incouragement from him Indeed he was a man of speciall use and service and as he honored God in his life so God hath honored him in his death as you may see by this honorable assembly of worthy people met in love to him His death was as the death of strong men useth to be with conflicts betweene nature and his disease but with a great deal of patience and in his sicknesse time hee would utter Pauls disposition Oh saith he You keepe me from heaven you keepe me from glorie being displeased with those that kept him alive with conference out of love Hee had a large heart to doe good for though hee were fruitfull and studied to be fruitfull yet oft in his sicknesse in a complaining manner hee would say Oh I have not beene so wise for my owne soule as I ought to be I have not beene provident enough in taking opportunities of doing and receiving good Beloved shall such a man as he was so carefull so fruitfull so good shall he complaine thus what shall a company of us do Beloved those that have warmed their hearts at the fire of Gods love they thinke zeale it selfe to be coldnesse and fruitfulnesse to be barrennesse Love is a boundlesse affection hee spake not this from want of care but love knows no bounds therefore hee tooke the more opportunities of doing good Well I beseech you beloved let not this example Passe without making good use of it God will call us to a reckoning not only for what we heare but for what we see he will call us to a reckoning for the examples of his people therefore as wee see here what a holy disposition was in St. Paul and in this blessed man now with God so let us labour to finde the same disposition in our selves Paul hath now his desire hee is dissolved and he is with Christ that is best of all This holy man hath his desire he desired not to be kept from his glory and happinesse on which his mind was set before let us therefore labour with God in the use of good meanes to have the same disposition And in this moment let us provide for eternitie out of eternitie before and eternitie after issueth this little spot of time to doe good in Let us sow to the spirit account all time lost that either we doe not or take not good in opportunitie is Gods Angel time is short but opportunitie is shorter let us catch at all opportunities this is the time of working oh let us sow now shall we goe to sowing then when the time comes that wee should reap some begin to sow when they die that is the reaping time while we have time let us doe all good especially where God loves most to those that are good Consider the standings and places that God hath set us in consider the advantages in our hands the price that wee have consider opportunitie wil not stay long let us therfore doe all the good wee can and so if we doe beloved we shal come at length to reape that that this blessed Saint of God Saint Paul here in the text and this blessed man for whose cause we are now met doe enjoy Therefore if wee desire to end our dayes in ioy and comfort let us lay the foundation of a comfortable death now betimes To die well is not a thing of that light moment as some imagine it is no easie matter But to die well is a matter of every day let us daily doe some good that may helpe us at the time of our death every day by repentance pull out the sting of some sin that so when death comes we may have nothing to doe but to die to die well is the action of the whole life he never dies well for the most part that dies not daily as Paul saith of himselfe I die daily he laboured to loose his heart from the world and worldly things if we loose our hearts from the world and die daily how easie will it be to die at last he that thinks of the vanity of the world and of death of being with Christ for ever and is dying daily it will be easie for him to end his daies with comfort but the time being past I will here make an end Let us desire God to make that which hath been spoken effectuall both concerning Paul and likewife concerning this blessed man for whose cause we are met together FINIS CHRISTS SUFFERINGS FOR MANS SINNE Laid open in a Passion Sermon at Mercers Chappell London vpon Good Friday By R. SIBBS D. D. Isay. 53. 5. He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes are wee healed LONDON Printed by M. F. for R. Dawlman at the Brazen Serpent in Pauls Church-yard 1634. CHRISTS SVFFERINGS FOR MANS SINNE MATH 27. 46. About the ninth houre Iesus cryed with a loud voyce Ely Ely Lamasabac-thany that is to say My God my God wâ—y hast thou forsaken me THâ— dying speeches of men of worth are most remarkeable at that time they stirre up all their spirits abilities which remaine that they may speake with greatest advantage to the hearts of others and leave the deeper impression behind them These be some of the last words of our blessed Saviours uttered from the greatest affection with the greatest faith and to the greatest purpose that ever any words were spoken and therefore deserve your best attention In this Portion of Scripture you have Christs Compellation My God and his Complaint Why hast thou forsaken me A compellation with an ingemination or reduplication of the words My God my God to shew the strength of his affection and desire of help at this time A complaint by way of exposâ—ulation Why hast thou forsaken me I will draw all that I have to say into these foure propositions 1 That Christ was forsakenâ— 2 That hee was very sensible of it even unto complaint Why hast thou for saken me 3 His disposition and carriage in this extremity his faith failed not My God my God his present griefe tyed him the closer and faster to his God 4 Neither was it onely faith but a faith flaming in prayer wherby hee expressed that God was his God Hee not onely prayed but cryed to him My God my God c. This is the summe of what I intend Christ being in extremity was forsaken Being forsaken hee was very sensible of it and from sensiblenesse complaines powring out his soule into the bosome of his Father And not onely complaines but beleeves certainly that his Father will helpe him And to strengthen his faith the more he puts it forth in prayer the fire of faith in his heart kindled into a flame of prayer and that not in an ordinary manner but in strong supplications he cryed out My God my God why hast thou for saken me To come to the particulars Christ was forsaken I will briefly
sweete that Christ was forsaken as a surety for mee Christ overcame sinne death Gods wrath and all for mee in him I triumph over all these what welcome newes is this to a distressed sinner â— when ever thy souâ—e is truly humbled in the sense of sinne looke not at sinne in thy conscience thy conscience is â— bed for another to lodge in but â—t Christ if thou bee a broken-hearted sinner see thy sinnes in Christ thy Saviour taken away see what hee hath indured and suffered for them see not the Law in thy conscience but see it discharged by Christ see death disarmed through him made an entrance into a better life for thee whatsoever is ill see it in Christ before thou seest it in thy selfâ— and when thou beholdest it there see not only the hurt thereof taken away but all good made over to thee for All things worke together for the best to them that love God The Devill himselfe death sinne and wrath all helpe the maine the poyson and mischiefe of all is taken away by Christ and all good conveyed to us in him we have grace answerable to his grace Hee is the first seate of Gods love and it sweetens whatever mercy wee enjoy that it comes from the fountaine God the father through Christ unto us I beseech you imbrace the comfort that the Holy Ghosâ— affords us from these sweet considerations Againe in that Christ waâ— forsaken and not onely so but indured the displeasure and immediate wrath of God seazing upon his soul filling his heart with anguish at this time wee may learne hence 1 In what glasse to looke upon the ugly thing sinne to make it more ugly unto us Beloved if we would conceive aright of sinne let us see it in the Angelsâ—umbled â—umbled out of heaven and reserved in chains of darknesse for offending God see it in the casting of Adam out of Paradise and all us in him see it in the destruction of the old world and the Iewes carryed to captivity in the generall destruction of Ierusalem c. but if you would indeed see the most ugly colours of sinne then see it in Christ upoÌ„ the Crosse see how many sighâ—â— and groanes it cost him how bitter a thing it was to his righteous soule forcing him to weep teares of blood and send forth strong cryes to his Father My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee If sinne but imputed to Christ our surety so affected him that was God-man and lay so heavy upon his soul what will it doe to those that are not in Christ certainly the wrath of God must needs burn to hell he wil be a consuming fire to all such See â—inne therefore chiefly in the death of Christ how odious it is to God that it could bee no otherwise purged away than by the death of his beloved Sonne Al the Angels in heaven and all the creatures in the world could not satisfie divine iustice for the least sinne If all the agonies of al creatures were put into one it were nothing to Christs Agonie if all their sufferings were put into one they could not make satisfaction to Divine Justice for the least sin Sinne is another manner of matter than we take it to be see the Attributes of God his anger against it his justice and hâ—linesse c. Beloved men forget this they think God is angry against sinne indeed but yet his Justice is soone satified in Christ. Oh we must thinke of the Almighty as a Holy GOD separated from all staine and pollution of sinne whatsoever and so holy that he inforced a separation of his favour from Christ for becoming our surety and Christ underwent a separation from his Father because he undertooke foâ— us so odious is sinne to the holy nature of God that hee left his Sonne while hee strugled with his wrath for it and so odious was sinne to the holy nature of Christ that hee became thus a sacrifice for the same And so odious are the remainders of sin in the heaâ—ts of the Saints that all that belong to God have the Spirit of Christ which is as fire to consume and waste the old Adam by little and little out of them No uncleane thing must enter into heaven Those that are not in Christ by faith that have not a shelter in him must suffer for their transgressions eternally Depart yee cursed into everlasting fire so holy is God that he can have no society and fellowship with sinners Doe you wonder why GOD so much hates sinne that men so little regard not onely the lewd sort of the world but common dead-hearted persons that set so little by it that they regard not spirituall sinnes at all especially hatred malice pride c. cloathing themselves with these things as a comely garment Certainly you would not wonder that God hates sinne if you did but consider how sinne hates God what is sinne but a setting of it selfe in Gods room a setting the devill in Gods place for when wee sinne wee leave God and set up the Creature and by consequence Sathan that brings the temptatioÌ„ to us setting him in our hearts before God Beloved God is very jealous and cannot indure that filthy thing sinne to bee in his roome sinne is such a thing as desires to take away God himselfe Aske a sinner when hee is about to sinne Could you not wish that there were no God at all that there were no eye of heaven to take vengeance on you Oh I with all my heart and can you then wonder that God hates sinne so when it hates him so as to wish the not being of God oh marvell not at it but have such conceits of sinne as GOD had when hee gave his Sonne to dye for it and such as Christ had when in the sense of his Fathers anger hee cryed thus My God my God c. The deeper our thoughts are of the odiousnesse of sinne the deeper our comfort and joy in Christ will bee after therefore I beseech you work your hearts to a serious consideration what that sinne is that we cherish so much and will not be reproved for and which wee leave GOD and heaven and all to imbrace conceive of it as God doth that must bee a Judge and will one day call us to a strict account for the same If Christ cryed out thus My God my God why hast thou forsaken me as being our surety for our sinnes we may see what to conceive of sinne and of GOD the better But above all things I desire you to see often in this glasse in this booke of Christ crucified it is an excellent booke to study the mercy of God and the love of Christ the heighth and depth and bredth of Gods love in Jesus Christ which hath no dimensions What set God on worke to plot this excellent worke of our salvation and redemption by such a surety was it not mercy did not that awaken wisdome
army is as good as a fighting army Moses did as much good by prayer as the soldiers in the valley when they fought with Amelek they are favorites with God in heaven therefore S. Paul saith It is needfull for you that I abide in the flesh Gracious men are publique treasures and store-houses wherein every man hath a share a portion they are publique springs in the wildernesse of this world to refresh the soules of people they are trees of righteousnesse that stretch out their boughs for others to shelter under and to gather fruit from You have an excellent picture of this in Daniel in the dreame of Neâ—â—chadnezar the Magistrates there are compared to a great tree where in the birds build their nests and the beasts shelter themselves so a good Magistrate especially if he bee in great place is as a great tree for comfort and shelter Oh beloved the lives of good men are very usefull A good man saith the Philosopher is a common good because as soone as ever a man becomes gracious hee hath a publique minde as he hath a publique place nay whether he hath a publick place or no he hath a publique minde It is needfull therefore that there be such men alive If this be so then we may lament the death of worthy men because wee lose part of our strength in the losse of such Gods custome being to convey much good by them and when there is scarcity of good men we should say with Micah Woe is mee the good is perished from the earth they keepe iudgements from a place and derive a blessing upon it howsoever the world iudgeth them and accounts them not worthy to live yet God accounts the world unworthy of them they are Gods Iewels they are his treasure and his portion therefore we ought to lament their death and to desire their lives and we ought to desire our owne lives as long as we may be usefull to the Church and be content to want heaven for a time Beloved it is not for the good of Gods children that they live as soone as ever they are in the state of grace they have a title to heaven but it is for others when once we are in Christ we live for others not for our selves that a father is kept alive it is for his childrens sake that good Magistrates are kept alive it is for their subjects sake that a good Minister is kept alive out of the present enjoying of heaven it is for the peoples sake that God hath committed to him to instruct for as Paul saith here in regard of my owne particular it is better for mee to bee with Christ. If God convey so much good by worthy men to us then what wretches are they that maligne them persecute them c. speake ill of those that speake to God for them doth the world continue for a company of wretches a company of prophane blasphemous loose disorderly livers Oh no for if God had not a Church in the world a company of good people heaven and earth would fall in pieces there would bee an end presently It is for good people onely that the world continues they are the pillars of the tottering world they are the stakes in the fence they are the foundation of the building and if they were once taken out all would come downe there would bee a confusion of all therefore those that oppose and disquiet gracious and good men are enemies to their owne good they cut the bough which they stand on they labour to pull downe the house that covers themselves being blinded with malice and a diabolicall spirit take need of such a disposition it comes neare to the sinne against the holy Ghost to hate any man for goodnesse because perhaps his good life reproacheth us such a one would hate Christ himselfe if he were here how can a man desire to bee with Christ when hee hates his image in another therefore if God convey so much good by other men that are good let us make much of them as publick persons as instruments of our good take away malice and pride and a poisonfull spirit and all their good is ours what hinders that wee have no good by them pride and an envious spirit c. A second thing that I observe hence is this Holy and gracious men that are led by the Spirit of God can deny themselves and their owne best good for the Churches benefit They know that God hath appointed them as instruments to convey good to others and knowing this they labour to come to Pauls spirit here to desire to live to have life in patience and death in desire in regard of themselves for it were much better for a good man to bee in heaven out of misery out of this conflicting condition with the devill and devilish minded men The reason is because a good man as soone as he is a good man hath the spirit of love in him and love seeketh not its owne but the good of another and as the love of Christ and the love of God possesseth and seizeth upon the soule so selfe-love decayes what is gracious love but a decay of selfe-love the more selfe-love decayes the more we deny our selves Againe Gods people have the spirit of Christ in them who minded not his owne things If Christ had minded his owne things where had our salvation beene Christ was content to leave heaven and to take our nature upon him to be Emanuâ—l God with us that we might be with God for ever in heaven hee was content not onely to leave heaven but to be borne in the wombe of a Virgin he was content to stoope to the grave he stooped as low as hell in love to us Now where Christs spirit is it will bring men from their altitudes and excellencies and make them to stoope to serve the Church and account it an honour to bee an instrument to doe good Christ was content to be accounted not onely a servant of God but of the Churches My righteous servant c. Those that have the spirit of Christ have a spirit of selfe-deniall of their owne we see the blessed angells are content to be Ministring spirits for us and it is thought to bee the sinne of the devil pride when he scorned to stoope to the keeping of man an inferiour creature to himself The blessed Angells doe not scorne to attend upon a poore child little ones A Christian is a consecrated person and he is none of his owne he is a sacrifice as soone as he is a Christian he is Christs he gives himselfe to Christ and as he gives himselfe so he gives his life and all to Christ as Paul faith of the Corinths they gave themselves and their goods to him when a Christian gives himselfe to Christ he gives all to Christ all his labour and paines and whatsoever hee knowes that Christ can serve himselfe of him for his Churches
thou wilt serve thy selfe of my credit and reputation I will adventure it for thee If thou wilt have my life of thee I had it to thee I will restore it I will not limit thy Majesty come of it what will I leave it to thy wisedome use mee and mine as thou wilt onely be gracious to my soule that it may goe well with that and I care not Thus wee should wholly resigne our selves to the Lords disposall and thereby wee shall exceedingly honour his Majesty and cause him to honour us and to shew his presence to us for our good which hee will assuredly doe if we absolutely yeeld up our selves to him But if a man will have two strings to his Bow and trust him so farre but not so farre so hee may bee kept from this danger or that trouble c. this is not to deale with God as an Omnipotent Creator For hee that doth a thing truely in obedience to God will doe it generally to all his commands so farre as the reason of his obedience reaches his trust extends hee that commits any thing to God will commit all to him he chooseth not his Objects but upon the same ground that hee commits his soule to God when hee dies hee commits his estate liberty and all hee hath while he lives Hee can never relye on God for greater matters that distrusts him in lesser Againe a man that truely trusts God will commit all his wayes unto him hee will take no course but what hee is guided in by the Lord hee lookes for wisedome from above and saith Lord though it is not in mee to guide my owne way as thy Word shall leade mee and the good counsel of thy Spirit in others direct me so I will follow thee Hee that commits not his wayes to God will not commit his comforts to him God must bee our Counsellor as well as our Comforter Therefore the Wise man bids us Acknowledge God in all our wayes and leane not to our owne wisedome Most men looke how safe their counsels are not how holy and agreeable to God is this to trust in him Will God save us at last and yet suffer us to live as wee liâ—t now Deceive not your selves hee that will have his soule saved must commit it to GOD before hand to bee sanctified Againe those that commit themselves aright to God will commit their posterity to him their wives and children c. Why doe not men make their Wils and commit their goods to them Oh but how doe they resigne them how covetous and full of distrust are they I must leave such a childe so much and so much and why I pray you because God cannot blesse him else Oh fearefull Is God â—yed to meanâ—s cannot heblesse with a little as well as with a great deale Is not the earth the Lords and the fulnesse thereof Why must God have so much in hand or else hee cannot inrich and raise up thy Children Oh consider he hath declared himselfe to bee the father of the fatherlesse and lookes to the Widdow in a speciall manner he doubles his Providence there hee provides for all but takes speciall notice of them therefore quiet thy selfe they are in covenant with God and God is thy God and the God of thy seed also therefore if thou wilt commit thy soule why not thy Wife Children goods c. Looke into the course of Gods people in all times those that have left but little with honest dealing God hath blessed the same exceedingly whereas those that have left great matters ill gotten in stead of a blessing have often left a curse and a snare behinde them Why then should men take indirect courses and wound their consciences for worldly pelâ—e Consider 1. thy children are Gods and not thine hee gave them to thee at first and he can provide hereafter when thou artgone thou art the father of their body but he is the father of their soule 2. He provided for them before they were borne doth not hee provide care and affection in the Mothers heart doth not he provide suck in the Mothers breasts and will hee not care for them now they are borne as well as he did before they came into the world it is Atheisme to thinke such a thought Those that commit themselves to God in one thing will doe so in all things otherwise they deceive their owne soules for it is a universall Act that runnes through their whole life Committing is an Action of trust and there is a kinde of entercourse of trust betweene God and a Christian continually Lastly those that commit themselves to God wil be faithfull stewards in whatsoever hee hath trusted them withall Thou committest thy selfe and thy health and estate to God and at length thou wilt commit thy soule when thoudiest unto him very well but what doth God trust thee withall hath hee not trusted thee with a Body and a soule with a portion of goods with place time strength and abilities to doe good Hast thou not all thou hast from God as a Steward to improve for thy Masters advantage If ever thou expectest the performance of what thou hast put in him bee faithfull in that trust which hee hath committed to thee Those that have misused their bodies and wounded their soules in their lives how can they commit theÌ„ to God at their deaths How dares the soule looke up to him when the life hath beene nothing else but a perpetuall offending of his Majesty I beseech you let us learne this wholesome lesson great is our benefit thereby Hee that trusts in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion that cannot bee moved wee may be shaken but shall never be removed The earth is shaken with Earthquakes but the earth keepes its owne Center still Our best peace is in God and our chiefest safety in his protection I laid mee downe to rest because thou Lord watchest over me saith the Prophet and Returne O my soule to thy rest for the Lord hath beene very beneficiall to thee Is it not a good thing to have a sweete security of soule that whether I sleepe or wake whether I bee at home or abroad live or die I have a Providence watching over mee better then mine owne When I yeeld my selfe up to God his wisedome is mine his strength is mine whatsoever hee hath it is for me because I am his What a heaven upon earth is this that a Christian out of a holy familiarity with God can resigne up his soule to him upon all occasions Set heaven and salvation aside what greater happinesse can be desired How sweet is a mans rest at night after he hath yâ—elded himselfe to God by faithfull prayer I beseech you let us bee acquainted with the practise of this duty and labour to bee in such a state as God may owne us and receive our poore soules to himselfe Let us keepe them pure and undeâ—iled
businesse God hath a key to open the closet of their hearts let them bee never so close locked up Oh that men would more feare this al-seeing eye of God be wise for themselves and not against themselves It is a miserable wisedome when men are wise to worke their owne ruine Beloved when men have had all their plots God hath a plot still beyond them he takes them failing in something or other their devices are like a curious clock if the least thing be out of frame all is marred God suffers them to spinne a â—ine thread a great while and at length cuts the webb and there is an end And they may thanke themselves for all this for they carry a justification of God in their owne breasts they perish because they will perish and this will be the torment of all torments to gracelesse persons that they polled destruction upon themselves Malice blindes the understanding in Satan and his instruments for if their malice were not above their wit would they to gratifie their ill affections knowingly rush into the displeasure of God and into such courses as will unavoidably bring their ruine malice drinks up the greatest part of its owne poyson His owne iniquity shall take the wicked himselfe saith Solomon and he shall be holden with the cords of his owne sinne This may bee inlarged to all sinfull courses every sinner worketh a deceitfull worke and bringeth forth a lye Austin saith well Every sinne is a lye Men would be happy yet they will not live so as they may be happy what more deceitfull than this It will be the complaint of every sinner at length that was Fvah's The Serpent hath deceived me It was S. Pauls complaint and it will be the complaint of all sinfull wretches at the last day What hath pride profited us What can the favour of men upon whom wee beare our selves doe us good now Sinne promiseth us contentment continuance secrecie full satisfaction c. but doth it make good this Were ever any when the beginning and ending was laid together established by wickednesse Take it from God himselfe we have a commission to speake it Say it shall not goe well with the wicked though they escape an hundred times yet it is but a reprivall for some further service which God hath to doe by them Be not deceived God is not mocked When wee can bee more subtile than the Devill or more strong than God we may thinke to thrive by sinne Can wee thinke God will alter the course of divine justice for us Had we not better beleeve this than finde it so hereafter Beloved hell is for those to feele that will not beleeve Certaine it is that those who will sinne notwithstanding Gods justice shal be severely punished notwithstanding his mercy God is not more peremptory in any one thing than in this If any man blesse himselfe in an ill way my wrath shall smoake against him therefore it is a good prayer Lord give mee not over to lying that is not to trust in that which will lye and deceive me This is the unhappinesse of us Ministers all other professions are beleeved when they discover danger but who beleeveth our report Wee are mens enemies because we tell them the truth Wee labour to take away the sweet morsells from men their Herodians and to divide betwixt men and their sins which they love better than their soules No creature but man loves that which will bee its owne bane Onely wretched man seek os happinesse in the way to misery and heaven in the way to hell I beseech you therefore as you would not bee deceived as indeed who would take heede of the deceitfull workes of darknesse Satan that tempts us is but a lying spirit which hee is not ashamed to confesse and sinne is like unto him What got Ahab by his vineyard Iudas by his thirty peeces of silver What god Haman and so of the rest by their sinnes at the last Men are usually ashamed of an ill bargain because the very thought thereof upbraids them with weaknesse and folly What ever we get by sinne for the present it will prove the worst bargaine that ever we made Oh therefore let us use our wits and parts to better purpose if wee will needs bee plotting let us plot for eternity that is worth the plotting for Let us plot how to avoide Satans plot Our time is short Opportunity the flower of time shorter Our talents are many our accounts strict our Iudge unpartiall Let us be sowing to the spirit Let us labour to be like our judge who went about doing his Fathers worke and came to destroy the workes of the Devill Oh beloved shall we build up that which Christ came to destroy All his miracles tended to goods he wrought the salvation of those that wrought his destruction hee shed his blood for those that shed his blood Satan is all for mischiefe and rather than he will not doe hurt he is content to be set about drowning of swine And such are all those that are led with his spirit men witty to destroy and acute to malice others who take a great deale of paines to goe to hell and carry others with them Those that are skilfull in the story of nature write of the Scorpion that hee whets his taile often upon stones that so it may bee sharpe and ready for a mischiefe some crooked wits there are which make it their exercise to vexe the quiet of the land it is as naturall to them as poyson to a Scorpion But our happinesse is how to be like the Idea the patterne of all grace and the glory of our nature by whom we hope to bee saved Our happinesse is to bring forth fruit and our owne fruit in due season to have opportunity ability and a heart to doe good how comfortable is death when it takes men so doing The time will be ere long when it will comfort us above all things in the world besides that wee have beene honoured to be instruments of doing good and stood in the gappe to hinder evill Beloved we serve a good master we shall not lose a good word for a good cause there is a booke of remembrance for every good word and worke we doe When wicked men have beaten their braines spent their spirits and wasted their strength what becomes of them at length A conscience often wounded will receive no comfort but take Gods part against it selfe When the other powers are wearied then Conscience comes and doth its office then the eyes of the soule are opened to see what it would not see before then sinne that lay at the doore at the going out of this life flyeth in our faces pleasure and profit for which wicked men project and contrive so much comes all to nothing but sinne it selfe and the punishment of it abides for ever Men like Popes will dispence with themselves and
will deliver him To glorisie God here is the end of all ends to praise God happy wee when Gods end and our end meet together Hee hath made all for his owne glory and when wee with a single eye can ayme at that too what a sweet harmony is there To direct us in this duty in praising God let us with Paul for I goe no surther than the text leads me seriously meditate on Gods mercies both past and to come nothing moves thankfulnesse more than this A Christian when hee lookes backwards hath comfort and when he lookes forward he sees comfort still for preservation and Kingdomes and Crownes abide for him If a man would praise God therefore let him consider how graciously God hath dealt with him Hee hath delivered me already by Jesus Christ from sinne and eternall wrath and he will deliver mee from every evill worke to come that may indanger my salvation Thinke of these things and see whether your hearts can bee cold and dead or no see if your spirits can be streightned Certainely both heart and mouth will be full thou canst not but say in the apprehension of Gods mercies To him bee glory for ever 2. Consider the kindes of favours thou receivest they are either positive or privative spirituall or temporall Positive the Lord will preserve me privative the Lord will deliver mee from every evill worke Temporall the Lord in this life will keepe me spirituall he will deliver me from the power of sin Eternall Hee will preserve mee to his heavenly Kingdome Thinke forward or backwards outward or inward spirituall or temporall where ever you looke tell me if you can doe otherwise then breake out with the holy Apostle in the praises of so good a God And 3. Thinke of the greatnesse of all these the greatnesse of the deliverance from sinne and damnation The Apostle to make himselfe the more thankfull saith he was delivered out of the mouth of the Lion he had large apprehensions of Gods goodnesse So should we beloved consider the greatnesse of the misery we are in by nature being slaves of Satan in danger to slip into Hell every moment and when God hath secured us from this thinke of the greatnesse of the benefit a heavenly kingdome When we think not only of the benefits but of the greatnesse of them it is a wondrous incouragement to bee thankfull Labour then to have a due and high esteeme of every mercy God hath brought us out of darknesse into marvellous light saith the Apostle Great is the mystery of godlinesse and the unsearchable riches of his grace he had not words bigge enough to expresse Gods goodnes Oh the heighth and bredth and depth and length of his love When we consider these dimensions our thankfulnesse must be answerable Againe if you would bee thankfull Labour to have humble spirits to see God in all things and then you will sacrifice to him alone not to thy parts and graces friends abilities c. the meeke are fit to pray to God Seeke the Lord yee meeke of the earth and an humbled meeke soule is the fittest to praise God of any other he that knowes he is worthy of nothing will blesse God for any thing he that knowes he hath nothing in himselfe will be thankfull for the least measure of grace an humble soule is a thankfull soule We see it was Pauls disposition here he gives all to God which makes him so breake out in praising his name Againe if wee would bee thankfull as Paul here and beginne Heaven upon Earth Labour to be assured of salvation and perseverance in thy Christian course The Papists that speake against Assurance and Perseverance kill prayer and praising of God Shall a man praise God for that which he doubts of I cannot tell whether God will damne me or not perhaps I am but fitted as a sheepe to the slaughter c. how shall a man praise God for any blessing hee enjoyes when these thoughts are still with him how shall a man praise God for salvation when perhaps he shall not come to it how shall a man praise God for that which perhaps he may fall from before hee die when perhaps hee is Gods to day and may be the Devills to morrow How can there bee a hearty thankes but when a man can say The Lord will deliver me from every evill work that by mine owne weaknesse and Satans malice I may occasionally fall into betwixt this and Heaven Therefore if we would praise God as we should let us worke our hearts to labour after assurance of Gods favour let us redeeme our precious time and every day set some time apart to strengthen our evidences for heaven which will set us in a continuall frame to every good worke Thus wee see out of Pauls example how we should be disposed here to be in heaven before our time For undoubtedly he who praiseth God is so much in Heaven as he is given to thankfulnesse for hee is in that imployment now which shall be there altogether But how long doth he desire that God should have glory For ever and ever A Christian should have the extent of his desires of Gods glory carried to eternity Upon what ground because God intends him glory for ever and ever a Christian that is assured of his salvation is assured that God will eternally glorisie him He knowes that Christ is King for ever He knowes that Christ is a Priest for ever He knowes that the state and condition that he is kept for is everlasting It is an inheritance immortal and undeâ—iled that fadeth not away and therefore he saith Hath God eternall thoughts of my good and is Christ an eternall head an eternall King to rule me both in lise and in death Surely I will extend my desires of his glory as farre as hee extends his purpose to doe me good Now his purpose to doe mee good is for eternity and my desire that he may have glory shall be â—or eternity world withont end This is the disposition of a gracious soule not that God may be honoured by him alone but of all To whom be praise not by me but by all I am not sufficient enough to praise him To him be praises in the Churches throughout all ages for ever David had not largenesse enough in himselfe to blesse God and therefore hee stirres up his spirits and all within him to praise his holy name as if all were too little to set out the glory of Gods infinite goodnesse mercy wisedome and power those gracious attributes that shew themselves glorious in bringing man to salvation and in governing the Church Learne this duty therefore If we will make good to our owne soules that we are in the state of grace we must plot for eternity and indeavour to lay a ground and foundation that the Church may flourish for eternitie No man can warrant himselfe to be a good Christian but he that labours to
that hath such large encouragements attending it both in life and death I beseech you thinke of these things Christ ere long will come to be glorified in all those that beleeve He will come to be glorified in his Saints Our glory tends to his glory shall we not glorifie him all we can here by setting forth his truth by countenancing his Children and Servants by doing good and deserving well of ingratefull times we live in Let men bee as unthankfull as they will we looke not to them but to the honour of God the credit of Religion the maintenance of the truth c. Let men be as they will be base wicked enemies to grace and goodnesse we doe it not to them but to God Consider this will Christ come from Heaven ere long to bee glorified in us and shall not we labour to glorifie him while we are here Hee will never come to be glorified in any hereafter but those that glorifie him now As we looke therefore that he should be glorified in us and by us let us glorifie him now for so he condescends to vouchsafe to be glorified in us and by us that the may also glorifie us Saint Paul saith The Wife is the glory of the Husband what meanes he by this That is she reflects the graces of a good Husband if he be good shee is good she reflects his excellencies So let every Christian soule that is marryed to Christ be the glory of Christ reflect his excellencies be holy as he is holy fruitsull as he was in doing good meeke and humble as he was every way be his glory and then undoubtedly when he comes to judge us he will come to bee glorified in us having beene before glorified by us Beloved these and such considerations should set us on worke how to doe Christ all the honour wee can as David saith is there any of Ionathans posterity alive that I may doe good unto them for his sake so considering we shal beso glorified by Christ and that hee will doe so much for us in another world Wee should enquire Is there any of Christs posterity here any of his Children in this world that I may doe good unto them Is there any way wherein I may shew my thankfulnesse and I will doe it Let us consider that wee shall bee for and ever glorified the expression of it is beyond conceit wee shall never know it til wee have it Let this I beseech you stirre us up to study how wee may bee thankfull to God set forth his glory and deserve wel of the Church and times wherein wee live God hath children and a cause in the world which hee dearely loves let us owne the same and stand for it to the uttermost of our power maugre all the spight and opposition of Satan and his wicked instruments The Lord in mercy settle these truths upon our hearts and incourage us in his most holy way FINIS CHRIST IS BEST OR S. PAVLS STRAIT A SERMON PREA ched at the Funerall of Mr. Sherland late Recorder of Northampton BY R. SIBBS D. D. Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge and Preacher of Grayes-Inne LONDON PSAL. 42. 2. My soule thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appeare before God LONDON Printed by M. F. for R. Dawlman at the Brazen Serpent in Pauls Church-yard I634 CHRIST IS BEST PHIL. 1. 23 24. For I am in a strait betweene two having a desire to depart and to bee with Christ which is best of all neverthelesse to abide in the flesh is most needfull for you THe Apostle Paul here had a double desire one in regard of himselfe to be with Christ another out of his love of Gods Church and people to abide still in the flesh and betweene these two hee is in a great straite not knowing which to choose but the love of the Church of Christ tryumphed in him above the love of his owne salvation so as he was content out of selfe-deniall to want the joyes of heaven for a time that hee might yet further comfort the people of God In the words you have 1. S. Pauls straites 2. his desires that caused them as in regard of himselfe which was to bee with Christ so in respect of the Church of God which was to abide still here 3. the reasons of both 1. to be with Christ is farre better for mee 2. to abide in the flesh more needfull for you and 4. his resolution upon all being willing for the Churches good still to abide here rather than goe to heaven and enjoy his owne happinesse S. Pauls soule was as a shippe betweene two windes tossed up and downe as iron between two Loadstones drawne first one way then another the one loadstone was his owne good to bee in heaven the other was the good of Gods people to abide still in the flesh Observe hence that the servants of God are oftentimes in great straits some things are so exceeding bad that without any deliberation or delay at all we ought presently to abominate them as Satans temptations to sinne to distrust despaire c. some things also are so good that wee should immediately cleave unto them as matters of Religion and pietie there should be no delay in these holy businesses deliberation here argues weaknesse Some things againe are of an ambiguous and doubtfull nature requiring our best consideration such was Pauls strait in this place he had reasons swaying him on both sides and such is the happy estate of a Christian that whatsoever hee had chosen had beene well for him onely God who rules our judgements will have us to make choise God might have determined whether Paul should live or die but he would not without Pauls choice that which is good is not good to us but upon choice and advice when God hath given us abilities to discourse and examine things hee will have us make use of them and therefore the Apostle useth reasons on both sides It is better to die for me It is better to live for you c. Wicked men have their deliberations and their straits too but it is with the rich man in the Gospell What they shall doe how they may pull downe their barnes and build bigger c. Their maine strait is at the houre of death live they cannot die they dare not there is so much guilt of sinne upon their consciences they know not which way to turn themselves oh what fearefull straits will sinne bring men into but the Apostle was straitned in an higher nature than this whether it were better for the glory of God which he aimed at above all for him to goe to heaven and enjoy happinesse in his owne person or to abide still for the comfort of Gods Saints on earth The ground of this difficulty and straite was his present desire I have a desire Desires are the immediate issue of the soule the motion and stirring
farre better And is it much farre better to die that we may be with Christ than to live here a conflicting life Why should we then feare death that is but a passage to Christ It is but a grimme servant that lets us into a glorious pallace that striks off our bolts that takes off our rags that wee may bee clothed with better robes that ends all our misery and is the beginning of all our happinesse why should we therfore be affraid of death it is but a departure to a better condition It is but as Iordan to the children of Israel by which they passed to Canaan it is but as the red-sea by which they were going that way therefore we have no reason to feare death of it selfe it is an enemy indeed but now it is harmelesse nay now it is become a friend amicable to us a sweet friend it is one part of the Churches joynture death All things are yours saith the Apostle Paul and Apollos life and death death is ours and for our good it doth us more good than all the friends we have in the world it determines and ends all our misery and sinne and it is the suburbs of heaven it lets us into those joyes above It is a shame for Christians therefore to bee affraid of that that Paul here makes the object of his desire But may not a good Christian feare death I answer Not so farre as a Christian is led with the spirit of God and is truly spirituall for the spirit carryes us upward but as farre as wee are earthly and carnall and byassed downward to things below wee are loath to depart hence In some cases Gods children are affraid to die because their accounts are not ready though they love Christ and are in a good way yet notwithstanding because they have not prepared themselves by care as a woman that hath her husband abroad and desires his comming but all is not prepared in the house therfore she desires that he may stay awhile so the soule that is not exact that is not in that frame that it should be in saith Oh stay awhile that I may recover my strength before I goe hence and bee no more seene but as farre as wee are guided by the spirit of God sanctifying us and are in such a condition as we should be in so farre the thoughts of death ought not to be terrible to us nor indeed are they Beloved there is none but a Christian that can desire death because it is the end of all comfort here it is the end of all callings and employments of all sweetnesse whatsoever in this world If another man that is not a Christian desire heaven he desires it not as heaven or to â—e with Christ as Christ he desires it under some notion sutable to his corruption for our desires are as our selves are as our aymes are no carnall worldly man but hath carnall worldly aymes a worldly man cannot goe beyond the world it is his spheare a carnall man cannot goe beyond the flesh therefore a carnall man cannot desire heaven a man that is under the power of any lust can desire nothing but the satisfying of that lust heaven is no place for such none but a child of God can desire that For if we consider heaven and to bee with christ to be perfect holines can he desire it that hates holinesse here can he desire the Image of God upon him that hates it in others and in himselfe too can he desire the communion of Saints that of all societies hates it the most can he desire to be free from sinne that ingulfes himselfe continually in sinne he cannot and therefore as long as he is under the thraldome and dominion of any lust he may desire heaven indeed but it is onely so farre as he may have his lusts there his pleasures honours and riches there too if he may have heaven with that he is contented but alas brethren heaven must not be so desired S. Paul did otherwise he desired to be dissolved to be with Christ hee desired it as the perfection of the Image of God under the notion of holinesse and freedome from sin as I said before Which is farre better Againe we see that God reserves the best for the last Gods â—aâ—t workes are his best workes the new heaven and the new earth are the best the second wine that Christ created himselfe was the best spirituall things are better than naturall A Christians last is his best God will have it so for the comfort of Christians that everyday they live they may think My best is behinde my best is to come that every day they rise they may thinke I am nearer heaven one day than I was before I am nearer death and therefore nearer to Christ what a solace is this to a gracious heart A Christian is a happy man in his life but happyer in his death because then he goes to Christ but happiest of all in heaven for then hee is with Christ. How contrary to a carnall man that lives according to the sway of his owne base lusts he is miserable in his life more miserable in his death but most miserable of all after death I beseech you lay this to heart mee thinkes considering that death is but a way for us to be with Christ which is farre better this should sweeten the thinking of death to us and we should comfort our selves daily that we are nearer happinesse But how shall we attaine this sanctified sweet desire that Paul had to die and be with Christ Let us carry our selves as Paul did and then we shall have the same desires S. Paul before death in his life time had his conversation in heaven his minde was there and his soule followed after there is no mans soule comes into heaven but his minde is there first It was an easie matter for him to desire to bee with Christ having his conversation in heaven already Paul in meditation was where he was not and he was not where he was he was in heaven when his body was on earth 2. Againe S. Paul had loosed his affections from all earthly things therefore it was an easie matter for him to desire to be with Christ I am cruciâ—ied to the world and the world is crucified to me c. If once a Christian comes to this passe death will be welcome to him those whose hearts are fastened to the world cannot easily desire Christ. 3. Againe holy S. Paul laboured to keepe a good conscience in all things herein I exercise my selfe to have a good conscience towards God and men c. It is easie for him to desire to be dissolved that hath his conscience sprinkled with the blood of Christ free from a purpose of living in any sinne But where there is a stained defiled polluted conscience there cannot be this desire for the heart of man naturally as the Prophet saith
search his heart in regard of corruption Is there any sinne that I am not willing to part with c. Beloved God many times leaves us and not only leaves us but makes our naked conscience smart for sinne oh this is a quickening thing A child of God that is of the right stampe will not indure to be under Gods wrath long oh it is bitter he knowes what it is to enjoy communion with GOD he will not endure it therefore it stirres him up to all manner of diligence whatsoever But is there no difference betweene Christs sufferings and smart for sinne and ours Yes the sufferings of Christ came froÌ„ the vindictive and revenging hand of God as a just Judge but ours proceed from him as a loving Father for God when wee are in Christ is changed hee layeth aside the person of a Iudge having received full satisfaction in Christ he is now in the relation of a sweet father to us Againe there is difference in the measure we take but a taste of the cup sweetned with some fort and moderated but Christ dranke deepe of the same 3 In the end and use the sufferings and forsaking of Christ were satisfactory to divine Justice but ours are not so but only medicinall the nature of them is quite changed they are not for satisfaction for then wee should die eternally disable the satisfaction of CHRIST they are crosses indeed but not curses whatsoever we suffer in soule or body is a crosse but not a curse unto us because the sting is pulled out they are all medicinall cures to fit us for heaven whatsoever we suffer in our inward or outward man prepares us for glory by mortifying the remainders of corruptions and fitting us for that blessed estate 4 All other mens deaths are for themselves as Leâ— saith Singula in singulis they are single deaths for single men but it is therwise here for all the Children of God were forsaken in their head crucified in their head and dyed in Christ their Head Christs death was a publike satisfaction no man dyeth for another let the Papists say what they will only Christ dyed for all and suffered for his whole body And thus much of the first generall that Christ was forsaken The second is this Christ was very sensible of it even to complaint and expostulation My God my God c. Why should it be thus betweene the Father and the Sonne betweene such a Father and such a Sonne a kinde loving Father to his naturall obedient and onely Sonne the word is strong beloved hee was not onely forsaken but exposed to danger left in it being very sensible of the same every word heere expresseth some bowels he doth not say The Iewes have foraken me or my beloved Disciples and Apostles that I made much of have forsaken me or Pilate would not doe the duty of a true Iudge my feete are pierced my Head is wounded my body is wracked hanging on the Crosse c. he complaines of none of these though they were things to be complained of and would have sunke any Creature to have felt that in his body that he did but that which went nearest to him was this Oh my God why hast thou forsaken me I stand not upon others forsaking but why hast thou forsaken me I stand more upon thy forsaking than the forsaking of all others Christ was very sensible of this it went to his very heart But what speciall reason was there that Christ should take this so deeply First of all because the loving kindnesse of the Lord is better than life it selfe as David the type of Christ well said the forsaking of God being indeed worse than death the loving kindness of the Lord is that that sweetneth all discomforts in the world the want of that imbitters all comforts to us If we be condemned traitors what will all comfors doe to a condemned man The want of Gods love imbitters all good and the pre sence thereof sweetneth all ill death imprisonment all crosses whatsoever therefore Christ having a sanctified judgement in the highest degree judgeth the losse of this to be the worst thing 2 The sweeter the communion is with GOD the fountaine of good the more intolerable and unsufferable is the separation on from him but none had ever so neare and sweet a communion with God as Christ our Mediatour had for hee was both God and Man in one person the beloved Sonne of his Father now the communion before being so neare and so sweet unto him a little want of the same must needs bee unsufferable Things the nearer they are the more difficult the separation will be as when the skinne is severed from the flesh and the flesh from the bones oh it is irk some to nature much more was Christs separation from the sense of his Fathers love Those that love live more in the party loved than in themselves Christ was in love with the person of his father and lived in him now to want the sense of his love considering that love desires nothing but the returne of love againe it must needs bee death unto him Another ground that Christ was thus sensible was because hee was best able to apprehend the worth of communion with God and best able to apprechend what the anger of God was hee had a large judgement and a more capacious soule than any other therfore being filld with the wrath of God he was able to hold more wrath than any man else hee could deepest apprehend wrath that had so deepe a taste of love before Againe in regard of his body the griese of Christ both in body and soule was the greatest that ever was for hee was in the strength of his yeares hee had not dulled his spirits with inteÌ„perancy he was quick and able to apprehend paine being of an excellent temperature Was Christ so exceding sensible of the want of his Fathers love though it were but a while I beseech you then let us have mercifull considerations of those that suffer in conscience and are troubled in minde oh it is another manner of matter than the world takes it for it is no easie thing to conflict with Gods anger though but a little It was the fault of Iobs friends they should have judged charitably of him but they did not take heed therefore of making desperate conclusions against our selves or other when the arrowes of the Almighty sticke in us when we smart and shew our distemper in the apprehension of the terrous of the Lord seizzing upon our soules God is about a gracious worke all this while the more sensible men are of the anger of GOD the more sensible they will bee of the returne of his faâ—our againe There are some insensible stupid creatures that are neither sensible of the afflictions they sâ—ffer in body nor of the manisestation of Gods anger on their soule notwithstanding hee followes them with his corrections
yet they are as dead flesh unmoveable therefore Why should I smite them any longer c. saith GOD. This comes from 3 grounds 1 From pride when men thinke it a shame for such Romane spirits as they are to stoope Or from hypocrisie when they will not discover their griefe though their conscience be out of tune Or else out of stupid blockishnesse which is worst of all when they are not affected with the signes of Gods wrath It is a good thing to bee affected with the least token of Gods displeasure when we can gather by good evidence that GOD hath a quarrell against us you see how sensible Christ was and so will it with bee us if wee get not into him betimes we â—hal be sensible of sin one day whether we will or no coÌ„science is not put in us for nought you may stupifie and stifle the mouth of Conscience with this or that tricke now but it will not bee so for ever it will discharge its office and lay bitter things to our charge and stare in our faces and drive us to despaire one day sinne is another matter when it is revealed to Conscience than we take it howsoever we goe blockishly and stupidly on now It is sweet in the temptation and allurement but it hath an ill farewell and sting If wee could judge of sinne as we shall doe when it is past especially when we come to our reckoning at the houre of death and at the day of Judgement then wee would bee of another minde then wee would say that all sinners as the Scripture termes them are fooles But to goe on Christ we see expresseth his sensiblenesse by complaint My God my God why hast thou for saken mee Here some Cautions must bee rendred that wee doe not mistake Christ complaines notâ— of God but to God Was Christ ignorant of the cause of Gods forsaking him No hee knew the cause for his sufferings were intolerable but taking our nature upon him he takes our speech also and expresseth himselfe like to a miserable man having the greatest affliction that ever was upon a Creature The divine nature of Christ stopped the excesse of any passion he was turbated but not perturbated hee was moved with the sinnes of men but not removed hee was as water in a cleare glasse there is nothing but water though you stirre it never so much if there were mudd in it it would soâ—one bee uncleane wee cannot stirre our affections and complain but with a tincture of sinne it was not so with Christ hee knew when to raise and when to allay his affections and though there were much nature in these affections a naturall shunning of griefe and a naturall desire of Gods presence yet here was grace to direct and sanctifie the same for nature sometimes carries grace with a stronger winde more fully when they goe both in one current as here It was grace to have the love of GOD yea it was death to be without it and it was sinlesse nature to desire ease for without sinne nature may desire ease so it bee with submission of it selfe to God For the soule may have divers desires as there are divers objects presented to it when the soule apprehends releafe and ease it rejoyces and is glad but when upon higher considerations and better ends there is paine presented to the soule to doe it good the soule may desire that and upon deliberation chuse that it refused before A man may have his hand cut off and cast his wares into the Sea that hee would not willingly doe yet when upon deliberation he considers I shall save my life by it hee will doe it So Christ by a naturall desire without sin might desire release of paine but when it was presented to him what shall become of the salvation of man and obedience to God then Vpon these considerations that respected higher ends there might be another choice so in things subordinate one to another one thing may crosse another and yet all be good too But you must know this likewise that â—orsaking and to bee sensible of forsaking is no sinne especially when it is not contracted by any sinne of ours it is a suffering but not a sinne and to be sensible of it is no sinne it is rather a sinne to bee otherwise affected God allowes those affections that hee hath planted in us he hath planted feare and forrow in presenting dolorous objects If a man doe not sorrow in objects of sorrow he is not a man after Gods making GOD allowes griefe and seare in afflictions and trouble alwayes remembring it be with submission to him Not as I will but as thou wilt Againe consider Christ was now in a conflicting condition betweene doubting and despaire the powers of hell being round about him Sathan as he was busie about him at the entrance into his office so hee was now vexing his righteous soule with temptations God hath for saken thee and this and that wee know not the malice of Sathan at such a time but certainly the powers of hell were all let loose then upon him The truth is God had a purpose to finish his sufferings presently upon his complaint and because hee will have us all receive what wee receive even Christ himselfe by prayer and opening our desires to him God suffers Christ to complaine and powre out his supplication into his bosome that presently after hee might be released of all seeing hee had now fully satisfied for the sinnes of man The Use of it in a word is this That God having stooped so low to poore creatures to be a father and a friend to them will suffer them familiarly as there is a great deale of familiarity in the spirit of adoption yet reverently to lay open their griefes into his bosome and reason the case with his Maiesty without sinne Why Lord am I thus forsaken what is the matter where are the sounding of thy bowels where are thy former mercies c. There is another kinde of familiarity betweene God and his Children than the world takes notice of yet withall remember they are not murmuring complaints but seasoned with faith and love as here My God my God still whence you see that Christ in his greatest extremities had a spirit of faith There is a question between the Papists and us about Christs faith they will have him to bee a comprehender and a traveller c. indeed hee needed no justifying faith to apply any thing froÌ„ without him because he had righteousness enough of his owne but yet to depend upâ— on God as his Father so hee had faith neither was he alway in the state of happinesse for that distinction is a confusion of the abasemeÌ„t of Christ his exaltatioÌ„ howsoever there was the happinesse of union the humane nature being alway united to the Godhead yet there was not alway the happinesse of visiâ—n he did not see the face of God
for theÌ„ why did he cry out My God my God c. Sight was due to him from his Incarnation in himselfe considered not as our sâ—rety Now that which made a stopp of the influence of comfort to his soule was that he might fully suffer for our sinnes that hee might bee humbled and â—empted and suffer even death it selfe Therefore in regard of the state of humiliation there was faith in him faith of dependance thâ—re was hope in him and he made great use therof to support himselfe But what supported the faith of Christ in this woefull rufull estate he was in being forsaken of God as our Surety Christ presented to his faith these things The unchangeable nature of GOD My God c. Whom he once loves hee loves to the end therfore he layes claime to him Thou hast beene my God heretofore and so thou art stâ—ll Againe faith presented to the soule of Christ Gods manner of dealing he knew well enough that God by contraries brings contraries to passe Hee brings to heaven by the gates of hell hee brings to glory by shame to life by death and therefore resolves notwithstanding this desertion I will depend upon my God Againe Christ knew well enough that God is nearest in support when he is furthest off in feeling so iâ— is ofâ— where hee is nearesâ— the inward man to strengthen it with his love he is furthest off in comfort to outward sense To whom was God nearer than Christ in support and sanctifying grace and yet to whom was he further off in present feeling Christ knew that there was a secret sense of Gods love a sensible sense of Gods love he had a secret sense of God that hee was his Father because he knew himselfe to be his Sonne but he had it not sensibly Faith must bee sutable to the thing beleeved Now Christ in saying my God suites his faith to the truth that was offered to him he knew GOD in the greatest extremitie to bee nearest at hand Be not farre off for trouble is neare c. This should teach us in any extremity or trouble to set faith on worke and seed faith with the consideration of Gods unchangeable nature and the unchangeablenesse of his promises which endure for ever we change but the promise changeth not and GOD changeth not My God still The word of the Lord indureth for ever GOD deales with â—is people in a hidden maner hee supports with secret though not with sensible comfort and will bee nearest when he seemes to be furthest off his Children I beseech you acquaint your selves with these things and thinke it not strange that GOD comes neare you in desertions considering that it was so with Christ present to thy soule the nature of GOD his custome and manner of dealing so shalt thou apprehend favour in the middest of wrath and glory in the middest of shame we shall see life in death we shall see through the thickest Clouds that are betweene GOD and us for as God shines in the heart in his love secretly through all temptations and troubles so there is a spirit of â—aith goes backe to him againe My God my God for faith hath a quicke eye and seeth through contraries There is no cloud of griefe but faith will pierce through it and see a fathers heart under the carriage of an enemy Christ had a great burden upon him the sinnes of the whole world yet he breakes through all I am now sinne I beate the guilt of the whole world yet under this person that I sustaine I am a sonnâ— and God is my God still notwithstanding all this weight of sinne upon mee And shall not wee beloved say My God in any affliction or trouble that befals us oh yes In the sense of sinne which is the bitterest of all and in the sense of Gods anger in losses and crosses in our families c. let us break through those clouds and say My God still But you will say I may apprehend a lie perhaps God is not my GOD and then it is presumption to say so Whosoever casts himselfe upoÌ„ GOD out of the sense of sinne to be ruled by God for the time to come shall obtaine mercy Now dost thou so doth thy conscience tell thee I cast my selfe up on God for better direction I would be ruled as GOD and the Ministery of the Word would have mee hereafter If so thou hast put this question out of question thou doubtest whether ther God be thy God I tell thee God is the God of all that seck him and obey him in truth but thy conscience tels thee thou dost this certainly then whatsoever thou wert before God is now before hand with thee hee offers himselfe to bee thy God if thou trust in him and wilt be ruled by him and not onely so but he intreats us we should beseech him but he intreates us such is his love nay he coÌ„mands us to beleeve in his Sonne Jesus CHRIST Now when I joyne with Gods intreatie Oh Lord thou offerest thy selfe thou invitest mee thou commandest me I yeeld obedience and submit to thy good word then the match is stricken and made up in doing so God is thy God and Christ is thy Christ and thou must improve this claime and interest here in all the passages of thy life long Lord thou art my God therefore teach me thou art my GOD I have given my self to thee I have set up thee in my heart above all things thoâ— art in my soule above all sinne above all profits and pleasures whatsoever therefore save mee and deliver mee have pitty upon me c. The claim is good when we have truely given our selves up to him else Goâ— may say Goâ— to the gods you have served 〈◊〉 were your gods for whom you cracked you consciences â—â—ches and pleasure were your gods goe to them for succour Oh beloved it is a harder matter to say My God in the middest of trouble than the world takes it there was a great conflict in Christ when he said My God when he brake through all molestations and temprâ—â—â—ons of Sathan together with the sense of wrath and could say notwithstanding My God there was a mighty strong spirit in him But no wonder faith is an Almighty grace wrought by the power of God and laying hold upon that power it layes hold upon Omnipotency and therefore it can doe wonders it overcomes the invincible God hee hath made a promise and cannot deny his promise hee cannot deny himselfe and his truth put case his dealing be as an enemy his promise is to bee as a friend to those that trust in him he is mercifull forgiving sinnes his nature now is such satisfaction to his justice makes him shew mercy I speake this that you might beg of God the gift of faith which will carry you through all temptations and afflictions yea even through the shadow of death as David faith
and labour to improve our Talents that when we give any thing to God we may say Lord according to the grace I have received I have kept it and therefore now returne it to thee againe Beloved when trouble of conscience comes when sicknesse and death comes what will become of a man that hath not this sweete acquaintance with God hee was a stranger to God in the time of prosperitie and God is now a stranger to him in adversitie Saul was a prophane spirited man hee did not acquaint himselfe with God in the time of his happinesse and therefore in time of distresse he goes first to the Witch and then to the sword poynt So fareth it with all wicked wretches in their great extremities no sooner doth any evill beâ—ide them or the least danger approach them let conscience never so little fliâ— in their faccs c. but presently they goe to cursed meanes and runne upon desperate conclusions Therefore as we desire to die even in Gods armes yeeld up our selves into the very hands of the Almighty with comfort let us daily inure our selves to this blessed course of committing our selves and all our wayes to him in doing good Come and see saith the Scripture Beloved if you will not beleeve me make tryall of this course a while did you once taste the sweetnesse of it how would your drooping spirits be cheared up Let a man continually keepe a good conscience and hee shall bee satisfied with peace at last Suppose hee meetes with danger and opposition in the world this may seeme harsh at the first ô but he shall know afterwards what it is to part with any thing for Christs sake to commit his cause or whatsoever hee hath unto God as to a faithfull Creator Then wee â—aste of God to the purpose when wee put him to it for God will not be indebted to us wee never finde such sweete immediate comfort from him as when wee deny our selves comfort of the Creature for his sake Little doe wee know what times may befall us there is much danger abroad and wee have cause to feare not farre from us It may bee the clouds even now hang over our heads Oh if wee would be hidd in the day of the Lords wrath have no evill come nigh our dwellings let us above all things in the world make sure our interest in Christ and title to the promise Wee should seeke to know God more and then wee would trust him more They that know thy name will trust in thee saith David Oh the blessed estate of a Christian that now he may bee acquainted with God that through Christ there is a Throne of Grace to flie unto I beseech you improve this happy priviledge and then come what will come famine come danger of warre or pestilence c. God will bee a Sanctuary and an abiding place to you A Christian carries his Rocke and sure defence about him I will bee unto them a little Sanctuary in all places saith God What a comfort is it to have a wall of fire still compassing us about a Sheild that our enemies must breake through before they can come at us Hee that trusts in God shall bee recompensed with mercy on every side it is no matter what dangers compasse him though hee be in the midst of death and hell or any trouble whatsoever if he commits himselfe to God in obedience out of good grounds of faith in his Word he shall be safe in the evill day THE TABLE A ABsence of Gods Spirit discourageth us in the way to salvation Part 1. Pag. 111 Affliction necessary 1. 16 17 It happens in the Sunsnine of the Gospell 1. 25 Small ones not regarded make way for greater 1. 27 Our carriage therein must bee good 1. 140 God will deliver his out of all 2. 94 How 2. 95 96 Godly afflicted more than others and why 1. 18 This discovers false brethren 2. 93 Art aggravates sinne 2. 7 Assurance of Gods love is to bee sought betimes 1. 197 Atheisme brings judgement 1. 28 Attributes of God are to be applyed to our selves 1. 17â— B A Christians best things are last Part 1. Pag. 47. Part 2. Pag. 196 Brethren thâ—â— are false discovered by affliction 2. 93 C Calamity in the common calamity the wicked dare not appeare 1. 122 Christianity contrary to nature 1. 145 Children of God are knowne by Gods correcting them 1. 46 The Devill their enemy 1. 107 These must be committed unto God 1. 232 Church of God is his house 1. 5 Why 1. 6 He provides for it 1. 7 Whether the English Church bee Gods house 1. 13 Proved 1. 14 The Church needs purging 1. 15 God clenseth it when need is 1. 17 It should severely punish sinne 1. 23 It is Gods Spouse 1. 80 Impregnable 2. 31 Commonnesse of sinne is a signe that it is ripe 1. 30 Conception of minde is like the body 2. 2 Conscience good feares not death 2. 189 Constancy in sinne to be shunned 2. 7 Correction shewes we are Gods Children 1. 46 Covenant wee must bee in Covenant with God 1. 187 Creator comfort from God as a Creator 1. 168 180 184 D Death is a departing 2. 184 How Paul desired it 2. 186 Not to bee feared by a Christian 2. 192 It may be desired by a wicked man but for some by-ends 2. 194 Our ends must be considered 1. 58 The death of the godly to be lamented and why 1. 209 211 Their deaths a signe of judgment approaching 1. 28. 2. 23 Deliberation in what things to bee used 2. 179 Deliverance we have dayly from God should cause us to glorifie him 2. 151 Desire what 2. 182 Despaire to be avoided 2. 101 Devill an enemy to Gods Children 1. 107 Diligent we are diligent to sinne 2. 7 Disobedience against the Gospell the greatest sinne why 1. 68 How knowne 1. 86 Division 1. 44 in a land is a forerunner of judgement 2. 29 Doctrine we should keepe sound that doctrine which was left us pure 2. 162 Doubting Romish doubting disallowed 1. 198 E End our end must bee considered 1. 58 Enemies to be prayed for 1. 146 147 Enemies of the Church represented two waies 2. 68 Envy snarles at greatnesse when joyned with goodnesse 2. 13 Eternity our desire of Gods glory should be carried to eternity 2. 158 Evill we must not plot to doe it 2. 48 The difference betwixt evill done and suffered 2. 113 Manifestation thereof aggravates it 2. 114 Examination of the grounds of Religion a meanes to escape judgement 1. 40 Examples of Governours prevaile much 2. 163 Experience of Gods care and love exprest we may collect the future â— 201. 2. 1â—â— F Faith it 's efficacy 1. 119 It takes hold by a little 1. 182 Active and Passive 1. 188 It is strengthened by deliverance 2. 129 It is a signe of our interest in heaven 2. 147 Faithfulnesse of God to bee trusted to 1. 177 He is faithfull 1. 171 Wee
have the Church and Common wealth flourish to have a happy Kingdome happy government and happy lawes not onely to have the Church in his owne Familie but that the Church may flourish in those that stand up when we are gone the way of all flesh and therefore to declare the minde of God and his favours to us and our children that they may strengthen their experience with their fathers experience and say to God Thou art the God of my Fathers therefore be my God those that are called to places of dignity should consider that it is required at their hands to labour that there should be meanes to continue Religion even to the worlds end if it may be and to stoppe all the breaches in this kinde And if it were possible it were to be wished that there were set up some lights in all the darke corners of this Kingdome that might shine to those people that sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death One way is to have a care that there be no breaches made upon the sound doctrine that is left unto us and hath beene sealed up by the blood of so many Martyrs Wee had it dearely it hath beene taught by our forefathers and sealed with their blood shall we betray it No let us labour to deliver it to our posterity from hand to hand to the comming of Christ and then wee shall in effect and not in word onely doe that which Paul saith here labour to glorifie God for ever and ever both in the Church and in heaven Surely those that will glorifie God in heaven hee will have them so disposed to glorifie him on earth It is a dangerous thing when persons are naught wee see what comes of it especially if they be great It is said of Manasseh when God had forgiven him his sinne yet afterwards God plagued the Kingdome for the sinnes that Manasseh committed how can this bee because he by his sinne though he repented himselfe yet set the Kingdome in an evill frame And no question but hee had naughty principles and among people that are given to licentiousnesse if there bee any thing in great men it will goe to posterity after them So that when Governours are naught they are not onely a poison to the Church and State while they live but the mischiefe of it is after and after still And so it is in the best things if the Governour be good hee layes a foundation of good for the Kingdome in time to come as well as for his owne time How will it shame a man when he shall thinke I doe these things now but what will Posterity thinke of me what will be the remembrance of it when I am gone then my name will stinke The wicked Emperour Nero was of this resolution wheÌ„ he should die Let Heaven and Earth mingle together saith he when I am gone He knew himselfe to bee so naught and that he should be so evill spoken of that he wished there were no posterity but that the world might end with him So it is the wishes of those that are wretches themselves and that lay a foundation of wretched times after they wish that Heaven and Earth may mingle that no man might censure them when they are gone What a shamefull condition is it for men to gratifie a number of unrulie lusts and give such sway to them as to doe ill while they live and to lay a foundation of misery for after-times On the contrary what a good thing is it like Iosiâ—â— and Nehemiah to bee full of goodnesse while wee live and to lay a foundation of happinesse and prosperity to the Church and State when we are gone What a happy thing is it when a man is gone to say such a man did such a thing he stood stoutly for the Church for Religion he was a publique man he forgat his owne private good for the publique he deserved well of the times wherein hee lived What a blessed commendation is this next to Heaven to have a blessed report on earth and to carry such a conscience as will comfort a man that he hath carryed himselfe well and abounded in well doing I beseech you let us thinke of this For ever and ever it is not enough that we be good in our times that are circumscribed to us but as God hath given us immortall soules and preserves us to immortall glory and a crowne of immortality so let our thoughts and desires be immortall that God may be glorified in the Church world without end Oh what a sweet comfort will it be when we are on our death-bed to thinke what we have done in our life times then all our good actions will come and meet together to comfort and refresh our soules The better to incourage us to glorifie God while we are here and to lay a foundation to eternize his glorie for the time to come Consider I. Gods gracious promise Those that honour me I will honour If we had inlarged hearts to honour God God would honour us he hath passed his word for it If a King should say so O how would we be set on fire how much more when the King of Kings saith it 2. Consider that wee honour our selves when wee honour God nay the more we honour God the more we are bound to God for it is from him that wee honour him the sacrifice comes from him as well as the matter for which we sacrifice Hee found a Ramme for Abraham to sacrifice hee gives the heart to be thankfull the more wee are thankfull the more we shall be thankfull and the more wee ought to bee thankfull for our thankfulnesse The more wee praise God the more we should praise him for it is the gift of God when God sees we honour him and frame our selves that we may be such as may honour him by emptying and disabling our selves to be sufficient to doe him any service he will bestow more upon us as men cast seed upon seed where there is fruitfull ground but they will sow nothing upon a barren heath So the more we set our selves to doe good in our places the more we shall have advantage thereunto and the more wee doe good the more we shall doe good When God sees wee improve our talents so well that he trusts withall he will trust us with more Againe consider Our glorifiing and praising God causeth others to doe so which is the main end wherefore wee live in this world It is the imployment of Heaven and we are so much in heaven as wee are about this worke and when God gives us hearts to glorifie him here it is a good pledge that he will afterward glorifie us in heaven Who would lose the comfort of all this to be barren and yeeld to his base unbeleeving dead heart to save a little here to sleepe in a whole skin and adventure upon no good action Who would not rather take a course
my salvation with feare and trembling In such a thing I have done ill such a thing I have omitted so they are enemies to their owne comfort inlarge this in your owne meditations and consider what will comfort you hereafter when you shall need most comfort So I leave the text and come to the occasion This holy and blessed man whose funerall now wee solemnize was of S. Pauls spirit hee did desire to die be with Christ he had a desire while he lived to take all opportunities to doe good I speake of that time when he lived that is when hee was good for we live no longer than wee are good let us not reckon that Life wherein we doe no good After God had wrought upon his heaâ—rt he had a publique heart to doe good If I wanted matter to speak of I could tell you of his allyance and birth having two worthy Iudges of reverend esteeme the one his grand father the other his unckle the one bred him the other cherished and promoted his studie and indeavours but what should I speake of these things when hee hath personall worth enough I need not goe abroad to commend this man for there were those graces and gifts in him that made him so esteemed that verily I thinke no man of his place and yeares lived more desired and dyed more lamented For his parts of naâ—ure they were pregnant and sollid but as one said to Melancthon his disposition and loving minde did gaine as much love from men as his parts though they were great His learning was good for beside his owne prosession hee was a generall scholler and had good skill in that we call elegant learning controverted points of divinitie he was a good divine Indeed in the turning of his life when he should have adventured upon a profession he had some thoughts of being a divine had not his friends especially his uncle Iudge Telverton disposed him otherwise by promoting his studie in the Law and when hee tooke upon him that profession he grew so in it that he was a credit to the profession for integrity sincerity and abilitie For his disposition he was every way a man of an excellent sweet temper milde and yet resolute meeke and yet bold where cause was discreet yet not overdiscreet so as not to stand out in a good cause in the defence of it he was humble yet thought himselfe too good to bee instrumentall to any services other then stood with the peace of his conscience he was tractable and gentle yet immoveably fixed to his principles of piety and honestie he was exact in his life yet not censorious very conscionable and religious but without any vaine curiositie indeed he was every way of a sweet temper if he stood out in dislike of any in any matter he carryed it usually with evidence of such sinceritie and deniall of selfe-seeking that he usually prevailed where he put in To come to his private personall cariage it was very pious he was wont to sequester himselfe from his imployment and labour to bring his heart under to God to the guidance of Gods spirit his study was to study to die for he gathered choise things out of the sermons hee heard about death many yeares before he died to lay up store of provision against that time And two or three Termes before he died he had a speciall care to enquire of nearer communion with God he enquired of those he conversed with of the way to attaine the same and was willing to heare any discourses that tended that way For his care of the Sabbath it was his delight his custome was after Sermon to retyre and ruminate upon what he had heard to turne it into his spirit Alas for want of this how many sermons are lost in this great Citie how much seed is spilt in vaine What nourishment can there be without digestion it is the second digestion that breeds nourishment when wee chew things and call them to minde againe and make them our own This was his custome every Sabbath For his carriage to others he was a constant friend and his studie was to labour to make those good he conversed withall he conversed with few but they were the better for him he was so fruitfull and hee would have intimate society with none but he would doe good or take good from them you have many in the society where he lived that may blesse God al the daies of their life that ever they knew him For his carriage in his government of the Place where he lived I thinke there are none that are able to judge but will give him the testimony of a faithfull prudent governâ—ur he was so careful of the towne where he was Recorder that he provided for them after his death and gave them a large legacie 200. marke to set the poore on worke For the honourable societie wherein he was a governor hee carryed himselfe with that resolution for good order and good exercises and was such a strict opposer of any abuse which he judged to be so that the house will have a speciall want of him I feare rather I desire from my soule that that honourable societie may so flourish as they may have no want of good Master Sherland For his more Publick carriage by vertue of his place at Northampton where hee was Recorder he was called to be a member of the body representative in Parliament wherein both his abilitie and spirit appeared to all that knew him you may see by this what manner of man wee have lost He died before he was come to the middle of his yeares a young man to speake of and he did a great deale of work in a little time God had ripened him for his businesse extraordinarily and gave him a spirit to bestirre himselfe to doc all the good hee could These bee wondrous ill times beloved to lose such men as he was therefore we have cause to lay it to heart the more the common-wealth wants him the towne and countrey where hee lived will want him the societie where hee was a governour will want him the family where hee was a governour will finde a misse in him hee went wisely in out hee was able for family duties hee had more than ordinary sufficiency he was of Iosuahs mind Choose who you will serue but I and my house will serve the Lord and to helpe him the more hee had the happinesse to marry into a religious family hee had a good helper Now for the Church though his profession was the Law yet that will have a great want of him hee was a heartie and true Promoter of the cause of Religion and shewed his love to the Church by his care of it now hee is departed hee gave foure hundred pounds to buy in impropriations hee gave an hundred pounds for the breeding up of Poore schollers and there is never a good Minister round about where he lived but had