Prince and the Peasant alike I shall see man no more All relations we have now shall be broken off then betweene Husband and Wife Parents and children Master and servants neighbour and neighbour friend and friend wee shall dwell apart with our selves and not so much as shake hands one with another All the services and imployments wee are tooke up with here shall cease then there shall be no frequenting of the Exchange no exercising of Trade no bearing of Office no working in our Calling Death is the night that no man can worke in and Death is the place of silence where all affaires are cut off Where there is no worke nor invention nor wisedome nor counsell as Solomon saith in the booke of the Preacher Oh saith good Hezekiah I shall see the Lord no more in the land of the living There is no more service to be done to the Lord nor no more in the Church in that manner as it is now there is no exercise of Religion no Word no Sacraments no Fasting no Almes no Preaching no Prayer no Confession and thankes-giving The Corse cannot praise thee the Grave cannot give thankes they that goe downe into the pit cannot honour thee Oh Beloved how carefull and active and vigilant and diligent should this make us to be when wee consider it for the well improving of that time that wee have lent unto us and for the well-discharging of those places and offices and duties that are now laid upon us Considering that Death is an enemie that will cut us off from all affaires and bereave us of all opportunities of receiving or doing or performing any service to God at all either in Church or Common-wealth Fiftly and lastly Conscience of sinne and certaintie of iudgement and uncertainty of salvation for brevities sake I put them together these things come along with Death and make the face of Death terrible and fearfull Conscience of sinne first of all For Sinne it is the sting of Death And which of us is there that doth not arme Death with that sting Who can reflect on the passages of his life but he shall find it as full of sinne as the Leopard of spots Wee find nothing in sinne now but oblectation and delight and therefore wee hide it under our tongue and hugge it in our bosomes Oh but when Death commeth once it thrusteth these things out and oh the horrour and anguish that the poore conscience is tormented and made to smart with Againe with conscience of sinne certainty of judgement that is another dreadfull Arrow in Deaths quiver After Death commeth judgement And wee must all appeare before the judgement seat of Christ to receive according to what wee have done in our bodies First the particular judgement that passeth upon the soule it shall never be reverst for as the Tree falleth so it lieth And then the Generall judgement when the Body and Soule shall both bee wrapped up in the same condemnation Oh who can dwell with devouring fire with those everlasting burnings And then lastly The uncertaintie of our future estate For how many thousands bee there that die that cannot tell what becommeth of them when they die but they must sing that Farewell to their soules as Adrian to his My poore wandring soule whether art thou going What will become of thee Death then being accompanied with such an Armie of Terrours as these the Apostle might well call it as it is in the Text An Enemie That is the first thing Secondly we are to consider how it is called the last Enemie For two reasons First because it is the last that shall assault us So Caietan Secondly because it is the Last that shall bee destroyed So the common streame of interpreters It is the Last Enemie that shall assault us And here I have to note two things First that while wee live in the world we have more Enemies in the world For when there are some last there must bee others going before If Death bee the last Enemie there are some others beside I we have so God knoweth Enemies on every side Without us within us The Divell he is an Enemie to us and vollies of tentation hee hath to discharge against us So many tentations so many Enemies The World is an enemie to us An enemie when it seemeth a friend When it smileth it betrayeth it kisseth and killeth On the right hand it hath prosperitie to allure on the left hand adversitie to affright in every corner wicked counsell and company and example to seduce and insnare us Lastly our owne flesh is an enemie It is a Serpent wee carry in our bosomes The Divell is a serpent in Hell the world is a Serpent in our hand the flesh is a Serpent in our bosome Wee carry it with us where ever wee goe It is a con-naturall concorporate Enemie All our other enemies could doe us no hurt if it were not for that if this enemie that cohabiteth with us did not combine against us Know who everthou art there is no Enemie like thy selfe thy selfe is the worst enemie of all All the sparkes that flie out of Sathans engines could never sindge a haire of our heads if our flesh were not as tinder All the windes that blow in the foure corners of the world could not make shipwracke of us if our flesh were not a treacherous Pilot. Death that gnaweth the thread of our soule and body asunder could not separate them or them from God if the flesh did not whet the teeth of it and sharpen it with a sting So then we see we have a great many Enemies more to encounter us besides Death some without some within Therefore how should this teach us circumspect walking to behave our selves wisely in every thing as David when he knew Saul was his Enemie and had an eye upon him to doe him mischiefe How should it teach us to pray with David Lord teach mee thy way and lead me in the right path because of mine enemie That is one thing I have to note Againe another thing I have to note If Death be the last enemie then in all probabilitie it is like to be the worst Of the Divels regiment
her to put all her trust and confidence in him She was now taken upon the sudden therefore the Lord hath left her as a patterne for us to looke upon to take heed to our selves that we may make our peace with God and looke for death every moment because wee know not how soone wee may be arrested Shee was indeed a woman of great trust and faith in God and one whose mouth was full of his praise still admyring and recounting the wondrous grace of God to her in all the course of her life in sparing her in giving her comfort in her conscience concerning the pardon and forgivenesse of her sinnes and providing for her worldly helpes which she thought never to attaine to and in many other particulars Shee did open the grace of God according to her best understanding still giving the praise to his holy Name and no doubt it the stroke upon her had not beene so fatall and as deadly as now it was wee should have had the like fruit more abundantly at this time Howbeit shee was not as one altogether destitute but she called for and craved the prayers of Gods people that they would lift up their hearts and hands and voyces to the Lord to looke upon her and release her of her miserie and trouble either by life or death for shee was content either way Shee had some touches also of Divine Scripture as occasion offered themselves As when the light was brought in shee desired to have the light of Gods countenance to shine upon her And when her eye-strings were broke that the teares did distill downe she desired the Lord God to put her teares into his bottle and many such Luminations there were that came from her Her surcharged spirits were so taken and strucken as a man might perceive at the first there was no way but one her selfe drawing her selfe within as though that in the outward man there were no roome for the soule to dwell there or to have a fit and opportune habitation I must needs advertise you of one thing that this custome of praysing and commending of the dead is very full of danger because a man may bee a lyer and a flatterer besore hee be aware when he never intended it But truly for ought that I could discerne this Sister of ours was one that was very well deserving of a quiet and moderate spirit intentive and carefull to governe her house and children and no way exorbitant for any thing that I can heare It is true that all are not of one Modell as the bodies of men and women are not of one height and colour so the soules and spirits are not all of one elevation neither but wee esteeme the children of God according to that they bave received and not according to that that they have not received as the Apostle speakes I say therefore according to the grace shee had received I verely beleeve shee was faithfull and true to it that shee received not the grace of God in vaine she sought by all meanes to nourish and cherish it from one degree to another and to proceed from grace to grace And therefore I conclude in the judgement of Charitie that we have very strong hopes and great probabilities of her happy translation Shee was a Daughter of Sarah as Saint Peter speakes of women that he would have them demeane themselves as Daughters of Sarah and such a one shee was in her habit and attyre in the manner of her life and societie and company and therefore I doubt not but shee inheriteth with Sarah the place of blessed mansions that the Lord hath made infinite spacious and wide and capable for all blessed soules that put their trust in him Now this let us make use of to our owne soules In that shee had not that largenesse of time shee supposed to have had but was surprised so soone and vehemently as shee could not dispose of her selfe in that manner as wee know by experience she would have done it should be a lesson to us to be ready for God to bee acquainted with God Wee have had two Corses one after another one a man another a woman both taken suddenly in respect of the time though they had thought to have made an overture of themselves to the world and thought to have made all things faire and easie by the confession and expression of their faith to the world but they were not suffered to doe it So all presume to have time to make the world know that they be humble and penitent and to make their confession but many put it off till it be too late Let us not be put off with vaine presumptions the Lord giveth and the Lord takes wee know not how soone Wee were borne wee know not when we shall die we know not when The Lord prepare us all for it FINIS GODS ESTEEME OF THE DEATH OF HIS SAINTS PREACHED AT THE FVNERALL OF Mr. IOHN MOVLSON OF Hargrave at Bunbury in Cheshire By S. T. REVEL 14. 13. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord c. LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. GODS ESTEEME OF THE DEATH OF HIS SAINTS SERMON XX. PSAL. 116. 15. Pretious in the sight of the Lord Is the death of his Saints THe Psalme was composed by David to be an acknowledgement of that favour and grace of God which himselfe had experience of at some time or other but when or what the particular occasion of it was we are uncertaine Some referre it to that escape which he made when Saul and his troopes had compassed him about upon the discoverie of the Ziphites 1 Sam. 23. 26 27 28. Others because Ierusalem is mentioned in the Psalme and Ierusalem at that time of Saul was not built as they conclude well against the time of the penning of it so they find also another occasion his escape from Absolom and that great plot 2 Sam. 15. 14. Others include also his spirituall Conflicts his combattings with Gods wrath and his despaires because of his sinnes together with some sicknesses and strong diseases accompanied with griefes and anxieties of minde In all which he found God benevolous and mercifull unto him in the sense of which hee rejoyces and as it was his dutie gives thankes and praises unto God Hee saith in the fourteenth verse hee would make publique businesse of it and would pay his vowes corum populo in the presence of all the people and good reason hee had for God hath oft releeved him and taken much care to preserve his life as hee is ever tender of the safety of all his people for Pretiosain oculis Iehovae c. Pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints The words are a Simple universall affirmative proposition wherein 1. The subject or thing spoken of is The death of Gods Saints 2. That which is spoken of it is That it is pretious in the sight of the Lord. Which
the Holiest and dearest servants of God are exercised with and divers of these doe make them many times mourne exceedingly and to cry one while O wretched man that I am and to groane out another while Woe is mee that I am constrained to live in Mesech and to have my habitation in the tents of Kedar of all these miseries Death is the end to Gods servants And so also it is an entrance into happinesse for albeit their bodyes rot in the Grave and bee laid up in the Earth as in Gods store-house untill the last day yet the soule forthwith even in an instant comes into the presence of the ever-living God of Christ and of all the Angels and Saints in Heaven the spirits of just men made perfect to Abrahams bosome to bee with Christ quanta haec felicitas What greater happinesse It was much that Moses obtained to see the back-parts of God but how much greater favour is it to see him face to face to have eternall fellowship with God the Father with Christ the Redeemer with the Holy Ghost the sanctifier The knowledge of this benefit of Death makes the face of it comfortable to Gods servants and causes them to strive with their owne naturall weaknesse that so they may even long for their day of dissolution But now against this point divers Objections may be alledged For first the Apostle Paul sayes that Death is the wages of sinne And else-where hee stiles it Christs enemie the last enemie that hee shall subdue is Death How should not death then be rather a day of misery to bee trembled at then a day of happinesse to bee longed for To this I answer that wee are to distinguish touching Death for it must be considered two wayes First as it is in its owne nature Secondly as it is altered by Christ in the first sence it is true that Death is the wages of sinne and the very suburbs and the gates of hell But in the second taking of Death it ceases to be a plague and becomes a blessing inasmuch as it is even a doore opening out of this world into Heaven Now the godly looke not upon Death simply but upon Death whose sting and venome is plucked out by Jesus Christ and so it is exceeding comfortable But then secondly it is objected that wee reade of many that have prayed against death as namely first David Returne O Lord saith he and deliver my soule oh spare mee for thy mercyes sake for in death there is no remembrance of thee Secondly Hezekiah when the message of death was brought to him Thirdly Christ himselfe Father if it bee possible let this cup passe from me To all these I answer first touching Daâ—…d that when he composed that sixt Psalme hee was not only gâ—…vously sicke but also exceedingly tormented in mind for he wrestled and combatted in his conscience with the wrath of God as appeares by the first Verse of that Psalme therefore wee must know that hee prayed not simply against Death but against death at that time in asmuch as the comming of it was accompanied with extraordinary apprehensions of Gods wrath for at another time hee tells us that hee would not feare though hee walked through the valley of the shadow of Death And the like I say touching Hezekiah that his prayer proceeded not from any desperate feare of Death but first that he might doe more service to God in his Kingdome And with such a kind of thought was Saint Pauls desire of dissolution mingled Secondly hee prayed against Death then because he knew that his death then would be a great cause of rejoycing to evill men to whom his reformation in the State was unpleasâ—…ng Thirdly because hee wanted issue God had promised before to David that there should not faile a man of his seed to sit upon the throne of Israel so that his children did take heed 〈◊〉 their wayes Now it was a great discomfort to him to die childlesse for then he and others might have thought that he was but an Hypocrite inasmuch as God had promised issue to all those Kings that feared him and for this cause God heard his prayer and after two yeares gave him a sonne Maâ—…asseh by name And so I say the same touching our Saviour Christ that hee prayed not against Death as it is the separation betwixt Body and Soule as appeares by what the Apostle saith that hee was heard in that hee feared for hee stood in our roome and became a Curse for us it was the Curse of the Law which went with Death and the unspeakable wrath and indignation of God which hee feared and from this according to his prayer he was delivered But thirdly wee see in most good men a feare of Death and a desire of life and I my selfe may some godly man say doe feele my selfe ready to tremble at the meditation thereof and yet I hope I belong unto God I answer that there are two things to bee considered in every Christian Flesh and Spirit Corruption and Grace and the best have many inward perplexities at times and doubtings of Gods favour Now it is a truth which our Saviour delivers that the spirit is willing but the flesh is weake And as in all other good purposes there is a combat betwixt the flesh and the spirit so is there in this betwixt the feare of Death and the desire of Death sometime the one prevailes and sometimes the other but yet alwayes at last the desire of Death doth get the victory Carnall respects doe often prevaile farre with the best care of wife children and the like Thâ—…se are their infirmities but as other infirmities die in them by degrees so these also at last are subdued and the servants of God seeing clearely the happinesse into which their Death in Christ shall enter them doe even sigh desiring to bee clothed upon with their house which is from Heaven Here then is a good Marke by which we may know our selves to be Gods servants viz. by the state of our thoughts and meditations touching Death I will so deliver it as may bee most for the comfort of those that truly feare God I demand therefore of thee Dost thou know that the confident and comfortable expectation of Death is the worke of the Holy Ghost in Gods servants Dost thou desire unfeignedly that the same may bee wrought in thy heart Dost thou labour to know what happinesse comes by Death to those that feare the Lord Dost thou grieve at thine owne weaknesse to whom the thought of Death is sometime troublesome and unsavourie Dost thou pray the Lord so to assure thee of his favour in Christ that death may bee desired before it comes and welcome when it is come Dost thou when thou hearest this speech of Simeon wish that thou wert able to use the like words with the like resolution Surely
these things shew that thou art Gods servant and that by Death the Lord will draw thee to a place of rest If these thoughts which I have now named bee strangers to thy heart and thou dost not love to trouble thy selfe to studie about Death it is an evill signe The servants of God are not wont to be so secure in matters of this qualitie And thus much for the first particular in the first generall part the desire in the godly of death the second is their care for it the point thence is that It is the care of Gods servants to bee alwayes so prepared for death as at what instant soever the Lord shall send it they may bee comfortably ready to entertaine it So much may easily be gathered out of Simeons words here Nunc dimittis Now let thy servant depart He did not as it were take a day over in which and against which to be provided as though he should have said Lord now will I settle my selfe to make provision for my last end but even now Lord at this very instant if thou wilt Death hath beene my ordinary meditation and if thou wilt now call me home to thee I am ready to depart As in the former point I shewed you how Saint Pauls longing agreed with Simeons Oh let thy servant depart saith Simeon I desire to bee dissolved saith Paul So here I will shew you that there was the same care in respect of Death in Saint Paul as in Simeon Now if thou wilt saith Simeon I am now ready to bee offered saith Saint Paul And else-where I die daily I am ever thinking upon death and daily making provision for my end This was holy Iobs mind All the dayes of my appointed time will I waite till my change come there was a continuall expectation So teach us to number our dayes prayeth Moses that wee may apply our hearts to wisedome And what wisedome did hee wish hee might apply his heart unto but this a holy care to make provision for another world seeing in this there was no continuance The same in effect the Authour to the Hebrewes professeth touching himselfe and those that were like to him that they had here no continuing Citie but did seeke one to come Wee know saith he here is no abiding wee dwell in tents which must remove in houses of clay which will be broken therefore wee desire to bee ever ready for that place which is of more perpetuitie And so much may bee gathered from that which is upon record concerning Ioseph of Arimathea he did not onely make ready his Tombe in his life-time but in his garden his place of solace and delight and how could so good a man so often thinke on death without labouring and caring to be ever provided for the same and therefore our Saviour Christ compares his faithfull servants unto those which daily wait for their Masters comming Now the reason which so much prevailes with the godly in this particular and which ought to be of sufficient force with every one is first the certaintie and uncertaintie of death Morte nihil certius As sure as Death is an ordinary Proverbe What man is hee that liveth and shall not see death saith the Psalmist That all must die it is Heavens decree and cannot be revoked The thing it selfe we see is most certaine yet for some circumstances most uncertaine for first Tempus est incertum No man knowes when he shall die in the night or in the day in Winter or in Summer in youth or in his latter age Secondly Locus est incertus None know where they shall die whether at home or abroad in his bed or in the field who knowes but that he may die in the Church of God even while he is asleepe at the Word Thirdly Mortis genus est incertum No man can determine how hee shall die whether suddenly or by a lingring sicknesse whether violently or by a naturall course These things the servants of God know full well and seriously weigh the same and that makes them to make conscience of continuall preparation that whensoever or wheresoever or howsoever they die they may with comfort commend their soules into the hand of God as into the hand of a faithfull Creatour Secondly they know the miserie of being taken by Death unprepared put case a man should die as Ishbosheth lying upon his bed at noone or as Iobs children while they are feasting or that a man like the rich man in the Gospell should have his breath taken from him at the very instant having made no provision for another world what hope can there be that such a one should be saved They know thirdly that the time of sicknesse is the most unfit time for this businesse of preparation the senses are then so taken up with the paine of sicknesse that a man cannot thinke seriously upon ought else and besides it is not in our owne power to turne to God when we will ordinarily God forgets those in sicknesse that forget him in health And it is commonly seene that that preparation for Death that begins but in sicknesse is as languishing and faint as is the partie from whom it comes And although Vera poenitentia bee nunquam sera yet sera poenitentia est rarò vera Though I say true repentance bee never to late yet late repentance is seldome true when men leave their sinnes because they can continue to practise them no longer what thankes have they or what can that repentance be These things worke with Gods servants to studie to be ever ready for the Lord not to delay preparation but to seeke continually to be provided My Exhortation hence shall begin with that speech of Moses Oh that men would be wise to understand this and that they would consider their later end I would there were a heart in us to entertaine this doctrine in our best thoughts I remember the Complaint of old that men had made a Covenant with Death and were at agreement with Hell Death indeed will make truce with no man but here is the meaning Evill men perswade themselves that they are in no danger of hell or of the grave Death will not come yet thinketh the oldest man and when it comes I hope I shall doe well enough thinketh the most godlesse man Thus men couzen themselves with their owne fancies and so Death steales upon them at unawares and becomes Gods Sergeant to arrest them and to carry them away to eternall condemnation Who amongst us is able to say truly and upon good ground as Simeon Now Lord if thou wilt now command Death to seize upon mee welcome shall it be unto me I am even now ready to receive it How many are there that are extraordinary ignorant in the meanes how to escape the sting of Death How many extreamly secure that never in their lives yet thought earnestly
upon this how they may die with comfort and end their dayes in peace How many prophane ones that set light by Death being apt to say like those Epicures Edamus c. Let us eate and drinke for to morrow wee shall die How many that doe put all to a desperate adventure God made us and hee must save us and wee shall doe as well as please God and there is an end How many are there whose hearts albeit they be in the house of God and in his presence are notwithstanding fraughted with malice with envie with worldlinesse with disdaine with secret scorning repining at the Word which they heare with wearisomenesse with spirituall sleepinesse and securitie You that are such as I have now said thinke in your consciences what would you die if God should now stop your breath and ascyte you by Death presently to appeare before his Majestie being thus full of ignorance of securitie of presumption of unsanctified of vicious of malicious of covetous thoughts could you find in your hearts to say Lord now let us depart Sure wee could not but Death must needs be to us as it is said to be to the wicked Rex terrorum the King of terrours if it should come upon us and find us in this case And yet what know wee how soone how suddenly wee may be overtaken some of us drop away daily some young some old some lie sicke longer some lesser time and how soone it will be our turne wee cannot tell Our breath is in our nostrills wee are all as grasse If the breath of the Lord blow upon us we doe suddenly wither as the flower of the field and returne agaâ—…e to our first Earth Why will we not labour to be now ready sith it may be alwayes truly said We may now depart either while we are here or in our way home or in our beds or at our meat Who can truly say to himselfe I am sure I shall not die this houre It may be now thou wilt demand of me What shall I doe that I may be ready To insist upon particulrs would be too long onely therefore in a word The best preparation for death is are formed life He that lives religiously cannot but die preparedly And it is a thousand to one if a wicked liver make a gracious end The Scripture makes mention of a double Death and so likewise of a twofold Resurrection the first Death is the death of the body which is the separation of it from the soule The second death is of the soule which is the separation of it from God The first Resurrection is the rising from the Death of sinne to a new life the second is that which shall be of the body out of the Grave at the day of Judgement Now what saith the Scripture Blessed and holy is hee that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second Death hath no power Wouldest thou then bee freed from the second Death hell and destruction when thou art dead Now that thou art yet alive labour to have a part in the first Resurrection Note what Saint Paul saith of the wanton widow that shee is dead whilst shee lives So he that lives in the pleasures of sinne and in the wayes of his owne heart and after his owne lust hee is dead in soule though hee be alive in body and if hee seeke not to come out of this grave eternall death shall be his portion Well then wouldest thou prepare for Death wouldest thou be able alwayes to say Lord now now I am ready labour to know God our of his Word that is eternall life Labour to feele Christ live and reigne in thee by his Spirit labour to renounce every sinne doe not goe on in any knowne sinne against conscience renew thy repentance daily and still survey the state of thy soule that wickednesse may not get dominion over thee Let Death come when it will though the Lord should so visit thee that thou shouldest drop downe suddenly yet it shall not find thee unprepared thou hast a part in the first Resurrection there is no feare of the second Death But if thou wilt cherish thy heart in evil thou wilt goe on in thy ignorance in thy carelesse worship of God in thy prophaning the Sabbath in thy whoredome oppression malice drunkennesse excesse voluptuousnesse thou makest ready for hell and it is not thy Lord save me or I cry God mercy c. that shall serve thy turne I will tell thee who thou art like unto even to a man appointed after a yeare or two to be burned and in the meane space must carry a sticke daily to the heape so thou heapest up wrath against thy selfe and makest thy score so great that when Death comes thou shalt not know how to be prepared And thus have I finished the first generall part of my Text touching the disposition of the godly in respect of Death I proceed now in a word to the second the ground rule or warrant of this desire and preparation for death according to thy word as if Simeon had said this desire that I have now to end my dayes proceeds not from any carnall discontentment because I am now old and can take no great comfort in worldly things but the ground of it is thy Word and Promise thou Lord hast revealed unto thy servant that I should not die before I had seene my Saviour This word is now fulfilled and the sweetnesse thereof hath given mee that encouragement that I doe even long to bee dissolved and to be united unto thee Or againe thus Oh Lord this care that I have had to provide thus for Death and to be alwayes in a readinesse it hath not come from my selfe nature never taught it mee but thy Word hath instructed mee If I had not proceeded according to thy Word I should never have knowne how to have prepared my selfe to the time of dissolution This is the meaning of the words and so the Doctrine is plain viz. that Men ignorant in Gods word can never take comfort in death nor bee truly prepared to undergoe it This is plaine if we consider the Exposition which I have already given of that part of Simeons speech It is a generall Rule that of our Saviour Yee erre not knowing the Scripture A man ignorant in the Scripture can never rightly performe any spirituall dutie Hence was that of David Thy testimonies saith he are my delight and my counsellours If any matter came in hand that concerned his soule straight to the word of God went hee to know thence how to doe it as a man for his Lease or conveyance goeth to a Counsellour for direction So againe he confesses that if Gods Law had not beene his delight hee should have perished in his afflictions And so no comfort no true quiet in any trouble much more at Death without the guidance and information of the Word The
hell out of sorrow and angvish and tentation hee raiseth out their greatest quiet Secondly because the love of God is eternall and unchangeable Whom hee loves hee loves to the end It is unpossible that the Lord albeit he trie and that sharply yet should finally forsake those that are his in their greatest extremitie But againe secondly if you make a peaceable death to bee the reward of the Righteous what say you to this There bee many that in all their life gave little evidence of any Religion or grace but of the contrary rather yet in their death were very quiet and still and seemed to all that were by to have in them no manner of vexation no troublesome thoughts no perplexed motions shall wee say that these were good men because they seemed to goe away in peace It is true indeed it is the common opinion Doth a man lye quietly hath hee his memorie to the end died he like a Lambe surely then hee is gone to heaven but this is an absurd colection for First sometime this outward calmenesse is an ordinary consequent of some diseases as Consumptions and such like by which Nature being formerly weakned hath not power left to make resistance Secondly this outward calmenesse is no argument of a peaceable and quiet soule The Psalmist tells us of the wicked in whose death there are no bands Thirdly wee must distinguish betweene securitie and peace betwixt carnall senslesnesse and true spirituall quietnesse Nabals death was quiet enough yet hee were but a foole that would adventure his soule with Nabals I see many ignorant persons many of heathenish and brutish conversation very quiet in sicknesse without any feare of hell and judgement to come making no doubts casting no perills asking no questions complaining of no sinnes and so away they goe without any more adoe What shall I say that these died in true peace God forbid No when I compare together their ignorant secure benummed hardned kind of life with their senslesse and drowsie kind of death I must say that these are fearefull signes these things argue that the Divill had quiet possession where hee made so small adoe Thus then notwithstanding these Objections I will conclude that a peacefull death is the peculiar and individed priviledge of Gods servants However it be yet I know saith Solomon that it shall goe well with those that feare the Lord but there is no peace to the wicked saith my God Wee may make Use of this first to be a tryall betwixt our Religion and the Romish for from this Doctrine I avouch that Religion to be no true Religion because a Papist by the Rules of his owne Religion can never die in peace This is a hard saying thou maist object or how can I make it good I answer by two reasons First every Papist is taught to beleeve under paine of Anathema and the great curse that whosoever dyeth if hee have not in this life attained to perfection and throughly purged himselfe from the remainders of sinne by workes of satisfaction his soule must after death goe into Purgatory and there continue untill hee hath made a full satisfaction now the paine of Purgatorie is held for the time to bee as great as the paines of hell differing onely in this that it is not perpetuall Now I would faine know how can a man die comfortably and in peace and with a joyfull heart when hee thinkes with himselfe that albeit perhaps after some yeares hee shall goe to heaven yet in the meane space his soule must goe into such a place of unspeakable torment where if the matter be not well plyed by the prayers of them that are alive and by well feeing the Priests they may hap to lye for many yeares I say how can the Doctrine of Popery beget a peacefull death when it teacheth an expectation of such an hellish Purgatory Secondly every Papist as he is bound of a certaine to beleeve a Purgatory so further must he beleeve that hee cannot in this life be assured of salvation otherwise then by a kind of confused hope which may deceive him Now hee which by the witnesse of his owne conscience is sure that hee hath deserved hell and cannot attaine to any certaintie of discharge what comfort can such an one have to dye hee knowes that when hee is dead he must come to his account before God but yet can have no assurance that the Lord will acquit him in Christ Jesus I wish that this may seriously be considered by us for the establishing of us in the truth of Religion I say againe and testifie these reasons which I have alledged being weighed that a Papist by his owne doctrine can never expect that which Simeon did a departure hence in peace He knowes he must to torment he is taught that he cannot know in this world that God will pardon him In the next place let us come neerer home to our selves that we must all dye nothing more certaine Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne God hath decreed it and it cannot bee revoked if our end be not peaceable our estate after cannot bee happy Let our care then be spent about this one point how one may attaine to this to end our dayes in peace I doubt not but wee will all bee ready to say we hope so to doe but this is nothing for when the wicked man dyeth his expectation perisheth What becomes of the hope of the Hypocrite said Iob when God takes away his soule But what course then shall wee take that wee may finish our course with joy I will tell thee in few words I touched it a little before the best meanes for a peaceable departure is a godly and religious life I have fought the good fight saith Saint Paul and he could comfortably from thence inferre that therefore there was laid up for him a crowne of righteousnesse It was Christs owne inference I have glorified thee on earth I have finished the worke which thou gavest mee to doe and therefore now O Father glorifie thou mee with thine owne selfe The reason of it is first Gods promise blessed shall bee the undefiled in the way Those that honour mee I will honour said God Now this promise God will not breake He that goeth this way though it be with much weaknesse with many falls with sundry imperfections with divers wandrings yet he cannot misse of the promised peace Secondly life eternall hath three degrees the first is in this life when a man repenteth and beleeveth and is purged from dead workes to serve the living God The second is in death when the body goes to earth and the spirit returnes to him that gave it The third is at the last judgement These three degrees hang together like three linkes the second followeth the first and the third the two former the last cannot be hoped for where
the first is wanting for except yee repent yee shall all perish The first being obtained the last must needs ensue for hee is faithfull that hath promised So then wouldest thou have peace in death labour for grace in thy life wouldest thou end thy dayes happily make conscience to spend them holily A godlesse man that lives in sin may die senslesly or sullenly he cannot die peaceably Oh consider this all yee that forget God that spend your dayes in vanity and your yeares according to the lusts of your owne heart that have hitherto hated to bee reformed and will not bee reclaimed from your former fashions but live yet still as you were wont to doe Thinke a little with me of your last end which how neere it is you doe not know when your consciences a little awaked shall make report of your life past how in matters of God you have beene ignorant superstitious carelesse neglecting his worship despising his Word blaspheming his Name mispending his Sabbaths in dealing with men you have beene cruell false unmercifull oppressing in the usage of your owne bodyes unchast vicious lustfull proud wanton wallowing in excesse what peace can your soules have when these things be thought upon what calmnesse of spirit what hope of entring into rest how can you thinke that the end can bee comfortable when the life hath beene abominable What answer made Iehu to Ioram when hee demanded Is it peace Iehu What peace said hee so long as the whoredomes of thy mother Iezabel and her witchcrafts are so many So when Death comes like Iehu marching furiously against you and you enquire of him whither he comes with peace or no hee will answer what peace when your whoredomes and your grosse and crying sinnes are yet in great number What peace when these make a partition betwixt your soules and the Lord Certainly there can be no peace but a fearefull expectation of judgement and violent fire to devoure Suffer me then to conclude this exhortation as Daniel did his speech to Nebuchadnezzar O King breake off thy sinnes by righteousnesse and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poore So say I breake off your sinnes by repentance your ignorance by seeking after knowledge your contempt of Gods word by a reverent yeelding to it your securitie by a standing in awe of God your neglecting the exercises of Religion by carefull using of them your whoredome by chastitie your drunkennesse by sobrietie your malice by charitie your oppression by mercy your falshood by fidelitie this is the way that will bring peace at the last thus and thus onely you may find rest for your soules FINIS THE VITALL FOUNTAINE OR LIFES ORIGINALL REVEL 21. 1. And hee shewed mee a pure river of the water of life proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lambe 1 JOHN 5. 11. 12. God hath given to us eternall life and this life is in his Sonne Hee that hath the Sonne hath life and he that hath not the Sonne hath not life LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. THE VITALL FOVNTAINE OR LIFES ORIGINALL SERMON XXXV JOH 11. 25. 26. I am the Resurrection and the life hee that beleeveth in mee though hee were dead yet shall hee live and whosoever liveth and beleeveth in me shall never die THese words that I have read to you they are part of the conference betweene Martha and Christ when Christ was comming to Bethanie to awake Lazarus from the sleepe of death The conference is laid downe from the beginning of the 21. verse to the end of the 27. and Martha meeting with Christ begins the conference as wee may see vers 21. 22. Then said Martha to Iesus Lord if thou haddest beene here my brother had not died but I know that even now whatsoever thou wilt aske of God God will give it thee Here Martha manifests her affection to her dead brother and her faith in her living Master shee manifests the strength of her naturall affection and the weaknesse and imperfection of her faith The strength of her naturall affection appeares in this that she was perswaded if Christ had beene there present her brother Lazarus had not died he would not have suffered Lazarus to have died which for ought wee know is more then she had sufficient ground for Then the weaknesse and imperfection of her faith appeares in this that shee rested too much upon the corporall presence of Christ that shee ascribed no more powerto Christ then that by his prayer he could attaine at Gods hands as much as ever any holy man did namely the life of her brother I know saith she that even now whatsoever thou askest God will give it Whereas Christ being true God was able to worke any miracle by his owne power Now the answer of Christ is laid downe verse 23. Iesus said unto her thy brother shall rise againe Christ to comfort Martha passeth by her infirmitie and promiseth to her that hee will restore her brother to life againe that shee shall enjoy her brother againe but this promise is only laid downe in generall and indifinite termes Thy brother shall rise againe Christ doth not say expresly I will raise up thy brother to life but hee speakes only ingenerall termes Thy brother shall rise againe which wee are to ascribe to the modestie and humilitie that alwais may bee obser-served in the speeches of Christ Thy brother shall rise againe Then we have the replie of Martha laid downe in verse 24. Martha said unto him I know hee shall rise againe in the Resurrection at the last day Martha was not satisfied with this promise of Christ for it seemes shee durst not take it in the full extent of it therefore shee replyes that as for the last Resurrection shee knew indeed that her brother and all others that were dead should then rise againe this did comfort her but for any other matter of comfort shee could not gather any from the answer of Christ and his promise therefore Christ replies againe in the words of my Text And Iesus said unto her I am the resurrection and the life hee that beleeves in mee though hee were dead yet shall hee live and whosoever liveth and beleeveth in me shall never die Christ would have Martha know that hee was true life yea the fountaine of all life and such a fountaine of life that whosoever did beleeve in him and cleave to him nothing should hurt him no not Death it selfe Thus you see briefly the coherence and the scope of the words We come now to shew you the meaning of them In these words we may observe these two parts First here we have laid downe a compound proposition And then the distinct Exposition or explication thereof First here wee have laid downe a compound Axiome or Proposition a copulative Proposition wherein Christ affirmes two things of himselfe First I am the Resurrection Secondly I am the Life I am the Resurrection I
and sea shall cast up 〈◊〉 their dead Wee have the parties to bee examâ—…ed let us now here the Articles upon which they are to bee examâ—…ed First Death is to answer to this 〈◊〉 where is thy sâ—…ng these words may bee understood â—…o maâ—…r of wayes 1 Actively 2 Passively 1 Passively where is thy sting that is the sting thrust out by Deatâ—… 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of Death is 〈◊〉 other then the present sence of the desert of death and guilt of conscience 〈◊〉 a dreadâ—… 〈…〉 take away this 〈…〉 for sinnâ—… 〈…〉 no 〈…〉 â—…is Saints and 〈…〉 of a punishment of sinne a remedie against all sinne of a short and fearefull cut to eternall death a faire and safe draw-bridge to eternall life 2 Actively where is thy sting that is the sting which causeth and bringeth Death In this sense the sting of death is sinne non quem mors fecit sed quo mors facta est peccato enim morimur non morte peccâ—…mus as Saint Austine most accutely and eloquently Sinne is sayd to bee the sting of Death as a cup of poyson is sayd to bee a potion of death that is a potion bringing death for wee dye by sinne wee sinne not by death sinne is not the off-spring of death but death the off-spring of sinne or as the Apostle tearmeth it the wages of sinne And it is just with God to pay the sinner this wages by rendring death to sinne and punishing sinne with death because sinne severeth the soule from God and not onely grieveth and despightfully entreateth but without repentance in the end thrusteth the spirit out of doores And what more agreeable to Divine justice then that the soule which willingly severeth her selfe from God should bee unwillingly severed from the bodie and that the spirit should bee expelled of his residence in the flesh which expelleth Gods grace and excludeth his Spirit from a residence in the soul This sting of death is like the Adders two forked or double for it is either originall or actuall sinne originall sinne is the sting of death in the day thou eatest of the Tree of knowledge thou shalt surely dye and as by one man sinne came into the World and death by sinne and so death passed upon all men for that all had sinned Secondly actuall sinne is the sting of death the soule that sinneth it shall dye the sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the father nor the father the iniquity of the sonne the righteousnesse of the righteous shall bee upon him and the wickednesse of the wicked shall bee upon him Howbeit if wee speake properly originall sinne as it is a pronesse to all sinne so it maketh us rather obnoxious to death then dead men but actuall sinne without repentance slayes out-right Adam did not die the day hee eat the fruit but that day became mortalis or morti obnoxius guiltie of death or liable to it originall sinne alone maketh us mortes but actuall mortuos dead men The Devill like to a Hornet sometimes pricks us onely but leaveth not his sting in us sometime he leaveth his sting in us and that 's farre the more dangerous He is pricked only with this sting who sinneth suddenly and presently repenteth but he who the Devil bringeth to a habit or custome insinne in him hee leaveth his sting Now wee know what the sting is let us enquire where it is The answer is if wee speake of the reprobate men or Devills it remaineth in their consciences if wee speake of the Elect it is plucked out of their soules and it was put in our Saviours bodie and there deaded and lost for hee that knew no sinne was made sinne for us to wit by imputing our sinne to him and inflicting the punishment thereof upon him That wee might bee made the righteousnesse of God in him for the chastisement of our peace was upon him and by his stripes were wee healed who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his owne body on the tree Athanasius representeth the manner of it by the similitude of a Waspe losing her sting in a Rocke Vespa acculeâ—… fodiens petram c. as an angry Waspe thrusteth her sting into a rocke cannot pierce or enter farre into it but either breaketh her sting or loseth it all so Death assaulting the Lord of life and striving with all her might to sting him hurt not him but disarmed her selfe of her sting for ever The first interrogatorie is answered wee know where Deaths sting is let us now consider of the second interrogatorie concerning the victorie of the Grave O grave where is thy victorie If the Grave as shee openeth her mouth wide so she could speake shee would answer My victories are to be seene in Macpelah Golgotha in all the gulphs of the Sea and Caves and pits of the Earth where the dead have beene bestowed since the beginning of the world My victorie is in the fire in the water in the earth in all Churnells and Caemitaries or dormitories in the bellies of fish in the mawes of beasts in holy shrines Tombes and sepulchres wheresoever corpses have beene put and are yet reserved Of all that ever Death arrested and they by order of divine Justice have beene committed to my custodie never any but one escaped whom the heaven of heavens could not containe much lesse any earthly prison he might truly say and none but he O grave where is thy victorie all save him I keepe in safe custodie that were ever sent to mee Yet may all that die in Iesus and expect a glorious Resurrection by him even now by faith insult over the Grave for Faith calleth those things that are not as if they were it looketh backward as farre as the Creation which produced all things at the first of nothing and as farre forward to the resurrection which shall restore all things from nothing or that which is as much as nothing Faith with an eye annointed with the eye-salve of the spirit seeth death swallowed up into victorie and the earth and sea casting up all their dead and upon this evidence of things not seene triumpheth over Death and Hell saying O Death where is thy sting O Hell where is thy victorie Wee have spoken hitherto of Death and the Grave let us now heare what they have to say to us Death saith feare not mee the Grave Weepe not immoderately for the dead Death bids us die to sinne the Grave Burie all thy injuries and wrongs in the pit of oblivion both say to us flye sinne and neither of us can hurt you both say to us Give thankes to him who hath given you victorie over uâ—… both the sting of death pricks you not but if you die in the bosome of Christ rather delights and tickles you Death is no more Death but a sleepe the Grave is no more a grave but abed Death is but the putting off of our old rags the Grave is the Vestrie
enemie and so the Apostle tearmeth it the last enemie that shall bee destroyed is Death For albeit Death by accident is an advantage as oftentimes an enemie doth a man a good turne which occasioned that excellent Treatise of Plutarch wherein he sheweth us how to make an Antidote of poyson and a good use of other mens maâ—…ice yet is it in it selfe an enemy alwayes to Nature and to grace also it sets upon the elect and the Reprobate the beleever and the Infidell the penitent and the obstinate but with this difference it flyes at the one with a deadly sting but at the other without a sting the one it wounds to death the other it terrifieth and paineth but cannor hurt But there being divers kinds of death which of them is here meant Death is a privation and privations cannot bee defined but by their habits that is such positive qualities as they bereave us of for instance sicknesse cannot be perfectly defined but by health which it impaireth nor blindnesse but by sight which it destroyeth nor darknesse but by light which it excludeth nor death but by life which it depriveth us of Now if there bee a fourefold life spoken of in Scripture viz. 1. Of nature 2. Of sinne 3. Of grace 4. Of glory There must needs be a foure-fold death answerable thereunto 1. The death of Nature is the privation of the life of nature by paâ—… soule and bydy 2. The death of sinne is the privation of the life of sinne by mortifying grace 3. The death of Grace is the privation of the life of grace by reigning sâ—…ne 4. The death of Glory is the privation of the life of Glory by aiâ—… and finall exclusion from the glorious presence of God and the kingdome of heaven and a casting into the lake of fire and brimstone prepared for the divell and his angells Of Death in the first sence David demandeth who is hee that liveth and shall not see death and shall hee deliver his soule from the hand of hell Of Death in the second sense Saint Paul enquireth how shall wee that are dead to sinne live any longer therein Of Death in the third sense Saint Paul must be meant where he rebuketh wanton Widowes Shee that liveth in pleasure is dead while shee liveth Of Death in the fourth sense Saint Iohn is to bee understood Blessed is hee that hath part in the first resurrection for on such the second death hath no power Saint Austin joyneth all these significations and maketh one sentence of divers senses hee is dead to death that is Death cannot kill hurt or affright him who is dead to sinne And another of the Ancients makes a sweet cord of them like so many strings struck at once hee that dyeth before hee dyes shall never die hee that dyeth to sinne before hee dyeth to nature shall never dye to God neither in this world by finall deprivation of grace neither in the world to come of glorie Of these foure significations of Death the first and last fort with this Text for that the first is to bee meant it is evident by the consequence here O grave I will be thy destruction And by the antecedents in Saint Paul When this corruptible shall put on incorruption c. And that the second is included may bee gathered both from the words of Saint Iohn And Death and bell were cast into the lake of fire and of our Saviour I was dead and I am alive and have the keyes of Hell and of Death And so I fall upon my second Observation viz. the Person menacing I the second person in Trinitie our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The word here used Ehi is the same with that we reade Exod. 3. Ehi Ashur Ehi I am that I am and if the observation of the Ancients be current that wheresoever God speaketh unto man in the old Testament in the shape of man or Angell we are to understand Christ for that all those apparitions were but a kind of preludia of his incarnation then the Person here threatning can bee no other then he besides the word Egilam in the former part of this verse being derived from Gaal signifying propinquus fuit or redemit jure propinquitatis pointeâ—… to our Saviour who by assuming our nature became our Alic by blood and performed this office of a kinsman by redeeming the inheritance which we had lost But we have stronger arguments then Grammaticall observations that he who here promised life to the dead and threatneth plagues to Death was the Sonne of God the Lord of quick and dead for the same who promiseth to redeeme from the Grave threatneth to plague Death but we all know that Redeemer is the peculiar style of the Sonne as Creator is of the Father and Sanctifier of the Holy Ghost tu redemisti nos thou hast redeemed us to GOD by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and Nation To the redemption of a slave that is not able to ransome himselfe three at least concurre the Scrivener who writeth the Conditions and sealeth the Bonds the partie who soliciteth the businesse and mediateth for the captive and layeth downe the summe agreed upon for his ransome and the person in whose power the captive is and who accepteth of the ransome Which of these is the Redeemer you will all say he that is at the cost of all so it is in our redemption from spiritual thraldome the holy Spirit draweth the condition and sealeth the bonds the Father receiveth the ransome the Sonne both mediateth for the ransoming and layeth downe the summe For we were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold but the pretious blood of Christ as of a Lambe without blemish hee tooke part of our nature that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the divell and deliver them who through the feare of death were all their life time subiect to bondage Hence we gather that hee that destroyed Death must die but to affirme that the immortall and eternall Spirit of God expired is blasphemie and to say that the Father suffered is heresie longagoe condemned in the Patro-passions we conclude therefore with the Apostle that the second Person Christ Jesus hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortalitie to light by the Gospell And so I fall upon my last Observation the judgement here mentioned Devorica 3. Thy plagues there is no tittle or iota in holy Scripture superfluous some mysterie therefore lyeth in the number plagues in the plurall not plague in the singular which I conceive to be this that Christ put Death to many deaths and foyled and conquered it many wayes first in himselfe secondly in his members First in himselfe by destroying sinne the sting of Death Secondly by breaking the bonds thereof in his powerfull Resurrection wherwith it was impossible that hee should be
ΘΡΗÎΟΙΚΟΣ THE HOUSE OF MOVRNING FVRNISHED With Directions for Preparations to Meditations of Consolations at the houre of Death DELIVERED IN XLVII SERMONS PREACHED AT THE Funeralls of divers faithfull servants of Christ. By Daniel Featly Martin Day Richard Sibbs Thomas Taylor Doctors in Divinitie And other Reverend Divines ECCLES 7. 4. The heart of the wise is in the house of Mourning but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth Ambr. de obit frat Non amitti sed praemitti videntur quos sed non absumpturamors sed aeternitas receptura est Seneca Ep. 77. Iter imperfectum est si in media parte aut citra petitum locum steterit vita non est imperfecta si honesta ubicunque desieris si benè desieres tota est LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for R. M. and are to be sold by Iohn Bellamie and Ralph Smith at the signe of the three golden Lyons in Corne-hill neere the Royall Exchange 1640. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER THere is no man that can plead ignorance to the universall Decree of God concerning the necessitie of Mans mortalitie It is appointed for all men once to die and every man can say as that wise woman of Tekoaeh wee are all as water spilt upon the ground There is no Age Estate Condition or ranke of men but have beene foyled with that invincible Champion death who riding up and downe the world upon his pale Horse above these five thousand yeares hath with an impartiall stroke laid all flat before him some in their Infancie have proved what it is to die before they knew what it was to live others in the strength of Youth some in their Old age rich and poore high and low of all sorts young men may die old men must die even those that are stiled Gods and that by no fawning Sycophant but by God himselfe their mortality proves them to be men to themselves though they be as Gods to others and as Epictitus once told the Emperour That to be borne and to dye was common both to Prince and Beggar The sicknesses and miseries of this world have made the proudest Painims to confesse with St. Peter to Cornelius Even I my selfe also am a mortall man so that experience as well as Scripture concludes what man is he that liveth and shall not see death There are no ingredients in the shop of Nature that are sufficiently cordiall to fortifie the heart against this King of terrors or his harbingers the velvet slipper cannot fence the foote from the gout nor the gold ring the finger from a fellon the richest Diademe cannot quit the head-ach nor the purple Robe prevent a Fever Beauty strength riches honour friends nor any nor all can repeale that sentence Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne Every fitt of an ague and every distemper of this fraile constitution being as a light skirmish before the maine battell of death wherein weake man being vanquished is led captive to his long home and when once the lines of mortalitie are drawne upon the face of the fairest mortall hee becomes a ghastly spectacle how lovely soever before and the conclusion is bury my dead out of my sight This inevitable necessitie however it be confessed and acknowledged of all yet lamentable experience teacheth that in the Christian world most men so live as though they should never die and at length they so die as though they should never live againe and when the time of their dissolution commeth their soules are rather chased out by violence then yeelded to God in obedience Indeed to a wicked man death is the beginning of sorrowes it is a trap-dore to let him downe to the everlasting dungeon of Hell but the children of God though they cannot scape the stroke yet they are freed from the sting of death they can play upon the hole of this aspe without danger and welcome the grimmest approch of this Gyant with a smile being freed from the hurt of him by Him that is the Captaine of the Lords Hoste who hath abolished death and brought life and immortalitie to light so that the sting of it being plucked out and the suffering sanctified by Christ death is become to every beleever but a darke entry to the glorious Pallace of Heaven Now as it is Gods tender mercy to his children that their conflict and misery should be temporary but their perfect happines eternall so it should be their care in this little space of time alotted them whereupon their everlasting condition depends so to provide that they may live happily where they shall live eternally and since we cannot escape death to prepare for it that we may get the sight of this Basiliske before it approach and so avoid the danger of it Wretched is the estate of that man who when these spirituall Philistims the terrors of death make warre upon him shall have just cause to say The Lord is departed from me the death of such a one will bee like the sleepe of a franticke man who when the malignant humour is concocted awakes in a greater rage then he lay downe whereas to him that is wise to consider his latter end death is no way dreadfull death may kill him but it cannot hurt him it doth free him from temporary misery but cannot hinder him from eternall felicity and as that noble Captaine of Thebes who having gotten the victory over his enemies but withall received his mortall wound he made this his grand enquirie whether his weapons were safe or no whether his buckler was not in his enemies hands and when it was replied all was safe he died with a great deale of cheerefulnes and fortitude So when a Christian is to grapple with death his maine care is that his Buckler of faith and the helmeâ—… of his salvation his hope that they be safe to guard his soule and then he passeth not much what becomes of his outward man hee dies in peace and confidence Now that wee may bee fitted to encounter with this last enemy besides the manifold helps which God hath reached to us in his word in the passages of his providence in the frequent examples of mortalitie before us continually and in our owne sensible approaches to the gates of death I say besides these and infinite more this ensuing Volume with so much care and paines compiled by Gods blessing and our endeavours may prove no small furtherance in our Pilgrimage Each Sermon therein being as a severall Legacie bequeathed by those upon the occasion of whose deaths they were preached as by so many Testators who themselves have made a reall experiment of mortality and left these for our instruction that survive them It is true the dayly examples of mortaltie are so many reall Lectures that by a kinde of dumbe oratorie perswade us to expect our end but as they are transient so our thoughts of them vanish therefore it can bee no small adâ—…ntage to have in continuall readines that
judgement Abrahams Purchase Page 385. GEN. 23. 4. I am a stranger and sojourner among you give me a Possession of a burying place with you that I may bury my dead out of my sight Gods esteeme of the death of his Saints Page 401. PSAL. 116. 15. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints The desire of the Saints after immortall glory Page 415. 2 COR. 5. 2. For in this wee groane earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from Heaven The carelesse Merchant Page 437. MAT. 16. 26. What is a man profited if he shall gaine the whole world and lose his soule Christs second Advent Page 449. Behold I come shortly and my reward is with me to give every man according to his workes The Saints longing for the great Epiphanie Page 467. TITVS 2. 13. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Iesus Christ. Lifes Apparition and Mans Dissolution Page 481. IAMES 4. 14. For what is your life it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little while and then vanisheth away Saiâ—… Pauls Trumpet Page 499. ROM 13. 11. And that knowing the time that now it is higâ—… time to awake out of sleepe Tâ—… 〈◊〉 manâ—… resting place Page 51â—… GEN. 15. 1. After these things the word of the Lord came to Abraham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abraham I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward The righteous Iudge Page 335. IAM 2. 12. So speake yee and so doe as they that shall be judged by the law of libertie Sinnes stipend and Gods munificence Page 555. ROM 6. 23. For the wages of sinne is death but the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. The profit of afflictions Page 571. HEB. 12. 10. For they verily for a few dayes chastened us after their owne pleasure but hee for our profit that we might be partakers of his holinesse Spirituall Hearts-ease Page 591. IOHN 14. 1. 2. 3. 1 Let not your hearts be troubled beleeve in God beleeve also in me 2 In my Fathers house are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you I goe to prepare a place for you 3 And if I goe to prepare a place for you I will come againe and receive you unto my selfe that where I am there you may be also Faiths Triumph over the greatest trialls Page 611. HEB. 11. 17. By faith Abraham when he was tryed offered up his sonne Isaack and hee that had received the promise offered up his onely begotten Sonne The Priviledge of the Faithfull Page 627. I PET. 3. 7. As heires together of the grace of life Peace in Death Page 643. LVKE 2. 29. Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word The vitall Fountaine Page 693. IOHN 11. 25 26. 25. Iesus said unto her I am the resurrection and the life he that beleeveth in me though he were dead yet shall he live 26 And whosoever liveth and beleeveth in me shall never die Death in Birth Page 713. GEN. 35. 19. And Rachel died The death of Sinne and life of grace Page 727. ROM 6. 11. Likewise reckon ye also your selves to bee deadunto sin bâ—…t alive unto God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Hopes Anchor-Hold 751. I COP 15. 19. If in this life onely we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable The Platforme of Charitie Page 769. GAL. 6. 10. As we have therefore opportunity let us doe good to all especially to them that are of the housâ—…ould of faith Death prevented Page 799. IOB 14. 14. All the dayes of my appointed time will I wait till my change shall come Iter novissimum or Man his last Progresse Page 817. FCCLESIAST 12. 5. Man goeth to his long home and the mourners goe about the streetes Tempus putationis or the ripe Almond gathered Page 835. GEN. 15. 15. And thou shalt goe to thy Fathers in peace thou shalt be buried in a good old age Io Paean or Christs Triumph over death Page 847. I COR. 15. 55. O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory Fato Fatum The King of Feares frighted Page 859. HOS 13. 14. O Death I will be thy plagues Vox Coeli The Deads Herauld Page 869. APOC. 14. 13. And I heard a voyce from Heaven saying unto me write blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth c. Victoris Brabaeum or The Conquerors Prize Page 881. APOC. 14. 13. So saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their workes follow them Faith's Eccho or the Soules AMEN REVEL 22. 19. AMEN Even so come Lord Iesus The end of the TABLE The ERRATA PAge 825. line 15. read not posse p. 826. l. 30. r. summe p. 841. l. 4. r. â—…ror p. 839 put out the promise of p. 842. l. 29. r. Gibiline in marg r. hominis ultimam resurrectionem p. 843. l. 14. r. the Goats p. 846. in Marg. r. Poâ—…id p. 150. l. 34. r. â—…raines p. 853. l. 33. r. Anacreon p. 860. in marg r. â—…s venenati p. 870. l. 4. r. Emines p. 874. l. 44. r. nullas p. 879. l. 24. r. Lapide p. 885 l. 15. r. immunitie p. 886. l. 10. r. actually p. 887. l. 18. r. Hell p. 889. l. 13. r. can be in Marg. r. qui assignat singulos domicilio infra regno 〈◊〉 p. 891. l. 12. r. import no leâ—…e p. 892. l. 22. r. faithfull p. 894. l. 14. r. Eurypum Eurypuâ—… THE STEVVARDS SUMMONS OR THE DAY OF ACCOVNT MAT. 25. 19. After a long time the Lord of those servants commeth and reckoneth with them ROM 14. 12. So then every one of us shall give account of himselfe to God LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabb 1639. THE STEWARDS SVMMONS SERMON I. LVKE 16. 2. Give an account of thy Stewardship for thou maist bee no longer Steward IN the Chapter going before our blessed Lord and Saviour had preached the Doctrine of the free grace of God in the remission of sinne and receiving of repenting and returning sinners in the parable of an indulgent Fathers receiving of a prodigall Sonne The Pharisees were a people that hardned their owne hearts and scoffed at every thing that Christ delivered therefore now in this Chapter hee commeth to summon and warne them to appeare before God the great Master of the world to give an account of their stewardship that by the consideration of Gods proceeding in the day of judgement they might know the better how to prize the remission of sinnes in the day of grace This hee doth by presenting to them a Parable of a certaine rich man that had a steward who was accused unto him that hee had wasted his goods calleth him to an account and to the end that the Pharisees might not thinke that it was a matter to be jeasted withall and that such considerations as these were to
the departure of men out of this world and secondly he saith the living will lay it to his heart hee speakes of such an end of men as is opposite to the life of men In a word By the house of mourning he meaneth a house wherein some one is dead which giveth occasion to the parties that dwell there of sorrow and mourning for their departed friend It is better to goe to such a house By the house of feasting hee meaneth not onely such a house wherein there is feasting but also all manner of abundance as commonly men shew their wealth in feasting By the end of all men he meaneth that which the Schooles calls the end of termination Now there is a twofold end of termination as they speake either Positive or Privative A Positive end as a point is the end of a lyne and an instant is the end of time because the lyne resolveth it selfe into a point at last and all time resolveth it selfe at last into an instant A Privative end and that is that that causeth a cessation of beeing that is the end of action wherein all the worke and invention and enterprizes of a man cease Of such an end here he speakes such an end of a man as that he ceaseth to be as he was upon earth and ceaseth to doe as he did upon earth By laying to heart he meaneth more then a bare knowing or a bare observing and taking notice of things There is to be understood here a serious pondering an often considering of it as it is said of Marie Shee layed those sayings to heart and so Iacob hee layed the sayings of Ioseph to heart It is such a serious considering and pondering and discussing of every thing as they may bring it to some use may draw some fruit and benefit out of it to themselves So that the summe and substance of the words is thus much It is a better thing for a man to bee conversant about the thoughts of death and to take hold of all occasions that may bring the serious consideration thereof into his heart then to delight himselfe in those worldly pleasures and sensuall delights wherein for the most part men spend their lives The reason is because there is some benefit that ariseth thereby to the inward man some advantage gained to the soule whereas by the other there is none at all there is much hinderance and hurt but no furtherance and benefit The words then you see consist of a Proposition And a proofe or confirmation of that Proposition The Proposition It is better to goe to the house of mourning then to goe to the house of feasâ—…ing The Confirmation or proofe of it is double first because this is the end of all men secondly because the living will lay it to his heart This latter part is that which I purpose most to insist upon In the former Hee calleth the house wherein any one dies the house of mourning It is better to goe to the house of mourning Where you see That the Death of men with whom we live is a just occasion of mourning to some The holy Ghost would not have described the house wherein a man dies in this manner if there were not some equitie and justice in mourning upon such an occasion For hee speakes not here as I conceive only with reference and respect to the common custome of naturall and worldly men but with respect to the naturall disposition and affection that is in the heart of man and the equitie of the thing There should bee mourning and there is in it a just occasion when men are taken away by death When Sarah died the text saith that Abraham came to mourne for Sarah and to weepe for her And Esau when he speakes of the death of his father Isaac he calleth the time of his death the time of mourning the dayes of mourning for my father are at hand So Ioseph when his father was dead it is said that hee mourned for his father seven dayes When Samuel was dead all the Israelites were gathered together and lamented him When Iosiah was dead there was such a great lamentation for him that it became a patterne of excessive mourning In that day there shall be a great mourning in Ierusalem as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon Our Saviour Christ when he looked upon Lazarus hee wept because he was dead And those Ephesians this was it that broke their hearts they sorrowed most of all for the words which S. Paul spake that they should see his face no more I need not stand upon the proofe of the point There is great reason for it First if we respect men in their usefulnesse to others There is no man but is of some use and so farre as a man is usefull to another there is just ground of mourning for the losse of such a one Therefore David he mourned for the death of Saul though he was a wicked man because he was usefull in his time by way of gouernment And as there is more usefulnesse so there is more cause of mourning as we see in the death of Samuel and Iosiah and others Secondly because when those that are usefull are taken away a man seeth some effects partly of his owne guilt and partly of Gods displeasure Of his owne guilt If those die that are evill that he did not doe them that good that he might while they lived he did not converse so profitably as he might have done to further their spirituall good If they be good and gracious that he received not benefit by them that he did not mannage the opportunities as he might have done to have made that use of their societie and conference of their prayers and spirituall helpes of all those gifts and endowments that they had And as in the defect so likewise in the excesse there is guilt When a man idoliseth the creature too much and trusteth too much to the arme of flesh when he setteth too great a price upon men he may apprehend the displeasure of God taking away his brother that was as it were a curtaine that stood betweene God and him taking away those that hid God from his eyes Vpon these occasions and grounds the servants of God have reflected upon themselves seeing the death of others that are neere and deare unto them and have drawne from thence matter and cause of mourning Nay it is a thing that the Lord lookes for Thou hast smitten them and they have not grieved When God takes away any that are usefull to us there is a smiting and a correction in it even to those that live to those that were intimate and inward with him and God expects that men should mourne and grieve for it I briefly note this for I intend not to stand upon it against that Stoicall Apethy that stupiditie I cannot say whether it have seized on the spirits
it will be objected Wee find some men that did not die It is said of Enoch that he was translated that hee should not see death Heb. 11. 5. And of Elijah that he went up by a whirle-wind into heaven in a chariot of fire 2 King 2. 11. These men did not die To this I answer briefly Particular and extraordinary examples doe not frustrate generall rules God may sometimes dispence with some particular men and yet the rule remaine firme I say it may be so But secondly we answer They had that that was in stead of Death to them some change though they did not die after the manner of other men So at the end of the world it is said that those that are alive shall be caught up and changed in the twinckling of an eye there shall be a sudden and almost undiscernable unperceivable change which shall be to them in stead of death But it will be objected further There is a promise made in Ioh. 11. That those that believe shall never die To this I answer with that common distinction There is a twofold death which the Scripture calleth the first and the second death The first death is the death of the body that ariseth from a dis-junction and separation of the body from the soule And there is a second death that ariseth from the dis-junction and separation of the soule from God The first death is no death properly the second death is that which is truly Death and so they shall not die A man may have a body separated from the soule and yet not his soule separated from God nor himselfe from Christ. Who shall separate us from the love of God in Christ neither life nor death nor principalities nor powers c. Death you see shall not bee able to separate us from God it cannot separate the soule Nay it doth not separate the body from Christ the body remaineth a member of Christ as well while it is still in the grave as before God is not the God of the dead but of the living saith Christ Mat. 22. And therefore he proveth that even Abraham was not dead in that sense that they then tooke it but hee remaineth yet alive in as much as God was his God Abraham whole Abraham was Gods by vertue of Covenant so are all his posteritie the children of Abraham by faith in a spirituall sense they remaine with Christ and they are united to him as members to the head even when their bodies are in the grave So that I say they die not in that sense so as to have their soule separated from God though they die in the first sense that is to have their bodies separated from the soule But our Saviour in that place of Iohn speakes of the second of that death which is an everlasting separation of the soule from God As we say of wicked men that while they are alive they are dead so the Apostle speakes of the widow that lived in pleasures while she lived she was dead and the Church of Sardis had a name to live but she was dead This is true death indeed when that the soule of a man is separated and dis-joyned from God and from Christ And it is the state of every man by nature of every man under sinne though they walke up and downe and doe the actions of the living yet they are but dead men And as truly as they are said to be dead while they live so truly it may be said of the children of God that while they are dead they live as it is said of Abraham so it may bee said of all Gods servants they die not properly but remaine still in union with God and with Christ with God through Christ they are Christs and therefore Gods in him and therefore they die not Looke what the soule is to the bodie that is God to the soule the soule is the life of the body and God is the life of the soule they are still living men that have God the soule is alive even when the body lieth downe in the grave This shall serve for the opening of that they are not dead but alive they doe die in the first sense and in the common acceptation in respect of the separation of the body from the soule but they doe not die in the second sense in respect of the separation of the soule from God they doe not die eternally they doe not die properly Now briefly to make some use of this and to hasten to that I most intend to stand upon Is it so then that Death is the end of all men Let us make account of it for ourselves This seemeth but a plaine point and so indeed it is but I know there is nothing more usefull and I know there is nothing lesse regarded and lesse considered of seriously then this that we must die It is true wee all acknowledge it in the generall and every man the very worst the most ignorant and most prophane in the world will yeeld to this in the generall that all men must die and let a man come and tell them that they themselves must die they will grant it too but this is that that undoes us all we rest in generals and doe not seriously insist upon a serious application of it to a mans owne particular case and bring it home to a mans selfe to conclude thus I must die I may die soone this may be the last day of my life upon earth this may be the last time I may breathe this may be the last word that I shall speake the last action that I shall doe I know I must die and it may be I may die now This is that wee should principally intend and labour most after that when we reade the stories of the Scripture and see that Death is the end of all men that all must die and their houses must be houses of mourning to conclude the same for our selves All those worthies spoken of in Heb. 11. it is said they all died in faith I read such a man was a King but he died such a man was a Prophet but hee died such a man was Noble but he died such a one died in his youth such a one in his strength these died and I must die the same thing must be said of mee that is said of them I say let us not only say it but resolve and conclude upon it conclude for our selves that the same thing must be said of us that is said of all men All men must die we must die The benefit that floweth from it will be this First when a man bringeth it to his owne particular case it will make sinne more odious to him What is it that brought Death into the world what bringeth death upon us Sinne. By one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne and so death passeth upon all men for that
Let me have a place to burie my dead out of my sight It parteth father and child how unwilling soever they be see it in David and Absolom Oh Absolom my sonne would God I had died for thee and Rachel mourned for her children and would not be comforted because they were not It parteth the Minister and the people see it in the case of the people of Israels lamenting the death of Samuel and in the case of the Ephesians at the parting of S. Paul sorrowing especially when they heard they should see his face no more It parteth those friends who were so united together in love as if they had but one soule in two bodies see it in the separation that was made by death betweene David and Ionathan that were so knit together in their love that he bewaileth him Woe is mee for my brother Ionathan This is a necessary consideration for us that live that wee may learne to know how to carrie our selves towards our wordly friends and how to moderate our selves in our enjoyment of these worldly comforts Looke upon every worldly thing as a mortall as a dying comfort Looke upon children and friends as dying comforts Look upon your estates as that that hath wings and will be gone Looke upon your bodies that now you make so much of as a thing that must bee parted from the soule by death and that ere long See what advise the Apostle giveth 1 Cor. 7. 19. the time is short saith he therefore let those that marry bee as if they married not and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they that use this world as not abusing it A man abuseth the world when he useth it beyond the consideration of the shortnesse of enjoying these things when hee lookes upon these things as things that hee shall enjoy alwayes But if we would use it aright looke upon things as things that we shall enjoy but for a short time This body that seemeth now to have some beautie in it yet it must die and be laied in the dust these friends that seeme now to haue some pleasure and delight in them yet I must die and be tooke from them this estate and wealth that now I set so much prize upon I must die and death will part me and it So I say lookeupon every thing as separable from us Moderate your affections likewise to them Vse them onely as comforts in the way as a traveller doth the pleasures of his Inne hee stands not to build himselfe houses against every pleasant walke he lookes upon he stands not to purchase lands and to lay them to every Inne he comes to lie at No he knowes that he is now but in his passage in his way he knowes that hee is not at home that is the place he is going to and after a time hee shall come thither So make account that you are not now at home it is death that must helpe you to your home Let this therefore take you off from all these things that are in the way It is a strange thing to see how Sathan besotteth and befooleth men They strive and labour to compasse many worldly things as if their happinesse stood in the enjoyment of them as if they should have their wealth and their comforts for ever What care is there amongst men to get wealth and many times lose their soules in getting the world Alas Death will part soule and body them and their wealth and all Doe wee not see this daily in the death of others before us such a one is dead where is his body now in the dust Where are his friends and his companions now Where is his wealth and his estate for which many flattered him and fawned upon him are they not all separated from him they have nothing now to doe with him he cannot dispose of one penny of his estate now it is left he knowes not to whom others now have the mannaging of it As now you can say this of others so there will a time come that other men will say the like of you I had such a friend but death hath parted him from me hee had such an estate but death hath parted him and his estate Let us therefore make this use of the death of others to conclude with our selves that there will be a parting of all those outward things that now wee are so apt to dote upon The third speciall thing considerable in the death of others that will be matter of profit and benefit to those that live and survive after them is the end and cause for which God sendeth Death abroad into the world with such a large commission that it goeth on with such libertie to every familie to every place that it seizeth upon every person What 's the reason of it You shall see in the severall deaths of men severall causes There is judgement and mercy sometime a mixture of both and sometime but of one of these Sometimes wee see an apparant judgement of God in the death of some A judgement of God upon themselves Thus the young Prophet that disobeyed the word of the Lord a Lyon met him in the way and slew him So those Corinths that did eate and drinke unworthily in the Lords Supper though they were such as were saved after yet neverthelesse for this very cause saith the Apostle some of them were sicke and weake and some slept they died they were judged of the Lord that they might not bee condemned with the world When you see death seizing upon men as an act of divine judgement of divine displeasure let it make you more fearefull of sinning against God lest you provoke against your selves the same wrath in the very act of sinne Sometimes againe it is a judgement of God upon others Thus God takes away divers of his servants because the world is not worthy of them And as this is an act of judgement upon the world so it is an act of mercie to them God in mercy taking of them away from the evill to come and from the evill present A judgement of God to others that are unworthy of them A mercie to themselves that they are tooke away from their owne evill from sinne from temptations from all the effects and fruits of sinne and taken away from the evill that is to come upon others An act I say of mercie to them So it was to the child of Ieroboam he should die and should not see the judgement that was to come upon his fathers house because there was found some good thing in him toward the Lord. So it was to Iosiah Hee should bee gathered to his fathers in peace and his eyes should not see all that evill which the Lord would bring upon Ierusalem and upon the inhabitants thereof An act of judgement to others Righteous and mercifull men are taken away and noman layeth it
thy husband are at the doore and shall carrie thee out also This is the reason of all that worldly-mindednesse of all that earnestnesse and intention to gaine the favour of men by indirect meanes this is the reason of all that immoderate care about our businesse with the neglect of our soules this is the reason of all that carnall securitie of all that forgetfulnesse of God and the account that shall be made at the day of Iudgement this is the reason of the unfruitfulnesse of our lives of our unprofitable spending of our times or of whatsoever else it be this is even the very reason of all because even those that professe themselves to be the people of God and to give God the glory of his attributes in all his workes yet they lay not to heart the death of those that are before them Men durst not they could not passe away their time in such unprofitablenesse and unfruitfulnesse as they doe if they did seriously consider and lay to heart the death of others before them Againe secondly As it condemnes the generall neglect that is amongst men of this dutie so it serves to reproue that sinfull laying to heart of the death of others that is too frequent and common in the world That is first when men with too much fondnesse and with too great excesse and distemper of affection looke upon their dead friends as if God could never repaire the losse nor make amends for that he hath done in taking of them away Rachel mourneth and will not bee comforted David mourneth and will scarce bee comforted Oh Absalom my sonne my sonne would God I had died for thee What is all this but to looke on friends rather as Gods then men as if all sufficiencie were included in them only Men looke on their friends as Micah did upon his Idoll when they had bereaved him of it they took away all his comfort and quiet You have taken away my Gods saith hee and what have I more or as Laban that when his Idols were stolne away his heart was dead hee could not stay in his house hee could not enjoy himselfe wherefore have you stollen away my gods saith hee So I say men looke on their dead friends as they should looke upon the Creatour and not as upon the creature they take their death to heart but not in a right manner This is the very reason why God many times makes your Christian friends so unprofitable to you when they live because you idolize them you advance them above God This is the reason also why you are so unable to beare the losse of them when they die God beating you now with your owne rodde and making you feele the fruit and effect of your owne folly This now is an ill taking to heart the death of friends to mourne as men without hope Secondly there is a taking to heart and considering of the death of men but it is an unrighteous considering an unrighteous judging of the death of others If men see one die it may bee a violent death then they conclude certainly there is some apparent token of Gods judgement on such a one If they see another die with some extremitie of torment and vehement paines certainly there is some apparant evidence of Gods wrath upon this man If they see another in some great and violent tentation strugling against many tentations they conclude presently certainly such are in worser case then others I may say to all these as Christ said once to those that told him of the eighteene men upon whom the tower in Siloe fell thinke you that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Hierusalem Or rather as Solomon saith All things come alike unto all there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked to the cleane and to the uncleane to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not as is the good so is the sinner and he that sweareth as he that feareth an oath Learne to judge righteous judgement to judge wisely of the death of others take heed of condemning the generation of the just But rather in the last place Make this use of the death of every one Doth such a man die by an ordinary sicknesse having his understanding and memorie continued to the end Doth such a man die in inward peace and comfort with cleare and evident apprehensions of Gods love so that he can with Simeon say Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace What use shouldest thou that livest make of this now Certainly let the sweetnesse of their death make thee in love with the goodnesse of their lives That is the only way to a happy death to a comfortable end indeed the leading of a fruitfull and profitable life Againe dost thou see the children of God full of temptations full of feares and disquietnesse of spirit in their death Sometimes so overcome with the violence of the disease as that it may be they speake impertinently and idlely it may bee sinfully What use shouldest thou make of this now Certainly let the terriblenesse of the example of such a mans death let it bee a terrour to thee and a meanes to stirre thee up to more carefulnesse of making good use of thy time in this life Nabal dieth and his heart is in him as a stone If ever God quicken thee if ever God breath upon thy soule or enliven thee by the inward motions of his Spirit embrace those opportunities and seasons of grace lest God smite thee with an everlasting deadnesse Againe hath God caused the light of his countenance to shine upon thy heart Doth hee offer a gracious message of peace to thy soule Doth hee speake peace at any time by the ministerie of his Word Imbrace those offers yeeld to those conditions of peace lest thou bee deprived of peace at the end Againe hath GOD given thee any strength over temptations Hast thou prevailed over the assaults of Sathan and other of thy enemies Hath hee made thee a conquerour take heed how thou insnarest thy selfe againe how thou inthrallest thy selfe in yeelding to Sathans yoke lest hee buffet thee by him in a worse manner at thy end Thus I say thou canst see nothing befall any of GODS servants in their death or in the manner of their death whether it bee more pleasing or more sorrowfull more calme and quiet or more tempestuous and full of trouble whether it bee more comfortable or more lamentable but it may be usefull unto thee If it bee good it may bee it shall bee so with thee if it be bad it may bee it shall bee so with thee too The maine businesse that a man hath to doe is to make sure of himselfe in this life It was the question that Saint Austin made to those that told him of a violent death that seized upon one But how did he live saith hee He made no matter how he went out
strengthning of faith in his servants While a man lookes to sense and is upheld by sensible comforts there is not that exercise of faith now every grace is strengthened by exercise that God therefore may have faith exercised and so strengthned in his servants he will expose them to the feare of death The Apostle Paul found this wee received faith he the sentence of death that wee might not trust in our selves but in him that raiseth us up from the dead Hee doth not onely say thus we acknowledge this to be a truth that we must die but wee received the sentence of death received it as a man receiveth a sentence of death from a Judge received it so as it made some impression upon our hearts received it with some inward sense with some inward feare which was a violent worke such a worke as knocks us off of all holds and takes us off from all sensible and visible props and humane supports and makes us to see nothing in the creature to doe us that good we looke for to make us eternally happy therefore we were taught saith he not to trust in our selves if a man trust any he might trust himselfe first yea but wee are dying and cannot enjoy our selves long therefore wee trust in him that raiseth us up from the dead Thirdly another end that God aymeth at in holding his servants many times under the feare of death is that hee may make them more watchfull and holy in the course of their lives This our Saviour expresseth under two parables the one of the Virgins that were to watch for the comming of the Bridegroome they knew that he would come but they knew not when therefore they were alwayes to keepe their watch with oyle in their lampes And the other of a Master that left Talents with his servants he told them that hee would come but hee told them not when that they might be sure to employ them to the best advantage And the Apostle Peter raiseth an exhortation to this purpose on this very ground Since saith he that all these things must bee dissolved what manner of persons â—…ght we to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse looking for and hastning to the appearance of our Lord Iesus Christ. We know that the Lord Jesus Christ will come but hee hath concealed the particular time of his comming that wee might alwayes keepe our watch and be prepared for him whensoever he commeth Now this is necessary for all the servants of God for they are apt to be secure and to be carried away with worldly businesse and delights and to neglect that which concernes their eternall good and therefore God will affect them with the feare of death that they may be stirred up to more watchfulnesse and holinesse in a godly course of life Fourthly God doth it that by the feare of Death they may be better prepared for death that it may not come upon them as a stranger that they never thought on before that it may not come as an armed man upon them therefore is it that God will have them not onely to have thoughts of it but feare of it feare you know is an affection that quickneth a man to action keepes him to a constant observing of God Iehosaphat when God did not onely bring a multitude of enemies upon him but also sent the report of them to him and that in such a manner as he might be affected with feare What did all this worke in him The text saith Iehosaphat did seeke the Lord with all his heart and proclaimed a fast in Iudah and provided such other defence as was necessarie he saw nothing but feare and danger in the creature Wee know not what to doe with this great company that commeth against us this set him aworke to seeke the Lord with all his heart and to make other provision against them So the Lord will have his servants apprehend death as an Armed enemie comming upon them that they may be better prepared to receive it that they may get evidences of comfort and assurance of heaven and so may be fitted upon good grounds to entertaine death with joy when it commeth And this the servants of God have need of because if there be not somewhat to quicken to this there are other things enough to pervert them from it and then when men are most weake and full of paine and wearinesse the divell takes advantage to cast them off from all comfort so that at the least they shall die uncomfortably if not miserably if they be not prepared before-hand to receive Death and have gotten assurance and evidence of a better condition afterward Thus you have the first thing that is Gods act and for what reasons hee keepeth his servants in this bondage of the feare of death Againe secondly another cause from without is from the malice of Sathan His maine aime is to keepe men from a Christian course altogether if that cannot be done his next worke is to make men goe on as uncomfortably in it as he can possibly therefore he will present them with as many feares as may be and because that this is that that nature most abhorreth for it is the most naturall desire of man to preserve his beeing I say because nature most abhorreth this this dissolution and destruction of it selfe therefore he striveth to affect them with the feare of death especially and above all other I say this is Sathans malice Saint Paul when he came to Macedonia that he might doe the worke of the Lord with lesse diligence and comfort saith he Wee had feares on every side horrors within and terrors without It was Sathans devise that the Apostle might doe the worke of the Lord with lesse strength and comfort to afflict them with as many feares and horrors as he could And he hath the same malice still and still getteth much advantage of men making men to goe on with lesse comfort in a godly life adorning their profession of religion lesse with unchearfull walking because they have beene held under the feare of death These are the causes that are from without Secondly there are some causes from within from the seruants of God themselves And these causes whence the feare of death ariseth are either naturall or sinfull First the naturall causes of it are The apprehensâ—…on of Death as a thing contrary to nature and according to the strength of mens apprehension so is there feare Now Death in this naturall respect is fearefull to every man whether we consider the object or the subject the thing or the person in whom it is we shall find a naturall cause of this even in the servants of God First for the object looke upon Death it selfe it hath all that in it which makes it a fit object of feare There bee three things which makes a thing the object of feare which makes a thing affect the heart
and apprehension of it it causeth feare and terrour Secondly it commeth in others and generally in all from weaknesse of nature which in some is more then others according to their different constitutions and educations so the rich many times are more fearefull of Death then the Poore because they have more to lose so likewise voluptuous persons are more fearefull of Death then those that are more temperate because by voluptuousnesse they have dis-joynted and weakned their spirits So young men many times are more fearefull of Death then those that are old as we see in the storie Iudg. 8. 20. Iether the sonne of Gideon when he should have killed Zeba and Zalmunna the Text saith Hee was afraid because hee was a young man but Gideon that was elder did it willingly as a man better accustomed and experienced with observations of changes and varieties of accidents amongst men We shall see the servants of God themselves have discovered this weaknesse of spirit specially upon sudden apprehensions of things Abraham upon the sudden and violent apprehension of Death was put to asinfull shift I thought faith he the feare of God is not in this place and they will slay me for my wives sake therefore I said this is my sister So Samuel when God sent him to anoint David he discovered this weaknesse If Saul should know what I am a doing he will slay me therefore hee desired to have some other message under the colour whereof he might put Saul off So Peter out of a sudden apprehension of death and feare of it he denyed his Master This weaknesse of spirit is in man naturally Further there is another thing that causeth this naturall feare and that is the unacquaintednesse men have with Death there is somewhat in this matter that is strange to men notwithstanding they heare and see many die before them daily they heare things spoken of by the Minister and they reade the Scripture and many excellent comforts but who hath seene these what becommeth of these men they see Death the strict Porter of the world let men out of the earth but he locks the dore of the Grave upon them and none commeth backe againe to tell what is done in that place of silence to tell what is become of men when they are in the Grave how they speed in that world of soules there is no man returneth from the dead to report these things to them Now this affecteth the naturall man nay all men naturally are affected with the fearefull apprehension of death because they know not what will come after as the naturall man speakes in Ecclesiastes When Ioram set out a watch-man to see what was abroad and spied an Armie comming he sent a servant but Iehu biddeth him goe behind him he sendeth another and hee goeth behind him still saith he I see the men goe but they come not backe the Text saith hee was afraid Make ready the Chariot saith Ioram If this be the issue that men goe but never come backe againe it is high time to looke about us Certainly beloved such are the apprehensions of death Wee see men saith the naturall man goe downe to the Grave and not come backe againe wee see that a man ceaseth to bee and to doe those actions that we doe when we are upon the earth therefore let us consider the matter more seriously When the Captaine of the fifty that came to the Mount to Elijah saw the two former Captaines and their companies consumed saw that they were all dead that they ceased to bee but he saw not what became of them afterward therefore he commeth with feare to the Prophet and intreateth him that his life might be precious in his sight All strange things we know affect men and every thing as it is more strange so it more affecteth man naturally Let there but come a beast out of the Wildernesse assoone as ever he commeth unto a man and seeth him he flieth from him because he is not used to the sight of man it is strange to him but now take a beast that is brought up in the pasture in the field he will come to a man without feare because he is used to the sight of him So it is here Death is apprehended as a strange thing as a thing that a man never knew by experience Men have seene thus much that people have died but they never heard of any that came backe againe to tell them how it fared with them after death This I say that men should goe to the place of silence and have all matters hushed all things kept secret downe there there commeth no report thence this affecteth men with feare These are the naturall causes Secondly there are other causes within that affect men with the feare of death and those are sinfull causes First the want of the feare of God and as this is lesse so the feare of Death is more therefore we shall find that wicked men that cast off the feare of God in their lives they are slavishly held under the feare of death this you shall see in those examples of Belshazzar a man that set himselfe with a high hand against God went on in a contemptuous course against God and prophaned the holy vessels when there was a hand writing upon the wall some terrible thing presented to him his knees smote together hee could not hold his joynts still And so Felix a man that lived without the feare of God when he heard of judgement and other things the text saith he trembled and so likewise Cain and divers others I need not stand on it It was one of the Judgements threatned in part 28. Deut. Because thou dost not feare the Lord thy God therefore wheresoever thou goest thou shalt find no ease neither shall the sole of thy foot have any rest but the Lord shall give thee a trembling heart and thy life shall hang in doubt before thee that is thou shalt be in continuall feare of death and thou shalt feare day and night and shall have none assurance of thy life in the Morning thou shalt say would God it were Even and at even thou shalt say would God it were morning because of the feare of thine heart wherewith thou shalt feare and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see This is this is the first thing Secondly another thing is this when mens hearts are too much glued to the world and marke it according as there is worldly affections and worldly-mindednesse in the hearts of Gods servants so the feare of Death is more in them according to the strength of the one is the feare of the other What is it that disquieteth men ordinarily and makes them that they cannot think of Death with comfort but this now they must lose their company part with all their friends when they die once Hezekiah complained of that I shall see man no more saith he with the
is called in the Scripture and then there is nothing so comfortable and desirable as death it selfe to the servants of God So wee see David in the 23. Psal. Though I walke through the valley of the shadow of death I will feare none ill for thou Lord art with mee And so the Apostle Saint Paul triumpheth over all things Nothing shall separate 〈◊〉 from the love of God in Christ neither principalities nor powers nor life nor death nor things to come nothing shall doe it the Apostles faith now was out of conflict it had got the field the day of Sense and now he lookes on Death with comfort So that I say in that measure that Faith workes in that measure feare of death ceaseth Secondly it may be objected But we see the servants of God are said to love the appearance of our Lord Iesus Christ and the Apostle Paul is said to desire to bee dissolved and to bee with Christ How can these stand with the feare of death under which Gods servants are held To this I answer briefly Gods servants must be considered in their desires two wayes First in their generall desires Secondly in a particular state wherein they are In their generall course their desire is most for the appearing of Christ they most desire to be with him as best for them but take them in some particular state wherein they are lesse provided and lesse fitted and prepared then they may be at a stand in their desires they may have the feare of death in them As a wife her generall desire is for nothing so much as for the presence of her husband yet she may be under some particular unfitnesse there may be something or other in the way that she would not have him come in at that instant though her desire be for nothing so much as for his company So it may be the case of the servants of God they may say sometimes Lord spare mee a little before I goe hence to strengthen my faith to perfect my repentance and holinesse to doe some particular worke and the like David considered this that there was something that he might doe that he had not done and that he would faine doe before he went and so Hezekiah and the rest of the servants of God The point is cleare I come to the Application It shall be a word of exhortation to cut of otheruses and that is this To stirre up the servants of God that if they be disposed to distempers under which they are held that they are afraid to die that therefore they labour by all good meanes to shake off the feare of death Why Consider and note well those two things that are in the Text. The first is this that it is an uncomfortable state to be held under the feare of Death you see it is called a Bondage here and that is enough to show the uncomfortablenesse of it he saith by the feare of death they were held in Bondage all their life long Now the feare of Death is a bondage principally in these two respects first because it is with them as it is with a Bond-slave A Bond-slave is afraid to looke on him that hath the command of him he apprehendeth him as no friend therfore he doth not love to looke on him so it is in this case when a man lookes upon Death as a thing that is no friend to him he cannot abide to looke on him every thought of Death is a presenting of death to him and it is a miserable bondage when a man cannot present Death to himselfe without feare Secondly there is this in it that makes it a bondage it holdeth downe the spirit of a man A bond-slave you know is bound with fetters and chaines in his captivitie so that he hath neither freedome of spirit nor freedome of action So it is with a man that is held under the feare of Death he cannot doe what he would he cannot rejoyce in God he cannot delight in the apprehension of glory to come he cannot entertaine a thought of parting with things present with that securitie and comfort of heart that he should doe and all because this feare as the fetters bindeth his hands and his feet and keepeth him in bondage This is the first thing the feare of death to be held under it it is an uncomfortable state Secondly as it is uncomfortable so it is possible that the servants of God may be free from these feares under which they are held We see the text sheweth it Christ came for this end that having destroyed him that hath the power of death that is the divell hee might deliver those that for feare of death were held under bondage Did Christ come for this end then it is possible to bee had for certainly Christ would not lose his end he came for this was his end not onely to deliver them from eternall death but also from the feare of temporall death It is possible therefore The servants of God have found it and therefore you shall see them brought in insulting and triumphing and glorying over Death Oh death where is thy sting oh Grave where is thy victory thankes be to God that hath given us victory through Christ our Lord When they looked upon Death through Christ they looked on it without this feare the sting and power is tooke out the very nature of it is changed and it is made now every way beneficiall I say it is possible for we are regenerate and begotten againe to a lively hope to an inheritance immortall and undefiled and in what measure the hope of heaven is in the heart of man in that measure the feare of death falleth in that heart now it is possible that we may attaine this fulnesse of hope and therefore it is possible that we may be freed quite from the feare of Death This may suffice by way of motive A word or two by way of direction If this be possible to be had how shall the servants of God get it you see some of Gods servants are held under the feare of death and that all their life long how shall we be freed from this feare I should now orderly take up the particulars laid downe as causes and shew that by these it is cured as for instance Doth God doe this for this end that he may humble a man then the more humble thou art the lesse thou shalt be in the feare of Death for God layeth these feares upon men to humble them therefore labour for perfect humiliation and thou shalt perfectly ridde these feares out of thy heart as we see plainly the servants of God the more humble they have growne the lesse carefull they have beene of life and the lesse fearefull of Death And so those servants of God that have beene brought to deny themselves and to renounce all their worldly expectation and advancements they have alwayes beene ready to
die Saint Paul was growne humble and the Lord had prevailed upon him kept downe his spirit from being exalted above measure and now saith he my life is not deare to mee he was content to lay downe his life and all when he was humbled Beloved pride in some outward excellencies or other setteth a man above his place therefore when a man is tooke off from all that puffes up the spirit of a man he will be content to lay downe any of those things even life it selfe if need be Againe secondly Doth God doe it to strengthen faith in a man then the more thou strengthenest faith the more thou shalt be freed from these feares you know faith lookes upon Christ as the proper obiect of it and the more a man interesteth himselfe in Christ the more by Christ hee is freed from the feare of Death Christ hath redeemed us from the Grave and from Death and therefore when by faith hee lookes upon Christ and through him upon Death hee lookes upon that as a thing made instead of poison a medicine in stead of a destroyer a Saviour and deliverer as a meanes to free him from the bondage of sinne and miserie and afflictions c. Thirdly Doth God doe this that he may make men more holy and watchfull in their course then certainly the more thou canst purge out thy sinne in the course of thy life the lesse thou shalt feare death The sting of Death is sinne then if thou wilt have Death comfortable let thy life be conformable to Gods rule and word or else every sinne will present it selfe in death before thee specially those sinnes thou allowest thy selfe in will make Death as bitter as Hell Fourthly Doth God doe it for this end that he may make thee better prepared for death Then the more thou art prepared for Death before hand the lesse thou shalt feare it when it commeth upon thee it will not come as a stranger but thou wilt be ready to receive it as one with whom thou art acquainted already It is a great matter if men could learne this wisedome to die daily that is be every day imployed as dying daily I meane for the manner of your carriage not for the matter for the substance of the dutie If a man were sure to die this day he would lay aside all businesse and set himselfe to be prepared for judgement and would lay aside the use of any other comforts and delights But that is not the meaning but this that we carry our selves in businesse every day as if Death should seize upon us in that businesse that we might be found well-doing that is when a man followeth his earthly businesse with a heavenly mind when he keepeth to the rule of righteousnesse and truth in his ordinary calling when he is doing or receiving good in his company when he useth his pleasures and recreations as the whet-stone to the Sithe to make him fitter for God I say when thus we doe things to a right end and in a right maner if Death now should seize upon us in such an action it should find us well-doing And this is that we perswade you to if you would have death comfortable and not terrible be so imployed as that your actions may be good both for matter and forme that you are now about because Death may strike you in such an action But I cannot stand on these particulars Againe for the causes in our selves If you would be freed from the terrours of Death then rectifie your apprehensions and opinions of Death thinke of it as it is as it is I say to beleevers to those that are in Christ. It is not the destruction of nature and so a naturall Ill as you account it It is rather a cure of nature for assoone as ever we live we are dying and all our life it is but a living death a continuall decaying and dying Now when death commeth it putteth an end to all the decayes of nature and setteth all right againe It is but asleepe and sleepe it is not a destruction but a helpe of the bodie and that which inableth to vigour and strength and fitnesse to action Againe it is not the destruction of any part of a man the body it selfe is not destroyed indeed it is in the Grave but it is in the grave as in a bed of peace They shall come and rest in their beddes saith the Prophet The grave is but as a bed wherein the body lies asleepe and no man you know is troubled with feare that hee goeth to bed The grave is but as Gods chest to keepe in all his Treasure whereof the bodies of his servants are apart precious to him even in the grave in death Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints and God will open this Cabinet and the Chest of the Grave in the great day of the Resurrection and bring the body out againe and then it shall be as good as ever it was nay I say not onely as good but much better too for our vile bodies shall bee made like the glorious bodie of Christ. Phil. 3. No man when he goeth to bed thinkes much to have his old cloathes taken off that they may be mended and made better against morning When we sleepe in the Grave it is no more but this the garment of the soule the body the old apparell that is taken off that it may be made better and a more glorious body this is all we lose nothing by it but our estates even our bodily estate is bettered by it And for the Soule Death doth not destroy that neither for know this the soule liveth for ever the bodie indeed returneth to the Earth as it was but the soule returneth to God that gave it The soule I say liveth that is the thing that Christ himselfe proveth in 22. Mat. Abraham is alive why so For God is not the God of the dead but of the living for God said I am the God of Abraham c. How can this be that God is the God of Abraham and yet he is dead Indeed he is dead if wee looke to the separation of the soule and body in the cessation of bodily actions but if we looke to the better part of Abraham his soule that continueth the ever-living God hath made an everlasting Covenant with him and therefore he dieth not Againe it is not onely not the destruction of nature but not of your actions neither Death doth not destroy them neither Indeed there is a cessation of bodily actions but it is that the body may have better strength and be the fitter instrument of holinesse after But for those actions of the soule that depend not upon the body they are as perfectly done when we are dead as when we are alive and better too When a man liveth upon the earth you see his soule is much hindered by the body A distempered sicke
crazie body or a full well-fed body is a hindrance to the soule because of that tie that is betweene the body and the soule and the spirit so there is a simpathy the soule is affected some what in this sense But it is not so then the soule shall bee loosed from the body and so freer for spirituall actions then now it is The soules under the Altar they crie How long Lord holy and just wilt thou not revenge our bloud upon them that are upon the earth The soules of Gods servants you see then are glorified when they are out of the body and therefore shall glorifie God more perfectly and enjoy God more freely and fully then now while their soules are in these mortall bodies And at that very instant when the soule of Gods servant is carried out of the body to heaven it more perfectly injoyeth Christ and is more sensible and more fit to answer the love of Christ to him then ever when it was in the body So then here is a cessation of baser actions and imployments to give place to more noble and heavenly and excellent actions wherein the soule shall bee employed in heaven There is then no losse of actions neither Againe there is no losse of company This is a thing that troubleth men husband and wife to part friends to part But we lose no company by death howsoever we lose the company of men that we cannot assure our selves are friends indeed for of all the friends we speake of in the maine point when they come to be tryed there are few to be found to be friends But then we goe to them whose love is perfect that you may be sure of and have the truth of their love Againe how little comfort nay how little have you company with those friends you desire Is not much part of our life spent without any fight of our friends is not halfe of it spent in sleep in the night and the other halfe in businesse and pleasure Alas how little time have we to enjoy our friends we rest on But then we shall perfectly enjoy them when there shall be no need of sleepe when there shall be perfection of love and freedome from distraction and imployment when the servants of God shall fully and freely and sweetly and comfortably enjoy one the other Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and the meanest of the Saints shall meet in the expression of love in such a perfection as we cannot speake of And this is certaine you shall goe to many Who can tell the dust of Iacob Now you have some one or two or three or a few men or women that you account friends and dote much upon but then you shall have ennumerable company a world of friends of men and women multitudes they cannot be numbred they are as the starres of heaven for number I say there is no losse of company by this meanes Againe you shall lose no pleasures by death it may be you shall lose some few sensuall bruitish pleasures a few mixed corrupt pleasures pleasures that have the mixture of sorrow and feare in them that imbitters them to the soule of a man but it shall not be so then you shall be freed from imperfect pleasures and have perfect ones at Gods right hand for evermore pure pleasures Againe you lose no necessary convenience neither the rich man loseth no riches by death he loseth his money doth he lose his riches therefore No The Angels are rich but they have no money the Saints are rich they want nothing but they have no money It may be thou losest a child thou shalt find a Father it may be thou losest a weake friend that loveth not long or it may be not so truly as thou thinkest he doth and thou findest friends that are many and perfect and pure in their love that love with a perfect heart And what then are all those losses when you enjoy that which shall make the soule happy for ever Thus I say you should rectifie your opinions concerning Death looke upon it aright have true apprehensions of it Get an intrest in Christ and looke on death through him get faith and then all these things that I haue spoken shall be your advantage so the Apostle concludeth Christ is to us in life and in death advantage If we live he is gaine to us in life and if we die he is advantage to us in death And death is reckoned amongst the speciall favours and priviledges Christ hath given to his Church All are yours what all life and death things present and things to come all are yours and you are Christs and Christ is Gods So we see that Death is amongst the priviledges that Christ hath given his Church therefore rectifie your opinions concerning Death make good that I spake before and you shall find this good that I now speake And for the last the unacquaintance with Death let not that trouble you none come from the dead to tell you what is done there but looke on the servants of God before and when they die and you shall find enough how they apprehended Death when they have looked on it in the glasse of the Gospell Looke upon them before death Iacob being to close up his dayes with blessing of his children Lord saith hee I have waited for thy salvation Hee looked upon Death through Christ the Saviour of the world that he should bee saved by him and though it be true that there is a further meaning for the Tribes in those words of Iacob yet this was proper to Iacob himselfe hee looked upon Death now approching as that that he was delivered from and set into that freedome purchased by Christ. So old Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seene thy salvation Iacob accounted it his salvation old Simeon a departure from a worse place to a better from worse company and comforts to a better A change for the better still and a departing in peace Againe secondly looke on the servants of God in death see what they have said too Iosiah a man that was upright in heart he went to the grave in peace he was gathered to his fathers in peace that he should not see the evill that should come upon his people here is all it was but a peaceable taking of him away from a more troubelous condition if he had lived longer Beloved he died in warre yet it is said he was gathered in peace he had inward peace with God though he failed in that particular action And the Apostle in the 2 Cor. 5. 4. This is our desire that wee may bee clothed upon not that we would be unclothed but clothed upon that mortalitie may bee swallowed up of life A strange speech he counteth death life to him he counteth the death of this life to be the death of mortalitie by laying aside this earthly tabernacle as he saith in
time to come of thy enjoying of mercie A small time of waiting on earth to an eternitie of recompence in heaven Compare eternitie with the time of thy suffering Alas how little what a small or no agreement is betweene them A moment to eternitie If the life of a man should extend to a hundred yeares to a thousand yeares to which age never man yet lived yet that is but a point a moment to eternitie A thousand yeares past and to come they are but as yester-day to God Take the eternity past in God himselfe that is without all beginning and the eternitie to come that shall be without all end and put the life of man in the middest of these two and we will conclude it is as a point in the middest of a circumference it is but a moment nay not so much as a moment of time Stretch out the dutie of Patience then hast thou waited a weeke waite a moneth a yeare seven yeares seventie yeares nay seventie Ages all the ages of the world if it were possible All these are but a moment to eternitie And where is there a man that hath waited so long but God that his servants may not faint in their expectation either supports them with other comforts lest they should faint in their desire or else giveth them that which they desire before their hearts faint Know therefore that it is no such great matter for a man to waite upon God it is but a short time and resolve in the time of thy waiting upon this that when thou art fittest for mercie it shall come and when it commeth it shall come with an abundant waight and sweetnesse such as shall countervaile all thy expectation and waiting Thus I have told you how men should exercise patience by exercising their faith and how they should strengthen patience by hope and how they should perfect patience by selfe-denyall The reason why I tooke this Text for the present occasion is that there might be a concurrence betweene the rule and the example Here is the rule Let patience have her perfect worke that you may be perfect and intire wanting nothing One reason among others was this because wee know not what changes and tryalls God hath reserved any of us to therefore we had need of Patience Our Sister here is the example a patterne to others of those tryals of life wherto a Christian may be exposed even to extremitie Howsoever it pleased God to give many other mercies to her yet neverthelesse she had a continual exercise of patience in extream anguish of body in a vexing tormenting paine that a long time for many yeares together held her under such extremitie of torture that a man on the racke or in any other extremity could hardly have greater torments then she sometime felt in the time of that extremity upon her God laid this affliction upon her to perfect her Patience and that she might be a patterne of Patience to you that you might studie and pray for Patience and endevour after it that when afflictions fall upon any of you you may not be found wanting and destitute of Patience So much for this time FINIS A RESTRAINT OF EXORBITANT PASSION OR GROVNDS AGAINST UNSEASONABLE MOVRNING JEREM. 31. 15. Rachel weeping for her children and would not be comforted because they were not THESSAL 3. 13. But I would not have you ignorant Brethren concerning them which are asleepe that yee sorrow not even as others which have no hope LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. A RESTRAINT OF EXORBITANT PASSION OR GROVNDS AGAINST VNSEASONABLE MOVRNING SERMON V. 2 SAM 12. 22 23. And hee said while the child was yet alive I fasted and wept for I said who can tell whether God will bee gracious to me that the child may live But now hee is dead wherefore should I fast can I bring him backe againe I shall goe to him but hee shall not returne to me THese words containe Davids answer to a question that was put to him in the verse going before the Text by some of his servants The question was grounded upon their observation of his divers carriage when the child was sicke and when the child was dead When the child was sicke hee fasted and wept and lay upon the ground and prayed When the child was dead he forbeareth weeping washeth himselfe calleth for bread c. And now they aske him the reason for they thought rather that hee would have exprest a greater sorrow then he had done before as it may bee discerned in the consultation among themselves every man was loth to tell David of the great losse that was befallen him that his child was dead When he heard of it and altereth his carriage and sheweth himselfe more chearefull contrary to their expectation they plainly put the question to him What should be the reason of this The words I have read to yee are an Answer to that question Hee telleth them the reason both of his fasting and weeping in the time of the sicknesse of the child and of his calling for meat and forbearing to weepe now at the death of the childe The reason of his former carriage he giveth in the 22 verse While the childe was yet alive I fasted and wept for I said who knoweth whether the Lord may bee gracious to mee that the child may live The reason of the alteration of his carriage why he exprest himselfe in another manner upon the death of the childe hee giveth in the 23. verse But now hee is dead wherefore should I fast I shall returne to him hee shall not returne to me In the former part the reason of his sad and mournfull carriage during the time of the sicknesse of the child then saith he I did fast Yee have first the declaration of his action and behaviour and carriage at that time While the childe was yet alive I fasted and wept And the reason of this action and carriage for I said Who can tell whether the Lord will be gracious to mee that the child may live I shall be briefe in speaking of this part only First for his carriage I fasted and wept These are but externall actions fasting of it selfe is not a worship of God but as it helpeth and furthereth another end as it helpeth a man in prayer as it furthereth the worke of humiliation and declareth that For neither if wee eate are wee the better nor if wee eate not are wee the worse as the Apostle speakes And the kingdome of God consisteth not in meat and drinke There is a fast inforced by necessitie that which either is by sicknesse or want and is meerely civill and outward without any respect to God And there is a fast too which hath a pretence of respect to God which is not acceptable as that of the Pharisees that rested only in the externall action There is a fast that is religious and accepted of God and that
carefull that they had no sinfull thought they would be patternes of the strangest expressions of conformitie to the rule that can be imagined if it were possible to be granted You may easily be perswaded of this doe you that now which they wish for and wish in vaine make use of the time of grace now there is no comming backe againe afterward Thirdly A third reason is this I shall goe to him As if hee should have have said I have another businesse in hand now the child is dead it is not for me to stand blubbering and spending my time for a dead Child I am going to him The word here is I shall returne to him Returne signifieth to goe backe to a place where one was before So David shall returne to his Child for he was there before there in respect of his body the principles of that is in the earth where the Child is and in heaven in respect of his soule where the Child is The Body returneth to dust whence it was taken and the soule to God that gave it The body is of the dust and returneth to dust the soule commeth from God and returnes to God againe Therefore he saith here I shall returne to him because I came from him When things are reduced to their first principles the body to the earth and the soule to God they are said to returne Yee see the phrase then The point briefly is this That the greatest care of a mans life the greatest businesse he hath to doe on earth is to prepare for death His businesse is not to care for his children that are dead and to spend unprofitable sorrow for them the maine businesse of my life is how I shall make my peace with God and bee fitted for death for I am going thither Wee should observe the death of others to stirre us up to a serious preparation for our owne death the Father should be stirred up by seeing his Child dead before him the elder by seeing the younger die before them we see how death hath shot his arrowes beyond and short and above and below us in those that are elder and younger and richer and poorer all sorts he will strike us at last this thing I say should stirre us up to prepare for our owne dissolution A man would thinke that there were no need of such a thing the very bare sight of Corse or a hearse the bare fight of a dead corpse the bare ringing of a bell or a Funerall Sermon should be warning enough to the living to tell him of death When a man sees a company carrying a dead body to the gaave he should say to himselfe It may bee the feet of these may carrie me next But how commeth it to passe that it is not thus Certainly there is not power in all examples to worke this it is the worke of Gods spirit Though a man observe the death of never so many before him yet this cannot worke in him a serious care to make preparation for his owne death except God adde a further worke to it We may see this in the expression of Moses when so many died in the Wildernesse Lord teach us to number our dayes that wee may apply our hearts to wisedome As if hee should have said Though so many thousands died in the Wildernesse and that by so many severall kinds of death yet we shall never apply our hearts to wisedome by those examples except God teach us that wisdome Therefore we should pray to God to teach us by his Spirit to make use of Examples Men must give account for examples aswell as for rules men must give account for examples of mortalitie as well as for Sermons of mortalitie therefore let the example of others mortality stirre you up to prepare for your owne and that you may doe so be much in calling upon God Lastly Hee shall not returne to mee that is in this sense to converse on earth as he had done before I shall returne to him but hee shall not returne to mee He doth but reitterate and repeat what he had said before in effect This is the thing then that Parents must make account of both for themselves and their children For their children It should make them moderate therefore in their sorrow for them God now hath shewed his purpose and declared his will therefore wee should rest in that will of God This is the thing that David aymed at Gods will was not only to takeaway his child but so to take him away as never to returne to him againe in that manner Now God had declared his will and therefore why should I fast saith he as if he should say I will now rest in the will of God In all the things which we account crosses and losses in children and friends c. The maine businesse of a Christian is not to expresse sorrow but submission and subjection to God to exercise and inure his heart to patience and to rest in Gods good pleasure and will As Eli though he faild in his carriage to his sonnes yet he shewed a dutifull respect to God his heavenly father When Samuel told him the judgement of God that should come upon his house It is the Lord saith he let him doe what seemeth him good in his owne eyes though it were a heavy judgement such as whosoever should heare of it both his eares should tingle yet it is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good As if he should say I have nothing to doe in this businesse but to subject my selfe with patient submission and contentednesse to his will it is the Lord it becommeth not me to contend with him and to reason with God concerning his worke I confesse hee is righteous let him doe what seemeth him good in his owne eyes And so Aaron There was a heavy judgement befallen him his sonnes were consumed with fire yet the text saith Aaron held his peace When God manifested so great wrath to his house in wasting and consuming and burning his sonnes for offering of strange fire yet Aaron held his peace that is he did only mind how to glorifie God by a contented submission to his will So Iob hee heard not only of the losse of his children but that he lost them in such a manner by a violent death by a house falling on their heads yet the Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away blessed bee the name of the Lord. Whereas a carnall worldly man would have fallen to strugling and contending and quarrelling against God and so trouble and perplex his owne spirit We doe exceedingly imbitter Gods cup by mingling with it ingredients of our owne passions and so make the affliction more heavy and grievous then God intends it Here is the reason wee possesse not our soules with patience When we are sensible of the losse of friends and children c. let us learne to make it our businesse to thinke I have a
greater worke to doe to prepare for my owne death God in the death of this man speakes to me to prepare for my owne And then to glorifie God by submission to his will make it appeare that thou acknowledgest a power in God to dispose of thy house to doe every thing by patiently resting in his will And yet this comfort is added though children be tooke away that they shall not returne in an earthly manner yet they shall in a better manner Parents are contented to part with their children for a time for their preferment Children though theyare very young that are commended by the prayers of the godly Parents into the hands of God these whose hearts God hath inlarged and quickned fervently and faithfully to pray in the behalfe of their children they may rest in this assured that they shall meet at the Resurrection in a better manner their children shall be better preferred then if they were on earth and shall be raised up to perfection Here you see there is not a tooth bred in a child without a great deale of paine and every tooth cost some paine but this mortall bodie shall put on immortalitie and this corruption shall put on incorruption This weake body shall be made strong weake children strong without paine Death endeth these things and the Resurrection shall present him in a perfect measure of strength in a glorified estate So much for this text and for this time FINIS THE STING OF DEATH OR THE STRENGTH OF SINNE ROM 5. 12. By one man sinne entred into the world and by death sinne ROM 7. 9. When the Commandement came sinne revived and I died LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. THE STING OF DEATH OR THE STRENGTH OF SINNE SERMON VI. 1 Cor. 15. 56. The sting of Death is Sinne and the strength of Sinne is the Law SOlomon telleth thus that there is a season for every thing there is a time to bee borne and a time to die These two are the two great seasons of all men we are as sure to die as we are sure we have lived and every degree of our life is but a steppe to our death Every man of us hath but a part to act here in the world when wee have done that that God hath appointed us we are drawne off from the Stage by Death You will say this is a hard condition for so Noble a creature as Man is to be folded up in the grave for so faire a beautie as the life of man is to be closed up in eternall darknesse that Man should turne to the acquaintance of dust and wormes and make his habitation with rottennesse and loathsomnesse that Death should have the victorie of so excellent a Creature it is a hard condition The Apostle thinkes not so he thinkes otherwise Death saith he ver 54. is swallowed up in victorie As if he should say It need not trouble you to thinke so of Death the condition of it is not so strange and hard as men take it to be It is swallowed up in victory If a man have a strong enemy to deale with it might trouble him but it is no great matter to deale with a conquered enemie Christ hath overcome Death hath conquered that strong enemie Death is swallowed up in victory Therefore Saint Paul in the precedent and subsequent verses of this Chapter seemeth to insult and triumph over Death Oh Death saith he where is thy sting oh grave where is thy victorie As if he should say before Christ came and conquered thee Death thou wert victorious so it was there was a sting in it before Christ sweetned the Grave there was something that was terrible in the Grave but now because Christ is come and hath gotten the victory over the one and sweetned the other therefore Saint Paul breakes forth thus into an insultation and triumph But how can this be Why doth the Apostle thus triumph The reason is insinuated in the verse I have read to you the sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law But this is the occasion of trouble to Christians No it is not thankes bee to God that hath given us victory through Iesus Christ our Lord As if he should say I will shew you the reason of my triumphing over Death there was a sting in Sinne and Sinne is the sting of Death and the Law is the strength of sinne but Christ hath tooke away sinne and hath satisfied the Law sinne being taken away Death cannot hurt me the Law being satisfied Sinne cannot prejudice me This was the cause of the Apostles and in him of every Christians insultation over Death The words I have read containe two parts First the sting of Death Secondly the strength of Sinne. First the sting of death is sinne Secondly the strength of sinne is the Law If there were no law there would bee no sinne and if there were no sinne there would be no death Sinne is the transgression of the Law and sinne is the sting of death I shall only at this time insist upon the first of these from whence I shall deliver that which if it please God to accompany with his Spirit may be usefull to you The proposition shall be the very words of the Text Sinne is the sting of death This Proposition I would not have you understand in this sense only that death came in by sinne meerely in a habit though that be true too But understand it in this sense That all the horrour and terriblenesse of Death all the power and rage it hath whatsoever makes it fearefull to a man it receiveth it all from sinne It is sinne that armeth Death against a man if Death have any weapons against a man Sinne puts those weapons into the hands of Death if Death have any poyson against a Christian the sinne of that person putteth that poyson in it Death may bee considered two wayes either as Christ hath made it or as we make it Death as Christ hath made it is a medicine to a Christian a passage and entrance to happinesse it is a day of redemption and refreshing and so we need not be afraid of it Death as we by sinne have made it is the Pale horse Saint Iohn speakes of in the Revelation it is as a fearfull arrest to the debtor it hath a sting in it and so it is fearefull But that I may open this point more profitably wee will enquire into these particulars First what death the Apostle speakes of here Secondly of what sinne he speakes of Thirdly in what respect sinne is called the sting of death And then we will make the use and application of all this First of what death doth the Apostle here speake of that sinne is the sting of For answer hereunto there is a double death corporall and spirituall Corporall death is the privation of the soule when the soule is severed from
same debt Looke overall the times of the world and the dispositions of persons looke over learning and folly greatnesse or poorenesse find me a man that escaped Death Die we must and we have need to have this much pressed upon us for it is a hard matter to beleeve that we must die that I must be the man that must die common notions of Death are granted but that I must die and lie in the dust and stand before God it is a hard matter to beleeve this And consider this secondly that Death will be terrible to thee if he knocke and find a sting in thee Thou that now wilt not be reclaimed from swearing Alas what will become of that blaspheming soule of thine when Death shall come and find a sting of blasphemy in thee How darest thou thinke of giving up that swearing soule of thine to the Judge of heaven and earth Thou unrighteous person that wilt not sanctifie the Lords day how darest thou give up that unholy soule of thine to the holy God Dost thou thinke to have an eternall rest in heaven and wilt not give God a rest here So I might say for all kind of sinners Thinke of this take heed lest Death find a sting in thee for all the sting that Death hath it findeth in thy selfe looke to it thy condition will be fearfull if Death come and find Sin unmortified unrepented of in thee God will certainly bring thee to judgement for every thought and word and action Thirdly consider this that naturally we are so tempered that if Death come he shall find his weapons and strength in us in every man of us I meane considered naturally But how shall I know whether Death when he commeth shall find a sting in me or no I will only give you two tryals you shall know it thus First if thy conscience now sting thee for some approved sinne if thou repent not Death will assuredly meet thee with a sting that approved sinne of thine will be the sting of death Conscience will sting a man either for the act done or for the approbation of the act if conscience sting a man for his approbation of a sinfull qualitie or for a sinfull course if a man continue in that course surely that will be the sting of death to his soule therefore looke to thy selfe perhaps thou art convicted of such a sinne perhaps thy conscience hath so wrought on thee that it hath stung thee for such a sinne thou yet approvest thy selfe in it and thou wilt goe on in thy pride still in such and such sinnes stil thou wilt doe so doe but know this that stand thou never so much upon thy resolution Death will certainly come and if he find thee in such a sinne against thy conscience thou hast reserved in thy selfe a sting for Death Secondly a man shall know if Death come with a sting by this tryall that Solomon giveth us in Eccles. 11. 9. Rejoyce oh young man in thy youth and let thy heart cheare thee in the dayes of thy youth and walke in the wayes of thy heart and sight of thine eyes but know that for all these things God will bring thee to judgement If thou live a voluptuous life Death will certainly come with a sting Dives hee lived a voluptuous life had he not a sting for it So others in Scripture did not their plentifull tables and voluptuous courses bring a sting on them A voluptuous life makes a sting for Death When a poore wretch is a dying and shall begin to reflect backe on his life what have I done how have I lived so much time I have spent or mispent inapparell in vanitie in eating in drinking in swaggering What comfort is this to his soule how can he answer this before God this is the very thing that will sting him at such a day when he can reade nothing in his life but barrennesse and unfruitfulnesse nothing that hath honoured God in all his life Certainly my brethren if there be an Epicurious voluptuous life this life will provide a sting for Death Alas you will say Is it so then we may feare that Death will seize on us thus for we confesse we have gone on in a voluptuous life gone on in sinne that our conscience hath condemned us for how shall we doe to pull out this sting I would to God you were thus affected that you were convicted what a fearfull thing it will be if sinne remaine But wouldest thou have the sting of death pulled out before death come 1. How shall I disarme it that I may looke death in the face with comfort I shall give you some wayes and meanes remember them and practise them First get but a part in Christ and the sting of death is gone thankes bee to God saith the Apostle here that hath given us victory through our Lord Iesus Christ. It is he that in the Revelation is said to have the keyes of Hell and of Death they are under his command and subjection he is victorious over them hee hath vanquished them so that if a man have Christ he hath victorie and power over Hell and Death I told you in the beginning that that which giveth a sting to Death is the guilt of sinne It is so and it is a fearfull sting Now that which takes away the guilt of sinne is Christ. If Christ be mine I have enovgh to answer the guilt of sinne Therefore the Apostle saith Death cannot separate from the love of God in Christ What shall then Indeed nothing it is not the guilt of his sinnes Christ hath satisfied from them So that if thou wilt have the sting of death out get faith in Christ if thou be not hidden in the clefts of that Rock in the bloud of Christ if Christ be not thy Justification and thy righteousnesse what hast thou to answer the Justice of God you must die and stand before God and how can you stand before God in your sinnes you cannot without Christ why doe you not then studie more for Christ Why doe you not labour for faith in him It will be your wisedome to labour earnestly to make sure of him if you have him the sting of death is gone Death cannot hurt a person that hath Christ. Get faith in Christ therefore that is the first Secondly if you would not have Death terrible and fearfull to you labour for sincerity My brethren it is a marvellous thing and yet the truth uprightnesse and sincerity of heart it is an enabling grace All the particular things that we account particular otherwise they have not an inabling vertue in them Some persons have a great deale of learning and wit and many friends much riches and the like yet there commeth an occasion sometimes that puzzleth all these there commeth an occasion sometime that a mans learning is of no use and naturall parts and wit cannot helpe and riches cannot inable him What time
is that The time of death the heart of a man is put to it at such a time and now these shrinke nothing can inable a man against feare so much as sincerity and uprightnesse When the Prophet Isaiah told Hezekiah from God that he must die he flieth to this Lord remember how I have walked before thee with an upright heart and done that which was good in thy sight When Death commeth to a wicked voluptuous person and telleth him I am here come for thee thou must appeare before God what can this man say Lord I have lived before thee a voluptuous proud wretched life I was a scorner of thy Word a contemner and persecutor of thy people a swearer c. What though perhaps he can say Lord I have heard so many Sermons I have beene so much in conference and the like will this inable a man against the feare of Death No nothing but this that he hath a sincere heart that his heart is unmixed that sinne is not affected in his soule that there is no sinne that hee would live in no duty that he would not doe Lord remember that I have walked before thee uprightly I say nothing will inable a man more against feare then sinceritie and nothing disgraceth perplexeth the soule in an exigent more then hypocrisie It is sinceritie that takes away the sting of Death The Apostle in Rom. 14. saith he No man liveth to himselfe but if hee live hee liveth to the Lord and if hee die hee dieth to the Lord whether wee live or die wee are the Lords Here is the comfort wee are the Lords saith he How proveth hee that Wee live unto him That is the worke of a sincere heart A true Christian liveth not to himselfe but to Christ Now if thy conscience give thee this testimony I have lived unto Christ then whether I live or die I am the Lords the Apostle concludeth it So right is that of Solomon Riches availeth not in the day of wrath but righteousnesse delivereth from death Thy righteousnesse and sincerity delivereth thee not from dying but from death It takes away the sting and power of Death Death shall not be death to thee it is onely a passage to thee Therefore remember as to get a part in Christ so to get a perfect and sincere heart and then the sting of death is gone But a hypocriticall divided heart a heart and a heart that will sting a man That is the second Thirdly wouldest thou have the sting of death pulled out now Then mortifie thy sinnes now doe it presently Remember what Saint Paul saith but I thinke hee speakes it in respect of afflictions I professe by our rejoycing in Christ Iesus I die daily If it be meant of afflictions yet it should be verified of us in respect of sinne die daily to sinne and then the sting of death is gone Oh beloved our condition will be sad and discomfortable when at once we must enter into the field with Death and Sinne he that dieth daily to Sin hee hath nothing to doe with Death when it commeth Death may come to such a party but it cannot hurt him he may rest quietly when it commeth And observe it so much sinne as thou now sparest so much sting thou reservest for Death and is it not folly in a man to spare sinne that giveth a sting to Death But now as a man is to crucifie every sinne let me put in this caution and remember this advise As the sting of every sin is to be pulled out so pull out especially the sting of that Sin that now stingeth thy conscience that now lieth upon thy conscience for if it worke now it will worke fearfully at death Death doth not lessen the work of sin but inrageth it God wil then present and set thy sins in orderbefore thee perhaps God hath brought thee here to day to heare this Word getthee home and set thy soule in order The love of Sin and the feare of Death seldome paâ—…t and where Sinne is much loved Death will there be much feared Death is never more terrible then where sin is most delighted in Therefore crucifie sinne if thou wilt have the sting of death taken away It may be thou thinkest it is a troublesome worke but remember that those sinnes which thou now so much delightest in and lovest and livest in will then prove the sting of death to thee If a man would spend his time in the mortification of sinne when death commeth he should have nothing to doe but to let his soule loose to God and to give it up to him as into the hands of his most faithfull Creatour and Redeemer And is it not an excellent thing for a man to have nothing to doe with Death when it commeth Lastly here is a use of comfort If it hath pleased God to give any of us the grace to pull out the sting of death it is a great comfort But Death is approching you will say Oh but Death is disarmed the sting of it is taken away what a singular comfort is it then to you that Death is comming Indeed all the comfort that the soule is capable of is this that the sting of death is tooke away Now when Death commeth upon such a man it doth but free him from all that state of miserie hee is in here from all that extremitie of condition that he is put into from all those diversities of occasions pressing occasions of tumbling about in the world Death doth but put an end to all And which is an excellent comfort to a Christian Sin is ended with Death what afflicteth the soule of a Christian but that hee carrieth about him a body of sinne and of death This was a trouble to Saint Paul and is to every true Christian Now when Death commeth there is an end of this Body of sinne thou shalt never sinne more thou shalt never grieve the Spirit of God more thou shalt never be clogged with such imperfections and infirmities in dutie that death that commeth to thee shall passe thee to the fruition of eternall glory and what canst thou desire more then to be happy in eternall glory with God FINIS THE DESRVCTION OF THE DESTROYER OR THE OVER THROVV OF THE LAST ENEMIE PSAL. 9. 6. O thou Enemie thy Destructions are come to a perpetuall end ISAIAH 25. 8. Hee will swallow up Death in victorie LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. THE DESTRVCTION OF THE DESTROYER OR THE OVER THROW OF THE LAST ENEMIE SERMON VII 1 COR. 15. 16. The last enemie that shall bee destroyed is Death DEath is a subject that a Christian should have in his thoughts often and neither the hearing nor thinking nor speaking of it can be unseasonable for any place or person We have heard that the life of Philosophers is nothing but a meditation of Death and certainly the life of a Christian much more should abound in
such meditations No man can live well till he can die well Hee that is prepared for Death is certainly freed from the danger of death neither is there any so fit a way to bee ready for it as to be often minded of it Therefore I have made choice at this time to speake of this verse wherein ye see the Apostle declareth and leadeth us to treat of foure things First that there is a Death Secondly that this Death is an enemie Thirdly that this enemie is the last enemie Lastly that this least enemie shall be destroyed A word or two of each of these parts First Death is Yee know that well enough your eyes shew it you daily our senses declare it so plainly that no man is so senslesse that knoweth it not It is agreed upon by all Only for your better furtherance to make use of this point let us acquaint you with that which nature will teach yee concerning Death Secondly with that which Scripture will teach you above and better then Nature Nature sheweth yee concerning Death first what it is And then Secondly what Properties it hath It telleth us this That Death is an absence from life a ceasing from beeing when one was beeing to be thrust as it were out of the present world and be cast some where This is all that Nature informeth us concerning the Essence and beeing of Death Death is a dividing of us from this life and from the things of this life and sends us abroad we know not where Secondly Nature teacheth us three Properties concerning Death One that it is universall It hath tied all to it high and low rich and poore Death knockes at the Princes pallace as well as at the poore habitation of the meanest man It is a thing that respects no mans greatnesse it regardeth no wealth nor wit nothing Death takes all before it That Nature teacheth too Secondly Nature teacheth that Death is inevitable If a man would give all the world he cannot thrust it out of dores It takes whole Armies aswell as one man It scorneth to bee resisted by the Phisitians there is no words no meanes to escape it It is such an enemie as we must grapple with and it will conquer This Nature teacheth Againe Nature teacheth that death is uncertaine A man knoweth not when Death will come to him or when it will lay hold on him or by what meanes it will fetch him out of the world It may fetch him out of the world at any time or in any place and by such occasion as it is impossible for any wit to thinke of before This is in substance all that Nature teacheth And the knowledge of this it is for good use aswell to remember and consider it as to understand it But now I goe on to tell yee what the Scripture teacheth concerning Death for that giveth a perfecter and larger information of the thing then the dimme light of Nature The Scripture then over and above that which Nature sheweth telleth us concerning Death these things First it sheweth better what it is and then It sheweth whence it commeth and what are the causes of it Thirdly it declareth the consequences what follow upon it And lastly and bestly it telleth us the remedie against the ill of Death In all which Nature stumbleth and can doe little or nothing First the Scripture telleth us what it is It letteth us know that it is the disolution of a man not the annihilation It doth not make him cease to bee but takes asunder a while the soule from the body It carrieth the one to the earth and the other to another world so that both continue to bee though they be not united as before The word of God teacheth us that he hath created the world as it were a house of three Stories The middle is this present life where we be And there is a lower place the Dungeon a place of unhappinesse and destruction There is a higher place a pallace of glory According as men behave themselves in this middle roome so Death either leadeth them downe to the place of unhappinesse or conveyeth them up to the pallace of glory and blessednesse This Nature is ignorant of but the Scripture is plaine in The rich man dieth and his soule is carried to Hell the poore man when he died his soule was advanced to Heaven So that Death is nothing but the messenger of God to take the soule out of the body and to convey it to a place of more happinesse or more miserie then can be conceived Secondly the Scripture acquaints us further with the cause of death Philosophers wondred since nature desireth a perpetuitie and continuance of it selfe that man should be so short a time in the world The Scripture endeth this wonderment and tels us that man indeed was made immortall to continue for ever and should not have died but sinne came into the world and by sin death Death is the mother of sinne and of all miserie that by little and little draweth to death I say sinne the first sinne of our first Parents whereby they transgressed that most easie and equall mandate about eating the forbidden fruit That transgression that was the treading under foot the covenant of workes and the disanulling of it that sinne let in Death at a great Gappe and now it triumpheth and beareth rule over all the world Nature cannot tell which way in the world a man should die so soone and that hee that is the Lord of all creatures should bee inferiour to a great number of them in length of life But the word of God unridleth this riddle and telleth us that God made man that hee might and should have lived for ever but Sinne comming and comming in the person of the first man it brought death and made all men mortall and when sinne entred Gods curse came and that working upon us poore and miserable creatures it is the cause that we cannot continue long here It was equall that death should follow sinne for since God made man to obey his will when man had unfitted himselfe for Gods service it was reason that he should have a short continance of life for the longer he endured the more he would abuse himselfe Yee see then two things that the Scripture teacheth concerning death The third thing it sheweth is what followeth after death and that is plaine It is appointed for all men once to die and after death commeth judgement Nature never dreamed of judgement after Death but the Scripture telleth us there is a Judgement after Death Judgement what is that Judgement yee know is a calling of a man before Authoritie a looking into his wayes a considering of his actions a finding out whether hee be a sinner an evill doer and if hee find him so to passe sentence according to his evill deeds When God hath tooke the soule from the body hee takes the soule first
an enemie that it doth not cease till it hath dragged the soule into the presence of God and after from his Tribunall to the torment of eternall fire in Hell That succeedeth death for naturally of its owne nature it tendeth to the destruction of man because it is a fruit of sinne and therefore must needs be the perdition and overthrow of the soule For sinne bringeth destruction in regard it makes God angrie with us and separateth from him and by consequence from all manner of comfort and in regard it separateth from him it bringeth all manner of ill his wrath his hatred and ill will the greatest of all Death I say properly and of it selfe intendeth and seekes to draw all those that it layes hold on to a state of everlasting unhappinesse therefore it is an enemie So you see the second point opened The third is that Death is the last enemie after which there shall bee no more But I must tell you to whom it is the last not to all For there are a generation of men that shall feele death to be the least of enemies and in a manner the first But to the Saints and those that are prepared for death and those that will use the remedie to these and these alone death is the last enemie after once they have grappled and fought and encountred with this enemie they are at peace and rest as he saith Happy are they that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours There is no more toyle and miserie to a good man after death And why Because death seperateth sin from his soule as well as the soule from the body and so taking away the cause of unrest it must needs take away miserie and unhappinesse it selfe Indeed properly Death doth it not but the Lord Iesus Christ by death For it pleaseth him when his servants leave this world then they are fit to enter into a place of happinesse in another world which they could not be except they were freed from sin Death is the daughter of sinne and with a happy patricide as it were at once it destroyeth it selfe and sin and therfore it takes away all misery because it takes away all sinne Therefore it is the last enemie because it killeth the worst of our enemies for when we are dead there shall be no more enmitie betweene God and us and so no more enemy This is the third point The last is that this enemie shall bee destroyed A thing is destroyed abolished when it selfe ceaseth to be and is tooke out of the way and when all the ill effects that it would produce and effect or hath are removed So the Lord Jesus Christ abolisheth Death he destroyeth it that it shall never againe be knowne in the world or felt by his servants and he preventeth all those evill effects that it would worke in the soule for eternitie and removeth all the ill effects of it that it hath wrought on their bodies for the present time Death takes away a mans goods for the present Christ abolisheth that he giveth everlasting substance in heaven Death takes away friends Christ abolisheth that hee sends us to heaven where we have more friends and better Death brings the body to rottennesse and corruption it laieth it in the dust turnes it to putrifaction Christ abolisheth that at the Resurrection it shall rise againe in glory How that is done the Apostle tells us in the end of this chapter The body shall be laid in the dust a weake and feeble a mortall and naturall body but it shall bee clothed with immortalitie This mortall shall put on immortalitie this corruptible shall put on incorruption then shall bee fulfilled that saying Death is swallowed up in victorie But this is also limited it shall bee destroyed to whom To those that use the remedie those that partake of Christ those that have put on him that is the Resurrection and the life Thus I have laid before your eyes briefly these foure things that the Apostle leadeth us to treate of concerning death That it is That it is an enemie That it is the last enemie And that it shall be destroyed Now I desire to apply this and to make use of it First I shall be bold to play the Examiner to search each conscience a little Brethren let the word of God enter into your soules Yee heare that there is a death and that this death is a sore and bitter enemie and yee heare that to some sort of men it is the last enemie that ever they shall encounter with and bee freed from all the hurt of it it shall be utterly destroyed Now doe so much as discend every one into himselfe and inquire what care there hath beene to prepare for death to make use of the remedie against death what time and paines hath beene bestowed to seeke to get that that is the only meanes to escape the Dart of this enemie and that that is the only cause to procure this enfranchisement to the soule from that that else will destroy all A man hath not fitted himselfe to encounter with his enemie when hee lookes after wealth and followeth the pleasures and contentments of this life these things will doe no good they will be rather a burthen to the heart and vexe the soule and increase the mischiefe laying more sin upon the soule and giving death darts to pierce the soule with But when is a man fit for death and who may encounter with this enemie with safetie I will tell yee That man that takes the greatest care to disarme death of his weapons to arme himselfe with defensive weapons against death If an enemie come upon a man with good weapons in his hand and find him altogether unweaponed it is hard for a naked unarmed man to deale with him it is hard for a man that never thought of it before to fight with one that is skilfull at his weapons Death I told yee is an enemie and an enemie that is skilfull in his weapons and the weapon of death it is our owne sinne Death bringeth nothing with it to hurt a man It findeth with us and in us that whereby to hurt us So many corruptions as are in thy heart so many weapons So many idle words so many bad deedes so many swords to pierce thy heart Death maketh use of those weapons it findeth in our selves and with them hee destroyeth and killeth and brings us to perdition Now what have yee done beloved to disarme death what care have yee taken to breake sinne apieces that it may not be as a sword ready drawne for the hand of death when it commeth as Arrowes in a Bow to shoot at you when Death laieth hold on you That man that hath tooke no care to overcome sinne in the power of it and to get himselfe free from the guilt and punishment of it is unfit for death If death come upon him and find his offences
while wee are here though wee doe see the face of God in the Mirrour or glasse of the Gospell yet because wee are absent from him as he is objectum Beatificans Because here the teares are not all wiped from our eyes and we have not yet a full rest from our labours nor a full reward for our services Therefore our Bessednesse here it is nothing to speake of in comparison of that Blessednesse which we shall have hereafter when the soule is separated from the body and is with the Lord. Therefore saith the Apostle I desire to be dissolved and to bee with Christ and this quoth hee it is melius it is better Better Yea it is multo melius it is much better Yea it is multo magis melius you must beare with Saint Pauls incongruitie of speech it is much more better to bee with him If our hope were only in this life of all men beleevers the children of God were most miserable But the hope of our immortall life is the life of this mortall There was some little glimpse of this light even amongst the Gentiles such as did beleeve the immortalitie of the soule One of the heathen Poets could say No man is blessed till death Cressus the Lybian a man happy in his great achievements asked Solon Pray quoth he tell mee what man dost thou thinke happie Hee named one to him Tellus a man that was dead But quoth he whom else dost thou thinke happy Hee named two brethren more that did a worke of pietie to their Mother it were too long to tell you the particular storie and they were dead I thinke them happy quoth he Cressus began to bee angrie that hee himselfe should not be thought a happy man Am not I happy Oh quoth he I take thee for a great king but I account thee not happy before death Cressus grew to miserie and then he cried out Oh Solon Solon c. Here we have a word a voyce from heaven and the Word confirmed by the Spirit and we have testimonies of Scripture and we have some little glimpse of this light from the Gentiles yet notwithstanding flesh and bloud will not be perswaded of this that dead men should be happy that there is a happinesse in death There are many things they have against it First say they Death is an enemie It is very true Death is an enemie the Apostle calleth it so The last enemie that shall be destroyed is Death And say they it is a terrible enemie It is very true and of all terrible things the most terrible yea and nature abhorreth it exceedingly See it in any creature that liveth Marke if every creature would not use legges wings hoofes hornes tuskes beakes or whatsoever thing it is wherewith God and nature hath armed it to preserve life Solomon saith it but he saith it in the person of a carnall man as he doth many things by Metaphors in his booke of Ecclesiastes That a living dogge is better then a dead lyon Sathan is a lyar and the father of lies but yet notwithstanding that word of his was a truth Skin for skin yea all that a man hath will hee give for his life Vita dum super est benè est said Moecenas when he lay grievously sicke of the Gout So long as life remaines it is well enough You have one man that liveth in extreame povertie eateth no bread but the bread of affliction yet hee would live You have another man that carrieth about him a diseased body the arrowes of God sticking fast in him and the venome of them drinking up his spirits by some sicknesse yet he would live You have another man that hath a rotten name that stinkes while he liveth yet he would live still Yea and not only wicked men doe make many base shifts to live they have their portion in this life no wonder therefore they doe it but even Gods best children that looke for a better life then this when this is ended are not willing to part with this life if they could keepe it Doe you not remember how David pleaded for life Oh let me live that I may praise thy Name oh spare mee a little before I goe hence and bee no more Hezekiah turneth his face to the wall and wept oh shall the grave give thankes unto thee or shall the dead celebrate thy praise No Vivens it is the living it is the living that must praise thee as I doe this day I know indeed that sometime you shall find some of Gods children wishing for death Iob My soule hath chosen strangling and death rather then my life Lord I pray thee saith Moses kill mee out of hand and let mee not see my wretchednesse Elijah when hee fled from Iezabel for his life Lord quoth he take away my life for I am not better then my fathers Hee was not willing that Iezabel should take away his life but he would have God to take it away You know Ionah his pettish moode that he was in when hee would deeds thinke to know what was better for him then God himselfe doth Lord take I beseech thee my life from mee for it is better for me to die then to live These men of God they were sonnes of men they had their passions as other men have and passion was never good judge betweene life and death I know againe that there is a question made by Iob Wherefore is light given to a man that is in miserie and life to the bitter in soule Such a man I confesse that hath bitternesse of soule he may happily seeke for death as for treasures and be glad when hee hath found the grave But let God be but pleased a little to allay that bitternesse let him but lap up that bitter pill in sugar a little and then he will like life well enough Why doe we all this while goe from my Text Surely there be so many voyces upon earth against it that if there were not a voyce from heaven to say Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord we should scarce beleeve it But then if the dead be blessed why doe wee not die that wee may be blessed There is such a like Question of Scipio in that same booke of Tullies Somnium Scipionis Scipio asked his Father when his father had told him of those glories that the soule enjoyed in immortalitie Why saith he doe I tarry thus long upon the earth why doe not I hasten to die The schollers of Eugesius when they heard their Master dispute of the immortalitie of the soule went and laid violent hands upon themselves that they might go to that immortalitie And so Cato Vticensis after he read Platoes books of the Immortalitie of the Soule made away himselfe Many such examples there have beene And I find often-times in your bills many that have laid violent hands upon themselves some that cut their owne throats and
some that hung themselves I pray give me leave a little to speake upon this Saint Austin tells me of five causes for which persons doe usually lay violent hands upon themselves The first is this Some doe it to avoide some shame or some dishonour or miserie or beggerie that shall befall them Thus did Achitophel when he saw that his counsell was defeated hee went home and hanged himselfe Thus have many done to avoide shame and dishonour Alas poore wretches While they seeke to escape temporall punishment they runne into eternall like our fishes in the Proverbe Out of the frying-pan into the fire into hell fire where the worme dieth not and where the fire never goeth out Secondly some have done it to avoide the terrours of a guiltie conscience Thus Iudas troubled in conscience after hee had betrayed Christ he went and hung himselfe Poore wretch He had more need he had lived that hee might have healed that sinne of his by repentance This is not a way to expiate thy sinne this is a way to increase it Iudas when he killed himselfe hee killed as wicked a man as was upon the earth and yet hee shall answer to God as well for that nocent bloud of his owne that he spilt as hee shall for the innocent bloud of the Son of God that he betrayed Thirdly wee find some that have done this to avoide some vilanie that they feared should bee offered them As for example Pelagia a noble Ladie that we reade of in Ecclesiasticall stories when shee was followed by some barbarous souldiours that would have abused her she speaking nothing but never a villaine of them all shall touch me threw her selfe over a bridge and drowned her selfe Some of the Fathers doe little lesse then commend her for this Saint Augustine condemnes her so should I. For why should she that had done no hurt doe hurt to her selfe why should she to escape the hands of the Nocent lay violent hands upon her selfe that was innocent Our chastitie of body is not lost when the chastitie of our mind remaineth inviolated Fourthly Some have done this to purchase to themselves a name of valour Rasis in the booke of the Machabees did thus And if there were no other thing in the world to shew that booke to be Apochriphall Scripture this is enough in that the Author of that booke commendeth Rasis for it It is not valour for to flie a danger it is valour to beare it If any example can bee alledged to this purpose that of Sampsons may But Saint Austin hee answereth The Spirit of God secretly commanded him to doe it And wee may verily beleeve it for if the Spirit of God had not commanded it yea and assisted him in it too hee had never done that he did in pulling downe the house upon himselfe and the Philistims Lastly some have done it or they might have done it because Blessed are the dead Some will die that they may be blessed Poore wretches They that deprive themselves of this life may not looke for a better when this is ended I will not judge particulars I leave them unto God But in the generall considering that life is Gods blessing it is hee that giveth it and it is hee that must take it away Considering that man is not lord of his owne spirit Considering that God hath set us here in our stations and we may not move out without leave from our Generall Considering that we are set here to serve God and we must serve him as long as he will and not as long as wee will Or specially considering that God hath forbidden us to kill others therefore forbidden us much more to kill our selves therefore surely except Gods mercie bee greater then I can give warrant for they that die thus die eternally And wee had need beseech God with all earnestnesse of spirit to keepe us from such a fearfull temptation as this for they that die thus die not in the Lord and therefore cannot bee blessed for my Text saith it of no other but of those Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord. This is the first point I come to the Restriction Die in the Lord. It may be construed two wayes the preposition is Ambiguous for the Preposition many times in Scripture signifies In Domino or propter Dominum As Rom. 26. 1. I commend unto you Phebe our sister that you would receive her in Domino in the Lord that is for the Lords sake as becommeth Saints And in the twelfth verse of the same Chapter Salute the beloved Persis which laboured much in the Lord that is laboured much in Gods cause for the Lord. So againe Say to Archippus looke to the ministerie that thou hast received In Domino that is for the Lord for the Lords service for his worke I might give you many more instances There is one place most pregnant Eph. 4. 1. I Paul a prisoner in Domino so saith the vulgar Latine and so is the Greeke interpretation In the Lord. What meaneth Saint Paul A prisoner in the Lord what is that A prisoner for the Lord a prisoner for the Lords cause And thus you may take the word here in the Text Blessed are they that die In Domino that is such as die in causa Domini and thus Iudicious Beza to whose judgement I attribute much in translations hee readeth it so Blessed are the dead qui moriuntur causa Domini and then in his Annotations propter Dominum And if you take it thus then the Martyrs only are blessed That Martyrs are blessed the Church of God is so farre from making a question that they set it downe as a Rule Injuriam facit Martyri qui orat pro Martyre A man doth wrong to a Martyr that prayes for a Martyr their blessednesse is so sure for Hee that loseth his life for my sake and the Gospels shall find it saith Christ. If he loseth a temporall life he shall find an eternall If he lose a life accompanied with sorrow hee shall find another life that is with joy such joy as cannot bee conceived such joy as shall never be ended Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his Saints There are two things saith S. Bernard that makes the death of a Saint precious the one is a good life before the other is a good cause for which he dieth A good life will make it a precious death but a good cause will make it a more precious death But that is the most precious death that hath both a good life before it and a good cause comming next The Martyrs are blessed but they must be such Martyrs as suffer for the Lord be sure of that or else they are not blessed There be some that would be accounted Martyrs a great company of such we have had of late that have died for broaching of treason and some for sowing of sedition some for absolving subjects from
the oath of Alleageance some for attempting to blow up Parliament houses Such as these are not Martyrs It is not the punishment it is the cause that makes the Martyr Our blessed Lord himselfe that never did evill was crucified betweene two evill doers there was an equall punishment there was not an equall cause It must be the cause that wee must looke to if wee looke to be blessed But I cannot stand upon that Here is the first interpretation To die in the Lord is for the Lord. But there is a second and that is more large Die in the Lord that is die in the faith of the Lord. Salute Andronicus and Iunius my fellow prisoners which were in the Lord before mee saith S. Paul that is that were Beleevers that were in the faith before mee And to let passe many other places if there bee no resurrection of the dead saith the Apostle then wee that are asleepe in Christ c. If wee beleeve that Iesus died then those that sleepe in Iesus shall hee bring with him c. And againe Hee shall descend from heaven with a shout and they that are dead in Christ shall rise first Now what is it to die in Christ in a large sense I will tell you Hee that would die in Christ first hee must die in obedience There are many workes of obedience that wee are to doe Our last and greatest act of obedience is to resigne up this same spirit of ours willingly chearfully into the hands of God that gave it If wee have not attained to that strength that some have done that is to live patiently and die willingly yet wee should labour to attaine to thus much strength to live willingly and to die patiently So as Christ may bee magnified in my body saith the Apostle I passe not it makes no matter let it either bee by life or by death When wee have done the worke that God hath set us to doe wee must be gone and thus must every one say with himselfe Lord if I have done all the worke thou hast appointed mee to doe call me away at thy pleasure Here is the first In obedience Secondly Die in repentance I remember what Possidonius said of Saint Augustine a little before his death that it was necessarie that men when they died they should not goe out of the world absque digna competenti resipiscentiâ without a fit competent repentance Hee himselfe did so for he caused the penitentiall Psalmes to be written and they were before him as hee lay upon his bed and hee was continually reading those penetentiall Psalmes and meditating upon them with many teares he died even in the very act of contrition I doe love to see a man chearefull upon his death-bed but I doe more love to see a man penitent There is a day indeed when God will wipe away all teares from our eyes When that commeth then he will wipe away these teares of repentance too these teares of godly sorrow But the Lord grant he may find mee with teaees in mine eyes Thirdly Die in faith Indeed if ever Faith had a worke to doe it hath then a worke to doe when all other comforts in the world faile us and friends goe from us then faith to lay hold on the promises I know that my Redeemer liveth and that I shall rise againe at the last day and bee covered with my skin and shall see God with these same eyes Thus faith And then fourthly Die with Invocation calling upon the name of God Thus have all the Saints of God done continually commending of their soules to God in prayers Saint Paul would have us commend our soules to God in well-doing And it is a necessary thing every morning wee rise and every night wee goe to bed but especially when wee see some harbingers of death sent unto us then to have nothing to doe but with our blessed Lord Father into thy hands I commend my spirit And with Saint Steven Lord Iesus receive my spirit And next to this let me put in also Mercie Charitie Die forgiving one another Thus our Lord taught us to doe when he cried out Father forgive them for they know not what they doe And Saint Steven taught us to doe so too Lord lay not this sinne to their charge And then lastly for I cannot stand upon these things there must be a death in Peace Peace with God Peace with our owne consciences and Peace with all the world And now the man that dieth thus dieth with willingnesse Dieth in repentance dieth in faith dieth with invocation dieth in charitie dieth in peace this man dieth in the Lord and such a one is blessed They that would thus die in him must live in him A man cannot bee said to die in London that never lived in London A man cannot be said to die in the Lord that never lived in the Lord. If thou dost not live in obedience in faith in repentance in invocation in charitie in peace thou canst not die in these A man must first live the life of the righteous before he can die the death of the righteous And then againe if a man would die thus Hee must bee well acquainted with death grow familiar with him by meditation Many things more I might have said to this purpose but I am loth to transgresse the houre I have done with that Give me only leave now to speake in a few words unto the present occasion You have brought here beloved the body of your wellloved neighbour Mistris S. H. late the Wife of your late reverend Pastour Doctor R. H. to be layed up together with her Husband in hope of a blessed and glorious resurrection It is long since that I did in this place performe this service at the buriall of his former Wife a woman of whom I may not speake for though I hold my peace the very stone here in the wall will say enough of her and you that know her cannot but assure the truth of it I am intreated to performe now the like duty to the second Wife And I was easily intreated to doe it for that name of brother and sister that was usually betweene us for many yeares continued may very well challenge of me any dutie I am able to performe I am straitned in time and I cannot speake what I would and I doe perceive alreadie by this that I have spoken that if I should speake much more my passion would not give me leave Let me tell you one thing amongst many others it is a thing extraordinary and it is for imitation The Vertuous woman in the last of the Proverbs is commended for many things Amongst others this is one Shee doeth her husband good and not evill all the dayes of her life And marke it I pray you It is not all the dayes of his life and yet peradventure some woman might bee thought a good
us sometimes holding us long play as the house of David did the house of Saul till our strength be wasted and spent sometimes dispatching us with a sudden stroke as Absolom did Amnon when our hearts are merry within us This enemie Death the very sound of his name is like the name of Honiades to the Turkes dreadfull to some the very dreame of it dreadfull as Nebuchadnezars dreame was to him it troubled him and the image of it made him tremble and quake But though the hearing of an enemie may cause disturbance yet withall to heare that this enemie is overcome and destroyed the newes of that may cheare us Behold this is the newes that the Text bringeth It telleth us of an enemie indeed but it telleth us withall of the destruction of this enemie Death is the common enemie of man-kind It is our last enemie we may thinke it none of the least because it is the last yet here is the destruction of it Oh thou enemie thy destruction shall come to a perpetuall end It is already destroying and as it is the last so at the last it shall be destroyed Those are the two points that I am to treat of of an Enemie and of the destruction of this Enemie The Enemie is Death and the Last Enemie as the Text calleth it the last that shall assault us In that yee may note two things Its Qualitie and Its Ranke First its nature and qualitie An Enemie Secondly its order and ranke in what ranke it is Fyled not in the Fore-front of the battell but it commeth behind in the Reare it commeth in the end of the Armie when all other enemies have given over and setteth upon us at the last Secondly here is the destruction of the enemie that is the Milke and honey of the Text. Death though it bee an Enemie though it be a killing enemie it shall not bee a conquering enemie Hee that subdueth all our Enemies for us will in time subdue them to us And who he is the Apostle telleth you in the verse before the Text Christ our Lord Hee shall reigne till hee hath put downe all his enemies under his feet And as all His so all ours too both those that are Enemies to him and to his death Among the rest he will destroy that also As it is the last with which we shall be assaulted so it is the last that shall be destroyed There are three points of observation wee have here lying before us First that Death is an Enemie Secondly that Death is our last Enemie Thirdly that as Death assaulteth us last so at last it shall bee destroyed I begin with the first of these That Death is an Enemie And an Enemie indeed it is one of the Divels regiment The Divell he is the Generall of the Armie when hee brought sinne into the world he brought Death into the world Sinne drawes Death after it as the Needle drawes the thread First I will shew yee what kind of Enemie it is Secondly wherein it appeareth to be an Enemie First what kind of Enemie Death is A common secret spirituall continuall Enemie First a Common Enemie Common to all mankind The charge it hath is not like that upon the Aramites fight neither with small nor great save onely with the King of Israel Great and small King and Keisar all are markes that this aimeth at one killing weapon or other it hath for them all like Ishmael The hand of him is against every man The young and the old the strong and rich and noble and wise and holy none can scape none can keepe out of Deaths reach What man is hee that liveth and shall not see death Yee will object to me peradventure Those that shall live at the comming of our Lord at the end of the world shall not see Death I had thought I confesse to have stood a little upon this points discussion but I must not I have many things to say In a word therefore First these are but a few and a few make not a generall Secondly though these die not the ordinary naturall death but as Elijah and Enoch shall bee translated up to heaven yet in their translation and assumption they shall suffer a mutation and change which shall be in stead of Death Their change is a kind of Death to them as our death is a kind of change to us Therefore wee may account it a common Enemie to man-kind for as the Scripture saith It is the way of all the earth And the Grave it is the house appointed for all living It is a common Enemie and it is the more dangerous for that Secondly it is A secret Enemie And it is the more dangerous for that Secret Traytours are worse then open enemies these may be prepared against because we know them those may surprize us unawares because wee see them not nor suspect them Poore Uriah carrieth Death in his bosome so wee carry death about us though like a Moth it lie and fret in the garment and we see not when it eateth nor can certainly determine the time when it will grate asunder the thread of our life What man living can divine when and how and where Death will seize upon him it is not for any to determine such a thing it lieth so secret hee cannot find it out What a sort of diseases wee are subject to you may imagine how many Nay yee cannot imagine how many when the very eye as some Occolists observe hath above sixtie diseases What a many casualties there are every moment when as oft as wee step over the threshold wee cannot tell whether ever wee shall come home againe The fire saith Death is in me and the Water saith Death is in mee the earth we tread on hath Death in it the Ayre we breath in that which wee continually take in and put out at our nosethrils hath death in it Death dwelleth with us in our houses it walketh with us in the streets It lieth downe with us in our beds It is wrapped about us in our clothes that sticke to us Benhadad is slaine in his Bed Amnon at his Table Zachariah in the Temple Ioab at the Altar The disobedient Prophet is torne with a Lyon The unbeleeving Prince is trod to Death in the croude Abimelech slaine with a Mill-stone and Pyrrhus with the fall of a Tyle Adrian is choaked with a flie Victor is poisoned with Wine And one of the Emperours with the bread he recived in the Sacrament Thus Death waiteth every where and yet wee spie it not It is a secret Enemie and therefore the more dangerous Thirdly it is a spirituall Enemie And it is the more dangerous for that Spirituall I call it First because it is invisible for the spirits are invisible they cannot be seene Such an enemie is Death though we must all feele it yet wee cannot see it were it any way discernable we might
it is I told yee before Hee is the Generall of the Armie And beloved beleeve it the Divell is very politique and subtile in marshalling his forces hee will not place his best Souldiers in the forefront of the battell but keepes them in the Reare he puts them behind that when all the rest have wearied and tired us they should set on us afresh He is so cunning a disputant that he reserveth the best arguments for the last A cunning Gamester that plaies his best play at the last A cunning Archer that shootes his best shaft at the last So since Death is the last Enenie it is like to be the sorest Now the sorer we are like to find him the carefuller we should be to arme against him alwayes to put our selves in a readinesse that whensoever he commeth hee may find us weaponed that if it were possible we might be alwayes doing as if wee were dying it being the height of the perfection that any soule can attaine to as the heathens themselves well observed for a man to spend every day as if it were his last day That is one reason why the Apostle here calleth Death the last enemie because the last is like to be the worst Againe another reason As it is the last by which wee are assaulted so it is the last that shall bee destroyed That the Apostle principally meant here as Interpreters commonly understand it When he saith the last enemie that shall be destroyed is Death hee meant that Death is the Enemie that shall be destroied last And this leadeth me to the last point I propounded to speake of That Death is an enemie and the last enemie and at last shall be destroyed It shall be destroyed that is one thing Who undertakes the doing of it Our selves In likelihood Death is more likely to destroy us then we it But as it is said of the seven-sealed booke in the Revelation when there was none in heaven or in earth or under the earth that was able to open it the Lion of the tribe of Iudah prevailed to open the booke So the Lion of the tribe of Iudah prevaileth to destroy this enemie that none in heaven or in earth or under the earth but only he is able to destroy Hee saith of him as David of Goliah when hee defied the host of Israel and all men ranne away Let no mans heart faile him So saith the sonne of David The Lord of David let no mans heart faile him I will goe to fight with yonder Philistim Oh Death I will be thy death It is spoken in the person of Christ whom Saint Peter calleth the Lord of life Hee subdueth all Enemies and it is he that will destroy Death hee will not leave him till he have trod him under foot But when will Christ doe this Wee see Death playes the Tyrant still it killeth and spoyleth as fast as it did his sickle is in every ones harvest as fast as the corne growes up hee cuts it downe he leaveth not an eare standing How long Lord how long before this that the Apostle tells us of will be At last His meaning is at the generall day of the Resurrection when the end of the world shall come then Christ shall destroy him And he bringeth it in the rather to assure the Corinths of that that some of them doubted of namely that there should be a Resurrection For unlesse the dead should arise how can Death be destroyed But Death shall be destroyed therefore it is out of question that the dead shall rise againe But what comfort have we in the meane time if Death be not destroyed till then if till then it play the domineering Enemie No not so neither Wee have comfort enough in that that Christ hath already done Though it bee not already destroyed yet it is already subdued It is not only subdued but disarmed and not only so but captivated and triumphed over Hee subdued it when he died in suffering death he overcame Death hee beat him in his owne ground at his owne weapons in his owne hold hee disarmed him When he rose againe then he spoyled him of his power and tooke his weapons away and triumphed over him in the open field When he ascended into heaven then hee carried those spoiles with him in token of conquest as Sampson tooke the Gates of Gaza on his shoulders and carried them to the top of the hill Christ by Death tooke the sting of Death away by his Resurrection hee tooke the strength of Death away by his Ascension hee tooke away the hope of Death for ever conquering or prevailing more finally at the last Judgement hee will take away the name and beeing of Death so that it shall never bee more remembred but mortality shall be swallowed up of life I Christ hath done this for himselfe perhaps but what is this to us Nay Christ hath done it not only for his owne victorie but he hath given us victorie hee is not only a conquerour but hee hath made us conquerours thankes be unto God that hath given us victorie In a word Christ hath and will doe by Death as hee doth by our sinnes he hath subdued them already at the last hee will utterly destroy them sinne and Death both of them are already subdued at last they shall be abolished and destroyed that they shall be no more As there shall bee no more sorrow and paine so there shall be no more death and sinne All teares shall be wiped from our eyes I will ransomethem from the power of the grave and redeeme them from death More then this This yet addeth to our comfort Christ will so destroy Death as hee will not only subdue him for us but also reconcile him to us not only foile him as an Enemie but propitiate and make him our friend Wee have all our enemies subdued to us but some are so subdued that they are reconciled Death is one of them it is a reconciled as well as a subdued enemie In stead of bringing forth children for bondage it becommeth a purchaser of our freedome it is so farre from plucking us from Christ as rather it letteth us into Christ so farre from being a losse as it bringeth gaine so farre from being a dammage that it is part of our Dowrie therefore the Apostle reckoneth it as a prerogative as hee saith that the world and life and Christ is ours so Death is ours Indeed if Death were not ours life were not ours for our only way to life now is by Death Such a friend is this Enemie become that it is a Bridge to passe to heaven the Chariot that wee are tooke up to heaven in What we get of life toward life we lose in death but what we get in death toward life we never lose Now for the Application and conclusion of all Something I have to say by way of comfort and something by way of counsell
hee be a Lord and Commander also But you see I cannot stand to insist upon this The occasion of our meeting at this time is to commit to the Earth the body of our sister departed Shee hath now the termination and conclusion of all her wayting and expectation And after so long a wayting there remaineth a sleeping in the Grave a while when the soule resteth in the hands of Christ and waiteth for that great day when body and soule shall be joyned together I perswade my selfe well of her that Shee was one of the number of those wayters that shall have joy at the comming of Christ I had not much knowledge of her only I observed in her sicknesse a good purpose and desire of new and better obedience and performing better service to Christ then shee had done if God should have spared her longer And shee expressed also a great desire of Christs second comming a desire that hee would receive her to himselfe and that these dayes of sinne might bee finished Much she was in these desires and she had good warrant for it for shee was carefull as I am informed to set up the kingdome of Christ in her Family It is the dutie of a good Wife to be a helpe to her Husband especially in matters of piety and the worship of God and therein her example should teach wives to strive herein Shee was alwayes stirring him up to prayer in his Familie to a more carefull sanctifying of the Lords day herein Shee was frequent Shee was much mortified to the world for some late yeares as it was observed in her daily course by those that knew her Thus she laboured to fit her selfe and her Familie that shee might have comfort in the great Day of the appearing of the Lord Jesus I speake upon information for your edification to stirre you up to labour to fit your selves for Christ by purging out of sinne in your hearts and lives Labour to fit your Families for Christ that when you and your servants and children shall appeare before him you may looke on them and looke on Christ with comfort as men that before have prepared themselves for the comming of Christ and as those that then shall lift up their heads because the day of their redemption draweth nigh FINIS CHRISTS PRECEPT AND PROMISE OR SECVRITIE AGAINST DEATH LVKE 9. 44. Let these sayings sinke downe into your eares PRO. 23. 14. The law of the wise is a fountaine of life to depart from the snares of death LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. CHRISTS PRECEPT AND PROMISE OR SECVRITIE AGAINST DEATH SERMON XVII JOHN 8. 51. Verily verily I say unto you if a man keepe my saying hee shall never see death IT is not long men and brethren since Death rode in triumph thorow this Citie and did beare downe all before him hee locked up your houses pulled downe your windowes and made the wealthiest among you put upon them the semblance of Banckroutnesse by locking up their dores and turning their backes to their houses and running away so it played the Tyrant then there died thousands a-weeke and the Grave that alwayes cryeth Give give was almost cloyed with carkasses Death served himselfe so fast that the Prison could scarse hold the Prisoners It might almost have beene said then of this Citie as once it was of Egypt There was scarse a house wherein some were not dead at least where there was not the feare of Death Now it hath pleased God to shew you more favour and men now die but by scores Death goeth his old pace and takes away a few secretly without observation But Death is amongst you still and still will be so long as sinne is among you and therefore it will not bee unseasonable upon this occasion for mee to speake and you to heare somewhat that may arme you against this last and and worst Enemy Death which though hee make not such a stirre in these times of lesse Mortalitie yet hee will certainly take us all away one by one And who can tell but hee may be amongst the number of the hundred or fewer hundreds that die now as no man could tell whether hee should be amongst the number of the thousands then Since Death therefore is alwayes an enemie and alwayes fighteth against us though not alwayes with like furie and violence it is a part of wisedome in us alwayes to heare and to practise that which may secure us against the danger of death And that is taught in this Text. Verily verily I say unto you If a man keepe my saying hee shall never see death Wherein not to speake any thing of the Context I pray take notice who speakes the words The Authour of truth the Death of Death hee that can best tell by what meanes a man may shun the hurt of it hee that hath vanquished it and overcome the uttermost of his assaults Our Lord Iesus Christ that hath slaine death and brought life and immortality to light Hee giveth us this direction for the avoyding of the hurt of Death Then observe the manner of his speaking Verily verily I say unto you with an affirmation earnest and redoubled Hee never affirmed any thing untrue therefore that which hee speakes is an undoubted verity Hee never spake any thing rashly therefore that which hee affirmed so earnestly is a weighty thing and of great consequence And lastly observe that which I only shall insist upon the matter of his direction here comprehended in a hypotheticall proposition which hath as all such have two parts An Antecedent and a Consequent In the one hee sheweth the Dutie to bee done as a necessary condition for the obtaining of that which is specified in the other The first hath the Dutie The second the benefit that floweth from the Dutie These two are knit together in a most necessary consequence If a man keepe my word hee shall never see death You see now the only and perfect remedie against the evill of Death that is to keepe the saying and word of Christ. If any would know by what meanes he may bee secured against the terrible of all terrible things as one calleth Death here is a sure and certaine rule for him and hee need not doubt of it it commeth from the mouth of Christ let him keepe his saying and then Death shall never doe him harme I will first interpret these words unto you and then make them good by Scripture and Reason and then apply them and commit my selfe and you and all at last to the blessing of God First then when our Saviour Christ saith If a man wee must conceive him to meane generally at least indefinitely If any man whatsoever for so it pleaseth him to inlarge his promise in the redoubling of the word that no man may have cause to say hee is excluded except hee exclude himselfe Keepe my sayings Here first I must shew you what is meant by sayings and
him and lie in his Bosome And that man cannot for his life when hee seeth the sweetnesse of the grace of God in Christ but resolve to obey him and determine to walke in the wayes of holinesse and take paines and use industrie for the overcomming of all sinne and by the vertue of Christ he shall prosper in this I beseech you therefore set your selves aworke about this great businesse to get Repentance and Faith and New Obedience it is much more needfull then sleepe then meat then attyre there is nothing in the world so requisite for thy welfare as these things Scrape thou riches together in the same quantitie that Solomon did and ten thousand times more yet thou shalt see Death once within a hundred or halfe a hundred yeares Get wisedome yet thou shalt see Death after a few yeares Take pleasure with as much greedinesse as he did once when he forgate himselfe for a space yet thou shalt see death These things that the foolish world hunts after with so much earnestnesse of desire will not secure thee from the sight of the King of feares Death as Iob calleth it But if thou once get Faith and Repentance and new obedience then thou hast obtained that that all the riches and honour and pleasures and learning or whatsoever seemeth desireable in the world will not helpe their possessors to What will you doe brethren Grovell still on the earth and still be mad after backe and belly Or will you now begin to thinke I must die I must shake hands with that dismall enemie pale-faced Death that is able to strike terrour into the strongest heart and amazement into the stoutest soule that is not well confirmed and if this Death find mee destitute of true Repentance and Faith and New Obedience it will seize upon me and dragge me before the Judgement seat of God where I shall bee Henced away with a malediction and curse and be forced to take my place with the Divell and his Angels in unquenchable flames Oh what shall I doe then to secure my selfe from the great from the strong arme of death I will repent now I will begin Lord draw mee helpe me that I may doe it I will beleeve now Lord doe thou worke Faith that requirest it I will obey Lord inable me to performe such needfull duties as thou commandest me Shall this be your practice when you come home Will you thus studie to practise Repentance and Faith and Obedience and studie to cry and call for it and use all your indeavour Or what will you doe will you be as idle and carelesse as negligent and slothfull in making after these graces as before Will you be as greedy of the transitorie vanities of this life as in former times Oh abuse not the word of God If thou goe out of the Church without a full purpose to apply thy selfe from hence forward either to begin or to proceed in the practise of the saying of Christ Cursed bee thou in thy hearing cursed be that houre that thou hast spent and cursed be thy misbestowed labour thou dissembling hypocrite But if thou labour to practise this of Christ namely to keepe his sayings the Doctrine of the Gospell to repent to beleeve and to obey blessed art thou in thy hearing and in thy doing and in thy obedience happy is the time and the place and all things that concurre together to draw thee to so needfull a worke I pray Brethren set not your labour upon gold and silver and money and trash not upon the pleasures and delights and contentments of the world not on any other thing but mainly and principally above all things let your chiefe care bee for Faith and Repentance and Obedience If you strive for these things earnestly and heartily and constantly as sure as the Lord is in heaven hee will bestow them upon you and with them the benefit of benefits Freedome from Death And now I shall speake comfort to those few that are in the world that keepe these sayings of Christ. Let them bee of good comfort if their capitall enemie the King of feares and the King of Afflictions be held from a possibility of doing them harme nothing can harmethem Hee that Death cannot hurt paine cannot hurt povertie and disgrace cannot hurt nothing can hurt him You know if the King of an Armie be reconciled to a place hee will keepe his Souldiers from spoyling and burning and destroying that place If Death be put out of power to doe thee hurt and God bee reconciled in Christ because thou keepest the saying of Christ nothing can hurt thee thou art the happiest man under the Sunne Why should the poore sad afflicted grieved mourning lamenting Saints of God envie them that are rich and jolly and merry worldlings any of their pleasures and profits any of those things wherewith they like Idiots make themselves laugh at What hath not God given thee better things then hee that thou shouldest murmure and whine and weepe for want of them art thou still complaining for want of them Remember what Saint Iames saith Let the brother of low degree that is abased and despised in the world rejoyce yea rejoyce with great boasting and glory in his Exaltation This is the exaltation of the Saints Christ writing his sayings in their hearts and inclining them through the operation of his Spirit and the powerful worke of his Word to repent and beleeve hath freed them from the danger of Death and interessed them into eternall happinesse and that blisse that no tongue can expresse nor no heart conceive This is thy happinesse it is not to be rich or to be great for these cannot deliver the owner from the hurt of Death naturall nor from the danger of Death eternall But to have Faith and Repentance and Obedience this is riches and exaltation for he that hath them shall not alone escape the Dungeon of eternall darknesse but bee advanced to the Palace of everlasting felicitie The Saint is the happy man the penitent beleever and true practiser of Christian obedience he is the sole and only happy man under the Sunne for whatsoever storme hee suffereth in this present world hee shall certainly escape Death and obtaine Glory Blesse God and blesse thy selfe in God magnifie him rejoyce in him take comfort in thy lot and portion Death that devoureth Kings that destroyeth Emperours that conquers Captaines and men of valour shall not be able to approach thee for thy hurt for thou keepest the saying of the Lord Iesus Christ. Rejoyce I say in this magnifie him that is the Authour of it and account thy selfe happy that thou hast received from him so excellent a gift as to bee in some measure inabled to keepe his saying Yea if it were so may some Christian heart object then I should esteeme my selfe the happiest man alive but alas where is this Repentance you describe where is this New Obedience in mee that still still find my selfe captive
cloudie to us but then God will manifest himselfe before men and Angels Then those wayes and workes of God against which the hearts of unsanctified men have boyled shall appeare to be as they are holy and good and righteous to their condemnation and terrour Yet further The particular Judgement that God inflicts upon men in this life may prove the universall The burning of Sodom and Gomorrah the drowning of the old World the plaguing of Egypt and the desolation of Ierusalem These shew the infinite hatred of God against sinne therefore no doubt hee will take a time to revenge himselfe of the impenitent amongst the sonnes of men because of their sinnes Lastly the consciences of men may prove that there shall bee a Judgement For let a man commit secret sinnes thatnone knoweth but God and hee yet many times hee feeleth hellish horrour which is a manifest proofe that conscience seeth and apprehendeth God as the supreame Judge that will call all men to an account for their sinnes Thus you heare the reasons why there must be a Judgement The manner of this Judgement consisteth in these particulars First it shall bee the last judgement after which there shall bee no other which declareth the terriblenesse of it In this life while there is life there is hope Let the wicked forsake his wayes and turne to the Lord hee will be gracious to him But then the sentence shall not be reverst then there can be no appeale from that Judge and judgement Againe it shall bee a Generall Iudgement which is the second thing God judgeth in this world and that both in life and in death Hee judgeth in life by chastising his children for their faults and avenging himselfe upon his enemies Hee judgeth every man at death But then there shall be a Generall Judgement of all 2 Cor. 10. Wee must all appeare before the Iudgement seat of Christ. In the third place It shall be a manifest Iudgement Sometime the Lord judgeth men secretly by raising up in them feares and horrours in their hearts causing his curse in them as water in their bowels and oyle in their bones But then God shall open his wrath against the children of wrath before a world of men and no eye shall pitty them Fourthly it shall bee a sudden judgement Even as the flood came upon the old World when they were sporting themselves and deryding Noah that preached to them of the flood so shall the fire come upon the World that shall passe before the face of Christ when he shall judge the quicke and the dead As a snare saith Christ shall it come upon all that dwell upon the earth When the Fowler layeth a snare to take a Bird hee giveth not warning to the Bird but surprizeth it suddenly so will Christ Jesus surprize the sonnes of men suddenly beyond their expectation The Evangelist saith hee shall come as a theefe in the night A theefe knocks not he giveth not warning so Christ Jesus beyond the thoughts of men will bee on them suddenly before they are aware by his dreadfull Judgement Fifthly it shall be a most righteous judgement Then God as the Apostle faith Rom. 2. will render to every man according to his deedes Hee will not regard the face of any Hee will not bee brybed by wealth or reward Hee will not heare the testimony of the world for the wicked or against the godly but deale impartially and give to every one according to his doings Lastly It shall be an Eternall judgement So saith the Apostle Heb. 6. 2. The meaning is not that God shall sit for ever sifting matters and surveying causes but it is so called from the effect for the conclusion shall be this the Eternall weale and happinesse of the godly and the eternall woe and miserie of the wicked that shall be plunged by the justice of God into the severest torments The Use of this Doctrine First it serveth as a preservative against temptation for so Solomon hath made it in the Text a preservative and bridle to young men God will bring thee to judgement saith he and let me make it so to you When Sathan tempteth you to sinne remember God will call you to Judgement even for those faults for which you may possibly escape the penaltie of men yet notwithstanding it is impossible for you to avoide the righteous Judgement of God If Sathan would have thee doe any thing that the word of God and thy owne conscience sheweth thee to be hatefull and wicked in the sight of God say to him No no God will bring me to Judgement This is the policie of our Adversarie when hee induceth us to evill hee makes sinne sweet and pleasant to us but it should bee our wisedome to make sinne bitter and loathsome even in this meditation God will bring us to Iudgement for the same The Apostle saith Resist the divell and hee will flie from you But how must we resist him not by arguments of our owne making but by arguments of the word of God and amongst other weapons remember to lift up this when Sathan would have thee sinne say No no God will bring mee to judgement When the Divell solicited Eve and circumvented her shee spake in the Serpent to Sathan concerning the Judgement of God Wee may eate saith shee of all the trees of the Garden but not of the tree in the middest of the Garden least wee die here shee brought an argument from the judgement of God but here was her weaknesse shee presently let it fall It should bee otherwise with us when Sathan tempts us let us say we shall die and be condemned for sinne say so and continue in it If any revolt from the truth he professeth he shall die in his sinne If any man disquiet the people of God by vexation or oppression hee shall die in his sinne If any man bee a drunkard or Epicure hee shall die in his sinne If any man be a whoremonger or adulterer hee shall die in his sinne If any man bee a swearer God hath vowed hee will not hold him guiltlesse hee shall die in his sinne If any man be an ignorant person disobeying godlinesse and obeying unrighteousnesse he shall die in his sinne If any man continue in grosse wickednesse in any wickednesse without repentrnce he shall die in his sinne Oh remember this Judgement of God this death that God will inflict on sinners for sinne For the wages of sinne is death and arme your selves with this when Sathan tempteth you if you forget Death and Judgement you are naked and unarmed your spirituall Adversary may hit you on the bare and spoile you as he will The second use is for instruction Will God bring us to Judgement for our sinnes Oh then let us hast to repentance Beloved this is one of the last things that God will doe and this is the greatest thing that Ministers can say
vapours from a malecontented spirit Did they not account these afflictions their Justs and Barriers and Turnaments and exercises of honour and chivalrie at which Angels and Archangels were present with their Euges and approbations God himselfe the chiefe Spectator and rewarder of these exercises they themselves tryumphing and boasting in their tryalls with the impresse of the Apostle on their shields of faith Wee are perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus They were more Eagle-eyed by the strength of grace to pry into the nothingnesse of the creature then all the Philosophers by the strength of nature they did mortifie and crucifie and keepe under the body with the lusts thereof and more truly detest the corruption of the outward man then any Platonist whatsoever but were these the grounds the rise of this celestiall affection nothing lesse to see God to enjoy God to dwell with him to converse with him to be bee dissolved to be with Christ these transported their affections not the emptinesse of the things below but fulnesse of things above not the basenesse of earthly things but the glorie of celestiall things not the miseries of this life or of this crazie vessell but the happinesse of the life to come they had but a glimpse of this strange light darted into their soules and the whole world was darknesse unto it they had a gust of sweetnesse cast into the palate of their soules and all things else were bitter and unsavorie Christ was placed in the summitie and height of their soules and the desire of the full fruition of him caused that fainting that earnest longing in their spirits You will say if this be so what will become of the greatest part of Christians who are afraid to die who are so farre from groaning to depose this Tabernacle that they groane at the least intimation of dissolution It is true that all men receive not this saying neither is it for every one to attaine to this perfection As there are two sorts of faith so there are two forts of Christians there is a strong faith and a weake faith and there are strong Christians and there are weake Christians the strong Christian is willing to dye and patient to live the weake Christian is willing to live and patient to dye hee goes when God calls but he could wish that God would deferre his calling hee hath good hopes of heaven but he desires a little more to enjoy the earth he loves God more then all yet his affections are not fully taken off from all hee is not perplexed with the feares of Hell yet hee is not ravished with the joyes of Heaven hee hath much strength but knowes it not as many a Spectator of a prize is better able to performe it then he that undertakes it but either through faintnesse of heart or ignorance of his owne strength dare not put it to the hazard but had rather commend another mans valour then trye his owne whereas a strong Christian a man growne in Christ sends a challenge to this Gyant Death singles him out as a fit object of his valour grapples with him not as with his match but as his underling insulteth over him setteth his foot on the necke of this King of terrours and by conquering him captivates with great facilitie all other pettie feares of ignominie povertie and the like which therefore are dreadfull because they tend to Death the last the worst the end the summe of all feared evills this is the unconquerable crowne of Faith this is the glory of a Christian this is the Diadem of honour wreathed about his Temples advancing him above all other men whatsoever But you will say may a man desire death Is this now a question what meanes the agony of the Apostle I desire to bee dissolved and to bee with Christ. What meanes the earnest longing of the Spouse Apoca. 22. The Spirit saith come and the Bride saith come and let him that heares say come What meanes her fainting in the Canticles I am sicke of love let him bring mee into his chamber Let mee see his face I am sicke unto death Let mee dye lest I dye that I may see him for ever What meanes the character of a true Christian As many as love the appearance of the Lord which cannot be without death What meanes the incredible contempt of death in ancient Christians insomuch that it was a received Maxime with the Heathen Omnis Christianus est contemptor mortis What meanes the heroicall encouragement of old Hilarion Egredere anima egredere quid times Goe out my soule goe out why tremblest thou What meanes the words of old Simion in the flames Thus to die is to live What meanes the rapture of Saint Chrysostome that hee would thanke that man that would kill him as transmitting him more speedily to those unconceivable Joyes What meanes this groaning and thirsting in my Text Doe not these demonstrate that it is lawfull to desire death Not simply in it selfe or for it selfe it is the separation of those two whom God hath coupled it is a cessation of being it is an evill of punishment the daughter of sinne to desire it simply were to desire evill which is abhorrent to nature much lesse ought wee to hasten our death by violent meanes Let their memories bee buried in perpeturall silence as the botches and ulcers of Christianitie who out of impatience have perpetrated this heinous sinne a sinne against God and man against nature against grace against the Church against the common-wealth against all things The Heathen man could say that we are the possession of God to be disposed of by him not by our selves the body is the structure of God the worke of his hands the Tabernacle which hee hath made and not to be removed or to bee taken downe but by his command while we live we may advance the glory of God the good of others wee may impeople heaven make up the ruines of Angels to hasten our death were to envie this glory to God this good to others In that distraction of our Apostle betweene two good things his owne glory and the good of others you know which way the scales inclined to the good of others as if he had said Let my glory be deferred so Gods glory be increased let my joy be increased let my joy be suspended so the joy of Angels and of the Court of heaven be intended by the conversion of sinners Nay more this is a small thing Let me be an Athema so Israel be blessed let me be blotted out of the booke of life so thousands bee inserted let the bowels of Christ be streightened to me so they bee enlarged to others this is life indeed this is the end of our life this will comfort
23. For the wages of sinne is death but the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. THe latter part of this Chapter from the 12. Verse to the end is spent in a grave and powerfull dehortation of the faithfull from securitie in sinne against which the Apostle useth sundry arguments That which he presseth most is drawne from the severall ends to which sinne and righteousnesse doth leade men The end of sinne is death vers 21. therefore that is not to bee served The end of of righteousnesse is life everlasting vers 22. therefore that is to be imbraced Because there is now difference in the manner of the proceeding of these two ends death comming from sinne as from the meritorious cause but life from righteousnesse another manner of way therefore the Apostle addes this epiloge and conclusion in the last verse plainely shewing and more clearely expressing the manner of them both for the wages saith hee of sinne is death but the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. In which words we have a description of a twofold service Of sinne in the former clause And of God or righteousnesse in the latter And how both these are rewarded The one with death it payes us well And the other with life which is bestowed by the free gift of God through Christ. These are the two parts the two generall points that we are to consider First the wages of sinne is death saith the Apostle Of sinne That is of the depravation and corruption of our nature and so consequently of every sinne that being not onely it selfe sinne but the matter and mother of all sinne when sinne hath conceived it bringeth forth death when sinne is put forth whereby he signifieth the generall depravation and corruption of our nature from whence all sinne flowes So it is here The wages The word in the originall signifieth properly victualls because victualls was that that the Roman Emperours gave their souldiers as wages in recompence of their service but thence the word extends to signifie any other wages or Salary whatsoever The wages of sinne is death by death here is signified and meant both temporall and eternall death especially eternall death for it is opposed to eternall life in the next clause of the sentence therefore that is that that is principally meant The wages of sinne is death that is eternall death This for the exposition of the tearmes The point to bee observed from this first part of the Text is this that Death is as due to sinne as wages to one that earnes it To such a one wages is due in strict justice if a man have a hyred servant he may bestow a free gift on him if he will if he will not he may choose but his stypend or his wages he must pay him unlesse he will be unjust for it is the price of his worke and so is due to him that he cannot without injustice withhold it After such a manner is death due to sinne the very demerrite of the worke of sinne requires it as being earned God is as just in inflicting death upon sinners for their sinnes as any man is in paying his labourer or hired servant their wages for this is the generall plaine scope of the Apostles words here So in the beginning God appointed Gen. 2. 17. where hee told Adam concerning the forbidden fruite in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death As if hee should have sayd when thou sinnest death must be thy wages The same is repeated Ezek. 18. 20. where it is sayd The soule that sinneth shall die expressing the wages of sinne it is death that is the recompence of sinne if sinne have his due then death must follow So the Apostle had shewed before in this Epistle Rom. 5. 12. that by one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne so death went over all men for as much as all men had sinned All had sinned therefore all are payed with death And Saint Iames shewes the consequence and connexion betweene these two the worke and the wages he tells us Iam. 1. 15 that when sinne hath conceived it bringeth forth death All these places are evidences that death by Gods ordinance by his appointment is the due of sinne as due to it even as wages is to a hyred servant or one that hath earned it What death is it that is due to sinne Both temporall and eternall death I say both deaths concerning both which the truth is to be cleared from some doubts It was the Pelagians errour to thinke that man should have dyed a naturall death though he had never sinned so they thought that the naturall temporall bodily death was not the wages of sinne Contrary to the Apostle in the placâ—… I spake of Rom. 5. where hee makes that death that goes over all men which must needes bee naturall death to enter by sinne sinne brought in death no sinne no death at all But it may be objected when God told Adam in the day that he eate the forbidden fruite he should die the death he meant not temporall death there as the event shewes for such a death was not inflicted upon Adam in the day that hee sinned for after he sinned he lived still in the world naturally hee continued living many yeares after I answer notwithstanding all this Adam may bee sayd to die a naturall death as soone as he sinned because by the guilt of his sinne he then presently became subject to it and God straight way denounced upon him the sentence of death therefore it may bee sayd he straite way dyed As a condemned person is called a dead man though he be respited for a time Besides the Messengers and Sergeants of death presently tooke hold of him and arrested him for sinne as hunger and thirst and cold and diseases daily wasting of the naturall moysture to the quenching of life Indeede God suffered him that the sentence was not presently executed so to commend his owne patience and to give to Adam occasion of salvation the promise of Christ being after made and he called to repentance by that meanes to attaine a better life by Christ then he lost by sinne It is objected againe Christ redeemed us from all sinne and all the punishment thereof but he did not redeeme us from bodily death from temporall death for the faithfull wee see dye still even as others doe therefore it is concluded by some that temporall death is not the wages of sinne for then when wee were free from sinne by Christ wee should bee freed from that Our answer to this is that Christ hath freede all his elect not onely from eternall but even from temporall death though not from both in the same manner From temporall death first in hope of which the Apostle speaking 1 Cor. 15. saith The last enemy that shall be
destroyed is death meaning temporall death at last then it shall be destroyed mortall shall put on immortality as the Apostle speakes but in the meane time it is destroyed in hope though it remaine indeede and must be undergone even of the faithfull in this life How be it to them Christ hath changed the nature of it and now they no longer undergoe it as the wages of sinne but for other causes As first the exercise of their graces their faith and hope and patience and the rest all these are exercised as in other afflictions so even in the death of Gods Children Secondly the totall remoovall and riddance of the reliques of sinne from which they are not freed in this life but when they die then all sinne is taken away for as at the first sinne brought death into the world so to the faithfull now death carries it out againe Thirdly their entrance into heaven and to bee at home with the Lord from whom wee are absent as long as wee are at home in these bodies Fourthly to prepare their bodies for renewing at the last day that is done by death for as a decayed Image or statue must first be broken that it may be new cast so these bodies of ours must bee broken by death that they may be cast into a new mold of immortalitie at the generall resurrection But here as some sinne remaines so death remaines though wee be in Christ yet wee are still in that estate wherein it is appointed to all men once to dye Thus even temporall death is left to the Children of God to bee undergone before they come to heaven It is left to them I say and that justly in respect of the remnants of sinne yet they undergoe it no other way but for their owne good and benefit How ever temporall death in its owne nature to an unbeleever is the wages of sinne And as temporall so eternall death for when God told man that in the day hee sinned he should die the death he meant not onely temporall but eternall death he meant that principally as I shewed before in that the Apostle opposeth it to eternall life in the next clause of the sentence Now Christ hath freede all beleevers actually from eternall death But how eternall death should be the wages of sinne may be doubted because betweene the worke and the the wages there must be some proportion that seemes not to bee betweene sinne and eternall death for sinne is a finite a temporall thing committed in a short time and that death is eternall Now to punish a temporall fault with an eternall punishment it seemes that it is to make the punishment to exceed the fault and that is against justice But for answer to this doubt wee must know that however sinne considered in the act and as it is a transcient action it is finite yet in other respects it is infinite and that in a threefold consideration First in respect of the object against whom it is committed for being the offence of an infinite Majestie it deserves an infinite punishment for wee know offences are reckoned of for their greatnesse according as the greatnesse of the person is against whom they are committed If hee that clippes the Kings coyne or deface the Kings Armes or counterfeit the broad Seale of England or the Princes privie Seale ought to die as a traytor because this disgrace tends to the person of the Prince much more ought he that violates the law of God die the first and second death too because it tends to the defacing of the Image and the disgracing of the person of God himselfe who is contemned and dishonoured in every sinne Secondly sinne is infinite in respect of the subject wherein it is the soule of man Seeing the soule is immortall and of an everlasting substance and that the guilt of sinne and the blot together staine the soule as a crimson and skarlet die upon wooll and can no more be severed from the soule then the spottes from the Leopard it remaines as the soule is eternall and as that is everlasting so sinne is infinite in durance and continuance and deserves an infinite wages and punishment which is eternall death Thirdly it is infinite also in respect of the tie betweene the desire and indeavour of an impenitent sinner for his desire is to walke on still in sinne and except God cut off the line of life never to give over sinning but he would runne on infinitely committing sinne even with greedinesse And it is reason that as God accepts the will for the deed in godlinesse so hee should punish the will for the deed in wickednesse if wee sinne according to our eternitie in our will and purpose to sinne God will punish us according to his eternitie it is just that they that would never bee without sinne if they might have their owne will should never be without punishment Thus we see eternall death is the wages of sinne though sinne be committed in a moment though it bee a transcient action in it selfe yet it is just with God to give it the wages of eternall death So you see Death both temporall and eternall is the wages of sinne Wee come to the Use of the point being thus declared First it teacheth us contrarie to the Doctrine of the Church of Romeâ—… that originall lust and concupiscence in the regenerate is a sinne for how else should God be just in inflicting temporall death upon infants that are regenerate actuall sinnes they have none and iâ—… they have no originall sin neither then God should inflict the wages of sinne where there were no sinne which cannot be because there is no iniquitie with God Therefore certaine it is that after regeneration this originall lust though the guilt of it be taken away yet as sinne it remaines the substance of it still remaines and will as long as we live in this world For it is in us as it is well compared as the I vie is in the wall which having taken root so twines and incorporates it selfe that it can never bee quite rooted out till the wall be taken down so till body and soule be taken asunder by death there will be no totall riddance of Originall corruption and the depravation of our nature it is still in us as appeares by the temporall death even of the best Saints of those that are most sanctified in this life it shewes there is remainders of corruption in them still for if there were not sinne there would not be the wages of sinne there would not be death if there were not sinne Secondly the Use of it is to take away a fond Popish distinction of mortall and veniall sinne they teach some sins to be veniall that is such sins as in their owne nature deserve not death whereas the Apostle here speaking of all sinne in generall hee saith the wages thereof is death
there yet remaine divers such heads noted by her with her owne hand signes of Grace signes of the truth of it of the growth of it of the effects of it meanes to grow in grace c. An excellent course Thus she shewed pietie in reading of the word of God the like shee did in prayer hearing others performe that dutie in her Familie but specially when shee was both husband and wife both master and mistris Death making a division betweene her deare Husband and her selfe shee used to pray her selfe and those that heard her and have given testimonie thereof admired her gifts that way Frequent she was as appeared in her often retyring her selfe to her Closet in her constant and secret devotion yea also shee tooke occasion of much fasting specially when shee heard of the troubles of the Church The cause of the Church much affected her either in matter of rejoycing or griefe shee continued it till her dying day and still her heart was upon the peace of the Church praying for it As thus she exercised her selfe in this holy manner so shee did likewise wonderfully respect those that were the Ministers of God Amongst many others I have heard long agoe that worthy Minister before mentioned from whom I have received most of what I have now related speake much of her and of her worthy Husband in this respect The feet of those that brought the glad tydings of salvation were beautifull to her And as shee was carefull to testifie her respect to them so shee her selfe gained no little recompence thereby for shee was still asking them questions still desiring to have such and such doubts resolved by them As thus her pietie was manifested so likewise was her Charitie constantly every weeke giving reliefe to the Poore ready upon all occasions that she was moved to to open her hands and to open them wide and that againe and againe not wearied in doing good Sober and grave she was in her cariage and attyre and therein a good example to the younger sort And thus shee continued even to her dying day full of sweet meditations upon her death-bed my selfe partaked of some of them Being asked what evidences she had for her salvation she answered good whether she doubted not shee replyed no though shee were of a tender conscience yet she had laid such a foundation as her faith remained firme Shee sweetly ended her dayes with prayers of her owne with desire of the prayers of Ministers still as they came to her for as she hearkened to and desired the benefit of their counsell when she lived so she desired the comfort of their prayers now in her death thus I say with a sound testimonie of her faith and of her good estate she ended her dayes and we may be assured that she is in the Number of those that are Co-heires of the grace of life I remember the Philosophers make mention of a word which containes in it a kind of collection or combination of all in one I may say of her that the graces and vertues and ornaments of others seemed to be gathered together and to meet in her And so her pietie toward God resembleth her to the two pious Hanna's the one the Mother of Samuel the other the Daughter of Phanuel Her charitie resembleth her to Dorcas Her love to the Ministers of God to the Shunamite that provided a Chamber a Table and a Candlesticke for Elisha In her relation to her Husband she shewed her selfe a true Daughter of Saraah In her relation to her children which she had a Bathsheba and Eunice To others a Priscilla the Wife of Aquila ready to instruct as occasion was offered And so my brethren she hath shewed her selfe a follower of those that through faith and patience inherit the Promise It remaineth to us to set such examples before us and to bee followers of them as they have beene followers of others and as others have beene followers of Christ that so walking in their steps wee may also bee in the number of such as have the comfort of this Text to be Co-heires of the grace of life which that you may doe c. FINIS PEACE IN DEATH OR THE QUIET END OF THE RIGHTEOVS PSAL. 37. 37. Marke the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace NUMB. 23. 10. Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. PEACE IN DEATH OR THE QVIET END OF THE RIGHTEOVS SERMON XXXIV LUKE 2. 29. Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy Word IN the Text it selfe to let passe other things you have First a Request and secondly a Reason upon which the Request is grounded Of each of these in order and first of the first The Request The summe whereof is That he may die Where is considerable First the disposition of the servants of God in respect of death viz. 1. A desire and longing after it 2. A care to be alwayes ready for it Secondly the warrant or guide of that desire according to thy Word Thirdly the nature and qualitie of the death of the Righteous adeâ—…e in peace Of each of these apart The point that ariseth from the first branch of the first geneâ—…all part viz. the desire and longing of the Saints for their day of death is this that The servants of God have in them a contented comfortable and willing expectation of death The rise of this Observation is obvious enough one spirit workes in all Gods servants and brings forth like effects though not alwayes in the same measure that therefore which is true in Simeon which the very first view of the words import that the comming of Death was expected and desired by him is in some degree verefied sooner or later in all that are the Lords Hereunto agrees that of Saint Paul I desire saith hee to bee dissolved c. And hee averres the same of all true beleevers viz. that they groane earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with their house which is from Heaven and that they are willing rather to bee absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. The foundation of this desire is the knowledge and right understanding of the truth of that speech of Solomon to wit that the day of death is better then the day of a mans birth They have learned to know that the day of death to Gods servants is the day of freedome from all miseries and of entrance into eternall happinesse The miseries of this life which even the best are subject unto are many Losse of goods losse of credit losse of friends aches paines diseases fevers consumptions c. bondage under originall corruption and the fruits thereof as unbeliefe pride of heart ignorance covetousnesse distrustfulnesse hatred lust c. the buffetings and temptations of Sathan societie with the wicked all these miseries even
assurance that the sting of Death is plucked out that Gods wrath is appeased that sinne is pardoned that Heaven gate is opened whence shall wee fetch these but from the Scripture the directions for a holy life which is the best preparation for Death where shall we find them but in the Scripture Here then we see is a Caveat to all that have no will nor desire to be acquainted with the Scripture Divers thinke they should have done well enough though wee had no such Booke as we call the word of God To bee a Scripture-man is a by-word a reproach a matter of disgrace and sooner will men listen to some idle Pamphlet then to a matter of Scripture Well beguile not your soules with these vaine conceipts with your Popish and carnall imaginations I say and testifie from this place that that man or woman which careth not to be taught out of Gods booke cannot die like a Christian Who can teach thee the way to dye well but God And where doth God teach but in the Scripture If our thoughts of Death if our provision and preparation for Death be not warranted and guided by Gods word it is all in vaine Lord saith Simeon my desire of dissolution is according to thy Word my care to be prepared hath beene ordered by thy Word hee cannot die with comfort that cannot make the like profession And this may serve for the next generall part the the ground of this desire and preparation for Death it is Gods word Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart according to thy Word The third and last part followes the nature and qualitie of the death of the Righteous A departure in peace or a peaceable dismission Here are two things first a dismission secondly a dismission accompanied with peace The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated Let thy servant depart may well be Englished thus Let thy servant loose Lord free mee enlarge mee set mee at libertie Hence wee learne that The servants of God doe by Death receive a finall discharge from all manner of miserie This is evident out of the force of the phrase here used Simeon knew that so long as hee lived his soule was as it were imprisoned in his body and in it hee was held in bondage under the remnants of Originall corruption subject to the assaults and temptations of Satan in continuall and daily possibilitie to trespasse and sinne against God beside other afflictions and grievances in the body and estate but hee had withall this knowledge and understanding of the nature of Death that it was an enlargement to the soule and a freeing of it utterly and finally from all those and the like incumbrances The same may be gathered from the phrase used by Saint Paul I desire saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bee dissolved and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read the time of my departure the words shew that there comes a liberty by death to the soules of Gods servants The phrase that Saint Peter useth is worthy our observation for this purpose First hee tearmes death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the laying downe of a burden and by that meanes the soule is lightned and eased Secondly he tearmes it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a going out from a place and condition of hardship The second booke of Moses which relates the departure of the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage hath the same name Exodus As for the point it selfe namely that the death of the Righteous is to them a discharge from all miserie the Scripture beares witnesse to it Blessed said he are the dead which die in the Lord even so saith the spirit that they may rest from their labours As long as they live here they are diversly troubled when they die their labours are at an end and they are received into rest Saint Iohn tells us that in his vision he saw the soules of them that were slaine lye under the Altar Now the Altar in the time of the Law was a place of refuge and safetie and thence it appeares that by death the servants of God are eft-soones received into a place of holy securitie where there is no expectation of any further miserie They are said to be received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into Abrahams bosome into the fellowship of the same happinesse with Abraham the Father of all true beleevers The Doctrine in the first place makes against those of the Church of Rome which maintaine a place of torment even for the servants of God after this life where they must bee tryed for a time before they can enter into Rest and happinesse This place they terme Purgatorie the torment here they hold to bee unspeakable and farre surpassing any torment which the wit of man is able to devise But this place among others is sufficient to overthrow this dotage for how were death to the Righteous a dismission a loosing a freedome from miserie if there followed after it a torment of farre greater extremitie then at any time before was ever tasted of So that the death of the servants of God being as I have proved it to bee an enlargement from misery certainly the soule is not bound in any new Prison whence it must expect and await and pray for a second dismission In the next place this Doctrine makes much for the comfort of Gods servants the face of Death to the wicked is very dreadfull the day of it is to them the beginning of sorrowes their soules are instantly arrested by the damned spirits and kept in everlasting chaines of darknesse but to those that are the servants of God it is otherwise I may by way of allusion to the phrase of my Text compare their day unto that which happened unto Ioseph in which hee was brought out of prison to bee Ruler over all the land of Egypt So is their death unto them a day of Bailement out of prison a day in which all teares shall be wiped away In which they shall have beauty for ashes and the oyle of gladnesse for the spirit of heavinesse and the long white robes of Christs Righteousnesse by which they shall be presented blamelesse unto God That day shall be to them even as was the day of escape to the Jewes a feast and a good day in which they shall see God as hee is and know him as they are knowne of him But hapily thou maist say how shall I know that the day of Death is the day of dissolution and this kind of dismission A very necessary quaere indeed this is for every man almost is ready to challenge to himselfe a part of this happinesse and it is a matter presumed upon by many which shall never enjoy it I will therefore give you one certaine marke by which wee may know assuredly that the day of our death shall be to us a day of enlargement and of finall discharge
there remains not now any sinne to cleave to the conscience to defile it to cleave to the conscience so as a ruling enemie would doe that would take away all true and perfect peace all boldnesse and accesse to the throne of Grace there is no such conscience of sinne This making conscience of every sinne is that that frees conscience from being defiled in that sence with any sinne So much for the first Well secondly it is expressed by death and life to shew the orderlinesse in the proceeding of this change When a man is changed by the effecacie and working of Christ to whom hee is united it proceeds in such a manner as the change in death or life You know death or life begin within first it begins in the inward man in the heart first And as in naturall death or naturall life there is a dying first of the root and a quickning first at the root So likewise in spirituall death or life it is an orderly proceeding it begins first within Our Saviour Christ gives this direction First make the inside cleane and then all will bee cleane against the hypocrisie of the Scribes and Pharisees that looked more to outward actions So this change it is not onely a meere civilizing of a man a conforming of him to that societie hee converseth with in outward actions but renewing of a man in the spirit of his minde Rom. 12. 2. So the change begins from within Hence it is that first hee is good and then hee doth good according to the speech of Christ make the tree good and then the fruit will bee good we will not stand upon it you see the Analogie and agreement holds betweene these two in generall Now we come to take them apart more specially First how this being dead to sinne agrees with that change that is in a man that is in Christ from sinne Reckon this sayth the Apostle make account of this that you are dead to sinne that is now there is such a change and turning from your evill courses from whatsoever it is that is truly and properly called sinne in Scripture you are changed from it Now in whatsoever sence a man may be said to bee dead in that sence a man in Christ is changed from sinne there is somewhat in his change expressing that death Now there is a threefold death A Civill Judiciall Naturall Death We begin with the judiciall first as Gods great Worke begins in the judgement There is a judiciall death so one that is alive now in respect of naturall life may yet bee sayd to bee judicially dead when hee is dead in sentence when by the Judge he is condemned to death when hee is adjudged to die So reckon yee your selves dead to sinne make account of this that now in your judgement there is a sentence passed out against sinne that it shall bee slaine that it shall bee mortified thus your judgement stands and thus you lookeupon it as a thing dead in sentence and that is the first It is that in Ezek. 36. 31. saith the Lord When I shall bee pacified to thee this shall follow upon it thou shalt judge thy selfe worthy to bee destroyed for all thine iniquities and abhominations When God is reconciled to a man which is as much as to say when a man is in Christ for by Christ we are reconciled to God this followes upon it that man comes now to judge sinne to bee a deadly thing to judge sinne to bee dead and to judge himselfe worthy to bee destroyed for it Hee lookes on sinne as it should be looked upon his opinion is right concerning it hee accounts it an iniquitie a thing against that rectitude against that equitie and righteousnes wherewith man was once indowed in the Creation and from which so farre as hee swerves so farre hee is plunged into death As you know that curse was denounced against man when he sinned he should die so hee cannot looke upon iniquitie upon that that is contrary to that righteousnesse wherein hee was made but hee lookes upon it as on death it selfe and a deadly thing hee lookes upon it as upon an abhomination That looke as persons that sinned capitally were an abhomination to the Land and people among whom they sinned as the Scripture speakes of murtherers and the like the land was defiled if the sentence of death were not executed so it is here in the opinion and judgement of a man that is in Christ he accounts this the greatest defilement that his soule remaines so farre polluted and defiled as there is any life left in sinne That is the first thing reckon this then that sinne is dead imediatly that is that you now come to passe as Judges do a sentence of death against sin and that howsoever a Malefactour bee not naturally dead when he is judicially dead yet hee is in an order to it the next thing that followes will bee to be cut off So it is with sinne when a man comes to judge himselfe for his iniquitie worthy to be destroyed for his abhominations this is the next thing that followes hee will not rest till that bee slaine and subdued till that Mallefactour bee condemned to death and cut off and tooke out of the way Here is the first thing herein this change is like death Secondly there is a civill death too so one that lives naturally may bee dead civilly so one that is under the subjection and power of another such a one is dead civilly The civill Law accounts any one that is under subjection to bee Civiliter mortuus as they speake that is he is in that sence not accounted among living men hee is one dead because hee is not annimated and acted by his owne will but by the will of him that rules him so reckon yee your selves dead saith the Apostle Make account that when you are in Christ sinne is no more to be ruler and commander to act and animate and quicken you to obey its lusts that you should beacted and animated by it that as soone as sinne tempts you should obey presently make account in this sence you are dead to sinne that is sinne is dead in you civilly it hath not a ruling power it comes not now as one that hath power to sway all before it that is it the Apostle saith in this Chapter sinne shall not have dominion You have a new Master a new Lord you are no more under the rule and dominion of sinne that is the second Thirdly there is a naturall death as well as a judiciall and civill death so things are said to be dead naturally two wayes Imperfectly Inchoate Perfectly Consummate Naturall death imperfect and but begun is this as when there is a great blow given with an axe to the roote of a tree whereupon certainly it will wither and die and bee made altogether unfruitfull for the time to come though for the present it
all the actions of men it were an endlesse worke where wee finde dead workes wee conclude there is a dead man when men doe the things that are the actions of a man spiritually dead we conclude they are spiritually dead the Holy Ghost sayth so for they are dead in trespasses and sinnes therefore now let us come a little closer There are abundance that perswade themselves that they are alive therefore a little try your life by your death to sinne What are your opinions and judgements concerning your owne wayes those things that the Word of God condemnes for evill those things that out of the Word are preached to you day lie by way of reproofe of sinne that are spoken to you by Christian friends by way of admonition to bring you out of your sinnes how doe you take them and digest them are they pleasing to you because they tend to the killing of sinne or are they distastefull because they give you not rest in your sinnes What doe you judge sinne worthy to live and your selves not dead the while It is a note of a man that is alive in sin that hates reproofe that hates him that reproveth in the gate hee that hates him that reproves his ill workes hee is not dead to sinne for hee doth not judge his sinne worthy to die Againe come to your affections what is it you delight in When a man lookes upon a thing that is dead if it be indeed dead the sight of it is terrible and gastly and troublesome to him When Sara was dead though Abraham loved her deare in her life remove my dead out of my sight If sinne in thee bee as a dead thing how doest thou looke upon it dost thou looke upon it as a thing that thou art afraid of as a thing that thou art the worse when thou seest it When the objects and occasions of sinne are presented to you how stand you affected then all that are dead in sin take thought to fulfill the lusts of the flesh as the Apostle sayth they delight in it sinne is sweet to them as Iob sayth but if on the otherside you looke on it with indignation loathing and detesting and abhorring sinne and your selves for sinne then it is a comfortable signe of your death to sinne Againe when you doe looke on it doe you looke upon it as a ruler or as an enemie for there is a great deale of difference A theife may come into the house as well as the Master of the house but they come not with the like authoritie nor with the like acceptance the theife comes but you know all the house sets against him and never rest till they cast him out and if they want strength they cry for helpe but the Master of the house comes in and then all the servants are in their places to doe him service all take care to please him and give him content How entertaine you the motions of sinne looke upon your former wayes upon your former customes and vanities looke upon your wonted course of ill and consider now whether there bee an endeavour to satisfie the sinfull inclination of your hearts or is there a striving and using all meanes to be rid of it Do you make this your question to the Ministers you converse with to the Christian friends with whom you consult in this case how to be rid of such a corruption how to get such a sinne purged out Is this the matter of your prayer to God doe you crie to Heaven for helpe to get out this theife that is stollen into your hearts this traytour that conspires against the glorie of God this rebell that maintaines a fight against the kingdome of Christ doe you so looke on it It is a signe you are dead to sinne or else sinne is alive in you and you are dead in sinne Thirdly and lastly consider your actions consider your conversation doth sinne get strength or is it weakened For know that this is not the mortification of sinne that a man be never troubled with it more that hee never heare more of it that hee be never more troubled with the motions of sinne no As a man that hath a deadly wound given him it may bee hee more fiercely sets on him that gave him the deadly blow then ever before yet he falls dead at his feet after so it is with the motions of sinne thinke not when sin is dead by vertue of our union with Christ that we shall not bee tempted any more to sinne that you shall not have sinne any more in you no it will bee in you and molest you But what fruit doe you bring forth What actions doe you what strength hath sinne all the strife it hath is but to disquiet and disturbe you not to rule and command you as it was wont to doe It is a signe that sinne is dead naturally by way of incoation it will die in the end you shall heare no more of it at the last and though it a great while disturbe you and disquiet you yet this is your comfort you are disturbed and you maintaine Gods quarrell against your corruptions and fight against it it is a signe it hath a deadly blow Therefore let every one consider his estate let no man denie himselfe his owne portion let him that is dead in sinne know that hee is dead and the wretchednesse of that condition eternall death begins in that death And let him that is dead to sinne know that hee is alive to God and is among those that live in Christ and shall be saved A word of exhortation and so I conclude Doth this testifie our life in Christ that wee are dead to sinne Then as you hope for any comfort or privilege or advantage by Christ labour to make this good to your soules and labour to secure this evidence more and more that you are dead to sinne There are none that heares mee this day but they professe they hope to bee saved by Christ and they looke for no other name under Heaven to bee saved by but the name of Jesus It is certain but who will Christ save they are such as whom hee sanctifies and will hee sanctifie such as by union with him are dead to sinne and alive to God Then I beseech you make this good to your selves strive more and more to kill sinne take this as a quickning argument that you are in Christ and therefore you must bee conformable to Christ. Sayth the Apostle Hee bore our sinnes in his bodie on the Tree 1 Pet. 2. 24. that wee might be dead to sinne and live to righteousnesse Why did Christ beare your sinnes in his bodie upon the Tree but for this very end that as hee dyed for sinne you might dye to sinne Now that wee may perswade you know that it is upon speciall ground you lose nothing but get much by it the more you dye to sin the lesse you lose by it First you
that he is very ready and greedy of death it is the way to that I hope for saith he therefore it is sweetly spoken of an Ancient and you will acknowledge it to be a sweet sentence of that Father Saint Austin Hee that desireth to bee dissolved according to that of the Apostle and to bee with Christ Non patienter moritur Hee doth not die patiently See here is a faithfull a hopefull man and yet doth not die patiently what would the Father say Hee liveth saith he patiently the very life he liveth putteth him to his patience when he commeth to die hee dieth pleasantly he goeth away with his hope and his hope is full of immortalitie And no more for that point The nex thing I observe is concerning the Object of this hope and this is it that Christ is the Object of the Christians hope We have hope in Christ. Heare it in the generall heare it in the speciall In the generall 1 Tim. 1. 1. Saint Paul he beginneth his Epistle with Christ our hope Col. 1. 27. The riches of the mysterie of Gods grace to the Gentiles is Christ in you the hope of glory Here is Christ our hope and Christ your hope in the generall In the speciall heare it in Saint Paul heare it in the Prophets and others Saint Paul to mee to live is Christ to die is gaine Christ is to me in life and Death advantage living or dying I am Christs I have hoped in the Lord saith the Prophet David And God is my hope and hath beene my helpe even from my youth This is the generall song of the whole Church God is our hope and therefore the Prophet Iacob made an excellent Ejaculation in those blessings he gave his sonnes when he said Oh Lord I have waited for thy salvation Here was his waiting his hope for the salvation of God from the God of his salvation And so let him slay me if hee will saith holy Iob yet notwithstanding I will still trust in him Thus the faithfull have hope and their hope is in Christ. No more of it for the enlargement of it It sheweth to us in the first place this Note that A Christians wings doe mount him above all meanes What are his wings his hope Whether flyeth his hope It takes its flight up to heaven to God to the right hand of God to Christ there is his hope So then he that hath this hope being poore he flyeth not to riches for they make themselves wings and flye away from him Being weake hee flyeth not to the arme of flesh for in man there is no hope nor no confidence to bee put in Prinâ—…s in the Ballance they are lighter then vanitie it selfe sayth the Psalmist Being sicke hee flieth not to the Physitian he fleeth to these as the meanes not to rest in them to make it the maine of his aime the scope of his hope hee doth not flie thus to them but hee goeth to God that commandeth all that worketh above all against all and without all means and sanctifieth all these means Therfore wel sayth the poore man God is my help and the sick man God is my health and the weak man God is my strength and the blinde man Christis my light and even the dead man the distrest man God is my life the good man Christ is my Hope and the happie man Christ is my love And so it is to Christ that the wings of a mans Hope doth lift him up This is the first It sheweth us that the wings of Hope that is in the faithfull soule lifteth him up above all meanes No more of that Secondly observe in this object the very Crowne of a Christians comfort I say the Crowne of all his comfort and that commeth onely from this object of his hope For what is there in all the World that can comfort a man indeed besides this much lesse compared with this Begin where you will when you have gone round about you will conclude with that of the Apostle I count all things but losse and dung in comparison of Christ and all things to bee vanitie and vexation of spirit as the Preacher saith Put the case thou art a sicke man or a sicke woman and I finde thee much affected afflicted dejected cast downe in thy selfe I would faine give thee some comfort now I tell thee of the vanitie of this present life therfore being content I tell thee of the hope of a better life I tell thee of the joyes that are to be revealed I tell thee of the promises of God which hee will make good to thee if thou wilt trust in his mercie I tell thee of all the sure mercies of David as they are called and all this while I have told thee nothing at all to comfort thee till I come to this the object of this Hope which I have in hand and that is Jesus Christ in whom all Gods promises are Yea and Amen and till thou canst learne this lesson of life concerning the Lord Jesus thou hast learned nothing come and learn this and my life for thine thou art then happy He is the Way the Truth and the Life the Way and Truth and Life it selfe and whether shall I goe from thee Lord thou hast the words of eternall life I have done with that Point and so passe on to the third Wee have Hope wee have Hope in Christ wee have Hope in Christ in this life This life-time then is our hope-time that is it you learne hence Here we have the feed of Hope but the harvest of Hope that is hereafter when wee shall have in re what now we have in spe as ordinarily wee speake when wee shall have in possession what now wee haue in expectation then there will bee no more use of this Grace there hope shall cease Now it is indeed in this life time that wee sow the seedes of Prayer that wee plant the roots of Faith that wee water all of them with our hope when our joy shall spring up when the end and fruit of our faith shall come when the possession of our hope shall appeare then we have done with hope hope serveth no longer then therefore it is now in this life Hope shall end for the action of it understand that aright as Faith shall but it shall never end for the object of it that end shall last still and rest ever Now then in the interim this is the Prophets and this is the Princes and this is the Peoples posse I wayte and I wayte too and I trust the Lord over all Now is your posse time as I may call it now is the seed time wherein we sow the seeds of love of joy of hope wherein we sow the seeds of sobrietie and innocencie and chastitie and charitie and all manner of vertues whatsoever now is the time Is this so then here is the
Mother But consider the World as it is in it selfe and there is nothing in it but true bitternesse and false sweetnes certaine paine and uncertaine pleasure tedious labour and timerous rest nothing in the World but vanitie and miserie for saith Saint Iohn Love not the World hee that makes himselfe the friend of God makes himselfe an enemie to the World O you lovers of the World sayth Saint Austin I wonder at you O foolish men who hath bewitched you for what wrestle you why doe you strive and contend so much what thing is their in the World that is worthie your labour there is sayth hee nothing in the World but that which is foolish and frothie and frayle and false and vaine and full of danger full of disaster suffer your selves therefore to bee weaned from the World And yet notwithstanding all that wee can say wee know there are some persons that will not bee taken off from the Worlds breasts they have a better opinion of it then so Let such enjoy their owne errour till they runne to ruine and till their owne overthrow take them off Yet notwithstanding wee know that which an Ancient hath that to whom God is once sweet the World must needs bee bitter 2 On the other side the knowledge of this serveth to winne us to the Lord that as the one draweth us off so the other may drive us on When I consider the mercies of the Lord and the goodnesse of God in the land of the living when I consider how infinite he is in his love I am ravished in spirit I am taken up in the minde and taken off in the flesh I have set my heart and affections on Heaven and on heavenly things And now when I think on the Lord there is my hope and there is my helpe and there where my helpe is there is my love and there is my life and there is my Lord there is Christ at the right hand of God Hee is the life of them that beleeve hee is the resurrection from the dead hee is the right hand where there is pleasure for evermore for there shall be no more paine no more death for the first things are past away saith Saint Iohn in the Revelation and all things are become new Oh hee that did but know the joyes that are reserved for such as are received to the Lord would soone bee taken up from all conceits of the things of this life Thinke you but of that great convocation house of Heaven that high Court of Parliament that great place of Majestie and honour where all the spirits of just men made perfect are where all the Saints departed live where there are all the blessed Patriarches godly Prophets the glorious Apostles the blessed Kings and the goodly fellowship of Martyrs and Confessors where there are the holy Angels and Arch-Angels Thrones and Dominions Seraphims and Cherubins in those glorious Orbes Where there is God the blessed Trinitie the King of Glorie whose Glorie is more then can be seene be sayd conceived to be where the joy of the Saints is such as eye hath not seene no sayth Saint Austin eye hath not seene for it is no colour nor eare hath not heard for it is no sound nor never entred into the heart of man to conceive for the heart of man must enter into it where all shall bee filled with abundance of peace so the Prophet they shall not only taste and see how good the Lord is but they shall be filled with abundance and they shall drink out of the River running over with infinite and transcendent pleasures where there gold shall be peace and their silver shall bee peace and their land shall bee peace and their life shall bee peace and their joy shall be peace and their God shall be peace and the God of peace hee shall fill them with the peace of God and that peace is it which passeth which is infinitely beyond all understanding Glorious things are spoken of thee thou Citie of God where the King is veritie and the Law is charitie and the State is felicitie and the Life is eternitie The comparing of these two things together of this lifes miserie and that lifes felicitie and eternitie would make a man sing and to sigh too It would make him sing I singing is in the Temple and sighing is in the Tabernacle singing in the Temple Blessed are they that dwell in thy house they shall be alwaies praysing thee here is singing but sighing is in the Tabernacle for while wee are in this Tabernacle therefore sigh wee desiring to be dissolved and to be clothed upon with our house which is from Heaven for while wee are here we cannot be happie for this life is miserie This bee spoken for our selves The second application of this plea is for others seeing this life is such a life of miserie and that life is such a life of glory and immortality our present hap so base our future hope so excellent this should stay us and take us off from mourning for such as are departed as if wee were without hope of them Hope is in the Text the principall thing and to lament and mourn for those that are departed wee should bee so farre from it as to rejoyce in our spirits for the blessed translation of such into eternall rest from this vale of miserie I say we should rejoyce in their very translation What dost thou mourne and lament and hang downe the head and all for losse of such as are departed and gone to rest with God Oh but thou wilt say thou art not heavie for their gaine but for thine owne losse but seeing thy losse is the lesse and their gaine the greater why dost thou not observe a meane and a proportion in these things I confesse it is very fitting both in Civility and Divinity and agreeable to the lawes both of Grace and Nature that there should be mourning especially in the house of mourning at times and occasions offered in this nature it cannot otherwise be But for Rachel to mourne for her Children so as that shee would not be comforted not but that shee could have beene comforted but shee would not that is not well But I say here is comfort in abundance and here is that which must stay us from being transported with impatient griefe wee must overcome all our griefe with patience with a blessed expectation of our owne dissolution for we must thinke we shall goe to them they shall not returne to us let us desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best for them and for mee I and for thee too Enough of the fift Point The last which I will but name that so I may runne through this whole Scripture at this time is this that The righteous and the hopefull they are not miserable they are not most miserable not the most miserable of all nay they are not miserable at all
more then that such a numbring as is joyned with an applying of our hearts to wisedome and the reason is because wisedome it directs to the choyce of such particular actions and works as tend to happinesse so should a man after his serious consideration of death applie himselfe to such wayes and such actions by which hee may comfortably close up his life with death it is a great point of wisedome to sute actions with their ends to fit and square the wood before wee build the house to learne and discipline a troope before they goe to battell to rigge and trimme and furnish the shippe before wee launch to sea this is preparation indeed Now this preparation for death consists in two things First in an undoing of that which unfits us to dye Brethren hee who is not fit to live hee is not yet fit to dye and that which ever masters the life will be of greatest force in death The Father spake it boldly on good grounds I am not ashamed to live nor afraid to dye now that which unfits a man to dye is sinne it makes him finde a bitter enemie of death Oh when this King of terrours shall present himselfe by thy bed side with his arrowes in his hands I meane thy sinnes hee will wound thee with infinite amazement and horrour the sting of death is sinne saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. Thou dost not prepare thy selfe for death if thou dost not undoe thy sinnes which thou hast done in thy life the which consists First in a narrow search of thy sinfulnesse both of nature and practice Secondly in a secret humbling of thy soule for them Thirdly in an unfeigned repentance and forsaking of them Fourthly in a constant imploring and obtainig of mercie for them in the bloud of Christ. If thy soule doth give sinne its discharge now death shall give thy soule a discharge hereafter Secondly in the quallifying our persons for the conquest of death there are three things by which wee shall bee able cheerefully to meet and assuredly to conquer death First by having interest in the Lord Jesus The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law but thankes bee to God who hath given us victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. If thou hast gotten Christ into thy armes by faith thou carriest thy peace strength and advantage both through life and death For wee are more then conquerours through him that loved us sayth the Apostle Rom. 8. 37. And to mee to live is Christ and to die is gaine sayth the same Apostle Phil. 1. 21. if thou hast a good Christ thou mayst bee confident of a good death Secondly renewednesse of our nature What Saint Iohn spake of the Martyrs as some conjecture Blessed and happie is he that hath part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power that say I of a person renewed by the sanctifying qualitie of Gods Spirit I happie is hee hee shall have power even over the first death The Spirit and the Bride sayth come if a man hath gotten the heavenly Spirit which beautifies the soule with the ornaments of Grace as the Bride is with her ornaments hee is a fitted person hee may well say to Death come and to Christ come Lord Iesus come quickly Thirdly uprightnesse of conversation Righteousnesse delivers from death sayth Solomon and the righteous hath hope in his death if a mans worke be Christs service if hee have a heart enclined to keepe a good conscience in all things to keepe himselfe exact to the rule and to walke with God Blessed is that servant which his Master when he commeth shall find so doing that man that hath looked to Gods Word to guide his life may confidently look up to Gods mercie to comfort him in death Remember O Lord sayth Hezekiah Isa. 39. how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart Now all this doth the wayting for our change import in the Text to wit a serious expectation of it first by undoing those sinnes of ours which else for ever will undoe us and by interesting our persons into Christ from whom we must likewise receive the Spirit to change our hearts and uprightnesse to forme a-new our conversation But then you will say Why must there be such a wayting for this these grave clothes are too sadde for the freshnesse of our life and would you have us be like the mad-man in the Gospell who lived among the Sepulchres Nay I beseech you let us consider and settle our thoughts a little and you shall be stayed with reason there are many strong Arguments and reasons why we should thus waite both by expectation and preparation First it is the maine errand of our life God did not send us into this world to sinne and to adorne our selves with the creature but to bring him some honour and then to dye the factor is not imployed to take his pleasure abroad but to doe his Masters worke and then to returne home Tertullian confesseth he was a great sinner and therefore borne to repentance therefore doth God give us life as the Master allowes the servant a candle to worke by that we may repent of our sinnes and get our hold in Christ and worke out our salvation and doe the great businesse of beleeving to be good and to doe good and so by Death to goe up to heaven Secondly death is but once and that needs to bee well done which can be but once done if there might be another space after death a second edition to correct the faults and escapes of the former then a present and speedie preparation were not altogether so necessarie but saith the Apostle It is appointed for all men once to dye and after death to come to judgement Heb. 9. 27. no more but once Wee usually shadow out Death with an houre-glasse A fit Embleme but that when an houre-glasse is runne out it may bee turned againe but this once out can be set up no more thou shalt never live to amend thy errours in dying O then how needfull is it before-hand to prepare for Death Thirdly when death hath done with thee then God will begin with thee thou must once die and after this come to Judgement Heb. 9. 27. To judgement what is that thou must bee presented before the holy and just and great God who is the Judge of the quicke and the dead and with all that thou art and with all that thou hast done there must appeare then before him all the courses of thy life all the bent of thy affections all the secrets of thy heart shall then be pulled in peeces and opened and all thy workes and all thy words shall bee exhibited scann'd and surveyed and that with severity and righteousnesse how say you then is it not fit to be preparing for Death to fit thy soule to reforme thy heart and life wilt thou
〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divido wee are to learne to bee contented with our lot and beare it patiently considering first that wee brought it upon our selves secondly that wee gaine this singular benefit by it that our miserie shall not bee immortall O Death to which Death speaketh the Apostle for the Scripture maketh mention of the first and second death and Saint Ambrose also of a third The first Death with him is the death of nature of which it is sayd they shall seeke death and not finde it The second of sinne of which it is said the soule that sinneth shall dye the death The third of grace which sets a period not to nature but to sinne The Death here meant is the first Death or the Death of nature which the Philosophers diversly define according to their divers opinions of the soule Aristoxemis who held the soule to bee an harmonie consequently defined Death to bee a discord â—…len who held the soule to be Crasis or a temper Death to be a distemper Zeno who held the soule to bee a â—…ire Death to bee an extinction Those Philosophers who held the soule to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as Tullie interpreteth it continuam â—…tionem Death to bee a cessation The vulgar of the Heathen who held the soule to bee a breath Death to be an expiration Lastly the Platonickes who held the soule to be an immortall spiriâ—… Death to bee a dissolution or seperation of the soule from the bodie and this is two fold 1 Naturall 2 Violent 1 Naturall when of it selfe the naturall heate is extinguished or radicall moisture consumed for our life in Scripture is compared and in sculpture resembled to a burning lampe the fire which kindleth the flame in this light is naturall heate and the oyle which feedeth it is radicall moisture Without flame there is no light without oyle to maintaine it no flame in like manner if either naturall heate or radicall moisture fayle life cannot last 2 Violent when the soule is forced untimely out of the body of this Death there are so many shapes that no Painter could ever yet draw them Wee come but one way into the World but we goea thousand out of it as wee see in a Garden-pot the water is powred in but at one place to wit the narrow mouth but it runneth out at 100 holes Dye Some 1 By fire as the Sodomites 2 By water as the old World 3 By the infection of the Ayre as threescore and ten thousand in Davids time 4 By the opening of the earth as Corah Dathan and Abiram Amphiraus and two Cities Buris and Helice Some meet with Death In 1 Their Coach as Antiochus 2 Their chamber as Domitian 3 Their bed as Iohn the Twelfe 4 The Theater as Caligula 5 The Senate as Caesar. 6 The Temple as Zenacherib 7 Their Table as Claudius 8 At the Lords-Table as Pope Victor and Henry of 〈◊〉 Death woundeth and striketh some With 1 A pen-knife as Seneca 2 A stilletto as Henry the Fourth 3 A sword as Paul 4 A Fullers beame as Iames the Lords Brother 5 A Saw as Isaiah 6 A stone as Pyrrhus 7 A thunderbolt as Anustatius What should I speake of Felones de se such as have throwne away their soules Sardanapalus made a great fire and leaped into it Lucretiâ—… stabbed her selfe Cleopatra put an Aspe to her breast and stung therewith dyed presently Saul fell upon his owne sword Iudas hanged himselfe Peronius cut his owne veines Heremius beate out his owne braines Liciniusâ—…oaked â—…oaked himselfe with a napkin Porâ—…ia dyed by swallowing hot burning coales Haâ—…ibalâ—…ked â—…ked poâ—… son out of his ring Demosthâ—…s out of his Pen c. What seemeth so loose as the soule and the bodie which is plucked out with a haire driven out with a smâ—…ll frayed out with a phancie verily that seemeth to be but a breath in the nosthrills which is taken away with a â—…ent a shadow wâ—…ch is driven away with a scare-crow a dreame which is fâ—…yed away with a phansie a vapour which is driven away with a puâ—…e a conceit which goes away with a passion a toy that leaves us with a laughter yet griefe kild Homer â—…hter Phileâ—…on a haâ—…e in his milke Fabius a flye in his throat Adrian a smell of lime in his nosthrills Iovian the snuâ—… of a candle a Child in Plâ—…e a kerâ—…ll of a Raison Anacyeon and a Icesickle one in Martial which caused the Poet to melt into teares saying O ubi mors non est si jugulatis aquae what cannot make an end of us if a small drop of water congealed can doe it In these regards wee may 〈◊〉 the affâ—…ive in my â—…xt into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and say â—…uly though noâ—… in the Apostles sense O Death where iâ—… not thy sting 〈◊〉 wâ—… see iâ—…â—…st ouâ—… in 〈◊〉 in our 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 apparell in our breath in the Coâ—…t in the. Countrey in the Ciâ—… in the Field in the Land in the Sâ—… in the chamber in the Church and in the Church-yard where we meet with the second partie to bee examined to wit the Grave O Grave 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the language of Ashdod it signifieth one thing but in the language of Canaan another The Heathen writers understand by it First the first matter out of which all things are drawn and into which they are last of all resolved So Hippocrates taketh the word in his Aph. Secondly the ruler of the Region of darknesse or prince of Hell so Hesiod taketh it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hes. op dies Thirdly the state and condition of the dead or death it selfe so Homer taketh it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the language of Canaan it is either taken for the place of torment of the damned And in hell he lift up his eys being in torments and seeth Abraham afarre off and Lazarus in his bosome Secondly for the Grave and that most frequently in the Seventie Interpreters as namely I will goe downe into Hâ—…des to my sonne that is the Grave and let not his hâ—…ie head goe downe into Hades that is the grave in peace and in death there is 〈◊〉 râ—…berance of thee and who will give thee thankes in Hâ—…es that is the Grave and what man is hee that â—…veth and shall not see death and shall bee deliver his soule from the hands of Hades that is the Grave and Hades that is the Grave cannot praise thee Death cannot celebrate thee and so it must bee here taken For though Hell in regard of the Elect bee conquered yet it â—…rnally possesseth the reprobaâ—…e men and Devills neither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bee destroyed at the day of Judgement oâ—… emâ—…d but in â—…ed rather and repleâ—…ed with the boâ—…es of all the damned whose soules are there aâ—…eadie But Hades that is the Grave shall lose aâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…ptives and prisoners for the eâ—…h
held Secondly in his members by changing the nature of it to them and making it of a curse a blessing of a losse a gaine of a punishment either a great honour or a speciall favour or a singular advantage a great honour as to the Martyrs who thereby acquired so many Rubies to their crowne of glory as they shed drops of blood for their Saviour A speciall favour as to Abraham Iosiah and Saint Austin who were taken away that they might not see and feele the miserie that after their death fell on the postarity of the one the subjects of the other and the diocesse of the third A singular advantage to all the faithfull who thereby are discharged from all cares feares sorrowes and temptations and presently enter into their Masters joy For blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them Now the meanes whereby Christ conquered death and utterly destroyed it are diversly ser downe by the learned some argue a contrariis contraries say they are to bee destroyed by their contraries as heate by cold moysture by drought sicknesse by health Death therefore must needs bee destroyed by life as the contrary but Christ is the resurrection and the life in him was life and life was the light of men Saint Austine declareth it after this manner Life dying contended with Death living and got a glorious and signall victory Nyssen thus the Devill catching at the flesh of Christs humane nature as a baite was caught by the hooke of his divine Saint Leo and Chrysologus thus if a Bayliffe or Serjeant arrest the Kings sonne or a privileged person and lay him up in a close prison without commission hee deserveth to bee turned out of his place for it So Death Gods Serjeant seizing upon his Sonne in whom there was no fault without warrant or commission was justly discharged of his office Is Death thus discharged hath Christ changed the nature of Death and freed all his Members from the sting of the temporall and feare of eternall death hath hee of a Posterne made it a street-doore of an out-let of mortall life an in-let of immortalitie why then are wee so much afrayd of death which can no more hurt us then a hornet or waspe after her sting is plucked out Christ fought with a living death wee with a dead death which doth not so much severe our soules from our bodies as joyne them to Christ not so much end our life as our mortalitie not so much exclude us out of the Militant as render us to the Triumphant Church Nothing is more dreadfull I confesse to the naturall man then Death which dissolveth the soule and bodie and the Grave which resolveth the bodie into dust and ashes To cure this maladie of the minde there is no vertue in any Drugge of nature the Philosophers in this case are Physitians of no value they tell us that sicknesse and death are tributa vivendi and the Grave the common house of the dead But of what of this what comfort is here doth this speculation discharge us from the tribute or make the payment thereof the easier doth it enlighten the darknesse of these prisons of nature or take away the stench from these under-ground houses no whit Yet God bee thanked there is a magazen in Scripture to pay these tributes there is light in Goshen to enlighten these houses there is Spicknard to perfume these dankish roomes there are 〈◊〉 in holy Scripture to strengthen the heart not onely against deadly maladies but also against death it selfe For there we heare of a voyce from heaven not onely affirming the happinesse of the dead but confirming it with a strong reason for they rest from their labours and their works follow them we heare of Tabernacles not made with hands but eternall in the Heavens wee heare that when wee are absent from the body wee are present with the Lord wee heare the Lord of life opening the eares and chearing the heart of the dead and saying I am the resurrection and the life whosoever beleeveth in mee though hee were dead yet shall hee live There wee heare death not onely disarmed of his sting but also slaine downe right O Death I will bee thy death O Grave I will bee thy destruction Secondly hath Christ destroyed Death and hath hee both the keyes of Death and of Hell then beloved when wee lye on our death-bed let us not have recourse after the popish manner to any Saint or Angell no not to the blessed Virgin her selfe but to her Sonne who is the Lord of life who satisfying for our sinnes at his death thereby plucked out the sting of death and after his resurrection quite destroyed this serpent In which regard he is styled stella matutina the Morning starre because hee ushereth in the day of eternitie and primitiae dormientum the first fruits of them that slept because in him the whole lump is sanctified When therefore the fiery Serpent hovereth over us to sting us to eternall death let us looke upon the Brazen Serpent and the other shall not hurtus Lastly hath Christ conquered Death and Hell and that for us let us then give him the honour of the greatest Worthy and noblest Conquerour that ever the World saw Cyrus and Alexander and Caesar were no way to bee compared to him for they subdued but mortall enemies hee immortall they bodilie hee ghostly they with great Armies and power of men but hee alone they when they were alive and in their full strength and vigour but hee at the houre of his death and afterwards I conclude therefore with Saint Ierome his insultation over Death and thanksgiving to the Lord of life O Death thou didst bite and wert bitten thou didst devoure and art now devoured by him whom for a time thou didst devoure by his death thou art slaine by his death wee live everlastingly thankes bee rendred unto thee O Saviour who hast subdued so powerfull an adversary and put him to death by thy death and passion The Ethiopians as Herodotus relateth make Sepulchres of glasse for after they have dryed the corps they artificially paint it and set it in a glazed Coffine that all that passe by may see the lineaments of the dead body but surely they deserve better of the dead and more benefit the living who draw the lineaments of their minde and represent their vertues and graces in a Mirrour of Art for I am not of their judgement among us who properly and deservedly are called Precisians because out of the purity of their precise zeale ita praecidunt they so neere paire the nayles of Romish superstition that they make the fingers bleed who out of feare of praying forsooth for the dead or invocating them are shie of speaking any word of them or sending after them their deserved commendations for it is pietie to honour God in his Saints
wit some red flower as well as white yet the Crowne and Garland of all Confessours are compleat And therefore not onely Beda and Bernard and Richardus and Andreus and Primasius and Haymo and Ansbertus and Ioachimus but also the Greeke and the Roman Church yea and the reformed also understand these words of all that dye in Gods favour for they read these words at the Funeralls of all the dead and not onely at the Funeralls of Martyrs Yea but how can any bee sayd to dye in the Lord that is continuing his Member sith Christ hath no dead Members I answer that the faithfull dye not in the Lord in that sense in which they live in him but in another they die not spiritually nor cease to bee his mysticall Members but naturally that is they continuing in Christs faith and love breathe out their souies and so fall asleepe in his bosome or dye in his love laying hold of him by faith and relying on him by hope and embracing him by charitie All they dye in the Lord who die in the act of contrition as Saint Austin who reading the penetentiall Psalmes with many teares breathed out his last gaspe sighing for his sinnes Or in the act of charitie as Saint Ierome who in a most fervent or vehement exhortation to the love of God gave up the ghost Or in the act of Religion as Saint Ambrose who after he had received the blessed Sacrament in a heavenly rapture and a holy parley with Christ left the body Or in the act of Devotion as Aquinas who lifting up his eyes and hands to heaven pronouncing with a loude voyce those words of the Spouse in the Canticles Come my beloved let us goe forth went out of this world Or in the Act of gratulation and thankes-giving as Petrus Celestinus who repeating that last verse of the last Psalme Omnis spiritus laudet Dominum Let every breath or every one that hath breath praise the Lord breathed out his soule Or in an Act of divine contemplation as Gerson that famous Chancellour of Paris who having explicated fiftie properties of divine love concluded both his Treatise and his life with fortis ut mors dilectio Love is strong as death To knit up all six sorts of men may lay just claime to the blessednesse in my Text. First Martyrs for they die in the Lord because they die in his quarrell Secondly Confessours for they die in the Lord because they die in his faith and in the confession of his name Thirdly all they that love Christ and are beloved of him for they die in the Lord because they die in his bosome and embracings Fourthly all truly penitent sinners for they dye in the Lord because they dye in his peace Firthly all they who are engrafted into Christ by a speciall faith and persever in him to the end for they die in the Lord because they die in his communion as being members of his mysticall body Lastly all they that dye calling upon the Lord or otherwise make a godly end for they dye in the Lord because they dye in the workes of the Lord and happy is that servant whom his Master when hee commeth shall find so doing From hence-forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza and some other render the word in the originall perfectly because the dead obtaine the blessednesse they hoped for but this Exposition cannot stand unlesse wee restraine this blessednesse to the soule For the perfect and consummate happinesse of all that die in the Lord consisteth in the glorification of their bodyes and soules when they shall see God face to face and the beames of his countenance directly falling upon the soule shall reflect also upon the body and most true it is which Paraeus observeth the deads blessednesse farre exceedes the blessednesse of the living for here wee have but the first fruits of happinesse but in heaven wee shall have the whole lumpe here wee hunger and thirst for righteousnesse there wee shall be satisfied To this we all willingly assent but it will not hence follow that they have their whole lumpe of happinesse till the day of Judgement Blessed they are from the houre of their death but not perfectly blessed but not consummatly blessed intensive as blessed as the soule by it selfe can be for that state in which it now is not blessed extensive not so blessed as the whole person shall be when the soule shall bee the second time given to the body and both bid to an everlasting feast at the mariage of the Lambe Others therefore more agreeable to the Analogie of faith render the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from hence-forth and referre the hence-forth not to the time of the uttering this Prophecie as if before it none were blessed for before this prophecie all the Apostles Saint Iohn only excepted and thousands of Saints and Martyrs had died in the Lord and were at rest from their labours but to the instant of their dying in the Lord they no sooner lost their lives for Christ then they found happinesse in him So soone as Lazarus dyed his soule was carried by Angels into Abrahams bosome So soone as the Thiefe expired on the Crosse hee aspired to Paradise and was with Christ So Nazianzen teacheth concerning every religious soule I beleeve saith he that every noble soule which is in grace and favour with God presently as soone as shee hath shaken off the body which kept downe her wings flyeth joyfully streight up to her Lord and Saint Cyprian Death to the godly is not a departure but a passe from a temporall to an eternall life and no stay by the way as soone as we have finished our course here we may arrive at the goale there And S. Bernard The infidels call the parting of the soule from the body Death but the beleevers call it the Passeover because it is a passe from death to life For they die to the world that they may perfectly live to God To strike sayle and make toward the shore if all that dye in the Lord are blessed from the very moment of their death and this blessednesse is confirmed by a voyce from heaven let us give more heed to such a voyce then to any whisper of the flesh or divell Whatsoever Philosophie argueth or Reason objecteth or sense excepteth against it let us give more heed to God then man to the spirit then the flesh to faith then to reason to heaven then to earth although they who suffer for the testimonie of the Gospell seeme to be most miserable their skinnes being fleyed off their joynts racked their whole body torne in peeces or burned to ashes their goods confiscate their armes defaced and all manner of disgraces put upon them yet they are most happy in heaven by the testimonie of heaven it selfe the malice of their enemies cannot reach so high as heaven it cannot touch them there there much lesse awake them out of their
hath beene and feare for what hee shall bee mingles and sowers all the joy and delight in that hee is And what is hee at the best a poore tennant â—…t â—…ill of a ruinous cottage of loame or house of clay readie to fall about his eares with a Grashoppers leape in a spot of ground His apparell is but stolne ragges his wealth the excrements of the earth his dyet bread of carefulnesse got with the sweat of his browes and all his comforts and recreations rather as Saint Austine tearmes them solati a miserorum quam gaudia beatorum sauces of misery then dishes of happinesse For albeit a good conscience bee a continuall feast and the testimonie of the Spirit an everlasting Jubile in the soule yet the most righteous man that breathes mortall ayre either by frailty or negligence or diffidence or impatience or love of this present life or suttletie of perswasions or violence of temptations so woundeth his conscience and grieveth the Spirit of grace that this feast is turned for a time into a fast and the Jubile into an ejulate or howling All things therefore layd together the scornes of the World assaults from the flesh temptations from the Devill rebukes from God checks from conscience sensible fayling of Grace spirituall dissertions with many a bitter agonie and conflict with despaire I cannot but perfectly accord with the Poet in his dolefull note Faelices nimium quibus est fortuna peracta jam sua they are but too happie whose glasse is well runne out and with the Evangelist in my Text beati mâ—…rtui blessed are the dead for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them they rest from those labours which tyreus that live and the workes which wee are to follow follow them A threefold cable saith the Wiseman is not easily brokn and such is this here in my Text on which the anchour of our hope hangeâ—…h 1 The testimonie of Saint Iohn Yea 2 The testimonie of the Spirit so sâ—…th the Spirit 3 A strong reason drawne from their rest and recompence they rest from their labours and they receive the reward of their labours they are discharged of their worke and for their worke If they were discharged for their worke and not discharged of their worke they could not bee said blessed because their tedious and painefull workes were to returne And much lesse happie could they bee tearmed if they were discharged of their worke but not for it for then they should lose all their labour under the Sunne they should have done and suffered all in vaine but now because they are both discharged of their worke for they rest from their labour and discharged for their worke for their workes follow them they are most blessed The Spirit here taketh the ground of this heavenly musick ravishing the souls of the living and able to revive the very dead either from the labourers pay or the racers prize If the ground be the labourers joy for their rest and pay the descant must bee this our life is a day our calling a labour the evening when wee give over our death the pay our penny If the ground be the racers joy for their prize the descant may bee this the Church is the field Christianitie is the race death is the last poste and a garland of glory the wager let us all â—…o run that we may obtaine Yea sayth the Spirit Wee read in the Law and the Prophets Thus sayth Iehovah the Lord in the Gospell Thus spake Iesus But in the Epistles and especially in the Revelation thus sayth the Spirit now the Spirit speaketh evidently heare what the Spirit sayth unto the Churches hee that hath an eare let him heare what the Spirit sayth unto the Churches and the Spirit and the Bride sayth come While Christ abode in the flesh hee taught with his owne mouth the Word of life but now since his Ascention and sitting in state at the right hand of his Father hee speaketh and doth all by his Spirit By the Spirit hee ordainâ—…th Pastours furnisheth them with gifts enlighâ—…h the understanding of the hearers and enclineth their wills and affections and so leadeth the Church into all truth In which regard Tertullian elegantly tearmeth the Spirit Christi Vicarium Christ his Vicar preaching in his stead and discharging the Cure of the whole World Secondly so sayth the Spirit not the flesh the earth denies it but Heaven avereth it when a man removeth out of this World the flesh beholdeth nothing but a corpes brought to the Church and a coffine layd in the Grave but the spirit discerneth an Angel carrying the soule up to Heaven and leaving it in Abrahams bosome till the Father of spirits shall give her againe to the bodie arrayed in glorious apparell There is no Doctrine the Devill the flesh and the World more oppose then this here delivered by the Spirit concerning the blessednesse of the dead for all Atheists all Heathen all carnall men all Saduces and sundrie sorts of Heretickes deny the Resurrection of the bodie and the greater part of them also the immortalitie of the soule A wicked and ungodly person beleeveth not his soule to bee immortall because hee would not have it so hee would not that their should be another World because hee can have hope of no good there having carried himselfe so ill in this faine hee would stifle the light in his conscience which if hee would open his eyes would clearly discover unto him a future tribunall yet sometimes hee cannot smother it and therefore as Tully who saw a glimering of this truth observeth hee is wonderfully tormented out of a feare that endlesse paines attend him after this life Well let the flesh and fleshly minded men deeme or speake what they list concerning the state of the dead the Spirit of truth sayth that all that dye in the Lord are blessed But where sayth the Spirit so In the Scriptures of the old and new Testament and in this vision and in the heart and conscience of every true beleever First in the Scriptures let mee dye the death of the righteous and let my last end bee like unto his refraine thy voyce from weeping and thine eyes from teares for thy workes shall bee rewarded and there is hope in thine end saith the Lord precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints the righteous shall wash his foot in the bloud of the wicked so that a man shall say verily there is a reward for the righteous Christ is in life and death advantage for I am in a straight betweene two having a desire to depart and to bee with Christ which is fâ—… better Secondly in this vision for Saint Iohn heard a voyce from Heaven saying Write it as it were with a Penne of Iron upon the Tombe of all that are departed in the Lord for so saith the Spirit Lastly the Spirit speaketh it in the
which may furnish us abundantly with meditations in this kind It was a custome in former times for men to make their sepulchres in their gardens to mind them of death in the midst of the pleasures of this life This present worke may not unfitly be tearmed a Garden wherein whosoever takes a dayly walke may gather in the severall beds thereof those wholsome flowers and hearbs which being distilled by serious meditation will prove water of life to a fainting spirit in some hee shall finde instruction in some incitation in others consolation in all profit Here thou shalt finde that Lethall gourd sprung up by Adam his transgression that makes all his posterity cry out There is death in the Pot. There thou mayst gather hearbs of grace as a counter-poyson against the malignity of death in a third there is the spirituall Heliotroâ—…ium opening with joy to the Sunne of righteousnesse the hope of a blessed resurrection Doe the glittering shewes of outward things make thee begin to over-fancie them heere thou shalt finde how little they will availe in death the consideration whereof will make them like that precious stone which being put into the mouth of a dead man loseth it's vertue are thou over-burthened with afflictions here thou art supported in the expectation of a farre more exceeding weight of glory art thou ready to faint under thy labours here thou shalt finde a time of rest and of reaping doth the time seeme over-long that thy patience begins to flag heere thou hast a promise of thy Saviours speedy comming In a word be thy estate and condition what it will be heere thou mayst have both directions to guide thee and comforts to support thee in thy journey on earth till thou arrive at thy Countrey in Heaven Certainely there is no man can sleight and undervalue so deserving a Worke but hee shall discover himselfe either to be ignorant or idle or ill affected especially when so judicious and learned men have thought it a fit concomitant for their severall labours which they have added for the accomplishment of it Therfore take it in good worth improve it for the good of thy soule that being armed and prepared for death when it shall approach thou mayst have no more to doe but to die and mayst end thy dayes in a stedfast assurance That thy sinnes shall be blotted out when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the LORD Thine in him who is the Resurrection and the life H. W. THE TABLE THe Stewards Summons Page 1. TEXT LVKE 16. 2. Give an account of thy Stewardship for thou mayst be no longer Steward The praise of Mourning Page 29. ECCLESIASTES 7. 2. It is better to goe to the house of Mourning then to the house of Feasting for that is the end of all men and the living will lay it to his heart Deliverance from the King of feares Page 55. HEBREVVES 2. 14. 15. 14 For asmuch then as the Children are partakers of flesh and bloud hee also himselfe likewise tooke part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Divell 15 And deliver them who through the feare of death were all their life time subject to bondage The perfection of Patience Page 79. IAMES 1. 4. But let patience have her perfect worke that you may bee perfect and intire wanting nothing A Restraint of exorbitant passion Page 101. 2 SAM 12. 22. 23. 22 And he said while the Child was yet alive I fasted and wept for I said who can tell whether God will be gracious to me that the Child may live 23 But now he is dead wherefore should I fast Can I bring him back againe I shall goe to him but he shall not returne to me The sting of Death Page 121. 1 COR. 15. 56. The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law The destruction of the Destroyer Page 135. 1 COR. 15. 16. The last enemie that shall be destroyed is death The Worlds losse and the righteous mans gaine Page 151. ESAY 57. 1. And mercifull men are taken away none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evill to come The good mans Epitaph Page 177. REVEL 14. 13. I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me Write Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their workes doe follow them The Christians Center Page 193. ROM 14. 7. 8. 7 For none of us liveth to himselfe and no man dyeth to himselfe 8 For whether we live we live to the Lord and whether wee die we die unto the Lord whether we live therefore or die we are the Lords The improvement of Time Page 213. 1 COR. 7. 29. 30. 31. 29 But this I say Brethren the time is short it remaineth that both they that have wives be as though they had none 30 And they that weepe as though they wept not and they that rejoyce as if they rejoyced not and they that buy asthough they possessed not 31 And they that use this world as not abusing it for the fashion of this world passeth away Securitie surprized Page 235. 1 THESSAL 5. 3. For when they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction commeth upon them as travaile upon a woman with child and they shall not escape A Christians victory or conquest over deaths Enmitie Page 263. 1 COR. 15. 26. The last Enemie that shall be destroyed is death The great Tribunall Gods scrutinie of Mans secrets Page 283. ECCLESIAST 12. 14. For God will bring every worke into judgement with every secret thâ—…ng whether it be good or whether it be evill A Triall of Sinceritie Page 299. ESAY 26. 8. 9. 8 Yea in the way of thy judgements O Lord have wee waited for thee the desire of our soule is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee 9. With my soule have I desired thee in the night yea with my Spirit within me will I seeke thee early for when thy judgements are in the earth the Inhabitants of the world will learne righteousnesse The expectation of Christs comming Page 321. PHIL. 3. 20. 21. 20. For our conversation is in Heaven from whence we looke for the Saviour the Lord Iesuâ—… Christ. 21. Who shall Change our vile body that it may bee fashioned like unto his glâ—…rious body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himselfe Christs Precept and Promise or security against death Page 345. IOHN 8. 51. Verily verily I say unto you if a man keepe my saying he shall never see death The Young-mans liberty and limits Page 367. ECCLESIAST 11. 9. Rejoyce O young-man in thy youth and let thy heart cheare thee in the dayes of thy youth and walke in the wayes of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into
bones with strong paines What 's the reason of this but that man may come to this conclusion with himselfe that hee may bring his owne heart to a reckoning for his former cariage This is that the Apostle saith for this cause many are weake and sickly among you and many sleepe some were taken with sicknesse upon others there was a consuming weaknesse and others were strucken with death what is the end that God propounds in all this For this reason that wee should judge our selves for if wee judge our selves wee shall not be judged of the Lord but when wee are judged wee are chastned of the Lord that wee should not bee condemned of the world As if hee should say God now calleth you to a reckoning in this life to the end you may prevent that heavy and grievous one that comes after this life Againe when outward afflictions prevaile not God hath spirituall afflictions to awaken mâ—…n Thus David when hee was in a deepe sleepe of securitie God awakned him with a spirituall judgement see his speech in the 32. Psal. When I kept close my sinnes my bones were consumed and I roared for the disquietnesse of my soule what followed God by this meanes brought him to confession I will confesse my transgressions to the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquitie of my sinne Thus God in this life calleth men to a reckoning sometimes by â—…he preaching of the Word sometimes by judgements upon the outward man or by terrours upon the soule But if all this prevaile not to make a man reckon with himselfe in this life then God hath another reckoning after this life where every man must give an account and cannot avoid it and there hee must abide the sentence of the Iudge that would not prevent it before That there is such a Iudgement to come it appeareth By the equitite necessitie of it In respect of God the Saints the wicked Frst I say in respect of God there is a necessitie of it That his Decree may bee fulfilled and executed Hee hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteousnesse And his counsell shall stand and hee will doe all his pleasure Secondly it is necessarie that Gods honour may be vindicated Now things seeme to goe in some confusion and disorder in the world Good men the children of God are not alwayes best in the place of judgement I have seene saith Solomon an evill under the Sunne that in the place of judgement wickednesse was there and in the place of righteousnesse that iniquitie was there this observation Solomon makes therefore I said God will bring to judgement every thing both good and evill for there is a time for every worke and every purpose God hath a time to doe that great worke that he hath now purposed What is that worke that is to bring every worke to judgement whether it bee good or evill I say if wee consider this it is necessary that there should come a judgement that shall set all right againe It is necessarie likewise in respect of the Saints The very tribulations of the Saints in 2 Thes. 1. 5. are called Indigma an evident demonstration or a manifest token of the righteous judgement of God There is a necessitie of it in respect of them in two regards First that their innocencie that is traduced here may bee manifest They undergoe many disgraces and hard censures amongst men the world accounts them proud hipocrites singular foolish vaine-glorious and I know not what now saith Iob my witnesse is in heaven and saith Saint Paul I care not to bee judged of you or of mans judgement hee that judgeth me is the Lord. The Word in the Greeke is mans day as if hee should say Men have their day here but God hath a greater day after the Lord will judge in another manner and upon other grounds then men doe Secondly it is necessary also that their workes may be rewarded When we speake of reward wee meane not the reward of merit wee meane the reward of grace called a reward because God is tied to it by his promise The servants of God though they serve him with all care they have not the fatte of the earth as sometimes the Ishmaels of the world have they doe not abound with outward things as many others doe nay sometimes they are in the worst condition and that makes Gods wayes the more despised as if God were not able to maintaine his servants in the world in his wayes and worke God therefore hath a time when his servants shall have full measure heaped up pressed downe shaken together and running over When God shall make up his jewels as hee saith in Malac. 3. then shall yee discerne betweene the righteous and the wicked betweene him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Marke yee shall discerne God will make it appeare to the whole world in the day when hee makes up his jewels that notwithstanding his servants are despised and lie here under divers pressures yet that they are a people whom he delights in and accounteth as his treasures Thirdly it is necessarie in respect of the wicked too that is First that Gods righteousnesse may fully be manifested Secondly that their unrighteousnesse may fully bee punished First I say that Gods righteousnesse may fully bee manifested therefore the day of Iudgement in Rom. 2. 5. is called a day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God As if hee should say As God will manifest his wrath against the vessels of wrath so hee will make it appeare to the world that hee proceedeth in a right manner and by a right rule in judging For wee must know that howsoever God cannot bee unjust and howsoever that the ungodly men in this life contend with their owne consciences such is the hardnesse of their hearts and abundance of corruption that they would faine justifie themselves amongst men and againe howsoever it bee true that the soule when it is departed out of the body is under Gods particular judgement by an intelectuall elevation of it that it may receive the sentence of the Iudge by an illumination and by such a spirituall and contemplative discourse and observation and understanding of Gods actions as that by reflection upon it selfe it may know it selfe to bee accursed or acquitted and accordingly is entred into the possession either of happinesse or miserie Yet all this is secret in the world till the day of Gods tribunall come wherein secret things shal be made manifest and things that have been done in darknesse shall appeare before men and Angels Secondly As Gods justice must be cleared and fully manifested so the wicked and unrighteous must bee fully punished They are not fully punished when they are under the sense of Gods wrath in this life or when the soule is judged at death there must bee yet a further degree for
the world and therefore goe about it now Reckon with others also for workes of mercie what thou hast beene wanting in to thy brethâ—…en thou hast lived thus long in a plentifull estate what hast thou done with thy estate Iesephus reckons up three severall tenths that were expected and exacted of the Iewes Wouldest thou bee lesse liberall now in the time of the Gospell then they were under the Law Is God lesse mercifull or hath he lesse interest in thy estate Thou hast so many thousands What hast thou done out of this to releeve the poore or to set up those in a course of traffique and trade that want a stocke Beloved you cannot if you looke about you want objects of mercy and meanes to further your reckoning at the day of the Lord. And if you would bee faithfull stewards to God say thus I have beene thus much behind-hand in paying the due I owe to the poore to the Church c. I will pay it while I live and if that bee not enough when I die I will pay it But I hasten That is the second thing Let every man reckon thus with his owne heart The third thing is the daily exercise of repentance upon the sight of your former evils God now saith the Apostle calleth all men every where to repentance because hee hath appointed a day in which hee will judge the world in righteousnesse Let this then stirre us up to repentance God expects that men should judge themselves now Fourthly If you would stand at that great day of Iudgement when there shall bee such an exact reckoning Interest now your selves in Christ. There is no way to escape the judgement to come but by making peace with the Iudge now There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus This was prefigured in the Mercie-seate that was to bee compassed about with the wings of the Cherubins all covering the two tables of the Testament one Cherubin to looke toward another shewing us thus much that there is no covering of ovr transgressions committed against the commandements of God the tables of the Testimonie but by the great Mercie-seate the Lord Iesus Christ upon whom the Fathers of the times before Christ and Beleevers since looke expecting the covering of the guilt of their sinnes from the wrath of God by no other meanes but by this propitiatorie or Mercie-seate that covereth the Arke of the Testimonie Lastly it serveth also for instruction in another point that is To teach us to lead a holy conversation This use the Apostle Peter made of the Doctrine of the day of Iudgement Seeing saith he that wee looke for these things what manner of persons ought wee to bee in all holy conversation and godlinesse Alas beloved little doe you know whether this be the last Sermon that many of you may heare whether this be the last day wherein God will ever call upon you to repent and amend your lives There shall be a fearfull dissolution and destruction of all things that you see There shall be a naked appearance made before the Iudge at that day of reckoning let every man therefore say within himselfe How shall I stand at that time at that Iudgement All our care should bee that of the Apostle Pauls Whether wee be absent from the body or present in the body wee labour that wee may bee accepted of the Lord Whether wee live a day longer or die this day before the morrow that wee may bee found acceptable before the Lord. And for this cause saith hee in another place because there shall bee a resurrection from the dead both of the just and unjust I exercise my selfe to have alwayes a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men Looke to it in your places and in your hearts that you may have a good conscience void of offence toward God and men for the time shall come that nothing in the world shall stand you in stead but a good conscience and if then when the bookes are opened it be found that your reckonings are even and the accounts cleare betweene you and your Master by obedience and repentance by workes and by faith happie shall that servant bee whom his Master at that day shall find so doing The last Vse is a use of comfort to all the servants of God Let them quietly and cheerefully suffer that portion of miserie and affliction that the Lord dealeth out unto them Let them not grudge at the prosperity of ungodly men or at the varietie of changes that themselves are exposed unto because there is a day of reckoning and account when all things shall bee made even The Apostle Saint Iames exhorteth Christians to patience upon this very ground because the day of the Lord draweth nigh If therefore you see wicked men prosper and bring their enterprises to passe bee not troubled at the matter A man doth not much envie an enemie that is now in prison though hee have some good cheare there though hee have some friends that come and see him there because hee knowes hee is but a prisoner and hee shall be brought out at the Assizes and then hee shall bee righted The world is the common jayle whereinto Adam was cast after hee had sinned and wee are all prisoners in this prison-house the enemies of Gods glory and of his Church and people they cannot escape out of this prison here they are tied Gods chaines are upon them and he will bring them to an account before his Iudgement seate and that before all men and Angels With these things let us comfort and support our selves A word concerning the present occasion Yee have heard that all men are Gods Stewards yee have heard that God hath a time wherein hee will call all his stewards to an account the fore-runners of this great account shall bee in this life and after death when God strikes men downe by death it is that they may bee brought into his presence and there receive the sentence either of absolution oâ—… condemnation as I shewed you before concerning the soule of man in that intelectuall manner receiving the sentence It is appointed to all men once to die and after that the Iudgement You have now a spectacle of mortalitie before you one of Gods stewards tooke away and called by death to give up his account Concerning whom it cannot bee expected that I should say much orany thing at all specially by those that know both the condition of his living and of his dying For his living It was not in the Citie but for the most part it was from us in the Countrey For his dying Hee was here but a day or two before hee was taken hence Hee came to the Citie in the extremitie of his weaknesse and it tooke him with some violence as the nature of that disease the stone is There was much expression expected from him but it pleased God to make a sudden
of men or whether men affect it in themselves but they account this a matter of praise a vertue praise-worthy to see nothing dolefull nothing worthy of mourning in the death of any one We see it is quite contrarie to the very course of the Scripture But it will be objected We are bid to mortifie our earthly affections and if we must mortifie our affections we must mortifie all our affections that of sorrow as well as anger and the like I answer briefly The Scripture indeed biddeth us mortifie our affections but it doth not bid us take away our affections it biddeth us only mortifie and purge out the corruption of our affections Now there is a twofold corruption and distemper in the affections of men The first is when they are misplaced and set upon wrong objects so we mourne for that we should rejoyce in or wee rejoyce in that we should mourne for Secondly when they are either excessive or defective either we over-doe or wee doe not either not at all or not in that proportion and measure that we should Thus when we over-grieve for worldly crosses and too little for sinne too much for the losse of earthly friends and too little for the losse of Gods favour and spirituall wants this is a distemper of the affections in the defect the heart growes earthly and fixed upon the creature and is drawne away and estranged from God Then there is the excesse that the Apostle speakes of when he exhorts them not to mourne as men without hope whether he spake there of the Gentiles as some thinke that cut their heads and made themselves bald in the day of their mourning an affected kind of outward shew they had to mourne which the Lord forbad the people of Israel to doe or whether as indeed it is because they did not restraine inwardly and bridle the exorbitant excesse of their affection wee should not mourne as the Gentiles but as men of hope mourne as men that can see the changes that God makes in the earth and in your Families and can see how neere God commeth to you and what use God would have you make of every particular tryall and affliction mourne so farre as you see your owne guilt in not making use of the opportunities you have had in enjoying your friends and so farre as you see any evidence of displeasure from God so farre we should mourne but not as men without hope But I briefly passe this intending not to insist upon it only by occasion because Solomon makes the place where any die the house of mourning Wee come now to the proofe of the point why going to the house of mourning taking these occasions to affect our hearts is better then to goe to the house of feasting then to take occasions of delighting our selves in outward things What 's the reason It is double First This is the end of all men What is the end of all men The house of mourning That which he meaneth by the house of mourning here is that which he calleth the end of all men that which putteth an end to all men and to their actions upon earth and that is Death So that the maine point that in this place the wise man intendeth is but thus much I will deliver it in the very words of the Text we need not varie from them at all Death is the End of all men Death is that which every man must expect to be the end of his life and of his actions It is the common the last condition of all men upon earth I will give you but two places of Scripture that include all men in Death One in Iob third from the fourteenth verse to the 20. verse of that Chapter Iob sheweth there how Death is the End of all men he beginneth with the Kings and Counsellers of the Earth with Princes and great warriours and descendeth afterward to prisoners and meane persons to labourers to servants to small and great all saith he lie downe in the dust and goe to the place of silence The other place is in Zachar. 1. 5. Your fathers where are they and the Prophets doe they live for ever That is looke to all your forefathers that have beene in all times before you whether they be those Fathers that you glory in Abraham Isaac and Iacob and the rest or those Fathers that disobeyed the word of Prophesie which indeed is the principall thing here intended all these Ancient persons they are dead or as S. Peter speakes of those that were disobedient in the dayes of Noah they are in prison they are in the grave yea and the Prophets too that preached to you they are dead the generations before you both of Prophets and people are all dead You see then that Death is the common condition of all men Kings and Subjects Prophets and people this is the last thing that shall be said of them all they are dead And it must be so First in regard of Gods decree It is that that God hath appointed and determined concerning all men that they must die there is a statute for it in heaven that can never be reverst It is appointed to all men once to die Heb. 9. 17. Secondly in regard of that matter whereof all men are made of earth Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne Your remembrances saith Iob are like unto ashes and your bodies to bodyes of clay How easie is it for the wind to blow away ashes for a potter to breake in pieces a vessell of clay so easie it is to put an end to the memories and bodies of men they are but ashes and clay Thirdly in regard that every man hath in him that that is the cause of Death sinne It is that that is as poison in the spirits and as rottennesse in the bones Sinne brought in Death and Death seizes upon all men it consumeth all men from the very beginning by degrees Shew me a man without sinne without it either in the committing of it or without it in the guilt of it you may then shew a man that shall not die while all men are under sinne they are under Death Even our blessed Saviour Iesus Christ himselfe though he did not sinne actually yet because hee stood guiltie of our sins Death seized upon him So then Looke to Gods decree that is All men shall die Looke to the matter whereof every man is made that is a decaying dying substance And looke to the cause of death in all men that is sinne If any man can either escape Gods decree or bring a man that is not made of such a mouldring matter or produce and shew a man that hath no sinne in him then you may shew a man that shall not die but till then this conclusion remaineth that the wise man setteth downe this is the end of all men that they shall die But here
all have sinned This I say is it that will make sin odious to a man it will make a man looke upon sinne as a deadly evill A man will avoid an infectious disease that is mortall and deadly and pestilentiall and the like Why because it is deadly it is as much as his life is worth The same is sinne it is that that brought death upon all man-kind and will bring it upon thee When doth the creature forfeit his beeing to the Creator but when he doth not use it in the service and for the glory of the Creatour God hath given the creature a beeing for himselfe I have forfeited my beeing when I glorifie not God with it that man forfeiteth his wit his memorie his strength his time his life and all that he is or hath when he doth not imploy them in Gods service to Gods glory Now sinne is that that makes us deny the service and glory we owe to God sin is that that makes a forfeiture of our lives and all unto him Here is the first thing God hath given the creature a beeing for himselfe he preserveth the creature in beeing for himselfe when the creature therefore sinneth it forfeiteth its life and beeing to the Creator This makes sinne odious Secondly this is it that declareth the wonderfull justice and truth of God Hee said to Adam in the beginning assoone as ever he had fallen hee should die and we find it true on him and all his posteritie for Adam stood and represented the person of all men before God that one man was all men in him all men were under the sentence of death And we see it is true to this day Wee find God true in this let this make us beleeve his word in every thing else He hath beene as good as his word he hath declared his justice and his truth in the death of all man-kind upon the sin of Adam he will declare it in every thing else in every promise in every threatning in every passage of his word let us giue him the glory of his truth as we find it in this Thirdly it is advantageous very much for our selves as a meanes to prepare us for death the better When a man seriously concludeth Death is the end of all men then if I reckon and account my selfe amongst men it will be my end too and it may be my end now And we shall see what use Iob makes of this All the dayes of my appointed time I will waite till my change shall come I make account a great change will come such as hath beene upon all my fathers before me so it will come upon me I will make account of it and therefore I will waite all my dayes So should we make account every day that this may bee the day of my change in every thing you doe make account that your change may begin then in that very action and this will be a meanes to make you waite for your change make you prepare for death It is that that Drusius noteth of Rabbi Eleazer that he gave this counsell and advise that a man should be sure to repent one day before he died Hee meant not that a man should deferre his repentance till it did evidently appeare that Death had seized upon him But because a man may conclude if it be possible I may live to day it is probable I may die to morrow therefore I will repent to day Doe it now and doe not delay it till to morrow This is that we are to doe to account of every day as that which may be the day of our change and so to carrie our selves in all our actions and occasions as if wee should have no more time to doe our worke And this is especially to be observed in three things First in matter of sinning be carefull to amend sinne every day labour to mortifie sinne this day as if thou shouldest have no more dayes to mortifie it in take heed of sinning now as if thou shouldest die now Some we see have beene taken away in the very act of sinne Ananias and Saphira were taken away in the very act of sinning when they were telling a lie to the Apostle they died Zimri and Corbie were slaine in the very act of uncleannesse Corah and his company they died in the act of murmuring and resisting of God and his ordinances and ministers Let a man now reason with himselfe these were taken away in their sinnes it may be my case aswell as theirs if I be found in sinne That is the first Secondly bring it home to this particularalso in another case and that is in redeeming of the opportunities of the time of our life Besides the generall time of life there be certaine opportunities certaine advantages of time that the Scripture calleth seasons be carefull to redeeme them though you may enjoy your lives yet you may have none of these such as are seasons of glorifying God seasons of doing good seasons of gaining good to a mans selfe be carefull therefore I say to mannage those opportunities and advantages of time so that you may glorifie God Whether you eate or drinke or whatsoever you doe doe all to the glory of God Which way soever you may most advance Gods glory and promote his worship which way soever yee may promote the cause of God drawing men to God and incouraging them in the wayes of God which way soever you may bee usefull employ your selfe at that time the present time because you must die and you may die now you may have no more opportunities to doe it in And so likewise in all advantages wherein men may doe good to men Exhort one another while it is called to day and while you have time doe good unto all Doe all the spirituall good and all the outward good that you can while you have seasons to doe good Happy is that servant that his Master shall find so doing when he commeth leading a fruitfull and profitable life So doe good to your owne soules while you have time pray while you have time to pray heare the Word while you have time to heare it exercise repentance while you have time to repent perfect the worke of mortification while you have time to mortifie your corruptions doe your soules all the good you can by the advantages of all the ordinances of all the opportunities that God hath given you This is the end of all men it hath been the end of good and bad before and it shall be the end of good and bad now men must die their houses will be houses of mourning therefore mannage the time in doing all the good you can that God may be glorified men may be benefited and your owne soules furthered That is the second thing Lastly in the manner of your conversation consider the time that you have to doe every thing in Will a man be found idleing in
the market-place when hee should be working in the Vineyard Would you be feasting when God would have you mourning you shall see some that have beene taken away when they little thought of it Belshazzer he was in his feasts and then commeth the sentence of death against him and other the like examples you may see in the Scripture Consider therefore the particular actions that you doe whether they bee such as hold agreement with the state of a dying man So for the manner of doing holy duties Would you be found praying perfunctorily and carelesly Would you be found comming to the Sacrament unprepared What though you doe holy actions that are good for the matter would you be found doing of them with unfit and unprepared hearts You see what the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 11. For this cause many are sicke and weake and many sleepe they slept they were dead for this even because they came unworthily to receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Would you therefore bee found doing of holy duties and not in a right manner The serious consideration of this that Death is the end of all men with the particular application of it to a mans selfe that as it is the state of all men so it is mine in particular I must die and I may die now it hath an influence into all the actions of a mans life To conclude In the last place This point is of use to us also in the death of others First to moderate the mourning of Christians for the death of others Why It is the end of all men it is that that is the common condition of all men it should not be too grievous nor too dolefull to any man Wee would not have our friends to bee in another condition in their birth then others wee would not have them have more fingers or more members then a man and would wee have them have more dayes Let this serve as a briefe touch upon that Secondly it teacheth us to make good use of our fellowship while we are together Not only we may die but those that are usefull to us may die also let us make good use of one another while we live therefore This will make the death of others bitter and will be worse then the death and losse of our friends the guilt upon a mans conscience that hee hath not made that use of them while they were alive that he might have done let us therefore make the death of our friends easie by making good use of them while they live It did smite the heart of those Ephesians that they should see the face of Paul no more specially above the rest it grieved them that they should see him no more how would it have grieved them thinke you if they had alwayes hardned themselves against his ministrie before Thinke with your selves seriously here is such a Minister such a Christian friend that husband and wife that parent and child a time of parting will come let us make it easie now by making good use of one another while we live that when friends are tooke away we may have cause to thanke God that we have had communion and comfort of their fellowship and societie the benefit of their graces the fruit of their lives and not sorrow for the want of them by death So much for that I come now to the second and principall reason why it is better to goe to the house of mourning then to the house of feasting it is this because the living shall lay it to his heart What shall hee lay to his heart That that is the end of all men hee shall lay the death of men to heart The point I observe from hence is thus much It is the dutie of those that live to lay to heart the death of others That is seriously to consider and make use for themselves of the death of others You see the Text is cleare for the point And there is good reason why it should be so First in respect of the glory that commeth to God Secondly in respect of the good that commeth to our selves by it First God is glorified by this when wee lay to heart the death of others there is a dishonour done to God when wee slight the death of others good or bad It is a dishonour to God to slight any of his actions this is one of Gods workes in the world the death of men this is a thing wherein Gods hand is seene he saith to the sonnes of Adam Returne The spirit returneth to God that gave it It is hee that hath the power of life and death If a sparrow fall not to the ground without the providence of God much lesse the servants of God the precious ones upon the earth the excellent ones as David calleth them I say God is seene much in these workes and it is a great dishonour to God when men doe not consider the workes of his hands David by the spirit of Prophesie in Psal. 28. 5. wisheth a curse upon ungodly men and for this reason among the rest because they consider not the operation of his hands this is that that puts men into a curst estate and exposeth them to the wrath of God when they regard not the workes of the Lord. The actions of Princes and great men upon earth every man considereth of them and weigheth them It is that wherein wee give God the glory of his wisedome and of his truth of his power of his justice of his mercy of his soveraigntie and dominion and Lordship over the whole earth when wee labour to draw to a particular use to ourselves the workes of God in the world specially the death of men of all men good and bad for we must give it the same latitude and extent and scope that the Text doth here he speakes here of the death of men in generall and he saith of all men that their death shall bee laid to heart by the living Secondly as there is reason that we should take to heart the death of others in respect of the glory that commeth to God thereby so in respect of ourselves also much benefit commeth to ourselves by laying to heart the death of other men There be three speciall things considerable in the death of any one that is matter of profit and benefit to those that live and survive after them Therein we see the certainty nature cause and end of Death First therein we see the certainty of death For now we have not only the word of God that tels us that we shall die but the workes of God taking others before us that as the Sacraments are called Visible instructions because they teach by the eye and the outward senses so the death of others are visible instructions to the living it teacheth by the eye a man is guided by the eye to see his owne condition and as it were in a glasse there
is represented to him his owne state what we are they were once the time was that they converst with men as we doe that they spake for Gods glory upon earth as we doe and what they are now we shall be there will come a time when our workes shall cease as theirs doe when we shall be in the place of silence as they are I say it confirmeth to us the former certaintie and assurance of our death when we see others fall before us And there is great profit and benefit that ariseth out of this This is necessary to awaken mens drowsinesse and to quicken up mens dulnesse to a serious consideration of that that is so usefull to themselves A man would wonder that in the Wildernesse where so many thousands died for the hand of God was out against them for their murmuring and rebellion and they were destroyed by the destroyer as the Apostle speakes 2 Cor. 10. that there Moses should pray Lord teach us to number our dayes that wee may apply our hearts to wisedome though they had a sight of so many dying before them and that continually yet they needed to bee stirred up to pray that God would teach them to make use of it So it is with us Wee have seene not only one or two die before us but there was a time not long since and you cannot forget it wherein the destroying Angel did walke at libertie about the Citie and kill thousands in our streets yet when so many died what securitie was there even among those that lived insomuch that after a while the sicknesse grew common and usuall and so unregarded Have we not need then as much as ever Moses had in the Wildernesse to crie to God to teach us to number our dayes that wee may apply our hearts to wisedome Nay much more now when there is scarce one or none in comparison of those multitudes that were swept away in that visitation we have need of such helpes as these are and to joyne our prayers with them too that we may be stirred up to a serious application of it to our selves That 's the first thing it is necessary for living men to take to heart the death of those that are departed that they may see and be brought seriously to thinke of the certainty of their owne death Secondly therein also wee see the nature of death what the proper worke of it in the world is It is of singular use too The nature of death the proper worke of it is to disunite to separate to dis-joyne things here you have the soule separated from the body the estate separated from the man the man separated from his friends and all by Death First I say yee have the body separated from the soule and this is a usefull consideration The soule and the body while they keepe together in a man they may be helpfull and usefull one to another the time will come when they must be separated Alas the not considering of this is the cause of those great errours that are in the lives of men that they bestow so much time upon their bodies that they so much minde the present things of this life and their outward welfare as if they had no soules at all to regard as if there never should bee a separation of body and soule one from another What is the reason that there is all that care tooke for food for the body for apparell for the body for health for the body and such an utter neglect of the soule but because that men doe not dreame doe not thinke of a time of separation of a time of dis-junction of a time of parting these two All the worke of a mans life should now be to make a good use of the faculties of his soule that the body may be happy by it the soule will draw the body after it to its owne estate Now they are together if they joyne now in sinne after their separation there shall come a time when they shall be joyned in punishment if they joyne now in the service of God after they have beene separated a while by death there will come a time when they shall be againe joyned in glory and happinesse That is the first There will bee a separation of soule and body therefore make good use of them while they are together let the body be serviceable to the soule by all its senses and members let the soule rule and order the body by its understanding and affections c. that both body and soule may bee made blessed in an eternall conjunction together after death and in an everlasting union in the sight of God Secondly Death makes a separation betweene a man and all his outward estate in the world The rich man in Saint Luke 12. thought not upon this Soule thou hast much goods layed up for many yeares hee thought his soule and his goods should never have parted therefore take now thine ease saith he See what the end of it was Thou foole saith the Lord this night they shall fetch away thy soule and then whose shall these things bee The time is comming that these things shall bee none of thine they shall bee another mans they shall be some bodies else they shall be taken from thee How necessary is this consideration to take off mens affections from the world and to stirre them up to use their wealth and their estates while they have them so as may make for the glory of God A time shall come that they shall not have it to use that nothing shall be left them but a bare account to be given up Give an account of thy stewardship Luke 16. The maine businesse is now to be done while a man and his wealth are together while a man and his estate continueth together to use it to Gods glory otherwise it will be a woefull and heavy parting when death shall come to make a separation The young man went away sorrowfull when Christ would have his wealth from him because he had great possessions How sorrowfull will a man goe out of the world when he hath a great deale of wealth but he hath not prepared his account he cannot give up a reckoning of his getting of it of his using and imploying of it It is necessary therefore I say that men take to heart the death of those that die before them that when they see the bodies and soules of men parted men and their estates parted they may learne how to use their bodies and soules themselves and their estates while they are yet joyned together Thirdly Death doth not only part a mans body and soule a mans selfe and his wealth but it parteth a man from his friends from all his worldly acquaintance from all those that he tooke delight in upon earth Deathmakes a separation betweene husband and wife see it in Abraham and Sarah though Abraham loved Sarah dearely yet Death parted them
to heart they consider not the causes wherefore God takes away those good men A Land a Kingdome a State a People a place is much weakned when those that are righteous and mercifull men when those that stand in the gappe and use their endevours to prevent judgements are taken away The house will certainly fall when the pillars are removed They are the people of God only that hold up a state that hold up the world Assoone as Noah is put into the Arke presently commeth the deluge upon the World Assoone as ever Lot was got up to Zoar presently the Lord rained downe fire and brimstone upon Sodom and Gomorrah Assoone as ever the mourners are marked presently commeth the destroying Angell upon the rest Beloved when wee see those that are mourners for the evils of the times and places where they live tooke away we should lay it to heart and consider it as a signe of Gods displeasure as a signe that hee is a going and departing when he takes away his jewels as a signe that he is a comming to judge the world when hee beginneth to separate to take to himselfe his owne Certainly as soone as ever that number of the elect shall bee accomplished when the company of those that God hath determined to eternall life shall be fulfilled when the sheepe of Christ that are yet to be brought into his fold are gathered together when the fulnesse of the Gentiles is come in and the nation of the Iewes added then the world shall bee burnt with fire and the day of Iudgement shall come nothing shall hinder that generall destruction that shall be the end of all things here below As it is with the generall Iudgement of the world so with particular Iudgements upon Nations when God takes away his people when the Saints goe out of Ierusalem to Pila then commeth the sword of the enemie upon Ierusalem when God drawes out his owne people presently commeth judgement upon the rest It is good to observe Gods method and order that he takes in governing of the world at this day that in the death of the servants of God wee may consider our owne time that wee may prepare for those evils that are a comming and for those greater judgements that are hastning Thus you see what use may bee made of laying to heart the death of others God is much glorified thereby For all his attributes are seene in all his workes and the glorifying of God is a declaring of God to be as glorious as hee hath revealed himselfe to be in his attributes which is by shewing of them forth in his workes When men can see the wisedome the justice the power the mercie the truth the soveraigntie of God and all in the death of others then they glorifie God in taking to heart the death of others You see likewise what good commeth to a mans selfe by laying to heart the death of others He sees thereby the certainty of his owne death He sees the nature of death and what the proper worke of it is viz. to separate betweene him and all those outward comforts all those props and staies whereupon his heart rested too much on earth in the daies of his vanitie And lastly he sees the end and cause why God sendeth Death into the world sometime in judgement that men should take heed of sin sometime in mercie in mercy to the men themselves and in mercy also to those that live that they seeing the servants of God lodged up before the tempest may learne to feare and to hide and secure themselves under Gods speciall providence who can either hide them amongst the living or the dead in the worst times Now let us conclude with some application to our selves In the first place it serveth for the just reproofe of that great neglect that is in the world at this day that men lay not to heart the death of others I wish that this were only the sinne of worldly men I know to a worldly man it is of all things the most unpleasant thought that can be to thinke of death hee cannot endure to heare this they shall fetch thy soule from thee It is as unpleasant to him as it is to a bankrout to heare of a Sergeant comming to arrest him as unpleasant as it is to a malefactour to heare of being brought before the Iudge And that is the reason why men in the time of feasting cannot endure such discourses at their Tables as might put sad thoughts of death into them oh these are to melancholy thoughts Yea but in the meane time it is thy folly thy want of wisedome Hee that was guided by the spirit of wisedome and had now bought some wisedome at a deare rate by wofull experience of his former follies hee now seeth that it was farre better to goe to the house of mourning that is seriously to consider of that which men account the most ordinary cause of mourning that is the death of others and of themselves then to goe to the house of feasting that is to sport a mans selfe in the pleasures of the world and to give libertie to a mans selfe to all manner of delights But I say I wish that this were their fault onely and that it may die with them But it is too much the fault of Gods owne people Moses is faine to pray for Israel in the Wildernesse where they saw so many die before them that God would give them wisedome to number their dayes And Ministers have still the same cause to pray for the people and Christians to pray one for another that God would give them wisedome to lay to heart the death of other men Have you well considered of Death when you can only discourse that such a one that was profitable in his instruction is dead such a one by whom we have had good in conversing with is dead such a one that was young and likely to live many yeares longer is dead What of all this this is but idle and emptie discourse What use makest thou of this to thy selfe dost thou gather from thence the certaintie of thy owne death Dost thou consider what Death will doe to thee when it commeth how that it will separate betweene thee and all things in the world as it hath done them Dost thou consider for what cause God sendeth Death abroad into the world Dost thou consider this with thy selfe as thou oughtest to doe This is an act of wisedome This is that wee call due consideration when the soule reflects upon it selfe it is their case now and it will be mine and mine in the same manner therefore it is good for me to set my accounts straite with God When thou accompaniest another to the grave dost thou conclude thus with thyselfe the very next time that any death is spoken of it may bee mine or as Saint Peter speakes to Saphira after the death of Annanias The feet of those that have buried
but how he carried himselfe in the world And truly this is the great Question that every man should put to his soule I must out of the world how have I lived when I was in the world had GOD any glory by mee had men any good by me have I furthered my account against the day of reckoning that I may give it up with joy it makes no matter how I goe out of the world I am sure if my life have beene serviceable to God and beneficiall to men my departure shall be for gaine and advantage it is for a better world Thus much shall serve briefly for the opening of these words and for that that is appliable from them For the present occasion a word Funerall Sermons are not intended for the praise of the dead but for the comfort of the living Therefore I have chosen such an argument to handle at this time as might bee of use and profit to you that live Besides that I am in particular and by particular order debarred of speaking any thing concerning our deceased Sister though I might have spoken much and that very usefull to you The best use that you can make will bee this to consider the life that shee led amongst you Shee was a patterne and example of holinesse of a wise and upright carriage in her wayes follow her in that Marke the Godly and upright man the end of that man is peace There was none that knew her but upon good assurance are perswaded of her happinesse now Would you then have the same happinesse after take the same course that shee did be much in prayer and dependance upon the ordinances and in fellowship with the servants of God be profitable in doing good profitable in receiving good mannage the opportunities and times well that God giveth you as she did gaining much in little she did much worke in a short space let that be your care and then this will be your comfort in the end Thus if you make this use of the death of others before you you shall prepare for your own death and that shal be only a passage for you to Eternall life FINIS DELIVERANCE FROM THE KING OF FEARES OR FREEDOME FROM THE FEARE OF DEATH PSAL. 55. 4. My heart is sore pained within mee and the terrours of death are fallen upon mee PROV 3. 25. Bee not afraid of sudden feare LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. DELIVERANCE FROM THE KING OF FEARES OR FREEDOME FROM THE FEARE OF DEATH SERMON III. HEBR. 2. 15. For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and bloud he also himselfe likewise tooke part of the same that through death hee might destroy him that had the power of death that is the divell and deliver them who through the feare of death were all their life-time subject to bondage IN these words that I haue read to let passe other parts of the Chapter the Apostle sets downe the humiliation of Christ with the fruit of it His humiliation in his Incarnation and death The fruit of it in subduing him that had the power of death and delivering those that were kept under the feare of death in bondage all their life At this time we will speake onely of the last part the fruit of Christs death in delivering those that were kept under the feare of death The persons that are kept under this feare are said to bee the children Gods owne children those for whom Christ died yet they were kept under the feare of death and that not at some particular time when tentation had got some speciall advantage over them but it was a trouble and a burden to them all their life long and that not a small burthen or an easie trouble but such as kept them as in bondage The words you see are easie There are two points that arise from them First that Gods children those for whom Christ died are many times held strongly under the feare of death Secondly that Christ by his death freeth them from those feares I shall onely insist at this time principally on the first That Gods owne children the Children that were partakers of flesh and bloud it is taken either for the humane nature or the infirmities of that nature even these children were held under the feare of death I will shew the grounds of it The feare of death in the children of God ariseth either from some causes without or from somewhat within them From without them and so the feare ariseth from God an act of his providence upon his children Or from Sathan a worke of his malice These are the causes from without For the first God in his providence and that in his speciall and fatherly providence whereby he doth order all things for the good of his children for the present increase of their grace and the fitting them for glory hereafter Hee I say in his providence ordereth it thus that they shall be kept many of them a great while under the feare of death and this he doth for speciall good ends The first is to humble them Adam as soone as he had sinned against God as his fall was by pride he would haue had a higher condition then he was in so when God would bring him backe againe he beginneth first to humble him and how doth he that Dust thou art saith he and to dust thou shalt returne he sheweth him that he was a dead man by sinne and so would have the meditation of death to humble Adam and in him all his posteritie after him So David when he desired that some meanes might worke upon his enemies for their good he prayeth Put them in feare that they may know that they are but men He doth not onely pray that mortalitie might be presented to them but so presented that it might leaue an impression of feare upon their affections that they might know what they are that they have not their beeing or the power of subsisting in themselves but that they must looke for it above themselves to him that hath the issues of life and death in his owne hande And this is necessarie that all the servants of God should bee kept humble by some meanes or other The Apostle Paul you see he had attained a great measure of grace yet he standeth in need of something to humble him therefore the messenger of Sathan was sent to buffet him that hee should not bee exalted above measure that he might be kept humble God intendeth to raise up his children to a glorious estate therefore as men lay a low foundation when they intend to erect a high building so God layeth the foundation of all grace and comfort in his servants in humiliation therefore he will not onely have them mortall but he will have them apprehend their mortalitie and dying condition with feare that they may be humbled by this feare That is the first thing Secondly God aymeth at the
the first verse mortalitie is swallowed up of life And therefore you give wrong names to things for while you live you die because your life it is a dying condition and while you die you live because then the cessation of life it is as the river Iordan to the people of Israel no more but a passage to Canaan not a floud to drowne them so it is with the servants of God death is but a passage to heaven it is not destructive to them So that if men did but rectifie their opinions of Death as I told you before when their hearts are right set when they are humbled and not lifted up with worldly things when their faith is strengthned and setled in them when they are made watchfull in a holy course looking for Death when they are established with the assurance of Gods favour then I say they may find that all these naturall feares of death were upon mistake they did not rightly apprehend the thing Other things I should have added but I am loth to hold you too long A word for the occasion and so I will conclude The departure of our Sister here was the occasion as of this meeting here so of this Text in particular Shee gave good evidence to those that knew her more inwardly that she was in Christ that she was delivered not onely from eternall death but from feare of temporall death too It pleased God to exercise her a great while under the feare of death the apprehension of it waâ—… of some terrour to her but neverthelesse when God called her to it indeed then the feare of Death was hid from her and Christ then applied the fruit of his death in freeing her from those feares Shee was not freed from them out of a Stoycall Appethy or want of naturall affection and passion but out of a spirituall and faithfull application of Christ to herselfe upon good grounds Shee looked upon God as her Father and much delighted to expresse her apprehension of him under that notion and shee very often manifested her rejoycing in that interest she had in God as his child no marvell then if the feare of death were taken away we see here in the text that they are children that are delivered from the feare of death When we are in the state of Gods children by adoption and grace then there is rather a desire then a feare of death It is but as our Fathers white Horse so it is called in the Revelation A child at schoole when he seeth one riding post through the streets as if he would runne over him or tread upon him he cryeth out But if he sees that it is his fathers man sent to bring him from schoole to his Fathers house all his feare is past and he laugheth and rejoyceth So when we are the sonnes and daughters of God by adoption we apprehend Death as our Fathers pale Horse sent by him to bring us from a place of prison on earth home to our Fathers house a place of libertie in heaven So it was with her She looked upon Christ as her Husband and though she left a husband upon earth yet it was her owne expression shee was to goe to her Husband in heaven which was farre better for her And therefore I say having these apprehensions of God as her Father and that she was adopted to the state of a child by grace and looking upon Christ as her husband no marvell shee was freed from the feare of Death And that these were upon good grounds those that knew her course best knew that she expressed it by her abundant care to please God by her desire to serve God by her endevour to mortifie and subdue ill in her selfe by her growth in grace in her latter times these good evidences did shew that it was not a rash and groundlesse perswasion but a true and reall apprehension of God and Christ that freed her from this Feare of death Beloved many times the life of Gods servants is uncomfortable to them because for some of those reasons I have spoken of before they are afraid of Death and they apprehend it not with comfort and this they doe because they see not the interest they have in better comforts then Death can take from them I have the rather therefore spoke this of her that you may take notice of it and apply it to your selves And to conclude make this use of all to grow more humble and watchfull and holy to strengthen faith more and by dying daily to prepare more for Death For faith is the rectified apprehension of things Death it is not so fearefull as you thinke it is you lose not so much as you thinke you lose Nay againe because this trouble and this feare dishonoureth God therefore when God calleth us to Death he hideth these feares from us as he did from this servant of Christ at this time before us though she were fearfull before yet she was exceeding comfortable all the time when the apprehension of Death approched upon her So it shall be with thee if thou bee carefull to use the meanss to prepare for Death mind thou the dutie that God enjoyneth thee in thy life and leave the event and issue to him either hee will glorifie himselfe by thy feares or else he will glorifie himselfe by delivering thee from thy feares FINIS THE PERFECTION OF PATIENCE OR THE COMPLEATE CHRISTIAN HEB. 12. 1 2. Let us runne with Patience unto the race that is set before us looking unto Iesus the Authour and finisher of our faith c. JAMES 5. 12. Yee have heard of the Patience of Iob and have seene the end of the Lord. LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. THE PERFECTION OF PATIENCE OR THE COMPLEATE CHRISTIAN SERMON IIII. JAMES 1. 4. But let patience have her perfect worke that you may bee perfect and intire wanting nothing IN the second verse of this Chapter the Apostle perswadeth the distrest servants of God to beare their afflictions chearfully My brethren saith hee count it all joy when you fall into divers tentations This exhortation he presseth in the third Verse by shewing the gracious effects of tentations when God sanctifieth them Knowing this that the tryall of your faith worketh patience Yea but if this be all the fruit of our afflictions and tentations that we shall be made patient what great matter is that what great advantage commeth by patience It is but a dull grace it is meerely passive He telleth them that it is such a grace as is necessarie to the beeing and perfection of a Christian in the words that I have now read to you Let patience have her perfect worke that you may be perfect and intire wanting nothing I shall speake something for the explication of the tearmes and phrases used here and then come to elect such points as shall offer themselves to us from them First I will shew what is meant by patience
all met upon one person This is the language of men whereby they aggravate their afflictions and increase impatience in themselves Againe another way whereby they doe it is this By giving vent and free course to their passions Passions are like a wilde horse if they have not reines put upon them if they be not pulled in they will flie out to all excesse If once we give our Passions vent there is no stopping of them David wee see checks himselfe he had a curbe to bridle his passions Why art thou cast downe oh my soule But otherwise when men give the reines to their passion and doe not stop their course but thinke they have reason for it they breake out into all exorbitancie Ionah when the Lord chalenged him for his anger Dost thou well to bee angrie I saith he I doe well to be angrie even to the death So David Oh Absalom my sonne would God I had died for thee oh Absalom my sonne my sonne What hurt was done to David what wrong had the man to take on thus his sonne was tooke from him but it was Absalom Absalom died but it was Absolom that would have killed his father and yet he takes on as if the father could not live because the sonne that sought his death was tooke from him Such unreasonable Passions such causelesse distempers oft-times are in the soules of men that they mistake Gods wayes and that very way that he intendeth them good in they complaine of as if it were their utter undoing Againe thirdly another way whereby men increase their impatience and distemper is when they will not give way to comfort they will not onely bee exceeding vehement and intent upon their Passions but besides stop all passages and in-lets against comfort It was Iacobs fault concerning the death of Ioseph When he heard that Ioseph was dead not onely his heart sunke within him but hee rends his garments and covereth himselfe with sack-cloth he takes on so that when his sonnes and children rose up to comfort him he would not be comforted Why Because Ioseph was not and I will goe to the grave to Ioseph nothing would comfort Iacob but he would goe downe to the grave to Ioseph by all meanes What a great matter was this He only heard that Ioseph was dead he was alive he knew not so much but hee heard a present sound of feare and he was carried away with that So it is with us the very apprehension of our feares are as bad to us as the things themselves could possibly be Nay we multiply upon our selves our feares and we will not heare counsell and comfort as Rachel that mourned for her children and would not bee comforted because they were not Againe a fourth thing whereby men increase impatience in themselves and aggravate their sorrowes is this when men looke onely upon the present afflictions and not upon the mercies they have as if they had but one eye to behold all objects with as if they could looke but upon one thing at once there should bee a looking upon the affliction and there should bee a looking upon the mercy too This was Hamans case when he was vexed that Mordecay did not doe him reverence all his wealth and his honours could doe him no good he had much wealth and the glory of his house was increased he had the favour of the King and was inclining to have the honour of the Queene put upon him yet all this availeth me nothing saith he so long as I see Mordecay the Iew sitting in the Kings gate Hee lookes onely on this particular that vexed and grieved him and not upon the rest So it is with us if there be but one particular affliction upon us we fix our eyes upon that Like a Flie that flieth about the glasse and can sticke no where till she come to some cracke or as a Gnat that commeth about the body of a beast that will be sure to sticke on the galled part or some sore or other So it is with these disquieted thoughts of men that are of no other use but to further Sathans ends to weaken their faith and discourage their owne hearts men sticke on the gall on the sore of any affliction there they will rest It is true God hath given us such and such favours and mercies hath offered us such and such opportunities but what is this this and that particular affliction is upon me This is that that increaseth impatience when a man will not looke on the mercies he receiveth but onely lookes on that that he wanteth Againe a fifth course that men take to aggravate their sorrows and increase impatience in themselves is this They looke upon the instrument of their sorrows and afflictions but never looke up to God that ruleth and over-ruleth these things Men looke upon such a person such a man and no more Yee see how David was disquieted at this If it had beene an enemie that reproached him then he could have borne it but it was thou my friend my equall my guide my acquaintance that sate at my table wee tooke sweet counsell together and walked unto the house of God in company This troubled him and see how he multiplied his sorrowes when hee looked upon the instrument till he looked upon God and then I was dumbe I opened not my mouth because thou didst it There is no quiet in the heart when a man lookes upon man till hee lookes upon God that ordereth all things by his wisedome and counsell Lastly men aggravate their sorrowes and increase their impatience by another course they take that is when they looke on their sorrows and afflictions onely and not upon the benefit of affliction they looke only upon that that flesh would avoyde but not that which if they were spirituall and wise they would desire No affliction saith the Apostle is joyous for the time that is to flesh and nature but grievous neverthelesse afterward it yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse to them which are exercised thereby Now men looke upon that only which is grievous in affliction upon the smart of it but not upon the profit of Affliction the quiet fruit of righteousnesse that commeth by it As a man when he hath a Corroding plaister put to a sore he cryeth and complaineth of the smart it putteth him to but takes no notice of the healing that commeth by it and the cure that followeth Thus it is with men they complaine of God as if he envied them the comfort of their lives as if he intended to robbe them of all conveniencies and to make them utterly miserable to begin a Hell with them on earth when they never looke how God by this meanes fitteth them for heaven by this meanes purging out corruption and strengthening grace in them Wee are afflicted of the Lord that we may not be condemned of the world Men looke upon the affliction
love but besides that there is a course of affection that floweth naturally and kindly from the Father to the child as it is with those rivers that fall downward they fall more vehemently then those that are carried upward so the more naturall the affection is the more vehement it expresseth it selfe in the motion to such objects Now when the Father expresseth his affection to his child this is more vehement because it is more naturall there is more strength of nature in it I cannot stand upon this only a word by way of inference and application to our selves First are naturall parents thus to their children Then here is a ground of faith for the children of God that he is pleased to stile himselfe by the name of Father and to receive them into the adoption of sonnes and daughters This was Davids expression of God As a father hath compassion of his children so hath the Lord on those that feare him And the Prophet Isaiah expresseth it fully In all their affliction hee was afflicted and the Angel of his presence saved them in his love and pittie hee redeemed them and bee bare them all the dayes of old hee bore them upon his wings This giveth confidence and boldnesse to Gods children in making their requests knowne to him This was it that incouraged the Prodigall I will arise and goe to my father and say Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee c. God saith S. Bernard alwayes grants those petitions that are sweetned with the name of father and the affection of a child I should hence speake somewhat to children to stirre them up to answer the love of their Parents but other things that follow forbids me any long discourse of this Secondly here is Davids pietie expressed in this Who knoweth whether the Lord will bee gracious to mee Hee exprest not only the Pittie and affection of a naturall father to a child but pietie also arising from the sense of his guilt Hee was guiltie of sinne and by sinne he had brought this sorrow upon himselfe and therefore who knoweth whether the Lord will bee gracious to me in sealing to me the pardon of my sinne this way in adding this mercy as a further assurance of his love in granting me the forgivenesse of my sinne God had told him by Nathan that his sinne was pardoned though he told him the Child should die it may be by the same mercy he will release me from this sentence of death upon my Child whereby he released me from the guilt of my sinne before Here I say is the sense of his owne sinne The point I note hence is That Parents in the miseries that befall their children should call their owne sinne to remembrance All the sorrowes and sicknesses and paines and miseries that befall children should present to Parents the remembrance of their owne sinne It was the expression of the Widow of Sarepta to the Prophet Eliah Art thou come to call my sinnes to remembrance and to slay my childe Shee saw her sinne in the death of her Child So I say in all the afflictions and crosses that befall children the Parents should call to remembrance their owne sinne But some men will here say There seemeth to be no need of such a course for God hath said plainly That the child shall not die for the sinne of the Parent And after God cleareth his owne waies from inequalitie and injustice by that argument The sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the father Therefore what reason is there that Parents should call their sinnes to remembrance in the miseries that befall their children I answer Though he say the child shall not die for the Parents sinne yet we must understand it a right for what doth hee meane by the sinnes of the Parent And what doth hee meane by death By sinnes of the Parent he meaneth those sinnes that are so the parents as that the children are not at all guiltie of those sins then the children shall not die By Death he meaneth as the word signifieth the destruction of nature So death shall not befall the child for that sinne that himselfe is not guiltie of But how then come little children to die before they have committed any sinne actually was this for their owne sinne or for the sinne of their Parents I answer for their owne sinne they die for the soule that sinneth it shall die and all children have sinned they brought sinne into the world and sinne brought death as the Apostle speakes therefore death reigneth over all even over those that have not sinned according to the similitude of Adams transgression that is that have not sinned actually as Adam had done yet neverthelesse they die because they have sinne upon them they have the corruption of nature In sinne they were borne and in iniquitie their mother conceived them and the wages of sinne is death therefore they die for their owne sinne But what if temporall judgements and afflictions befall them is this for their owne sinne or for the sinne of their Parents I answer for both both for their owne and for the sinne of their Parents for as death so all the miseries of this life are fruits of originall sinne which is an inheritance in the person of every child by nature as soone as it is borne but yet if the sinne of the Parents be added to it that may bring temporall judgements There are many instances and examples of this how God hath visited upon the posteritie of wicked persons the sinnes of their Fathers according to that threatning in the second Commandement And this you shall see either in godly children of wicked parents or in ungodly children of godly Parents Suppose a man leave a great deale of wealth to his children and have one that feares God amongst them it may please God to lay some losse or crosse upon him to the undoing of him he may utterly be impoverished and beggered and deprived of all that meanes that his father left him by unrighteousnesse Hee getteth an heire and in his hand is nothing saith Solomon that is God deprived him of all that estate his father left him by unrighteousnesse Now I say here is a judgement upon the father and yet a mercy upon the child A judgement upon the father that all that he hath laboured for that which hee lost his soule for should bee vaine should come to nothing and not benefit his posteritie as he thought Yet it is a mercy to the childe to the child of God He by this meanes is humbled it draweth him from the world Nay when God emptieth him of these things that were unrighteously gotten he giveth him it may be an estate another way wherein he shall see God his Father provide for him without any indirect and unlawfull courses So sometimes the very shame and reproach that falleth upon wicked children here it is a
Why should I doe this The reasons he giveth against excessive sorrow are first I can but give you the heads of things because it is a thing against reason Hence I will note this to you That one way to moderate our sorrowes and to regulate them aright is to bring them to the examination of reason and judgement When passions sway when they doe not looke to the commands of reason to bee subject and ordered according to that but usurpe a rule in the soule above reason then there is nothing but confusion and distemper and disorder in a mans affections and actions and in his whole course A man should therefore consider what reason there is for every thing If hee sorrow for a thing what reason have I for it If hee rejoyce in any thing what reason have I for it Is it worth this sorrow or this joy I say this is the way to rectifie and moderate our passions and to order them aright if wee trie them all by sound reason David tooke this course at other times Why art thou cast downe oh my soule why art thou disquieted within mee Is there any good reason for it Reason I say is a curbe and bridle to stop passion when it is running on in its free course If David had done thus would hee have runne out to that excessive expression for his sonne Oh Absalom my sonne my sonne c. What great reason had hee for this that Absolom a rebellious son was tooke away that sought the death of his father that God glorified himselfe in the punishment of a disobedient proud insolent childe in the sight of all the world Was this a matter for David so much to grieve and to be troubled at If Ionah had done thus if hee had considered what reason hee had to bee angrie as GOD putteth the question to him dost thou well to bee angrie Would he not have stopped that Passion If Cain had done thus if he had put the question to himselfe as GOD did Why art thou wroth why is thy countenance fallen Or as that great King said to Nehemiah Why is thy countenance sad So if men would put the question to themselves concerning their affections as concerning love why doe I set my heart upon such and such things and so likewise concerning their sorrow and anger and every thing Why is it thus As Rebecca said when the children did striue in her womb so when there is a conflict of passions in the soule against reason since it is so why am I thus Who art thou that fearest mortall man saith Isaiah to the Church If men I say did thus they would not breake out into such exorbitancie of passions as commonly they doe The way then to order any affection aright is to reduce it to the principles of sanctified and rectified reason and judgement Let reason be guided by the Word of GOD and let the affections be ordered by that reason so rectified Thus it was with man in the state of innocencie and experience telleth us that in the state of corruption all disorder commeth from the want of this subordination of the affections to reason in their severall actions and motions When a man goes hood-winkd up and downe hee is in danger of stumbling and falling into one hole or other this is for a man to walke in darknesse then a man walketh in darknesse when hee is not guided in all his actions and affections by the light of truth shining in his understanding A man should therefore strive to checke himselfe and to suffer others to checke him Why is it thus If a man cannot give a cause and a reason it is a passion to be rejected a distemper to be repented of This is the first thing He saw no reason therefore hee would not doe it The second is this It was altogether bootlesse Why should I fast I cannot bring him backe againe Hee meaneth bring him backe againe to live on the earth So Iob meaneth when hee speakes in the same manner If a man die shall hee live againe hee cannot be brought backe againe to live and converse among men The point I not hence is this That all the actions and opportunities of this life cease in death There is no calling of them backe againe No bringing of a man backe to take new opportunities to enjoy the comforts he hath lost and to make use of the meanes he hath neglected and to redeeme the time he hath slackly let passe When the request was put to Abraham by Dives that some might come from the dead to tell his brethren upon earth where he was No saith he that request shall never be granted that a man should come from the dead to give warning to the living much lesse that a man himselfe should returne from thence to begin upon a new score a new reckoning to have a new time appointed when that time is past over They have Moses and the Prophets let them heare them God hath appointed the meanes and a time to use the meanes Now they have Moses and the Prophets After this life they shall have none of those meanes no time of using them The child shall not come back againe nor the man shall not come backe againe Death is a strict doore-keeper all that passe out that way the doore is shut on them they shall never returne backe Wee reade of many severall Ages that have gone to the place of silence we never read of any that came thence to tell what is done there we never heard of any yet that came backe againe to reforme his course A friend with all his prayers and teares cannot bring backe a friend that is dead It teacheth us a point of wisedome to make good use of our time the time of grace we have We draw neerer death every day then other and when once we are dead we shall never be brought backe againe upon the earth If a man had all the world and would give it to obtaine an houres time upon earth to doe what he neglected before he cannot have it therefore while it is called to day harden not your hearts yet a little while and you shall have the light saith Christ while yee have the light walke in the light Make use of the meanes of grace the time may come when yee may wish as Dives is described to wish that some body much more that you your selves might come from the dead Certainly if those in Hell were to come from the dead againe though it were to live a hundred yeares on earth a holy strict and conscionable life to watch over all their wayes to keepe a good conscience toward God and men they would not omit a duty nor slight a duty they would not omit an opportunity a minute but spend their whole life in working out their salvations with feare and trembling they would sleepe and awake with feare lest they should sinne they would be
the body Spirituall death when God and grace are severed from the soule The Text speakes of the corporall death Sinne is not the sting of the spirituall death for the spirituall death is sinne it selfe And here I will not contend with any man if he be full of enquirie but I will distinguish two parts of spirituall death and I grant in one of them is this sting In spirituall death therefore there are two parts or two degrees The first is called the first death That I take to bee the death of the soule in sinne The second part is when soule and body are for ever closed up in Hell And in this part sinne is the sting And remember this by the way Sinne is not onely a sting now but it will be a sting to men in Hell the sting the deadlinesse the extremity of punishment that is in Hell it is received all from sinne for the damned in Hell when they come there as they cease not to sinne so the sting of sinne ceaseth not to be with them and it may be delivered by conjecture I thinke Hell were no Hell if there were not the sting of sinne there So then you see what death the Apostle speakes of principally of corporall death but it may be extended to the second part of spirituall death for there sinne continueth and so the sting remaineth The next question is what sinne the Apostle speakes of when he saith the sting of death is sinne This is not a time to stirre controversies therefore those ancient controversies and such as are lately stirred up about originall sinne how farre it is the sting of death I let them goe In a word to let you see what sinne is the sting of death remember this Sinne may be considered two wayes either as it is intire untouched uncrushed Let that sinne be what it will be whether it be originall onely or whether it be any actuall sinne streaming from originall whether it be a sinne of ignorance or knowledge whether it be of pleasure or of profit A sinne immediatly that respecteth God or immediatly respecteth our neighbour whatsoever the sinne be if it bee not touched if it bee not crushed if it scape uncontrouled if it be in its native power and keepes in his kingdome if it rule in a man that sinne will certainly be the sting of Death Euery sinne vertually is the sting of death there is an aptitude in every Sinne. But in the event that Sinne proveth the sting of death that is untouched uncontrouled Not every sinne in the event proveth the sting of death but that Sinne that liveth in us or rather that Sinne that we live in that ruleth in us that we affect and love this is the Sinne that putteth a sting into death That very sinne that thou lovest and likest so much and pleadest for that sinne will make death terrible Secondly Sinne may be considered as it is galled and vexed and mortified in the Soule When a man setteth upon the root of Sinne and the way of Sinne and falleth a crucifying the body of Sinne and the members of it I say howsoever there bee divers motions and stirrings of Sinne in the soule yet if these be disavowed disaffected and mortified if there be a crucifying vertue passe over them if they come not within the judgement to approve them or within the affections to embrace and like them if they come not to be a mans trade and way and walke but fall within the improbation of the judgement to disavow them and the misliking of the affections to sorrow for them These shall not be the sting of death whatsoever the motions are But these untouched unmortified sinnes these are the sting of death Now these are the sting of death in a double respect First in respect of the guilt Secondly in respect of the corruption First they are a sting in respect of guilt Every Sinne remaining unsatisfied for remaineth with his guilt and when Sinne is not satisfied for there is the sting of death When the sinner hath nothing to oppose to the justice of God for the sinne he hath committed if the Sinne be in the booke of God uncrossed bee a debt there not blotted out by the blood of Christ if Christ have not satisfied for it if the sinner have not part in him as we shall heare anone then Sin is the sting of death And then secondly they are a sting in respect of the corruption and filthinesse of Sins unmortified Those filthy sinfull motions those depraving qualities inthy soule that thou likest and practisest in thy conversation they give thee up into the hands of Death to execute his Sting upon thee And therefore you that applaud your selves in Sinne and will goe on in Sin doe so But know this when thou commest to the full strength of thy Sinne let it be what it will when Death commeth it findeth the strongest weapon it hath in thy sinne the very power of thy sinne armeth Death against thy soule No man is more obnoxious and open to the sharpest dart of Death then that man that will goe on in Sinne. So you see what Sin is spoken of that is the sting of death that Sin is the sting of Death that a man loveth and doteth on The third Question is in what respect Sin is the sting of Death First by way of Eminencie because that then the sting of Sin beginneth most sensibly to worke in a man Not but that Sin hath a sting before Death but then the deluded sinner feeles his sinne there be divers times that Sin can sting a person before that but then howsoever the sinner hath deluded himselfe and the word of God and the world he can delude them no more Death then most ordinarily fixeth his sting in the soule and makes the sinner feele the smart of his sinne There be three times wherein Sinne can sting a man Before death At death After death Before Death God sometimes letteth loose the conscience of a man even of the most resolved sinner of him that beares himselfe up aloft in his owne eyes in scorne and contempt of the ministrie of the Word sometime I say God singleth out such a person and rippeth up all his heart strikes his Arrowes into his very soule and stings his conscience so irresistably that he knoweth not which way to turne from the wrath that boyleth in his soule And it is one thing to deale with the Minister and another to deale with God When God strikes his Arrowes of uengeance into the soule of a sinner then such a one is stung indeed this God doth sometimes before death Nay sometimes God stingeth the consciences of his owne children for sinne David cries out hee roared for the disquitnesse of his spirit his bones were broken he was sore vexed Lord how long saith he If there be such deepe disquiet by reason of this sting in the consciences of good persons
tell me then what is the disquiet that springeth from sinne in a Cain in a Iudas when it meets with a dispairing disposition Thus you see Sin hath this time to sting and therefore thinke not that Sin will never sting till death sometimes Sinne stingeth a man before death Another time is at death When Death commeth and arresteth a sinner in an Action from God seizeth on a person that is under the power of Sin on one that is in his sinnes untouched howsoever he behaved himselfe in his life-time yet then the very name of Death breakes his heart it apaleth him and then it stings such a person It is appointed beloved for all of us once to die Death will one day arrest every man but when Death appeareth before a man that hath not a part in Christ that is under the power of his sinnes when it commeth to a Belshazzar it makes his very joynts to smite one against another it is a sting to him amidest all those sweet morsels his sinnes which he so much affected and so earnestly pursued it is as a very poyson to him nothing is a poyson now to us but sinne only but then at the time of death sinne is a poyson indeed Lastly Sinne can sting not onely before and at but after death Both at the day of Judgement and after At the day of Judgement Is not the conscience of a sinner thinke you stinged and his spirit deeply affected by reason of the great wrath of God that is to be poured out when he shall cry to the mountaines to cover him when he shall call to those insensible creatures that are not able to lend him that courtesie to crush him to nothing Make this our owne case thinke of it it will be our case as it is appointed for us all to die so we must all come to judgtment And after the Judgement when the sentence goe you cursed is past the sting of Sin ceaseth not no the worme for ever gnaweth in Hell It were a happinesse for a sinner if he might onely heare the sentence if this worme might not still gnaw his conscience but then this is his burthen Sin shall sting him for ever This is the first respect in which sinne is called the sting of death because then Sinne stingeth more emminently and sensibly Secondly it is called the sting of death in respect of the metaphor the Apostle aludeth unto it is taken from the sting of a Serpent and so Sinne is a sting in a double respect First in respect of the fearefulnesse and then in respect of the hurtfulnesse of it First in respect of the fearefulnesse It is Sin that makes Death fearefull to a man Indeed I confesse that in the best Christian though Christ have pulled out the sting of death yet there are naturall grudgings and shruggings As to a Serpent though the sting be pulled away yet there are some abhorrings and dissikes in a man But then how terrible is Derth when it commeth in compleate Armour as it doth against a person in whom Sinne remaineth in its full power it must needs then be terrible See the difference betweene two persons the one is afraid of every one he meeteth the other is not what is the reason the one is greatly indebted and ingaged the other is free So it is with a Christian and another man the one cannot heare of Death but his heart breakes hee is full of feare and horrour the other heareth of Death and is onely somewhat affected in the hearing of it but not possessed with that feare as is the other what is the reason the sting of death remaineth in one and not in another Sin therefore is a sting in that respect Secondly it is a sting in respect of hurtfulnesse The sting of the Serpent is a hurtfull thing it poysoneth the vitall parts it takes away life it selfe All the evill that commeth to us by death commeth by sinne Man need not complaine of the ilnesse of the prison so much as of his owne folly that he ingaged himselfe in debt whereby he is cast into prison Why complainest thou of the misery in Hell rather labour to breake off thy sinnes that are the cause of all that miserie all the hurtfull qualitie and miserable condition that befalleth a person in Death and Hell is for Sin the eternall separation of the soule from God and all punishment that followes after in Hell are the fruit of mans sinne Hell had not beene Hell without Snne it is Sin that causeth it to become hurtfull Thus I have explained these inquiries Now I come to make Use and application and so conclude the Point The first Use of this point shall be this If Sin be the sting of death let it be our wisedome to get this sting pulled out in the time of our life Oh that this people were wise saith God then would they consider their latter end If you were wise that heare mee this day you would consider that Death will come and if it be not taken away before-hand with a sting upon the soule My brethren we have many enemies to deale with even now at this very instant but there is yet an enemie as the Apostle saith The last enemie to bee subdued is Deaeh he his behind and here is the difference betwixt Death our last enemie and some other of our enemies some other of our enemies cannot be subdued but by their presence but let me tell you this Death is such an enemy as is never subdued but by his absence thou canst never overcome Death in death thou must not reserve this combat till thou come to the field but thou must overcome this enemie before he commeth thou must overcome him in thy life How is that Pull out the sting of him now then Death is conquered How will you disarme the tongues of malicious slanderous persons and deprive them of their viperous speech by an innocent life So how will you take away the sting of death watch against Sin take away sinne and you take away the power from Death set upon Sin and Death is overcome so much sinne as is now dead so much is Death conquered I beseech you seriously consider these particulars First that it will not be long ere Death knocke at these dores of ours these houses of clay must shortly be ruinated wee must certainly be resolved into dust What is this life of ours but as a ship that is driven by a gale of breath When the breath of man ceaseth the ship lieth in a dead calme Man goeth to his long home saith Solomon and the mourners follow in the streets Death is our long home wee all are the mourners wee follow in the streetes This dead carcasse is an example that leads us to our home and a sermon to tell us that we must follow we follow now in a charitable expression but we shall follow one day in paying of the
and after both soule and body and presents them before his owne Tribunall and there searcheth into every mans life ransacks his conscience lookes deepe into his conversation and inquireth into his secrets openeth his actions and whole carriage from his infancie to his last breath and findeth out the things that hee hath done and passeth sentence according to that he hath done This Judgement hath two degrees First assoone as a man dieth No sooner is the soule separated from this case as it were the bodie but instantly it is presented before the Lord Jesus Christ and there he passeth sentence either that it is a true beleever a godly liver a person united to Christ that walked as becommeth the Gospell of Christ and then it receiveth glory and joy and blisse for the present more then tongue expresse Or else it findeth against him that he was a sinfull man a wicked man a hypocrite a dissembler one that named Christ with his tongue but did not depart from iniquitie nor live according to the Gospell of Christ and then he is delivered up to Sathan to bee hurried downe to Hell and there to suffer the wrath of God according to the desert of so great wickednesse This particular judgement passeth upon every soule assoone as it leaveth the Body Then followeth the great universall Judgement when soule and body shall be reunited and stand before God every particular man that ever hath beene is or shall be every man shall appeare in their owne persons their whole lives shall be laied open all secret things shall bee made knowne for God saith the Apostle shall judge the secrets of all hearts by Iesus Christ according to my Gospell This is the third thing that the word of God informeth us concerning death that nature could never doe The last that is the best the Scripture giveth us a remedie against the ill of Death It is a pittifull thing to heare of mortallity and sicknesse if there were not a good Potion or Phisicke prescribed to escape the ill of it To heare tell of Death and so tell as the Scripture saith that it is a going to another world of weale or woe and not to heare of a remedie it is wofull tydings and would wring teares from a hard heart But the Scripture makes report of death not onely tollerable and easie but comfortable and gladsome to a Christian heart for it sheweth by whom and by what meanes we may infallibly and certainly escape all the hurt that Death can doe Nay by what meanes we may order our selves so that Death may be beneficiall to us What is that In one short word It is Christ I am the resurrection and the life hee that beleeveth in mee shall never see death Hee meaneth to hurt himselfe Againe This is the message that God hath given us life and this life is in his Sonne And Hee that hath the Sonne hath life Our Saviour Jesus Christ came into the world as the Apostle telleth us that hee might destroy him that had the power of death and so set them at libertie that all their life-time were in bondage under the feare of death And Saint Iohn saith Hee came into the world to destroy the workes of the divell which are sinne and death So that now Death hath lost his sting because Christ overcame it in dying hee slue Death and was the death of Death this man Christ God and Man hee offered himselfe to his Father as a Sacrifice for the sinnes of the world and dying a cursed death upon the Crosse so satisfied the justice of God on the behalfe of all those that are in him that death can doe them no harme It is nothing else but a passage to eternall blessednesse Oh blessed be the name of God that hath beene pleased to provide so perfect a remedie against so mortall an enemie and to lay it open so clearely and plainly in the Gospell Yee have heard of those things that I thought to put yee in mind of concerning Death and so I have done with the first point The second is That Death is an enemie Therefore the Apostle Paul telleth us of a certaine sting it hath Oh Death where is thy sting It is an armed enemie it commeth as a Serpent with a sting that entreth into a mans soule putteth it to extreame perplexitie if he takes not order to disarme this enemie An enemie yee know is a person that setteth himselfe wilfully to hurt a man may hurt his neighbour either through indiscretion or unadvisednesse against his will or hee may lay waite to doe him hurt intending mischiefe and seeking to performe somewhat that shall bee injurious to him Wee call not him an enemie that we receive a little hurt from against his will contrary to his purpose and intention but he that studieth and beforehand desireth to be an enemie Now Death as we may say studieth our hurt in all extremitie before-hand There is but two sorts of hurt that can come to a man One is to deprive him of that which is beneficiall and comfortable to robbe him of all that is contentfull to him in this life As when a company of Foes breake into a Nation they burne their goods and spoile their houses and robbe and take away all that is comfortable to them so much as they can Death is such an enemie It desireth to bereave a man of that necessarie contentment hee hath When it meeteth with a learned man it takes away all his learning at one blow assoone as he is dead hee ceaseth to bee a great scholler It commeth to a rich man and robbes him of all his goods at one blow too though he have millions Death causeth all to be another mans When it commeth to a King it pulleth him beside his Throne takes his Crowne off his head and casteth both him and it into the dust hee is king no longer when hee is dead And so in all the benefits of this life it takes away the pleasure and contentments of a man it takes away the husband from the wife and the wife from the husband it divideth children from Parents and Parents from children all the benefits that this life afford death strippeth a man of them all and turnes him naked out of the world just as hee came hee must goe and carry nothing in his hand Death will not admit him to take one farthing or any thing else with him So he is an enemie for hee spoileth us of whatsoever is desirable in this life But he is an enemie also in inflicting a great deale of ill upon men So death bringeth torment for the present It is a terrible thing to wrestle with it makes a man bleed and sweat as it were No man can incounter with death but he feeleth anxietie and vexation of body and minde unlesse hee have comfort from above to enable him to wrestle with it but in his owne proper nature it is so furious
unrepented of unpardoned unsubdued he will so order those offences that he will thrust them into his soule as so many poisoned Darts that will bring sorrow and anguish and vexation and destruction to all eternitie Ye may see then whether yee have any fitnesse to meet with this Enemie whether yee be in case to fight that battell that of necessitie yee must for Death as I told yee before is enevitable If yee have not Get alone betweene God and thy selfe and there call to mind the corruption of thy nature the sinnes of thy childhood of thy body of thy mind bring thy soule into his presence confesse thy sinnes with an endevour to breake thy heart for them and to be sorry for them mightily crying to him in the mediation of that blessed Advocate Jesus Christ that died on the Crosse to pardon and to wash thy soule in his bloud and to deliver thee from the pollution of thy sinnes Begge the Spirit of sanctification to beate downe those sinnes and subdue thy corruptions Bestow time to performe these exercises daily carefully present thy selfe before God thus to renew thy repentance and faith in Christ to make thy peace with God Labour to purge away the filthinesse of thy sinne and then whensoever Death commeth thou shalt find in thy selfe sufficient against it thou hast disarmed it But if yee spend your time in pursuing profits and pleasures and follow the vanities of this life and either yee doe not thinke of death or yee thinke of it no otherwise then a heathen man would have done to no purpose yee thinke of it to enjoy the world while yee live because yee know not how soone death will end the world and you if you play the Epicures in the thought of Death to annimate you to enjoy the outward benefits of this life to thinke of it to no purpose but only to talke and discourse now and then as occasion serveth then Death will find your soules laden with innumerable sinnes that repentance hath not discharged and undoubtedly it will bring eternall perdition Have yee thus disarmed Death But againe a mans selfe must be armed or else hee cannot incounter with his enemie What is our Armour against Death to keepe off that blow The Apostle in one word sheweth us these Armours when hee saith a Breast-plate of faith and love and the hope of salvation a Helmet If a man have got faith to rest on Christ alone for eternall happinesse and his soule filled with the hope of glory and salvation through him and then with love to him and his servants for his sake These three vertues will secure a man against all the hurt that death can doe Faith Hope and Charitie the Cardinall vertues that Christian religion requires and commands us to seeke these are Armour of proofe against all the blowes of death hee that hath them shall never be hurt of Death because he shall never taste of the second death he hath onely to wrestle with the first Death and there is no terrour nor terriblenesse in that if a mans heart be secure by these Graces Faith whereby we depend on Christ and on him alone for grace and salvation bringing hope whereby we expect and looke for salvation of our soules by his bloud according to his promise and working charitie whereby we love him for his goodnesse and his servants for his sake If it be charitie not onely of the lip to speake well but that that produceth wel-doing I say this is that makes us that death cannot separate us from Christ but the further we are from life the neerer we are to him for when this outward taber nacle of our house is dissolved we have a building with God eternall in the heavens and death to such a man is nothing but the opening of the dore to let him out of the dungeon of the world and to place him happily in the Pallace of eternall blisse I pray enter into consideration how yee have behaved your selves in the course of your lives whether as Heathens or as Christians A man that takes no care to prepare for death though he come to the Church from Sunday to Sunday and partake of all Gods ordinances yet if the consideration of death bee not so imprinted in him that it become a motive to him to labour for Faith and hope and charitie and to endeavour to edifie himselfe in these graces he liveth as a Heathen or an Infidell and when death commeth to him it will doe him more hurt then it will an Infidell because by how much God hath given him more meanes to escape and by neglecting those meanes as his sin is greater so shall his punishment be Secondly if yee have beene carelesse for to prepare for this enemie Now be ashamed of it and sorrow for it let your hearts now smite yee and ake within you Oh foolish man or woman say I have lived twenty thirty forty fifty yeares and some more I have laboured against other enemies if men had any thing against me I would be sure to take order I have laboured for the things of this life for riches and friends and given my selfe leave for to enjoy pleasures and taken paines to doe good to my body but all this while it never came into my heart seriously to thinke I must die and after that commeth judgement that I must stand before Gods Tribunall and give account of my wayes I have not laboured to beware of Death and of sinne nor to kill my corruptions I have not laboured to increase in Faith and hope and charitie I have left my selfe unarmed against the last and worst enemie Oh what folly is this to live in the world many a long day and never to consider that there will be an end of all these dayes and the end of those the beginning of another life and a life that will be infinitely more miserable then this If this beloved have beene any of your faults to be carelesly forgetfull of your latter end not to consider of your departure hence if the world have so tempted you and pleasures have so enamoured you that you have forgotten your latter end blame your selves it is the greatest of all follies And that I may disgrace this folly and make you ashamed of it Consider a little That this is to be like children The Apostle biddeth us not to be like children in understanding but hee that forgetteth Death and is carelesse to prepare for it is a very child A little one never thinketh hee shall ever bee a man himselfe and maintaine himselfe and live in the world by his owne labour or by that he shall have from his friends he careth for nothing but meat and drinke and sport and pastime wee blame their folly and laugh at it as rediculous and therefore by our diligence we prevent that ill that might else come upon them Is it not thus with many of you yee live and build houses and raise
your names to be glorious and to make a faire shew in the world but to get grace and to get faith and hope and love and repentance none of your thoughts almost runne that way scarce any of your thoughts are so bestowed Is not this to be children in understanding Againe he is a foolish man that knoweth he shall meet an enemie and will not prepare If a man should heare of twenty or thirty thousand souldiers were gathered against the Citie and besieged it to destroy it He would not be so foolish and so simple then as to bestow himselfe in his trade and to follow his businesse and to give himselfe to merriment but hee would get his weapons and he would looke about him helpe to arme the City and to make it strong Why doe yee not consider that your soule is as a Citie Death will come against it and batter you with sicknesse with paines and at last will certainly take it and if the soule be not prepared will carry it to Hell fire Why will you be so retchlesse and senslesse to eate and drinke and labour to grow rich to bury your selves in earthly labours and never thinke how to escape how Death may be kept out that will destroy soule and body I presume you are ashamed of this folly by this time I hope yee will goe away with remorse and sorrow for so carelesly neglecting a thing of so great importance to be provided for In the third place therefore I entreate you begin this great worke this day Consider if you have not begun the enemie lieth in waite for thee oh man or woman if thou bee never so young thou maist meet with him before night if thou bee old thou must meet with him ere long Prepare for him betime thinke what an enemy may encounter thee in the way If a man be to travell though he be not assured to meet with an enemie yet he will strive to get good company and weapon himselfe he will carry his sword something he will doe that if a theefe come to robbe him he may be able to prevent the danger Beloved thinke that there is an enemy that way-laies us as we goe along in the world one time or other he will be sure to come upon us therefore stirre up your selves begin this day to prepare for this enemie How shall I prepare for Death I told you before it is not amisse in a word to repeat it Get Faith in Christ and Hope and Charitie and Repentance These will be meanes to prepare and helpe thee against Death Therefore if hitherto thou have not lament and bewaile the sinfulnesse of thy nature and life Assoone as thou art out of this place get thee into a solitarie roome fall upon thy knees lament thy sinnes the ilnesse of thy nature and carriage rehearse thy wayes as much as thou canst condemne thy selfe before God mightily crie for pardon in the mediation of his Sonne and never leave sobbing and mourning till he hath given thee some answer that hee is reconciled And then strive to get faith in Christ call to mind the perfection of his redemption the excellencie of his person and merits that thou maist repose thy soule on him that thou maist say though my sinnes be as the Stars and exceed them yet the merit of my Saviour and his satisfaction to the justice of God it is full in him he is well pleased and reconciled I will stay on him Lord Christ thou hast done and suffered enough to redeeme mee and Man-kind thou hast suffered for the propitiation of the world though my sinnes deserve a thousand damnations yet I trust upon thy mercie according to the Covenant made in thy Word Thus when a man laboureth to cast himselfe on Christ to lay the burthen of his salvation and to venter his soule on him now he hath beleeved this Breast-plate Death is not able to thrust through And then labour that this faith may worke so strongly that it may breed Hope a constant and firme expectation grounded on the promises of the Word that thou shalt bee saved and goe to Heaven and be admitted into the presence of God when thou shalt be separated from this lower world Hee that is armed with this hope hath a Helmet Death shall never hurt his head it shall never be able to take away his comfort and peace He shall smile at the approach of death because it can doe nothing but helpe him to his kingdome And then labour for Charitie to inflame thee to him againe that hath shewed himselfe so truly loving to men as to seeke them when they were lost to redeeme them when they were captives and to restore them from that unhappinesse that they had cast themselves innto Oh that I could love thee and thy people for thy sake thou diddest die for them shall not I be at a little cost and paines to helpe them out of miserie Thus if yee labour to be furnished with these graces then you are armed against Death those will doe you more good then if you had gotten millions of millions of gold and silver As you have understanding for the outward man as you have care to provide for that to preserve and comfort life while you are here so have a care for the future world and that boundlesse continuance of eternitie If a man live miserably here death will end it if he be prepared for death he shall live happily for ever but if a man live happily as we account it and die miserably that misery is endlesse Yee mistake beloved yee account men happy that abound in wealth and honour that have great estates I say yee mistake in accounting men happy that enjoy the good things of this life that can live in prosperitie to the last time of their age possessing what they have gotten If such a man be not prepared for death Death makes way for a greater unhappinesse after death For the more sinne he hath committed the more miserie shall betide him his life being nothing but a continued chaine of wickednesse one linke upon another till he settle upon a preparation for Death And in the last place here is a great deale of comfort to those that have laboured to prepare for death though to them Death is an enemie yet it is an enemie that is utterly destroyed The Philosopher said that Death is the terriblest of all terrible things so it is to nature because it doth that that no other evill can doe it separateth from all comfort and carrieth us we know not whether Death is terrible to a man that is unarmed for death but to the poore Saints that have bestowed their time in humiliation and supplication and confession that have daily endevoured to renew their faith and hope and repentance Death hath no manner of terriblenesse in the world if it bee terrible to a Christian at the first it is onely because he hath forgot himselfe a little he
doth not bethinke how he is armed If God have fitted his servants for death he hath done most for them if they have not riches yet they are fit for death if they have not an estate amongst men it mattereth not a whit if they be fit for Death if they be miserable here in torments and sicknesse when others have health it is no matter all these increase their repentance makes them labour for Faith and Hope and Charitie whereby they are armed against Death Nothing can save us from the hurt of Death but the Lord Jesus Christ put on by Faith and that furnished with Hope and Charitie If God give a man other things and not these graces Death is not destroyed to him But if he deny him other things and give him these graces he doth enough for him Death is destroyed to him His body indeed falleth under the stroake of Death as other mens but his soule is not hurt Death layeth him a rotting as the common sort but the soule goeth to the possession of glory and remaineth with Christ When hee is absent from the body hee is present with the Lord. Nay when the last day shall come Death shall bee utterly swallowed up then the poore and fraile and weake body that sleepeth in corruption and mortalitie shall bee raised in honour and in immortall beautie and glory a spirituall body free from all corporall weaknesses that accompany the naturall body it shall be made most glorious and blessed even as if it were a spirit all the weaknesses that accompany the naturall beeing of the body shall be taken away and it shall enjoy as much perfection as a body can and therefore it is called spirituall Therefore I beseech you rejoyce in the Lord if your soules tell you that you are armed against this death FINIS THE VVORLDS LOSSE AND THE RIGHTEOVS MANS GAINE EZEKIEL 22. 30. I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before mee for the Land but I found none therefore have I poured forth my indignation upon them PHIL. 1. 21. For to mee to live is Christ and to die is Gaine LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. THE WORLDS LOSSE AND THE RIGHTEOVS MANS GAINE SERMON VIII ISAIAH 57. 1. And mercifull men are taken away none considering that the Righteous is taken away from the evill to come WHen I first began this verse I did never thinke that all things would have beene so sutable to the finishing of it as now I find they are For there is no circumstance that can be required to make a correspondencie betweene a former and a latter handling but is to be found in the two surveies I tooke upon this Text. The occasion of handling it now is the same that was before I began it at a Funerall and now at another Funerall I shall end it The place of handling the same as it was before I began the former part of the verse in this very street at the other end of it Now I shall finish it at this And the time it is the same and every way answerable to that it was before It was begun in a time of Mortalitie feared and now will be finished in a time of mortalitie certaine And that there should be no part of correspondencie wanting this latter part of the verse is answerable to the former it is but the same againe in other words In the former part there is mention of the righteous man here of the mercifull man they are both one In that hee is said to perish here to bee taken away they are both the same There No man is said to lay it to heart and here no man is said to consider it Both the same So that loke upon the whole both parts joyne together they walke on by paires two and two as the living creatures into the Arke Male and Female The first paire sets forth to you the state and condition of a godly man he is righteous and mercifull those are the male and female of Pietie The second sets forth to you the state and condition of a dying man hee perisheth and is taken away those are the Male and Female of death The third sets out the state and condition of a worldly man he layes it not to heart he never takes it into consideration those are the Male and Female of carnall securitie And that all the paires should now be made up the former part was handled at the buriall of a good old Man this latter now at the buriall of an old and verteous Gentlewoman those are the Male and Female of nature The former part that is a complaint that the Prophet made and so is the second and this second is set as a Commentarie to the first this latter part is as Eve created as a helpe to Adam for every word in this latter helpes to expound some word in the former The first word in the latter part tells us of the mercifull man that is the Exposition of the first word in the former part the righteus man Lest any man should make question who this righteous man was that the Prophet speakes of how we should know him and define him and find him find me a mercifull man and hee is truly a righteous man The second word in the latter part is taken away that hath reference to the second word in the former and it is a qualification of the harshnesse of the former there it is said The righteous man perisheth but lest any man should scandal at this word shall we thinke that he perisheth whose life it hid with Christ in God Shall the Scripture say that hee perisheth whose name is in the bundle of life written in heaven To lay aside therefore the rigour of the word here is the Qualification hee is taken away The third word of the latter hath reference to the third of the former too No man considereth it If any man aske the reason how it comes to passe that people should be without naturall affection that they take it not to heart that they are not grieved for Ioseph that they are not striken with any sense of their owne losses what should be the reason of it The reason is in this word they take it not into consideration They trouble not their heads and therefore not their hearts with it That it may make an aggravation of that They were so farre from taking of it to heart that they never propounded it to the examination and scanning of their judgement they consider it not So every word in the latter part is serviceable to the first I shewed concerning the first part who this Righteous man is how great the dignation of the Spirit of God is that hee will stile holy men that are so imperfect in holinesse yet because of their holy endeavours to walke in the wayes of God blamelesly the Spirit stiles them Righteous men Secondly I shewed how this Righteous
must be the two feet that we walke on toward God Righteousnesse that is one by which we tread the way of the first Table in workes of pietie to God and Mercie is the other by which we tread the way of the second Table in mercy towards men So that as the two Tables kisse each other they are infolded one in another the love we owe to our brethren it hangs and depends on our love to God the love that wee shew to God is to be testified by our love to our brethren So these two are to embrace one anothee wee must not sever them that God severeth not according to this others will judge of us that wee are truly righteous according to this scantling we take of our selves Deceive not your selves if there be not workes of Charitie and mercie flatter not your selves with an opinion of righteousnesse it is an emptie name where mercie is not So the Apostle makes the argument Hee that loveth not his brother whom hee hath seene how can hee love God whom hee hath not seene So likewise here is it possible that there should be righteousnesse toward God when there is not mercie toward men It is the first of those pious instructions that I will commend to this place Ostentation of righteousnesse there is a great deale in the world men desire to be accounted godly men because they can be reserved to themselves They can get pretences of pietie and zealous they will seeme to be for workes of the first Table Did God give onely one Table No but we shall bee tried by the workes of the second Table When I was hungry yee fed me not when I was thirstie yee gave me no drinke Why doe we make boast of pietie to God that men cannot judge of For there is one little graine of hypocrisie that spoileth all We may act mercie to men but we cannot act pietie pietie will shew it selfe here Here is the touch-stone to give proofe of the pietie in our hearts if it bud out in mercie the righteous man is mercifull in every kind Where there is pietie there will not be reviling and disgracing and quarrelling and contention it is impossible that pietie in the heart should be contentious that pure and untainted liquor should passe through a filthy kennell if there bee grace in the heart it will shew it selfe in the hand in the lip in the words in the actions in all It is but a touch that I give you I know you easily ghesse where I am I come not to put you in mind of what you know or rather to put you in mind I am not conscious to your courses but I will tell yee what the world saith It is a great deale of wrong done to this parish and this place if there bee not much contention in it and it is not upon this occasion that I heard it for before now I never knew any one in the parish but as the Apostle saith of the good workes of one of the Churches It is spoken of in all the world so the strife of this place is spoken of in all the Citie Here is the fruit whereby you must examine your selves mercie to men If wee be not those that nourish brotherly love there will be no mercie there is no mercie where there are the fruits of uncharitablenesse and if there be no mercie there will be no pietie Let this therefore be the touch-stone of pietie love and peace with men as the Apostle speakes As much as is possible have peace with all men I will speake no more of the meaning of the first part Mercifull men are taken away It is the Comentary upon the former The second is the Predicate of the Proposition they are taken away that hath reference to this they perish It is great wisedome in the Spirit of God thus to expound one word by another That as in the body of a man those parts that are of most use God in wisedome hath made them double hath made them paires two eyes two hands two eares c. because these are parts of great use that if one part fall away and miscary the other part may supply if one eye be out a man loseth not his sight he hath another and so in other parts so it is in the Scripture if we mistake one word here is another that is more plaine to lead us right in the meaning of the Scripture for else men would have beene offended Godly men perish That is more then to die that that perisheth is lost But it is plaine they are not lost in death Perishing is one step beyond death If it had beene predicated of mercilesse impenitent unrighteous men it might have been said so they perish they not only die But what hath the righteous done who ever perished being innocent Who ever suspected and dreamed that it was possible for mercifull men to perish Here commeth in the interpretation No be not deceived It is a word frequently used in the world carnall men thinke so but they perish not they are but tooke away Yee see how one word helpeth the other so this word giveth us assurance of the meaning of this Scripture and of the state and condition of a mercifull man hee perisheth not though the Atheists of the world thinke so he perisheth not to himselfe for then beginneth his happinesse when death commeth though they perish to mens memomoriall and remembrance there is no remembrance of the wise man more then of the foole saith Solomon that is worldly men that mind the world and their bellies they take no more to consideration when a righteous man a wise man dieth then a foole that is an impenitent man though I say they perish to the memoriall of the world they perish not to God not to the fruition of his happinesse for Death is but a porter a bridge to everlasting life then beginneth their glory Heaven that was begun before in a misterie then it is set open to them literally and personally They perish not because they are taken away there is the proofe of it A man that is removed only from an Inne no man will say that hee is lost That that is transplanted from one soile to another doth not perish A graft or syens though it be cut off and it is to have a more noble plantation It is so farre from perishing that it is more perfect it is stablished in its nature it is set into a better There are but one of these two interpretations of perishing and neither of them can befall a godly mercifull man Either it is a passage from a beeing to a not beeing and so the Beasts when they die perish because their soules are mortall as well as their bodies it is no more a living creature there is no more life in it it resolveth to its first principle the soule it is nourished as well as the body there was a beeing before but now there
is a nullitie of beeing in respect of a living creature there is nothing liveth Here is a perishing from a being to a not beeing Againe perishing may be a passage from a being to a worse beeing so an impenitent man when he dieth he passeth from life to death yea to an eternall death to a worse beeing that is a perishing and a proper perishing that is worse then to bee lost It is better to have no beeing then to have either of these But in neither of these senses the righteous man perisheth hee hath a beeing and a well-beeing after death His soule hath a real beeing with God in happinesse his body hath a beeing of hope though it be in the grave Nay it hath a real beeing of happinesse as it is a member of Christ in regard of the misticall union So in no sense he perisheth he is but tooke away hee is but removed it is but Exodus but transitus his death is not a going out of the Candle it is but a translation a removing of it to a better frame it is set upon a more glorious table to shine more bright The word is well expounded in the 11. Hebr. concerning Enoch whereas in the fifth of Genesis the Scripture saith Enoch walked with God and God tooke him in the Hebrewes it is said he was translated In the one he was tooke away that is in respect of the world In the other hee was translated that is in respect of heaven They are tooke away that is from the place of miserie the Dungeon the prison to a place of glory and happinesse They are tooke away from the house of clay to the house Eternall not made with hands in the heavens they are translated upward that is meant in this So that there are two observations in this First That Pietie and Mercie excuseth not from death Godlinesse it selfe freeth not a man from death Death it is that end that is propounded to all men The bodies of godly men are of the same mould and temper of the same frame and constitution as other men their flesh is as fraile their humours as cholericke their spirit as fading their breath as vanishing they owe the same debt to nature to sinne to God to themselves and their owne happinesse They are bound under the weight of the same Law the statute law is It is appointed to all men to die once It is well said to die once for the impenitent man dieth twice he dieth here by the separation of his soule from his body that is the first death and there is the second death that succeedeth that the death of the soule by a separation of it from God which is far worse But righteous and mercifull men die once the first death seizeth upon them It is appointed to all It is the end of all flesh in one place It is the end of all the earth in another place It is the end of all living the end of all men even mercifull and godly men are brought within the compasse of this law of Nature to yeeld up this debt due Righteousnesse excuses not it frees not It is a law that bindeth one as well as another As Basil of Seuleucia observeth though Adam was the first that sinned yet Abel was the first that died Adam committed the transgression the elder sonne was Cain the second Abel in the course of nature the eldest should have gone first but Abel righteous Abel that was the moytie the halfe of his comfort and the greater halfe though the younger Adam sinneth first and yet righteous Abel dieth first Hee gives the reason to be this because God would let us see in the Portall of death the table of the Resurrection he would shew us the linnaments of the Resurrection in the first man that dieth that righteous Abel is tooke away that we should be assured that he was but translated there was hope of the Resurrection confirmed even in his death But yet that is not all the reason I conceive that is more proper to this is righteous Abel dieth first to shew that even righteous and mercifull men must not expect immunitie from death and from suffering tribulation in this world it is the condition that befalleth Abel the righteous as well as Cain the Pharisee It belongeth to faithfull Abraham as well as to Apostatizing Demas to beloved Iacob as well as to rejected Esau to meeke Moses as well as to cursing Shemei to Deborah the Prophetesse as well as to usurping Athaliah to devout Iosiah as well as to impious Ahab to tender-hearted David as well as to churlish Nabal to the humble Publican as well as to the vaunting Pharisee It is the law and rule that is set to all there is no exemption righteousnesse pietie and workes of mercie then doe not exempt For if they could exempt how should pietie have the reward when should godlinesse come to the full recompence It is Death that makes way to the hope of reward And if it be so that righteousnesse excuseth not then neither honour nor strength nor beautie nor riches can excuse in the world for these are of farre lesse prevalencie with God then pietie So the Argument standeth strongly if Iob died that was a mercifull man if Abel was taken away that was a righteous man looke to other conditions then Caesar that is the Princes of the world shall be cut off their state and pompe shall not keepe them then Cressus that is the rich men of the world shall die their purse and plentie shall not excuse them then Socrates that is the prudent and learned men of the world their wisdome shall not prevent it then Helena that is the Minnions of the world the decking of their bodies and their beauty and painting shall bee fetched off they will expose them to death they shall not free them then Sampson that is the strong men of the world those that are healthy of able parts likely to out-live nature their strength shall not excuse them that no man should glorie in any thing without Neither the strong man in his strength nor the wise man in his wisedome or the rich man in his wealth but if hee glory in any thing to glory in the Lord. Though wee must not boast our selves of pietie yet as the Apostle saith yee have compelled mee If a man may boast of any thing it is of pietie that is rejoyce in this if God have made a man a vessell of mercie and an instrument of doing any good but otherwise to boast of it even that shall be the staine and further disgrace of it for righteousnesse it selfe excuses not from death all are subject to the same law that is the first observation Mercifull men are taken away as well as others Secondly there is a difference in the manner though they bee subject to death yet it is a subjection under another subjection Death is made subject to them they conquer Death So both
stand together they die and not die because their death is but a translation but a removing There are two persons two men in every penitent and godly man there is somewhat of a righteous man and somewhat of a sinner somewhat of the flesh and somewhat of the spirit so according to these two both lawes are kept the Law of commination that is kept thou shalt die the death there is the reward of sinne the law of promise that is kept thou shalt live for ever there is the reward of righteousnesse Mortalitie giveth the reward to sinne immortalitie to pietie Though they die they are but taken away The word implies these two things First it implies that their death is but a temporarie death Taking away is not a finall translation it doth not implie a nullitie Death though it cut the knot of nature yet not of grace It is true there is the sharpe Axe of Death there is no knot so Gordian but it will cut it asunder It is a great knot that was first knit betweene the body and the soule it cutteth that asunder It is a sure knot which is the Conjugal knot between man and wife it cutteth that asunder There is a naturall bond and union betweene Parents and children it cuts that asunder There is a civill union betweene friend and friend it cuts that knot asunder it takes one friend from another But there is the misticall union betweene the head and the members betweene Christ and the Church it cannot cut that knot asunder But looke as Christs body in the Grave it was not deprived of the Hypostaticall union so likewise the body of a Saint when it lies in the grave in corruption it is mellowing for immortalitie and eternitie yea then it enjoyeth the benefit of the misticall Union there is somewhat of a member of Christ that lies in the grave that dust that the body of a Saint is resolved into it is holy Dust because that misticall Union is not cut asunder Death cutteth not that knot It perfecteth the misticall Union in respect of the soule and it is but an interruption of the manifestation of the union in respect of the body it is never severed As the Husbandman hath some corne in his ground and some in his Barne the Corne in his ground is of no lesse value and account then that in his house and Barne Nay it is of more for that that is in his Barne shall not multiply so many bushels he putteth up and so many hee receiveth but that which is in the ground multiples therefore it is in as great account So it is with God There are many bodies of the Saints walking on the earth and those that are laid in the grave that are sowen as the Apostle saith for immortalitie The bodies of the Saints in the grave are of no lesse account with God then those which walke up and downe in the world and glorifie him with workes of pietie why the body is sowne to immortalitie there is still somewhat of Christ. That is the first thing it implies They are taken away it argues that their death is temporary Secondly it sheweth it is deliberate that their death is not sudden For there is a difference betweene these two to be snatched away and to be taken away Impenitent men when they are taken away in judgement they are snatched away in displeasure The godly man God takes him away removes him it is as gentle a word as could be used there cannot be a better word to expresse it in our translation then for God to take him away Iob and Moses expressed it so and so Isaiah here to shew that Death is never sudden to the mercifull and righteous man why because he is alwaies prepared It may bee sudden in respect of others but not to himselfe The stroke of Death may be the same to a righteous man as to an impenitent man they may both fall by the prevalencie of the same disease the same duration of sicknesse the same warning given them the same sympathy but there is a difference in regard of the suddennesse If it be a sudden stroke that overtakes an impenitent man then it is two wayes sudden even a premeditated death is sudden to him because he is not prepared sudden death commeth not to a prepared man because he lookes for it it may as I said be sudden to others but it is not to himselfe why because he expects Death he dieth daily hee dieth in his thoughts before hee dies in act he dies in meditation before he dies in passion I die daily saith the Apostle Death when it came to the Apostle it found him dying it could not come suddenly to him Death findes him setting open the dores therefore though it seeme sudden death it cannot be sudden because he is taken away the stroke of Death may be sudden but the issue of death is not sudden the stroke may be sudden to his body but not to his mind because he fitteth himselfe still for it There is the deliberation implied in the word his death is not sudden in that he is prepared God awaketh his heart to make him looke for it therefore when Death commeth though sooner or later it doth but take him it snatcheth him not away that is the meaning of the second The third word is the extent of this act from the evill to come that is a word that is not specified in the former part it makes both this and that the more full it makes a greater demonstration of Gods goodnesse hee is not only mercifull in taking away but he takes away from that that is evill hee takes from a bad estate to a better An evill that is present that is simply so an Evill for the time to come God takes righteous and mercifull men from both That I may lay a fit path for my proceeding in it Saint Austin devideth the nature of Evill well to those two heads there is the Evill of doing and the evill of suffering that is the evill of sinne and of punishment The first of these the Evill of sinne is opposite saith Aquinas to the increated good The second the Evill of punishment is opposite to the created good God takes away mercifull men from both these First from the Evill of suffering Two wayes he is tooke from that Hee is tooke away from the Evill of suffering that hee shall not see it and that he shall not undergoe it and endure it First that he shall not see it that he shall not bee a spectatour that is one part of taking away For righteous and mercifull men have tender affections and yearning bowels when they see Gods judgements extended over any place or person they sympathize with them they weepe with those that weepe and mourne with those that mourne God takes them from this sorrow and mourning It hath alwayes beene accounted one part of the happinesse of a godly man to be taken from
there grow a Fig-tree or Ivy out of the house that it spread the root through the chinckes and partitions of the wall a man that cuts downe the Fig-tree shall not profit for it is so fast rooted in the wall and in the chinkes that either hee must pull downe the wall or else it will not die Therefore a wise man will pull down his house and root out the Fig-tree and then set up stones and and there erect the house beautifull and so both are preserved he hath his end in both both the house is rebuilt and the Ivy consumed and rooted out So it is in case of sinne there is the house we carry about us the building the temple of our body the house is man himselfe sinne is the fig-tree it is such a fig-tree as insinuateth it selfe betweene every chinke and partition in our nature there is somewhat corrupt in every facultie of the soule and it sheweth the fruit in every part of the body that is an instrument of sin it hath so wound it selfe in that the fig-tree cannot be destroyed cannot be pulled out except the house be dissolved there must be a pulling downe of the Temple therefore God in wisedome by Death he takes the temple the house in peeces and then the fig-tree may be pulled out and then he erects the wall of that house more glorious then before it was throwne downe while the fig-tree was in it while sinne was in it it is raised up without it that is that the Apostle saith Corruption shall put on incorruption and mortalitie shall put on immortalitie the body that is sowne a naturall body it shall bee raised a spirituall it is sowne in dishonour it shall be raised in glory God therefore takes them away from the evill of sinne hee dissolveth the body that hee may purifie it and cloath it with immortalitie that it may be a purer body then when it was first presented in nature at the first Creation We see hereby what those good things are that Death bringeth It bringeth immunitie from the evill of suffering God takes away mercifull men that they see not that they suffer not And it bringeth immunitie from sinne that they doe not see it that they doe not commit it The use is a Pillar of confidence not to bee afraid of Death who would feare that which makes for his perfection that is the meanes of his translation to happinesse And in respect of others not to mourne for them that are tooke away out of this world as those that are without hope they are not tooke away but translated they are removed for their advantage for the better Elijah was removed from earth to heaven in a firie chariot shall Elisha weepe because hee enjoyeth him not No he is tooke from earth to heaven Ioseph was sold into Aegypt but it was to be a Ruler God intended that it is the same reason God translates us out of the world to give us the end of our hope even the salvation of our soules Shall we mourne as men without hope God takes them out of a valley of teares shall we mourne unsatiably for those that are tooke out of the valley of teares let us not bring their memory to the valley of teares they are past it God takes them from evill to good to the best good the good of immortalitie and eternitie the good of the enjoying of God of that that eye hath not seene nor eare hath heard It is true that when we see any impenitent man die any man die in his sinnes there is just cause of mourning That was the course that David observed he lost two sonnes Absolom a wicked sonne he mourned for him he lost the child that was begotten in adulterie for the life of which he prayed he mourned not for the childes departure and Saint Ambrose giveth the reason well he had a good hope and assurance that the child was translated to a better estate he doubted of Absolom he died in his sinnes therefore he mourned for him for his death not for the childes So when we see any die in his sinnes there is cause then of teares and of excessive teares then David crieth Absolom oh my sonne my sonne But if there be good evidences of a Saint translated to glory shall we mourne as men without hope As Saint Ierom speakes to Paula mourning for her daughter Art thou angrie Paula because I have made thy child mine Hee bringeth in God speaking thus dost thou envie me my owne possession my owne creature It is true for the state of an impenitent man he hath his good things here and his evill to come after there is cause of mourning for that he is translated from good to ill his heaven is in this world his heaven is in his treasure in his riches in his chests and upon his table and as he enjoyed a heaven here so hee must not looke for it after there is a place of another condition his heaven is here his hell after But the penitent and contrite his ill is here and his good after his hell is in this world in suffering and in mortifying the flesh in wrestling with sinne in incountring with tentations here is his hell and his torments but after commeth his heaven and his blisse so he is translated from bad to good he is tooke away from the evill to come So here is the meaning of all I have shewed first the meaning of the three phrases The second thing I propound is this What the Prophet bemoaneth and makes lamentation for and these mercifull men for if they be tooke away from evill present and evill to come evill corporall and spirituall sufferings extraordinary plague and famine sufferings ordinary sicknesse and tentation if it be so that no sinne shall fall upon them to destruction no tentation fall on them to destroy them here much lesse afterward if they be tooke from all these evils how commeth the Prophet to make lamentation that mercifull men are taken away from the evill to come for hee speakes it mourningly It is one sufficient reason he mourneth over them because others did not But there are two reasons that are more speciall There is the losse of the godly man for the present when hee is taken away that is a thing to be lamented And the danger of the world in respect of the losse of a godly man First the losse of a godly man that is a great punishment that God sendeth on a place there is a great losse to those that survive The losse of their example they shine as lights there is a Taper a Candle taken away Yee rejoyced to walke in his light saith Christ to the Iewes concerning Iohn there was a light not only of Iohns Doctrine but of his example whereby those that heard him walked There is the light of grace set up in the life of the Saints of God they are as a Taper to guide us in
had removed the obstacles that then he would poure his wrath upon them Secondly there is another extent of the Word that is of the subject of the person No man It argueth the neglect to be generall A man would have thought that upon the mention of the first word Mercifull men are taken away the mourners should goe about in the streets the poore Orphans should weepe because they have lost a Patron No such matter no consideration on no hand that is a wonder had the mercifull man no wife no children no friend to mourne after him when he was buried in the earth was there no well-willers to him that had benefit by his pietie to mourne for the righteous man was there none like to himselfe one righteous man will mourne for another What is this then No man If they would not regard the pietie of the godly man or mercifull when he lived me thinkes when hee died there should be some consideration A Mountaine as long as it standeth men take no great notice of it but if fall all eyes looke upon it The Sunne when he is in his strength there are few eyes that looke on it but if it come to an ecclipse every man getteth into his Turret Generally men delight to looke upon those Starres that in their opinion they thinke are fallen All these the godly man is Hee shineth as a starre here as the Sunne in his strength after he is as a Mountaine as a Beacon upon a Mountaine more glorious The Mountaine and the starre falleth 〈◊〉 Sunne is in the Ecclipse Mercifull men are taken away and no man considereth it I will not say it is to be taken in the full extent it implieth not a nullitie but a paucitie As in that place in the Psalme There is none that doth good no not one The Prophet doth not implie that there was not one godly man at all but so few that they could hardly be numbred a great paucitie So here No man considereth that is those that considered were so very few that there was hardly notice taken of them they were hardly in the compasse of a Number Nay it is twice noted No man no man to shew it was almost a nullitie there is not any not any that is they were exceeding few What is the reason Because they were not acquainted with the rule and way of pietie therefore they mourned not If pietie were within it would simpathize without as there is like rejoycing so they would sorrow together Wee are not to thinke but they had naturall affection though it were almost cut off it is likely if any of their kinne were tooke away they would mourne If a Father or Mother were taken away the most impenitent man would have teares though not for sin yet for losses and crosses then there are those that would crie with Elisha My father my father the Chariots of Israel c. If a brother or a sister were taken away I doubt not but there are those that would follow with the voyce of lamentation Alas my brother alas my sister woe is mee for my brother Ionathan Wee have teares for brethren Further if it were but a child that were lost a man would be sure to find teares for them and sigh a long time after and would say with David Oh Absalom my son my son would God I had died for thee my son All conditions that live find teares in mens eyes and consideration of their departure only the godly and the righteous man findeth none Here is their stupiditie Can there be a greater stupiditie then to make a man die twice as they die the death of their bodies so to make them suffer a death in our memories as they perish to the world so to perish also in our thoughts and meditations We owe God so much we owe pietie so much we owe the memoriall of many so much we owe our selves so much as to take it into consideration And yet no man considereth This is the fault which we may examine our selves of For if we now make reflection of all this upon our selves we shall find a conformitie with out times There is never a word of this Scripture but it is true now I will not take the parts in order First wee cannot denie that evill is to come upon this place Nay it were well if it were to come it is come already it hath overtaken us If we load the earth with the evill of sinne it is impossible that God should forbeare long The evill of sinne that surchargeth the earth must be unloaden againe by this burthen by the burthen of punishment one burthen must justle out another Evils there have beene impendant that we have seene Evils there are now present that we begin to groane under and no man can tell where that evill will stay There is evill present and evils to come because our evils are still multiplying the beginnings of sorrowes and sufferings and feares God grant it may stay But our state and condition is like them in this that they are yet impendant We see the heavens growne blacke judgements are a ripening When yee see the skie red when yee see the skie blacke judgement is beginning not only beginning to bud but it beginneth to spread and inlarge it selfe Thus farre there is a correspondencie There is evill that we have cause to feare and suspect yet further to come on this place Secondly there is a conformitie with the other too in our negligence The world sendeth forth men now voide of naturall affection It was never so before For if before they neglected others yet they were carefull of themselves But men now desperatly neglect their owne salvations There is no respect to God no pitty of others no not of themselves I doe not wonder that men heretofore considered not when they loved their lives better then their sinnes because they had some sensible taste of that that was temporall when they loved their lives better then heaven But now men love not their lives best but their sinnes better for though their lives bee in danger yet their sins are kept It is an admirable thing to consider how every way we are given to plentie to ryot to securitie notwithstanding God commeth neere and bringeth his judgement even to the dore and makes it swell He forbeareth a long time to trie us with mercies and then he takes a severe course Where shal men see the face of an alteration our lives are the same our delights the same our vanities and follies the same we keepe the same sins still as if we were bent to provoke God further to see what he will doe That is an evident signe we consider not for what purpose God sendeth his plagues we consider not what he doth when he takes away others for our example none lay it to heart and take it into consideration it swimmeth not in his braine We begin to tremble and we thinke our selves well if we
provide a countrey house but God hath beset us in the Countrey and in the Citie There will be no flight but to repentance there is the Citie of refuge and there is no way to repent but by consideration these must be tooke to heart before there can be amendment and till there be amendment there will be no removing of judgement It is plaine then that we are conformable in that part of the Text. And in the first too That mercifull men are taken away experience sheweth it daily they are taken so frequently that there is hardly any left they are not only taken away but swept away And if there were no other proofe this representation this sad spectacle before our eyes that is an argument to make the proofe of the conformitie of the first part of the text with us In the text there is mention made of a righteous man of a mercifull man The Spirit of God bringeth in all the parts by paires It is fulfilled in the solemnitie and occasion of this day by paires God calleth us to pietie by paires he giveth us spectacles of mortalitie I thought I had come to doe the dutie for one to performe the solemnitie of one Funerall but after I perceived I was called to doe the office for two It was not so from the beginning it falleth not out so every day Here is the true proofe that these are the times of mortalitie set the paires any way and wee shall see that there is none free none can secure himselfe from the stroke of death One a vertuous ancient Gentlewoman the other a grave learned Minister but of younger condition here are both ages tooke away and both presented not only so but here are both conditions of life and both presented together and here are both sexes and both presented together to teach us that no sexe no condition no age can secure themselves I will smite the Shepheard saith Christ foretelling the Disciples what should befall them Here is the smiting of the Shepheard and the sheepe too Put both together and I beleeve this place cannot send such another paire For the one Hee was the most eminent for his place For the other shee was the most eminent for her pietie I was not acquainted with the conversation of either and therefore I shall not speake much and the information I had it was not much for it was needlesse I may save a labour for both for if I speake any thing false yee are able to refuâ—…e me if I speake any thing true as all must be true that is spoken here yet yee are able to prevent me and I can say nothing that yee know not For the one I heare that he had the report of a man that was conscionable in the discharge of his place And all that I shall say of him shall be only this there is cause that yee should take to heart his death For what is the reason that in this little Parish that is as healthfull as another But God is wonderfull in his wayes and we must not search into the judgements of God that it is not full eight yeares but there have three succeeded that have beene commended to this place and have died one after another Is it so that yee kill them with unkindnesse the world saith so I tell yee I know not but this I am sure of that there have beene too many unkind passages where the fault is your selves know But this is to be taken into consideration that God removeth them from yee as if yee were worthy of none If God send us these helpes and Lampes that waste themselves to shine to us and to breake and dispense to us the bread of life shall we not give them incouragement in their studies that they may goe on quietly and peaceably A word is enough for that Howsoever some of yee would not suffer him to rest God hath taken him to his rest There is more might bee said but I will not say too much For the other since I came from my house I had information At my first footing in the Parish they said shee was as good a woman as lived At my first footing in the house they said shee was a very good woman Those that have lived in the Parish they testifie that she was a woman most eminent for her pietie and vertue Shall shee want a memoriall I asked of those that have knowne her of old they say shee was a righteous woman for the righteousnesse of pietie and a mercifull woman for the righteousnesse of mercie Shee had respect to both tables to her dutie to God to her Neighbour For the mercie of charitie she was good to the poore shee was a lender to those that were in necessitie and a giver too For the mercie of pittie she was very compassionate to those that were in afflictions she sympathized with them visited them and comforted them For the mercie of peace in time of contention she laboured to set all straite she had a soft answer to pacifie wrath Shee was a mercifull woman and God hath given her the reward hath tooke her to his rest She was a lover of peace he hath taken her to the place of peace She was one that studied happinesse and hee hath taken her to a place of happinesse He hath tooke her from these evils that we are reserved to and that we may feare That is the difference betweene a godly and an impenitent man Impenitent men if they be tooke away they are taken to further evill if they bee left alive they are left to further evill Mercifull men if they be tooke away they are taken away for the eschewing of evill and if they be left on the earth it is for the diverting of evill They divert them while they live and shunne them when they die As they labour to honour God in their lives so God gratifieth them in their death he takes them to himselfe This consideration and occasion is a proofe of the Text. As it is proved in all the Text let us disprove it in our selves that this word may never goe in the course it lieth here but in a contrary course That righteous men perish and men doe lay it to heart let it be said so and mercifull men though they be tooke away yet there are those that take it into consideration I have done with the last part and with the occasion FINIS THE GOOD MANS EPITAPH OR THE HAPPINESSE OF THOSE THAT DIE WELL. 2 TIM 4. 7. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith VERSE 8. Hence-forth is layed up for mee a crowne of righteousnesse c. LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. THE GOOD MANS EPITAPH OR THE HAPPINESSE OF THOSE THAT DIE WELL. SERMON IX REVELAT 14. 13. I heard a voyce from heaven saying unto mee write Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from hence forth yea saith the spirit
woman that doth that but shee may perhaps out-live her Husband A vertuous woman will doe him good and not evill all the dayes of her life And for this amongst many other things I doe commend this vertuous Gentlewoman I may almost say with the words there in the end of that Chapter Many daughters have done excellently but thou surmountest them all So I may say many women peradventure have done excellently in this kind but I doe not know of any one that ever hath done the like to her Husband I pray you heare it Her Husband had a brother that lived in Portugall at the time of his death who was there married he had there three children at least two sonnes and a daughter This vertuous good Woman would give her selfe no rest till she had these children out of Portugall shee got the two sonnes hither And what was her care here is another excellencie of hers her chiefe care was for their soules What did shee or rather what did shee not to winne those children from Poperie in which they have beene brought up and to bring them to the true service of God Shee obtained it she got it When shee had done that wonne them to our religion she had not done all one of these had a desire to exercise some Merchandise by Sea Shee furnished him to the Sea shee furnished him with money for his adventures The other shee bound Apprentise here in the Citie to an honest trade and shee hath given them a liberall childes portion I may say so A childes portion that they may thanke God and I hope they wil have the grace to do it that they had I do not say such an Aunt in law but such a Mother Here was not all Shee sent for the Mother too shee was but sister-in-law to her Husband she sent for the Mother she sent for the Daughter they were here Shee clothed them she fed them some moneths and if shee could have wonne them to our religion she would have maintained the Mother while shee had lived shee would have brought up the Daughter as her owne child But that could not be done it was a worke beyond her strength You see here a vertuous Woman that did good to her Husband not all the dayes of his life but all the dayes of her life To the very last day of her life shee never did cease to doe good to her Husband in his kindred and I thinke I may say that shee was more carefull of his kindred then of her owne But this is not all This kindnesse you will say was shewed to her Husbands kindred Heare a little more therefore Shee knew that there were many Ministers that had a great charge of children and peradventure would be very glad to have some of their children taken off of their hands Shee hath given to the putting out of five Ministers children to bind them Apprentices fiftie pounds Shee knew that there were some poore persons of the Palatinate here which stood in necessitie Shee hath given to the reliefe of them twentie pounds Shee knew that there were many poore soules that lay in Turkish slavery Shee hath given for the redeeming of them twentie pounds Nay yet more Shee considered that her Husband was sometime a poore scholler in the Universitie of Cambridge And shee considered too that there are many Ministers Widowes that lived well while their husband lived that are faine to crave reliefe the greater is the shame of some men when they are dead Shee hath therefore given five hundred pounds to purchase lands and with this land to maintaine partly two Schollers in the Universitie from their first comming thither till they bee Masters of Art And then with the residue to maintaine foure Widowes that have beene the Wives of honest preaching Ministers Zacheus his offer was but halfe of his goods Lord halfe of my goods I give to the poore For ought I can perceive and understand above halfe of her estate shee hath given to charitable uses I say no more of her These workes of her will praise her in the gates Shee died in the Countrey And I am sorry that I had not information as I did desire of her behaviour in her sicknesse I have it not I can say nothing of it but thus much It was not possible that such a creature that lived thus as we know she did in obedience to God in repentance in faith with invocation of Gods mercie in Charity in Peace but that her death was blessed Shee that lived in the Lord no question but she died in the Lord and shee is blessed for Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord. God Lord teach us to number our dayes that wee may apply our hearts to wisedome and grant that as we grow in yeares we may grow in knowledge of thy truth in obedience to thy will in faith in thy promises in love toward thee and toward our neighbours for thy sake that when wee come to the end of our dayes wee may come to the end of our hope the salvation of our soules through Jesus Christ to whom with thee oh Father and thee oh holy Spirit three Persons but one true and immortall and onely wise God be given both from us and all thy creatures in heaven and in earth continuall praise honour glory dominion and power now and for evermore Let all those that heare the word of God depart from iniquitie Now the God of Peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus the great Shepheard of the sheepe through the bloud of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect to doe his will working in you that which is pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ. Amen FINIS THE CHRISTIANS CENTER OR HOW TO LIVE TO GOD. PHILIP 1. 20. Christ shall bee magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death 2 COR. 5. 15. They which live should not hence-forth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose againe LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. THE CHRISTIANS CENTER OR HOW TO LIVE TO GOD. SERMON X. ROM 14. 7. For none of us liveth to himselfe and no man dieth to himselfe for whether we live we live to the Lord and whether wee die wee die unto the Lord whether we live therefore or die wee are the Lords THese words containe an Argument or reason which the Apostle useth to prove that the weake Christian should bee borne withall and that men should not judge because of the difference of meat amongst them Hee sheweth that they did not with the neglect of the knowledge of any truth keepe themselves ignorant in this particular but it was their weaknesse The strong should beare with the weake and the weake should not censure the strong the reason is because they agree in one end they propound one generall end to themselves that guides them in all their actions they walke in one way and in one path and
out of the booke of life rather then God shouldbe dishonoured And saith the Apostle I could bee content to bee separated from Christ for my brethrens sake that is that Christ may be glorified Hee knew that his happinesse lay not in injoying a blessed estate to himselfe free from care and trouble but that herein his happinesse lay that God may bee glorified and that he might bring it to passe by any meanes that he might serve God in that end whereto God had appointed him and the more perfectly he could attaine that end the more perfectly he should attaine his happinesse So it is with a true Christian he is so farre blessed and happy in heaven as he is serviceable to God on earth as he lives to him and doth much and suffereth much for him when that life that he hath is spent in the severall actions and turnings and changings of it in the service and to the glory of God Therefore I say consider this you lose that which you seeke you seeme to seeke happinesse to your selves by seeking wealth and pleasures or earthly advantages to your selves and while you seeke them with a neglect of duty to God with a neglect of the discharge of that worke and service hee hath committed to you you lose that happinesse that you seeme to seeke and which you should seeke indeed which is the perfection the end of the creature the service of his Creatour So you see what we lose Consider secondly what wee gaine It may bee you gaine wealth for your selves this is somewhat you will say It may be you gaine honour and esteeme in the World you gaine a name amongst men or some earthly advantage Alas what is this if it be rightly considered It is but the gaine of a shadow to the losse of the soule If it be wealth doth it satisfie the soule Doth it quiet the conscience Doth it fill a man so as that hee needs no more All the wealth in the world cannot doe this there is an emptinesse in all these things there is fulnesse to bee had only in God in Christ in spirituall things nothing else is able to satisfie the soule in all its desires to give it perfect peace If the happinesse of a man were either in himselfe or in any other creature he need have nothing to doe with God hee need not then to looke higher above himselfe But God hath placed a vanitie both in men and in all creatures man is vaine and all the creatures in the world are vanitie and vexation of spirit And when the Scripture calleth them vanitie what doth it meane but that they are emptie things they have not that nourishment in them that they seeme to have they have not that in them that they should have according to that esteeme that men put upon them they are emptie things as we say of wells when they want water they are emptie though they bee full of other things as dust and sand c. Or as clouds that have no moisture and raine in them they are emptie so are all things in the world therfore emptie because they have not in them that which the heart seekes after they have not happinesse in them they have not contentment in them What is this then but to forsake bread and to seeke after huskes like the Prodigall that left his Fathers house where there was bread enough and to feed on huskes with swine to leave the aproach and accesse of the soule to God wherein it may satisfie it selfe to the full with that which is food indeed and to seeke somewhat in the world that it cannot get I say this is a mans losse Nay he loseth himselfe in living to himselfe What shall it profit a man to winne the whole world and lose himselfe Mat. 16. 26. To lose his soule saith one Evangelist to lose himselfe saith another A man loseth himselfe when he loseth his soule And this he doth in the neglect of God hee loseth his soule in that action when a man gathereth wealth by indirect meanes or keepeth his wealth and doth not disburse it in the service of God for his glory or what soever else a man doth in gaining the world hee loseth himselfe Hee that will lose his life shall save it and hee that will save his life shall lose it Mark 10. A man never loseth a shadow more then when he followeth it the faster hee pursues it the faster still it runneth from him such is the pursuit after any thing out of God the more a man pursueth it the more hee loseth himselfe he is driven so many paces from heaven so many â—…rees from his owne happinesse This is the folly and madnesse oâ—… the world whereby Sathan deludeth men leading them after vaine shewes of earthly delights in carnall security flattering themselves in the pursuit of the world dreaming of happinesse and comfort and in the conclusion imbrace nothing but a shadow and emptinesse This I say is the misery of man Now put both together Consider what wee lose that that is truly good that that is blessednesse indeed and what wee get that that is but a shadow that that is emptinesse indeed Men lose that they seeme to have and want that they pursue after A secret judgement of God because they sought not that that they should doe Thus we see the point opened I hasten to the aplication The first use is for Conviction Since there is such a truth as this that no man that professeth himselfe to be in Christ that professeth himselfe to be abeleever should live to himselfe that is doe any action of his life ayming at himselfe as the uttermost end in those actions It serveth in the first place to convince us that professe our selves to be Christians and beleevers to bee such as know Christ though with these differences some are more weake and some more strong yet I say it convinceth every man to stand guilty before the Lord that if hee live to himselfe hee is none of Christs This is the property of every true Christian even of the weakest as well as of the strongest for the Apostle speakes of all None of us saith he whether weake or strong Christians live to our selves if thou therefore live to thy selfe thou art none of those the Apostle speakes to thou art none of those that live and die to the Lord thou art none of those that are the Lords whether in life or death Let us therefore first be convinced of this that there is such a sinfull disposition in the hearts of men that professe themselves to bee Christians and yet live to themselves That is the first thing I would convince you of at this time Secondly I would shew you that wheresoever this disposition is it argueth a foule and sinfull heart None of us doe so saith the Apostle other men that have no part in these priviledges and comforts they doe so they live to themselves Thirdly
it that They are most secure that are in least safetie A man is in the greatest danger when he is in the greatest securitie Then a mans Judgement is neerest when he least thinkes of it when he least feareth it This is the very thing that the holy Ghost would have us to take notice of here At that very time not before that time they shall crie peace Nor after the time when they had done it and repented of it But just at the very time when they are in the middest of their sinnes applauding of their owne estate living under the power and guilt of sinne then commeth destruction upon them and they shall not escape Thus farre the text That we may make the point cleare before wee come to prove it give me leave first briefly to tell you what wee meane by that securitie which is upon men even in their chiefest dangers Know therefore that there is a twofold securitie A holy spirituall A sinfull carnall securitie There is first a holy and spirituall securitie and that even in this state whereinto wee are fallen which consisteth in a mans reconciliation with God when hee is in termes of peace with him having obtained remission of his sinnes and his favour through Jesus Christ so that God is pleased with him in his Son hath received him into the Covenant of grace interested him into all the promises and is become his God by a Covenant for ever Now here a man may be secure yea and hee must bee so in a spirituall manner Confidence upon the goodnesse of God in Christ upon the promises of God in the Gospell is that which is requisite in every Christian it is that which God commandeth Feare not saith he in one place And againe Trust in the Lord. The Scripture is full in a calling for such securitie as this that men should lay aside all those carking and distracting cares when once they are in the Covenant of grace that now they should mind nothing but duty and not bee troubled about successe For my brethren it is such a security as makes a man not to neglect duty but such as freeth a man from those disquiets of soule about the event of things This was that which David had and rejoyced in I laid mee downe in rest and peace for the Lord keepeth mee in safetie This is that which the Lord commanded the people of Israel to doe Isa. 26. 20. Come my people enter thou into thy chamber and shut thy dores about thee hide thy selfe c. Hee would have them secure themselves under his protection and in his ordinances This is such a securitie as draweth men neerer to God bringeth them to further acquaintance with God keepeth them in a constant communion with God causeth them to walke in Gods presence c. This is a good security But then secondly there is a sinfull carnall security that is when a man yet living in a course of sinne hee beareth up his spirit against all feare either of judgements threatned or judgements approaching upon him under a vaine hope of I know not what mercy in God and of I know not what assurance from men and upon worldly conceits and flatteries either from others or his owne heart Here is now a sinfull carnall securitie not warranted but condemned in the word of God This is the security that is ever an ill prognosticator and fore-runner of some heavy judgement to fall upon that person in whom it is This is the security that we have now in chase First then wee will make it appeare that it is an infallible signe of Godâ—…â—…udgement upon a person or a people to cry peace to themselves to be secure and no way troubled at their estate when God is at warre with them You shall see this in instances and examples See it in particular persons and in States and Kingdomes and you shall generally find it that before the destroying judgement came upon them they have beene given up to this securitie wee speake of this crying of peace upon a false ground See it in Agag 1 Sam. 15. 13. The bitternesse of death is past But was it past Nay at that very time the bitternesse of death was upon him for the very next thing that wee meet withall in the Storie is that Agag was hewen in pieces before the Lord in Gilgall Yee have Belshazzar in Dan. 5. wondrous secure carrowsing and quafâ—…ing in the holy vessels that were taken out of the Temple of the house of God which was at Ierusalem amongst his Princes and Nobles his Wives and his Concubines as if there would be no change of his estate and translation of his Empire But what was it so Nay at that very time the very same houre saith the text verse 5. came forth fingers of a mans hand and wrote upon the plaister of the wall of the Kings pallace Mene Mene Tekell Vpharsin Thou art laid in the ballance and art found too light thy kingdome is divided and given to the Medes and Persians and immediatly In that very night vers 30. was Belshazzar king of the Caldeans slaine hee was tooke away from all his comfort and jollity See tâ—…is in the Rich man Luke 12. 19. Soule soule saith he take thine ease eate drinke and bee merry and why so was it because his soule indeed was washed in the bloud of Christ Nothing lesse But take thine ease thou hast goods laid up for many yeares thou art well provided against a hard Winter against a deare yeare now take thine ease Well what of this had his soule any whit the more ease had he many yeares to enjoy that which hee had laid up for many yeares Nay marke the answer of God verse 20. Thou foole this night thy soule shall bee taken from thee then whose shall those things bee that thou hast provided It is ordinary as Iob noteth of worldly men thus to flatter themselves They spend their dayes in wealth and in a moment got downe to the grave They spend their daies in wealth this is that they resolve upon while they live upon earth they will bee merry and enjoy their wealth and worldly contentments to the height and want nothing but in a moment while they are in the middest of these thoughts of raising a happinesse to themselves out of their worldly estate in the middest of these thoughts they goe downe to the grave So it is also in Nations and States See it in two particulars in the 17. Luke That of the old world That of Sodome and Gomorrah They were eating and drinking and building and plaâ—…ing and marrying and giving in marriage till the flood came upon the one and fire and brimstone upon the other till sudden destruction came upon both according to my Text. Yee shall have Jerusalem in the same case Their Prophets are flattering them and crying peace peace as Ieremy tells them
Chap. 6. 14 15. They heale the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly saying peace peace when there is no peace Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination Nay they were not ashamed neither could they blush therefore they shall fall among men that fall at the time that I visit them they shall bee cast downe saith the Lord. Marke The Prophets cry peace It had beene well done of the Prophets to cry peace to those Israelites that in truth were at peace with God but they cry peace to them to whom there was no peace What then Did the people reforme did this make those that before were rebellious against God come in and accept of the conditions of peace and forsake their sinnes and turne to God No such matter nay though their sinnes were reproved by Ieremiah and other faithfull Prophets yet they were not ashamed when they had committed abomination and they could not blush they stood it out they remained in their impenitency Well what of this Therefore saith the Lord they shall fall amongst them that fall in that day at that time they shall be destroyed they shall bee cast downe they shall cease to be a people at least they shall cease to be men prevailing above other people In the first of Zephaniah vers 12. yee have the Lord saying there that he will visit Ierusalem with lights and search it with candles What to doe to find out the men that are frozen on their dregges that are settled on their lees that say in their heart the Lord will not doe good neither will hee doe evill Why will the Lord visit Ierusalem with lights to find out these men Hee meeteth with the conceit that such men as these have they thinke as the Atheists in Iob that God is circled in the clouds and seeth not the things below or as those in this Prophesie of Zephanie that said The Lord sees not neither doth hee regard Why doth he not so Because hee wants light Well then saith the Lord I will bring candles to see with and visit Ierusalem with lights and whosoever hee spies out amongst all the sinners in Israel hee will be sure to meet with those that say The Lord sees not that are settled on their dregges that secure themselves under false perswasions they shall not escape his wrath Gods greatest quarrell is against those men that flatter themselves as if God did not take notice of their sinnes hee will surely punish those it is for their sakes why hee will bring candles to search Ierusalem with It was so with Babylon in Isa. 47. 8. 9. The Lord observeth her boasting I am saith shee a Queene I sit as a Lady I shall neither see losse of children nor widowhood Marke now what God saith Heare now this thou that art given to pleasures and dwellest carelesly both these shall come upon thee losse of children and widowhood all thy props and all thy staies shall bee taken from thee yea and that in one day in a moment when thou least thinkest of it suddenly thou shalt be husbandlesse and childlesse Nay it is that which the Lord speakes of Romish Babylon in the 18 Revel 7. Shee had heard of the pride and boasting of old Babylon and shee would faine be like it I sit as a Queene saith shee too and am no widow and shall see no sorrow shee stands upon her outward pompe and glory as worldly-minded men doe specialally when they come to greatnesse and eminencie Well what will the Lord doe Therefore verse 8. shall her plagues come in one day death and mourning and famine and shee shall bee utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her Thou saist I sit as a Lady I shall see no change Well saith the Lord it shall be indeed a famous Church for something even for such judgements as shall fall upon it aboveall other places there shall bee famine and death and burning Yea and it shall be done when all outward meanes that should bring this to passe seeme to faile and when Babylon shall seeme to advance her selfe like a Queene above all other Churches when there is nothing but strength and might on her side then shall God doe it for strong is the Lord that judgeth her Hee bringeth in this strong is the Lord to answer an objection It shall bee done for the Church even then when the advers partie thriveth most then when it may be seene to be Gods owne worke then when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 off from selfe-confidence then when men have noâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eyes on but God then will God doe this for his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith plainly that Babylon shall be burnt with fire and at 〈◊〉 a time when it appeares that it cannot be done except hee put his strength to the worke Thus yee see the securitie of a People or Nation or Kingdome it is an infallible signe of judgement falling upon it And it must be so and there is great reason for it If we either consider the causes of security whence it commeth or the concommitants that accompany it or the fruits and events of it it must be that great judgements must be fall men and places when they are under this carnall securitie First looke to the causes Whence is it that men that are not at peace with God yet flatter themselves that they shall doe well It proceedeth from that unbeliefe and infidelity that is in the hearts of men therefore they flatter themselves and pride themselves in things that will not hold them up in the end I say infidelity is the cause that men are so secure Did men beleeve the word of God that every threatning that goeth out of the mouth of God against any particular sinne should certainly fall upon the head of the sinner durst they goe on in a course of sinning against God Durst they adde drunkennesse to thirst one wickednesse to another No certainly In that measure a man hath faith in that measure he feareth God and his judgements that hee hath threatned See it in Noah Heb. 11. By faith Noah being warned of God moved with feare prepared an Arke Hee beleeved that God was faithfull that had threatned a judgement upon the world he beleeved the word of God that commanded him to provide an Arke for the safetie of him and his house and therefore hee feared the Deluge to come and prepared an Arke So likewise Iosiah when he read the booke of the Law and saw what was threatned against the sinnes of the people his heart melted within him and why because hee beleeved that this was the word of God he beleeved that God would be as true as his Word therefore his heart melted within him at the sight of those sinnes wherein the people had continued so long a time Nay it is made a description of a beleever in Isa. 61. That he is one that trembleth at Gods word On the other side what
Ier. 7. 11. Sendeth them to Shiloh Goe yee now unto my place which was in Shiloh where I set my name at the first and see what I did to it for the wickednesse of my people Israel And now because you have done all these workes saith the Lord and I spake unto you rising early and speaking but you heard not and I called unto you but you answered not Therefore will I doe to this house which is called by my name wherein you trust as I have done to Shiloh Had not the Churches of Asia the golden Candlesticke and yet are they not now tributary to the Turke The ordinances of God beloved are meanes to increase and hasten a judgement when we shut our eyes and will not open them but walke in darknesse Oh but there was never so many Preachers nor so many meanes there seemes to be a new spring of the Gospell there are abundance of men that come daily furnished for the Ministery and are zealous and forward and powerfull Prophets and the like and therefore it is a signe that much good is intended towards us and that no judgement shall come But doe we not reade that immediatly before the seventy years captivity there were more Prophets then in many yeares before Why should we rest in such things as these But neverthelesse we have many good people that are full of prayers and teares and they shall deliver the Island It is true there are many blessed be God and we have cause to wish that there were many more and to say as Moses said to Ioshua when he would have had him forbid Eldad and Medad that prophesied in the Campe of the Israelites Would God that all the Lords people were Prophets and that hee would put his Spirit upon them So wee of such godly men that walke with an upright heart would God that there were many such But yet are not these as Lillies among thornes a few amongst many men Are not these the objects of reproach and contempt amongst an unrighteous generation Who are the men that are cryed downe most by the world that are most opposed and injured by all men Are not these they that support the land by their prayers and hold up all by their standing in the gappe May wee not rather feare that God will avenge the quarrell of his servants upon an ungracious and ungratetull people they live amongst What shall wee speake of other things Did not Bozrah in Ier. 49. 16. boast her selfe of her scituation that shee dwelt in the clefts of a rocke Saith God though thou hidest thy selfe in the clefts of the rock though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the Eagle I will bring thee downe from thence It is not talking that our Island is scituate in the Sea and environed with walls Judgement can leape over the Sea as well as the pestilence hath done our walled Townes It is a vaine thing and yet if you hearken to the discourse of most men you shall see that this is that that keepes them secure Or it may be as some in Isa. 48. 15. Wee say they have made a covenant with death and with hell are wee at agreement when the overflowing scourge shall passe thorow it shall not come unto us Well saith the Lord your covenant with death shall bee disanulled and your agreement with hell shall not stand when the overflowing scourge shall passe thorow then you shall bee trodden downe by it When judgement commeth of all the people in the world it shall certainly meet with you What meane these idle dreames and vaine conceits that when we goe on in an unreformed condition and in a course of sinne and impenitency yet because you have the Ministers and the ordinances and the people of God amongst us because we are convenient for scituation and such like things These are vaine things they will doe us no good at that time and for the present they shew our securitie our horrible security Fourthly take another evidence and that is the abounding of the sinnes of the Land Were it possible that at such a time as this of shaking the Rod the Sword over us when judgements are upon the Nation that there should be such abundance of iniquitie in all places if men were not in a dead sleepe How doth drunkennesse stagger and reele in every street How doth pride vaunt and boast it selfe in every Church and assembly though it be cryed downe never so much Alas beloved are these times to pride up our selves in vanitie Are these times to runne after the sensuall and sinfull courses of an ungodly generation These are times wherein God calleth for fasting and brokennesse of heart Lay aside thy fine apparell saith God to the people that I may know what to doe unto thee Wee should lay aside these things that wee may shew our selves to be men awake But men generally doe so abound in wickednesse and ungodlinesse that we may rather conclude as it is in the Revelation that the time is now come too neere He that is filthy let him be filthy still that is let him goe on to the end It is evident and apparant that sinne is increased since the sicknesse it is apparant that our sins are agravated though they are daily cryed downe And now at this time as if we would defie God to his face and call upon him to hasten his judgements upon our Land upon our Families and persons every one strives as it were who shall outdare him most in our excesses in impenitencie in hardning our selves in a course of sinne These things convince us of our security There are many more that might be named if the time would permit But put these together and they may shew us our wretchednesse When we consider how little we have profited by Judgements how little we have profited by the ordinances how full of vaine confidence and idle dreames how notwithstanding all these wee abound still in wickednesse and there is no reformation of our hearts and lives what may wee not conclude against our selves If ever people were drowned in a drunken security wee of all people under heaven are at this time For of all people under heaven we are in a manner the last God hath spared us to the last We have had warning by judgements inflicted upon others for many yeares together It hath come neerer to us by degrees it began a farre off in Bohemia and then in the Palatinate and in Germanie The Lord would have us see how he commeth to us by degrees by steps that at the last we may meet him by repentance But where is the man that yet gets out of the bed of security that commeth out of his sleepe to meet the Lord that comes with a broken heart to begge for forgivenesse of his sins past and to beg for mercy for the time to come Well now since it is so that we are convinced by these signes that we are
thinke of some way how wee might shift and shun it but it is beyond the kenne of our eyes we are no more able to see that then the Ayre being therefore out of sight it is out of our reach we know not how to grapple with it we know not with what weapons to encounter it And a Spirituall Enemie I call it because though it seize on the body it strikes at the soule By Gods decree the death of the soule is a concommitant of the death of the Body and were it not by Gods mercy reverst they would still come like lightning and thunder and strike both together Againe it is a spirituall enemie because it fighteth against us in the strength of sinne It commeth armed with a Sting the sting of death is sinne Some make question whether if Adam had never sinned he should ever have died But me-thinkes the Apostle Saint Paul putteth it out of qustion By one mans disobedience sinne came into the world and by sinne death All those Death 's that S. Austin reckoneth up First when the soule is deprived of God separated from him Secondly when the body is separated from the soule Thirdly when the Soule is separated from the body and from God and suffereth torments for a time Lastly when the soule is separated from God and rejoyned to the body to suffer torments eternally All these are the recompence and reward of sinne Therefore Death comming and being an Enemie thus armed whatsoever kind of death it be we may well say it is a spirituall enemie and the more spirituall the more dangerous Fourthly and lastly it is a continuall Enemie And it is the more dangerous for that It laies hold of us in the wombe and never leaves us till it hath brought us to the Grave Beloved wee doe not only die when we die but all the time we live assoone as wee begin to live we begin to die As Seneca saith Every day wee die because every day some part of our life is gone As a Candle it is no sooner lighted but presently it begins to waste as an houre-glasse it is no sooner turned but presently the sand begins to runne out So our life it is no sooner breathed but presently it begins to vapour out As the Sea what it gaineth in one place it loseth in another so our life what we gaine one way wee lose it in another looke what is added to it so much is tooke from it the longer a man liveth the lesse he hath to live Death doth by us as Iacob did by Esau catcheth us in the wombe and never leaveth us So wee see it is a Common a Secret a Spirituall a Continuall Enemie Next we are to consider How and wherein Death sheweth it selfe an Enemie What Death deserveth at our hands to bee thus accounted and feared Fearfull and terrible it is that is certaine So Aristotle It is the most terrible of all terribles Bildad in Iob calleth it the King of terrours What doth Death bring with it to make it fearfull I answer Death hath sundrie concomitants and companions that attend it that make it a formidable Enemie First the Harbingers that come along with it Sicknesses and diseases infirmities old age and difficulties These are all fearfull to nature and through feare of these Death keepeth men all their life in bondage They make our lives as it were a life rather like a life then a life indeed So that howsoever the Apostle said in another place as it were dying and Behold wee live There Death hath the tanquam and life the Ecce yet here we may say as it were living and behold wee die here life hath the tanquam and Death the Ecce Life is but as it were a life it is but the shadow of a life that man walketh in Man walketh in a vaine shadow and disquieteth himselfe in vaine It is true it lighteth not on all alike some it commeth on as a Lyon and breaking their bones from morning to evening it makes an end of them to others it is as a Moth in the garment secretly in their lives by degrees insensibly pining and consuming them Howsoever what Harbinger soever it bringeth it visiteth us with many touches and twitches before it come falling pell-mell thicke and three-fold on us when they come In respect of these it may be said to be an Enemie Secondly the dissolution that Death bringeth For it dissolveth the frame of nature It divorceth and separateth the soule from the Bodie those two companions that have lived so lovingly together and perhaps have lived a long time together This is another thing that makes Death looke like an Enemie Friends and companions that have lived long together are loth to part wee see in experience old folke commonly are more loth to part when they are old then when they are young Now there is none neerer then the soule and bodie there is none have lived so long or so loving it must needs be tedious for these to part and be an affliction and vexation when neither the body can longer retaine the fleeting soule or the soule longer sustaine the drouping body Therefore in respect of this also Death being the cause of this no marvell though nature reluctate and we looke upon it as on the face of an Enemie Thirdly the horrour of the Grave The men of Darknesse as Iob calleth it the place of oblivion the pit of stinch and rottennesse this is another thing that nature shrinketh and relucts at For there we must burie out of our sight that that once was the delight of our eyes as Ezekiel said by his wife And though it were never so lovely before yet it quickly becommeth loathsome Our Beds must be made in darknesse where corruption and wormes must be the Mattresse and Coverled to lie under us and spread over us Thou shalt say to Corruption thou art my father and to the worme thou art my mother and my sister That bodie of thine that God in the wombe so wonderfully made that thou all thy life-time peradventure hast delicately cherished lapped in Silke in Furre pampered with sweet wines Death as a proud Tyrant will set his foot upon it and throw thee downe to the horrid dungeon where thy flesh shall putrifie and thy bones rot and the beauty of it though sometime it were as the Rose and the Lilly of the field shall soone become as loathsome as the dung in the streets This is another thing that makes the face of Death dreadful and terrible when we thinke of such privations and annihilations as these thaâ—… wee shall come from a beeing to no beeing These cannot but make Death looke with the face of an Enemie Fourthly The losse and deprivation of all worldly contentments and worldly imployments that is another thing that makes Death terrible and fearfull to us Looke whatsoever contentment wee tooke in any thing here we must bid
First by way of comfort Against the feare of Death or against over-much sorrow for those that Death takesaway It is true Death is an Enemie But to whom only to the wicked that are out of Christ to those that have no benefit at all by his Death and Resurrection and ascension When Death commeth and findeth out these they may say as Ahab did to Eliah and more truly a great deale hast thou found me oh mine Enemie It is the worst Enemie they have in the world It is a cruell Sergeant that catcheth them by the throat and arresteth them for a debt that they are never able to pay It dragges them to the Jayle casteth them into the Dungeon to the chaines of Darknesse I have not a word of comfort to say to them They have no more comfort in Death then they have in Hell where though they shall lie in torments and paine they shall not have a drop of water to coole their tongue But to the faithfull in Christ there is comfort upon comfort For though Death be an Enemie yet remember first it is a subdued Enemie Secondly a reconciled Enemie Thirdly and lastly an Enemie that one day shall not be at all It is a subdued Enemie that is one comfort The strength and sting of it is gone When a Bee hath lost his sting and is a Droane it can hurt no more So Death is a Droane to a Christian it hums and buzzeth it doth no hurt it cannot sting the sting is gone Against all those Enemies that I formerly told yee of that are attendants on Death here is comfort First it is true Death commeth with ill Harbingers it bringeth sicknesses and aches and paine but there is comfort against this For when God sendeth paine remember hee promiseth to send patience too that he will put his hand under to helpe His left hand shall bee under us and his right hand over us to catch us hee hath promised comfort upon our sicke beds to make our bed in our sicknesse Wee need not make such an Allegorie as Ambrose doth this sweet flesh of ours the Bed of our soule it is under infirmities and weaknesses God helpeth us he makes our bed hee saith to the sicke of the Palsey Take up thy bed hee turneth our bed in our sicknesse either he sends us health so some expounds it hee turnes the bed of sicknesse into a bed of health or God turneth our bed for us in our sicknesse that is he refresheth us giveth us ease when we lie upon our sicke beds It is a Metaphor borrowed from those that attend sicke persons that helpe to make their Beds easie and soft and turne them that they may lie at ease So God hath promised his children in the painfull time of sicknesse to make their Beds easie and soft to cause them to lie at ease by the Patience that he will give them Secondly it is true Death bringeth dissolution and dissolveth the frame of nature it separateth and divorceth those two loving companions the Soule and the Body But there is comfort in this For though it divorce the Soule and the Body yet it cannot destroy the soule and the body even the body is in the hand of God when it is rotting in the earth as the Soule is translated to heaven Againe though they be separated yet it is but for a time one day they shall meet more joyfull and glorious then ever before and after that they shall never be separated againe Lastly though he separate the soule from the body and the body from the soule yet neither from Christ nor Christ from them Nay it is so farre from separating that it helpeth to unite us to Christ as I said before the dissolution of those shall bee the conjunction with him I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ. Thirdly it is true the horrour of the Grave attendeth Death and the putrifaction of this flesh of ours that must turne to corruptnesse it makes it terrible and fearfull But there is comfort against this For after that time of putrifaction there shall bee a time of restitution and though the wormes devoure this flesh of ours yet in that very flesh of ours wee shall see God another day These eyes shall see him There is comfort in that that when God shall come to restore us with himselfe what the Grave hath clothed with corruption he will cloath with glory these vile bodies hee will make them like the glorious body of Christ without all corruption Fourthly it is true Death depriveth us of worldly friends of worldly imployments this makes it terrible Yet there is comfort against this Though we be deprived of worldly friends it carries us to heaven to better company to Angels to the spirits of just and perfect men to God the Iudge of all to Iesus the Mediatour of the New Testament Nay besides one day hee will restore againe those very friends of which here we are deprived though wee lose them for a time in heaven wee shall meet againe and there renew a perpetuall league of societie and love So though it deprive us of worldly benefits it cannot of heaven and those are better they are not pleasures of sinne that last for a season but at the right hand of God that endure for ever So though it deprive us of worldly services it carrieth us to heaven to those that are better that are high and proper to the Church triumphant such as befit the Church to sing Hallelujahs and such as are profitable to the Church militant by the memorie of good examples and by the prayers they offer to God not in particular for they know no mans particular wants yet for the generall and common good of all Fifthly and lastly It is true the consideration of sinne and of Judgement and our uncertaine estate after death makes it terrible like the face of an Enemie Yet there is comfort against these For sinne I told you that though there bee a sting in the Serpent yet Christ hath drawne out that sting so that being a Serpent without a sting we may doe as Moses take it in our hand put it into our bosome and it will never doe us hurt to them that die in the Lord Death rather came by sinne then for sinne It is not betweene sinne and damnation but betweene sinne and salvation For judgement It is true Death presenteth judgement but it presenteth it with comfort for the day of Judgement is the day that the godly looke for and long for as the day of redemption not of confusion when they shall receive the sentence by which they shall bee absolved and not condemned For they know when God shall come to be their Judge hee shall come to be their Saviour And so for the uncertaintie of our future estate after death It is true the state of the dead in regard of naturall understanding it may be a thing
uncertaine and obscure yet from the secreâ—… revelation of Gods Spirit the Saints in some measure know how it will be with them after death Wee know though our earthly tabernacle be destroyed wee have a building given us of God All these things are helpes to give us comfort against the feare of Death and those Enemies that Death comes attended with that though it be an Enemie yet it is a subdued Enemie Secondly it may comfort us to consider that Death is not only a subdued but a reconciled Enemie of an Enemie it is made to bee a friend it is so to all the faithfull such a friend as they have not a better in the world It is most certaine the wicked have not a worse enemie in the world then Death and the godly have not a better friend so yee should see if I had leisure to shew you on the one side from what labour and care and miserie it helpeth to free them and on the other side to what comfort and rest and peace and joy it helpeth to bring them Lastly it may comfort us to consider that as death is an enemie a subdued enemie a reconciled enemy so it is an enemie that at last shall be destroyed The time shall come when Death and Hell shall be cast into the lake of fire the meaning is I thinke they shall be shut up in the bottomlesse pit where they shall only have leave to exercise their power on the Divell and damned reprobates that lie there in torments Death on the one side still gnawing of them that they ever die and yet Hell on the other side still preserving of them that they shall everlastingly live But the godly and the faithfull shall have their part and portion given them in the resurrection to life where they shall never â—…ast of death more What the Apostle saith of Christ is true of all those that are in Christ when they are once dead they shall die no more Death hath no more dominion over them But I cannot inlarge these comforts Yet Beloved I have a word or two of counsell I pray hearken to it Birefly thus Christ though he have overcome and destroyed both death and sinne for us for ever yet notwithstanding he will have us exercised also in subduing and overcomming them Christ hath not so fought for us but he will have us also fight for our selves as hee hath overcome death so must we for our parts that wee may have the comfort of that that Christ hath done Death being an enemie to us we must prepare and arme our selves against it that it may not be an Enemie too strong And for your better direction take these few heads First Remember that Death is the wages of sinne It is sinne that lead Death into the world it is in respect of that that Death is an Enemie to us and were it not for that it would bee no Eenemie at all Now then beloved if yee will not die in your sinnes let your care be to die to sinne labour to have sinne die in thee and then thou shalt not die in that When thou hast committed drunkennesse or prophanenesse c. thinke with thy selfe this is pleasant and sweet now but how will this tast another day when I shall come to lie upon my death-bed and my soule shall set on my pale lips ready to take her flight and bee brought before the Judgement seat of Christ What fruit will these things bring then What comfort and peace and joy will it procure to the conscience then Oh saith Abner to Ioab knowest thou not that this will be bitternesse in the end It will be as gall and wormwood therefore if yee would not have Death be bitter then let not sinne bee sweet now part with sinne betime That is the first Secondly learne to walke humbly with God betime and betime put your selves in a way of repentance and new obedience take heed of dallying with God and procrastinating and putting off the time What is the reason why a sort die as Plinie saith some doe that are stung with the Serpent Colemion some laughing some raging some soâ—…tish and secure others hoping some dispairing They have not beene carefull to walke with God while they lived because they wanted care then they want comfort now They that remember not God in their life saith S. Austin it is just with God to forget them in death The Apostle S. Peter would have us looke for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse But never looke thou to dwell in that heaven where righteousnesse dwelleth except righteousnesse dwell in thee And he exhorteth us that wee be found of God in peace at that day that is sweet and comfortable indeed but remember Peace and holinesse goe together if we would be found of God in peace wee must be found of him in holinesse Walke in holinesse and uprightnesse and then peace shall kisse thee on thy death-bed Marke the upright and just man the end of that man is peare Thirdly the better to subdue Death be willing to meditate and thinke oâ—… of Death learne the Art of dying practise the way of it betime learne to die daily How shall we doe that I will shew you Consider we have many little deaths to undergoe in the world as we have many delights Learne to inure and acquaint thy selfe before hand with the patient and quiet bearing and enduring of these many troubles and crosses that befall thee As Agamemnon first overcame the Lacedemonians by wrestling and then by fighting and Bilney first burnt his finger in the Candle that after he might the better endure the burning of his body at the stake So thinke with your selves If I cannot endure a little how shall I endure more If I cannot endure a light crosse a small affliction doe I murmure at that Am I impatient and repine at that How shall I beare the pangs of Death when they come Therefore let us inure our selves to a meeke and quiet bearing of lesser stripes so wee may be better able to endure heavier stroakes Many of us lay out a great deale of care how to live in the world we had more need take care how to die when wee shall leave the world Studie the Art of dying That is the third Lastly that we may the better subdue Death that it may not be an Enemie too strong Learne before so to dispose of our selves and order our affaires that when Death commeth wee may have nothing to doe but to die Get all differences reconciled all doubts settled all reckonings ordered sequester our selves from all other avocations that nothing may interrupt us when that worke is to goe in hand with Put thy house in order saith God to Hezekiah I say so to every one of you First your outward house that which concerneth your worldly estate put that house in order What wouldest thou make thy Will
and testament and be troubled about that when thou hadst more need to have that Will and testament confirmed that Christ hath made And then set thy soule and conscience thy inner house in order let not conscience be to seeke then of any thing that concerneth thee for thy peace toward God and man Die thus and die happily Though Death be an enemie yet thou shalt not be hurt of it because it is subdued and at last thou shalt get the victorie over it when thou shalt see it utterly destroyed And now as I have exhorted you to doe this by way of counsell so yet a little further I crave patience that I may encourage you to doe it by way of example By the example of this blessed servant and Saint of God for whose occasion you have given this meeting and I have preached this Sermon Give me leave to doe by her as Mary Magdelen did by our Saviour Christ to breake a box of Spiknard and poure it on her that I may anoint her for her buriall Concerning whom though I could say a great deale yet knowing how well shee was knowne to you I should not be afraid to say too much Yet on the other side because the night is farre spent and because shee was sufficiently knowne to you although I speake but a little I shall speake enough Shee dwelt among you who is he that can speake ill of her who knew her but reported well of her The Apostle Saint Paul reduceth all the practicall parts of Christianitie to three heads Living soberly and righteously and holily The grace of God saith he hath appeared and teacheth us to doe all this Shee had learned to live soberly Shee was a patterne of sobrietie Sober in her countenance in her diet in her apparell in her speech in all her behaviour And the grace of God taught her to live righteously both in those things that concerne the workes of justice and those things that concerne the workes of mercy both are referred to righteousnesse For her Justice I am perswaded shee was exceeding carefull in all her wayes to keepe a good Conscience I am sure she was a woman very diligent and painfull in her Calling shee was truly one of those good house-wives that Solomon describeth in Prov. 31. and had studied that Chapter well and attained the practise of it she could never endure idlenesse in any there was no plague she said to idlenesse and that diligence in our Callings sets open a dore to many blessings and shuts up the dore to many tentations I may call her a discreet woman that was a crowne to her husband so Solomon said a vertuous woman is Hee had a rich portion when God gave him her Houses and lands come by inheritance but a Prudent wife commeth of the Lord. Shee was an excellent guide to her family to her servants Children she had none She had such children as S. Austin speakes of and he saith they are those children that women are saved by What children saith he Good workes and those children shee was full of She did the part of a Mother in bringing up her servants that were with her insomuch as she would say sometimes though they were none of her owne children Behold here am I and the children that God hath given me And for workes of mercie aswell as justice she was most open-hearted and handed not only to doe according but beyond her abilitie alwayes ready upon every occasion to distribute and administer to the necessities of the Saints and provoked and stirred others to the doing of the like Among her neighbours she lived unblameably A woman of a meeke and quiet spirit and Saint Peter saith Such of God are much set by She was no tattler nor busie medler in other folkes matters For Pietie shee was remarkablâ—… Shee shewed it both in her health and sicknesse In her health both publikely and privatly In publike She was a religious frequenter of the ordinances on the Lords day and on the weeke dayes a diligent hearer and attender an excellent rememberer one of the best Remembrancers that I have heard of And in private she was excellent for duties there both for the discharge of her owne dutie by giving ensample to others and many times by good and godly exhortations and instructions and daily by private reading and prayer shee set apart some time for her selfe for private meditation In her sicknesse she was a spectacle for thousands to looke on It pleased God to lay a long and heavy affliction upon her Shee had a Cancer in her breast that had beene on her three yeares in the two last yeares she suffered a great deale of extremity as you may imagine by one thing that I shall say Shee was faine to endure a great deale of dressing with Corrasives and sharpe medicines a great deale of cutting and searing and burning shee was above fiftie times burnt with hot Irons but Lord with what patience did she still endure it Shee would say It was no matter sanctified afflictions were better then unsanctified prosperity Apelles said when the picture of a beautifull woman was to be compleatly drawne he must borrow one part from one and another from another and put altogether She had learned this Shee had looked on many good patternes in the Scripture and had drawne to her selfe an imitation of them all so that she was a perfect and compleat Modell Though I say much yet I know I say nothing but the truth I read of few excellent women in the Scripture but she made them a patterne of one vertue or other For obedience she was a Saraah for wisedome a Rebecca for meeknesse a Hannah for a discreet temper an Abigal for good houswiverie a Martha for pietie a Mary a Lydia I know not any necessarie thing that belonged to make up a good Christian but in some measure it pleased God to bestow it on her Thus she continued all her life in the time of her health and in sicknesse with so much patience as after a sort she endured a martyrdome and I see no reason but we may allow a Martyr of Gods making aswell as of mans I am sure if God make Martyrs I know not any fitter then she so meeke and patient and constant Many daughters saith Solomon have done vertuously but thou surmountest them all I will not say so of her because I decline flatterie But this I will say that I know not many excell her scarse any that come neere her She hath the reward of that shee hath done given her of God and her workes follow her We leave her to God and having committed her soule into his hands we beseech his gracious favour upon our selves FINIS THE GREAT TRIBUNALL OR GODS SCRUTINIE OF MANS SECRETS ROM 14. 10. Wee shall all stand before the Iudgement seat of Christ. 2 COR. 5. 10. That every one may receive the things done in his body according to that hee hath done
whether it be good or bad LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. THE GREAT TRIBVNALL OR GODS SCRVTINIE OF MANS SECRETS SERMON XIIII ECCLESIAST 12. 14. For God will bring every worke into judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be Evill DEath and judgement are two subjects about the meditation of which our thoughts should every day bee conversant wee should every day be thinking of those two dayes Every day upon the day of death because there is no day wherein death may not befall us And every day upon the day of Iudgement because as the day of Death leaveth us so the day of Iudgement findeth us We had an occasion like to this not long since Then you may remember I discoursed of Death considered as an enemie I shewed you what kind of enemie it is it is a common enemie a secret enemie a spirituall enemie Now at this time having the like occasion I thought it not amisse for me to discourse of that that commeth immediatly after Death that is Iudgement The Apostle saith Heb. 9. 27. It is appointed to all men once to die and after Death commeth Iudgement And it is that that Solomon mindeth us of here in the words of my Text which he addeth as a reason to that grave advice he gave in the verse before going Having discoursed at large in this booke concerning the vanity of all earthly things and the vexation among those things that are under the Sunne he telleth us where it is best for us to set up our rest that is in learning that one lesson Feare God and keepe his commandements for this is the totall all that God requireth That we might the rather be stirred up to hearken to this counsell hee telleth us that whether we doe or no the day will come that we shall be called to an account when God will bring every one of us to Iudgement and take a tryall of every worke we have done and of every secret thing whether it be good or evill In handling of these words we have two things in generall that Solomon speakes of First the Person Iudging Secondly the things Iudged The Person Iudging is God And there I will speake First of the Iudge And then of the Iudgement The things that God bringeth to Iudgement and tryall hee telleth us first every worke every thing be it never so secret And then a more particular resolution those things that are good and those things that are evill God will bring every worke to Iudgement and every secret thing whether it bee good or whether it be evill I begin with the Person judging And here first of the Iudge himselfe God shall bring to judgement God essensially meant all the Persons in the God-head Father Sonne and holy Ghost For all concurre in this worke being as the Schoole-men say Opus ad extra It is one of the Externall workes of the Godhead and it is an Axiome in Divinitie that the Externall workes of the Godhead are not to be divided It is true there are certaine internall workes of the Godhead that are said by the Schooles to bee divided incommunicably proper and peculiar to every Person as it is proper to the Person of the Father incommunicably to have his Beeing of himselfe Of the Sonne to be begotten of the Father And it is the property of the Holy Ghost incommunicably to proceed from both But those workes that they call Externall that is those workes by which the power and wisedome of the Godhead are externally made manifest to the creature such as creation preservation redemption those equally and indifferently proceed from all the Persons not from one in parcular but from all in generall and this of Iudgement is one For as they all concurre in the creating of us so they shall in the judging of us all of them shall co-operate together in the executing of justice and mercy Justice in the damnation of the wicked and mercy in the salvation of the godly You will object peradventure that the Scripture seemeth to speake otherwise though Iudgement here be attributed essensially to God in some places it is attributed personally to Christ Hee shall judge the quicke and the dead and therefore oftentimes it is called in the Scripture the Ivdgement seat of Christ as 2 Cor. 5. 10. Againe sometimes this worke of Judging is appropriated to the Saints Know yee not that the Saints shall judge the world 1 Cor. 6. 2. and by and by againe Know you not that we shall judge the Angels verse 3. How shall we reconcile these when it is said Christ and the Saints shall judge I answer This threefold doubt is reconciled by a threefold distinction God is said to judge if wee respect the Authority of Jurisdiction Christ is said to judge if we respect the Promulgation of the sentence The Saints are said to judge if wee respect the Approbation The power and right are equally given to all three Persons but the particular Execution is given to Christ the Approbation of what Christ doth is ascribed to the Saints As at our common Courts of Assize here one is set upon the Bench as Judge and others are joyned in commission with him as Accessories the Judge only pronounceth the sentence and they that sit in Commission with him ratifie and approve his sentence that he pronounceth so at that day Christ shall sit upon his Throne as Iudge the Saints they shall joyne as Commissioners Christ he alone pronounceth the sentence upon every one that is summoned there to the tryall but then his Apostles and Saints that are joyned in commission with him for such honour have all his Saints they shall ratifie and approve and give attestation to the sentence that he pronounceth and say Amen to the condemnation of the wicked So that the difference is easily reconciled and we see how God and Christ and the Saints are said to judge The Authoritie is Gods The Execution Christs The Approbation the Saints The Apostle in Rom. 2. 16. makes the point plaine hee telleth us that God shall judge by Christ In that day God shall judge the secrets of all hearts by Iesus Christ So Christ himselfe Ioh. 5. The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all power to the Sonne Hee hath given him power to execute judgement as he is the Sonne of man Why to him For this Reason That his second comming may be in glory to make amends for his first comming in humilitie Christ at his first comming into the world he came meanly and homely at his second comming hee shall come triumphantly and gloriously Before he came like a Lambe then he shall come like a Lyon Before in the forme of a servant then in the forme of a Lord. Before Pilate sate upon the Bench and Christ stood as a malefactour but then Pilate shall stand at the Barre as a Malefactour and
Christ that causeth him to become a member of that misticall body whereof Christ is the head and that causeth him to be one with the Father and to be the child of God for by faith wee are become the children of God This Faith in Christ the Law doth not teach the former Covenant would not accept What to bring to the Law the Righteousnesse of another the satisfaction of another and to trust upon that to be entertained and received the Law rejects it Thou must pay thy selfe in thy owne person and with thy owne goods thou must yeeld perfect obedience to the Law and fully accomplish it in thy owne person it will not receive payment of another for thee it will not accept satisfaction of the righteousnesse of another on thy behalfe But oh the sweetnesse of the Doctrine of the Gospell If we have a Treasurer that is able and willing to pay the debt that will tender and make payment of it we shall be accepted for his sake so that we give him the glory of resting upon this payment and be not so absurd as to mixe any action of our owne to that payment that he hath made fully and compleatly for us This is a Doctrine of sweetnesse and favour and great compassion that though we cannot doe it of our selves we shall be accepted if our Suretie will doe it for us so that wee give our Suretie the glory of being a perfect and able pay-master and relie wholly upon his satisfaction The last part of the condition on our side is that we yeeld New obedience to the Law Perfectly to obey it to which wee are tyed by the former Covenant But now this is the obedience of the Gospell a thing farre different from the obedience of the Law that was formerly required in the old Covenant there a man was tyed and bound to obey perfectly fully compleatly without any defect In a word hee must pay the uttermost farthing hee must doe his dutie his whole dutie in all the parts and degrees with all fulnesse of perfection absolutely without any defect or want without any imperfection at all An impossible labour for corrupted man a service that none all having lost those abilities that God gave man at the first can ever reach to But then commeth the sweet Gospell the Doctrine of grace and favour of tender compassion and saith thus If thou wilt consent to obey thou shalt eate the good things of the Land If you mortifie the deedes of the body by the spirit you shall live Rom. 8. 13. But if you though never so much in shew under the Covenant of Grace live after the flesh you shall die Yee see New Obedience is required absolutely as a Condition of the Gospell for the obtaining of everlasting happinesse for the escaping of Death and Saint Iohn saith If wee walke in the light wee have fellowship â—…ne with another and the bloud of Christ shall purge us from all sinne so that this walking in the light and New Obedience is absolutely required of all those that intend to bee made partakers of Christ and his benefits they must give up their soules and bodies as instruments of his glory and not serve sinne any longer in the lusts thereof they must not give their members as weapons of unrighteousnesse to sinne but live as becommeth them that are one with Christ mortifying all the lusts of the flesh and quicken themselves or being quickned with him to practise all good things required in his word and to obey all his commands which was first written in Adams heart and then in Tables of stone This New Obedience is the same in substance that was required in the former Covenant but now with a gracious acceptation of endevour after perfection in stead of perfection the former tyed us to the obedience of all that was required in all fulnesse and then promising acceptance but the obedience that the Gospell requires is striving to this perfection in truth and sincerity desiring and labouring after it in putting out our selves towards it and then promising acceptance through the perfection of Christ in and by which our imperfections are done away Now Brethren you understand what this saying of the Lord Christs is by vertue of the keeping of which we must be secured if wee be secured from the hurt of Death What is it now to Keepe the saying of Christ It is to informe our Judgements in the understanding of these truths and assent to them as truths and to practise and follow them to doe the duties which wee have heard to practise the Doctrine of Repentance and Beleeving and Obedience I confesse our Saviour doth proclaime it thus Repent and beleeve the Gospell but for the more cleere explaining of it we make new Obedience a thing of it selfe and not included in the Doctrine of Repentance for it is an act of that whereof Repentance is a resolute wishing and desiring A man cannot possibly rest on Christ for salvation till hee hath so asked pardon as hee resolveth an amendment and when hee hath this resolution and relyeth on Christ for the pardon of his sinne then from him hee receiveth power to amendment of life and so his purpose commeth to action and his desire to execution Thus alone these two things differ as farre as I conceive Now I say this is the Doctrine of the Gospell and to keepe it is to know and beleeve and follow it to beleeve and obey as Christ saith If you know these things there is one part of the duty happy are you if you doe them there is asecond for they can never be done except they be done as knowne And thus I have interpreted the first part of the proposition namely the Antecedent Let us say somewhat of the latter too the benefit that followeth upon the former duty and for the obtaining of which the former duty is necessary namely that hee shall never see death What is it to see Death And what Death is meant here To see good things in the Scripture phrase is as much oftentimes as to enjoy them to have the benefit and commoditie of them to receive them to entertaine them Without holinesse no man shall see God that is no man shall enjoy God Blessed are the poore in spirit for they shall see God that is they shall enjoy God On the contrary to see a thing that is tearmed Evill is to bee annoyed with it to have the hurt of it lying upon a man and pressing him downe as they in Ieremy said Let us goe into Egypt where wee shall not see sword or famine meaning that they should not be pursued by warre and want of things needfull so that by seeing evill is meant the evill lying upon one and annoying and hurting one and so I suppose it is meant here And by Death is meant Naturall and as we may tearme it supernaturall and eternall Death For the keeping of Christs sayings
so freeth men from the latter as they never come neere it and so freeth them from the former as they never dread to be under the power of the latter And the first Death of the outward man which is the separration of the Body from the Soule it is no Death if it separate not both from God which it can never doe if a man keepe the sayings of Christ therefore though his body that keepeth the sayings of Christ bee tooke from his soule yet he seeth not death so as to have any hurt by it hee feeleth no ill by it nay it is good to him for it is a passage from miserie to rest and felicitie Thus yee have these words as faithfully interpreted to you as I know how And now I will make proofe of this Doctrine thus explicated namely that thus to keepe Christs sayings to know and follow the Doctrine of the Gospell is the only sure way to escape the danger and hurt of Death Saint Peter acknowledgeth as much when he said to the Lord Jesus Christ that hee had the words of eternall life then he that keepeth them is certainly safe against the hurt of Death So the Angell speakes to the Apostles whom the Pharisees had imprisoned when he brought them forth of Prison he biddeth them speake to the people the words of this life since Christs Doctrine is the word of life it must needs follow that the keeping thereof is a per a perfect Antidote against the poyson of Death And Saint Peter when he gave an account to the rest of the Apostles and the brethren of Iudea of his going to the Gentiles he saith that an Angel appointed Cornelius to send for him that he might speake words to him whereby himselfe and his family should be saved and those words which cause a man to be saved you know will give him freedome enough from Death Thus I have proved the point by expresse Texts and there are two reasons of it The first is delivered by the Apostle Saint Iohn in his first Epistle and second Chapter where hee saith let that abide in you which you have heard from the beginning that is the Doctrine of the Gospell which Christ taught his sayings if that remaine in you you also shall continue in the Sonne and in the Father Hee that hath fellowship with the Sonne and with the Father can never see Death for God is the fountaine of life therefore those that are one with him and continue in him cannot see Death no more then he can be overwhelmed with darknesse that is where the Sunne shineth fully no more then the body can bee dead as long as it hath communion with the soule so those in whom the word of Christ remaineth and stayeth they are assured that they shall remaine with the Father and the Sonne and therefore being united to that that is life God the Father and the Sonne it is impossible that ever they should be hurt by the first or ever at all taste of the last Death Againe the Word of Christ freeth him in who it remaineth from the power and hurt of finne bringing to him remission of sinnes and sanctification And being free from sinne the cause of Death it is easie to conjecture that hee shall bee freeed from Death itselfe Let a mans Debt be satisfied and let the favour of the Prince be obtained and a Pardon granted the Prison shall never hold him long he shall not be brought to the place of Execution but when his guives are knocked off he is set at libertie so when we have obtained power against sinne by the powerfull worke of the Spirit of God which alwayes at the same time doth bend the heart of man to rest on Christ for salvation and heartily to indevour to walke before him in holinesse and righteousnesse when I say wee are thus freed from the power and guilt of sinne it is impossible that Death should lay hold upon us as his prisoner to carry us to the dungeon of Hell and to hold us under the wrath of God and that fiery indignation of his that causeth Hell to bee Hell Therefore certainly the words of Christ are an undoubted truth and we must rest upon them without all distrust and wavering that hee that keepeth his saying shall never see death and that the knowledge and beleeving and obeying the Doctrine of the Gospell is the only sure way to escape the hurt and ill of Death it selfe Let us now make some Application of this Doctrine to our soules First to stirre us up to a right hearty thankfulnesse unto Almighty God that is pleased to cast our times and dayes into that age and those places where the Doctrine of the Gospell this Saying of our blessed Saviour is so clearely and plainly and evidently laid open to you and frequently and earnestly prest upon your soules where the Lord commeth to declare unto you the way to life where he scoreth you out a path that will bring you quite out of the clutches and danger of Death this is the happinesse of our present Age and place where wee live and this whole kingdome too The grace and mercie and favour of our loving God hath so disposed of us that wee doe not live in times of Paganisme and darknesse where there was no newes of Christ that wee live not in places of Popish darknesse where the Doctrine of the Gospell is so mixed and darkned with tricks and devises of their owne that they cannot see Christ clearely It is our happinesse I say that wee doe not live in those places and times where either Paganisme or Poperie with their darknesse covered Christ from us and caused us that we could not clearely see or heare him and so not keepe his sayings But now grace is offered light is tendred to us wee may be saved wee may escape the danger of damnation if the fault be not solely and wholly in our carelesnesse and wilfulnesse and neglect and abuse of the meanes that God hath afforded us The heathen men that have not heard of Christ cannot possibly attaine to life as farre as we can Judge by the Scripture And it is very difficult for the Papists that heare so darkely and are told of the Doctrine of the Gospell with so many sophistications to come to be saved But for us that have the Doctrine of the Gospell so plainly and carefully taught us and revealed unto us wee may be saved and may easily see the way to obtaine salvation So we goe beyond them in happinesse Oh blessed be the name of the Ever-living God that beside the peace and plenty and other temporall benefits wherewith hee hath crowned this unworthy Nation of ours hee hath added this blessing of blessings this King of favours to give us so cleare a revelation of the Doctrine of salvation by faith in Christ alone Blessed bee his name and let your hearts say Amen to this thanksgiving and let it
bee one part of your endeavour this day to give solemne praise every man apart and his Familie apart for this unspeakable mercie of his in making you live in the dayes of Light and in the bright Sun-shine of the Gospell and you shall prove your selves to have begun to have kept Christs saying if you be thankfull for his making of it knowne unto and for writing of it in your hearts This is the first Use. Next I beseech you let me take boldnesse to reprove I feare a great number of you of a sinne whereof I will make it appeare you are guiltie Men there are that make large promises to themselves that they shall never be damned they shall not goe to Hell they hope Death shall not have power to dragge them from this world to the place of darknesse Thou hopest so Come render a reason of thy hope To hope without a ground is to deceive ones selfe with extreame folly As for example there are a number of prisoners in Newgate or in some other Prison should they hope for some man of great wealth to pay their debts and save them from hanging should they not be arrant fooles to hope except they could shew some ground for their hope and some evidence for their expecting of such a kindnesse Thou that hopest thou shalt never see Death come answer God in thy conscience dost thou keepe the saying of Christ or no Where is the knowledge of the Doctrine of the Gospell Doest thou beleeve that which concernes thee touching thy miserie and so apply that to thy selfe to make thee a penitent sinner Doest thou beleeve the Doctrine concerning the Remedie and so apply that to thy selfe to make thee perfect thy repentance by being not only grieved for sinne but taking boldnesse to confesse it and aske pardon and by framing thy selfe in thankfulnesse to amendment of life and New obedience Doest thou I say know this Doctrine and so know it as to practise it Hope and spare not the more thou hopest the better thy hope is the stronger and surer it is the more thou glorifiest God and the more it shall comfort thee But oh unhappy man if thou findest not in thy selfe the care and power in some measure to doe these things cursed bee thy hopes because they be disgracefull to Almighty God tending to make him a lyar and an unjust person and because they are dangerous to thy owne soule tending to rocke thee asleepe in the cradle of security Cursed be those unsound and sandy-built hopes of most men that never yet applied themselves to confesse and lament their sinnes that never applied themselves to crave pardon and to resolve upon amendment that never studied to throw themselves into the Armes of Gods mercy in Christ for pardon that never intended to mortifie the deedes of the body and to subdue the flesh with the lusts thereof and yet they hope they shall not bee damned thou maist as well hope that the Divell shall come out of Hell into Heaven as thou to goe out of earth in to Heaven If thy hope be not grounded upon the workings of these graces because thou findest thy selfe penitent because thou findest thy selfe carefull to strive to rest wholly upon Christ for salvation because thou findest thy selfe industrious in the studie of newnesse of life except I say thy hope be thus grounded it is the vainest thing in the world and it will never doe thee good at the last houre Brethren give me leave to tell you that there are two Gospells in the world the Gospell of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Gospell of Beelzebub as I may call it the gospell of the Divell that comes from Hell and tendeth to bring men thither Christs Gospell is Repent and beleeve and obey and be saved The Divels gospell is say you beleeve make your selves imagine that you have faith and then never care for repentance and obedience and you shall be saved Christs Gospell is summed up thus by the Prophets Returne to him and live But the Divels goeth thus Assure thy selfe thou shalt live though thou care not for repentance Oh let not the Divell beguile you with that false and counterfeit Gospell of his whosoever leaneth to it shall find it like the Authour of it a Lyar and when he hath trusted to it that confidence and hope of his shall be as the Spiders web the Beesome of destruction shall sweepe it and him downe to the depth of Hell Death shall have dominion over him and carry him from this present world to the region of darknesse into eternall torment hee shall see Death in the grimnesse and terriblenesse of it he shall feele it in all the extremitie that the wrath of God can inflict upon the children of disobedience Thirdly I have to command and require you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that you apply your selves to a thing tending so much to the honour of him and to the commoditie and comfort of your owne soules I have shewed you that Jesus Christ hath revealed a way how you should escape the danger of Death eternall and the hurt of Death naturall I beseech you now fall a doing one while as you have beene busied in hearing To what purpose is it that you flocke to heare Sermons and throng to receive the Word except you lay it up in your hearts and apply your selves to practise If thou hast not begun before now begin if thou hast begun before now resolve to proceed with more life and courage Either begin or persist in the practise of the Doctrine of the Gospell If thou hast not repented I require thee in the name of the living God to make this houre the first beginning of thy repentance and apply thy selfe to lay the foundation of that worke before thou lay thy head to sleepe Goe and call to minde thy sinnes and make thy cheekes wet at least thy heart heavy for the multitude of thy great offences downe on thy knees in thy Closet make thy confession of them to God sigh for them mourne for them labour to weepe for them afflict thy soule with great sorrow and remorse then cry for pardon and remission as the thiefe begs at the barre for mercie so doe thou for the forgivenesse of thy sinnes through Christ Jesus and put upon thy selfe a firme resolution and stedfast purpose to goe on no more in the wayes of wickednesse to practise grosse sinnes no more nor no more to allow any sinne that thou knowest to be a sinne though it be never so small Doe thus my brethren and then you may and will it will follow almost of it selfe rest on Christ for salvation Hee that so seeth his owne sinnes as unfeignedly to lament for them and to judge himselfe before God if hee apprehend the truth of the Doctrine of the Gospell he cannot for his life but come on amaine and throw himselfe downe before Christ to imbrace and receive and entertaine
God will judge you for your sinnes The Apostle Saint Paul he moveth the Athenians Acts 17. 31. to repentance upon this very ground because God hath appointed a day in which hee will Iudge the world in righteousnesse And surely if this will not awaken us nothing will nothing can What doe we meane beloved to suffer our sinnes to stand upon the score Where is our wisedome Our grace Are wee able to stand before God when hee is angrie with us Why doe we not take off our sinnes by godly sorrow If a Judge should say to a Malefactour except thou mourne for thy offence thou shalt die and bee executed Doe we not thinke hee would mourne to save his life Behold God saith to you except you mourne for your iniquities you shall die in your sinnes Oh why doe not wee make our eyes as fountaines to bewayle our sinnes that man is possest with extreame hardnesse that lamenteth not his iniquitie and hee treasureth up unto himselfe wrath against the day of wrath and the declaration of the righteous judgement of God Well if wee will not mourne for our sinnes here to repentance wee shall mourne hereafter in hellish horrour without hope of helpe or mercie In the third place this Doctrine that God will Judge us should make us preserve in ourselves a good conscience It is the very use that the Apostle makes Acts 24. 15 16. Hee had hope that there should be a resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust therefore hee did exercise himselfe to have alwayes a good conscience voyde of offence toward God and toward men Blessed saith Christ are those that are pure in heart There is nothing that will bee so rewarded and so regarded at the last day as a good conscience But for those that have stayned their consciences with all wickednesse and sin and have not washed their consciences with the bloud of Christ and the teares of true repentance these shall have their portion without amongst those that are uncleane Lastly this Doctrine should teach us to feare God and to give glory to him As Saint Iohn speakes in the Revelation the day of his Judgement is comming therefore feare him and give glory to him If the particular judgements of God that light upon men in this life should make us reverence his holy Name how much more should this last Judgement that is so terrible and unavoidable FINIS ABRAHAMS PURCHASE OR A POSSESSION FOR BVRIALL GEN. 25. 10. The field which Abraham purchased of the sonnes of Heth there was Abraham buried and Sarah his wife JOB 17. 13. The Grave is mine house I have made my bed in the darknesse LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. ABRAHAMS PVRCHASE OR A POSSESSION FOR BVRIALL SERMON XIX GEN. 23. 4. I am a stranger and sojourner among you give me a possession of a burying place with you that I may bury my dead out of my sight THis is the conclusion of all flesh they were never so deare before but they come to be as loathsome and intollerable now When once the lynes and picture of Death is drawne over the Fabrique of Man or womans body as it is said here of Sarah all their glory ceaseth all their good respect vanisheth away their best friends would be faynest ridde of them even Sarah that was so goodly and amiable in Abrahams sight must now out of his sight he must bury his dead out of his sight Oh the strange misery that sinne hath brought us to when it devolveth and throweth downe all our glory at once and the ruffe of man-kind in their chiefest pride in their greatest jollitie all is tumbled in an instant in a moment to basenesse and stinke and miserie How should wee be diligent to get the hope of a better life seeing this is so little worth having And how should our thoughts alwayes flie up to God since there is nothing but rottennesse and putrifaction found here in the world But Abraham as the Father of faithfull men and a patterne to all loving Husbands in all ages insuing doth not this till such time as the dead Sarah groweth noysome to all that looke upon her As long as he could by his mourning and lamentation prosecute her without offence to his eyes and danger to his health he did it but now the time is come when earth must bee put to earth and dust must returne to dust There is no place for the fairest beauty above ground when once God hath taken life and breath from it it must goe to its owne elements and to the rocke and pit from whence it was hewen thither it must returne This holy man therefore being well resolved of this and knowing the doome already uttered by God upon out first Parents Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne hee cannot keepe his dead longer by him hee knoweth the bed wherein now shee must be layed therefore he seekes for it to these Countrey-men that he lived withall that were Heathens and Pagans but very morall and civill men as wee may see in this whole Discourse And he desireth them that he might have a place for his owne use and turne not intimating so much to them as that there should be a separation in their very death from Pagans and Heathens but he keepeth that to himselfe and covereth it with smooth speech and elegancie of language as his manner was For indeed it was not lawfull for Abraham to bury his dead amongst the Cananites the sonnes of Heth of whom he demanded this peculiar favour at this time but God would have his children as they differ in all their life from Heathens that know no God so they should differ in every point even in their Graves after death that there might bee no commixtion and mingling of light and darknesse and no fellowship betweene Christ and Belial Therefore to continue this hope and confirme it in all his Posteritie that were a peculiar and chosen people It was necessarie hee should chuse his Grave his place of Sepulture that they might be sequestred from them in their death as they were in the course of their life Now after he had performed that dutie that every man oweth to his dead friend especially to his Wife the mate of his bosome he commeth to move this to the sonnes of Heth that were Lords of the soile Hee was abundant in teares before hee comes to move it for God which commandeth us not to lament for the Dead as men without hope doth notwithstanding not forbid us to mourne and sorrow for them and to lament hee giveth us leave nay he rather alloweth and approveth of naturall affection when wee weepe with them that weepe and mourne with them that mourne and rejoyce with them that rejoyce Abraham knew well in what estate his Wife was he knew shee was in a happy condition hee knew shee was the Mother of the Faithfull and was translated to the heavenly
in respect of the former societie and converse they had but now he speakes to the point she is no more his Wife but his dead It is translated by all in the Neuter Gender not my dead shee but my dead simply in the Neuter gender as a thing which now had not so much relation So it is true when men and women are severed by Death they are no more man and wife but one anothers dead For as the Apostle saith Doe you not know that as long as a man liveth his wife is subject to him and shee must not converse with another So likewise for men againe but when God dissolveth the contract by Death then as she is free for another man so she is no more his Wife so long as she was alive upon the ground she was his Wife but now when she is to goe into the ground he calleth her his dead but not his Wife The substance and summe is this That Matrimonie is Gods blessing for present use of mankind for the propagating of the Species to continue the seed of man to the worlds end that there may be still a generation to praise God their Creatour and so being a temporall thing ordained for the office of this life it ceaseth when Death commeth there is nothing but Death and that which Christ speakes of in the Gospell can make a separation when Death commeth all relations cease and a wife is no wife and a husband is no husband Behold out of thâ—… the infinite love of God in Christ that hath made all things all unions and contracts hath made all to be void but his owne for our Lord Jesus in life and death is our Husband our Lord our Master our Father as well in the one as in the other whereas by the intercourse of Death all things are dissolved two of the best friends that are may part upon discontent and body and soule must part at Death and Husband and wife the Symboll of Christ and his Church must part one from another yet when all societies and contracts part Christ doth not part from us but he is in the Grave as well as in the highest heavens our Husband and Lord and Spouse and wee are his Church still we keepe the same relation and as strong bonds in death as in life My Dead Yet notwithstanding though she was not Abrahams Wife yet she was Abrahams dead This must teach a man after he is freed by Death from the combination and contract yet that there is a care remaining to the Dead a love to that though not as to a Wife the respects of Man and Wife are carnall and fleshly Death commeth and cutteth downe the flesh therefore cutteth off that respect too but because she was dead and there was such bonds betweene them formerly therefore a man is bound to lament and sorrow for his dead as Abraham did here to love the memorie of the dead to speake well of the dead when occasion serveth to commend them for their vertues to use the friends of the dead as farre as is in their power with all courtisie to bee good to the children of the Dead those that the Mother hath left and not to cast them into the hands of a furious woman a new Wife that neither careth for dead nor living but to have a speciall regard to the bonds and familiaritie and that spirituall acquaintance that God made in this life and so to be good to all that come of that issue for their sakes Let me bury my dead Lastly it followeth why hee would burie his dead Out of my sight A strange thing Out of my sight Was his griefe so aggravated as hee could not still behold her face or was it necessary that the carkasse it selfe must be conveyed away must it needs be that the body being now no way amiable but noisome must be conveyed out of a mans sight The best friend in the world cannot endure the sight of a dead body it is a gastly sight especially when it commeth to that dissolution that the parts begin to have an evill savour and smell as all have when they are dead then to keepe themselves in life and health it is necessary to avoid them to burie their dead out of their sight And what so sweet a sight once to blessed Abraham as Sarah What so sweet a spectacle to the world as Sarah The great Kings of the world set her as a Parragon and shee came no where but her beauty enamoured them shee was a sweet prospect in all eyes every man gazed on her with great content to see the beautie of God as in so many lines marked out in the face of Sarah Yet now she is odious every eye that looked upon her before now winkes and cannot endure to looke upon her shee must bee taken out of sight Oh bethinke your selves of this you that take pride in this fraile flesh that pranke up your selves to make you gracefull in every eye you that studie to please the beholders you that are the great Minions of the world you that when age beginneth to purle your faces begin to redeeme your selves with paintings thinke of this Mother Sarah the beautifullest woman in the world is loathsome to her husband her sweetest friend therefore I beseech you in the feare of God leave these fooleries and vaine fancies remember what danger Sarahs beauty cast her into though it were a great gift of God yet shee had better have beene without it then to have that hazard of soule and body that shee was brought to by Abrahams travels and necessitie and know it that your best beauty is to please the eye of God to looke beautifull in his sight for the sight of God is never weary the sight of men will bee weary of you the best friends you have will loath to see you dead you will then be grisly in the eyes of men but the eye of God it is all one even in the dust and nothing can make you so ill-favoured but God will like you therefore labour to please Gods eye that never ceaseth nothing will make him alter his affection whereas the eyes of men this life is so full of foule alterations as the least sicknesse bringeth an abomination unto them I see the time prevents me I will speake a little to the present occasion We have here a depositum a gage a pawne of a deare Sister of ours a woman knowne to you all to be of a holy Christian conversation a neighbour full of peace and quiet and of good workes according to her calling Shee was also in the spirituall part a woman of a very good inclination loving the Word of God curious and attentive in the hearing of it Shee was much delighted in it and desired to communicate the knowledge she had in the Scriptures to others and to speake of it as often as occasion permitted By this studie it pleased the Lord to worke a constant and lively faith in
proposition may be resolved into these three observations 1. That there bee some that are Gods Saints 2. That Gods Saints doe also Die 3. That the Death of Gods Saints is pretious in Gods sight 1. There be some that are Gods Saints Sanctorum ejus so the vulgar Latine reades it Misericordium so Pagnin after S. Hierome Benificorum so Piscator Piorum so Mollerus The Kings translators have rendred it in our last English His Saints though they have given themselves a liberty in other places to render the Hebrew that is here by our English Holy as Ps. 16. 10. hhasideka Thy Holy one and the Hebrew word that properly signifies holy by our English Saints as Psal. 16. 3. Kedoshim To the Saints The Saint in the Text is in Hebrew hhasid and hhasid is beneficus and but in a secundary sence Sanctus Yet whereas it is rendred by the Septuagint once 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 venerandus venerabile which our English translates The good man Mic. 7. 2. and once 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reverend or as our English hath it Righteous Prov. 2. 8. Yet in all other places it is translated by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sanctus Saint or Holy and it seemes according to the very notion of the word in use among the Iewes themselves among whom the posteritie of Ionadab because of their holinesse of life and strictnesse in religion were called hhasidim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Asidaeans 1 Mach. 7. 13. as much as Holy-ones Good-men or Saints But not to insist farther upon the translation The name of Saints is given sometimes by the Fathers to holy men departed and reigning with God but so the word is very rarely used in the Scripture but more ordinarily it is given to the faithfull in this life and so the notion in Scripture is most frequent So 1 Cor. 1. 2. To the Church of God at Corinth called to bee Saints or Saints by calling So also Eph. 6. 18. Rom. 12. 13 c. There is a double sanctitie 1. Of outward profession 2. Of inward regeneration and so the word is here more specially understood They are Gods Saints whom he separates to himselfe or calls unto holinesse of life The Saints on the earth such as excell in vertue Psal. 16. 3. And there is reason for it that there be some Saints in this life because that which makes Saints is attainable here not popish Canonization but Gods Election Gods Spirit Gods grace the Merit and holinesse of Christ as it is 1 Cor. 1. 2. Those of the Church of Corinth were Called to bee Saints with all that in every place call on the name of Iesus Christ Who was both 1. a patterne of holinesse that his people might bee so by his example and 2. a foundation of holinesse that his fulnesse might bee conveyed to his members Use 1. If there be Saints in this life it is against the Church of Rome which shuts up all the Saints into heaven and suffers none to be Saints but such whom the Pope canonizeth Bellarmine delivers it 1. That Canonization which is a publike testification of the assured holinesse and glory of some by which publike worships are decreed them is pious and lawfull 2. That this power of Canonization is only in the Pope 3. That the Popes judgement in Canonization is infallible But beside that this third proposition is gain-said by men of his owne side The practise it selfe also of Canonization was unknowne till Leo the thirds time anno 800. or till fourescore yeares after that till the time of Adrian and it was ever anciently held that no man can judge infallibly of anothers condition or may admit any into the number of Saints The ancient Church had their commemorations of holy men and women departed but without worship So may wee honourably speake of such as are with God and wee doe so Luther calls Thomas Aquinas Saint and Melanthon sticks not at it to call Anthony Bernard Dominick and Francis so too Wee seldome name those glorious Doctours otherwise then Saint Basil Saint Greg. Naz. Saint Ambrose Saint Augustine And so we use to commemorate the holy Apostles the blessed Martyrs and the Fathers And thinke wee have as much liberty as the Church of Rome to call godly men of our late acquaintance Saints as I remember a learned and reverend Bishop of ours to have called Master Greenham But withall as the Scriptures doe so we may also call the living beleevers and they are so before they come to heaven Use 2. If there be some let us all aspire unto that honour to bee such as excell in vertue to be put in Albo Sanctorum and to have our names in the Calender or roll Let us follow the footsteps of Christ and holy men learne of mee saith Christ Mat. 11. 29. for I have given you an example that yee should doe as I have done unto you Joh. 13. 15. And let us follow them that have followed Christ to take out the patternes that have beene set us by Apostolicall and holy men In the ancienter times of more pure and fervent zeale people were ready to runne to any lights that did burne and shine among them to take example from them how to regulate their lives Hence came many religious professions though since much degenerate and corrupted who were wonne to the immitation of those practises of selfe-denyall contempt of the world mortifying of voluptuous affections c. which they saw in them Wee might make a profitable use of the lives of holy men and Martyrs of old or of late to copie out their sanctity And let it be an incouragement to the study of piety and religion to consider what honour it brings along with it it Saints us so that we need not be at that extreame expence and charge which wee reade some have beene at in the Court of Rome to procure Canonization Vse 3. If there be some such here and they bee men holy and religious then take we heed that we speake not ill of such that we abuse them not that we open not our mouthes against heaven against them that are Incolae coeli Inhabitants of heaven either by an actuall possession of glory or here by an heavenly conversation Devout and religious men whose thoughts and hearts are above doe not count this their Countrey they doe but sojourne with us abuse not strangers then especially these strangers for their countrey sake Wee use to say De Sanctis nil nisi bonum wee should not speake any thing to the prejudice of the Saints The Romanists are presently upon us that we forget this rule Sanctos Dei non esse peculiari honore colendos docent omnes hodierni haeretici So Lorichius accuses us for we know whom he meanes The truth is we dare not give them divine worship nor make them Gods as the Papists when they have wearied themselves in fitting their distinctions of latreia
and douleia to little purpose doe it roundly enough and the people in their practice But wee give them their due and as much as themselves would be willing to receive as wee gathered from the behaviour of the Angell that was sent to Iohn Apoc. 19. 10. But in the meane time while they make a thriving trade of the flattering of the Dead they neglect and abuse the living Saints not only writing a Dele in their Indices expurgatory upon the testimonie of Pius or Prudens given by some more ingenuous men of theirs to some of our Divines in particular but also traducing the whole estate of our reformed Churches for schismaticall and hereticall Use 4. If there be some Saints of God here let us choose to be of their acquaintance and keepe their company because they doe best of all know the way to heaven and it is good to goe safely that journey by direction of the best and most skilfull guides lest we misse it in those places where the way turnes or where the path is not so well beaten as the other Roade 2. Gods Saints doe also die The Death of his Saints Holinesse frees not from death Abel Noah Abraham Moses David the Prophets the Apostles the Fathers are all dead Your Fathers where are they and the Prophets doe they live for ever Zach. 1. 5. God cuts off both the righteous and the wicked Ezek. 21. 4. The righteous perisheth and the hhasidim the mercifull men or the men of godlinesse are taken away Es. 57. 1. Yea and often-times as Menander was able to observe it Whom God loves best hee takes soonest An observation much like that in 1 King 14. 12 13. That sonne of Ieroboam who only of that family had some good thing in him was taken away young But whether sooner or later their holinesse frees not from death rich gilding upon an earthen pot keepes it not from breaking They are made of the same mettall of the same clay with other men The Apostles that brought the treasures of grace to the world were themselves Testacea vasa so Saint Hierome Vasa fictilia so Saint Gregorie but only earthen vessels 2 Cor. 4. 7. Clay in the hand of the potter Es. 64. 8. And therefore all things in this respect come alike to all Eccl. 9. 2. Use 1. If such die then Death is not alwayes evill for sure it is not evill to them to whom all things worke for good Rom. 8. 28. The sting of it is gone And though it have not a pleasant looke to entertaine us with it is but as a rude groome that opens the gate by which we must passe to a better place and to better company The godly have many advantages by death 1. Rest from their labours 2. A Crowne when they have finisht the race 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. 3. Freedome from danger of sinning any more Rom. 6. 7. 4. Death frees from a possibilitie of further dying 2 Cor. 5. 1. Let mee die saith Seneca and what hurt comes by that I can bee bound no more I can bee sicke no more I can die no more 5. They goe presently to God While we are at home in the body wee are absent from the Lord Wee are willing rather to be absent from the body and to bee present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5. 6. 8. I desire to bee dissolved to bee with Christ Phil. 1. 23. 2 Tim. 4. 6. Wee wrong death when we call it horrid it is sinne which makes it to be so else it is but conceit There is often more paine in a tooth-ake then in dying Teares and blacke cloth and the tremblings of the guilty doe disguise Death and make it looke terrible Hee that said it was of all terrible things the most terrible was himselfe an Heathen and knew not what Christ had done to alter the property Once indeed it was uncouth and hideous but since Christ dyed it hath a more faire and pleasant face There can bee no danger in that way which all the Saints have gone As Phocion said to one that by the same sentence of the Judges was to dye with him Art thou not glad to fare as Phocion doth So are wee not glad to fare as the holy Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles have done and to goe after them Hee that went this way the first of any man-kind was holy a Saint it was Abel whom God accepted Wee use to call those passages and Streights which have beene first found and discovered by any by the names of the first Discoverers as the Streights of Magellanus and that a little lower Schouten Streight or Fretum le maire So if it may afford us any comfort for the passage let us call Death no longer Death but Abels streights Let us learne if not to love yet to contemne Death that so wee may have the more easie conquest over all other hard things It was a bravery in Damindas an heathen which Christians should be ashamed to come short of When Philip had broke into Peloponesus and some Lacedemonians said They were likely to sustaine much evill unlesse they could reconcile themselves to Philip Damindas said O Semi-viri quid nobis poterit acerbè accidere qui mortem contemnimus Ah poore spirited men what can be sharpe or hard unto us who have learned to despise death it selfe Use 2. Because Saints or holy men doe also die let us make the best use of them while they are with us To benefit and profit ourselves by our religious friends acquaintance neighbours and kindred When God raises up some man eminent for wisedome and a godly life hee is set up as a light for the towne or neighbourhood to walke by Yet oft-times such as dwell neere are carelesse and neglect their benefit when strangers farther off draw neere unto the light and gaine by it as wee use to let our owne bookes lye by and rather make use of such as we borrow to take notes out of them because we know not how soone they may be called for by the owners and presume that the other will still be in our keeping Wee should improve our good acquaintance and walke by the light while we enjoy it because many times the Sunne sets and it is night in a neighbourhood or a family when a good friend a good Parent or a good Master dyeth Remember Ioash and Iehojada 3. The Death of Gods Saints is precious in Gods sight When David was opprest with griefe it seemes hee had such thoughts as these Surely man is res nihili a vaine and worthlesse thing too low and too unworthy that God should take any notice of him or bee carefull of him But at last he overcame such thoughts when hee had found the experience of Gods tendernesse towards himselfe in particular and towards all his people and now resolves That God neglects not his as if hee were not affected with their miseries but their soules lives and safeties are deare and
tender unto him as a treasure which hee will not carelesly lose or suffer men or divels to take away by force or treachery Their Death is pretious Iakar the word of the Text is in pretio fuit magni estimatum est God sets them at an high and deare rate The Septuagint renders it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Noune by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pretiosus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 probatus and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 multi pretii God honours and accounts well and hath high thoughts of the sufferings of his See how the word is translated in other Texts 1. Honourable Esa. 43. 4. Jakarta Thou wert pretious in my sight thou hast beene honourable 2. Much set by 2 Sam. 18. 30. His name was much set by 3. Deare Ier. 31. 20. An filius Jakkir pretiosus mihi Ephraim Is Ephraim my Deare sonne 4. Splendid cleare or glorious Iob 31. 26. Si vidi lunam Jaker pretiosam abeuntem The Moone walking in brightnesse Put all these expressions together and then wee have the strength of Davids word The death of the Saints is pretious that is 1. Honourable 2. Much set by 3. Deare 4. Splendid and glorious in the sight of the Lord. God is so tender of his people that 1. Hee will not have them take wrong hee orders their death he takes care for them he visits and comforts and assists them in their dying he helpes them with strength with memory in their understanding their senses c. 2. Hee takes much delight in their sweet holy calme deaths and resignations of their soules 3. Hee takes care of their very bodyes too to lay them up sweetly to rest in Repositories or Dormitories as the Ancients were wont to call Church-yards and Graves 4. Lastly he entertaines their soules immediatly when they are breathed forth and places them In Sinu Abrahae in Abrahams bosome wheresoever that is to possesse present joy and quietnesse And no wonder that hee doth all this because hee hath bought them and redeemed them unto himselfe with so great a price as his Sonnes bloud and hath graced them with so many gifts and priviledges and hath made over unto them as coheires with Christ so great and large benefits Wee may make this Use of it to serve for the establishment of us in our beliefe of him and our wayting on his providence If their Death be so pretious their sufferings also in any kind are deare unto him That word in the Text which is Death and which by the Seventy is ordinarily turned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet is taken in the Scripture sometimes for sicknesse or any affliction Exo. 10. 17. For infection 2 King 4. 40. For wounds Prov. 26. 18. and sometimes in the Septuagint for the soule The very sicknesses and afflictions and dangers and wounds and griefes of his holy ones are deare unto God But especially their soules their lives their good and safety God writes a Ne perdas Touch not Destroy not as a notable caueat for the safetie as of Kings most particularly so also of all that feare him and that trust in his mercy I have hastened over these points that I might come to the testimonie that I am to give to our deceased Brother Master Iohn Moulson which I may not omit nor to be particular in it having never such a subject of discourse before such an exemplary man I would not be bought to flatter a prophane and wicked great one but here Gods glory in this his Servant and the edification of you that are present require of mee that I speake fully for hee was Vir nec silendus nec dicendus sine cura Hee copyed out in his life the old way of Christianitie and writ so faire after those Primitives that few now can imitate his hand And truly as in a garden in which there are variety of flowers we know not where to pick so in those many commendable parts of his I know not which to choose to present unto you or in what method But you may take notice I. Of his morall parts where I commend foure things 1. His calmenesse and moderation of affection No passion was observed to be a tyrant in him they had an aequipoise 2. His sober taciturnity an imitable wisedome in this age of talke and pratling 3. His affable cariage and easinesse of accesse by which like an other Poplicola hee gained reputation and the loue of the neighbourhood where euer he dwelt Some are so hairy and rough like Esau that they may be discerned by their handling and some so churlish as Nabal that a man cannot speake unto them Which sourenesse and clowdinesse of spirit I wish were not a blemish to many that give their names unto religion He honoured it by his sweetnesse and affability 4. His grave deportment and cariage As nothing is more contemptible then a light youthly wanton old man so the gray-head and wrinkled cheekes accompanied with sage gravity commands respect from the beholders as that old grave Bishop Paphnutius though he had lost an eye did from the Emperour Constantine Gravity dwelt in the face of this man and his very presence was such as would discountenance the rude and prophane But all these are but meane commendations in respect of the next II. His practice of holinesse Where I will observe and commend unto you 1. His unoffensive youth of which they that can remember him since that time are confident to say of him as the Emperour said of Piso Hujus vita composita à pueritia His life was composed and settled even from his very child-hood and then began to sort himselfe with the gravest company chiefly with that learned and godly Master Christopher Harvy sometime incumbent in this Church to whom he was deare Hee was observed to be so sober and modest in his youth that hee was desired to accompany and attend an honourable Nobleman to Oxford where hee was very watchfull and carefull of him and prayed twice a-day with him in his chamber So ready was he to beare the Lords yoke from his youth 2. His unmaried estate which was chaste and modest Hee lived aboue fifty yeares unmarried and in that state expressed two vertues his wisedome not bee rash and his care to keepe his vessell cleane 3. His married estate and course of house-keeping 1. When it pleased God to dispose his heart to mariage he married in the Lord. 2. When God gave him Children hee nurtured them and his Familie in Gods feare 1. He prayed foure times a-day 2. Hee read three chapters in the Old Testament and three in the New every day 3. After dinner he called not for game for digestion but read a Chapter before he rose from table 4. Hee catechised his children and servants constantly according to some plaine forme 5. Hee usually rose early on the Lords day which time he gave to meditation and prayer and what he could remember
of the Sermon he usually repeated to his people 4. His exemplary vertues in his whole course of life 1. His meeknesse and peaceablenesse of disposition A grace which in the sight of God is much set by and a notable testimonie of inward holinesse according as it runnes Iam. 3. 17. Pure then Peaceable Hee was not apt to quarrell matters that concerned him not never being observed to beare a part in any faction a favourable interpreter of things not evident readier to reconcile then to make differences and choosing rather to part with his right then with peace as appeared in a suite knowne unto many here 2. Though he were meeke in his owne cause yet hee was zealous in Gods Hee could not endure any thing repugnant to holy Scripture nor would he neglect either seasonably to admonish or reprove the faulty that were within the compasse of his admonition or to whet on and exhort others to love and good workes 3. Yet his Zeale did not miscarry being allayed and tempered with wisedome as the heart is by the braine and as the conceit is of the Primum mobile with the Chrystalline heaven neere it His wisdome appeared first in his discreetnesse in his undertakings and all affaires an argument of which some take to be this That hee was never troubled nor so much as questioned in any Court concerning any fact Second in his observing a fit season when and a fit decorum in speaking Third in his choyce of company and specially of such acquaintance as hee would be neere with and intimate which were only such as might be able to afford him spirituall assistance in a time of need 4. His freenesse from worldlinesse and contentednesse with his estate not as those in Horace Quocunque modo rem but hee would not improve his estate by the raysing it as haply hee might have done and as others doe upon his tenants Hee counted himselfe rich because hee needed not all that he had but could have lived with lesse for hee that can make a little to bee his measure all else that hee hath is his treasure which was the observation of a good Poet but a better and a more mortified Divine 5. His humilitie and even among the very temptations to pride It is an hard thing to be humble in an humble and low estate but much more difficult in the affluence of outward things You know his kindred and his relations yet as he manifested this grace in his whole cariage so in particular in not being puffed with his brothers and sisters greatnesse or the advancement of his children 6. His diligence in the use of the meanes of grace 1. Hee had a right conceit of Sermons most relishing such as were most wholsome and usefull for edification 2. Hee tooke paines to heare Hee was often knowne in his younger time to goe ten miles on foot in those times of greater scarcitie 3. His behaviour in the Church in the time of prayer and in hearing was very observable for his reverend attendance and devotion 7. His answerable practise fitted and proportionable to his exterior profession 1. Hee was much in private prayer If you would have a tryall of sinceritie follow a man home and to his closet and see what hee doth within dores for there may bee many respects that may set a man on worke coram populo Secret prayer if it bee constant cannot lodge long with hypocrisie in the same heart 2. Hee was often as they say in secret fasting by himselfe alone a Dutie not only lamentably neglected in these lazie times of easie Christianitie but ill spoken of too as a character of a Pharisee by such as are loath to be at the paines of subduing their bodyes and yet are desirous to come off with the credit and reputation of religion 3. Hee was temperate in his dyet and in his habit sober and grave as counting wisedome and grace a better and trimmer dresse then Lace or the fashion and so hee was in his recreations though constantly chearefull yet a man of little mirth or delight in any thing but spirituall 4. Hee was full of charitie which appeared in these particulars 1. Alwayes upon the Lords day he had sixe poore at dinner to every one of which hee gave a piece of beefe away with them besides and at night hee sent what was left to other poore Besides what hee gave at his dore and what hee gave privately to the poore houshold of faith 2. His hospitalitie according to his ranke was such as Peter Martyr reported of Martin Bucer whose table was ever open to any good people especially to Ministers whom he much respected 3. Hee sate up many nights for the comfort of thesicke not thinking that worke of mercy sufficiently performed by an How doe you or a cold visit 4. Hee had a Sympathie with the condition of Christs Church abroad 5. In the last place let us view him in his last act his sicknesse and death which as the Text hath told us is pretious in the sight of the Lord. 1. Hee prepared himselfe to die not only being willing but desirous also to bee set at libertie being often at S. Pauls Cupio dissolvi which they that were with him say was much in his mouth 2. Hee was very thankfull for Gods assisting him with memorie and understanding to the very last for the continuance of which he prayed and desired others that were about him to pray 3. Hee employed both his memorie and speach for the comfort and counsell of such as visited him 4. Hee made a confession of his faith but chiefly in the matter of Iustification by faith which an eminent Roman Prelate called a good supper doctrine and in the comfort of that point hee resigned his soule to Christ and slept sweetly in the Lord. Thus as his life was holy his death was pretious Hee made no great noyse in the world nor raised greater expectations of himselfe then hee could well manage like many exhalations that rise out of dunghills as if they meant to reach the skie but presently fall downe againe and wet us But as a taper hee gave light till hee went out and now hee is gone wee will leave upon his Grave Memoria ejus in Benedictionibus and apply to him the words of the Text Pretiosa in oculis Iehovae Pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints FINIS THE DESIRE OF THE SAINTS AFTER IMMORTALL GLORY PHIL. 1. 23. I desire to bee dissolved and to be with Christ which is farre better LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. THE DESIRE OF THE SAINTS AFTER IMMORTALL GLORIE SERMON XXI 2 CORINTHIANS 5. 2. For in this wee groane earnestly desiring to bee cloathed upon with our house which is from heaven WHen I reade these words I am in a great doubt whether I should rather admire the excellencie of the temper of these Saints or deplore the vilenesse of ours so celestiall the one so
deposition and laying downe of the same that so they may receive a glorified a clarified an incorruptible spirituall body not made of a spirit but serviceable to the spirit they desire that these eyes may bee so defecated that if they cannot behold the essence of God yet they may stedfastly behold the Empyrian heavens the splendour of our Saviour and the lustre of the bodies of the Saints more bright then the Sunne seven times they desire that these hands may bee blessed with the contrectation of that sacred body that redeemed them they desire that this body may be so transparent and lucid that the Soule may sally out freely not at the eye alone but at every part to contemplate those glorious objects that it may bee so prelucid that the very thoughts of the heart and the divine fancies that are in the imaginative part may bee seene through it that it may be so stript of corporall densitie and grossenesse that like lightning it may bee here and there that it may be fit for raptures and extasies and the Soule no more doubtfull whether shee be in the body or not in the body This the Saints desire and long after And let me speake this of you oh triumphant Soules that are now in blisse without the least impeachment of your happinesse This even you thirst after you esteeme it an imperfect estate to bee without your bodyes though you glorifie and praise GOD in your soules yet you count it an imperfect worke and say with the Psalmist In death no man remembreth thee and in the grave no man shall give thee thankes though your spirits doe it without ceasing without failing yet the whole man doth it not and such an insatiable aviditie there is in you of the praise of God that unlesse it bee done totally and fully you thinke it not done at all therefore you desire this glorified organe but the Saints on earth being much more depressed with this heavy clay cry out with these Saints In this wee groane earnestly c. To bee cloathed upon with our house c. An improprietie of speech I confesse for men doe not cloath them selves with houses yet of eminent elegancie and pregnant with varietie of instructions to shew the fitnesse of this glorie to every soule as apparell is fitted to every body to shew the comelinesse of this glory as apparell is an ornament to a man to shew the firme adhesion of this glorie the whole man as a garment doth cleave close unto him to shew the redundancie of this glorie that a man shall inveloppe himselfe in this glorie as a man doth inwrappe himselfe in his garment to shew the Authour of this glorie hee that made garments to cover mans nakednesse in Paradise below hee maketh robes of honour to adorne him everlastingly in Paradice which is above to shew the undeservednesse of it on our part that these garments they are not webbes of our owne spinning but robes of Gods giving to shew the all-sufficiencie of this glory in this life wee need houses to dwell in and rayment to cover us and food to nourish us and fire to warme us but this glory it shall be a Magazine of all spirituall store an house to shelter us a garment to cover us Manna to feed us water to refresh us it shall be all in all unto us These and many more instructions are folded up in the Cabinet of this Metaphor which streights of time will not give mee leave to unfold and spread before you but must leave them to your private meditations and so passing though unwillingly from these two houses which the Saints desire I must raise up your attention to their ardent affection unto them In this wee groane earnestly c. Wherein you see the intention of their affection and the expression of it The intention not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Desiring but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Desiring earnestly The expression of it by groanes In this wee groane earnestly The one the soule the other the body the one the forme the other the exercise the one the roote the other the branch or if you will the one the fire the other the fuell the one the flame the other the oyle that nourisheth the flame The first is the intension of the affection As those that are in a longing passion die if they bee not satisfied as the pregnant Mother groanes to be delivered of her burthen as those that are pressed under a heavy weight faint if they be not eased even so the Saints pressed downe with that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that eternall weight of glorie mentioned in the precedent Chapter a burthen which did both presse them downe and raise them up that did both streighten them and enlarge them like the feathers of the Dove which adde to her Masse but take off from her gravitie which makes her more corpulent and yet more light even so this weight of glory so pressed downe the Saints that it raised them up to the Throne of the Lambe and feeling this body of sinne this body of death which they did beare about them as plummets of lead hanging at their feet they desire eft-soone to bee stripped of all incumbrances and impediments to depose and lay downe this cottage of clay that so being absent from the body they might be present with the Lord this was the violence of their affection In this wee groane earnestly c. An affection worthy the name of an affection truly grounded and thereforetowring so high that it is almost invisible to our weake sight There are some in this life that are fed with gall and wormewood with teares and groanes upon whom the wheele of oppression is roled breaking all their bones so that they seeke for death as for pearles and hidden treasures as an end and period of their miseries Others there are who seeing the vanitie of the things of this life and ballancing with them the transcendent excellencie of the Soule of man above the world had rather be idle or not be at all then to be so basely and meanly imployed and rewarded as the world doth remunerate her favourites Others make bitter invectives against the body as the onely impediment to the soule in her more pure speculations placing the happinesse of the soule in the separation from the body all these come farre short of this divine affection which hath not her rise from the miseries of this life or from the vanitie of the creature or from the incumbrances of this cottage but from a true apprehension of the love of God from a deepe panting after union with him from a taste of the powers of the life to come from a Soule inflamed with a coale from Gods Altar Looke upon these Saints in my Text they were indeed exercised beyond measure with those things which wee call miseries calamities afflictions at the mention whereof wee quake like Aspen leaves but were these tainted with impatiencie were these groanes fuliginous
dignitie of thy soule iâ—… 〈◊〉 the breathing of God the Image of God he created it with 〈◊〉 Word redeemed it with his Sonne and in whomsoever his gâ—…e abides he will crowne it hereafter with his glorious presence What then remaines but that we esteeme our soules accordingly as God values them Let us not with the unhallowed voluptuous in these times make lords of our bodyes and slaves of our soules Let us not spend our dayes in providing for the lusts of the flesh Let us not in affectation of faire possessions of able servants of hopefull sonnes and good friends content our selves with bad soules A mans soule is himselfe saith Plato And O wretched wight saith Saint Austin how hast thou deserved so much ill of thy selfe as among all thy goods to be only thy selfe bad O remember the sublimitie of thy precious soule thou knowest not what a precious pearle thou hast in thy body like the hidden treasure in the Gospell it is of greater worth than the whole field I say not as he did know that thâ—…â—…ast a God in thee yet know that in that better part of thy nature thou art like to God for he hath given thee a soule of his owne breathing and stamped it with the impresse of his owne Image 〈◊〉 created it capable of the fruition of his owne presence in endlesse glorie In the consideration whereof walke worthily of this precious divine inspiration Thy Soule is a spirit let thy thoughts bee spirituall Thy Soule is immortall let thy meditations be of immortalitie and renounce thy body and good name â—…d gifts of the world for the gaining of thy soule For what shall it profit a man to gaine the whole world and to lose his owne soule So much shall serve to be spoâ—…n of the first point the surpassing excellencie and dignitie of the soule it is valued and prized here above the whole world Now the next is the possibilitie that a man may lose his owne soule The mention whereof causeth me to remember 〈◊〉 passage betweene Christ and his Disciples Mat. 24. Thâ—…â—…ples point Christ to the stately buildings of the Temple but they were soone damped when Christ told them that after a while there should not a stone bee left upon a stone So perhaps you are takeâ—… with admiration at the former part of the discourse concerniâ—…g the excellencie of mans soule but are damped to consider â—…at a man may lose it It is a substance immortall in respect of the being of it but defiled with sinne it is adjudgeable to death in regard of the well-being and a possibilitie so to die is nothing repugnant to the immortalitie of the soule The damned spirits they are alwayes dying anâ—… aâ—…e never dead they are alwayes deprived of Gods comfortable presence and are never released of their hellish torments As the Apostle saith in another case as dying and yet behold they live as living and yet behold they die The soule expiring is the death of the body and God forsaking is the death of the soule But you will say how is it possible The question is soone resolved if wee ponder the causes of death A thousand mortall maladies there are to kill the body and there are a thousand deadly diseases to destroy the soule There is no sinne so small but in the rigour of Gods justice and in its owne nature it may damne the soule When God in the beginning stated man in Paradise hee gave him a speciall caveate about the tree of knowledge he gives him a command thus In the day thou eatest thou shalt die What for bare eating No beloved but for the sinne for transgressing so small a Commandement of so great a God Sinne alone makes a separation betweene God and the soule and causeth the death of the soule The soule that sinnes the same shall die It may teach us that for the time that we live in this world there is nothing easier then to sinne There is a tree of Life and a tree of Knowledge and by eating of the tree forbidden commeth death there is a way of felicitie and a way to destruction there is a God of salvation and a ghostly enemie and by adhering to the principalitie of sinne a man may lose his owne soule Is it possible then that a man may lose his soule that is so precious and have we not great reason to try and to suspect our selves touching our standing towards God Is there not a maine necessitie to seeke the meanes to preserve us in the compasse and seales of grace It is lamentable to consider how in bodily diseases men can open their griefe and seeke for helpe and send to some learned Physitian Wee can goe to some noble learned counsell in case of law But alas the soule lies wounded in the way overladen with the grievances and pressures of sin distracted with the affrightings of a troubled conscience as if there were no balme in Gilead no Physitian there as if there were no Minister to afford helpe There is no seeking abroad a Lyon is pretended to bee in the way and Solomons sluggard folds his hands to sleepe O let not these things be so Be not as the horse and mule that have no understanding Neglect not the helpes of your preservation in grace but be continually watchfull with suspition and jealousie and abstaine from fleshly lusts that fight against your soules The Poet could say Theeves rise by night to robbe and kill and steale and wilt not thou wake to save thy soule God for the most part saith Saint Chrysostome hath alotted to nature all by twos two hands two eyes two feet two eares eares eyes hands feet two of all that if we chance to mayme one we can helpe to relieve the necessitie of it by the other but hee hath given us but one soule if we lose that what shift shall wee make for another soule a piercing contemplation if wee had grace to consider it Therefore O my soule tender thy selfe as my owne happinesse if thou be translated to heaven the body in time shall come thither this corruption shall put on incorruption this mortall shall put on immortalitie Againe if thou be haled with the fiends to the nethermost hell the body in time shall be â—…ormented with thee It is altogether just with the righteous God that they that meet in sinne should also consort in suffering Save thy selfe and save all and by wofull consequence lose thy selfe and lose all For what is a man profited if hee gaine the whole world and lose is owne soule So much for the second point the possibilitie of losing a mans soule Come we to the third the compossibilitie of outward prosperitie he may lose his soule in gaining the whole world In the diversitie of opinions concerning the chiefe good some there were that placed it in riches others in honours and how ever they differed in their judgements yet both agreed in this
likely this signe is yet to come all the rest are fulfilled and therefore the end cannot be farre The second sort of signes are such as are immediatly before Christs comming to Judgement and that is the darknesse of the Sunne Moone and Starres The Sunne shall bee darkned the Moone shall lose her light the Starres shall fall from heaven the very powers of heaven shall bee shaken the foundations of the heavens shall tremble Alas what shall the little shrubbes in the Wildernesse doe when the tall Cedars of heaven shall bee shaken What shall poore sinfull man doe when the Angels shall be afraid The last signe shall be in Christs comming to Judgement Mat. 24. 29. it is called the signe of the Sonne of man Then shall appeare the signe of the Sonne of man and then all the tribes of the earth shall mourne What this signe of the Sonne of man is Divines doe varie Some hold it is the signe of the Crosse which all eyes shall behold even they that pierced him as Iohn saith Revel 1. Some others which I rather assent unto take it to be the glorious beames of Christs Majestie immedeiatly before his personall appearance to enlighten the world being darkned by reason of the want of the light of the Sunne and Moone So you see what these signes shall be The signes that prognosticate Christs comming Those that shall be fulfilled long before they are all effected but one as you heard Therefore it stands us all upon as wise Virgins to prepare oyle in our lampes that when our Bridegroome Christ shall come we may be ready to enter into eternall joy So we come from the signes that prognosticate the judgement to the Judgement it selfe Concerning the Judgement it selfe You must know that after death there are two judgements There is a particular and there is a generall Judgement The particular Judgement is immediatly as soone as ever the breath is gone out of the body As soone as ever the soule is gone out of the body it is conducted by the Angels before the Tribunall seat of God and there receives the particular sentence either of joy or torment according as it lived in the body in this life We need not speake of this we have example for the proofe of it in Scripture of Dives and Lazarus the one whereof being dead was presently carried to joy the other presently to torment The other is a generall judgement so called because it shall be of all men in generall that ever lived and breathed upon the face of the earth men women and children all shall be presented before the Tribunall seat of Christ all must hold up their hands at the Barre of his judgement all must give an account of all their words thoughts and actions all must receive the sentence either of Come yee blessed or goe yee cursed After which sentence once pronounced there shall never question bee made of the end of the joy of the one or of the ease of the torments of the other But here ariseth a question you know the world consists but of two sorts of persons beleevers and unbeleevers For the beleever it is evident and plaine Ioh. 5. 24. Hee is passed alreadie from death to life he hath everlasting life already he shall not come into judgement And for the unbeleever it is as plaine Ioh. 3. 18. that he is already condemned even already both are judged already both the beleever and unbeleever the beleever is saved already the unbeleever is damned already what need therefore a generall a second Judgement To this I answer that there is a very great need of it both in respect of the justice and of the mercie of God whose propertie it is alway to reward the godly and to punish the wicked which seeing he doth not to the full in this life it must needes bee that a day will come that he will fully doe it You know the course of the Lord as David speakes good men have bands in their death and wicked men are Iustie and strong good men are in evill condition and wicked men in prosperitie Diogenes the Cinnick seeing Harpalus a theefe long in prosperitie he was bold to say that wicked Harpalus his living long in prosperitie it was an argument to Diogenes that God had cast off his care of the world that he respected not mens affaires And indeed the prosperitie of the wicked hath brought the Saints of God to a stand Davids foot slipped almost in seeing the prosperitie of the wicked It made Iob to say Iob 24. 12. Men groane out of the Citie by reason of oppression and the soules of the slaine crie out and yet God chargeth them not with folly This made Ieremiah to expostulate his cause with the Lord Ierem. 12. Let mee talke with thee of thy judgements Why doth the wicked prosper and they that transgresse thy commandements This makes the godly take up that passionate complaint Psal. 73. 11. How doth God know it is there any knowledge in the most high Certainly we have cleansed our hearts in vaine in vaine wee have washed our hands in innocencie in vaine we labour to live godly lives Why Every day wee are chastened for the Lord corrects us every morning And these have the wealth of the world they have the world at will Wee in Christianitie know this to be true Dives hath the world at will while poore Lazarus is shut out of dores hungrie and thirstie cold and naked full of necessitie every way This being so the day must needes come that the one shall have fulnesse of glory and the other of miserie But to answer those places before cited To the former Ioh. 5. where it is said The beleever is passed already from death to life hee hath everlasting life alreadie It is true hee is passed already from death to life by faith he hath it already and by hope he shall not come into judgement that is of condemnation so we must understand it but there is a judgement of absolution that is to bee executed and so when the Lord Jesus Christ shall descend from heaven with the sound of a Trumpet and the voyce of the Archangell then the dead in Christ shall rise first and bee caught up in the cloudes to meet Christ and then they shall be set at his right hand and heare that heavenly sentence Come yee blessed of my Father inherite the kingdome prepared for you before the beginning of the world You see the answer to that that beleevers shall not come into judgement that is not the judgement of condemnation but of absolution at the last day Now for the other place where it is said Ioh. 3. 18. the unbeleever is condemned alreadie It is true he is condemned already and that three wayes First of all hee is condemned already in the counsell of God Secondly he is condemned already in the word of God
two before she went when God knowes she was faint and weake and able to breath but a few words but they were sweet I told her I hoped and doubted not but that as she had made a Christian profession in her life-time so now shee would seale it up she answered I have indevoured to serve God but with a great deale of infirmitie and weaknesse I rest not upon that I rest upon my evidence and there is my comfort I doubt not but hee that hath given mee the evidence will also give me the inheritance I thinke these were the last words shee spake Thus shee is gone to her rest her body to rest as a prisoner of hope till the Resurrection her soule rests in the armes of God I have no more to say to her or of her then that Christ said to the woman in the Gospell Woman goe in peace thy faith hath saved thee FINIS SAINT PAULS TRUMPET OR AN ALARME FOR SLEEPIE CHRISTIANS ISAIAH 17. 3. All yee Inhabitants of the world and dwellers on the earth see yee when he setteth up an Ensigne and when he bloweth a Trumpet heare yee JONAH 1. 6. What meanest thou O sleeper Arise call upon thy God if so bee that God will thinke upon us that wee perish not LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. SAINT PAULS TRVMPET OR AN ALARME FOR SLEEPIE CHRISTIANS SERMON XXVI ROM 13. 11. And that knowing the time that now it is high time to awake out of sleepe THE holy Apostle in this Chapter he delivers a number of precepts and generall rules for sanctification and enforceth them with sundry reasons Among them all the words that I have read they are one principall both Precept and reason enforcing it Considering the season it is time that yee arise from sleepe These few words may be called Saint Pauls Trumpet to rouze the sluggish Christian. They were the occasion of the conversion of that famous instrument S. Austin as hee saith in the eighth booke of his Confessions the last Chapter Hee reports that when the time of his conversion came neere he was in a marvellous great agonie and conflict beset with a number of temptations whereby Satan would still have detained him in the spirituall sleepe he was in being in this marvellous conflict hee could not but goe from his Chamber to his Garden and there hee prostrated himselfe on his face before the Lord and earnestly and ardently called upon God And in his prayer as himselfe records he seemed that he did heare the voyce of a child speake to him Tolle lege Take up the booke and reade Hereupon running backe againe to his studie his booke being open the first place that he cast his eye upon was this verse It is now time considering the season that you awake out of sleepe And saith he with the end of the sentence I found an infused life Hee found in the reading of this sentence as soone as he had read it the life of grace infused into him and his conversion was compleat This place of Scripture hath beene famous in the Church for the conversion of that famous instrument I would to God as wee doe not despaire that the Lord would bestow the same blessing among some of us who not only heare these words read but are now to be expounded in your eares For the understanding of which wee are to enquire of divers things for the meaning of the words First we are to enquire what is here meant by sleepe It is time to awake out of sleepe Secondly what is meant by arising or awaking out of sleepe Thirdly who they be that must arise or wake out of sleepe Fourthly and lastly why the Apostle doth bestow this exhortation upon sleepy persons that cannot heare what he saith For the first of these what is meant by sleepe Sleepe in Scripture is threefold Naturall Morall Spirituall Naturall sleepe is that spoken of Psal. 3. 5. I will lay my selfe downe to sleepe and rise againe This naturall sleepe is the rest and restitution of nature Morall sleepe is naturall death this is the death and dissolution of nature of which the Scripture speaketh Dan. 12. 2. They that sleepe in the dust shall rise againe And Act. 7. ult When Steven had spoken these words hee fell asleepe that is he died Spirituall sleepe it is the sleepe of sinne and securitie this is the death and privation of grace in the soule as the other is the privation of life in the body of this our Text speaketh It is time to arise or awake out of this sleepe the sleepe of sinne and securitie Now the state of sinne and securitie is compared here to the state of sleepe because there are many resemblances and likenesses betweene the state of a sinner and a sleepie man for what effect sleepe hath in the body the same effect hath the sleepe of sinne in the soule I will shew it you in a few instances and so passe it First They that sleepe saith the Apostle sleepe in the night The same that the Apostle aymes at here It is time to awake out of sleepe because the night is past The night is a time to sleepe in So those that sleepe in sinne it is because they are in the night of sinne there is a darknesse the Canopie is spread over them the Sunne of grace and the day of salvation shines not upon them their eyes are closed up in darknesse as it is with a sleepie man Againe when a man goes to sleepe he puts off his cloathes he lies naked exposed to all dangers And when a man is in the sleepe of sinne and securitie he wants his garments to bee cloathed with Christs righteousnesse and holinesse he lies naked exposed and open to all Gods displeasure and all the arrowes of Gods wrath So in Deut. 32. when the Israelites the people of God had made a Calfe Moses came and saw them naked that is destitute of Gods protection and wanting that garment that armour of proofe that righteousnesse that before they had upon them Againe a man naturally layes himselfe downe willingly to sleepe he is willing to take his rest So it is in the sleepe of sinne every naturall man is willing to lay himselfe downe to sleepe in sinne to take his ease and rest in sinne for there is no man but hath free will to sinne though no man hath free will to good And againe as sleep it surprizeth a man suddenly oft-times before he is aware or before he can remember himselfe where hee is or what he is doing so the sleepe of sinne it oft surprizeth a man before he is aware As wee see in the Disciples of Christ themselves Mat. 26. bodily sleepe surprized them even then when they intended to watch and when Christ appointed them to watch but the sleepe of their mindes and foules was much more for that was not a time to sleepe
owne soule Secondly consider when a man sleepes and slumbers in sinne how unfit he is for any Christian dutie and exercise for the maine parts of Godlinesse and Christianitie How unfit is a sleepie man for the actions of life and of his calling and how unfit and unable and indisposed is a man that slepes in sinne to the actions of spirituall life There be some maine parts and branches of our generall Calling to which this sleepe makes us unable The first of them is the exercise of godlinesse the maine thing in the profession of a Christian to exercise himselfe in godlinesse how unfit is a sleepie Christian for this who sees a man that is asleepe that workes in his Calling that can doe any good in it So how can a Christian exercise himselfe in the actions of his generall Calling when he sleepes in his praying in his hearing in his reading if these duties be done coldly what are they worth Actions that are done in a mans sleepe they come to nothing so a man that sleepes in sinne let him doe never so many good actions they are of no value A second maine branch of our Christian Calling is the spirituall combate to fight against our corruptions Now alas how unfit is a sleepie man either to expect or to repell an enemie when he is asleepe hee lies open to all disadvantage Sisera himselfe a strong and noble Captaine was so weake that a silly woman Iael slew him when he was asleepe therefore we know this part of our Christian calling cannot hold as long as wee sleepe in sinne Thirdly another part and maine branch of Christianitie is to expect our Masters returne to waite for the comming of our Lord that we may enjoy that sweet blessednesse that he hath promised and made us expect and waite for now how unfit is a sleepie man to waite for his Masters comming to set things in order Thus we see in these particular maine duties of Christianitie they cannot be performed by men that are asleep therfore we had need to wake our selves if we will either honour God or profit our selves if will be fit to doe service to God or to his Church wee must keepe our selves awake especially in the maine duties of Christianitie Thirdly consider while we sleepe and are secure the enemie never sleepes he is then most watchfull against us We may sleep and thinke we doe well enough to take our ease but Satan sleepes not we have a watchfull enemie to deale with And then he hath some advantage by our sleeping in Mat. 13. in that Parable The enemie sowes tares while men slept hee comes into the field of the heart where the word of God the good seed is sowne and what doth he doe there he sowes a croppe of thornes and they make the heart of a Christian like the field of Solomons sluggard Prov. 24. I passed by the field of the sluggard and it was all thornes c. Thus is the heart that is neglected of a man that is sleepie and secure in sinne When doe robbers and theeves assault the house In the dead time of the night when they may take men at advantage in their first sleepe then they come and breake into the house Shall theeves and burglaries watch at midnight to breake the house and cut mens throates and wilt not thou watch to save thy selfe Further consider as the enemie never sleepes so Gods mercy never sleepes Gods mercie is ever watching over us to doe us good and it watcheth to keepe us watchfull for what should all the mercies of God doe to us but keepe us watchfull Our God that we serve is not as Baal the God of Idolaters perhaps hee is asleepe and must be awaked or hee is chasing his adversaries No no the strength that keepes Israel slumbers not nor sleepes Therefore let not Israel slumber nor sleepe because God watcheth over his children let them watch with him and keepe themselves neere to him Fiftly if this will not move thee then consider as Gods mercie sleepes not so Gods judgements sleepe not That man that sleepes in sinne let him know that Gods judgements sleepe not As Balaam when he was out of the way the Angell watcheth him and catcheth him in this corner and in that corner he could goe into no corner but the Angell with his drawne sword was ready to meet him and to slay him And the Apostle saith of those that were led away by false teachers Their damnation sleepeth not Gods judgements are alway waking thou maist sleepe on both sides in sinne but Gods justice sleepeth not And thou that art the Lords if thou sleepe know that correction and chastisement sleepeth not and they will awake thee thou wert better to awake by slighter meanes To conclude all consider that all of us there is no man upon the earth but we are all going to meet the mortall slâ—…epe of death and if we shall when that meets us have our owne consciences tell us that we have also a spirituall sleepe within us that we carrie a spirituall sleepe to meet that mortall sleepe what a miserable and mournfull state will that be when the heart of a man or woman that is comming to die shall say and speake aloude and witnesse against his Master O thou hast beene a sluggish and sleepie Christian thou hast had good meanes but thou hast not kept thy watch thou wouldest sleepe doe what the exhortations of the Word could thou wouldest be a drowsie Christian Hence it comes to passe that so many when on their death-bed they come to grapple with that mortall sleepe and then conscience proclaimes against them then they crie Oh that I had but one day but one houre more that I might waken and strengthen the things that are readie to die and that it might be better with me then it is But alas now their short day is past and one perpetuall night to come and now it is too late as it proves many times Therefore let not time goe but know that that mournfull day must come upon us we must meet that mortall sleepe Let us labour to shake off spirituall sleepe drowsinesse of spirit and make our peace in the meane time that conscience may witnesse with us and for us at the day of death and judgement Let us labour to be watchfull and desire to be readie for the Lord and to have our accounts readie for him This shall suffice for the words Now for our occasion because this is my first occasion of this kind I must enter with a preface and that is this that as I have ever beene in the course of my ministerie so I shall bee very sparing in the praise of the dead because I know that these exercises are appointed for the instructing of the living and the consolation of those that survive and not for the praise and commemoration of the dead Besides I know and see by daily
and the arme of flesh their portion that they must relie upon here is a reed that will either breake or pierce a mans hand No wonder that this man feares in all occasions and extremities because he forsakes the Lord and cleaves to the creature But that man that lives by faith is without feare As Peter when hee began to sinke saith Christ Why dost thou feare O thou of little faith The reason he did sinke was feare and why did hee feare because his faith failed him he did not lay hold upon God and Christ. Lastly let us remember to order our selves aright in regard of our love and this will keepe us from inordinate feare For we must conceive that love is the fountaine of all other affections we love things and therefore we desire them if they be absent and wee rejoyce in them if they be present and wee feare the losse of them to be abridged of them Now let us order our love aright in regard of the things of this world and wee shall never feare much for it is the observation of S. Austin we feare to lose somewhat that we have attained or not to enjoy somewhat that we desire so it ariseth from love somewhat that wee love and afect we are afraid of the losse of it and this is the cause of feare Now in regard of wealth a man is afraid hee shall not have enough he shall not have a competencie it is because hee loves the things of the world too much A man is afraid of Death why because he loves his body too much A man is afraid hee shall lose his children or his friends what is the reason he loves them too much too inordinatly Wee should labour to love them only in and for God and then we shall not be afraid of the losse of them but shall be content to bee disposed in them and in ourselves as God shall see convenient in his heavenly wisedome A word for the occasion and that I will dispatch in a word You know the occasion of our meeting at this time and in this place it is to performe this last rite to the body of a Child that God hath taken lately to his mercie You see how Almightie God is pleased to dispose it sometimes even oft-times from the Cradle to the Grave out of the swadling-bands to the winding-sheete God will have it so sometimes and when it is so wee must lay our hands upon our mouthes and bee content with the will of God For those that are Parents let all learne this lesson not to dote too much upon their children not to be enamoured too much upon such flowers you know how soone God takes them away before you be aware It is not their witt or their comelinesse or agilitie and nimblenesse or healthy constitution or any thing that can award them from the stroake of death when God sends it Therefore learne to love them in and for God for his sake and you shall have no cause to feare the losse of them or grieve immoderately when they are taken away why because they are all alive still to God and this tender Babe is not lost he is but sent before he is alive still in the presence of God the soule still lives and the body shall live and is in Gods account Christ hath the charge of it and will raise it at the last day That man can lose no friend that loves his friend in and for God because they live with God and he shall enjoy them at the last day Againe as we may mourne for the losse of our friends and children or else we were without naturall affection so we must rejoyce that they have gained as we have lost them as they are taken from us so they are taken from the evils of the world from a great deale of sinne and miserie and what that might have beene the Lord only knowes therefore wee have cause to bee thankfull And beloved be thankfull too if God spare any if hee take one he might have taken all and prepare for it too be thankfull for them that are left And remember labour betimes to instruct your children in the feare of God let it be the first thing we infuse into them as soone as they be capable namely the elements of Christian Religion holy and heavenly things why because they may bee taken away before we are aware It may be wee have but a little time but a few opportunities to doe good to them I tell you what our conscience will tell us else that wee have not beene so carefull to instruct our children as they have beene capable And this will cut sore and lie heavie on our conscience and therefore let us doe it betimes Not only to prevent the Divell and his temptations but because you see how suddenly they may bee taken away from us in a moment So Children should be admonished to learne to know the Lord God in the dayes of their youth how soone that evill day may come we know not that the wise man speakes of therefore betimes while yee haue opportunitie doe it And for our owne part let us learne this First when God croppes such flowers that rise in the budde when he takes away such Children be thankfull to God that hee hath given us a longer time that he hath enlarged our dayes and prolonged our yeares that hee hath given us such a great deale of space and opportunitie to glorifie him here to doe him service in the land of the living to get evidence of our Calling and election and to get assurance of our peace with him Let us praise God for the length of our dayes a blessing of God in it selfe and a blessing to us if we improve it Againe every one remember if Children doe die old men must die any man may die For if Death strike such as doe but begin to live then we that have lived long it is time and reason to expect death and not to feare it I speake not this as if we should be slavishly afraid of death while we are so our lives are not comfortable What is the reason that we feare it inordinatly because we love our lives wee love our bodies and the world inordinatly and not in and for God And then by the continuall spectacles of mortalitie let us bee acquainted with death A vizour and apparition to a Child scarres him and he runnes from it at the first but at last he growes throughly acquainted with it and feares it not so it is in regard of death many men will not indure to heare of death they will not indure to thinke of it they will not indure to heare a Funerall Sermon or to come to the house of mourning to be put in mind of their latter end Death is a strange vizour to these men and women they are afraid of it and runne from it but if we did oft thinke of it as oft as we thinke
And how can it be otherwise when all sâ—… is the transgression of the Law as Saint Iohn defines it and all transgression of the Law deserves and is worthie of the curse which is both the first and second death for Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the Law to doe them There is no sinne then but it is worthy of death therefore there is no such veniall sin as they dreame of We denie not but that some sins are veniall and some mortall in another sence not in respect of the nature of the sin but of the estate of the person in whom the sins are so we say all the sins of the Elect are veniall because they either are or shall be pardoned And all the sins of reprobate persons are mortall because they shall never be pardoned It is the mercy of God and not from the nature of the sins that makes them veniall for otherwise every sin in it selfe considered be it never so small is mortall for if it worke according to its owne nature it workes death of body and soule It is a foolish exception that they bring against it that thus we make all sins equall and that we bring in with the Stoicks a paritie of sin because we say all are mortall It is a foolish cavill for it is as if one should argue because the Mouse and the Elephant are both living creatures that therefore they are both of equall bignesse Though all sins be mortall they are not all equall some are greater and some are lesser according as they are extended and aggravated by time and place and person and sundrie other circumstances Suppose one should be drowned in the middest of the Sea and another in a shallow pond in respect of death all were one both are drowned but yet there is great difference in respect of the place for depth and danger So there is great difference in this though the least sin in its owne nature be mortall as the Apostle saith here the wages of it is death Thirdly seeing the wages of sinne is death it should teach us what Use to make of death being presented before our eyes at such times as this hereby wee should call to remembrance the grievousnesse of sin that brought it into the world by the wofull wages wee should bee put in mind of the unhappie service Had there not beene sin there would have beene no death upon the death of the soule came in the death of the body first the soule died in forsaking God and then the body died being forsaken of the soule the soule forsooke God willingly therefore it was compelled unwillingly to forsake the body This is the manner how death came into the world by sin therefore death must put out sin That housholder when he saw tares grow among his wheate hee said to his servants the envious man hath done this So whensoever thou seest Death seize upon any say to thy selfe sinne hath done this this is the wages of sinne and if man had never sinned we should have seene no such thing Fourthly this must deterre us from sin since it gives such wages Indeed the manner of sin is for the most part if not alwayes to promise better but it is deceitfull and this is the wages it payes thee The wages of sinne is death The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated wages some take it quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the evening because wages are paid in the evening So the morning of sin may be faire but the evening will be foule when the wages come At the first sin may be pleasing but remember the end the end of it is death Like to a fresh River that runs into the salt Sea the streame is sweet but it ends in brackishnesse and bitternesse Or like to Nebuchadnezzars Image the head was gold but the feet were of clay Or sin may be compared to that Feast that Absalom made for Amnon there was great cheare and jollitie and mirth for a while but all closed in Death in bloudshed and murther It deales with men as Laban dealt with Iacob hee entertaines him at the first with great complements but used him hardly at the last Or as the Governour of the feast said Ioh. 2. All men in the beginning set forth good wine and then that which is worse so sinne gives the best at the first but the worst it reserves for the last This should keepe us from every sin though it seemes never so pleasing and never so sweet to us remembring that the worst is still to come Wee reade that when the people saw that Saul forbad them to eate though they were exceeding hungrie yet not one of them durst touch the honey for the curse though they saw it so the pleasures of sin may drop as honey before our eyes but we must not adventure to taste of them because they are cursed fruit and because of the wages that will follow Never take sinne by the head by the beginnings as the greatest part doe but take it as Iacob tooke Esau by the heele looke to the extreame part of it Consider thy end and thou shalt not doe amisse Iezabell might have allured a man when having painted her face shee looked out of the window but to looke upon her after shee was cast out eaten of dogges and nothing remaining but her extreame parts her scull and the palmes of her hands and her feet it could not be but with horrour so sinne may allure a man looking only on the painted face in the beginning but if a man cast his eye upon the extreame parts it would then affright and deterre him for the wages the end of it is death What a world of people runne blindly and desperatly on they turne to the race of sinne as the horse to the battell without feare as if the Psalmists Tremble and sinne not were rather sinne and tremble not Whereas we have great cause every one to tremble at the least motion of sinne in our selves to which so dreadfull and wofull wages is due Lastly for this point so many of us as have repented and have already left the service of sin we must hence learne as to be humbled in our selves considering what danger and miserie we have escaped so to be more thankful to Christ that hath freed us from so wretched wages due to our sins and that by taking the whole punishment upon himselfe For we must know beloved that the best of us by nature are children of wrath as well as others the stypend that we have earned is eternall death and surely it hath been payed to us nothing could have kept it from us but only the satisfaction of Christ comming betweene Gods justice and us Thinke we then if we can what miserie it is that wee have escaped as many of us I meane as be in the state of grace we have escaped
death the hurt of temporall death we have escaped eternall death What is that a separation from the blessed presence and glory of God destruction of body and soule for ever unutterable torments companie with the Divell and his angels and the route of reprobates darknesse blacker and thicker then that of Egypt Weeping and wayling and gnashing of teeth in the infernall lake that worme that never dyes and the fire that never goeth out This is the wages of all sinne and that it is not rendred to all sinne and to all sinners the cause is only this that the payment hath beene already exacted of Christ in the behalfe of all true beleevers therefore in their owne persons they are discharged how infinitely are wee bound in thankfulnesse to him and how carefull should wee be to walke worthy of it resolving never to returne to the service of sinne againe but to make it our whole studie that wee may please and honour such a Redeemer that hath redeemed us from such miserie as this that wee may please him for we had deserved eternall death as well as others and hee hath not only freed us from that that wee had most worthily deserved but most freely also bestowed that upon us that we could never deserve for so it followes in the next point The gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. That is the second thing to bee considered the reward of the service of God You have heard of the reward the wages of sinne Now the reward of the service of God is eternall life it is called life There is a twofold life belongs to men The one is naturall and is common to all good and bad in this world The other spirituall proper to the faithfull begun by the union of God and the soule and maintained by the bond of the spirit and this life hath three degrees The first is in this life unto death and it begins when wee begin to believe and repent and come to a saving knowledge of God and of his Sonne Jesus Christ as it is said This is eternall life to know thee to be the very God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ Ioh. 17. 3. The second degree is from our death to our resurrection for in that time our soules being freed from our bodies are withall free from all sinne originall and actuall Thirdly after the Resurrection when body and soule shall bee reunited wee shall have immediate communion and fellowship with God and so enjoy a more perfect and blessed life then ever we could here And this spirituall life with all the three degrees of it is the life here spoken of especially the last degree the perfection of it in heaven It is called eternall life because it shall never end For a thing is said to be eternall three wayes First which hath neither beginning nor end so God alone is eternall and none but he Secondly which hath no beginning and yet shall have an end so Gods decree is eternall for it never had a beginning yet when all things decreed are fulfilled it shall have an end Thirdly which hath a beginning but never shall have end and so the life of Gods Saints had a beginning as all created things have butit shall never have an end and this eternall life it is called here The gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Because wee cannot deserve it but it is given and bestowed on us freely for Christ. So then the point of observation from the latter part of the words is this that Our salvation it is the free gift of God given us onely for the merits of Christ. For observe I beseech you the Apostles words when hee had sayd The wayes of sinne is death hee doth not adde and say but the wages of righteousnesse is eternall life but he calls that the gift of God To make us understand saith Damascene that God brings us to eternall life meerely for his owne mercie not for our merits orelse surely the Apostle would have made the later part of the sentence answerable to the former But here perhaps some may aske why eternall life should not be the wages of righteousnesse as well as death the wages of sinne I answer because there is not the same reason betweene sinne and righteousnesse For first sinne is our owne it merits it but rigteousnesse is none of our owne it is the holy Ghosts and it is due to God Then againe sinne is perfectly evill and so it deserves death but our righteousnesse inherent is not perfectly good it is imperfect in this life and nothing that is imperfectly good can merit as wages eternall life therefore the Apostle makes such a manifest difference between them he calls death the wages of sin but eternall life the gift of God it is the free gift of God through Christ. Indeed eternall life some times many times in Scripture is called a reward But there is a reward of mercie as well as of justice Nay God is sayd sometimes to reward his children injustice How is that Though the reward come originally from mercy yet accidentally it comes to be justice thus because God hath tyed himselfe by promise to reward now promise is debt from a just man Thus the Lord may be accounted a debtor How saith Saint Austin as a promiser if hee had not promised eternall life otherwise hee owes us nothing at all much lesse eternall life which is so great a thing Yet it may be doubted how eternall life is the free gift of God seeing it is given for the merits of Christ as it is here exprest the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord that is for the merits of Christ now a man that gives a thing upon merit hee gives it not freely I answer it is free in respect of us whatsoever Christ hath done we did not merit it If it be replyed Christs merits are made ours and wee merit in him and so it cannot be free I answer this reason were of force if wee our selves could procure the merits of Christ for us but that we could not doe but that also was of free gift Ioh. 3. God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that he that beleeves in him should not perish hee gave him freely of free gift so that though eternall life be due to us by the merits of Christ yet it is the free gift of God I wil stand no longer in proving the truth of the Doctrine I come to the application and use to conclude with the time First it serves to confute our adversaries of the Church of Rome in the point of merit They looke for heaven and eternall life as wages wee see the Apostle teacheth us otherwise that eternall life is not given in that manner but another manner of way It is not given as wages it is the
free gift of God And in Rom. 8. hee saith that the sufferings of this life is not worthy of the glory that shall bee revealed all our sufferings all our workes they are not worthy of the glory of God we cannot properly merit them This was the constant Doctrine of the primitive Church that a good life when wee are justified and an eternall life when wee are glorified they all grant that all that is good in us is the gift of God that eternall life is not a retribution to our workes but the free gift of God When God crownes our merits hee crownes nothing else but his owne free gift these and many other sentences wee finde among the ancient Fathers plainely convincing our adversaries that in this point they swerve not onely from Scripture but from all sound antiquitie Secondly then to come to our selves this should humble us in respect of our owne deservings doe all the good thou canst take heede it doe not puffe thee up thinke not to merit heaven Alas thou canst not doe it for what is it to the Almightie as it is sayd in Job that thou art righteous Thy well doing extends not to him thou canst doe him no good therefore thou canst looke for nothing at his hands since thou canst doe him no good but all that thou doest in his service it is not for his but for thy good yet he commands thee and thou art bound to doe it but all thou canst doe is no more then thou art bound to doe Therefore when thou hast done all that thou canst acknowledge thy selfe to bee an unprofitable servant and thou hast done no more then thy duty If thou hast many good workes yet thou hast more sinne and the least sinne of thine in the rigour of justice will deprive thee of thy interest in God Therefore thy appeale must bee to the throne of grace and thy onely plea must bee that of the Publican every one of us God be mercifull to me a sinner when wee have done all wee can it must be mercie and not any merit of ours that must bring us to heaven Thirdly here is comfort for the children of God in that this inestimable treasure of eternall life is not committed to our keeping but God hath it in his keeping It is his gift it is not committed to the rotten box of our merits then wee could have no certaintie of it the devill would easily pick the Locke yea without picking he would shake in peeces the crazie joynts of the best worke wee doe he would steale it from us and take it away and deprive us of this excellent benefit but the Lord hath dealt better for us hee hath kept it in his owne hands hee hath layd it up in the Cabinet of his owne mercy and love that never failes for with everlasting mercie hee hath compassion on us Esay 54. hee loves us with an everlasting love It is his mercie that wee are not consumed because his compassions faile not and whom hee loves he loves to the end It is layd up in the mercy of God hee will have it his gift least we should keepe it and it should be lost hee hath reserved it in his owne hands Therefore in temptations when they drive us to doubt of our attaining of eternall life let us cast our eye upon the keeper of it it is the Lord he is warie to discerne and faithfull to bestow it therefore let us comfort our selves and say every one of us as Saint Paul 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know whom I have trusted and I am perswaded that hee is able to keepe that which I have committed to him against that day Lastly seeing eternall life is the free gift of God it must make us thankefull to him for it which wee should never doe if we deserved it doth a master thanke his servant for doing his dutie So if wee did thinke heaven were our due we should never be thankfull for it Pride is a great enemy to thankefulnesse therefore the way is to humble our selves and to consider that wee deserve no good thing at Gods hands then wee will take this great benefit at Gods hands most thankefully Especially when wee consider it is all that God requires of us as he saith Psal. 50. Call upon me in the day of trouble I will heare thee and deliver thee and what shalt thou doe Thou shalt glorifie me Glorifying God and being thankefull to him is all the tribute wee are to pay to this our royall Lord and shall we deny him this It is a small benefit that is not worth thankes We set eternall life at too low a rate if wee forget to bee thankefull There was never a precious Iewell afforded so cheape as eternall life for our thankefulnesse If wee did know what it were to want it we would give ten thousand worlds rather then be without it Therefore as Naamans servants sayd to him concerning his washing in Iordan If the Prophet had commanded thee a greater thing wouldest thou not have done it So if God had commanded us a great matter for eternall life wee should have done it how much more when he saith take it and be thankfull be but thankefull Thus I have described to you this twofold seruice the wages of sinne that is death temporall eternall The service of righteousnesse the wages and reward of that eternall life which is not wages but the gift of God So that I may now say to you as Moses did to Israel Deut. 30. 19. Behold I have set before you life and death cursing and blessing Therefore choose not cursing chuse not sinne nor the wages thereof it is death but choose life that you and your seede may live If wee follow sinne the wages will be death if wee apply our selves to righteousnesse in the service of God our reward shall be eternall life not that wee deserve it but that it is the pleasure of our heavenly Father to bestow it upon us For the wages of sinne is death and the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. FINIS THE PROFIT OF AFFLICTIONS OR GODS AYME IN HIS CORRECTIONS PSAL. 119. 71. It is good for me that I have beene afflicted that I might learne thy Statutes ISA. 27. 9. By this therefore shall the iniquitie of Iacob be purged and this is all the fruite to take away his sinne LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. THE PROFIT OF AFFLICTIONS OR GODS AYME IN HIS CORRECTIONS SERMON XXX HEB. 12. 10. For they verely for a few dayes chastened us after their owne pleasure but Hee for our profit that we might bee partakers of his holinesse THere are two things among many others eminently in Jesus Christ which declare him to be an all-sufficient Saviour of his people and these the Scripture frequently setteth forth unto us in a most sweet conjunction Righteousnesse and strength So the Prophet Surely shall one
survivers and attendants upon this sad occasion but in these administrations hee intendeth his peoples profit as wee may see in the case of Iob the Lord takes away all his children but saith the Apostle yee have heard of the patience of Iob and have seene the end of the Lord hee was no looser in the conclusion but God returned at length all into his bosome againe nay double In a word for this very purpose it is even for their profit for alas it is not Gods owne benefit hee seekes after but his peoples in all his administrations that they live that they doe that they suffer that they dye their death is in order to their gaine as the Apostle saith to me to live is Christ and to die is gaine To make some application of this and so to proceede First let us here take occasion as many as are the called of God according to his purpose and implanted in this glorious relation of children to a father let us learne to advance his name and according to his name let his prayse be in all the Congregations of the Saints Truely as Moses sayd once their Rocke is not as our Rocke So may wee say other fathers are not as this Father our Father is set for the good and profit of his children The divell is a father so our Saviour speakes you are of your father the divell hee hath children and he studieth nothing so much as that they may live all their daies in pleasure striving to leade his followers altogether in pleasant paths But alas hee hath no ayme at their profit it is their losse hee seekes and therefore at last hee makes them pay full deare for all their pleasure and content But now God hee is a wise Father and in all his dispensations to his children though they seeme for the present unpleasant hee hath an ayme at their profit Let this be for his prayse Secondly let us labour to beleeve this that God in all his dealings and administrations towards us hath an eye to our profit How hard soever the condition be that he putteth us into if he take from us the desire of our eyes the delight of our hearts our liberties our estates our children yet be perswaded of this that God doth it for my good and benefit And thirdly labour to reape the fruit and benefit that God aymeth at and intendeth and would have us receive from all his administrations When we are called together to give attendance upon the preaching of the Word then thinke what am I come hither for is it not for my profit would God have me trifle out my time surely the Lord would never have singled out a day of seven for himselfe but that hee might likewise make his people partaker of spirituall advantages and heavenly benefits and therefore I lose a day and never heare well except I heare to profit And thus what I say of this Ordinance I might likewise speake of the rest before named And so for this present occasion the Lord now you see is pleased to call us to the house of mourning Was it thinke yee the purpose of God that wee should meet together here in a customarie complimentall manner to doe things in a common garpe only to eate together and drinke together No the Lord calleth us to a house of mourning for our profit that we might consider the end of all men and that wee that are living might lay the thing to heart And for you that are in present distresse in regard of this particular affliction reckon upon this that God hath done this for your profit labour yee therefore to reape the fruit of it bee not so much poring upon the affliction and altogether complaining of the bitternesse of the cup but follow on after the profit and benefit that God intendeth you thereby And let every one labour to improve all administrations of God to this purpose that as he in them all intendeth our good so let us pursue after the benefit Secondly let it instruct us further concerning our dutie even to walke worthy of such a God as many of us as are in relation to him as children to a Father and servants to a Master How should this first of all winne us over to such a Father to such a Master and to make it our highest ambition to be the people of such a God the children of sucha Father that is devoted to the profit and advantage of his children and servants This is the gracious goodnesse of God he takes pleasure in the prosperitie of his servants their profit is his pleasure Let us therefore walke worthy of such a Father of such a Master And seeing he intendeth our profit and that wee cannot profit him let us labour to walke in all well-pleasing Wee cannot profit him let us labour to please him Lastly here is a word of instruction for Ministers wee should in this case as those that are intrusted with the sacred ordinances of God labour to put on the minde of God so the Apostle we have saith he the mind of Christ. Wee in the course of our Ministerie as God aymeth at his peoples profit so should wee not ayme at our owne praise and at our profiting by them but that we might profit their soules O blessed Preaching when people profit by our preaching when they are by that increased in knowledge in love in faith in every grace Such a Preacher was Saint Paul I please all men saith he 1 Cor. 10. ult but how not seeking mine owne profit but the profit of many that they may bee saved Oh labour to preach profitably that our people may thrive under our ministerie This is that which God aymeth at and this is that which we should ayme at too And thus I have done with the first and more generall proposition arising from the words of Text. I come now to the second and more particular thing that we are to consider hence and that is that As God graciously setteth himselfe to procure his peoples profit in all his administrations so this is that hee aymeth at in all the afflictions and chastisements he exerciseth them withall It is no pleasure for him to be lashing and whipping his people to hold them under such sharpe discipline it is for the profit of his children so the Text expresseth it but he for our profit Which first of all implieth that Afflictions and chastisements are a meanes conducing to the profit of those that undergoe them A point plaine in the Text and the Scripture abundant in the proofe of it and the experience of the Saints in a plentifull manner confirming it It is good for mee saith David that I have beene afflicted And Ioseph giveth this honourable testimonie of God The Lord saith he hath caused mee to be fruitfull in the land of my affliction and thereupon giveth his child a name suteable Afflictions and chastisements they
knew his heart God saith goe the man that sought thy life is dead as if hee should say Moses though thou wilt not confesse it I know what troubleth thee thou art afraid that the men that sought thy life are alive in Pharaohs Court and that therfore when thou commest thither thou shalt be executed No saith he they are dead hee would have him rest on him and that would revive his heart that he should not bee troubled and disquieted So you may see in other servants of God that this was alwayes the reason of any indirect course they tooke Iacob and Rebecca in that case why did Rebecca use that devise in getting the blessing with Iacob Because shee failed in her trust in God shee saw how shee was perplexed with the daughters of Heth Esaus wives and many troubles that way And Isaac was dim-sighted and had many weaknesses upon him she knew not how he might mistake and give the blessing to the other therefore shee deviseth a way to get the blessing but shee got many sorrowes you know what a hard service it cost Iacob and how many evils it exposed him too and all was because through feare and disquiet of heart he cast not himselfe upon God in his way but they would find out wayes of their owne It should teach us in all disquiet of spirit to looke principally to the strengthening of our faith This is called a shield Eph. 6. when all the darts of temptation that fire the soule and perplexe it many wayes are cast upon a man here is a shield to preserve and keepe him safe Therefore let us ever have this for our use whole and sound You shall find that even the servants of God have so farre beene in a comfortable estate as they have beene in the exercise of their faith Take David for an example when Ziglag was burnt and his Wives and servants and goods and cattell were all carried away and the Souldiers in the rage of their hearts and discontent began to thinke of stoning of him yet saith the Text Then David comforted himselfe in the Lord his God When there was no comfort in his Souldiers about him or in those that were neere him every thing was taken away at this time David comforts himselfe in the Lord his God So Iob see how quiet his heart is and well satisfied when hee rested on God in the greatest occasions and troubles his goods were carried away his sonnes were slaine all added to Iobs miserie but he comes to this The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away blessed bee the Lord when he can looke above the creature to God and settle his heart upon this rocke he findes comfort in it On the other side the servants of God are never out of trouble and disquiet when they neglect this as the Disciples in the tempest upon the Sea Math. 8. they crie out they are utterly undone Save Master saith Christ Oh yee of little faith The not exercising of their faith did so perplexe and disquiet them as it did and if you looke upon all the complaints of the lives of men for the losse of such friends and the decay of trading for the ill dealing of Customers for sicknesse c. Men are alway complaining What is the reason Because they place too much hope and confidence in the creature they looke not above these things with the eye of faith and hence comes that disturbance and disquiet if the outward meanes be taken from them they looke not upon that God that hath all meanes and opportunities in his owne hand You beleeve in God beleeve also in mee They that would have their hearts quiet by beleeving in God should especially exercise faith in resting on Christ. Beleeve in mee saith Christ for the heart of man flies off from God Alas the Lord is holy and I am a sinfull man hee is righteous and I am sinfull who shall come before this holy and righteous God Now when faith can looke upon Christ and set him betweene God and me and looke on God through him now the soule rests hee lookes on God as a Father through Christ his Sonne when the soule lookes on Christ as my husband married to mee as my head and I am united to him as a member as my Lord that hath taken me into his protection when the soule thus lookes on Christ now it lookes upon God in all his attributes wondrousglorious and comfortable to the soule This is the thing that I can but touch at this time There are two things considerable in it First there is no ground of reposing the soule upon God but by beleeving in Christ he is the Mediatour Therefore in Iohn 8. 24. saith Christ Except you beleeve that I am hee whom the Father sent you shall die in your sinnes The Iewes they did beleeve in God they were the children of Abraham and worshipped the God of their Fathers and beleeved in God but saith he except you beleeve in me that I am he that God hath sent as Mediatour you shall die in your sinnes And so in this Chapter I am the way the truth and the life no man commeth to the Father but by mee there is no other way to the Father That as the high Priest under the law was in all things pertaining to God hee was betweene God and the people So Christ our great high Priest is in all things that concerne the glory of God and the salvation of man and the acceptance of a sinner in all things betweene God and us Here is the first thing Secondly it is worth our consideration how Christ comes to be thus he was willing to die a cursed a shamefull and cruell death of the Crosse and to be despised and abased and all this for man and yet Christ crucified is despised and scorned in the world therefore if ever you will have acceptance of God beleeve in mee In mee that am now going from you that am to bee taken away by a cursed ignominious death Here is another truth then They that beleeve in Christ must beleeve in Christ abased and crucified as well as in Christ in glorie That is a thing that flesh and bloud despiseth indeed all the world speakes well of the profession of the faith and beleeving in Christ when Christ is in triumph conquering to conquer every man glories in Christians but when Christianitie and profession is cryed downe in the world when Christ is crucified when all the world speakes ill of the wayes of Christ and of the obedience of Faith now to obey a crucified scorned despised Christ in the sight of the world to rest on him in the midst of his abasement this will comfort the heart of a man in the times of the greatest trouble there is great reason it should be thus For Christ is the almightie glorious God in the middest of his abasement his divinitie was not a whit abated nor his divine
from all both former and following miseries and that is this If in the time of our life here our being subject to corruption and sinne hath seemed unto us the greatest burden and bondage They which have groaned and mourned under their owne naturall corruptions as it were under some heavy and tyrannous yoke or as the Israelites mourned under their Egyptian Task-masters to them only shall the day of death be a day of freedome If sinne be not a burden to thee if thou dost not many times lament and even mourne to thinke how thou art carried captive unto evill if thou dost not with griefe feele how thou art clogged with corruption and hindred by it from doing the good which thou shouldest certainly death will bee to thee the beginning of thy thraldome and after it thou shalt be a perpetuall bond-slave unto Sathan in the kingdome of eternall darknesse Marke this all yee that take delight in evill to whom it is a pastime to doe wickedly and who seeke rather how to satisfie then how to suppresse your owne corruptions who repute it a kind of happinesse to follow the swinge of your owne Iusts and to have libertie to doe as your owne hearts doe lead you when you dye this shall be your reward even a most miserable and endlesse captivity under Sathan him have you served in the lusts of sinne while yee lived his slaves shall you be without hope of releasement world without end This is the right Application of this Doctrine death is a day of enlargement to the godly it is a dismission The next particular is that it is a dismission accompanied with peace the lesson we are taught hence is that The servants of God have at their going out of the world a comfortable quiet and peaceable departure Thus Simeon here hee prayed for no other thing but that his end might be as the end of the Righteous is ever wont to bee even a departure hence in peace Hence is that generall rule of the Psalmist Marke the perfect man and behold the upright man for the end of that man is peace Agreeable whereunto is that of Solomon that the righteous hath hope in his death And memorable to this purpose is that which is storied of old father Iacob shewing unto us the quiet end of the Righteous Hee gathered up his feet into the bed and so gave up the Ghost It was the blessing promised to Abraham that he should goe to his fathers in peace And the same was made to good Iosias There is a twofold reason hereof First the assurance which they have of the favour of God in Christ. This must needs breed quietnesse when I am perswaded in my soule and conscience that all cause of danger after death is removed and that God is and will be gracious unto mee in his Sonne What cause of feare is here left what occasion of perplexitie If any man shall doubt whether the servants of God have this assurance I prove it thus that all of them first or last have it in some good measure If any man saith the Apostle have not the Spirit of Christ hee is none of his Hence it necessarily followes that all that are Christs have the Spirit of Christ but now the office of the Spirit is to beare witnesse with our spirit So that all that are the Lords as they are endued with Gods Spirit so they feele this Spirit bearing witnesse to their soules of this Adoption Secondly the comfortable Testimonie of their owne consciences touching their former care to glorifie God by a Religious and godly conversation Hence came Saint Pauls peace I have saith he fought the good fight I have kept the faith Therefore I am sure there is laid up for mee a Crowne of life Hence Hezekiahs I have walked before thee oh Lord in truth and with a perfect heart Not that they doe ground their hope upon the desert of their fore-ranne courses but because they know good workes to bee the way and doe understand by the Scripture that a holy life here is the first fruits of a glorified life hereafter Thus we see the truth of this point and the reasons upon which it is grounded Now here some may object first Wee see many worthy men that have made a great and an extraordinary profession of Religion in their lives and which have also carried themselves unblameably yet to give appearance of much angiush and perplexitie and even of a kind of despaire in their death How can wee say then that all good and holy persons have a peaceable departure I answer first Wee ought to remember the Rule our Saviour gives not to judge according to the outward appearance It is a very weake argument to say that this or that man dyeth without peace because to the standers by hee makes not shew of peace Certaine it is that as a man may have peace with God and yet himselfe for a time by reason of some tentation not feele it so a man being sicke or going out of the world may feele it and yet others that behold him cannot perceive it Secondly wee must know that these outward unquietnesses which doe many times accompany sicknesse doe happen as well and as ordinarily to good men as to the most wicked such as are ravings idle-talkings and strange accidents in the body in this sence all things come alike to all God hath made no promise in Scripture that those that serve him shall be freed in their deaths from violent sicknesses Therefore these things must not bee thought to be any abridgement of their peace Thirdly wee must consider that with the best servants of God Sathan is most busie when his end is neerest and when hee is as it were out of all hope of prevailing The red Dragon in the Revelation had greatest wrath when he knew his time to bee short When the evill Spirit was commanded once to come out of the child then it rent him sore Now these temptations though for the time they be very violent and extreme so that the party may hapily utter out some words and speeches of dispaire yet be they no finall prejudice to the inward peace Interrupt they may but utterly quench it they cannot because the power of God is made perfect through weaknesse And so even in death Sathan receives the greatest foile when hee thinkes to get the greatest victorie Thus then I answer in one word The peace of Gods servants at death is not ever in the like measure felt by them but yet it never dieth in them they which behold their death doe not alwayes see it yet they themselves sooner or later are sure sweetly and secretly to feele the same My reason for my assertion is grounded first upon that of the Apostle God commands light to shine out of darknesse Hee brings his servants to Heaven by the gates of
am the Life Now the difference betweene these two wee may conceive with reverend Calvin to be this I am the Resurrection That is I have all quickening power in mee I am able to restore and give life to those that are dead And then I am the life I have such quickening power in mee that I am able to preserve and continue the life that I have given or restored to any I am the Resurrection and the life And then followes the Exposition of this Proposition and of the severall members of it for the truth of a copulative Proposition depends upon the truth of both the parts and members of it therefore there followes the Explication and confirmation of both the parts of this Proposition First of the first part I am the Resurrection this is explained and confirmed in these words Hee that beleeveth in mee though hee were dead yet shall hee live I have such a quickning power in mee saith Christ that I am able to restore spirituall life to that soule that is dead in sinnes therefore I am able to raise up the body that is dead in the grave I am able to give spirituall life to the soule which is greater and the more difficult worke and if I be able to doe the greater I am able to doe the lesse hee that beleeves in mee saith Christ though before he were dead in trespasses and sinnes yet hee shall live he shall live the life of grace Then followes the Explication and confirmation of the second member of the Proposition in these words Whosoever liveth and beleeveth in mee shall never die I am the life saith Christ for whosoever beleeveth in me and so is restored to spirituall life he shall never die hee shall never die to speake properly for he shall never perish he shall never die this life shall never be taken from him neither here nor hereafter not here for hee shall continue to live the life of grace not hereafter for though the body shall die yet this separation of the body from the soule it is not so properly a death as a passage to life a passage from the life of grace to the life of glory And this body also that is separated from the soule it shall bee quickned againe and shall be raised up to live for ever therefore hee that beleeveth in mee shall never die Thus you see the words expounded Now from the first member of this Proposition I am the Resurrection and the Exposition and confirmation of it in these words Hee that beleeveth in mee though hee were dead yet shall he live Hence the point of Doctrine I will observe is this that Iesus Christ is the Fountaine and Authour of all life Hee is able to give and restore life to those that are dead He is the Resurrection Now whereas there is a double death and a double Life and consequently a double Resurrection we must understand that Christ is the Author of both in this place weare not to exclude either Therefore wee will indeavour to expound this generall doctrine in these three particulars First Christ hath such a quickning power in him that hee is able to raise up those dead bodies of his that now lie in the Grave Secondly Christ hath such a quickning power in him that he is able to raise up the soule that is dead in sinnes to a spirituall life Thirdly wee will shew you why Christ as in this place so else-where doth expresse both the state of the faithfull here and their estate after under the same phrase of speech he comprehends both under this terme I am the Resurrection For the first of these Christ is the Author of life he hath such a quickning power in him that hee is able to raise up the dead bodies of his out of their graves Wee will speake first of this Resurrection that is of the body though it be later in time Because that naturally we are more apt to conceive of the death and life of the body then of the death and life of the soule And secondly because that the understanding of this Resurrection of the body will give light to the understanding of the other of the soule And here first wee will shew briefly what this Resurrection of the body is And then prove that Christ is the Author and the Fountaine of it First the Resurrection of the body is this when the soule that was actually separate from the dead body returnes againe to its proper body and being united to it the man riseth up out of the Grave with an immortall incorruptible body to lead a glorified life This is the Resurrection of the body Now that Christ is the Author of this Resurrection of the body it is evident For as Christ himselfe by his owne power raised himselfe being dead in the Grave Ioh. 2. 19. saith Christ destroy this Temple and in three dayes I will raise it againe speaking of the Temple of his body And so againe Iohn 10. 18. I have power saith Christ to lay downe my life and to take it up againe so likewise Christ by his quickning spirit hee will raise up the bodyes of those that are now dead in the Grave as we may see Ioh. 5. 28 29. Mervaile not at this saith Christ for the houre is comming in which all that are in the grave shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of man and shall come forth they that have done good to the resurrection of life c. In this regard Christ is called the first fruites of them that sleepe For as the first fruites being offered to God did sanctifie the whole crop and the owner hereby was assured of the blessing of God upon all the rest so Christ is the first fruits of the dead and his Resurrection it is an assurance to the faithfull of their Resurrection and the cause of it both an assurance a pledge of it and likewise a cause of it Therefore herein Christ the second Adam is opposed to the first Adam As the first Adam who was the roote of all man-kind did communicate death and mortalitie to all those that spring from him so likewise Christ the second Adam by his Resurrection hee conveyes life and a quickening power to all his members as wee may see 1 Cor. 15. 21 22. For since by man came death by man came also the resurrection of the dead for as in Adam all die Adam he communicates death and mortalitie to all that spring from him even so in Christ shall all be made alive Christ hee conveyes life to all his members and they are all quickened by his Spirit therefore Christ is called a quickning spirit 1 Cor. 15. 45. The first Adam was made a living soule but the last Adam a quickning spirit not onely a living but a quickning spirit And this quickning power and vertue Christ did manifest before his resurrection by raising up three from death namely by raising the Widowes sonne
the restoring of the body to life and the restoring the soule to life Secondly in regard of the certaine inseparable connexion betweene these two First I say in regard of the Analogie and proportion betweene these two the resurrection of the body and of the soule now the proportion and analogie consists especially in these foure things First as in the resurrection of the body the living soule must first returne to the dead body and quicken it before it can rise againe so here in the Resurrection of the soule the Spirit of grace must returne to the soule that is dead in sinnes and quicken it befor it can rise againe so that there is a similitude in regard of the first beginning and principle of this Resurrection Againe secondly there is an analogie and proportion in regard of the point and terme the state from which the Resurrection is for as in the resurrection of the body the body riseth from the state of corruption from the bondage of the Grave so here in this resurrection of the soule the soule and the whole man riseth from the state of spirituall corruption from the bondage of sinne The third proportion is in regard of the estate to which a man riseth for as in the resurrection of the body a man shall rise againe without those infirmities that the body had before he shall rise to lead another kind of life a glorified life so in this resurrection of the soule the sinner riseth and is raised up to lead a new kind of life a spirituall life and therefore it is called Newnesse of life Rom. 6. 4. that we should walke in newnesse of life both in regard of the new principle and fountaine of it the spring of grace in the soule And in regard of the new effects and new operations which are answerable to the new roote Fourthly there is a proportion also in regard of the perpetuitie of both for as in the Resurrection of the body the body shall rise an immortall body not subject to death any more so here in the resurrection of the soule when the sinner is restored to spirituall life he is raised up to a durable immutable estate hee shall continue to live this life of grace and the immortall seed that is put into him it shall never die so Christ saith verse 26. Hee that beleeveth in mee saith he and so liveth hee shall never die he is raised to an immutable estate to such a life as shall never be subject to spirituall death againe Thus you see the analogie and proportion between these two and in this respect they may both be comprehended fitly under one terme Secondly in regard of the infallible connexion betweene these two for wheresoever the resurrection of the soule to the life of grace goes before there the resurrection of the body to the life of glorie will certainly follow after for as the spirituall death of the soule did necessarily draw after it the mortalitie and death of the body so the spirituall life of the soule doth necessarily draw with it the immortalitie and the resurrection of the body therefore as in the Sacrament the name of the thing signified is given to the signe in regard of the neere conjunction and relation betweene them so here in regard of the neere conjunction betweene these two that they are never separate therefore they may both fitly be comprehended under one terme Thus wee have endevoured to expound the general doctrine in these three particulars Wee have shewed you that Christ is the Author and fountaine of the Resurrection of the body hee hath the quickning power in him whereby he is able to raise those bodyes that are dead in the grave Then he is the Author of the Resurrection of the soule too he is able to quicken those soules that are dead in sinnes And then we have shewed the reasons why these two the Resurrection of the body and of the soule are both comprehended under one phrase of speech I am the Resurrection Now I come to the Use and Application of that that hath beene delivered And the Use of the point is First for comfort Secondly for tryall and examination Thirdly for exhortation and direction First the Use of the point may be for comfort here here is matter of sound comfort to all those that are the faithfull members of Christ Jesus if thou be united to Christ by faith Christ is the Fountaine of life he will be the Fountaine of spirituall life therefore here is comfort against Death against the death of the soule and against the death of the body Comfort first against the death of the Soule comfort against sinne thatis the ill of all ills and is the death of the soule If thou be united to Christ Christ by his divine power he is able to free thee from the power and dominion of sinne from the bondage of sinne Dost thou complaine that thy understanding is darke and blinde remember Christ is able to give thee more light Ephes. 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Dost thou complaine that thy heart is hard and stonie remember that Christ is able to soften thy hard heart and to give thee a heart of flesh as he hath promised Ezek. 36. 36. I will take away their stonie heart and give them an heart of flesh Dost thou complaine that thy affections are unruly and set upon wrong objects remember to thy comfort that Christ is able to rectifie these affections hee is able to plant in thee the true love and feare of God as he hath promised Deut. 30. 6. I will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed that thou shalt love mee with all thy heart and with all thy soule And in Ier. 32. 40. I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall never depart from mee Dost thou complaine that thou canst not beare afflictions patiently remember that Christ thy head he is able to strengthen thee and hee will doe it as he did the Apostle Phil. 4. 13. saith he I am able to doe all things through Christ that strengtheneth me But here the weake Christian will bee ready to object but I have so many strong corruptions in me that I am afaid that I am not yet raised out of the grave of sinne that I am not yet raised out of my naturall estate To which I answer remember this to thy comfort that the first Resurrection is unlike to the second in this regard in regard of the measure and degree of it as soone as ever the soule quickens the dead body the dead body leaves the Grave and the state of corruption wholly and all at once but it is not so in the Resurrection of the soule When the spirit quickens the soule the soule begins to rise againe from the grave of sinne but yet the bands and fetters of
sinne and corruption still remaine upon the sould Indeed as soone as the Spirit of grace quickens the soule the soule presently hates all sinne and begins to shake off these fetters of sinne and corruption and shakes them off by little and little but I say it shakes them not off all at once In this spirituall Resurrection sinne indeed receives a deadly wound but yet it is not wholly abolished In the spirituall Resurrection sinne is like a beast whose throat is cut that lies striving and strugling for life so sinne hath life in it but yet it hath a deadly wound therefore remember to thy comfort that that will bee true here betweene the power of grace and the remainders of sinne that is affirmed of the house of Saul and the house of David 2 Sam. 3. 1. there was long warre betweene them But the house of David grew stronger and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker So it will be betweene sinne and grace sinne will grow weaker and weaker and grace stronger and stronger But yet the weake Christian may object further but I feele the spirit so weake in me and the flesh so strong in me that I am afraid the flesh will prevaile and so I shall returne againe to my naturall estate To this I answer remember that this is contrarie to the nature of a true Resurrection to returne to death againe for at the last Resurrection the bodyes that are raised shall be immortall never to die againe so here those soules that are quickned to the life of grace they are raised to a durable immutable immortall estate never to die againe That which Christ saith of those that shall bee accounted worthie to attaine the second Resurrection the Resurrection of the body it is true here also hee saith those that shall be accounted worthy of the world to come of the Resurrection to life they shall never die for they are as the Angels of heaven Luke 20. 35 36. Those that partake of that Resurrection can never die so here those that partake of this spirituall Resurrection to the life of grace they shall never die this Resurrection to the life of grace it shall continue in them For the Spirit of grace when he once commeth into the soule and quickens it it continues there and remaines there for ever it is as a Well of water springing up to eternall life as Christ speakes Ioh. 4. 14. Whosoever shall drinke of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall bee in him a well of water springing up to everlasting life Now wee know a streame of water is of a vanishing nature yet if it bee nourished with a continuall Fountaine that can never be drie the streame will continually runne so it is with the streame of grace in the soule it is nourished with a continuall fountaine such a one as can never be dried up Thus you see here is comfort against sinne against the death of the soule Those that are united to Christ by faith they may be assured that Christ will be to them a Fountaine of spirituall life Secondly here is comfort against the death of the body against naturall death If thou be united to Christ thou needest not to feare temporall death remember that though the body bee dead beecause of sinne yet the spirit is life as it is Rom. 8. 10. The body that is dead that is it is mortall and subject to death because of sinne but the spirit the soule that liveth it passeth from the life of grace here to the life of glorie Yea and the body too that is laid in the Grave notwithstanding shall be raised againe by the quickning power of Christ. Remember Christ is thy head and therefore hee being risen from the dead thou shalt not perish You know as long as the head of the naturall body is above the water none of the members of the body can be drowned so it is here as long as Christ is risen none of his members can be held captive in the Grave Remember Christ is the first fruites of the dead the first fruites of them that sleepe therefore his Resurrection may bee a pledge and an assurance to thee of thy resurrection As wee have borne the Image of the earthly saith the Apostle so wee shall beare the Image of the heavenly 1 Cor. 15. 49. As wee have borne about us these corruptible bodyes so when we rise againe we shall rise with immortall and incorruptible bodies and live a glorious life with Christ and so be made conformable to Christ our head therefore feare not the death of the body Remember that Death can destroy nothing in thee but sinne therefore feare not This consideration may comfort us as against our owne death so against the death of our friends Let us therefore receive comfort hence as Martha in this Chapter I know that my brother shall rise againe in the Resurrection at the last day and that did comfort her But here this question may bee demanded but is not this Resurrection of the body a benefit common to the wicked are not they partakers of this benefit from the resurrection of Christ as well as the godly shall not they be raised and quickned as well as the godly by Christ his Resurrection To this I answer that this Resurrection of the body to life it is a benefit proper to the faithfull to the true members of Christ for though unbeleevers and wicked persons shall bee raised up againe yet By a different cause And to a different end I say first by a different cause the wicked that are out of Christ cannot have any benefit from the Resurrection of Christ because they are out of Christ therefore they shall bee raised indeed but not by a quickning power flowing from the resurrection of Christ but by the divine power and command of Christ as a just Judge and they shall bee raised by vertue of that curse pronounced in Paradice Gen. 2. In the day thou eatest thou shalt die the death that includes eternall death therefore this curse must be executed upon them and therefore they most rise out of the Grave againe that body and soule may die eternally but the faithfull members of Christ shall bee raised by the quickning power of Christ as their head and Saviour Againe as the wicked shall be raised by a different cause so to a different end for they shall not be raised to life to speake properly that state is stiled eternall death therefore their Resurrection is stiled the resurrection of condemnation Ioh. 5. 27. they that have done good shall come forth to the resurrection of life and they that have done ill to the resurrection of condemnation they shall not rise to life but to eternall death but the godly only shall attaine this Resurrection of life and therefore they only are stiled the sonnes of
milke and honey The like deliverance the Lord hath wrought for thee therefore bee thankfull and make thy thankfull acknowledgement with the Psalmist Psal. 115. Not unto us but to thy Name give the glorie And then desire God as he hath by his mercie brought thee to the Kingdome of grace so by his power to preserve thee to the Kingdome of glorie And desire Christ as he by his quickning Spirit hath made thee partakers of the first Resurrection to the life of grace so to make thee partaker of the second to the life of glorie FINIS DEATH IN BIRTH OR THE FRUITE OF EVES TRANSGRESSION GEN. 3. 16. Vnto the woman hee said I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception In sorrow thou shalt bring forth children REVEL 12. 2. And shee being with child cryed travailing in birth and pained to be delivered LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. DEATH IN BIRTH OR THE FRVITE OF EVES TRANSGRESSION SERMON XXXVI GEN. 35. 19. And Rachell died IT is a statute law of God that all both men and women must die The causes for which it pleased Almightie God to leave the bodies even of his dearest children under the power of Death to be returned to dust are many First for the manifesting his truth according to that ancient threatning mentioned Genesis 3. 19. Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne Secondly for the manifestation of his power that by death hee may translate his chosen servants to life Sinne it was that brought Death into the world and God will shew his strength in this that Death shall be the utter abolishment even of that very thing which brought it first upon us and made us all lyable to it If there had not beene Sinne there should not have beene Death and now God will that in those that are his the Kingdome and being of sinne shall utterly be destroyed the head of Goliah shall be cut off with his owne sword and sinne shall bee extinguished by that which it selfe first procured Thirdly God subjects his children to this course that by it they may the better conceive what inestimable benefit they reape by Jesus Christ. When they doe thinke upon death as it is an enemie they cannot chuse but feare it Nature affecting a continuation and preservation of it selfe cannot chuse but loath and abhorre it Now then if Death being changed be so fearefull well may wee conclude that it would have exceeded in terrour if it had continued as at the first it was that is a gate and passage to everlasting torment in hell fire If the very sight of the Serpent afright us now the sting is out what would it have done if the sting had still remained Hereby then Almighty God would have us learne how deepely we stand ingaged to him for his mercie who by his Sonne Jesus Christ hath freed us from so great miserie Lastly the law of Death seizeth upon the very elect children of God that they may bee thereby made conformable to their head Christ Hee was as the wheat-corne which except it fall into the ground and die abideth alone Death was his passage the same must bee ours also The way of the tree of life is kept with the blade of a sword shaken under the stroake whereof we must first come before wee can hope for any entrance into Paradise as we see here it is sayd of Rachel she dyed And Rachel dyed I will not stand upon any division of the words but will God willing unite them together at this time in this discourse I conceive it is not altogether impertinent in the handling of these words of my Text to shew you the occasion of Rachels death what shee was and for what shee stands recorded in the sacred Scriptures Rachel was one of Labans Daughters and one of the Wives of Iacob Questionlesse shee was a good woman though in somethings faulty But the imperfections of the holy people of those times are neither to bee blazed abroad as though wee tooke pleasure in discovering their shame nor to bee followed neither as though by their doing this or that were a sufficient plea for us that were to draw bloud not milke out of the breasts of the sacred Scriptures and is a thing which for my own perticular were the cause never so just I doe from my soule abhorre and detest First of all then shee is recorded to have beene fruitfull by whom Iacob had two sonnes Ioseph and Benjamin and by her and Leah his other wife God accomplished his promise that Hee made to Abraham that his seed should be as the starres of Heaven which teacheth us that The fruitfulnesse of the wife is to bee reckoned as a blessing and to bee earnestly sought by prayer from Almighty God It is that blessing which God promiseth to the man that feares him and puts his trust in him That his Wife should bee as a fruitfull Vine and his Children they shall stand as Olive branches round about his table Psal. 128. 3. And in the precedent Psalme Loe Children are an heritage from the Lord and the fruite of the wombe are his reward happie is the man that hath his quiver full of them In former times barrennesse was accounted for a shame and reproach When God would punish Abimilech about Abraham and Sarah his Wife it is sayd that hee closed up all the wombes in the house of Abimilech Gen. 20. 18. And when God would blesse Iobs last dayes more than his first hee gave him seven sonnes and three daughters as an addition to his happinesse and as so many emblems of his grace and favour towards him In the rehearsing of the lives of the Fathers before the Flood you shall finde especially in Gen. 5. sundrie times thus such and such a one lived so many yeares and begate sonnes and daughters What was the blessing upon the first couple was it not this bee fruitfull and multiply Gen. 1. 28. What blessing gave the friends of Rebecka at her departure was it not this bee the mother of thousands and millions Gen. 24. 60. What was the manner of Gods blessing the Iewes after their returne from the captivity was it not this that their streets should be full of boyes and girles Zech. 8. 5. This being so it may serve for a two fold Use First it discovers the wretchednesse of their fault who grudge and repine at the increase of children as a burthen Some there are that prescribe to God how many children hee should bestow upon them and would set him downe a stint that they would not by any meanes have him exceed which argues a most miserable and a most faithlesse minde For whence is this feare of increase before it come and whence is this repining at it when it is come but from some distrustfull opinion or other that they conceive either of their inabilitie to maintaine them c Let me say
shee desired him to be a carefull Father over them all shee prayed to God devoutly to send a blessing both upon him and them Much shee could not then speake because of her paines that now began still to increase upon her When shee was in the extremitie of her labour he being absent as it was fitting she sent downe to him to desire him to pray to God on her behalfe that he would ease her of those grievous paines and preserve her in the great paine and perill of Child-birth The propitious God it seemed heard him and granted his request for presently to the thinking of the standers by shee was well delivered Not satisfied with this having received so great a blessing from God shee sent downe againe to desire him to give God thankes for her safe deliverie But God that had determined to take out of this miserable life quickly turned that hope of the standers by into a feare and suddenly shee changed which perceiving as long as shee was able to speake shee cried Lord Jesus have mercy on my soule Lord have mercie on mee Lord pitty mee poore miserable wretch and when she could not speake shee held up her hands to heaven as desirous to make her peace with that God whom shee knew shee had highly offended I make no question but God hath translated her from the valley of teares to the Mount Sion of blessednesse whether God of his infinite mercie bring us all FINIS THE DEATH OF SINNE AND LIFE OF GRACE EPHES. 2. 1. And you hath hee quickned that were dead in Sinnes and Trespasses LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. THE DEATH OF SINNE AND LIFE OF GRACE SERMON XXXVII ROM 6. 11. Likewise reckon ye also your selves to bee dead unto sinne but alive unto God through Iesus Christ our Lord. THe intent of this Chapter is to take off an abuse of the Doctrine of the Gospell which publisheth the free Grace of God to great sinners The Apostle had sayd in the latter end of the 20. verse of the former Chapter where sinne abounded Grace did much more abound From hence some did inferre that therefore under the Gospell they might take liberty to sinne the more their sinnes were and the greater they were the more they should occasion God to manifest his abundant Grace upon them This the Apostle answers in this Chapter and he answers it two waies First by way of detestation Secondly by way of confutation By way of detestation in the first verse and part of the second What shall we say then shall we continue in sinne that Grace may abound God forbid Secondly by way of confutation the argument whereby hee confutes it is by a necessarie consequence of our justification that is our sanctification these are so inseperably united together all that are justified are sanctified And upon this ground the Apostle frames two arguments to confute this errour taken from the two parts of sanctification The first is from our mortification from the third verse to the end of the seventh and the argument runnes thus Those that are dead to sinne cannot sinne that Grace may abound but all that are in Christ are dead to sinne therefore they cannot sinne that Grace may abound Now that all that are in Christ are dead to sinne he proves by their union with Christ testified in Baptisme and by the effect of that union which is conformitie to Christ that as Christ was dead for sinne so they are dead to sinne The second argument is taken from the second part of our sanctification which is our quickning to a new life and that he handles in the 8. 9. 10. verses and that argument runnes thus Those that are quickned by Christ to newnesse of life cannot sin that Grace may abound but all that are in Christ are quickned by Christ to newnesse of life therefore they cannot sinne that Grace may abound That all that are in Christ are quickned to newnesse of life he proves in verse 8. If we be dead with Christ we beleeve that we shall live with him still by our union with Christ whereby there comes a conformity to Christ in his resurrection as well as in his death And from these premises hee inferres by way of application the conclusion that is here in the words of the Text I have now read to you likewise reckon ye also your selves dead unto sinne but alive to God through Iesus Christ our Lord. As if he should say doe not rest your selves satisfied in the bare knowledge of these things in the discourse of them in generall but bring them to particular application make the case your owne what wee say of death to sinne and of newnesse of life wee speake to you if ye be in Christ therefore you must make account of it to bee your case likewise reckon ye your selves dead to sinne but alive to God through Iesus Christ our Lord. We see now the coherence of the words with those that goe before and the maine intent and scope of the Apostle in the Chapter wherein we might note divers things The first is out of the very connexion that by vertue of the union of beleevers with Christ there is in them a conformitie to Christ. They are made like unto him he had sayd before that Christ dyed and rose againe likewise reckon ye your selves like him in this Every one that is in Christ is conformable to Christ and made like him Then againe secondly wee might note hence this also that Rectified and sanctified reason ever concludes to God and for God Reckon yee make account conclude this so the word signifieth reason thus conclude thus as it is used Rom. 3. 28. Wee conclude saith the Apostle where the same word is used That a man is justified by Faith without the workes of the Law So conclude this rest on this conclusion do not make it a matter of conjecture and opinion onely but when you consider things wisely when you weigh things seriously you shall see great reason to inferre those things from these premisses that God would have you inferre Therefore whatsoever reasoning is against the Word whatsoever disputes the mindes of men uphold against any truth in Scripture it is but the reasoning of corrupt reason If reason were sanctified it would conclude as 2 Cor. 5. We judge if one dyed for all then they that live should not live to themselves but to him that dyed for them When men come to deale judiciously and advisedly when they come to conclude of things wisely they will conclude then that what use the Word and the Gospell would have them make of any truth that they will make of it Likewise reckon ye judge thus Thirdly we might note hence thus much also that The best and most profitable knowledge of the Scriptures is in applying it to a mans owne case and person and condition Reckon ye also your selves saith the Apostle make account of thus much that
shall not lose any thing that is comfortable and good you shall not lose life by it nay indeed the more you sinne the more you die every sinne is deadly and mortall every sin tends to your destruction to the taking away of life this is certaine Therefore looke as a man when hee is in a mortall dangerous disease that every man concludes if the disease prevaile hee will dye nay it hath so farre prevailed that it will bee the death of him you need no more to perswade him to spend all his estate upon Physitians to cure that disease Now the sinnes that you cannot endure should bee reproved that you cannot abide to reforme they will be death in the end your eternall death therfore labour especially against them When wee diswade you from sinne and perswade you to purge out sinne wee perswade you to your cure to bee free from your disease to be free from that that will end in death You shall not lose any rest and peace by it the more you mortifie sinne the more rest and peace you shall have nay the more sinne rules the lesse rest and peace There is no peace to the wicked but they are as the troubled waves of the Sea that alway foame and cast up myre and dirt as the Prophet speakes such is the restlesse agitation of a man that goes on in sinne he is ever restlesse and unquiet Would you have peace and quiet get out sinne that hinders all peace and quiet Againe you shall not lose outward good things not credite and name and esteeme Nay what dishonours you and exposeth you to reproach and shame and obliquie is it not sinne For what is it that men are evill spoken of is it not for this and that particular evill Doe you love your name avoide sinne sinne will end in shame it is the issue the fruit of it God will give you honour with his servants nay even in the hearts of the wicked You know the more men strive to mortifie their sinnes the more the world reprocheth them ordinarily but wee must not judge what men doe in their jollitie and in their passion but what themselves doe when they are upon the wracke of a troubled conscience upon their death-bed oh then if they might die the death of the righteous oh then they would they had lived the life of the righteous or any thing then if they had beene like such a one whom they scorned This gained esteme of Iohn in Herods heart Againe you shall not lose your wealth your estate all losses of estate that are judgements and punishments they are but the fruits of sinne you shall keepe your estate and keepe it with comfort as farre as it is good for you your sinnes provoke God even to curse your blessings You shall not lose your pleasure if you part with sinne nay you shall gaine pleasures All sorrow and griefe of heart and disquiet of spirit that ariseth from terrour of conscience are they not hence because of sinne Would you have joy and pleasure unspeakable and glorious part from sinne that is the cause of sorrow When wee bid you part with sinne we speake to you to part with a needlesse thing it is a superfluitie as well as hurtfull superfluitie of malice what need one sinne in the world cannot you live and be happy without it cannot you live comfortably and die blessedly without sinne Nay is it not that that hinders your blessednesse and happinesse The Angels in heaven they are blessed because they are without sinne but those of them that sinned they are reserved in chaines of darknesse to the judgement of the great day Adam in Paradise in the state of innocencie he was blessed he was without sinne but as soone as he sinned hee was cast out of Paradise and a Cherubin set with a flaming sword to keepe the way of the Tree of life that man should not come at it You your selves the best comfort the best peace the best evidences you have are those that doe arise from your hatred of sinne Therefore doe but consider how needlesse a thing it is Can you got any thing by it can you live a day longer or an houre more happy can you be a whit better by it If you could enjoy any present good by sinne there were somewhat to bee pleaded but what is it you get a little wealth by unrighteousnesse is it gaine Iob saith their belly shall be filled with gravell If a man fill his belly with gravell what hath hee gotten by it you will get that that you must cast up againe you get that that one day you will wish you had never knowne as Israell when they turned to God they should say of their garments of silver and gold that they had made for their Idols Get you hence So every worldly man that raiseth his estate by unrighteous meanes the time will come that hee shall wish all the money that he hath gotten were in the bottome of the Sea that he had never knowne what a penney or a house or apparell had meant that he hath gotten or made or appropriate to himselfe by any unrighteousnesse whatsoever What use is there of it And will you lose your soules for that that is nothing and will you lose heaven for that that is needlesse and eternall happinesse for that that will not doe you a moment of time not a little present good not a little present ease not a little present comfort But lastly the great benefit that redounds by it that is spoken of in the Text it is that you shall live and live to God The more you die to finne the more you shall live to God through Jesus Christ. Now wee come upon a strong motive to perswade you to set more heartily against those evils that are daily reproved the more you die to them the more you shall live to God Suppose the worke of repentance be a hard taske suppose it should be somewhat painfull suppose it bee something that vexe and disquiet the naturall spirit of man as there is paine in repentance and mortification of sinne yet neverthelesse if you may get eternall life by it is it not worth the while Consider what you doe for naturall life suppose a member of the body bee gangrened that it is in danger to bee spread over the whole body and the taking away of naturall life the losse of a hand and the losse of any member though it bee never so usefull rather then the body shall be in danger and a man deprived of life you will lose a usefull member and when you have done you doe it but in hope to preserve life for you are not sure when you have cut off that member to live a day after but yet because it is possible because it is the way to naturall life and yet if you have that life granted suppose for terme of yeares as Hezekiah had for fifteene
hang downe their heads that are godly with shame and griefe enough to themselves but it is here they set up their hope here they have hope but it is hope here for another life it is upon other things that their hope is fixed then are here below it is for things that they looke for it is not for things that they see for hope that seeth is no more hope but if wee with patience waite for the things that are not seene this is hope saith the Apostle Rom. 8. So that this is a very plaine case and might be further cleared and declared to us from the practice and common opinion of all the Saints of God in all Ages how they have hoped and how that their hope was in God that they should see the Lord but where in the land of the living here they have a sight too but the chiefest hope is on the Promise and that is not for the things of this life only but for the life to come Hee that putteth his trust in mee shall possesse the land and shall inherit my holy mountaine their hope is in the end that is of those things that they shall attaine in the end of this life The consideration of this Point that hope it is not onely for the things of this life may teach us to contend against death it selfe which is one of the strongest temptations against hope as I touched before and to contemne and dispise all the things of this life It teacheth a man to strive and wrestle and contend against death why because though a man doe die yet it shall not hinder his hope it shall not hinder him from that hee hopeth to attaine Death is the greatest amazement a man can meet withall in the World but what can Death doe well may it take away from a man his life but it cannot take away from him his love well may it take away from him the action of his hope here it shall cease but it shall never take away from him the object of his hope that which he hopeth for it shall continue well may it helpe him to it but it can never hinder him from it here is then comfort and courage in the very houre and power of death 2. A man learneth here to contemne and to dispise the things of this life specially if they be such manner of things as will come in comparison with their betters when baser things will compare with better things in this kinde of comparison now a mans hope should take him off and not so much as suffer him to leane to any kind of reasoning that is made against his hope Hope biddeth him not to trust not to looke to any thing that is in this life because it doth not at all concerne that which is the ayme he hath The very best things that bee in this life they are not worthie to bee hoped for after insomuch that even death it selfe it may be counted a remedie and not a penaltie God will have a mans life to be short and death to come soone because hee will not have his creature worne out with a tedious miserie and transitorie vanitie a vanity of miserie that is in this vaine miserable life of mortalitie I have done with the fourth A fifth thing that followeth in the Text that I may haste on we have Hope wee have Hope in Christ we have Hope in Christ in this life our hope in this life is not upon the things of this life for if it were in this life onely it were miserable Our life is a miserie There is the fifth And this is a certaine truth and it will plainely appeare to us in many passages if wee will beleeve either the Spirit of God or the experience of the godly I shall not need to stand to prove it You will aske me how it will be raised from this place Thus Wee are of all men the most miserable because that wee are mentioned amongst the number of those that are the more miserable it implieth that all the rest are miserable more or lesse the very comparison that is used doth manifestly declare unto us that there is a measure of miserie to every man living so then there is miserie 2 It appeareth out of the Text because here and else where you shall have man and miserie made termes convertible Man is named Enoch and Enoch is miserie Man and miserie so joyned together that there is no pulling them asunder till death parts them for then there is no more miserie 3 Because that miserie here our being miserable in this life is mentioned even with the very best things of this life the very best things that are in this life and of this life so long as they look to this life I say they are stiled miserable but the best things even Christ himselfe our Hope it selfe say what you can here is Hope and here is Christ in the Text and yet notwithstanding here is miserie too Now then wee reason thus that if the best things in this life bee miserable then the rest are no better then so that the best are no better it is plaine because let us have what wee would have in all the World yet so long as wee are here it is miserie If this bee so then wee must come to the conclusion wee have made and that is Iacobs conclusion Gen. 47. 9. Few and evill have the dayes of the yeares of my life beene it is Iobs conclusion too Mans life is full of miserie It is Davids in the Psalmes Mans life is full of labour and sorrow it is soone cut off and wee flie away our dayes come to an end as a tale that is told they passe away as a shadow and the beautie the best of them withereth as grasse It is Solomons hee was the Preacher and here is his Text all is vaine and vanitie Vanitie of vanities all is vanitie one thing and other every thing under the Sun our life it selfe our selves so long as wee are here wee are under the Sun hee calleth all vanitie And sayth the Apostle This I say Brethren the time of our life is short And what is our life sayth Saint Iames But a vapour that appeareth for a little while and then vanisheth away it is a vapour that vanisheth a meoter of miserie What shall we say of this now to speak it in few words home to our selves somewhat may concerne our selves and somewhat as we respect and reflect upon others In regard of our selves it may have this double Vse First to weane us from the World Secondly to winne us to the Lord. 1 To weane us from the World The World considered in it selfe is so full of miserie that there is nothing to bee delighted in there is so much bitternesse that I warrant it will weane any Child from it that is not a worldling for hee indeed is at his own breasts with his owne
How prove you that By the force of the Argument here that the Apostle useth for this being a part of an Argument and an Hypotheticall proposition he reasoneth thus If in this life onely we have hope in Christ then are we miserable but now for this life onely we have not hope in Christ he doth not set our rest there therefore wee are not of all men the most miserable How prove you that because the most wicked the most wretched so the lesse wicked the least wretched and the most righteous the best blest and the least miserable Not the most not at all Not at all No for as the outward prosperitie of the wicked in this World is no true prosperitie so the outward adversitie of the godly is no true miserie it is not such as doth destitute and dissolute a man utterly but you shall have the faithfull come off with hope I and with rejoycing rather then grudging and repining at it yea they joy in their sufferings and at last are more then conquerours and all this sheweth then that that they are farre enough from miserie Well the knowledge of this lifes miseriâ—… the knowledge of our not being at all miserable thâ—… 〈◊〉 righteous should teach all of us to bee righteous to be religious to strive to be godly if not for the love of vertue and pietie and holinesse and such kinde of Graces as all good Christians and godly persons should be though there were no Hell to punish nor no Heaven to cherish a man in though there were no reward for the good nor revenge against the bad yet notwithstanding the love of vertue should constraine an ingenious Christian to strive after holinesse and pietie but if not for the love of religion let us doe it for the feare of the miserie that may befall us which wee shall prevent if wee remember now our duties that is to bee godly and to be righteous for the righteous man is not cannot be miserable And then lastly this shall serve to shew to us how it ought to keepe off the World from judging rashly there is a great obliquitie and a perverse judgement in the World men censure those that are in any kinde of miserie to bee of all men the most miserable whereas we know that this is no true misery on their part for it is but outward it is but temporall misery it is no true reall miserie And thererore this serveth to rectifie the obliquitie of such mens judgements as doe determine the godly to bee in a miserable conditon whereas the contrary is most true for wee count them sayth Saint Iames blessed that endure Do they endure to the very death Blessed are they that dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours and who would not dye here that hee may dwell with God there in rest who that loveth who that hopeth would not be where his love where his hope is would not have what hee hopeth for Doth not the Lord say to his servant Moses No man can see my face and live Oh sayth a Father let mee dye then for I will dye to see thee who would not dye for the present to dwell ever where his hope is If in this life we had onely hope then were we of all men the most miserable but our hope is not onely in this life of the things of this life therefore wee are not of all men most miserable no not miserable at all I have done with my Text You see the occasion of our present meeting to Interre this little Child in Christian buriall the last service and dutie we owe to deceased Saints I cannot and I know you expect not that I should say any thing of it It is a Child of the Covenant sealed in the Covenant dyed in the Covenant resteth according to the Covenant with the God of the Covenant of whom I doubt no more of a happy rest with Christ the mediatour of the Covenant then I do of the Covenant that Christ hath sealed and so I leave it in that rest and returne our selves to our owne dutie and service to call upon God for a blessing FINIS THE PLATFORME OF CHARITIE OR THE LIBERALL MANS GVIDE DEUT. 15. 11. The poore shall never cease out of the land Therefore I command thee saying Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother to thy poore and to thy needy in the land PSAL. 16. 2. O Lord my goodnesse extendeth not to thee but to the Saints that are in the earth and to the excellent in whom is all my delight LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. THE PLATFORME OF CHARITIE OR THE LIBERALL MANS GVIDE SERMON XXXIX GAL. 6. 10. As wee have therefore opportunitie let us doe good to all especially to them who are of the houshold of faith IN the sixt verse of this Chapter the Apostle begins to perswade these Galatians to whom he wrote to Beneficence and having in the ninth verse the verse before the Text given them great incouragement in this course Bee not wearie saith he of well-doing for in due season we shall reape if we faint not The words I have now read to you are an inference upon that which went before seeing if wee hold out we shall reape in due time then faith the Apostle As wee have opportunitie let us doe good to all c. To speake something for the opening of the words and then to obsere the maine things the Apostle intends in this place As wee have opportunitie Cairos signifieth more then time As wee have time so the old Translation reades it but the word signifieth more there is a Chronos and a Cairos a time and an opportunitie of time There is a time taken in the largest sence there is an opportunitie of time restrained to those advantages of times that a man by wisedome may make unto himselfe for the performing of any dutie that God requires of him This must be understood with a reference to what was spoken of before Wee shall reape if wee faint not Hee shewes there is a time of sowing and a time of reaping and so in Eccles. 3. There is a time for all things there is a time to sow and a time to reape Now while the sowing time lasts for that is the opportunitie that hee now speakes of while the time of sowing lasts let us embrace those times and opportunities for the doing of good Let us as wee have opportunitie doe good to all Doe good is of a large extent it is of as large an extent as the law All is good that is agreeable to Gods will revealed Bee renewed in the spirit of your mindes that you may know what the good and acceptable will of God is But in this place it is restrained to some particular acts of Beneficence towards men towards the servants of God which are then said to be good deedes and good acts when there is a
that may be meant but that which is unrighteously kept is unrighteous Mammon to you if you procured it never so justly unlesse you doe rightly dispose of it and if you be desirous to doe right in disposing of your mammon of your wealth doe it now That when you want that power and those times you may enjoy the comfortable fruit of the well-redeeming of the time of your life to receive you into everlasting habitations In the 25. verse of the 16. Luke it is the challenge of Abraham to Dives Sonne remember that thou in thy life-time haddest thy goods for so the word signifieth thou haddest thy opportunities of life and of goods too but now thou hast neither life nor goods left thee to doe good with and therefore hee is blessed and thou art tormented It was the folly of those five Virgins They tooke not the opportunitie of life for that is the thing meant there but they posted over all to the last and hoped that all might bee effected in a trice or minute of their life which would haue held them employment enough all the dayes of their lives And therefore they came short of heaven the gates were shut against them as you see when the Bridegroome came If any man imagine because it is said Blessed are they that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them That therefore it matters not so long as a man doth good at his death though hee have neglected the wayes of goodnesse all his life Let them know that by works there is not meant the actions of men but the fruites of their actions Their workes follow them not the workes they have deferred untill death but the fruites of those workes they did while they were living and received not the benefit of them untill death Their workes follow them that is the fruits of their workes It is more good and pleasant by farre to have the actions goe before and the fruites and comfortable effects to succeed and follow after But if any man yet suppose that hee may make that up in his Will which he hath neglected all his life long and though hee have lived miserably covetously and unprofitably all the dayes of his life yet his thoughts may tell him that by the Charitable Bequests of his last Testament as bequeathing largely to the Church and Common-wealth and to all sorts of people hee may at the last make fit compensation and satisfaction for neglect of former duties Let no man deceive himselfe with such a bad resolution for first it argues a signe of infidelitie that a man will not trust God for feare he should want in his life-time what is the reason else that he deferres the doing good in health unlesse it be for feare of wanting himselfe such distrust hee hath in the providence of God Besides the same God which bids thee doe good when thou hast opportunitie and while thou enjoyest the advantage of life hee expects it now And it may bee truly said of many that neglect those times of doing good while they lived and have now supplied that defect in their death by the large benevolence of their Wills Their will is good but their deed is â—…ught So much for the first point I proceed unto the second that is thou must not only take the time of thy life but also the opportunitie of thy meanes and thy estate while there is yet a price in thine hand while thou hast opportunitie and enjoyest wealth to doe good with redeeme the advantages and opportunities by employing them in that way for which thou didst receive them The time may come wherein you may desire to doe good but cannot wanting at estate and opportunities whereby to doe it Marke what Solomon saith Wilt thou trust in a thing of nothing for Riches have wings as an Eagle and flie away toward heaven It is the vanitie of men that they still forbeare and stay while their estates increase pretending that then they shall bee better able to doe good and extend themselves more largely or that they may keepe their wealth and waite for a better opportunitie But why wilt thou trust in a thing of nothing Thou seest a fowle in her flight and now it may be thou perceivest it but instantly it vanisheth out of thy sight Why riches have wings saith Solomon Thou hast them now in thy possession and retainest them fast in hold but presently they are departed they flie as an Eagle out of thy sight And the same wise man when he exhorteth men to cast their bread upon the waters Hee gives them this reason Thou knowest not what evills thou knowest not what judgements and calamities God intends to bring upon that Nation where thou livest upon the Citie upon the Familie where thou dwellest upon thy person or estate Thou knowest not what evils God will bring upon the earth And so likewise charge rich men in this world that they hee not high-minded and that they trust not in uncertaine riches but in the living God that they bee readie to distribute and to communicate and to doe good workes What is it that hinders men from distributing and communicating Because they trust in uncertaine Riches For if they would now learne not to trust in uncertaine Riches but account them uncertaine as they are and put confidence in the living God who can provide for them when those outward meanes which they so much rely on faile their expectations they would then be more liberall and bountifull and readie to doe good and to communicate So then here is the meaning of the point Take the opportunities of life That is first take the time of life while you may doe good and then take the meanes the wealth and estate which is the time of your meanes For this observe Iobs case hee goes on discoursing of this very point he was now a man stript of all hee had but the other day the Richest man in the East the Sâ—…ans and Caldeans had carried away his goods his cattell and his children and all things were taken from him Yet there was onething that administred comfort in the day of his adversitie and his affliction And it was this saith he If I have made the eyes of the poore to faile or if I eate my morsels alone or if I have not relieved the fatherlesse c. If I have not done thus and thus then let the Lords fiercest judgement fall upon mee But herein consists my comfort my conscience beares mee witnesse that when I had wealth and estate and enjoyed the goods of this life I did good I was father to the fatherlesse a foot to the lame and eyes to the blind I did all the good that lay within the compasse of my power to doe when I had meanes to doe it I say little doe you know beloved whatsoever thou art whatsoever estate thou hast though thou
of this sweetnesse of mercie as a precious oyntment and become good examples unto others and improve the gifts and abilities which God had given them to the same purpose Shee was not onely mindfull of those at home but her goodnesse extended to the Saints abroad And not in respect of Nature onely because they were come into the Countrey where shee was borne I speake now of those that live in distresse and exile of the Palatinate and Germany but in respect of Grace Shee was wondrous industrious and laborious to procure all the meanes that might bee to send over to helpe them and even refreshed the bowells of the Saints that I may truly say the loynes of the poore blessed God for her in many places In what place hath shee lived and hath not left a savour behinde her nay almost in what company hath shee conversed but this particular dutie hath been as a precious oyntment to sweeten the conversations of all that were about her and to worke in their mindes a vertuous intention and propensenesse to this dutie Beloved here you have her in her carriage and example What shee was in her behaviour towards her Husband and her Children I need not speake there are enough can witnesse it shee carried her selfe as became Wife to him and a helper of the servants of Gâ—…od with prayers and desires and often provocations and incitings that way But for her Children shee seem'd to undergoe a second travaile with them till Christ were formed in them being full of earnest desires and petitions for the working of Grace where it was not begun and for the perfecting thereof where it was newly entred Shee rejoyced exceedingly in any expression of good and more for that of Grace then any other inclination or respect Beloved this was obvious and common to all and any man might take speciall notice thereof dayly and observe it constantly In her servants as there appeared the mere grace in any so much the more respect she extended towards them In the poore as shee perceived the more grace in any the more reliefe they received from her c. 〈◊〉 say nothing what in all this shee suffered those that were acquainted with her disease know what paines shee under-went in respect of her bodie and with what patience shee submitted to the hand of God in all things And many know the wrong shee endured from the World for her desire and care to doe good when she obtain'd opportunitie Some thought her over-bold some to busie others thought her proud and vaineglorious because of her often frequenting of company and speaking openly for the provoking of others to the exercise of goodnesse The Lord smite their hearts that are guilty of mis-judging that which wee are to suppose in respect of her forward disposition is this Shee was naturally of a free spirit which being sanctified with Grace and sharpned with love and zeale for the glory of God made her the more resolute and familiar in frequenting good company not to magnifie her selfe by their societie but that her continuall conversation with them might give her the better occasion to incite and stirre them to goodnesse Let those that are guiltie of misprision leave to censure her Vertues and convert them into an example for themselves to walke in if they doe not the neglect will loade their soules with more woe for such contempt then shee hath received joy for her labour What concern'd her in her sicknesse briefly I have not much to say in that they which were about her dayly know more then I can relate Shee did not onely expresse a satisfaction and assurance of heart that her reconciliation was made with God in Christ but besides that a willingnesse and desire to bee dissolved for that reason that shee might hee with Christ. A Minister that was with her asking how shee that had a Husband and Children enjoying an estate and 〈◊〉 other comforts could be willing to forgoe so many blessings and exchange them all for death She from that inward sence and perswasion of Gods love to her in Christ concluded my Husband is deare and my Children are deare to me but Christ is dearer Therefore I am willing to forgoe Husband and Children and all the contents you can number in this life that I might live with Christ to partake of greater felicitie then this world can afford me And now the Lord Jesus hath received her into his owne protection and satisfied her expectation with the performance of his love But wherefore have wee spoken all this what that wee might adde any praise unto the dead no But to quicken those that are living and incite them to the like dutie Some may thinke it impossible there should be such activenesse in doing of good and such unweariednesse in performing of the acts of mercy and where say they shall we find such an example you have it before your eyes and know that examples will rise in judgement against you and condemne you as well as precepts If you follow them not while they invite you The Text saith Doe good to all especially to the houshold of faith And here is an example before our eyes of one who tooke her time and opportunitie to doe good to all especially to them of the houshold of Faith Goe thou and doe likewise FINIS DEATH PREVENTED OR MORTALITIE CHANGED LAM 3. 58. O Lord thou hast pleaded the causes of my soule thou hast redeemed my life JOB 33. 29. 30. Loe all these things worketh God oftentimes with man to bring backe his soule from the pit to bee enlightned with the light of the living LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. DEATH PREVENTED OR MORTALITIE CHANGED SERMON XL. JOB 14. 14. All the dayes of my appointed time will I waite till my change come THis Booke of Iob comprehends the History of a good man and of his many tryalls Though goodnesse deliver from Hell yet it privildgeth not from temptations or crosses yea the more eminent Holinesse is many times the more it is exposed to sharpe and manifold assaults Iob is set upon on all sides he found the Divell a sore enemie and his great estate a suddaine shipwrack his Children in a moment crusht to peeces Hee had but three Points of Land to looke at in this troublesome sea and every one of them seemed rather to augment then to lessen the storme His Wife whose breath should have sweetned and eased his griefe was an impatient vexation His friends whose counsells and compassions should have beene an easie harbour and tender reliefe they became his bitter and censorious judges Yea his God who by his owne testimonie hee served and feared with singular uprightnesse and whose bowells are ever tender and compassionate to such and upon whose gracious acceptance hee thought to quiet and anchor his troubled spirit yet anon he seemed not onely a stranger but an enemie and this went deepe that even Mercie it selfe seemed cruell and
withereth and is fit for nothing but the Oven so it is with our lives Many expressions of the like nature might be added the Scripture is plentifull in these comparisons comparing our life to the Spiders webbe to a Weavers shuttle to the breath of a candle to a pilgrimage to a journey to the dayes of an hireling c. all of them things of a changeable and variable nature The second argument may be taken from the qualitie of our Natures and therein there are two things considerable both which imply a certaintie of death First our composition and matter whereof we are made wee are reared out of a mouldering and wasting principle our bodies are therefore stiled an earthly house 2 Cor. 5. 1. A house though of Iron will in time be cankered but a house of earth as it is most impotent against assaults so it is of its owne nature most apt and subject to dissolution And in this respect also they ar termed Tabernacles Now a Tabernacle you know is a thing of no perpetuitie made only to be soone set up and that in a mans passage and then asso one taken downe againe Secondly beside this there is in our nature sinne and corruption and this is it that doth put us to the sword and cause this deadly change this tares our lives with a continuall consumption The tree breedes the worme which will destroy the life of the tree wee in Adam gave leave to sinne and now it is that sin gives leave to death In the day that thou shalt eate thereof thou shalt surely dye Gen. 2. 17. and Rom. 5. 12. By one man sinne entered into the world and death by sinne and so death passed over all men in that all have sinned The shadow doth not so neerely attend the body of man as Death doth the body of sinne And Rom. 6. 23. the very wages of sinne is death God should doe that man wrong that hath hired out his soule all his dayes to sinne if he did not at night pay him with the wages of death The third Argument may be drawne from the certaintie of the Resurrection wee all beleeve the resurrection of our bodyes and and therefore wee must needes conclude a change of our bodyes for what is the Resurrection but life from death for the dead to heare the voyce of Christ and live What is it but a breathing in of the soule againe the lighting of the candle againe the body could never be raised if it were not first changed Thou foole saith Saint Paul 1 Cor. 15. that which thou sowest is not quickned except it dye The fourth Argument is from the infallibilitie of Gods decree it is appointed unto men once to dye and after death to come to judgement Heb. 9. 27. Thou mayest sooner expect that the course of the Heavens shall bee altered and the Center of the earth bee dislocated then that the purpose of God concerning mans mortalitie should bee reversed nay that may be for heaven and earth shall passe away but this shall never be not one jot of the word of God shall fall to the ground God hath purposed it and none shall disanull it nay he hath established his purpose with a word of confirmation Gen. 2. in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye As if hee should have said Doe not deceive thy selfe but build upon it I have spoken it and will not alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth as sure as thou livest if thou eatest thou shalt dye Thus you see the first assertion cleared unto you I will addresse my selfe now to the second of which briefly too and then make Application of them both together As there is a certaintie of our change so wee should alway waite till it doth come There are two things which I will here inquire of for the fuller illustration of this point First what this continuall wayting may import Secondly why there should be such a constant wayting for the day of our mortall change First this continuall wayting mainly imports two things one acertaine expectation of death for wayting is an act of Hope expecting something if wee doe hope for that wee see not then doe wee with patience waite for it saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 15. A man is then sayd to wayte for death when hee is looking for it at every turne as a Steward waites for his Master when hee continually expects his returne when upon every voice hee heares or upon every knocke at the doore hee saith oh my Master is come this is hee that knockes So a man is sayd to wayte for death when in every action of his life in every motion of his estate in every passage of his courses sayth well I must dye when though his bones are full of marrow yet I must dye when though riches come in like a flood yet I must dye when changes appeare upon himselfe or others yet I must dye I have no abiding here I am but a sojourner and a stranger as all my fathers were I must not enjoy my Wife for ever Children for ever Friends for ever Lands for ever these comforts for ever my life for ever it is but a lease which may soon expire I am but a steward and I must bee called to an account such a one is gone before and I must follow after the writ of habeas corpus hath seized on him and for ought I know the next may bee for mee so when death comes I am readie to answer it as Abraham did his Sonne Isaack here I am it comes not upon mee as a thiefe in the night when I am a sleep and thinke not of him but as Ionathans arrow to David who stayed in the field and expected when it should bee shot and then hee rose up and embraced him Yee Brethren sayth Paul in 1 Thes. 5. 4. are not in darknesse that that day should overtake you as a theife ye are all the children of the light therefore let us not sleepe as doe others but let us watch and bee sober This is the first thing that wayting imports Another thing it imports is a serious preparation for the day of our change for it is not a naked expectation of a change arising from the certainty of death but it is also a religious preparation improving the interim of time for the best advantage for a mans soule before the day of change doth come which is here implyed in wayting Solomon calls it a remembring Eccles. 12. 1. Remember thy Creatour in the dayes of thy youth whiles the evill dayes come not and the yeares draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them what is this remembring of the Creatour but a care to know him a feare to offend him a studie to obey him and when is that to bee done Now now remember there must bee a present acting of this Moses calls it a numbring of our dayes Psal. 90. 12. and
be presented before Gods severe Judgement-seat with Usurie in thy baggs with bribes and oppression in thy hands with a scumme of holinesse in thy mind with uncleannesse in thy members with drunkennesse in thy mouth with swearing in thy tongue O Lord I tremble to thinke of it Fourthly the soule when it is once gone by Death can never be recovered any more the tree may be cut and that may grow againe the shippe may be lost and the wealth laboured up againe but if the glasse be broken in peeces it cannot bee made whole againe the soule of man is but one and the losse of that one is the losse of it for ever when death hath closed up thy eyes thou shalt never have opportunitie to pray more to weepe more to humble thy selfe more to fast more Never any Prophet or Apostle shall come unto thee in the Name of God more after death all the Ordinances cease unto thee for ever and all the space of returning shall cease unto thee for ever thou shalt not lye a fewyeares in flames of wrath and then get leave to come out and take a better course O no if once there then for ever there this life is the time of mercy and space of repentance but when Death shall deliver thee up to be judged by the Lord thou must stand for ever to his sentence therefore as Christ spake Agree with thine adversary while thou art in the way lest the Iudge deliver thee to the officer and hee cast thee into prison I tell thee thou shalt not depart thence till thou hast paid the last mite Luk. 12. 58. And get oyle into your lampes before the doore be shut Fiftly consider it will be as much as thou canst doe to doe the worke of Death when Death doth come therefore prepare and get all thy other worke done before For my Beloved consider three things First Conscience usually is most active at the time of death a man that could withstand and silence it in his life yet when hee comes to dye he shall heare his voyce and perhaps not bee able to stand under the bitter inditements and manifold accusations of it then it will spread the booke of thy life before thee and then and there thou shalt see thy sinnes as gastly presented as if they were so many wounds newly made Secondly thy patience will bee tryed with varietie of paine interruption of sleepe every place will be a thorne to thee and every action a burden Thirdly thy faith may be tryed to the utmost if thou lookest to thy Wife her teares may trouble thee if to thy Children their cryes may perplexe thee ifto thy friends they may bee discomforters to thee and will Satan let thee alone all this while will he let him lye downe in comfort who would not scarce let him live an houre in peace oh what a victory would it be if hee could at the last make thee cast a way thy confidence it is true he cannotattaine it but he may desperately attempt it Why brethren who knoweth the power of those sharpe temptations which may then beset him Verily all the holinesse which we have attained already all the duties we have performed already we may then looke on them with teares and cry out O why no sooner why no better why no more then all the strength of thy faith will be little enough to support thee Will there then be a change befall even all the sonnes of men Then to make some Use and Application of what hath beene said to ourselves First build no Tabernacls here Wee have here no abiding Citie And brethren saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 7. 29 30 31. The time is short it remaines that they that have wives bee as if they had none and they that weepe as though they wept not and they that â—…oyce as though they rejoyced not c. Why this thirst for riches there will bee a change why this unwearied seeking after the things of this life as if thy soule were to goe into a barne or a bagge and there tumble it selfe for ever Thou foole this night may thy soule bee taken away and whose possessions shall then thy carefull and only gettings bee the glasse will be broken and all the wine will flye abroad though thou hast with much eagernesse grasped the world in this life â—…et in death thy hands must open themselves and let it goe thou must not hold the world above thy life nor thy life beyond the day of death no wee cannot alway have that which we desire wee must certainly part with what we most esteeme of Secondly what comfort is this to a good soule If wee had hope onely in this life saith Saint Paul wee of all men are most miserable 1 Cor. 15. Death is a happy change to a holy person First it is a change which shall put a period to all his changes in this life his outward condition how ofâ—… doth it change sometime by joy and sorrow sometime by comfort and miserie by health and sicknesse by abundance and want but when Death comes all sorrow shall flye away for ever thou shalt never bee more troubled with a sick body with a sad estate with common losses but the change of a temporall life shall set thee in a full and settled possession of an heavenly His inward condition how oft doth it change sometime free anon distressed now a sweet view of heaven anon darkned with feare now rejoycing in Christ anon buffeted with Sathan now blessing God for grace anon distracted with the insolent workings of remaining corruptions but when Death comes then comes a change of all this it will release thee for ever of sinne and Sathan after death sinne shall be a burden no more and Sathan shall be a tempter no longer but thou shalt be as happy as thou canst desire and shalt enjoy thy God and thy Christ without feare or trouble in glory in felicitie in eternity all the cruell insolences of tyrants shall come short of thy soule thou shalt be above their malice and beyond thy selfe Secondly it is a change and no worse then a change just as Ioseph changed his garments and went into Pharaoh so thou shalt put off thy body and goe into glory put off thy mortality and goe into immortalitie Oh whatterrour to wicked men a day of change will befall them Why didst thou say Oh David there is no bands in their death and they are not in changes like other men Verily I should have checked thee hadst thou not recanted it presently thy selfe Psal. 73. 4. 17. 18. 19. and reported it to us that they are set in slipperie places and are brought into desolation and cast down into destruction in a moment and utterly consumed with terrour Good Lord what a change is that to them they judged with insolent and unrighteous judgement the Children of God now but death will change this the unjust steward
shall be called to an account and he that beat his fellow servant shall bee eternally judged by a righteous God and their honour shall sincke in the dust neither shall their riches deliver them from wrath but they shall see him whom they have peirced and persecuted and shall not be able to escape his presence A dismall thing will this bee that a man shall have his honour die and the great God put disgrace upon him a dismall change indeed when a man shall see all his power changed into impotencie his pleasures into torment and wrath put upon his soule when God shall separate thee from his presence thou shalt not have a drop of ease nor any friend to assist thee nor any hope of comfort thou shalt bee stript of them all and in a moment shall a change of all this bee O considr this if there be any here that forget God least he teare you in peeces and there bee none to helpe remember and consider your latter end and applie your hearts to wisedome Last of all shall there be a change that shall befall every sonne of man then Oh that this people were wise as Moses sayth that they would remember their latter end all the dayes of our appointed time to waite till our change come What do you thinke of servants to whom you had committed servile employments till you came home and if when you come home they were absent and you found one in the street drunke another in a chamber with a strumpet how would you take this Brethren thinke upon it we are Gods servants or should bee two things are imposed upon us one to honour God another to save our owne soules if hee finde us doing the workes of the Divell and the flesh and finde us in the workes of the World how will hee take this Come saith God I have lent you a life thus many years I told you what you should be and what you should doe and what have you beene doing all this life what have your workes been what courses have you taken are these the fruits of your waies to have a life runne over with ignorance with prophanesse c. Alas when a man at that time shall have nothing to say but Lord I have lived in such a sin all my dayes I have fulfilled my owne desires thou hast set mee in this World and I have laboured to get a great estate all my dayes Another may say I have spent my time in drunken societie c. What will God say to these men are these the endings of thy life the fruits of thy opportunities where is the repentance I called for at thy hands where is that godly sorrow that I called for for the sins of thy life did not I send thee into the world for this end to get Grace to get Faith to make up thy accounts with mee thy God and hast thou no regard to it Well thou hast beene foolish inconsiderate for the time that is past yet now understand that a day of change will befall thee O let us be perswaded I beseech you bee perswaded to it in this our day to know the things that concerne our peace whilest it is called to day not to harden our hearts whilest it is called to day not to deferre our repentance thou art not assured of any more time then present Death may meet with thee as thou settest in thy seat as thou goest out of the Church doore and thou knowest thy heart hath beene wicked oh why wilt thou set thy eternall estate upon so small a point as it were the cast of a Die Remember what Daniel sayd to Nebuchadnezar let it have acceptance with thee breake off thy sinnes by repentance c. Seing we must dye and appeare before the judgement seate of God what manner of persons ought we to bee in all holinesse of life and conversation as soone as we are we begin to sinne and as soone as wee are wee begin to dye let us looke upon our account and bee faithfull to our soules perhaps thy accounts are yet to make oh bee sure to let it bee the first thing thou doest and give thy selfe no rest till thou hast done it and when thou hast done this labour to cleare it with the bloud of Christ labour by humble confession and hearty repentance to turne unto the Lord goe on in a holy course and then assuredly wee shall live with joy and dye with peace when wee can get grace in our soules sorrow for our sins newnesse in our natures reformation in our lives uprightnes in our waies faith in Christ a discharge from God peace of conscience oh what a happie day the day of death will bee to our Soules FINIS ἙΞΑΛΈΞΙΟΠHEXALEXIUM OR SIX CORDIALS TO STRENGTHEN THE HEART OF EVERY FAITHFVLL CHRISTIAN AGAINST THE TERROURS OF DEATH By DANIEL FEATLEY D. D. Chaplaine to his sacred Majestie Philip. 1. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ is to me life and death is to me advantage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Immortall descended into a single combate with Death and gave Death a deaths-wound by his death Greek Liturg. LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Nicolas Bourne 1639. ITER NOVISSIMUM OR MAN HIS LAST PROGRESSE A SERMON PREACHED At the Funerall of the Right Worshipfull Sir THOMAS THINNE Knight SERMON XLI ECCLES 12. 5. Man goeth to his long home and the Mourners goe about the streetes ALthough I might in the Kings King Solomons name command yet I will rather in the Preachers his other style humbly entreate your religious attention to the last Scene and Catastrophe of mans life consisting of two Acts and those very short 1 The dead his passe he goeth c. 2 The Mourners march they goe about c. Whereas the whole Scripture is a Volumne of divine Sermons and the Authour of every booke a Preacher and every Chapter a lesson and every verse and piece of a verse a Text. Gregorie Nysscen reasonably demands why this Book which treateth throughout of the vanity of the world and miserie of man is intituled The booke of the Preacher To passe by other answers rendred by him and others not so pertinent to our present purpose I conceive this title of the Preacher is in speciall set over this booke to intimate unto us that according to the Argument thereof there is no Doctrine so fit for all Preachers to teach and all hearers to learne as the vanitie of the creature and the emptinesse of all earthly delights and comforts And in very deed there is no meditation more serious then upon the vanitie of the world no consideration more seasonable then of the brevitie and uncertainty of time it selfe no knowledge more wholesome then of the diseases of the mind no contemplation more divine then of humane miserie and frailtie Which though we reade in the inscription of every stone see in the fall of every leafe here in the knole of every bell taste
in the garnishing and sauce of every dish smell in the stench of every dead corpses feele in the beating of every pulse yet we are not sensible of it wee will not take knowledge of it though we cannot be ignorant of it In which consideration the Wise man whose words are as goads and nailes vers 11. pricks us deepe with the remembrance hereof so deepe that hee drawes blood sanguinem animâ—… the blood of the soule as Saint Austin tearmeth our teares lachrymae sanguis animae For who can reade with drye eyes that tbose that looke out of the windowes shall bee darkened Who can heare without horrour that the keepers of the house shall tremble or consider without sorrow that the daughters of musicke shall be brought low or comment without deepe fetched sighes upon mans going to his long home and the mourners going about the streetes to wash them with teares and sweepe them with Rosemarie Origen after he had chosen rather facere periculosè quam perpeti turpitèr to burne Incense to the Heathen gods then to suffer his body to be defiled by a Blackamore and the flower of his chastitic which he had so long time preserved to be some way blasted at a Church in Ierusalem goeth into the Pulpit openeth the Bible at all adventures intending to preach upon that Text which he should first light upon but falling upon that verse in Psal. 50. But to the wicked saith God what hast thou to doe to declare my statutes or that thou shouldest take my covenants in thy mouth which contained his suspension shutteth his booke speaketh not a word more but comments upon it with his teares so me thinkes having read this Text in which I find all our capitall doomes written I cannot doe better then follow that Fathers prefident and shut up not only my booke but my mouth also and seale up my lippes and comment upon the coherence with distraction the parts with passion the notes with sighes the periods with groanes and the words with teares for alas as soone as a man commeth into his short booth in this world which he saluteth with teares he goeth to his long home in the next And the mourners goe about the streetes It is lamentable to heare the poore infant which cannot speake yet to boad his owne misery and to prophecie of his future condition and what are the contents of his Prophecie but lamentations mournings and woes Saint Cyprian accords with Saint Austin in his dolefull note Vitae mortalis anxietates dolores procellas mundi quas ingreditur in exordio statim suo ploratu vel gemitu rudes animae testatur Little children newly borne take in their first breath with a sigh and come crying into the world assoone as they open their eyes they shed teares to helpe fill up the Vale of teares into which they were then brought and shall bee after a short time carried out with a streame of them running from the eyes of all their friends And if the Prologue and Epilogue bee no better what shall wee judge of the Scenes and Acts of the life of man they yeeld so deepe springs of teares and such store of arguments against our aboad in this world that many reading them in the bookes of Hegesias the Platonicke presently brake the prison of their body and leaped out of the world into the grave others concluded with Silenus Optimum non nasci proximum quam primum mori That it was simply best never to be borne the next to it to die out of hand and give the world our salve and take our vale at once How-be-it though this might passe for a sage Essay and a strong line amongst Philosophers yet wee Christians who know that this present life to all that live godly in Christ Iesus how full of troubles cares and persecutions so ever it bee is but a sad and short Preface to endlesse Volumnes of joy an Eves fast on earth to an everlasting feast in Heaven ought thus to correct the former Apophthegme Optimum renasci proximum quam primùm mori That it is best to be new borne and then if it so please God after our new birth to bee translated with all speed into the new Heaven But soft we cannot take our degrees in Christs schoole per saltem we must keepe our Termes and performe our exercises both of faith obedience and patience wee must not looke from the Font to be presently put into the rivers of pleasures springing at Gods right hand for evermore Wee must take a toylesome journey and in it often drinke of the waters of Marahâ—… Wee must suffer with Christ before wee reigne with him Wee must taste of the bitter cup of his Passion before wee drinke new Wine with him in his Kingdome wee must sowe in teares here that wee may reape in joy hereafter Every man goeth though some set out sooner some later and shall arive at his home but let him looke to his way as the way is he taketh so shall the home be into which he is received if he take the way on the right hand and keepe within the pathes of Gods commandements his home shall be the New Ierusalem descending from God most gloriously shining with streetes of gold gates of pearle and foundations of precious stones where all teares shall be wiped from his eyes but if he take the broad way on the left hand and follow it his home shall be a dungeon or vault in Hell where he shall be eternally both mourner and Corps But to shoot somewhat nearer to the marke Marriages and Funeralls though most different actions and of a seeming contrary nature yet are set forth and as it were apparelled with parallell rites and ceremonies our raiments are changed in both because in both our estate is changed Bells are rung flowers are strowed and feasts kept in both and anciently both were celebrated in the night by Torch-light Hee that hath but halfe an eye may see in the Ritualls of the Ancients the blazing and sparkling as well of the funeriall as the nuptiall lights and no marvaile the shadowes meete when the substances concurre the pictures resemble one the other when the faces match the accessaries are corresponding where the principalls are sutable as here they are for in marriage single life dyeth and in death the soule is married to Christ The couple to bee married in ancienter times first met and after an enterview and liking of each other and a contract signed betweene them presently departed the Bride to her Mother the Bridegroome to his Fathers house till the wedding day on which the Bridegroome late in the night was brought to his Spouse and then hee tooke her and inseparably linked him selfe unto her Here the couple to bee married in man are the bodie and the soule at our birth the contract is made but after a short enterview and small abode together the parties are parted and the bodie the Bride
teste dolet Her portion of sorrow like Benjamins is five times more then any others whose losse of a Husband and such a Husband is invaluable Secondly the qualitie of the Mourners is not slightly to be passed by debetur iis religiosa mora for not only great store of the Gentrie and Commons but some also of the Nobilitie the chiefe Officers of the Crowne and Peeres of the Realme not Religion only and learning but Honour and Justice also hath put on Blackes for him thereby testifying to all men their joynt-respect to him and misse of him And if any prompted by Iudas shall object against this Solemnitie and prolixe ceremonie ut quid perditio ista To what serves this waste might not the money have been better expended in charitable almes to the reliefe of very many poore I answer in the words of our Saviour Haec oportet facere illa non omittere Those workes of charitie they spake of ought to be done and these of decent Rites and ceremonies not to be left undone the rule of the Apostle Let all things be done decently and in order is a warrant as well for the due Exequies of the dead as Obsequies of the living if all things must be done decently and in order in the State and Common-wealth much more in the Church whose embleme is Acies ordinata an Armie marshalled in excellent order with Banners displayed and if all things in the Church must bee so carried then Funeralls as well as Nuptialls Burials as well as Christnings and if so then ought they to bee celebrated not after the preposterous manner of some in the night as workes of darknesse but in the day as works of Pietie in honour of them who have received the inheritance of Saints in light not penuriously and basely but nobly and liberally where the quality of the dead requireth it and the estate will beare it Howbeit I confesse that as Magnificence is alwayes a vertue so prodigalitie is a vice and one of those master-vices which hath gotten a great head in this Kingdome and a Garland upon it Yet to doe the dead right though luxurie bee guiltie of the death of many yet the dead are no way guiltie of this superfluirie they neither order it nor are sensible of it neither is the prodigalitie under the weightie burden whereof the Land groaneth so much seene in blacke clothes as in Silkes and Velvets cloth of Gold and Tissue not in Jeat as in Pearle and precious stones not in building Marble Sepulchres for the dead as Marble houses for the living not in armorie as in luxurie not in pendants as in attendants not in Funeralls as in Nuptials Maskes and Pageants Court entertainments and Citie feasts at which if Vitellius or Apicius were bidden they would condemne themselves for too much frugalitie What Seneca spake of time solius temporis prodigi sumus cujus unius honesta est avaritia wee are lavish of our time of which covetousnesse is onely commendable we may invert and with truth confesse we are frugall for the most part in those things I meane the service of the living God and offices of pietie to the dead wherein not only bounty but magnificence also is most commendable If any bee otherwayes minded and repine and grudge at this last honour to the dead and comfort to the living I shall use no other reproofe of him at this present then a like to that of Constantine recorded in Eusebius Goe to Acesias who art so precise and holdest none worthy to keepe pace with thee fac scalam ascende solus in coelum Make a ladder and climbe up alone upon it to heaven so let these men make them a Bere like the new-found Chariots in the Low-countreyes that runne of themselves without a driver and let them be carried alone in it to their long home Let no Mourners follow them nor eye pittie them or shed teare for them Nec enim lex justior ulla est But let them who have lived in credit die in honour let them who in their life time did many good offices to the dead after they are dead receive the like offices from the living Out of which number envie it selfe cannot exempt our deceased brother Of whose naturall parts perfected by Art and learning and his Morrall much improved by grace I shall say nothing by way of amplification but this that nothing can bee sayd of them by way of amplification All rheâ—…oricall exaggeration will prove a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diminution of them In summe he was a most provident housholder loving Husband indulgent Father kinde Landlord and liberall Patron So kinde a Landlord that when his Tennants were behinde with him hee was so farre from suing them or putting them to trouble to extort his due from them that instead of receiving from them hee lent great summes unto them by the good employment whereof they were enabled to recover themselves and pay him So liberall a Patron hee was that hee not onely freely bestowed all the Benefices that fell in his gift but was also at all the charge of institution induction composition first-fruits and whatsoever burthen fell upon the Incumbent Such patterns of Patrons wee may rather wish then hope for after him what shall I need to adde more concerning him whose birth was illustrious his education liberall his Patromonie great his Matches sutable his life exemplarie and his death coÌ„fortable Single vertues wee meet with in many but such combinations as were in him such affabilitie in such gravitie such humilitie in such eminencie such patience in such tryalls such temperance and moderation in such abundance as we have just cause to blesse God for in him so we have great cause to pray for in others of his Ranke In his tender yeares hee was set as a choyce Plant in the famous Nurserie of good learning and Religion the Universitie of Oxford where living as a Commoner in Corpus Christi Colledge under the care and tuition of Doctor Sebastian Wenfield hee very much thrived and grew above his equalls both in grace and in knowledge gaining to himselfe as much love as learning After hee was removed from thence hee fell into very great troubles as well before as after the death of his Father but the Lord delivered him out of all These crosses and afflictions served but as Files to brighten those gifts and graces in him which shined afterwards most brightly in his moresetled estate and eminent employments being chosen Deputie Lievetenant in Wiltshire Commissioner in three Shires Foure times High-Sheriffe and often knight for the Shire in Parliament in all which places of important negotiations and great trust hee so carried himselfe that all men might see in all his actions hee had a speciall eye to the Motto in his Escouchion Ieay bonne cause for with Mary hee alwayes chose the good part and stood up for the truth which hee confirmed with his last breath You have heard what
hee was in publicke but what was hee in private wee have seene him in the Sunne how demeaned hee himselfe in the shade True Religion is like the precious stone Garamantites which casteth no great lustre outwardly but semper intus habeat aurâ—…as gâ—…ttus but wee may discerne as it were golden drops within Three of these after I have presented to your view I will then set free your patience and give your sorrow full scope to vent it selfe in teares The first of these was tendernes of conscience which is one of the most infallible tokens and markes of the Child of God so tender was hee that he would undertake no businesse before hee was fully perswaded of the lawfulnesse thereof both by cleare texts of Scripture and the approbation of most learned and conscientious Divines hee made scruple not onely of committing the least knowne sinne but of imbarking into any action which was questionable among those that love the truth in sinceritie And therefore although God blessed him with great wealth and store of coyne yet hee never put it to Usurie or Interest thereby to increase it for he held the tolleration of the Law in this Kingdome to bee no sufficient warrant for any violation of the divine Law the distinctions lately coyned of toothlesse and biting Usurie hee no way allowed judging truly that all Usurie according to the Hebrew Etymologie is biting and hath not onely teeth but Adders teeth envenomed for all Usurie if it biâ—…e not our Brother as per accidens sometimes it may not yet it biâ—…eth the conscience of all such who have any remorse of sinne The second aurea gutta was Christian compassion whereby he tooke to heart the afflictions of Ioseph and miserie of Lazarus whose sores hee cured with the most precious balsamum hee could buy for his money What Plinie writeth lib. â—…2 c. 8. Attalus usus est Thynni recentiores adipe ad ulâ—…era on the Fish in Latine Thynnus that it is a soveraign remedie against many diseases and cureth all kinde of ulcers was truly verified in him for hee furnished himselfe with the best cordialls and the rarest medicinall receipts and when hee heard of any poore sicke or hurt hee not onely sent them money but Bezar and balsamum thinking nothing could cost him too deare whereby he might save the life or recover the health of the poorest member of Christ Jesus In the yeares of dearth and sicknesse he sent provision to all the Parishes about him and thrice a weeke relieved a hundred atleast at his gate neither did his compassion dye with him for in his Will and Testament confirmed by him the day before his death hee bequeathed divers Legacies to the poore whereof these following came to my notice To Saint Margarets in Westminster 10. pound To Kempsford 60. pound To Cosley 60. pound To Froome and the Woodlands 100. pound To Warmester 100. pound To Deverill and Mounten 100. pound The last aurea gutta which I shall present to your view at this time was his fervencie of zeale for the truth of the Gospell in all the Benefices which hee bestowed hee tooke speciall care to make choice of men sound in the Faith no way warping either to Popish superstition or 〈◊〉 seperation as he made greatest accompt of those Ministers of the Gospell who were serveâ—… iâ—… spirit zealous for the truth so hee hated none more then 〈◊〉 and luke-warme Laodicaâ—… he â—…eldome spake of any Romanist without expressing a great deteâ—…tation of their idolatrie and superstition the night before he changed this life for a better after an humble confeâ—…ion of his sinnes ingenerall and a particular 〈◊〉 of the Articles of his beliefe in which hee had lived and now was resolved to die he added I renounce all Popish superstition all mans merits trusting only upon the merits of the Death and passion of my Saviour and whosoever trusteth on any other shall finde when hee is dying if not before that hee leaneth upon broken reedes Here after the benediction of his Wife and Children being required by me to ease his mind and declare if any thing lay heavie upon his conscience he answered nothing he thanked God yet like an obedient child of his Mother the Church of England both heartily desired and received her absolution and now professing that hee was most willing to leave the world he besought all to pray for him and himselfe prayed most â—…ervenely that God would enable him patiently to abide his good will and pleasure and to goe through this last and greatest worke of faith and patience and the pangs of Death â—…oone after comming upon him he fixed his eyes on Heaven from whence came his helpe and to the last gaspe lifted up his hand as it were to lay hold on that Crowne of righteousnesse which Christ reacheth out to all his children who hold out the good fight of Faith to the end and conquer in the end Which crowne of righteousnesse the Lord who hath purchased with his blood after we have finished likewise our courses of his infinite bountie bestow upon us all Cui c. FINIS TEMPVS PVTATIONIS OR THE RIPE ALMOND GATHERED A SERMON APPOINTED to be Preached at the Funeralls of the Right Honourable the Earle of EXETER in the Abbie Church at Westminster SERMON XLII GEN. 15. 15. And thou shalt goe to thy Fathers in peace thou shalt bee buried in a good old Age. IT was the manner of the Egyptians and Greekes to embalme the dead bodies of great Personages and anoynt them all over with Honey which kept them a long time from corrupting and putrifying in their Sepulchres Thus the Macedonians preserved the Corpes of Alexander as some Historians report above a hundred yeares from rotting in his Coffine But Gemistus Phleton being to performe a like Rite to Agesâ—…laus for want of Honey layd his Corpes in Waxe made of Honey-combes I am sorâ—…e I am at this time to give the Motto to this Embleme A Person of qualitie a Person of wealth a Person of noble birth a Person of Honour a Person of fame and renowne whose soule is alreadie bound up in the bundle of life is now to hee brought with Honour to his long home and though not his Bodie yet his name to bee embalmed and preserved as it were in honey in the sweet Commemoration of his Vertues and the first Standard-bearer of Religion under his Majestie and the great Master of these sacred Rites and Ceremonies was designed to doe this office and hee richly provided for it of whom I may truely say as Homer of Nestor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cujus ex ore melle dulcior fluebâ—…t oratio But siâ—…h it hath pleased the Divine Providence whose footsteps are not knowne to take away for a time the use of his feete who should at this time have stood on this holy Mount Bounden dutie and service hath layd upon mee Genistus Phletons taske and I am constrained as hee was in-apia
mellis cera mortuum circùm linere to use Waxe for want of Honey and vulgar oyle in stead of precious balme my best Apology is that I prayed heartily with Moses that God would send the message I am to deliver by him by whom hee should send But hee will make choice of his owne instrumenâ—…s and sometimes of set purpose hee will make use of the weake and ignoble the more to shew his power through the infirmitie and glorie through the ignoblenesse of the meanes The Walls of Iericho shall fall with a noyse onely and this noyse shall not bee the shrill and sweet sound of silver Trumpets but the harsh and hollow sound of Rams hornes and even from this disappointing of the chiefe Actour in this mournfull Scene and taking a Novice in his roome you may gather this flower as it were by the way and strew it with others upon the Hearse that wee cannot resolve or certainly build upon any thing in this World we are sure of nothing not so much as of the Tombe wee shall bee layd in not of our winding-sheet not of our grave-clothes not of our Mourners not of our Preacher Wee are not sure of our Tombe-stone for when Ioseph of Arimathea hewed out a Tombe-stone out of the Rocke hee intended it for himselfe yet was hee not layd there but our Saviour in it We are not sure of our grave cloathes and winding-sheet for Heliogobalus the Emperour provided himselfe of rich furniture in this kinde and moreover in case he should come to a violent end or be forced to make away himselfe hee kept by him golden fetters and silken ropes and made a Bath of Rose-water to drowne himselfe in yet none of all these were made use of at his miserable death an dignominious burial in a laystall Nay a man is not sure that his sâ—…nne shall cover his flesh for Zisca his skin was plucked off after his death and a Drumme made of it Lastly a man is not sure of his Bearers or Mourners nor the Preacher who shall make his Funerall Sermon as you learne to your costs this day For that excessive speech of Saint Ierome abasing himselfe in comparison of Roffinus will prove defective in expressing the difference betweene him whom you heare and whom you should heare I shall thinke my selfe happie if I can but tread in any of his steps or imprint but one of his notes in your heart Which that I may doe the better I have borrowed his characters I meane the words of that Text which he chose as best befitting this occasion wherein we see that performed to one of the sonnes of Abraham which was long agoe promised to the Father of the faithfull that he should goe to his Fathers in peace and bee buried in a good old age The hand of a dead man stroaking the part cures the Tympanie and certainly the consideration of death is a present meanes to cure the swelling of pride in any for in this lâ—…fe many things make oddes betweene men and women as birth education wealth alliance and honour but Death makes all even respice sepulchra saith Saint Austin Survey mens graves and tell mee then who is beautifull and who is deformed all there have hollow eyes flat noses and gastly lookes Nireus and Thersites cannot bee there distinguished tell mee who is rich and who is poore all there weare the same weede their winding-sheete Tell mee who is noble and who base and ignoble the wormes claime kindred of all tell mee who is well housed and who ill all there are bestowed in darke and dankish roomes under ground If this will not satisfie you take a sive and sift the dust and ashes of all men and shew me which is which I grant there is some difference in dust there is powder of Diamonds there is gold dust and brasse pinne-dust and saw-dust and common dust the powder of Diamonds resembles the remaines of Princes gold dust the remaines of Noble-men pinne-dust the remaines of the Tradesman saw-dust the remaines of the day-labourer and common dust the remaines of the vulgar which have no qualitie or profession to distinguish them yet all is but dust At a game of Chesse wee see Kings and Queenes and Bishops and Knights upon the board and they have their severall walkes and contest one with the other in points of State and honour but when the game is done all together with the Pawnes are shuffled in one bagge in like manner in this life men appeare in different garbes and take divers courses some are Kings some are Officers some Bishops some Knights some of other rankes and orders But when this life like a game is done which is sometimes sooner sometimes later all are shuffled together with the many or vulgar sort of people and lye in darknesse and obscuritie till the last man is borne upon the earth but after that Erunt ipsis quoque fata sepulchres the Grave which hath swallowed up all the sonnes of Adam shall be swallowed up it selfe into victorie Till then wee shall all goe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in our severall ranke and order take our last walke the way of all flesh and it is happy if wee goe it as Abraham did here in peace and a speciall blessing if we be gathered as hee was to his Fathers in the Autmne of a good old age In which words we have two Acts of a Tragedie the former acted upon his stage thou shalt goe to thy fathers the latter under the scaffold and bee buried in a good old age None die better then they who have life in their hope and none live better then they who have death in their mind and thought especially if it be in the time of their health and bloome of their beautie and pride of their youth and top of their earthly happinesse For this cause Ioseph of Arimathea is supposed by many to have set his Sepulchre in his Garden as it were to sawce his sweetest pleasures with the sad thoughts of his Funerall and Iohn surnamed the Almoner began his Sepulchre on the day he was Confecrated Patriarke of Alexandria and it was the manner of the ancient Emperours at their Coronation feast to have severall sorts of Marble shewed them to the end that they might choose one of them for their Tombe-stone and agreeable hereunto the interlinearie glosse yeeldeth a reason why God commanded that the oyle where with the Kings were annoynted should bee compounded with Cinonion and other spices quod sit cinericii coloris because it is of the colour of Ashes or rather such mold as is digged out of Graves to put them in mind that very day in which they were made gods upon earth that they should die like men In which regard wee have great cause to blesse the providence of our heavenly Father who in the midst of our Mariage feasts and many occasions of mirth and joy presents us with such sad spectacles as
of a hireling The Almond tree groweth not upon the head of any without dew from heaven here it grew and bloomed in a seasonable time If life be a blessing long life is a greater blessing especially if it be crowned with a happy death for the last Act maketh our life a Comedie or a Tragedie and as the evening proves the day so a mans estate at his death and after over-rules the verdict of his life Dicique beatus Ante obitum nemo supremaque funera debet and so I fall into the road of my Text and begin to treate of the peaceable end of those who die in the faith and lie in the bosome of Abraham Goe to thy fathers in peace There is a great difference about the interpretation of this phrase Ibis ad patres and the reason of the difference is the difficultie which insueth upon every interpretation For if we referre these words to the body of Abraham and the buriall thereof in the Sepulchres of his Fathers this Exposition complieth not with the truth of the storie for none but Sarah lay in this cave Abrahams Fathers were else-where bestowed If we referre them to the soule of Abraham and illustrate them with this glosse Thou shalt goe in thy soule to the glerious troupe of thy Ancestours a question then will grow what that place is whether his Fathers went before him is it Heaven but some of Abrahams Fathers were Idolatours and we have no warrant to place any Idolatour there Is it Hell thither no man goes in peace neither did ever yet any Jew or Christian so rubbe his forehead or rather arme it with brasse as to affirme that the soule of Abraham in whom all generations of the earth were blessed was in Hell shall wee then send him to the Rabbins Limbus or the Popish Purgatorie or the auncient Fathers occulta receptacula hidden receptacles or unknowne places wherein Tertullian conceiveth that the soules of the faithfull departed resemble those among the Romans who stood for offices and the day of the election while the voyces were in calculation expected in a white gowne whether they were chosen or not Saint Austine also is very expresse for these hidden Cells from the death of a man till the last resurrection the soules are bestowed in hidden receptacles as every soule is worthy either rest or paine To dispell this mist which hath caused many to misse their way first by the light of the Scripture I will cleare the Point in question and then interpret the phrase First then for the soules of the faithfulls flight after shee is free from this clog of flesh I answer that it is straight to Heaven to the assembly of the first borne there and the spirits of just men made perfect for of Enoch who was translated that he might walke with God and of Elias who was carried up into Heaven in a fierie Chariot there is little doubt can bee made and lesse of Abraham to whose bosome in Heaven Lazarus was carried and least of all on the Theife to whom Christ promised on the Crosse this day thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise Why should Saint Paul so earnestly desire to bee dissolved and to bee with Christ if after his dissolution till the day of judgement hee should not come neare him nor see his face Why should all godly Christians bee so willing to bee absent from the bodie that they might bee present with the Lord if after they were absent from the bodie they should not come into the Lords presence who dare question that which the Apostle so expresly and so confidently delivers wee know that if the house of our earthly tabernacle bee dissolved wee have an eternall in the Heavens As for the phrase thou shalt go to thy Fathers it is but an elegant circumlocution of the period of our life a quaver upon the close thereof for the meaning is thou shalt dye or go the way of all flesh Quo pius â—…neas quo dives Tullus Ancus whether all thy Fathers went before thee good and bad rich and poore for Deaths sickle like the Italian Captaines sword which could not distinguish betweene a Guelf and Gibelive slaies all and makes a prey of all The righteous soule must for a time be divorced from the body as well as the foule of the wicked and in the graves the Wormes claime kindred of the elect as well as of the reprobate the consideration whereof put the Preacher into a passion how doth the righteous man dye as well as the wicked as it is said of Abraham that hee is gathered to his Fathers so it is sayd also of Ishmael and may bee of the wickedest man that breathes And herein the language of Canaan and the language of Ashdod doe not much differ for what the Romans meane by that their phrase abijt ad plures hee is gone to the many The Hebrewes in a sanctified phrase expresse by abijt ad patres hee is gone to his Fathers or gathered to his people where of some interpreters give this acute reason It cannot bee sayd of us here whilest wee live that wee are gathered to our owne people in a spirituall sense because here good and bad are gathered together Elect and Reprobate so journe together all are as it were joynt Comminers upon the earth the Citie of God and the Citie of the World sayle in the same shippe to the Haven of death The Draw-net of the Gospell catcheth sweet and stinking fish in Gods field Tares grow with Wheat in his floare there is much Chaffe with good graine But after death God taketh his Fanne in his hand and purgeth his Floare After wee depart hence God placeth and sorteth his Children by themselves and the Children of the World and the wicked are by themselves and so every man is exactly gathered to his owne people every starre is set in his owne constellation every graine is put in his owne heape every person and family is joyned to his owne tribe wee all passe by the same gate of death but presently after wee are out of it some take the right hand and are ranked with sheepe others the left hand and are ranked among his goates We are all like Plate worne out of fashion and wee must all bee altered and therefore of necessitie must bee melted that is dissolved by death but after wee have runne in the fire of the judgement of God of that which was pure mettall God will make Vessells of honour but of the drossie and alcumie stuffe that is the prophane or impure person or hypocrite vessells of dishonour and these shall shine like the sunne in the Firmament those shall gloe like coales in the fire of hell for ever more By this it should seeme may some object that the righteous have no prerogative in death above the wicked but onely after death and consequently that God promised Abraham no blessing in these words thou shalt goe to thy fathers it
had beene rather a singular favour to have kept him out of the common tracke with Enoch and have translated him that hee might not see death this objection is answered in the next words In peace it is no speciall blessing or favour to bring us to our fathers by death for statutum est omnibus hominibus semel mori the Statute provideth sufficiently to send us to the place where wee were borne but to send us thither in peace is a singular favour which God vouchsafeth his deare Children especially in such a peace as Abraham went in wherein a three-fold peace concurred 1 Peace of estaâ—… 2 Peace of bodie 3 Peace of conscience First thou shalt goe to thy fathers in peace that is in a peaceable time or the dayes of peace the stormes I foreshewed thee hanging over thy Posteritie shall not fall in thy time but thou shalt dye in a blessed calme thy house being set in order and thy friends about thee thy children shall close thine eyes and they whom thou broughtest into the World shall carry thee with honour out of the World Secondly thou shalt goe to thy fathers in peace that is thou shalt have an easie and a quiet passe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there shall bee no great strugling at thy departure but a kinde parting of soule and bodie thy soule shall earnestly desire to returne to the Father of spirits and though thy bodie shall contend in courtesie to stay it a while yet it shall without much adoe yeeld thou shalt like a ripe Apple fall from the Tree without plucking or a violent blast of Winde thou shalt goe out of thy selfe as a golden Taper when the waxe is spent and thou shalt leave a sweet smell a good name like a precious perfume after thee Thirdly thou shalt goe to thy fathers in peace that is in peace of conscience and peace with God which passeth all understanding thou shalt have no trouble in thy minde at the houre of death no terrours of conscience no fearefull conflict with despaire no dangerous assault of Sathan no flashes of hell fire all thy sinnes shall bee blowne away like a cloud and the beames of Gods countenance shall shine brightly upon thee and dry up all thy teares non sic impij non sic it shall not bee so with the wicked it shall not bee so with them for there is no peace to the wicked sayth my God neither in life nor death but as a ruffe sea is ruffest of all and most foaming and raging of all at the shore so the life of a wicked man is alwaies unquiet but most troublesome at all neare the end If hee die not in some garboyle as Sylla or in the act of uncleannes with Iohn the Twelfe or voyding his entralls with Arrius or rending his bowells with Iulian or falling upon his own sword with Nero or rayling and raging with Latomus if hee bee not punished in bodie with some violent â—…it of sicknesse or unsufferable pang of torment yet hee goeth not to his fathers in peace for there is sent a hue and cry after him to apprehend him and lay him in chaines of darknesse till the generall Assises at the dreadfull day of Doome when hee shall not bee â—…ound of God in peace but in wrath and reading in the looke of the â—…udge of quick and dead his dreadfull sentence hee shall cry to the hills to fall upon him and to the mountaines to cover him from the presence of God and wrath of the Lambe And thou shalt bee buried in a good old age Although the heathen Philosophers 〈◊〉 little accompt of of Buriall as appeared by that speech of Theodorus to the Tyrant who thretned to hang him I little passe by it whether my carkasse putrifie above the earth or on it and the Poet seemes to bee of his minde whose strong line it was Câ—…lo 〈◊〉 qui â—…on habet 〈◊〉 which was Pompeys case and had like to have beene Alexanderâ—… and William the Conquerours Yet all Christians who conceive more divinely on the soule deale more humanly with the bodie which they acknowledge to bee membrum Christi and Templum Dei amember of Christ and Temple of God If charitie commands thee to cover the naked sayth Saint Ambrose how much more to burie the dead when a friend is taking a long journey it is civilitie for his friends to bring him on part of the way when our friends are departed and now going to their grave they are taking their last journey from which they shall never returne till time shall be no more and can wee doe lesse then by accompaning the Corpes to the grave bring them as it were part on their way and shed some few teares for them whom wee shall see no more with mortall eyes The Prophet calleth the grave Miscabin a sleeping chamber or resting place and when wee read Scriptures to them that are departing and give them godly instructions to dye wee light them as it were to their bed and when wee send a deserved testimonie after them wee perfume the roome Indeed if our bodies which like garments wee cast off at our death were never to bee worne againe wee need little care where they were throwne or what became of them but seeing they must serve us againe their fashion being onely altered it is fit wee carefully lay them up in deaths Wardrobe the grave though a man after hee have lost the jewell doth lesse set by the casket yet hee who loves much and highly esteemeth of the soule of his friend as Alexander did of Homer cannot but make some reckoning of the Deske or Cabinet in which it alwaies lay wee have a care of placing the picture of our friend and should wee not much more of bestowing his bodie If buriall were nothing to the dead God would never have threatned Coniah that hee should have the buriall of an Asse nor the Psalmist so quavered upon this dolefull note dederunt cadaver servorum tuorum coeli volucribus O God the heathen are come into thine inheritance thy holy Temple have they defiled and made Ierusalem an heape of stones the dead bodies of thy servants have they given to the fowles of Heaven But thou shalt bee buried in a good old age Procopius observeth it in Miriam Aaron and Moses that as they exceeded one the other in holinesse so in dayes for Aaron out lived Miriam and Moses Aaron long life is a crowne when it is found in the wayes of righteousnesse cum senectute bona and albeit it is almost the burthen of every mans song that age is a burthen and a perpetuall disease or rather a continuall tract of diseases and a sequence of maladies yet none for ought I see goeth about to lay downe this burthen or to bee cured of this disease even they who most eloquently declaime upon the vanitie and exclaime against the miseries of this life and wish a thousand times that
an Icon or lively expression to the eye sicut galina congregat pullos suos As the hen gathereth her chickens under her wings Where are now our Anabaptists and plaine pack-staffe methodists who esteeme of all flowers of Rhetoricke in Sermons no better then stinking weedes and of all elegancies of speech then of prophane spells For against their wills at unawares they censure the holy Oracles of God in the first place which excell all other writings as well in eloquence as in Science doubtlesse as the breath of a man hath more force in a Trunke and the winde a lowder and sweeter sound in the Organ-pipe then in the open ayre so the matter of our speech and the theame of our discourse which is conveyed through figures and formes of Art both sound sweeter to the eare and pierce deeper into the heart there is in them plus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more evidence and more efficacie they make a fuller expression and take a deeper impression Secondly where are our prophane Criticks who delight in the flesh-pots of Egypt and loath Manna admire carnall eloquence in Poets and heathen Oratours and taske the Scriptures for rude simplicitie and want of all Art and eloquence It is true the Scripture is written in a style peculiar to it selfe the elocution in it is such as Lactantius observeth that it befitteth no other bookes as neither doth that wee find in other bookes befit it As the matter in Scripture so the forme is divine nec vox hominum sonat which consisteth not in the words of mans wisedome but in the evidence of the Spirit Yet is there admirable eloquence in it and farre surpassing which we find in all other writings Wherefore Politian the Grammarian who pretended he durst not touch any leafe in the Bible for feare of defiling the puritie of his language or slurring the glosse of his style is condemned as well by learned humanists as Divines And Theopompus who went about to cloath Gods word with gay and trimme phrases of heathen Oratours and Poets was punished by God with losse of his wits Thus have we viewed the forme let us now have an eye to the matter our Lords conquest over Death and the Grave There are two things most dreadfull to the nature of man Death and the Grave the one severeth the soule the other consumeth the body and resolveth it inâ—… dust the valiantest conquerours that with their bloody flags and colours have strucke a terrour unto all Nations yet have beene affrighted themselves at the displaying of the pale and wan colours of Death the most retired Philosophers and Monkes who have lived in Cells and Caves under the ground yet have beene startled at the sight of their Grave How much then are wee indebted to our Christian faith that not only overcommeth the world but also conquereth the feare of Death and the grave and dareth both in the words of my Text O death sting mee if thou canst O grave conquer mee if thou bee able O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victorie In which words the Apostle like a Cryer calleth Death and the Grave into the Court and examineth them upon two Articles first concerning the sting of the one secondly concerning the victorie of the other Will it please you then to fixe the eye of your observation upon the parts of this Text as they are layd before you in termes of Law 1 A Citation 2 An Examination In the Citation upon 1 the manner of it 2 the parties cited 1 Death 2 Grave In the Examination 1 Upon the first Interrogatorie put to Death touching the ledging of his sting 2 Upon the second Interrogatorie put to the Grave touching the field of his victorie First for the manner of Citing it is by an Apostrophe a figure often accurring in holy Scripture as in the booke of Kings O Altar Altar O ye mountaines of Gilboa and of the Psalmes lift up ye gates and bee ye lift up you everlasting doores and of the Canticles Arise O North and blow O South and in the Prophets O earth earth earth In imitation of which strings of rhetoricke the Auncient Fathers in their funerall Orations many times turned to the dead and used such compellations as these audâ—… Constaâ—… 〈◊〉 Paula heare O 〈◊〉 farewell O Paula From which passages our adversaries very weakely if not ridiculously inferres the invocation of Saints departed making weapons of plumes of leathers and arguments of ornaments and which is farre worse Divinitie of rhetoricke and articles of faith of tropes of sentences By a like consequence they might conclude that hills and trees and the earth and gates and death and hell have eyes to looke upon us or eares to heare us or that we ought to invocate them because the Holy Ghost maketh such Apostrophes to them as the Fathers doe to the soules of Saints newly departed out of their bodies Secondly for the parties here cited and called in their order first Death and then the Grave Death goes before the Grave because men dye before they are buried and the Grave is properly no Grave till it bee possessed by a dead bodie before it is but a hole or pit O Death In Hebrew Maveth from Muth whence mutus in Latine is derived and mute in English because Death bereaveth us of speech and for a like reason the Grave is tearmed Domus silentii a house of silence In Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 snpple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either from a word signifying to stretch because death stretcheth out the bodie or from words signifying to tend upwards because by death the soule is carried upwards returning to God that gave it In Latine Mors either quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our fatall portion or as Saint Austine will have it a morsu because the biting of the Serpent caused it The letter or word is but like the barke or rinde the sense is the juyce yet here wee may sucke some sweetnesse from the barke or rinde From the hebrew Muth we learne that our tongues must bee bound to their good behaviour concerning the dead we must not make them our ordinarie table talke or breake jeasts upon them much lesse vent our spleene or wreake our malice on them wee must never speake of them but in a serious and regardfull manner de mortuis nil nisi bene From the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mutando Ï„ tenuem in Θ aspiratam wee must learne to extend our hands to the poore especially neare death which stretcheth out our bodies and to send our thoughts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the things that are above whether if wee dye well the Angells shall imediately carrie our souls From the Latine mors so tearmed quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
and the Resurrection the new dressing and richly embroydering them Enough hath beene said to convince us that Death which before was like a Serpent armed with a deadly sting is now but like a silly flye that buzzeth about us but cannot sting Yet as long as there is sinne in us we cannot but in some degree feare Death and as long as naturall affection remaines in us take on for them that are taken away Neither doth Christian religion plucke out these affections by the roote but only prune them All that my exhortation driveth unto is but to moderate passion by reason feare by hope griefe by faith and nature by grace Let love expresse it selfe yet so that in affection to the dead we hurt not the living Let the naturall springs of teares swell but not too much overflow their bankes let not our eye be all upon our losse on earth but our brothers gaine also in heaven and let the one counter-ballance at least the other The parish hath lost a great stay his company in London a speciall ornament his Wife a carefull Husband her Children a most tender Father the poore a good friend for besides that which his right hand gave in his life-time which his left hand knew not of by his Will hee bequeathed certaine summes of money for a stock to those Parishes wherein hee formerly lived and to the poore of this twentie pounds to be distributed at his Funerall Many shall find losse of him but he hath gained God and is found of him no doubt in peace for there were many tokens of a true child of God very conspicuous in his life and death Hee loved the habitation of Gods house and the place where his honour dwelleth Hee was just in his dealings and sougâ—…t peace all his life and 〈◊〉 iâ—… hee forgot nothing so easily as wrongs and though hâ—… eâ—…oyed the blessings of this world in abundant measure yet he joyed not iâ—… them his heart was where his chiefe treasure â—…ay in heaven he foretold his owne death and the manner thereoâ—… â—…hat it should be sudden and sudden it was yet not unexpected nor unprepared for for three dayes before he set his house in order and desired to converse with Divines and all his discourse was of the kingdome of God and the â—…ers of the life to come When the pangs of death came upon â—…im hee praâ—…â—…ost earnestly and desired if it so stood with God good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be â—…d yet uttered no speech of impatiencie but being 〈◊〉 â—…ow he did answered that he was in Gods hands to whom hee committed his soule as his faithfull Creatour and so died as quietly as he lived wherefore sith he lived in Gods feare and died in his favour and shall rise againe in his power though the losse of him be a great cut unto us as the losse of their children were to Pericles and Horatius Pulvillus yet as the one hearing of their death as hee was at a solemn sacrifice kept on his Crowne the other as hee was at a dedication held still the pillar of the Temple in his hand till the whole Ceremonie was performed So let us continue our devotion notwithstanding this Parenthesis of sorrow and make an end of our evening sacrifice concluding with the words of the Apostle immediatly following my Text Thankes bee unto God who hath given unto our brother and will give unto us all victorie over Death and the Grave yea and Hell too through Iesus Christ c. FINIS FATO FATVM OR THE KING OF FEARES FRIGHTED AND VANQVISHED SERMON XLIIII HOSEA 13. 14. O Death I will bee thy plagues THE Rose is fenced with pricks and the sweetest Flowers of Paradise as this in my Texâ—… are beset with thorns or difficulties which after I have plucked away the holy Spirit assisting mee I will open the leaves and blow the flowers in the explication of this Scripture and in the application therof smell to them and draw from thence a savour of life unto life The thorne groweth upon the diversâ—…tie of Translations for Rabbi Shelamo Iarchi reads the words ego ero verba tua ô mors I will bee thy words O Death Aben Ezra ero causa tuae mortis I will bee the cause of thy death Saint Ierome ero mors tua ô mors O Death I will bee thy death O Hell I will bite thee and hee conceiveth that when our Saviour descended into Hell and his flesh in the Grave saw no corruption hee spake these words to Death and Hell O Death I will bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thou mightest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by my death O Hell I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…d 〈◊〉 thee which devourest all things in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 â—…nder the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ô moâ—…s 〈◊〉 wheâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tâ—… indictâ—… what hast 〈◊〉 to say agaâ—… the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God Saint Paâ—…l ubi stimulus tuâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Death where is thy sting that is sayth Saint Austine where is sinne wherewith wee are stung and poysoned Is not this Chius ad Choum doe not these Translations 〈◊〉 well agree as harpe and harrow neither can it bee answered to salve the repugnancie and solve the difficultie that Saint Paul 1 Cor. 15. 55 his words have no reference to this Text in the Prophet for the last Translation approved by our Church in the marginall note upon the 1 Cor. 15. 55. â—…ds us to this versâ—…n Hosâ—…a and wee finde no other place in all the Scriptures of the old Testament to which the Apostle should allude buâ—… this And although Carvin endeavouring to untie this Gordiaâ—… knot saith â—…orily that it is evident that the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. doth not alledge the testimony of the Prophet to confirme any Point of Dâ—… delivered by him yet Calvin his evidence for it seemes to mee obscure and inevident his satis constat minime liquet for the expresse words of the Apostle 1. Cor. 15. 53. 54. 55. are for this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortalitie so when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortall shall have put on immortalitie then shall bee brought to passe the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in victory O Death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory What shall wee say then hereunto With submission to those who out of better skill in the originall and upon more exact examination of all Translations may bring them to a better accord for the present I thus resolve First that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his translation is utterly to bee rejected for it is like the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 egge that hath no 〈◊〉 what sense can any man 〈◊〉 out of these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will bee thy words O Death unlesse wee helpe them with our English phrase I will 〈◊〉 thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to goe packing with his fellow Rabbin for his inâ—…ion is a manifest contradiction to
the â—…er words of the Prophet I will 〈◊〉 them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the grave I will redeeme them from death hee that will redeeme them from death can in no sâ—…se bee sayd to bee the cause why they die but why they die not Besides both hee and Iarcht stumble at the same stone to wit the word debâ—…ica which they derive from dever signifying verbâ—… or causa whereas they should have derived it from dever signifying pestâ—… or a plague Thirdly for Saint Ierome his translation though it differ somewhat from the originall yet it is no Antithesis to the Text but an elegant Antanaclasis or at least a Metonymie generis pro specie mors pro peste I will bee thy death for I will bee thy plague Fourthly for the translation of the Septuagint which Saint Paul most seemeth to follow because writing to the Gentiles who made use of that translation and understood not the originall hee would not give them any offence nor derrogate from it which was in great esteeme among all in regard of the aâ—…tiquitie thereof and it stood the Christians in those dayes in great stead to convince the unbeleeving Jewes It well agreeth with the Analogie of faith and the meaning of the holy Spirit and the Hebrew letter also will beare it for Ehi as Buxtorphius the great Master of the holy tongue out of David Kimchi observeth signifieth ubi where as well as ero I will bee and a venemous sting and pestis the plague differ but little so that although the words in the originall seeme to bee spoken by an affirmation but in Saint Paul and the Septuagint by an interrogation in the one by a commination inthe other by an insultation yet both come to one sense and containe an evident prophesie of Christ his conquest over Death and Hell I have plucked away the thorne and now I am come to blow the flower and open the leaves of the words O Death I will bee thy plagues that is I will take away from Death the power of destroying utterly and from the Grave the power of keeping the dead in it perpetually If wee take the words as spoken by way of insultation ô mors ubi est aculeus tuus O Death where is thy sting thus wee are to construe them as a hornet or serpent when his sting is plucked out can doe no hurt to any other but soone after dyeth it selfe so Death is disarmed by Christ and left as good as dead for as David cut off Goliahs head with his own sword and Brasidas ran through his enemie with his owne speare so Christ conquers over Death by death in as much as by his temporall death hee satisfied both for the temporall and eternall death of them that beleeve in him And as hee conquered Death by his death so hee destroyed the Grave by his buriall for suffering his bodie to bee imprisoned and afterwards breaking the gates and barres of the prison hee left the passage open to all his members to come out after him their head These sacred and heavenly mysteries are shrined in the letter of this Text for although the Prophet speaketh to the Isralites and maketh a kinde of tender unto them of redemption from temporall death and deliverance from corporall captivitie yet to confirme their faith therein hee bringeth in the promise of eternall redemption from whence they were to inferre if God will redeeme us from eternall how much more from temporall death if hee will deliver us out of the prison of the grave how much more out of common Gaoles What though our enemies have never so great a hand over us what though they exceed in their crueltie and put us to all extremitie and doe their worst against us their crueltie cannot extend beyond death nor their malice beyond the Grave but Gods power and mercie reacheth farther For he can and he promiseth that hee will revive us after wee are dead and raise us after we are buried he will plucke deaths sting out of us and us out of the bowells of the Grave Death hath not such power over the living nor the grave over the dead as God hath over both to destroy the one and swallow up the other into victorie For therefore the Sonne of God vouchsafed to taste death that Death might be swallowed up by him into victorie Although Death swallow up all things and the Grave shut up all in darknesse yet God is above them both therefore when wee are brought to the greatest exigent when nothing but death and torments are before us when we are readie to yeeld up the buckler of our faith and breath out the last gaspe of hope let us call this Text to mind O Death I will bee thy plagues neither Death nor the Grave shall be my peoples bane because I will bee both their bane and change their nature which destroyeth all nature For to all them that beleeve in mee Death shall not be a posterne but a street doore not so much an out-let of temporall as an in-let of eternall life and though the grave swallow the bodyes of my Saints yet it shall cast them up againe at the last day Thus the words yeeld us singular comfort if wee take them as a commination and they afford as much or more if we take them as Saint Paul and S. Chrysostome do by an insultation As a man offering sacrifice for victorie and full of mirth and jollitie he leapes and tramples upon Death lying as it were at his mercie and sings an Io Poean a triumphant song wherewith Gerardus a great friend of Saint Bernards breathed out his last gaspe of whom hee thus writeth In the dead time of the night my brother Gerard strangely revived at midnight the day began to breake I sent for to see this great miracle found a man in the very jawes of death insulting upon death and exulting with joy saying O death where is thy sting Death is not now a sting but a song for now the faithfull man dyeth singing and singeth dying And so having plucked away the prickles and opened the leaves by the Explication of the letter I come now to smell to them and draw from thence the savour of life unto life Ero pestes tuae ô mors As Saint Ierome writeth of Tertullian his Polemmicall Treatises against hereticks â—…uot verba tot fulmina Every word is a thunder-bolt so I may truly say of this verse quot verba tot fulmina So many words so many thunder-bolts stricking Death dead by the light whereof wee may discerne three parts 1. The menaced or partie threatned Death 2. The menacer or partie threatning I. 3. The judgement menaced plagues 1. The menaced impotent mors Death 2. The menacer Omnipotent Ego I. 3. The judgement most dreadfull pestes plagues 1. First of the partie menaced Death Christ threatneth destruction to none but to his or his Churches enemies But here he threatneth Death Death therefore must needs be an
it is justice suum cuique tribure to give every one his due it is charitie to propose eminent examples of heavenly graces and vertues shining in the dead for the imitation of the living Such jewells ought not to bee locked up in a Coffine as in a Casket but to bee set out to the view of all and surely they deserve better of the dead who set a garland of deserved praises on their life then they who stick their Hearse full with flowers Tapers made of pure waxe burne clearely and after they are blowne out leave a sweet savour behinde them so the servants of Christ who have caused their light so to shine before men that they may see their workes and glorifie their Father which is in Heaven leave a good name like a sweet smell behinde them and why may wee not blow it abroad by our breath Deo Patri c. The rest concerning the life and death of the party is lost FINIS VOX COâ—…LI OR THE DEADS HERALD SERMON XLV APOCH 14. 13. And I heard a voyce from heaven saying unto mee write blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from hence forth c. VBi Vulnus ibi manus From whence wee tooke our wound from thence we receive the cure a voyce from heaven strucke all the living dead saying All flesh is grasse and the glory or goodlinesse of it is as the flower of the field The grasse withereth c. But here a voyce from heaven maketh all whole againe and representeth all the dead in the Lord living yea and flourishing too â—…aying Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord. To give a touch at the wound that the smart thereof may make the sense of the cure more delightfull Omnis caro foenum omnis homo flos All flesh is grasse and â—…very man is a flower There is difference in grasse some is longer and some is shorter so some men are longer lived some shorter Some grasse shooteth up with one leafe some with three some with five or more so some men have more in their retinue some fewer some none at all Some grasse withereth before it is cut as the grasse on the house toppe some is cut before it withâ—…reth as the grasse of the field so some men decay before the Sythe of death cutts them all other after Likewise there is a great difference among flowers 1. Some are for sight only not for the smell or any vertue in medicines as Tulips Emims and Crowne Emperials 2. Some for sight and smell but of no use in Medicines as Sweet-williams the painted Lady and Iuly-flowers generally 3. Some are both for sight and smell and of singular use in Medicines as Roses and Violets So some men are of better parts and greater use in the Church and Common-wealth others of lesse Some flowers grow in the field some in the garden so some mens lives and improvements are publike others private Some flowers are put in Posies some in Garlands some are cast into the Still so some men are better preferred then others and some live and die in obscuritie Lastly some flowers presently lose their colour and sent as the Narcissus some keepe them both long as the red Rose So some men continue longer in their bloome grace and favour others for a short time but all fade and within a while are either gathered cut downe or withered of themselves and die And for this reason it is as I conceive that we sticke herbes and flowers on the Hearse of the dead to signifie that as we commit earth to earth and ashes to ashes so we put grasse to grasse and flowers to flowers For omnis caro foenum All flesh is grasse and all the goodlinesse thereof as the flower of the field the grasse withereth and the flower fadeth away But the comfort is in that which followeth But the word of the Lord endureth for ever and this is the word which by the Gospell is preached unto you Whereof this verse which I have read unto you for my Text is part Which Saint Iohn inferreth as a conclusion or corrolarie upon the conclusion of the Saints and Martyrs lives this conclusion is inâ—…erred upon two premisses 1. The end of their labours 2. The reward of their worke The Syllogisme may be thus formâ—…d All they who are come to an end of their labour and have received liberally for their worke or are paid well for their paines are happie But all the dead that die in the Lord are come to an end of their labour for they rest from their labours and receive liberally for their workes follow them Ergo all the dead that die in the Lord are happy As in other Texts so in this wee may borrow much light from the occasion of the speech which here was this Saint Iohn having related in a vision a fearefull persecution to fall in the latter times whereby the earth should bee râ—…aped and the Saints mowen like grasse and true beleevers like grapes pressed in such sort that their blood should come out of the wine-presse even to the horse bellies breaketh into an Epiphonema vers 12. here is the patience of the Saints that is here is matter for their patience and faith to worke upon Here is their patience to endure for Gods cause whatsover man or divell can inflict upon them to part with any limbe for their head Christ Jesus gladly to forfeit their estates on earth for a crowne in heaven chearefully to lose their lives in this vale of teares that they may find them in the rivers of pleasures that spring at Gods right hand for evermore Here is worke for their faith also to see heaven as it were through hell eternall life in present death to beleeve that God numbreth every haire of their head and that every teare they shed for his sake shall bee turned into a pearle every drop of blood into a Rubie to be set in their crowne of glorie To confirme both their faith and patience Christ proclaimeth from heaven that howsoever in their life they seemed miserable yet in their death they shall bee most blessed and that the worst their enemies can doe is to put them in present possession of their happinesse Blessed are the dead c. So saith the spirit whatsoever the flesh saith to the contrarie Here wee have 1. A proposition De fide of faith 2. A Deposition or testimonie of the spirit A Proposition of the happy estate of the dead A deposition of the holy Ghost to confirme our faith therin 1. Saint Iohn sets downe his relation 2. A most comfortable assertion 3. A most strong confirmation The relation strange of a voyce from heaven without any speaker The assertion as strange of a possession without an owner a blessed estate of them who according to the Scripture phrase are said not to be The Confirmation as strange as either by an audible testimonie of an invisible witnesse So
sweet sleepe in Jesus Secondly if the dead are blessed in comparison of the living let us not so glew our thoughts and affections to the world and the comforts thereof but that they may bee easily severed for there is no comparison betweene the estate of the godly in this life and in the life to come for here they labour for rest there they rest from their labour here they expect what they are to receive there they receive what they expected here they hunger and thirst for righteousnesse there they are satisfied here they are continually afflicted either for their sinnes or with their sinnes and they have continuall cause to shed teares either for the calamities of Gods people or the strokes they themselves receive from God or the wounds they give themselves there all teares are wiped from their eyes Here they are alwayes troubled either with the evills they feare or the feare of evill but when they goe hence Death sets a period to all feare cares sorrowes and dangers And therefore Solon spake divinely when hee taught Craesus that he ought to suspend his verdict of any mans happinesse till hee saw his end Thirdly if those dead are blessed that dye in the Lord let us strive to be of that number eamus nos moriamur cum eo Let us goe and dye with him and in him And that we may doe so wee must first endevour to live in him For Cornelius à Lapida his collection is most true As a man cannot die at Rome who never lived at Rome so none can dye in Christ who never lived in him and none can live in him who is not in him first then wee must labour to be in him and how may wee compasse this Christ himselfe teacheth us I am the Vine and my Father is the Husbandman every branch that beareth not fruit in me he taketh away and every branch that breareth fruit he purgeth that it may bring forth more fruit as the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe exceept it abide in the Vine no more can yee except yee abide in mee Hence wee learne that wee cannot beare fruit in Christ unlesse as branches we be ingrafted into him now that a graffe may be inoculated 1. There must be made an incision in the tree 2. The graffe or syence must be imped in 3. After it is put in it must be ioyned fast to the tree The incision is already made by the wounds given Christ at his death many incisions were made in the true Vine that which putteth us in or inoculateth us is a speciall faith and that which binds us fast to the tree is love and the grace of perseverance If then we bee engrafted by faith into Christ and bound fast unto him by love wee shall partake of the Iuice of the stocke and grow in grace and beare fruit also more and more and so living in the true Vine we shall die in him and so dying in him wee shall reflourish with him in everlasting glorie Fourthly if wee are assured by a voyce from heaven that none but they are blessed who die in the Lord all Infidells Jewes and Turkes yea and such hereticks too as denie all speciall faith in Christ are in a wretched and lamentable case for it is cleare that unbeleevers cannot live in Christ for the just liveth by faith and though hereticks and among them our Adversaries of Rome have a generall faith yet because they want a speciall faith in Christ whereby they are to be ingrafted into him and made members of his mysticall body they can make no proofe to themselves or others at least unlesse they renounce some of the Trent Articles that they live or dye in the Lord. Lastly if all that dye in Christ are blessed as a voyce from heaven assureth us we doe wrong to heaven if we accompt them miserable we doe wrong to Christ if we count them as lost whom he hath found if wee shed immoderate teares for them from whose eyes Hee hath wiped away all teares to weare perpetuall blacks for them upon whom he hath put long white Robes Whatsoever our losses may be by them it commeth farre short of their gaine our crosse is light in comparison of their super-excellent weight of glory therefore let us not sorrow for them as those that have no hope Let us not shew our selves Infidells by too much lamenting the death of beleevers Weepe wâ—… may for them or rather for our losse by them but moderatly as knowing that our losse is their gaine and if wee truly love them wee cannot but exceedingly congratulate their feasts of joy their rivers of pleasures their Palmes of victory their robes of majestie their crownes of glorie Water therefore your plants at the departure of your dearest friends but drowne them not For whatsoever wee complaine of here they are freed from there and whatsoever wee desire here they enjoy there they hunger not but feast with the Lâ—… they sigh not but sing with Moses having safely passed over the glassiâ—… sea they lie not in darknesse but possesse the inheritance of Saints in light They have immunitie from sinne freedome from all temptations and securitie from danger they have rest for their labours here comfort for their troubles glory for their disgrace joyes for their sorrowes life for their death in Christ and Christ for all Cui c. FINIS VICTORIS BRABAEVM OR THE CONQVEROVRS PRIZE A SERMON PREACHED at Rotheriffe at the Funerall of M ris Dorothy Gataker Wife to the worthie and Reverend Divine Master Thomas Gataker B. D. SERMON XLVI APOC. 14. 13. So sayth the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their workes follow them THe longer a man enjoyeth the benefit of life the more cause he hath to desiredeath for cares grow with years and sins with cares sorrows with sins and fears with sorrowes which trouble the quiet and confound the musicke and blend the mirth and dampe the whole joy of our life so that hee who spinneth the thred of his life to the greatest length gaineth nothing thereby but this that hee can give a fuller and clearer evidence of the vanitie of the World and yeeld a more ample testimonie to the miserie of man during his abode in the flesh whom if wee take at the best advantage of his worldly happinesse hee must needs confesse that hee hath nothing of all that is past but a sad remembrance nor of that which is to come but a solicitous feare As after a great feast at which a man hath glutted his appetite nothing remaineth but lothsome and stinking fumes ascending from the stomacke to the head and offending the brain so of all the pleasures of sinne past nothing remaineth but a bitter taste in the conscience or rather to use Saint Bernards Metaphor amara foeda vestigia foule and stinking prints left in the flore where hee daunced after the Devills pipe sorrow and shame for what hee
heart and soule of every true beleever lying on his death bed or on the Gridiron or in the dungeon or on the gibbet or on the faggot did not the Spirit seale this truth aboveall other at such times to his servants were not then their hope full of immortality they could never have welcomed death embraced the flames sung in their torments and triumphed over death even when they were in the jawes of it When Iob was in the depth of all his miserie the Spirit spake in his heart I know that my Redeemer liveth and that hee shall stand in the latter day upon the earth and though after my skinne wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my selfe and mine eyes shall behold and not another though my reines bee consumed within mee Likewise when Saint Paul was now readie to bee offered and the time of his departure was at hand the Spirit spake in him I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth there is layd up for mee a crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous judge shall give mee at that day and not to mee onely but to them also that love his appearing Likewise when Gerardus was giving up the ghost the Spirit spake in him O Death where is thy sting Mors non est stimulus sed jubilus And though Robert Glover the Martyr all the night before his Martyrdome prayed for strength and courage but could feele none yet when he came to the sight of the stake he was mightily replenished with Gods holy comfort and heavenly joyes and clapping his hands to Austin the Spirit the Comforter himselfe spake in him Hee is come hee is come You have heard where the spirit saith so give eare now to a voyce from heaven declaring why the spirit saith so for they rest from their labours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth as well paine as paines broyles as toyles as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke so paine and paines in English are of kinne for labour is paine to the body and paine is labour to the Spirit and therefore what wee say to bee punished and tormented with a disease the Latine say laborare morbo and the throngs and throes which women endure in Child-bearing wee call their labouring Here then the dead have a double immortalitie granted them 1 From the labours of their calling 2 From the troubles of their condition freedome from paine and paines taking What then may some object doe the dead sleepe out all their time from the breathing out their last gaspe to the blowing the last trumpe as they suffer nothing so doe they nothing but are like Consul Bibulus who held onely a roome and filled up a blancke in the Roman fasti Nam 〈◊〉 factum consule nil memini or like mare mortuum without any motion or operation at all that cannot be the soule is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a most perfect Act or as Tullie renders the word a continuall motion as the word is taâ—…en in that old proverbiall verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it can no more bee and not worke then the winde can bee and not blow the fire and not burne a diamond and not sparkle the sunne and not shine therefore it is not sayd here simply that they rest from all kinde of motion or working but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but from toylesome labours soretravells and againe from their owne labours or workes not the Lords They keepe an everlasting Sabbath in not doing of their owne workes but Gods they rest from sinfull and painefull travells but not from the workes of a sanctified rest for they rest not day and night saying holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was which is and is to come The rest of the soule is not a ceasing from all motion or opperation that cannot stand with the nature of a spirit but a setling it selfe with delight upon an all-satisfying and never satiating object such was the rest the sweet singer of Israel called his soule unto returne unto thy rest O my soule for the Lord hath dealt bâ—…untifully with thee Bodies rest in their proper places but spirits in their proper object in the contemplation fruition admiration and adoration whereof consisteth their everlasting content This object is God whom they contemplate in their mind enjoy in their will adore in both and this is their continuall worke and their worke is their life and their life is their happinesse which the Divines fitly expresse in one word glorification which must be taken both actually and passively for they glorifie God and God glorifieth them God glorifieth them by casting the full light of his countenance upon them and they glorifie him by reflecting some light backe againe and casting their crownes before him saying Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created They rest from their labours This Text of holy Scripture containeth in it the waters of Siloah not so much to refresh those that are tyred with their former labours having borne the heate of the whole day as to lave out the false fire of Purgatorie for blessednesse cannot stand with miserie nor rest with trouble nor reward with punishment but all that dye in the Lord are blessed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is à tempore mortis from the time of their death as venerable Beda and other expound the words and so blessed are they that they rest from all paine and paines and so rest that their workes follow them that is as I shall declare hereafter the reward of their workes If this lave not out the Romish fire which scareth the living more then the dead and purgeth their purses and not their soule wee may draw store of water to quench it out of divers other Texts of holy Scripture as namely First If the tree fall towards the South or towards the North in the place where the tree falleth there it shall bee Which Text Olympiodorus thus illustrateth in whatsoever place therefore whether of light or of darknesse whether in the worke of wickednesse or of vertue a man is taken at his death in that degree and ranke doth he remaine either in light with the just and Christ the King of all or in darknesse with the wicked and prince of the world To little purpose therefore is all that is or can be done for the dead after they have taken their farewell of us after wee are gone from hence there remaines no place for repentance or penance no effect or benefit of satisfaction here life is either lost or obtained but if thou O Demetrian saith Saint Cyprian even at the very end and setting of thy temporall life dost pray
mercie and peace to those that are wicked and out of the way whereby some are converted and others convinced and prepared for the worke of Gods justice So this question need not trouble men or hold them off from a chearfull and fruitfull expectation of Christ though he come not in our age as he hath not in others before The use of the Point is this First if this bee the propertie of the godly to wait and earnestly to expect the comming of Christ then wee may observe the generall ungodlinesse of the World by the generall want of this expectation And if ye say but who is there that doth not expect the second comming of Christ and who doth not beleeve that hee shall come to judge the quicke and the dead I answer not withstanding that every man confesse this Article of faith with his mouth yet every man beleeveth it not with his heart for every man frameth not himselfe according to the faith of it Very few are those faithfull servants that waite and prepare for their Masters comming Christ when hee commeth he shall scarce finde faith on the earth What a number of Men and Women are there though they heare these things and they are beaten upon them upon many occasions and they are in their judgements convinced that it must bee so yet notwithstanding the faith of their hearts apprehend it not they doe not beleeve it they doe not listen and frame to it Wee like Caleb tell them of the good Land and the fat of the Land and the fruit of the Land and the fulnesse of the Land of Canaan but generally men like the unthankefull Israelites murmure and repine and rebell and scarce heare us or if they doe they doe not beleeve it For if men did beleeve it it could not bee that men should live like Saduces as they doe that neither beleeve the soule nor immortalitie neither that there are spirits nor Devills nor resurrection nor nothing the lives and conversations of men plainly bewray that they beleeve not this Doctrine though they can professe with the mouth that Jesus Christ shall come againe to judge the quicke and the dead but like the Cardinall of whom wee read that profest hee would not give his part in Paris for his part in Paradise so men live as if they would not give their part here on earth for a Childs part in Heaven Like that wicked Pope that we read of when he was about to dye now sayth he I shall know that which I never beleeved whether there bee a Heaven or Hell an immortalitie of the soule or no. So men live as if they never meant to know those things or beleeve them till they come to the tryall and experience of them And besides what a number of men and women are there that can professe these things with their mouth but they cast themselves into a fast sleepe in sinne and security and sleepe on both sides Gods Messengers and Ministers cannot awake them but as though their soules were to sleepe everlastingly so they sleepe on in their lusts and sinnes and will not bee awakened And my brethren who doth not observe that it is not the fashion of men even of those that professethemselves Christians to say come Lord Iesus till they bee on their death-beds and till â—…hey bee scarceable to speake or breath out a word they never say come Lord Jesus till they know not what to doe with themselves till they can enjoy their lusts and the World and their sinnes no longer they cannot tell how to bequeath themselves longer to the service of sinne and unrighteousnesse till then they never call after the Lord Jesus to come to them and when they doe it is not out of love and affection to Christ but out of selfe-love to helpe them out of the hands of death that is too strong for them and to fetch them out of that miserie they are too weak to sustaine Therefore they call Lord Jesus but as I sayd it is farre from the love of him in their hearts for were these men to live over their lives againe and to bee restored to health againe it would bee the last breath of their lives still to call the Lord Jesus My brethren whre these things are and wee finde them too generall every man that lookes into his owne heart may finde himselfe in some measure touched herein certainely it cannot bee that this same lively desire of a Christian can bee there and these persons can have little comfort in themselves they have few arguments to prove themselves Elect of God having the Spirit of God or to bee those that heare the promises with faith or those that thirst after Christ there is no argument in them that they are Christs because they long not and desire after him But therefore in the second place since this desire is so rare let us trie ourselves a little even those that professe better things and hope well that they are indeed the Spouse of Christ. Let us trie and search our selves whether this expectation bee with us or no that wee may finde comfort in our estate and in our union and conjunction with Christ. For tryall of this Point first wee must know that a necessary attendant and companion of this expectation of Christ and waiting for him is sighing and longing and a vehement desire after him It is no slight no superficiall desire but an inward vehement desire a sighing and panting after Christ as those that see the need of him And therefore as the Wise man sayth hope deferred paines the heart the godly desires of the soule bring paines to the soule for want of Christ in the absence of Christ. And as the Apostle expresseth it in Rom. the 8. Wee sigh in our selves sayth hee wayting for the redemption of our bodyes Wee sigh in our selves as men that are ficke or in paine or opprest with a heavie burthen sigh out their sorrowes and griefes so the godly soule must labour to finde this expectation in the sighing longing earnest desiring after Christ wee sigh in our selves sayth the Apostle this is an argument of true love to Christ indeed when wee earnestly desire him in his absence As a true faithfull Spouse enjoyeth not her selfe when she enjoyeth not her Husband so it is with the Spouse of Christ therefore the Apostle in the 2 Thess. 3. 3. joyneth them together The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patient wayting for of Christ. As if hee should say there can bee no love of Christ if there bee no wayting for Christ and according to the vehemencie of your love will bee the vehemencie of your sighing and longing after him That 's the first attendant of this expectation whereby we may examine our selves A second attendant is a comfortable sweet joy in the soule a fruit of the spirit not a fruit of presumption or of the flesh but a fruit of the spirit as
sinne and certainty of Judgement and uncertainty of salvation Heb. 9. 27. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Isa. 33. 14. Why Death called the last enemie 1. Because it is the last that shall assault us Therfore we have more enemies than Death The Divell The world The flesh Psal. 27. 11. Therefore likely to be the worst enemie 2. Because it is the last that shall be destroyed Who it is that destroyeth Death Rev. 5. 3. 5. 1 Sam. 17 32. Hos. 13. 14. Act. 3. 15. When Deach shall be destroyed At the day of the Resurrection Comfort in the meane time 2 Cor. 15. 57 Rev. 7. 17. Hos. 13. 14. 1 Cor. 3. 22. Vse 1. Death an enemy only to the wicked 1 King 21. 20 Death to the beleever is 1. A subdued Enemie Cant. 8. 3. Psal. 41. 3. Phil. 1. 23. Job 19. 27. Phil. 3. 21. Heb. 12. 23. Psal. 1â—… 11. 〈◊〉 Cor. 5. 2. A reconciled Enemie 3. An Enemie that at last shall be destroyed Rev. 20. Rom. 6. 9. Vse 2. For instruction How to be prepared for death 1. Die to sin 2. Live to God 3. Be ofâ—… iâ—… the meditation of death 4. Settle all things before hand that concerne the outward man The inward man Tit. 3. 11. 1 Pet. 3. 4. Prov. 31. 29. Coherence Division The Person judging God Opera 〈◊〉 ad extra sunt indivisa Opera 〈◊〉 ad intra sunt divisa â—…uique personae incommunicabiliter propria Obiect 2 Cor. 5. 10. 1 Cor. 6. 3. Answ. How Christ is said to be the Judge Rom. 2. 16. Joh. 5. Why God hath committed the power of the exâ—…cution of Judgement to Christ. Three properties requi site in a Judge 1. Knowledge to discerne Heb. 4. 2. Power to execute Psal. 149. Rev. 15. 3. Justice in the Execution Gen. 18. Job 8. 3. The Judgement 1. It shall be Types of the last Judgement Luke 17. Reas. 1. Reas. 2. Reas. 3. Act. 17. 31. Reas. 4. 2. In what manner it shall be 1. The summons Joh. 5. 28. Matt. 24 31. 1 Cor. 15. 1 Thes. 4. 16. 2. The Appearance 2 Cor. 5. 10. Rom. 14. 12. 1 Cot. 1. 7. 3. The separation 4. The tryall Rev. 20. 12. The Bookes that shall be opened at the day of Judgement 5. The Sentence The generall things observable in the words 1. The dutie 2. The motives The duty exprest 1. Generally 2. Particularly The generall dutie expressed 1. In the Object 2. In the Acts that are exercised on the Object 3. In the manner of exercising The Object 1. God Simile Simile 2. The name of God The Acts that are exercised on the Object 1. Of the understanding Memorie 2. Of the will and affections Desires Desires an argument of a gracious heart Joyned with endeavours Desires without endeavours false The manner of exercising these acts 1. They must come from inward principles 2. They must be sincere Simile Simile 3. They must be pitched on God alone 4. They must bee universall 5. They must be constant Simile The particular duties In times of mercie 1. Chearfulnesse 2. Fruitfulnesse In times of judgement Simile 1. Perseverance Simile 2. Diligent exercise of our graces Simile 3. Patience 4. Proficiencie The Motives to the duties 1 God seeth and judgeth all our wayes 2. This alone differenceth the godly from the wicked Coherence Division of the words 1 2 3 4 Obser. 1. The Saints on earth have a heavenly conversation What it is The priviledges thereof 1. Their names are written in heaven Luk. 10. 20. 2. They are governed by the law of God 3. They are safely kept 4. They have interest In God Mat. 6. 32. Chap. 7. 11. In Christ. Dan. 12. 1. In the holy Ghost 2 Cor. 13. 10. In the Angels In thâ—… Saints that are in heaven That are on earth 5. They are inriched with heavenly treasure Mat. 13. Isa. 55. 1. The Traffique of a Christian what How to know whether our conversation be in heaven By our affections Note Obser. 2. While the Saints are on earth they are stated in heaven 1. In respect of right and title 2. In respect of present possession John 14. Vse Presumption to hope for heaven without union with Christ first on earth Ezra 2. 62. Christ in respect of his bodily presence is onely in heaven Transubstantiarion Collos 3. 1. Obser. 3. Expectation of Christs comming to Judgement the best meanes to worke a man to a holy conversation The continuall expectation of the Saints is for Christs comming A threefoldâ—… comming of Christ. Proved 2 Tim. 4. 8. Heb. 9. 28. Vse For tryall How to know whether our expectation of Christs comming bee right 1. By the ground of it Heb. 11. 1. 2. By the companions of it Which are 1. Patience 2. Love Manifested in secret longings Care to walk in Christ. 3. Delight in the ordinances 3. By the effects and fruits of it The expectation of Christs comming the best meanes to procure a heavenly Conversation Proved 1. It is the worker of Mortification Collos. 3. 1. 7. 1 Joh. 3. 2 3. Guilt of sinne causeth the apprehension of death to be terrible 2. Subdues our worldly affections Collos. 3. 1. 3. Keepes us from sinfull actions A 3. 18. Act 17. 30. 4. Quickens to holinesse of life 2 Pet. 3. 11 12. 5. Furthers our perseverance in godlinesse 〈◊〉 Iohn 2. 28. Rev. 6. Rev. 3. 11. Vse For tryall Rev. 6. 15. Heb. 2. 14. 1 Thes. 1. 10. Division 1. The dutie commanded Meaning of the words What is meant by the saying of Christ viz. The Doctrine of the Gospell Two parts of the Gospell 1. Shewing our miserie Rom. 3. 23. 2. The remedie against this miserie 1. The Redeemer 2. The manner how we are redeemed Rom. 3. 24. 3. The means how to enjoy the remedie 1. The Conditions of the Covenant of Grace 1. Repentance Mark 1. 15. Heb. 6. The parts of Repentance Godly sorrow for sinne Psal. 38. â—…am 4. 9. Confession of sinne Pro. 28. Psal. 32. 4. 1 Joh. 1. 9. Firme purpose of amendment Joh. 5. Petition for patdon in the name of Christ. Hos. 14. 2. Repentance only taught in the Gospell Mans repentance tends to the honour of Gods justice 2. Faith Joh. 6. 29. Definition of Faith Faith only taught in the Gospell 3. New obedience How differenced from that required under the Law What it to keepe the saying of Christ. 2. The benefit What it is to see Death What Death is here meant Joh. 6. 68. Act. 5. 20. Act. â—…1 14. Reas. 1. 1 Joh. 2. 24. Reas. 2. Vse 1. Intitation to thankfulnesse Vse 2. Reprehension Vse 3. Exhortation Vse 4. Consolation Obiect Answ. Coherence Division of the words 1. The sin of young men 2. The Cure Doct. 1. It is the siâ—… of young men to rejoyce inordinately Gen. 6. 11. Isa 22. 14. Eccles. 12. 1. 1 Tim. 2. 22. Tit. 2. 6. Job 1. Reas. 1. Naturall corruption Reas. 2. Forgetfulness of judgement Deut. 32. 29. Reas. 3. Freedome from crosses Jer. 32. Reas. 4.
Attendants 4. Administration 5. Saints 2 Thes. 〈◊〉 â—…0 Christ is God 〈◊〉 Ioh. Isay 9. 6. Christ a great God Vse 1. Comfort to Gods children 2. Terrour to the wicked Object Answ. Comfortthat Christ the Saviour is Iudge Act. â—…7 31. Doctr. Every Christian so to live as expecting the appearing of Christ. Luke 2. 36. Phil. 3. 20. Jude 21. 2 Pet. 3. 14. Observat. 1. Col. 3. 3. Vse Observat. 2 Observat. Vse 1. Vse 2. Observat. Vse 1. Aug. lib. 8. Confess Cap. â—…lt Parts of the Text unfolded Sleepâ—… threefold 1. Naturall Psal. 3. 5. 2. Morall Dan. 12. 2. Act. 7. ult 3 Spirituall compared to sleepe 1. For the time the night 2. Exposed to danger Deut. 32. 3. Willingnesse 4. Suddennesse Mat. 26. 5. Incensiblenesse and immoveablenesse 6. Vaine fancies 7. The continuance 2. What meant by waking 1. To open the eyes to see the light 2. To rouze the senses 3. Get out of bed 3. Who must awake Quest. Answ. 1. The naturall man 2. The regenerate Cant. 5. 2. Mat. 25. Rev. 3. 2. 4. Why the Apostle calls upon these that are asleepe Exhortations not invaine 1. To the godly 2. To the wicked The dead sleepe of the world 1. Idolaters Rev. 2. 2. Adulterers 3. Drunkards Prov. 23. 4. Sabbath-breakers 5. Oppressours 6. Securitie The sleepe of the Church Signes of sleepie Christians 1. Carelesnesse 2. When men intend nothing but sleepe 3. Wasting of time 4. Decay of naturall heate Exhortation to awake from sleepe 1. It is unprofitable 2. It unfitâ—… for dutie 1. Exercise 2. Combate 3. To waitâ—… our Masters comming 3. Our enemie sleepes not Mat. 13. Prov. 24. 4. Gods mercie sleepes not 5. Gods judgements sleepe not 6. We are all to meet death Parts of the Text. Propos. They that are in covenant with God may bee without carnall feare 1. What feare is Kindes of feare 1. Naturall 2. Carnal feare 3. Servile feare Act 2. 4. Filiall feare Isay 8. 12. Reas. We are delivered from our enemies either Luke 1. 47. 1. By reconciliation 2. By conquest Vse 1. The power of grace must reflect on a mans selfe Vse 2. Possible to live with out feare Psalme 23. Vse 3. Reproofe for inordinate feare 1. We feare too soone 2. Too much 1. It brings a great deale of ill Esay 66. 4. 2. It unfits the heart to beare evilâ—… It hurts the body It doth hurt to the soule 1. Naturally 2. Spiritually Feare the ground of most sinnes Vse 4. To fence our hearts against it No cause of feare 1. Of spirituall enemies 2. Of worldly evills Ier. 46. 28. Obiect Answ. Obiect Answ. Quest. Answ. How to get the conquest of feare 1. Labour for the spirit 2. Keepe covenant with God Num. 14. 9. 3. Strengthen faith Psal. 112. 4. To place our love aright August Simile Doct. Both words and actions shall be called to account 2 Cor. 5. 10. Eccles. 12. Mat. 12. 36. Matth. 5. 22 Iude 13. 14. Reas. 1. The Law binds men in speeches Reas. 2. Words injure God and man Levit. 24. 11. Act. 8. Vse To condemn those that make light account of words Psal. 39. Psal. 131. Doctr. God will proceede in judgement according to his Law Ioh. 12. 48. Obiect Answ. All men judged by the Law The Law not alike expressed to all Rom. 2. 14 Reas. 1. The Law is Gods scepter that he rules by Psal. 110. 2. Isay 2. 3. 4. Reas. 2. Because the law is a rule Mica 6. 8. Vse 1. Repâ—…oofe of those that neglect the Law Rom. 2. 16. Prov. 13. 13. Quest. Answ. To despise Gods commandement what Ioh. 6. Matth. 25. 41 Vse 2. Admonition to observe the Law 1. For direction Matth. 5 2. For tryall Gal. 6. 3. 4. 1 Cor. 11. 32. Prov. 28. 13. Doct. The consideration of the day of judgement should moove to holinesse 1. It hath drawn some to obedience Eccles. 11. 9. 1. To forsake the world Phil. 3. 7. 2. Disposing the heart to obedience Eccles 12. 10. Heb. 12. Rev. 14. 2. It quickens to actions of obedience 1. Os particular calling 2. Generall calling 3. It confirmes in obedience Rev. 3. 11. Iam. 5. Vse Shewing the cause of the worlds prophanenesse and the Saints dejectednesse 2 Pet. 3. Vse 2. To strengthen faith of the judgement Ierome Parts of the Text. Meaning of the words Doct. Death due to sinne as wages Gen. 2. 17. Ezek. 18. 20. Rom. 5. 12. Iam. 1. 15. Quest. Answ. Whaâ—… death due to sinne 1. Temporall Rom. 5. 12. Obiect Answ. How Adam died a natural death as soon as he sinned Obiect Answ. How Christians freed from temporall death 1 Cor. 15. Christians undergoe temporall death why 1. 2. 3. 4. Simile 2. Eternall death Answ. Sinne infinite three wayes 1. In respect of the object 2. The subject 3. The sinners dâ—…sire Vse 1. Originall lust a sin Basile Vse 2. 〈◊〉 no sinne in it selfe veniall 1 Joh. 3. 5. Sins mortall and veniall how Vse 3. In spectacles of death to see the haynousnesse of sinne Vse 4. Todeterre us from sin Similies Ioh. 2. 1 Sam 14 Vse 5. To be humble and thankfull Life twofold 1. Naturall 2. Spirituall 1. In this life Job 17. 5. 2. In death 3. After the Resurrection A thing eternall three wayes 1. 2. 3. Doct. Salvation the free gift of God Quest. Answ. Austin Quest. Answ. Ioh. 3. Vse 1. Confutation of merit Rom. 8. Vse 2. To humble us Vse 3. Comfort Isa. 54. 2 Tim. 1. 12. Vse 4. Thankfulnesse Psal. 50 Deut. 30. 19. Isa. 45. 24. The Analysis of the Chapter Propos. 1. God is pleased to set himselfe to procure the profit of his people Proved by instances 1. In his instituting Ordinances in the Church 1. The preaching of the Word Act. 26. 18. 2 Tim. 3. 16. 2. The Sacrament of the Supper 3. Prayer Vnprofitable living under the ordinances a taking the name of God in vaine 4. Seâ—…ng of Christ into the world in our nature 2. In his command and injunction Deut. 10. 13. Matth. 〈◊〉 29. 3. In his several administrations 1. Permitting sin to remain 2. To prevaile 3. Withdrawing his presence 4. Suspending his answer to their prayers 5. Denying their particular suites 6. Deprives them of their dearest blessings Iames 5. 11. Use of exhortation 1. 2. 3. Vse 2. Of Instruction 1. 2. 1 Cor. 10. 33. Propos. 2. Gods ayme in afflicting his children is their profit Gen 41. 52. Afflictions they are profitable The blessed fruit of afflictions 2 Chron. 33. 1â—… Deut. 8. 15. Isa. 27. 9. Hab. 1. 12. The Saints of God have waited for the profit of afflictions 2 Sam. 16. 12. Isa. 37. 4. Vse 1. For reproofe Gods children prone to misconster the intent of God in their afflictions 1 Sam. 27. 1. Esa. 6. 5. Lam. 3. 16. 18 Isa. 49. 14. Jer. 29. 11. Vse 2. For comfort Isa. 10. 57. Simile Isay 10. 12. Vse 3. Exhortation to a patient expectation of the fruit of affliction Obiect Answ. 1. 2. 3. Iob 17. 4. The
Deut. 30. 6. Jer. 32. 4. Obiect Answ. 2. Sam. 3. 1. Obiect Answ. Luk. 20. 3â—… 36. 2. Against the death of the â—…odie Rom 8. 10. 1 Cor. 15. 49. Quest. Answ. Difference in the Resurrection of the godly and wicked 1. In the cause 2. In the end Joâ—… 5. 29. Luke 20. 36. Vse 2. Tryall Signes of the first Resurrection 1. Forsaking sin 2. Newnesse of life Collos. 3. 1. 3. Progresse in both Rom. 6. 4. Vse 3. Exhortation direction Quest. Answ. Joh. 5. 28 29. 〈◊〉 Cor. 15. 52. Joh. 6. 63. Deut. 26. 5. Psal. 115. All men must die 1. To manifest Gods truth Gen. 3. 19. 2. His power 3. Our benefit by Christ. 4. To coÌ„forme us to Christ. Rachel waâ—… 1. Fruitfull Psal. 128. 3. Gen. 20. 18. Gen. 5. Gen. 1. 28. Gen 24. 60. Psal. 107. 41. Deut. 28. 12. Psal. 104. 28. 1 Sam. 2. 6. Act. 16. 14. Gen. 30. 22. Gal. 6. 16. Luke 1 50. 3. Obedient Gen. 31. 11. 2 Sam 6. 23. Philem. 1. 2 4. Her death Coherence Observ. 1. Rom. 3. 18. 2 Cor. 5. Observ. 3. Observ. 4. Doct. 5. There is a change in all that are in Christ as from death to life 1. The analogy betweeene spirituall and naturall life and death 1. In Generall 1. A Generall change 2 The orderlynesse of it Rom. 12. 2. 2. The Analoin particular Death three fold 1 Iudiciall Ezek. 36. 3. 2. Civill 3. Naturall 1. Imperfect Simile Newnesse of life expressed by life in three respects 1. The principle of life Joh. 6. 63. Gal. 2. 20. Joh. 15. 1. Ephes. 2. 1. 2. The actions of life 3. The properties of life Appetitâ—… 2 Propagation Joh. 1. 44. The order Observ. Men first die tosin and then live to God Eph. 4. 22. 24. Zach. 3. Eph. 5. 8. Gen. 1. Rom. 6. 4. 5. 6. Reason 1. From our union with Christ. 2. From the coÌ„trarietie of them Vse 1. Conviction Ier. 5. Vse 2. Exhortation 1 Pet. 2. 24. No losse in dying to sin 1. Not life 2 Not peace 3. Not esteeme 4. Not wealth 5. Not pleasures Sin a needlesse thing 2. The gaine by death to sin Ezra 9 13. 1 The scope The partâ—… 1 Conclusion â—…he faithfull are hopefull Rom. 5. Definition of Hope 1 â—…et 1. 9. Rom. 8. 24. Vse 1. Tryall of Hope Rom. 4. 18. Isa. 21. 16. Hab. 2. 3. Isa. 8. 17. 2 Pet. 3. 9. Pâ—…l 73. 9. Psal. 102. 13. 2 Pet. 3. 3. Iob. 2. 9. Mala. 3. 14. 2 Cot. 6. 8. 2 Sam. 6. 22. Vse 2. Hindrances of hope 1 John 4. 18. Rev. 21. 8. Psal 118. 6. Psal. 91. 5. Psal. 40. 1. Luke 21. 19. 1 Cor. 15. 16. Job 17. 13. Heb. 11. 27 Heb. 11. 35. Phil. 1. 23. 2. Conclusion Christ the object of hope Phil. 1. 21. Psal. 38. 15. Psal. 71. 5. Gen. 49. 18. Job 13. 15. Vse 1. Prov. 23. 5. Psal. 146. 3â—… Psal. 62. 3â—… Vse 2. Phil. 3. 8. Eccles. 1. Isa. 55. 4. 2 Cor. 1. 20. Iohn 14. 6. Job 6. 68. 3. Conclusion This life-time is our hope-time Vse 1. Isa 55 6. 1 John 3. 2. Vse 2. 2 Pet. 1. 3. 1 Thes. 1. 3. Heb. 6. 19. Psal. 84. 7. 2 Pet. 3. 18. 1 Cor. 7. 20. Col. 4. 17. 4. Conclusion Hope is not for the things of this life 2 Cor. 5. 1. Isa 57. 13 Vse 1. Vse 2. 5. Conclusion Our life is a miserie Iob. 14. 1â—… 1 Cor. 7. 29 Iam. 4. 14. Vse 1. 1 John 2. 15. 2. Iohn 11. 25. Psal. 84 Vse 2. 6. Conclusion The hopefull are not miserable Vse 1. Vse 2. Iam. 5. 11. Reve. 14. 13. Exod. 33. 20. Explication Rom. 12. 2. 1 Jam. 2. 15 16. 2. Heb. 13. 3. Rom. 12. 15. Mat. 5. 3. 2 Thes. 3. 10. 1 Pet. 1. Division Doct. 1. It is the dutie of Christians to take the best opportunities of their life to doe good A twofold opportunitie to be taken of doing good 1 The time of life Luke 16 9. Mat. 25. 10. Obiection Answ. Obiection Answ. 〈◊〉 Of outward estates Prov. 23. 5. Eccles. 11. 8. 1 Tim. 6. 17. Job 31. 15. 16 17 18. Vse 1. Prov. 3. 28. Psal. 78. Vse 2. Gen. 18. 19. 2 Sam. 9. 1. Doct. 2. It is the dutie of Gods servants to relieve others Deut. 15. 7. Eccles. 11. 1. Isa. 58. 7. 2 Cor. 8. 9. Heb. 13. 16. Iohn 15. 29. Reason 1. Pro. 3. 26. 27. Luke 16 9 Reason 2. Psal. 41. 1. Psal 37. 6. 1 Tim. 6. 19. Vse 1. Iames 5. Vse 2. Quest. How to give so as to doe good Answ. 1 Give justly Eccles. 11. 1. 2. Give wisely Psal. 1 12. In respect of the quantitie In respect of the qualitie 3. Give in simplicitie Rom. 12. 8. Mat. 6. 4. Give chearefully 2 Cor. 8. 6. The persons to whom good must be done 1. Generally to all Luke 10. Mala. 2. 10. Reason 2. 1 Iohn 4. 20. Vse Obiect Answ. 1 Sam. 25. Obiect Answ. Rom. 12. Object Answ. Eccles. 11. 1. Objection Answ. Obiection Answer Obiection Answer Obiection Answ. Obiection Answ. Obiection Answ. Doct. 1. Doct. 2. 1. There are some poore of the houshold of faith Mat. 25. James 2. 1 King 4. 1. Rom. 15. 26. Luke 16. Reason 1. 〈◊〉 Cor. 8. 9. Mat. 8. 20. Reason 2. 1 Pet. 2. 11. Reas. 3. Luk 9. 53. Reason 4. Jam. 5. Heb. 11. Vse 1. Heb. 10. Vse 2. Job 1. Vse 5. James 2. Doct. 2. The houshold of faith especially to to be regarded Psal. 16â—… 1. Phil 1. Reason Reas. 〈◊〉 Mat. 15. Vse 1 Chro. â—…9 Prov. 19. 17. Psal. 〈◊〉 Prov. 311 Parts of the Text. Doct. 1. A change wil befall all the sonnes of men Death a change and why so termed The change by death must befall all men Reason 1. Reas. 2. Reas. 3. Reason 4. Doct. 2. 1. 1. What it is to waite for death Wherein the preparation for death consists 1 In freeing our selves from sin in our life time How that is done 2. In having our persons qualified How that is done Why we must wayte and be prepared for death Reason 1. Reas. 2. Reas. 3. Reason 4. 5. 1. 2. 3. Vse 1. Vse 2. 1 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proâ—… in Eccles. Agâ—…oscere nolumus quod ignorare non possumus â—…ypr de Mortal Vid. Vit. Orig. praefix operib Infans nondum loquitur tamen prophetat Serm. de bono pat Cic. primo tusc. In Eccles. chap. 12. 1. The Scope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cupressus â—…u neria 2 The Coherence Seneâ—… in limine mort is viâ—… sunt avidissimi Aristot. de long breu vitae Cic. de senâ—…ctute 1. 2. The sense Que. 1. Que. 2. Que. 3. Que. 4. Sol. 1. Sol. 2. Sol. 3. Et strepitus iste perdurat quousque pondus idâ—…st ponderosuÌ„ corpus ad terram pervenerit sed corpore in terram projecto statim cessaâ—… tumultus Destructor vit par 4. c. 2. The division The Doct. Quotidiè morimur quotidiè enim demitur aliâ—…ua pars vitae Bern. in