Imprimatur Robert Grove R. P. D no. Humfr. Episc Lond. a sac Dom. Decemb. 22. 1670. A Funeral Handkerchief In Two Parts I. Part Containing Arguments to comfort us at death of Friends II. Part Containing several Uses which we ought to make of such losses To which is added Three Sermons Preached at Coventry in December last 1670. By THOMAS ALLESTREE M. A. Rector of Ashow in the County of Warwick While the Child was yet alive I fasted and wept But now he is dead wherefore should I fast Can I bring him back again I shall go to him but he shall not return to me 2 Sam. 12.22 23. Parcamus Lachrymis nihil proficientibus facilius illi nos dolor iste adjiciet quà m illum nobis reducet Sen. Consolat ad Polyb. c. 23. LONDON Printed for the Author Anno Dom. 1671. To the Right Honourable Thomas Lord Leigh Baron of Stoneleigh his singular good Lord and Patron The Author wisheth continuance of Health encrease of Honour and in the World to come Life Eternal Right Honourable SOme * Aret. in Luk. 1.3 Marlorat in Luk. 1. Chemnit Harm Evan. Stella in Luk. 1.3 are of Opinion that St. Luke dedicated his Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles those two pieces of Divine Writ to Theophilus a Man of Eminencie in the Church Stella saith he was Praesul Antiochenus septimus And the Epithet given him shews he was some great man for that Evangelist calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most Excellent * As Acts 23.26 Act. 24.3 Act. 26.25 which is a Title of Honour Nomen honoris et dignitatis Yet some †Doctor Hammond his Annot. in Luke 1.3 Salv. in Epist ded before his Books ad Eccles Cathol learned Men are of another Opinion viz. That Theophilus was not the proper name of a particular Man but a feigned Title to signifie every Christian who is or ought to be a lover of God to whom St. Luke addresseth his Discourse Sure I am of this that St. Paul as he prayed for Onesiphorus who so oft refreshed him in his Bonds so he made honourable mention of him in his Writings 2 Tim. 1.16 17 18. My Lord I think I should be guilty of that crying sin of * Ingratum si dixeris omnia Ingratitude a sin which amongst others makes the times so perillous 2 Tim. 3.1 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if I should not as I have often prayed for you so upon occasion make honourable mention of you who have so oft refreshed me in my wants Since I first saw your smiling Countenance I have oft thought of that Speech of Ruth to Boaz Ruth 2.10 Why have I found grace in thine eyes that thou shouldest take knowledge of me seeing I am a Stranger I was a stranger to your Lordship yet you were pleased freely to bestow a small Parsonage upon me I call it a small one for so it is of it self but it hath happily received amongst other Churches for several years an Augmentation of twenty pounds and upwards paid duly without trouble for the Lady Alicia Duddely that sweet Flower whom God gathered early to himself for she was ripe betimes Daughter of that Pattern of Piety and good Works the Lady Dutches * See the Narrative of her life death by Dr. Boreman Duddely lately deceased This Daughter I say to whom I may apply that of the Wise Man Prov. 31.29 Many Daughters have done vertuously but thou excellest them all left by her last Will an Estate of the yearly value of an 120 pounds to be disposed for ever to such poor Vicaridges and Parsonages as the said Lady Mother should appoint And accordingly it was performed by her Grace the Lady Dutchess Duddeley whose good Works like Maries Oyntment cast a sweet perfume Mine is one of the * Manceter Stoneleigh Ashow Leekwotton Kenelworth Monkskirby six Churches that partaketh of this bountie I know my Lord you will pardon this digression for you love to make honourable mention of your dear Aunt this incomparable Dutchess upon all occasions I now return to your Lordship who have not onely been my Patron but in other respects a constant Benefactor for you were pleased to receive me for your Chaplain and accept my poor pains for which to your Noble Generosity not to my desert be it spoken you gave me besides other Favours a considerable allowance Meet then it is that you should have the first Fruits of my Labours in this kind as a token of my real love and testimony of a grateful heart and I hope your Lordship will so interpret it Another Reason why I presume to prefix your Lordships Name to the following Discourse is this that it being shrouded under your Honourable Protection may pass the more currant We live in a carping Age but if these Papers find acceptance with you I know you to be so judicious and well-devoted I do not much value the exceptions of others This Paper-Present I call A Funeral Handkerchief Containing Arguments to comfort us at death of Friends and the several Uses we ought to make of such losses Noble Sir you have out-lived many Friends you have buried many dear Children and lately parted with a Religious Lady who drew with you in the Yoke of Marriage above 59 years I am not afraid to call her Religious Her daily respect to the Word and Prayer in private Her love to the Publick Ordinances Her strict observation of the Lord's Day and her pious care that others should do so Her fastings and soul-afflictings upon occasion together with her constant circumspect walking are to me undoubted signs of her Religious Disposition These afflictions and many others which God Almighty hath pleased to exercise your Lordship with you have patiently undergone overcome through the Auxiliaries of Reason and Divine Assistance But my Lord have you learnt to make a right use of death of Friends and Relations This is an hard lesson which few take forth let me intreat you to cast your eye especially upon the second Part of this following Treatise where you shall find several Uses set down Copy them out in your daily practice that so when the Sun of your life doth set which declines apace you may go to your Dormitorie in peace Though these Papers do not inform you of what you know not yet they may serve to mind you of what you know King Philip knew that he was a mortal Man yet he would have his Monitor every morning to tell him that he was so uttering these words with a loud voice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I think it meet my Lord as St. Peter speaks 2 Pet. 1.13 to stir you up by putting you in remembrance And I hope your Lordship will suffer me to be your Remembrancer from the Press as I was for * I had the honour to be Chaplain seven years several years from the Pulpit which was no small encouragement to me in my Ministerial Pains But fearing
the Righteous when the night of Death approachcth after all their hardship and sore labours have their bodies laid down to rest in the Grave where they sleep quietly until the Resurrection Chear up then ye Servants of the Lord under all your Grievances your Afflictions cannot continue long because your life is short See 1 Cor. 7.29 30. Weep as if you wept not for it will be shortly better with you than now it is God will wipe away all tears from your eyes Rev. 7.17 21.4 As Athanasius said of his Banishment so may you of your Affliction what ever it be * Bp. Pilkington on Neh. 4.16 it is but Nubecula cito transitura a little Cloud that will soon be dissipated and blown over Niceph. 10. cap. 19. Thus as the Psalmist saith Psal 30.5 Weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning After a wet night of Affliction comes a bright morning of Consolation which no night shall ever overtake Though Spectacles of Mortality administer Comfort to the Righteous under Affliction yet they may strike terror into the hearts of impenitent Wretches for they may reade their own death in the death of their Friends They must shortly die aswell as others Job 24.24 Psal 37.35 36. 49.10 And though Death put a period to the sorrows of the Righteous yet it is an inlet to the wicked man's misery See Job 20.5 6 c. The Lord laughs at the cruel wicked man for he seeth that his day is coming Psal 37.13 The day of vengeance is drawing on therefore envy him not v. 1 2. Neither be afraid of him Isa 51.12 To end this we read Dan. 5.5 6. There came forth fingers of a mans hand and wrote over against the Candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the Kings Palace and the King saw the part of the hand that wrote These fingers did not snuff the Candle of Belshazzars joy to make it burn the brighter but quite put it out for the King's countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the joints of his bones were loosed and his knees smote one against another Methinks every Spectacle of Mortality should be to wickedmen as this Hand-writing upon the wall to Belshazzar It should make them crest-faln stand in fear For Death like Israels Pillar of the Cloud Exod. 14.20 as it brings Light to the Godly so Darkness to the Wicked Prov. 13.9 The Light of the Righteous rejoyceth but the Lamp of the Wicked shall be put out Use 12 12. Let death of Friends make us careful to do all good with as much speed as we can It is said Gen. 47.29 The time drew nigh that Israel must die So the time of thy Departure draws nigh therefore whatever thine hand finds to do do it with all thy might Eccl. 9.10 hide not thy Talent in a Napkin thou knowest not how soon thou mayest be called to an account assure thy self when a night of Death comes no man can work John 9.4 Why stand you idle the day of your life being for ought ye know well-nigh spent A man cannot think to have his money when he hath spent it you cannot spend your time and have it As you have therefore opportunity do good to all especially to them of the houshold of Faith Gal. 6.10 Make to your selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness that when ye fail they may receive you into everlasting habitations Luk. 16.9 and as Solomon adviseth Withhold not good from them to whom it is due when it is in the power of thine hand to do it Say not to thy neighbour Go and come again and to morrow I will give when thou hast it by thee Prov. 3.27 28. Be provident to lay up something for Wife and Children Prov. 13.22 1 Tim. 5.8 We hold our life with great uncertainty be careful as may be with a good conscience to lay up something for posterity to live upon Joseph in a time of plenty laid up against dearth and scarcity Gen. 41.48 especially labour to promote the spiritual welfare of Relations and others whom you converse with lead an exemplary life reprove rebuke instruct and pray for them Ministers should do so ex officio they are called and appointed hereunto Isa 58.1 2 Tim. 4.2 Private Christians should likewise do it ex charitate out of christian care and charity Levit. 19.17 so 1 Pet. 4.10 And for encouragement consider Prov. 11.30 He that winneth souls is wise And Dan. 12.3 They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament and they that turn many unto righteousness as the Stars for ever and ever So Jam. 5.19 20. Brethren if any of you do err from the truth and one convert him let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins Furthermore if we endeavour the conversion of souls and do not effect it yet the Apostle tels us for our comfort we shall not lose our reward 1 Cor. 3.8 Every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour It is not said according to success but according to labour Heb. 6.10 God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love This comforted the Prophet Isa 49.4 Then I said I have laboured in vain I have spent my strength for nought and in vain yet surely my judgment is with the Lord and my work or reward with my God However as another Prophet shews Liberavimus animas Ezek. 3.17 18 c. we free our selves from that guilt which we might have contracted through negligence Well then hast thou a treasure of spiritual Wisdom and Grace labour to communicate it betimes for Death ere long may stop either your mouth or the ears of others and then it will be too late to make Dives's motion to forewarn your Brethren lest they come into the place of torment Luke 16. latter end The Apostle Peter was diligent in putting people in remembrance of good things knowing that shortly he must put off his tabernacle 2 Pet. 1.13 14 15. And St. Paul is earnest in his exhortations and spiritual directions to Timothy especially knowing the time of his departure to be at hand 2 Tim. 4.5 6. Mr. Perkins his Motto was Hoc age do the business you are about what concerns you most Abel-Redivivus in Life of Mr. Perkins do it speedily exactly And truly that good man as if presaging that his life was likely to be short for he dyed at the 44th year of his age husbanded his time with double diligence to God's glory and the good of many others Oh then let us consider the taper of our life may be almost spent and therefore tanquam ultimus lucernae fulgor let us now shine most gloriously to the good of others And truly as some think if there were grief in Heaven it would be most of all for this that Believers did no
should bestir themselves who have as we say one foot in the Grave already A * Omnis motus naturalis velotior est in fine Stone the nearer it comes to the Center the swifter it moves The nearer any come to Death the greater should their preparation be for it It is * Abel Rediv in life of Mr Perkins observed of the Birds of Norway that they having in Winter very short dayes fly swifter than other Fowl in other Countries as if principled by the instinct of Nature thriftily to improve the little light allowed them and by the swiftness of their Wings to regain the shortness of their time How speedy and earnest should old men especially be in preparing themselves for Death who if they have neglected God in their youthful dayes have a great deal of work to do in a very short time 3. Constanter 3. And lastly Prepare your selves for Death Constantly so long as life shall last This God calls for 1 Cor. 15. last verse Be constant and immoveable alway abounding in the Work of the Lord. This was David's resolution Psal 119.112 I have enclined my heart to keep thy Statutes alway even unto the end So it was Job's Job 14.14 All the dayes of my appointed time will I wait till my change come So Job 27.5 6 Till I die I will not remove my integrity from me My Righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live The like did Saint Paul as you may read Acts 20.24 Phil. 3.13 14 15. 2 Tim. 4.6 7 8. God hath promised to give the Crown of Glory or Eternal Happiness to such as persevere in a Christian course of life see Rev. 2.10 so Rev. 3.11 12. Heaven is not got per saltum at one sudden leap you must set out betimes and advance forward in the race of Christianity so long as you live You must run and not be weary walk and not faint Isa 40.31 Charles the fifths Motto Ulterius becomes every Christian he must advance still forward for he that runs half the Race and then gives it over Ioseth the Wager as well as he that never set forth See what is said Ezek. 18.24 When the Righteous turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth shall he live All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned in his trespass that he hath trespassed and in his sin that he hath sinned in them shall he die If any man draw back saith God Heb. 10.38 my Soul shall have no pleasure in him and again ver 39. They draw back unto perdition Let Christians then who expect the Crown fight manfully under Christ's Banner against the World Sin and the Devil and continue Christ's faithful Souldiers and Servants unto their lives end Let them do that in their Spiritual what Caesar is said to do in his Temporal-Warfare Nil actum credens siquid superesset agendum Lucan Pharsal Lib. 2. Be still doing as though they had done nothing till all be done Now there will be alway something for a Christian to do till Death give him his Quietus est a Writ of Ease Rev. 14.13 Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord they rest from their labours There must be no resting till death We should be Volunteers in God's Service till Death disband us When William the Conqueror landed his men in Sussex he caused all Ships to be sunk that all hope of flying back might be taken away We are here landed saith an ingenious * Dr. Boys in his Postils on Rev. 12.7 Divine in this Valley of Tears we must neither faint nor fly but fight it out valiantly till Death the last Enemy be destroyed 1 Cor. 15.26 Good Christians are like Wine full of Spirits that continues good to the last drawing yea the older they are like good Wines the better they be Lâ—k 5.39 They are compared to Trees in Scripture Psal r. 3. so Isa 61.3 called Trees of Righteousness because filled with the Fruits of Righteousness Phil. 1.11 These Trees are never past bearing They shall bring forth Fruit in old age they shall be fat and flourishing Psal 92.14 It is an honour to be thus gray-headed in Religion Prov. 16.31 The hoary-head is a Crown of Glory if it be found in the way of Righteousness God highly prizeth a Mnason an old Disciple as he was Acts 21.16 that hath served him from his youth upwards Well then let us put the former directions constantly into practice Let us pray continually 1 Thess 5.17 Let us have our * Stata tempora set-times for Prayer and at least morning and evening let us offer unto God the sacrifice of Prayer Let us daily mourn for the sins we daily commit Nay those sins which God hath pardned we should reflect upon with grief of heart and pray for a farther manifestation of pardoning Grace so did David For the one and fiftieth Psalm was pen'd by David after he had gone into Bathsheba and after Nathan had brought him the news of a Pardon 2 Sam. 12.13 Some * Mr. Smith in his Doctrine of Repentance p. 105. observe after God had cast Adam out of Paradise he set him e regione Horti over against the Garden in the very sight and view of the place where he had offended that so oft as he lookt towards the Garden he might remember his sin and lament for it Let us constantly avoid such sins as we do lament So did St. Paul Acts 24.16 Herein do I exercise my self to have alway a Conscience void of offence towards God and towards men Let us do good works constantly Gal. 6.9 2 Thes 3.13 Let us constantly put on the vertues of Christ growing in number measure and exercise of grace Let us daily act faith upon Christ If we do thus not only begin well but continue in thus doing until death we shall when we have acted the last part of our life upon the Stage of this World every one of us apart here that joyful Sentence pronounced by Christ himself Eugè bone serve Well done thou good and faithful Servant Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord Matth. 25.21 Thus you see the forementioned Directions are to be practised Early Earnestly and Constantly these three Ingredients make our Services a sweet Perfume But because we are so backward to these things I shall in the next Chapter lay down a few Considerations to quicken us to the performance of the whole and so conclude CHAP. IV. Containing certain Motives to move us to prepare for Death NO Man can truly say of mine advice touching preparation for Death as Hushai said of Ahitophel's 2 Sam. 17.7 It is not good at this time Sure I am advice to it or practice of it is never unseasonable for this is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the main business that we come into the World
Rejoyce not when thine Enemy falleth and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth lest the Lord see it and it displease him Job 31.29 and he turn away his wrath from him and lay it upon thee See Obad. 12.13 14 15. God there threatneth the Edomites for rejoycing at the calamity that befel the Israelites This sin call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was condemned by the Heathens It is most opposite to the rule of charity which rejoyceth not in iniquity 1 Cor. 13.6 It maketh not others evil be it of sin or suffering matter of rejoycing 14. Take heed of innovating in God's Worship Nadab and Abihu for offering strange fire by fire from the Lord as with lightning were destroyed as you may read Levit. 10.1 2. 15. Take heed of invading the Ministers Office without a Call See Numb 16.35 You read there of two hundred and fifty men that offered Incense usurping the Priests Office were punished by fire wherein they offended So Vzziahs rash adventure to do the like was punished with the Leprosie as you read 2 Chron. 26.16 c. 16. Lastly Take heed of sins of the tongue as Lying Swearing Forswearing Cursing False-accusing Backbiting Brawling Blasphemy c. See Prov. 17.20 He that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief And Prov. 13.3 He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction So Prov. 18.21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof The Psalmists words shall shut up this Point Psal 34.12 13 14. What man is he that desireth life and loveth many dayes that he may see good Keep thy tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking guile Depart from evil and do good seek peace and ensue it I might add to these sins which endanger health and life bold and audacious attempts as leaping Hedges swimming Waters c. when there is no necessity for either This is called properly a tempting of God when men without any warrant from God's Word make tryal of his Wisdom Power and Goodness which is expresly forbidden Deut. 6.16 Ye shall not tempt the Lord your God as ye tempted him in Massah whereof you read Exod. 17.2 where they are said to tempt God by requiring a miraculus evidence of his presence among them Our Saviour did beat back the Devil with this Text out of Deuteronomy when he would have had him to cast down himself from the * Doctor Hammond Annot. on Mat. 4.5 Pinacle i. e. out-wing or battlement of the Temple Mat. 4.7 If Christ had cast himself down into a needless danger God might have justly left him to destruction without breach of his Promise God indeed hath promised to keep us but it must be in all our wayes Psal 91.11 which necessary part of the Sentence the Devil left out Mat. 4.6 God hath promised to keep us in all our wayes or warrantable courses but not in our wanderings The Israelites fell in the Wilderness when they tempted God 1 Cor. 10.9 Object But some may say Are not they that tempt God delivered Mal. 3.15 Do not we daily see many wicked men that are disobedient to Superiours drunkards lustful impatient envious ambitious c. live become old and are mighty in power yea and the Rod of God is not upon them Job 21.7 9. Did not the Psalmist see such were not in trouble like other men nor plagued like other men that made conscience of their wayes Psal 73.5 Answ Indeed it may so fall out that a wicked man may prolong his life in his wickedness Eccles 7.15 God may bear long with some such notorious offenders to shew his own patience and long suffering to exercise the faith and patience of his Servants To teach that there is a day of judgment wherein he hath appointed to judge the World in Righteousness Acts 17.31 God may bear with them to leave them inexcusable that they may fill up the measure of their sins and for their greater damnation at last Rom. 9.22 For these and other reasons best known unto himself he may suffer some wicked men to live and prosper But let not us let loose the reyns to sin and make the impunity of some few an encouragement to wickedness It is folly and madness to be careless because some few have escaped shipwrack Certainly as the Apostle saith after he had told us of several punishments befalling several Offenders for several sins 1 Cor. 10.11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the World are come And as an Heathen Author said Felix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum Happy is he whom other mens harms do make to beware Well then life being so great a mercy let us avoid all such sins as may be a means to shorten it and let us use all lawful means to preserve it as Food and Physick which God hath appointed Let us not through discouragement of Spirit because of deadly dangers which we meet with in our Christian Callings Numb 10.14 15. as weary of life wish for death which was an infirmity in that good Man Elijah 1 King 19.4 Much less ought we through discontent as Jonah did Jonah 4.3 8. wish for death But most prodigiously to blame are they that lay violent hands upon themselves Man's breath saith a worthy Bishop is put into his body as a Tenant at Will into an house Dr. Abbot on Jonah 4.3 4. Lect. 26. p. 543. whereinto it may not enter without the good will of the Land-lord and being once in it must keep there and hold the building upright till it have its discharge to remove somewhere else Yet after all this that I have spoken concerning the care you should have to maintain health and preserve life Give me leave to put in a Caveat or cautionary Proposition to prevent a mistake And it is this Caution That you ought to hazard health and life for the Churches sake and for Christs sake to witness to his Truth if called to it 1 John 3.16 We ought to lay down our lives for the Brethren St. Paul was willing to spend and be spent 2 Cor. 12.15 for the propogation of the Gospel and good of God's Church and People see Acts 20.24 and 21.13 Truth hath been sealed with the blood of many Martyrs An Heathen set such a price on Truth that he thought it worth our lives Vitamque impendere vero Nec propter vitam vivendi perdere causam What saith the Apostle of Epaphroditus see Phil. 2.30 For the work of Christ he was nigh unto death not regarding his life to supply your lack of service towards me Epaphroditus undertook a great Journey to minister to Pauls necessity which is here called the Work of Christ for what is done to his Members he takes it as done to himself Mat. 25.40 This Journey occasioned his
Church and People So Naomi Ruth 1.3 5. had lost her Husband and two Sons and vers 19 20. because God had dealt thus bitterly with her she refuseth her Name will be called Marah that signifies bitterness and not Naomi that signifies pleasant she refuseth this Name being so unsutable to her condition So the women of Bethlehem at the untimely death of their Infants Mat. 2.16 18 mourn will not be comforted And indeed the female kind naturally is more disposed to tenderness than the male Isa 49.15 and so more apt to weep immoderately and as one saith of the two the more to be pittied and the more capable of excuse and pardon But yet immoderate Sorrow in none is to be allowed As we approve not then of a Stoical Apathy for the best of Gods Servants have passions in them See Dr. Renolds on the Passions Acts 14.15 James 5.17 and passions are the feet of the soul placed in the sensitive appetite by the finger of God and Nature so neither do we approve of passions when irregular for then they are diseases of the mind depravers of reason disturbers of the understanding and cause the wisest men to speak and act not like themselves We find our Saviour Luke 7.12 13. saying to the Widow who wept for her only son Weep not he doth not there forbid natural affection but inordinate passion not tears simply but their excess not tears of sympathy and parental tenderness but despairing repining tears To shut up this See Dr. VValkers Sermon on that Text. the Apostle would have us to mortify inordinate affection Col. 3.4 that of sorrow as well as that of anger c. now it is inordinate when set on wrong objects or when it is in extreams either defective or excessive This corruption or disorder in our affections must be purged out Now I shall lay down several Arguments to prevent inordinate mourning at death of Friends Take ten which are as so many Corks to the Net to keep the soul under such losses from sinking too deep in sorrow CHAP. II. Ten Considerations to prevent immoderate Mourning at the Death of Friends IN the first place Consider the Necessity of Dying For We must needs dye 2 Sam. 14.14 So Eccles 12.5 Man goeth to his long home Man indefinitely i. e. every man high and low rich and poor beautiful and deformed male and female young and old good and bad all go to their long home the Grave So Ps 89.48 What man is he that liveth and shall not see Death See Mr. Dugards Sermon on that Text. Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the Grave Selah No though he now liveth yet he shall not alway live but sooner or later shall see Death Joshua and David call Death The Way of all the Earth Josh 23.14 1 King 2.2 This way all Creatures of the Earth walk and therefore Job calls the Grave The House appointed for all Living Job 30.23 No man hath power over the Spirit to retain the Spirit Eccles 8.8 But when his time is come The Spirit shall return to God who gave it Eccles 12.7 Death that black Prince or King of Terrors So called Job 18.14 is an invincible Champion who riding on his pale Horse for above these five thousand years hath with an impartial stroke layd all flat before him The long-liv'd Patriarchs Adam Seth Enoch c. like stout Oaks held out long but were forced at last to submit to Death's fatal stroak as you my read Gen. Chap. 5. Statutum est omnibus semel mori Heb. 9.27 It is appointed for all men once to dye It is Statute Law enacted in the Court of Heaven the decree is establisted the writing signed and like the Laws of the Medes and Persians Dan. chap. 6. vers 8. never to be reversed whilest this world lasteth we onely read of two exempted since the Creation of the World Enoch and Elijah who though they dyed not yet underwent a change and the like is not now to be expected So then that all must dye is an universal rule admitting of no exception And how soon all we may be brought in as Examples to this general Rule we know not Even Kings on Earth are but Earthen Kings and like Nebuchadnezzars Image Dan. 2. stand on feet of clay and moulder away as well as others Aequo pede pulsat pauperum tabernas regumque turres Hor. I have said ye are gods but ye shall dye like men Psal 82.6 7. Augustus mortuus est Nay Christ himself dyed the Lord of Life is put to Death though he did not sin actually yet because he had our sins by imputation Isa 53.6 1 Pet. 2.24 He stood guilty of our sins for he became our Surety and therefore underwent a dissolution though indeed he saw no corruption Acts 2.27 so Acts 13.37 Now as Phocion said to one that was condemned to the same death with him Art thou not glad to fare as Phocion doth So shall we be too much cast down at death of our Friends seeing the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles nay Christ himself hath tasted death's bitter Cup. Well then at death of your Friend consider that Job 21.33 Every man shall draw after him as there are innumerable before him Me-thinks this should somewhat alleviate our sorrow Seneca de consol ad Polib .24 Quis tam superbae impotentisque arrogantiae est ut in hâc naturae necessitate omnia in eundem finem revocantis se unum ac suos seponi velit An Heathen looked upon it as a great piece of weakness and pride for any man to expect that either he or any of his should be exempted from the general rule of mortality Consid 2 Secondly consider The friends you lose are not so much yours as God's 1 Chron. 29.14 All things come of thee saith David And St. James saith Jam. 1.17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights c. Children among other things are the gift of God This Lesson our great Grandmother Eve taught us calling her first-born Cain saying I have gotten a man from the Lord Gen. 4.1 Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuag 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Musculus in locum By the favour help and blessing of God as his gift So saith Jacob Gen. 33.5 These are the Children which God hath graciously given me And God tells us he gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau Josh 24.4 Psal 127.3 Lo Children are an heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the womb is his reward Clavis coeli sepulchri cordis matricis in manu Dei It is God that opens and shuts the Womb at his pleasure See Gen. 30.2 22. God may say truly what Benhadad said falsly 1 King 20.3 Thy silver and thy gold is mine thy wives also and thy children even the goodliest are mine We use to bestow upon relations a term of propriety
of the World out of a confused Chaos and made Clay and Spittle likely to put out sight a means to recover it this God I say can bring it to pass that what thou thinkest will undo thee shall be a means to promote thy eternal good Oh the admirable harmony of Divine Dispensations in reference to mans Salvation To shut up this you know several herbs have several qualities some of them very bitter yet if a skilful simpler have the mixing of them he will make you a pleasing and wholsom sallade so there are many interchangable passages of Providence and some of them very bitter to flesh and blood yet divine Wisdom and Goodness will so order the matter that they shall in the end be both pleasing and profitable Jam. 1.2 My brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations For vers 12. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him Indeed we read Psal 36.6 Gods judgements are a great deep And again Psal 77.19 Gods way is in the Sea and his path in the great waters and his footsteps are not known Which words some apply to the bringing of his People through the Sea and the waters returning to their course of which you read Exod 14.28 29. Others apply the words to the interchangable passages of Providence in reference to his Church the administration of the World and of every mans Salvation And so Rom. 11.33 How unsearchable are his judgements and his ways past finding out Gods wayes are many times cryptical full of Meanders we cannot trace them they are a compendious heap of intricacies oft going contrary to mans judgment and expectation and to our apprehended rules of common right Yet all his wayes are judgment that is justice and equity for he is a God of truth and without iniquity just and right is he Deut. 32.4 Much may be above us because our ignorance is such that we cannot see a reason of his wayes but nothing is unreasonable or evil that proceeds from an holy wise loving and just God I end this with that of the Psalmist Psal 25.10 All the pathes of the Lord how rugged and severe soever to flesh and blood are mercy and truth to such as keep his Covenant and his testimonies They may seem cruelty but indeed they are mercy though thou can'st not see it for the present yet thou may'st hereafter Another crys out 7th Apology answered This relation of mine dyed in the best of his age in the prime of his strength in the acuteness of his parts his Sun set at noon-day he fixed a Period where we made account of a Comma hoping at least half the Sentence of his Life was behind but it was broken off in haste and this troubles me Answ We do not much lament the death of Old persons because we know they could not live long Every mans Life as one saith is a Lease and an old mans Life is an old worn Lease ready to drop into the Land-Lords hand We expect a Taper should go out when the Wax is spent but to see the Lamp of a friends Life extinguished in its brightest and strongest lustre This troubles us But 1. Consid 'T is ordinary for man to dye in his full strength Job 21.23 24. One dyeth in his full strength being wholly at ease and quiet his breasts are full of milk and his bones are moistned with marrow c. King Edward the 6th that hopeful Prince fell asleep before noon and was laid untainted in the Bed of Honour So that good King Josiah died before he was 40 years of age as may be gathered from 2 Chron. 34.1 Nay Christ himself was cut off before he attained one half of the age of man described by Moses Psal 90.10 Nay David tells us Psal 39.5 Every man at his best state whether of age or honour is altogether vanity It being so ordinary for man to dye at or about the vigour of his age it should be the less troublesom 2. Consid If thy Friend had lived to old age what is that but an age of misery a stage of vanity an hospital of Diseases The dayes of Old Age are called Evil dayes by the Wise man Eccles 12.1 Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth while the evil dayes come not nor the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them q. d. The dayes of old age bring so many aches and troubles along with them that if they be lengthened into years yet a man can find no pleasure or content but whole years together shall be full of weariness and sorrow Nay the very strength of the years of an Old man is labour and sorrow saith Moses Psal 90.10 Old people are oft-times a trouble to themselves and others 3. And lastly consid Thy Friend must at last have died Man's Life is by some fitly compared to a Lamp which may be soon extinguished by some fall or violent blast but if it escape these there is but a set proportion of oyl which will soon be consumed and then it goes forth of its own accord The Clock though it goes slowly strikes surely at last And the Sun in the longest day of its perambulation at last goes out of sight He that walks longest over the graves of others comes at last to his own So that if thy Friend had not died now he must have dyed some other time And if another time why not now Another cryes out 8th Apology answered This Relation of mine was loth to die he died comfortless desperate words idle vain talk unseemly gestures and speeches proceeded from him and this troubles me Answ Was your Relation loth to dye 1. Consid Many of Gods dear Children have at some time or other been loth to depart So was David Psal 55.4 5. and Psal 102.24 And Hezekiah Isa 38.1 And Peter out of a sudden apprehension of death and fear of it denyed his Lord and Master The Godly cease not to be Men by becoming Christians as men they are sometimes afraid of Death which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Malum corruptivum destructive to nature God hath imprinted saith a Dr. Abbot Lect. 6. on Jonah p. 126 127. judicious Divine a passionate love betwixt the soul and the body that they grieve to leave one another So that the spirit may be willing yet the flesh is weak What man is he whom God's Spirit hath not in a great measure mortified that feels not in himself oft-times an horror and a quaking to think of his dissolution 2. Consid Thy Friend though he might fear the pain of death yet he might rejoyce at the gain of death as many a man desires the Haven yet trembles at the voyage The pangs of death might a little affright him yet being dead if a good man let us not question his happiness Christ
may read Heb. 11. that Chapter is a little Martyrology ver 35 36 37. how some were tortured scourged stoned sawn asunder slain with the sword c. Mr. Fox or Mr. Clark in his Martyrology will tell you that many Martyrs had their skins pulled off joynts racked bodies torn in pieces c. willing to endure for Christ's sake what the wit of man could invent or cruelty impose Now God might have called thy Friend to such a death which would have been far more sad cruel and painful as to outward appearance Well then consider God might have delivered thy Friend into the hands of cruel man which would have been very sad as appears by David's speech 2 Sam. 24.14 but God cast him on a soft Bed amongst Friends who did carefully attend him and minister unto him 3. Consid The greater thy Friends pain was the more fervent prayers were put up for him You find David in Psal 38. lying under God's afflicting hand what servent ejaculations he sent up towards the Throne of Grace So Asaph Ps 77.2 In the day of his trouble sought the Lord. So Jesus Christ in his Agony prayed more earnestly Luke 22.44 Great Miseries make the loudest Eccho's in the ears of Mercy And as the afflicted party himself so all that saw him or heard of his misery would be ready to pity and pray for him Methinks the sad groans of a dying Friend are sufficient to dissolve an heart of stone into prayers and tears especially godly Friends would pray fervently for him And these are most likely to prevail for Jam. 5.16 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much That Ship saileth the surest to the haven of Heaven which is driven with the breath of godly mens prayers 4. Consid The greater the pain was the shorter was the continuance of it Dolor si gravis brevis si longus levis We reade how Aeneas kept his bed eight years and was sick of the Palsie Act. 9.33 We read of one that had an issue of blood twelve years Mat. 9.20 and had suffered many things of many Physicians and had spent all that she had and was nothing bettered but rather grew worse Mark 5.26 So John 5.5 there we read of one that had an infirmity thirty eight years Now if thy Friend's pain had not been so great he might have continued still a burden to thee and to himself but the greatness of his pain hastened death which put an end to all trouble and grief his great pangs and struglings as throes of a travelling woman made way for deliverance And therefore 5. And lastly Consider Thy Friend is now at rest Rev. 14.13 Let them die of never so cruel a death if they die in the favour of God they are blessed for they rest from their labours It may be thou grievedst but little whilest thy Friend laboured for rest and wilt thou grieve much when he rests from his labours Whilst thy Friend was ground with the Stone or burnt up with a Feaver and rouled upon his bed without sleep thou hadst cause to weep and it was thy duty to sympathize with him Rom. 12.15 but being dead he is at rest Isa 57.2 for death to a Child of God is but a sleep Joh. 11.11 12 13. so Act. 7.60 and being buried he hath laid his head upon the lap of his mother for so the Earth is called Job 1.21 to be awakened again at the last Trump to the everlasting comfort both of soul and body And shall we now weep Surely this sorrow is unseasonable We prayed or else we were to blame whilst our Friend was in pain that God would deliver him and therefore when God by death hath put an end to all his pain we should give thanks to God and rejoyce rather than weep The Church our careful Mother hath taught us as much in the Funerals of the Dead We give thee hearty thanks for that it hath pleased thee to deliver this our Brother or Sister out of the miseries of this sinful world Another cryes out 10th Apology answerd This Eriend of mine dyed of a sad mischance he fell into the Fire or Water or was kill'd of Lightning fell off a Horse or Cart or was shot in War or otherwise or he was kill'd by Thieves or wicked men c. or he fell suddenly sick groan'd sigh'd dyed And this troubles me that he dyed such a sudden violent and untimely death Answ From sudden death i. e. from death not thought-of and so not provided-for good Lord deliver us not only for our own sakes but for our Friends sakes too they 'l take it the less sudden it is the more patiently See how sadly Jacob takes the supposed death of his son Joseph upon the sight of his bloudy coat he too rashly concluded his son was dead that he was devoured by some cruel beast Significans inâ—ternum animi dilacerationem seu moestitiaeÌ„ And the Text tells you Gen. 37.33 34. He rent his cloaths in token as Pareus saith upon the place that his heart was rent through with sorrow and he put on sackcloth a coarse and sorry stuff which was the usual Mourning-Weed in those times And he refused to be comforted Thus his father wept for him for Joseph who dyed as he thought a sudden death David himself proclaimed a solemn and publick Funeral-Mourning for the death of Abner who was cowardly and suddenly slain when he did least suspect it by one that pretended peace and friendship And David himself laid aside his Royal Dignity and attended the Corps joyning with the People in that sad Consort as you may reade 2 Sam. 3. towards the latter end of the chapter So David weeps excessively for the space of three whole years because his son Amnon dyed so unnaturally untimely unexpectedly being kill'd by Absalom 2 Sam. 13.28 c. And we reade how the true Mother of the living Child had rather her Adversary should have the comfort of her Child than that it should dye a violent and untimely death 1 King 3.26 And in that appeared both the truth of her affection towards it and that she was the true Mother of it v. 27. Job hearing the heavy tydings of the sudden death of his Children could no longer contain but vents his grief in words being more affected with the sudden loss of his Children than all the rest of his Goods Job 1.18 19 20. But for your comfort 1. Consid It hath been the lot of some of Gods dear Servants to dye so Thus righteous Abel was suddenly butchered by his brother Cain Gen. 4.8 So old Eli though indeed he had his failings in not correcting and severely punishing his wicked Sons 1 Sam. 2.23 c. and 1 Sam. 3.13 as he should have done being chief-Magistrate as well as Parent yet questionless was a good man as may be gathered from sacred Story and the manner of his death was sudden he fell off from his seat backward and
his neck brake and he dyed 1 Sam. 4.18 So that good King Josiah 2 King 22.19 20. was suddenly cut off in War 2 King 23.29 30. So the Prophet that came out of Judah whether Shemaiah mentioned 1 King 12.22 or some other Prophet I know not neither ought we curiously to enquire or positively determine any thing where Scripture is silent yet he was a true Prophet as appeareth by his title 1 King 13.1 call'd a Man of God by the Message it self and confirmation thereof by miracles ver 4 5 6. And as a true Prophet so questionless a pious Man yet because he was too credulous in believing the lie of the old Prophet and did eat and drink contrary to God's Command a Lion met him and slew him v. 24. So blessed Stephen stoned in a popular fury was put to a sudden and violent death Act. 7.57 59. Let us not conclude any to be in a damnable state meerly because they die suddenly Indeed God threatens the Wicked with sudden destruction as Job 15.32 33 34. so Job 22.15 16. Psal 37.35 36 38. 55.23 Prov. 10.27 Eccl. 7.17 and elsewhere And I know that wicked men many times are suddenly cut off in their wickedness when they might have lived much longer as to the course of nature But all that die suddenly are not to be reputed wicked men For the Godly as you have heard may dye sudden violent and untimely deaths And the Wise-man tells you Eccl. 9.1 2. No man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before him All things come alike to all there is one event to the Righteous and to the Wicked c. The Barbarians seeing the Viper on Pauls hand thinking the venom would presently have invaded his heart and vital spirits so that he would have died presently rashly concluded him to be a Murtherer and that Divine vengeance would not suffer him to live Act. 28.3 4 6. Let not Christians like these Barbarians be rash censurers of any that dye suddenly seeing that Gods dear and peculiar People may dye so 2. Consid A sudden death is best if we be prepared for it Octavius Augustus as oft as he heard of any man that had a quick passage out of this world with little sense of pain he wished for himself and his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Similem Sueton. such an easie death Suddenness saith that Prodigy of Learning Mr. Hooker because it shortens grief Eccles Polit. pag. 277. should in reason be most acceptable and therefore Tyrants use what art they can to encrease the slowness of death That monster of cruelty Caius Caligula would not permit those that he put to death to be speedily dispatched his command was this Ita feri ut se mori sentiat Sueton. Strike so that they may feel themselves dying and endure the pains of an enduring death Quick riddance out of Life is often both requested and bestowed as a benefit We read Judg. 8.20 21. that Zeba and Zalmunna chose rather to fall by Gideon than by Jether his son either because it was more honorable to be killed by a man like themselves rather than by a boy Mr. Fuller in his Coment on Ruth 1 Chap. Or rather as a learned Divine observes Because the Childs want of strength would cause the more pain And he adds Better to be speedily dispatched by a violent Disease than to have ones Life prolonged by a lingring torture And Erasmus somewhere saith Si pio homini deligere fas esset mortis genus nullum arbitror magis optandum quà m subitum If it were lawful for a godly man to choose the manner of his death I think a sudden death most to be desired and he gives this reason of it because Non potest malè mori qui benè vixerit he cannot dye ill that hath lived well For though death be sudden in its self yet in regard of his preparation for it and expectation of it to him it is not sudden Improvisa nulli mors cui provida vita Sad indeed it is to dye as Onan Absalom Amnon Ananias and Sapphira and several others that we read of in Scripture who were suddenly snatcht away in their wickedness From such a sudden death Good Lord deliver us For it is a speedy downfall to the bottomless-pit of Hell But if a man live as he ought to do in continual expectation of death and so set his house and his soul in order surely sudden death is best for him for it prevents much torturing pain which others met with upon their beds of languishment and besides this it is a speedy passage into Life Eternal 3. And lastly Consid Be thy Friends death never so sudden and violent it is that death which God in his providence hath allotted him God ordaineth our end by an immutable decree See Jer. 43.11 When he commeth Dr. Abbot on Jonah 4.3 4. Lect. 26. pag. 543 he shall smite the Land of Egypt and deliver such as are for death to death and such as are for captivity to captivity and such as are for the sword to the sword This intimates that by the Providence of the Lord who did set that King on work several persons in their times are determined to their several ends We must not attribute any friends death as the Philistines would their destruction to Chance 1 Sam. 6.9 Homer speaking of Achilles that slew many worthy Grecians saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iliad α. v. 5. Joves will was fulfilled Homer though blind as some report yet saw the hand of God in their destruction And Mr. Fuller in his Coment on Ruth 2.3 4. some observe the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Fortune is not used in all his Works It was only the ignorance of true causes that made the name of Fortune Nullum numen abest si sit prudentia sed te Nos facimus fortuna Deum Juven Sat. 10. For there is nothing fortuitous in it self seeing Gods Providence orders all events Indeed some things are said to happen in Scripture Ruth 2.3.4 Luke 10.31 but this is spoken not in respect of God but in respect of us because oft-times they come to pass not only without our purpose and forecast but even against our intentions and determinations but yet those things which thus fall out are ordered by the secret working of Gods providence We read 1 Kings 22.34 A certain man drew a Bow at a venture or according to the Orig. in his Simplicity 2 Sam. 15.11 not intending to bit Ahab yet God's purpose was to have Ahab slain and accordingly it came to pass for he smote the King of Israel between the joynts of the harness and the King dyed vers 37. Thus providence orders even casual events Christ's death with the manner was decreed by God Acts 4.27 28. Of a truth against thy holy Child Jesus whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and People of Israel were gathered together
who gave it So Mat. 10.28 our Saviour teacheth that the Soul cannot be kill'd though the Body be So Mat. 22.32 God is not the God of the dead yet he is said to be the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob These Patriarchs then were alive as to their Souls You see then the Soul dyes not with the Body And if the Soul of a good man it is in bliss and happiness even in the state of separation as these places shew Luke 23.43 2 Cor. 5.1 8. Phil. 1.23 Rev. 14.13 The Body is as it were the Nest or Cage of the Soul Death disturbs this Nest opens this Cage and then the Soul that Bird of Paradise flyes away to the kingdom of Heaven Seneca Seneca ad Merc. cap. 24. could tell disconsolate Mercia Imago duntaxat filii tui periit ipse quidem aeternus meliorisque nunc status est despoliatus onexibus alienis sibi relictus That the Image only of of her Son was defaced by death and that himself was Eternal in a better state eased of his uneasie burdens and now at freedom to enjoy himself 2. Consid There is not a fitter place for the Body of thy deceased Friend than the Grave is Gen. 23.4 Give me a possession of a burying place with you saith Abraham to the Children of Heth that I may bury my dead out of my sight He would be rid of Sarah when she was dead he would have beautiful Sarah removed out of his sight he would have the Wife of his bosom laid under foot When once we are dead all beauty and glory ceaseth and we become loathsome to our best friends and the Grave is the fittest place for us 3. Consid Thy friend fares no worse than Princes do The Grave is called The house appointed for all living Job 30.23 Living men in short time become dead men and are housed there Psal 89.48 What man is he that liveth and shall not see death Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the Grave No death will attach the greatest and the Grave be a Prison to hold their bodyes fast 4. Consid Is not the Grave a desirable place Death is a sleep and the Vault or Grave is a Dormitory or Bed for the Body to rest in See Isa 57.1 2. The Righteous that are taken away are said to enter into peace and rest in their beds Poor afflicted Saints are glad when they can find the Grave See Job desired it Job 3.13 c. and 14.13 O that thou wouldest hide me in the Grave he longed for it 5. And lastly Consid Thy Friends Body shall rise again and if he dyed in the Lord be made a glorious body The Body of man shall rise again as appears by holy Writ Deut. 32.39 1 Sam. 2.6 Job 14.7 c. Job 19.25 26 27. Isa 26.19 Ezek 37.1 5. Dan. 12.2 Joh. 11.23 24. ◠Cor. 15. The Apostle spends the longest Chapter in all his Epistles in proving the Resurrection of the Body against some in the Church of Corinth that denyed it Most of the Heathens dreamed of an everlasting Separation Nobis cum semel occidit brevis lux Nox est perpetuò una dormienda Catullus But Christians make the Resurrection of the Body an article of their Faith Manchest All mon. in contemplatio mortis immortalitatis And truly when we see as an honourable person observed worms and flyes and other creatures that spend the winter season in a kind of Death revive in the Spring when we see our selves dead every night and alive in the morning we may easily conclude and believe the Resurrection of the Body No stone great enough could be laid in the mouth of Christs Sepulchre to hinder him from rising again and nothing shall hinder the rising of God's dear servants St. Austin saith Bodyes of Believers shall be raised tantâ facilitate quantâ faelicitate with as much facility as felicity with as much ease as happiness The Body of a Believer is a pretious treasure which God locks up in the Cabinet of the Grave so much is implyed in that Phrase Job 14.13 O that thou wouldest hide me in the Grave We use to hide our choicest treasure At the great day of Judgement he will open his Cabinet and take out the Body and it shall be as good nay better than before There shall then be a new Edition of the Body in a fairer Letter more amended for Phil. 3.20 21. Our conversation is in Heaven saith the Apostle from whence we look for a Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile Body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious Body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself The same Body shall rise again the same for substance but not for quality a change of it there shall be but 't is for the better The vile body shall be changed that it may be fashioned like unto Christs glorious body and that you should not doubt of it he tells you it is done according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself q. d. There is nothing too hard for Omnipotency to effect Your friends body though sown in corruption is raised in incorruption sown in dishonour yet raised in glory 1 Cor. 15.42 c. It shall then be a glorious body indeed for it shall be beautiful full of brightness active and nimble not stand in need of outward refreshment it shall not be subject to irksom labours afflictions and diseases it shall not dispose the soul to sin nor the soul make use of the body as a weapon to fight against God it shall be an immortal body and every part and member of it shall have as much happiness as it is capable of Such honour have all the bodies of Believers at Christ's second coming So then thy Friends Soul is not eternally divorced from his Body nor shall the Body lye for ever in the grave but at Christ's second coming which will be shortly it shall rise again and his Soul be re-united to it in a more glorious and firm contract and they shall enter together into the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 25.34 Dr. Abbot on Jonah Lect. 15. To end this You know a Watch is taken in pieces before it be mended and things new cast are broken first So thy Friend's Body must be knockt in pieces by death and the power of the grave that it may be new cast not only in its old figure but to a better form in the day of the Resurrection Wherefore comfort one another with these words 1 Thes 4.18 With what words with those words going before vers 13 c. Whereof this is the summe that they shall rise again and be for ever with the Lord. 13th Apology answerd Another cryes out This Friend or Relation that God hath taken away was a good and useful person a very charitable man c. not only I my self but the
whole Town and Country too will have a loss of him for the streams of his goodness flowed abroad plentifully to the refreshing of many Answ Indeed the loss of a good man is a great loss if we consider 1. Good men are very scarce See Psal 12.1 Help Lord for the godly man ceaseth the faithful fail from among the children of men So Ps 14.1 2 3. The fool hath said in his heart There is no God they are corrupt they have done abominable works there is none that doth good The Lord look'd down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God They are all gone aside they are altogether become filthy there is none that doth good no not one So Rom. 3.10 c. Good men are as the shaking of an Olive tree and as the gleaning Grapes when the Vintage is done as it is Isa 24.13 So Mic. 7.1 2 3 4. The Church there complains of her small number Christ's flock is called a little flock Luke 12.32 Orig. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little little flock They are indeed little in their own eyes little in the eyes of the world and little or few in number In God's field there are many Tares little good Corn In this great house of the World many Vessells of dishonour but few there are of honour Salvian Salvian de Gub. Dei lib. 3 pag. 87. crys out Ipsa Dei Ecclesia quae in omnibus esse debet placatrix Dei quid est aliud quà m exacerbatrix Dei aut praeter paucissimos quosdam qui mala fugiunt quid est aliud penè omnis coetus Christianorum quà m sentina vitiorum So then they can ill be spared they are so few 2. Good men are blessings to the places where and persons among whom they live See Exod. 32.9 10 14 compared God oft spared Israel at the prayer of Moses The Righteous keep off God's Judgments as these places shew Job 22.30 Prov. 29.8 Jer. 5.1 Ezek. 22.30 31. Had there been but ten righteous persons in Sodom it had not been destroyed Gen. 18.32 And God tells us he would not destroy it till righteous Lot was gone forth Gen. 19.22 And God oft-times for the sake of the Righteous removes Judgements inflicted see Psal 106.23 29 30. so Isa 65.8 It is an extraordinary case when God will not spare for the sake of Moses and Samuel Jer. 15.1 so when Noah Daniel and Job shall deliver but their own souls Ezek. 14.14 The Tares are usually spared till the Harvest for the Wheat 's sake A cursed Cham was preserved in the Ark with Noah Gen. 7.1 St. Paul saved the lives of all that sailed with him in the Ship two hundred threescore and fifteen souls see Act. 27.22 23 24 37 compared Indeed the Righteous are Conduit-pipes of Blessings the greatest Benefactors to the places where they live See what Jacob saith to Laban Gen. 30.30 It was little that thou hadst before I came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it is now encreased to a multitude since my coming or according to the Original at my feet Blessings are sent to every place where the Saints feet tread So God blessed the Egyptians house for Joseph's sake Gen. 39.5 Wicked men are beholden to the Godly for their Lives Liberties estates c. In a word the Righteous are the Equites cataphracti the Chariots and horsemen of Israel 2 King 2.12 They are the glory and safety of a Nation they are instruments of doing much good by their purses prayers counsels reproofs and good example They like Lamps spend themselves for the good of others and when such Lights are extinguished by death how can we choose if we seriously consider it but be overcast with darkness and sorrow 3. And lastly The loss of a good man is great if we consider that the death of good men bodes misery It is a sad symptom or prognostication of approaching Judgments The people of Rome when they heard Germanicus was recovered of his sickness they sang it about the streets Salva Roma salva Patria salvus est Germanicus While that good man was well they thought it could not be ill with them And indeed a good man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Greg. Nazianzene Gregor Nazian Orat in laudem Patres calls him a crutch prop or pillar to support the Church when these pillars are taken away the building of frame of outward prosperity continues not long It is like Sampsons pulling down the pillars whereupon ensued a great destruction as you may read Judg. 16.29 30. A man intending to break up House removes his goods and truly God usually removes his People which are his peculiar treasure Exod. 19.5 either into some other place of the World or out of the World when he intends to leave a sinful people naked and destitute of defence and safety When Noah was housed in the Arke the storm came and the whole world save some few with him were buried in a watry winding-sheet Gen. 7. When Lot entered into Zoar the Sun was risen upon the Earth Gen. 19.23 The Sun was risen and the wicked Sodomites thought they should have had a fair day on 't but it was presently overclouded and there followed a fearful showre of fire and brimstone vers 24. Then when Lot was removed the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven After the death of good Josiah evil ensued upon Israel 2 King 22.20 And this was a chief reason why Jeremy and others made such sad moan at the loss of that good man and ever after in their doleful Elegies made mention of his death as you see they did 2 Chron. 35.25 After the death of St Austin Hippo was sack'd by the Vandals when Luther was dead then the civil wars broke out in Germany So then as the Prophet speaks Isa 57.1 The Righteous are taken away from the Evil to come And he there complains of a peoples stupidity when they do not lay to heart the death of righteous and merciful men We should weep if not for them yet for our own sakes who may justly fear miserys coming upon us Yet we must not weep immoderately or murmur at God's handy-work To this end let us consider 1. Consid Good men must dye as well as others It is said Gen. 47.29 The time drew nigh that Israel must die The godly must of necessity dye one time or other All the Patriarchs and godly Prophets are dead Zach. 1.5 John 8.52 The Apostles and Ministers are Earthen vessels 2 Cor. 4.7 like those Pitchers of Gideon Judg. 7. they are Earthen pitchers and have a Lamp in them they are chosen Vessels to bear the name of Christ to witness to his truth Acts 9.15 but earthen pitchers still and must shortly be broken by death We are all made of the same clay Isa 64.8 And as rich gilding upon an earthen pot keeps it not from
yearning in his bowels with bitter grief that he should be the cause of bringing this destruction upon his dearly beloved People So should we when our sins have been a cause to hasten the death of our dear Friend confess them unto God be deeply humbled for them and pray heartily for pardon thereof And then Thirdly and lastly Let us be careful to avoid these sins for the future This God expects Job 36.9 10. He shews them who are holden in the Cords of Affliction their work and their transgressions that they have exceeded he openeth also their ear to discipline and commandeth that they return from iniquity This the Church hath practised in times of great distress Lam. 3.40 Let us search and try our wayes and turn again unto the Lord. Oh! how should our hearts rise against such sins as rob us of our dear Friends If any mortal man had murdered our Father or Mother Son or Daughter Brother or Sister or any other near and dear Friend or Relation We would not endure that man but prosecute the Law on him to the uttermost and we would rejoyce to see justice done upon him Our hand would not spare our eye would not pitty him Oh then take an holy revenge upon your Lusts which have provoked God to take away such or such Relations let your hearts be transported with infinite indignation against them 2 Cor. 7.11 Say in the Language of Elihu Job 34.31 I have born chastisement I will not offend any more nor provoke God in this manner by my sins to take away my Friends Mortifie therefore your earthly members fornication uncleanness inordinate affection c. Coloss 3.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kill or make dead Pursue these sins with a deadly implacable hatred not only odio aversationis but inimicitiae Oh! let not your sins survive any longer but as they have killed your Friend so let them be buried with him in his Grave Use 4 4. Imitate deceased Friends in what is good There is no Friend so universally bad but there is something of good in him worth imitation some good might be distil'd from him if we put under the fire of Charity Who so deeply buried * Refined Courtier p. 58. saith a learned man under the rubbish of his own ruines that something of goodness may not be discerned by a charitable Surveyor We find David commending Saul in that Panegyrick or Funeral Oration mentioned 2 Sam. 1. Do not like the silly Sheep leaping off a Bridge follow one another in irregular wayes to your destruction Nequaquà m facere nos improbos improbitas debeat aliena Salv. Salv. de Gub. Dei lib. 7 p. 241. What you find in any materially good follow it but chiefly imitate your godly Friends Phil. 3.17 But in as much as they have their failings as pure Gold hath its dross and the purest Wheat its Chaff follow them so far onely as they follow Christ 1 Cor. 11.1 Make then your godly Parents your Paterns as * Mr. Dugard in Epist deâ—icat to his Sermon on Ps 89 48 Constantines Sons are said to resemble him to the life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb Write after those good Copies which deceased Friends have set you Jerom having read the Life and Death of Hilarion who died Christianly as he lived Religiously Well said he Hilarion shall be the Champion whom I will follow Zeno Cilliaeus consulted with the Oracle how he might live well and he received this answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If he was of the same colour with the dead This he interpreted to mean That he should get and read all the antient Books that he could hear of and then steep and die his mind in those sacred Notions A * Mr. Patrick in his Serm on Psal 90.12 Reverend Divine saith of this Sentence what St. Paul did of Epimenides's Sentence Tit. 1.13 This testimony is true If you would live well Look as like to the dead in the Lord as ever you can and labour to turn your Souls into their shape As living Examples are to be followed so the dead are not to be forgotten Heb. 6.12 Be not slothful but followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises It is said of Abel Heb. 11.4 That being dead yet speaketh which as it may be understood of his blood calling for Vengeance Gen. 4.10 Heb. 12.24 So likewise of his example calling for our imitation Heb. 12.1 Well then was thy Friend a strict observer of the Sabbath a constant frequenter of the Ordinances a diligent reader of God's Word a faithful Instructer of his Children and Servants Was he a lover of good Ministers a reliever of good People a reprover of Vice an encourager of Vertue Was he much in praying laborious in his Calling Was he serviceable to his Neighbour faithful to his Friend a forgiver of his Enemies In a word Was he temperate meek patient peaceable humble honest heavenly-minded c If these and the like vertues were conspicuous in thy Friend Go thou and do likewise Luke 10.37 Though your Friend be dead and buried yet let his vertues live in your practice Use 5 5. Admire Gods goodness who as yet continues thee in the land of the Living Life is a mercy that we ought to bless God for Psal 66.8 9. O bless our God ye people and make the voice of his praise to be heard who holdeth our soul in life So Ps 103.1 2 3 4. The Psalmist there amongst other mercies blesseth God for healing his Diseases and redeeming his life from destruction Indeed God's delivering our Soul from Death is an effect of his bounty as ye may gather from Psal 116.7 8. It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed Lam. 3.22 For God to maintain that radical moisture that Oyl that feeds the Lamp and Light of thy Life is as * Mr. Goodwin on Rom. 2.4 5. one saith as great a miracle as the maintaining the Oil in the cruse of the poor famished Widow 1 Kings 17.16 When thou therefore hearest of the death of any Friend Neighbour or Relation consider with thy self it might have been thine own case thou art made of no better Mould then he was 'T is God only that preserveth the House of Clay from falling to the ground As thou accompaniest him to the Grave to pay the last office of Love consider thou mightest have been carried forth and others have accompanied thee Is it not a miracle of mercy that the Dart of Death should kill many round about thee and yet miss thee Conclude that the Hand of God guides it and it is his meer mercy that thou art yet spared When Lot as I told you before had his Wife turned into a Pillar of Salt and his Sons in Law swept away by a fearful showr of Fire and Brimstone he took it for a great favour that God had spared his life Gen. 19.19 Behold now thy Servant hath found grace in thy sight and
mind him of his mortality and keep him temperate in the use of Gods good Creatures Oh consider thou wretched Epicure that thy pamper'd body will shortly be a most noysome Corps Job 24.20 The Worm shall feed sweetly on it Consider the pleasures of sin are but for a season Heb. 11.25 Thou mayest hear that voice this present hour in the midst of Drinking Dancing Feasting Gaming Whoring c. which Pope Innocentius the 4th heard in his Court and was found dead the next day Veni miser ad judicium Come thou wretch to judgment Use 10 10. Let death of Friends give a check to pride and ambition * Dr. Stuarts Cathol Divin pag. 150. Some say The hand of a dead man stroaking the part cures the Tympany Methinks the spectacles of mortality presented so frequently before us should asswage the swelling of pride that is within us Who would be proud of popular applause which is indeed but a fancy for so Agrippa's pomp is called Acts 25.23 Orig. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did he consider his own mortality Herod would not have erected the plumes of pride as he did when the people flattered him had he looked on himself as a mortal man and that he should be so soon eaten up of Worms the vilest of Creatures Acts 12.21 22 23. Who would be proud of beauty considering if Deaths Hand do but touch the best complection'd Persons like the * Contacto◠cinerescunt Apples of Sodom they drop speedily into dust and ashes Who would be proud of Gifts and Parts seeing the Wise Man dies as well as the Fool Psal 49.10 Who would be proud of stately and pleasant Houses considering shortly he must be housed in dark and dankish rooms under ground Job 17.13 Who would be proud of his Pedigree considering he must say ere long to corruption Thou art my Father and to the worm Thou art my Mother and my Sister Job 17.14 Who would be proud of Apparel which must shortly be laid aside Or who would be proud of Riches which must be left at death and we know not to whom Psal 39.6 Who would be ambitious of great swelling titles as your Worship your Honour your Grace your Excellency your Greatness your Highness c. considering that the Greatest die and their Titles with them and their Glory will not descend after them Psal 49.17 Ambition like a blazing Comet portends no good and in a while vanisheth and comes to nothing How unbefitting a thing is it for man to be daily aspiring who is daily expiring to soar so high who must lie so low even under the feet of those whom he desires to tread upon Ahasuerus that could reckon 127 Provinces under his command Esth 1.1 had but about seven foot Sepulchre at most being dead And Alexander that sweated within the compass of the world as too narrow for him Aestuat infoelix angusto limite mundi Juvenal Sat. 10. Yet being dead had but a little patch of ground to contain his Body and that was with much difficulty obtained There is indeed some odds betwixt men whilst living in respect of birth education wealth wit alliance honour beauty c. yet to pull down the top-sail of pride man should consider that the same God made us all Job 31.15 Mal. 2.10 and of the same matter and we all at last return alike to the same earth Gen. 3.19 Eccl. 12.7 There is no odds amongst dead men Respice sepulchra vide quis servus quis dominus quis dives quis pauper discerne si potes vinctum a Rege fortem a debili pulchrum a deformi * Aug. lib. de nat et grat Aust Take a view of the Graves of men and you shall find all there have a like hollow eyes flat noses ghastly looks noysom scents c. there Dives cannot be distinguished from Lazarus nor beautiful Rachel from blear-ey'd Leah At a game of Chess as a learned * Doctor observes we see Kings and Queens and Bishops †Dr. Stuart's Catholic Divinity pag. 151 152. and Knights upon the board and they have their several walks and contest one with another in points of state and honour but when the game is done all together with the pawns are shuffled in one bag In like manner in this life men appear in different garbes and take diverse courses some are Kings some are Officers some Bishops some Knights some of other ranks 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 lie in darkness and obscurity All their pomp is brought down to the grave and the worms shall cover them Isa 14.11 To shut up this point A proud man is a vain supercilious bubble that swells for a while and danceth about with a splendid gaiety upon the surface of the waters but presently disappears and is seen no more Who would then boast himself with Theudas to be some body Act. 5.36 or with Simon-Magus look upon himself as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 8.9 some grand Magnifico whereas in his best state he is but altogether vanity Psal 39.5 Use 11 11. Let death of Friends be a Cordial to keep you from fainting under any affliction You see Friends die daily assure your self ere long your turn will come and by death you shall be delivered from all your sorrows A Christian may say with Jacob Gen. 47.9 Few and evil have the dayes of the years of my life been This is Jacobs Arithmetick he casting the account of his days tells you they were by substraction and diminution Few by addition and multiplication full of evil Indeed Psal 34.19 Many are the afflictions of the Righteous The Latin word Quies which signifies rest wanteth the plural number for there is little rest in this world A good man meets with contempt from the world temptations from the Devil assaults from the flesh sometimes with rebukes from God checks from Conscience with spiritual desertions with poverty sickness reproach c. like a Ship sayling on the Sea of this world no sooner is he freed from one waye but he is immediatly lifted up by another but when he dyes he is safely landed on the shoar in the haven of Heaven above a state of misery and mortality too Old Chaucer's Epitaph is a good one * Manch Al. Mond p. 61. Mors aerumnarum requies Death puts an end to all sorrow We may write upon the Grave-stone of a Spiritual Pilgrim Hic mortuus requiescit semel Qui vivus requievit nunquam Death is a Sleep and the Coffin a Couch In quo illé mollius dormit quisquis durius in hâc vità se gèsserit Ambros The Sepulcher is a place of rest for the Antients called it Requietorium or Dormitorium And the Prophet Isaiah calleth it a Bed Isa 57.2 They shall rest in their Beds Men being hard-work't all day sleep sweetly at night So
more for their God who now doth so much for them that they did not glorifie him more on Earth who glorifies them so much in Heaven Use 13 13. Let death of Friends put us on to get what good we can by living Friends we see they die soon We hold our Friends but durante beneplacito Dei how soon he may call for them we know not And therefore as one saith let us do with them as with some Books which we borrow let us reade them presently and take out thence profitable lessons as soon as we can for we know not how soon the owner may take them from us Books of our own lye by us and we may reade them at leisure Thus if Friends were so our own that we might have them by us at our own command we might be the more careless but in regard they are but lent us and may speedily be call'd for again It is good to improve their company whilest we have them and gather from them what may make for our profit both temporal and spiritual especially let us improve their society to our eternal advantage The old World was to blame in not being better'd by the good example of Enoch Methuselah Noah and some other few good persons that were amongst them And the wicked Sodomites to blame for not improving the society of Godly Lot to their spiritual advantage Gen. 19.7 8 9. 2 Pet. 2.5 6 7. Let the patience of good men check thy impatience their zeal thy luke-warmness their charity thy cruelty their temperance thy luxury their strictness thy loosness Yet a little while saith Christ is the Light with you walk while ye have the Light Joh. 12.35 The Light of God's Word is principally to be followed Psal 119.105 Gal. 6.16 yet the light of good Example is not to be neglected Mat. 5.16 Heb. 12.1 Walk and work by the Light of both and that with all possible speed that may be To shut up this Death silenceth the best Preachers breaks up the best Company and therefore deal with gracious Companions and faithful Guides as Elisha did by Elijah who would not leave him till he had gotten his Spirit doubled upon him 2 Kings 2. from ver 1 to 16. Or as Jacob dealt with the Angel who would not let him go until he blessed him Gen. 32.26 27 28. So let us be careful so to improve their company that before they leave us we may get a blessing from them Use 14 14. Let death of Friends mind us of our own death Eccles 7.2 It is better to go to the House of Mourning than to the House of Feasting for that is the end of all men and the living will lay it to heart The house of Feasting is apt to put out of our minds the thoughts of goodness Deut. 8.12 Job 1.5 but the house of Mourning may seriously affect the heart with good thoughts as of the greatness of God's Power who taketh away our breath Psal 104.29 and with thoughts of our own frailty and mortality for as it is said of Abel he being dead yet speaketh Heb. 11.4 So the dead corps in the house of Mourning seems to speak our inevitable mortality We may call the death of a Friend or Neighbour saith a worthy * Mr. Harrison in his Serm. on Isa 57.1 p. 42. Divine as some do the Sacrament Visibile Verbum a visible Word a Sermon teaching us our Mortality for what we are they were and what they are we may be and we know not how soon Quod tueris tu eris dost thou behold a dead corps carried forth thou shalt shortly be such an one thy self Alas Alas what is this life that we make such account of that we so much talk of It is rapidissimus cursus a tumulo ad tumulum a very swift motion from the womb of our Mother to the womb of the Earth Natures dim eye saw the shortness of it Will you hear what it is One compares it to an Herb green now See Mr. Ambroses Serm. on Gen. 47.9 and presently withering Ut Herba Solstitialis Plaut Another calls Life the Image of Death Mortis Imago Cato Another calls Man a Dream of a Shadow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pindar Another a shadow of Smoak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aeschyl Another compares it to Leaves on Trees soon falling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tale genus hominum quale foliorum Homer Iliad 3. Another saith Our whole life is but a point of time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch which Seneca well interprets saying Punctum est quod vivimus adhuc puncto minus The time we live is but a point yea less than a point It is but an instant for what is past we enjoy not and what is to come is uncertain so that the present instant is the time we live and that gone as soon as spoken You have heard some of the Heathens speak of the Life of Man I pray you hearken to what the holy Ghost speaks of it in Scripture Job compares it to a Weavers Shuttle Job 7.6 which being thrown by the hand of the Weaver speedily passeth from one end of the Web to the other and v. 7. compares it to the Wind that passes speedily away what more swift or uncertain than the Wind he compares it to a Shadow that passeth away Job 8.9 so doth David Psal 102.11 so doth Solomon Eccles 6.12 Job likewise compares his Life to a Post that runs or rides swiftly on the Earth to a Ship that moves swiftly on the Waters and to an Eagle hastning after her prey that moves swiftly in the Air Job 9.25 26. David compares the Life of Man to Grass * Muscul in Gen. 1. p. 13. Manè quidem floridum vesperi vero aridum and to the Flower of the Field which soon withereth and fadeth away Ps 103.15 16. So doth Moses Psal 90.5 6. So doth the Prophet Isaiah Isa 40.6 7. David likewise compares it to Smoak which is quickly dispersed Psal 102.3 He likewise compares it to an †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 palmus est mensura 4 digitorum junctorum by th Hand-breadth Psal 39.5 which is one of the shortest of measures the breadth onely of four fingers put close together Our Saviour would have us look upon our Life but as a Day Mat. 6.11 and Moses reckons by Dayes Psal 90.12 so did Jacob before him Gen. 47.9 And indeed vita nostra non est diuturna Propera vivere et singulos dies singulas vitas puta nihil interest inter diem seculum Sen. sed diurna every day is a little Map of our Life for as the poor Hireling when the day is spent goes home with his wages with him so when the day of man's life is spent with his wages about him he returns to his long-home the Grave St. Paul calls our Bodies Earthen vessels 2 Cor. 4.7 and 2 Cor. 5.1 The earthly house of this tabernacle Here the Apostle who was a
on Luk. 7.12 13. p. 13. Dr. saith Their less confirmed constitution is sooner discomposed and out of temper Their fresher blood is more susceptive of infection their warmer and agil spirits more easily blown up into a feaverish heat and flame Infectious Distempers as Plague Measels Small-Pox c. soonest seize on the purest Complexions and speedily overturn the best-built structures of Nature The purest Fruit soonest perisheth When Jonah's Gourd was fullest of Sap and Verdure then the Worm smites it and it is gone Strong Cedars sturdy Oaks are hewen down when Death layes the Ax to the Root of the Tree Great Zerxes wept to think that the strength of his Army could not keep Death out of his Quarters If thou beest as strong as Sampson or David's three Worthies whom you read of in 2 Sam. 23.8 yet sickness may soon weaken thee and Death lay thee flat on thy back 2. Some measure their life by the lives of others as their Neighbours and their own Kindred They see many Neighbours older than they by many years and besides their Father is alive and Grandfather lived long Their Generation used to be long-liv'd and therefore they reckon on many years But this is deceitful reckoning for young men die as well as those that are striken in years see Job 21.23 24 25 26. So Job 36.14 They die in youth So Jer. 9.21 Death is come up into our Windows and is entered in at our Palaces to cut off the Children from without and the young Men from the streets Old Age is a Distemper that very few in comparison die of And though your Father be alive and your Grandfather lived long yet many times Children die before their Parents Gen. 11.28 Haran died before his Father Terah Absalom out-lived all his Children Naomi lived to see her Children buried as well as her Husband Ruth 1.5 So did Job Job 1.18 19. To end this The Sons of Jacob as * Mr. Fuller in his Comment on some of Ruth one observes when they came to the Table of Joseph sat down the eldest according to his Age and the youngest according to his Youth Gen. 43.33 But Death observes not this method he takes not Men in seniority but sometimes sends them first to their Burial that came last from the Birth and those that came last from the Womb first to their Winding-sheet 3. Some think they shall live long because they are temperate and chast Intemperance doubtless destroys many Plures gulâ quà m gladio More perish by gluttony than by the Sword Multos morbos multa fecerunt fercula Seneca Epist 95. And drunkenness is destructive to the bodies of those that delight in it Prov. 23.29 30. Whence come Dropsies Gouts Feavers Rheums and such like Distempers but usually from excess in eating and drinking Lasciviousness and excessive wantonness is likewise an impairer of strength Prov. 5.11 so Prov. 31.5 But yet the most temperate and chast men may die soon For these are very subject to infectious Maladies neither are they priviledged from manifold chances and unexpected surprisals which may suddenly put an end to life 4. and lastly Others because they have been sick and are recovered they hope to see many dayes But alas how ordinary are relapses into the same distemper that men think they are recovered of And those relapses as Physitians say and Experience doth witness most dangerous But if a man be perfectly recovered of one distemper how ordinary is it for that man to fall irrecoverably into another Ambros. de Obitu fratris 3 Tom. p. 16. Satyrus St. Ambrose's Brother returned from Africk by a perilous Voyage for he suffered shipwrack and escaped drowning very narrowly by swimming yet having escaped so great a danger within a short t me after his arrival and return to his Friends fell sick and died amongst them If you escape one danger you know not how soon you may fall into another If you recover of one distemper you are but reprieved for how short a time God only knows O courteous Reader deceive thy self no longer Death like a Mole is secretly undermining thee Thou art far nearer Death and the Grave than thou art aware of Consider 1. How many Diseases thou art subject to which like so many Worms lie gnawing at the Tree of Life The very eye as some Oculists observe hath above sixty Diseases attending it Innumerable then must the diseases be which the whole body is subject unto This Body of ours which is fearfully and wonderfully made Psal 139.14 like a curious Watch is soon out of order and oft-times Physicians with all their skill cannot mend it again Non est in medico semper relevetur ut aeger Ovid de Pont. Lib. 1. Eleg. 4. Interdum doctá plus valet arte malum Some mens Bodies are ground to pieces with the Stone some destroyed with the Epilepsie See Mr. Ley's Sermon on Jam. 4.14 or an Imposthume which insensibly gathers to an head breaks in a moment and stops the breath of mans Bosom or stifles the spirits of his Brain Some Bodies are blown up with the Cholick or Illiaca Passio Some eaten up insensibly by a Consumption some drowned with the Dropsie some burnt with a Feaver And indeed many new Diseases break forth amongst us which puzzle Physitians not only how to cure them but how to call them These bodily Distempers are as so many warning-pieces which God many times shoots off before he send his murdering-piece 2. De civit Dei lib. 22 cap. 22. Consider the manifold chances which may befal thee Quid de innumeris casibus qui forinsecùs corpori formidantur Aug. There are casual mishaps as well as Diseases innumerable which may prove destructive to life We all receive life but one way viz. by Generation but we may lose it many * Mille modis morimur Sen. l. 7. 1. Controvers wayes As we see in a Garden-Pot the Water is poured in but at one place viz. the narrow mouth but it runs out at an hundred holes If we ride on Horseback the Horse may start or stumble and cast us that we may rise no more Absaloms Mule running from under him hastned his destruction 2 Sam. 18.9 c. If we walk on foot we may take immoderate heats and colds which may bring with them incurable Distempers Thieves and Robbers may surprize us wound us and leave us for dead Luke 10.30 Some Beast or other may kill us as the disobedient Prophet was slain with a Lyon 1 Kings 13.24 Or a Drunkard worse then a Beast enraged by strong drink Prov. 20.1 may speedily dispatch us Walking in the streets a piece of Timber a Stone or Tile from an House may suddenly fall upon thee and strike thee dead As a piece of a Mill-stone thrown from a Tower broke the Skull of Abimelech Judg. 9.53 D. Stuarts Catholick Divinity p. 163. Martial makes mention of one that was kill'd with the fall of an Ice-sicle which caused
to perform God sent us not into the World as he did the * Psalm 104.26 Leviathan into the Sea to take our sport and pastime therein but he sent us hither as into a School to learn this one Lesson to die well Yet alas how negligent are most as if unconcerned herein This great concern is the least of their care Tell them of preparing for Death and they are ready to put us off as Felix did Paul Acts 24.25 Go thy way for this time when I have a convenient season I will call for thee but we never read that he call'd for him after I shall therefore Courteous Reader lay before thee some Considerations to move thee to prepare thy self for Death according to the forementioned Directions And here I have a large field before me but as the Disciples passing through the Field of Corn pluckt onely an ear or two and rubbed them in their hands so shall I content my self with three Considerations amongst many and handle them as briefly as I can with conveniency First then Consider 1 1. By this means thou shalt live comfortably 2 Cor. 1.12 Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and Godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the World Rejoycing and working Righteousness is put together Isa 64.5 What joy and peace is there in believing Rom. 15.13 If the Angels in Heaven rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner as the Scripture affirms Luk. 15.7 10. surely the joy of a sinner converted must needs be very great in his heart How can it otherwise be For such an one is reconciled to God his sins are pardoned whereupon follows peace with God and rejoycing in hope of the Glory of God as you may see Rom. 5.1 2. And this peace of Conscience passeth all understanding Phil. 4.7 It is joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 A continual Banquet together with the joy of the Harvest and of such as divide the spoyl are but dark representations of it Prov. 15.15 Isa 9.3 This is Manna in the Wilderness a foretaste and earnest of future Jubilees such an one is even in the Suburbs of Heaven so that the Term of a godly mans life who is continually fitting himself for Death may be truly called Hilary Term for a pure Christal Torrent of Divine Joy comes streaming into his Soul from the God of all comfort What should such an one fear Of whom should he be afraid At what should he be dismaid If he lives he lives to the Lord if he dies he dies in the Lord Living or dying he is the Lords Rom. 14.8 Object But do not we see those who take most pains in fitting themselves for Death most sad and sorrowful mourning for their own and other mens sins do they not meet with most trouble and afflictions so that their lives of all men are most uncomfortable Answ A carnal man can no more judge of a good mans condition than a pur-blind man can of Colours He is not acquainted with a good mans joy Prov. 14.10 The righteous have meat to eat which the World knows not of They have hidden Manna secret joy 2 Cor. 6.10 As sorrowful yet alwayes rejoycing Their weeping for their own and other mens sins Est quedam flere voluptas makes way for spiritual comfort As April-showers refresh the face of the Earth When the Righteous have been shedding tears at the Throne of Grace they oft arise from their knees with their hearts brim full of comfort If they meet with outward trouble as the Waves encrease so doth the Ark of Comfort arise above these Waves See 2 Cor. 1.3 4 5. Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Mercies and the God of all Comfort who comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God for as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ We read Acts 5.41 how the Apostles rejoyced that they were counted worthy to suffer When Saint Paul was in that great storm at Sea Acts 27. When neither Sun nor Stars in many dayes appeared vers 20. In the midst of that danger his Soul was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in a quiet Haven Dr. Boreman in Serm. on Phil. 3.20 p. 33. even in the bosom of God In that great darkness he had a light within the light of joy and comfort because God was with and in him I end this with that of Solomon Prov. 29.6 In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare that strangleth his joy but the Righteous doth sing and rejoyce Consider 2 2. By this means you may die comfortably A man who in his life-time hath been fitting himself for death is not afraid of it when God shall please to send it He can say Come Death come Lord Jesus come and well-come He can say to Death as Adonijah did to Jonathan the Son of Abiathar the Priest 1 King 1.42 Come in for thou art a valiant man and bringest good tydings He knows Death sets his Soul at liberty out of the Prison of the Body as the Angel did Peter out of Prison Acts 12.7 Upon the sight of Death his Spirit revives as Jacob's did when he saw the Wagons that were sent to carry him from a place of penury and misery to a place of plenty and happiness Gen 45.27 When Moses the Servant of the Lord had finisht his course God bids him Go up and die in the Mount Deut. 32.49 50. Deut. 34.5 It is there said He died according to the Word of the Lord secundum os Domini The Jews say that his Soul was suckt out of his mouth with a kiss God dealt by him as a fond Nurse by her Babe kissed him and laid him down to sleep Elijah requests God to take away his life 1 King 19.4 Aged Simeon like a Swan welcomed his approaching death with this melodious Song Sapientis animus totus in mortem prominet hoc vult hoc meditatur hac semper cupidine fertur Sen. ad Marcium c. 23. Nunc dimittis c. Luke 2.29 Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace according to thy Word c. St. Paul cries out Cupio dissolvi Phil. 1.23 I desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better St. Ambrose ready to depart said to his Friends Non sic vixi ut me pudent inter vos vivere sed nec mori timeo quia bonum Dominum habemus He was neither ashamed to live nor afraid to die Old Hilarion being somewhat backward at first to entertain Death he checkt himself for his vain fears Egredore anima quid times Septuaginta annos servivisti Deo jam mori times Egredere Anima Go out my Soul said he what fearest thou Thou hast served God these threescore years and ten
healed of it but afterwards he felt many bad motions and sinful lusts stirring in him then he earnestly desired God to return to him the Head-ach again rather than suffer the peace of his Soul to be disquieted with those lusts So that you see bodily Pains and Diseases are sent by God to prevent or purge out sin But more particularly God sends sickness to prevent or purge out these following sins to name a few 1. Pride See 2 Cor. 12.7 Some by the Thorn in the flesh understand some extream pain as the Head-ach so Theophilact Some refer it to the Iliaca Passio or Wind in the small Guts See Mr. Leigh's Annot. on 2 Cor. 12.7 so Aquinas Some to the Gout or pain in the Stomach as Nazianzene and Basil are said to interpret it These or the like bodily Distempers may be well compared to a Thorn in the flesh because they are as painful to the body as if a Thorn or Splinter was thrust into the flesh This Thorn was sent o let out the wind of Pride Lest saith the Apostle I should be exalted above measure Job under his sores and sickness and other afflictions that God exercised him with confessed his vileness and abhord himself in Dust and Ashes Job 40.4 42.6 2. Worldly-mindedness God sends sickness to withdraw their heart and affections from things here below and to cause them to mount up and aspire more unto Heaven The best are apt to fall in love with this wretched world as Peter said Luke 9.33 Master it is good for us to be here God in sickness makes his servants willing to remove They see Riches and Friends cannot ease them of their pains and therefore they desire to be gone Phil. 1.23 and to be translated into the new Jerusalem where no Inhabitant shall say he is sick Isa 33.24 3. Security In health and prosperity the best are apt to forget God As David said Psal 30.6 7. In his prosperity I shall never be moved Lord by thy favour thou hast made my Mountain to stand strong but when God did hide his face and left him to the dangerous assaults of his Enemies or fury of some sickness then he was troubled and cryed to the Lord and pleaded with him in prayer as you may read in the following verses 8 9 10 11. When he casts his people on their backs in a sick-bed then especially they look upward 4. Insensibleness of others sufferings under sickness Most men are insensible of the sufferings of others like those voluptuous Epicures as if unconcerned in others miseries they are not affected with their Brethrens calamities Amos 6.3 4 5 6. Even the best are too too stoical herein whilst in Health not sufficiently sensible of the miseries that others lie under by reason of sickness But when God hath visited us with sickness then we pity those that lie under the same or the like sufferings The Poet Virgil brings in Dido speaking thus Non ignara mali miseris succurrere disco She being in misery did pitty those that were in misery David whom God had much exercised with sickness had learnt to pity others as you may see Psal 35.13 14. 5. Unthankfulness We do not whilst we are healthful and strong rightly prize health nor are we duly thankful for so great a mercy Carendo magis quà m fruendo We know the worth of things best by the want of them As God threatned to take away Corn and Wine and Oyl from Judah because she did not know i. e. thankfully acknowledge them to be Gods good Gifts Hos 2.8 9. So God many times deprives his People of health that they may learn to prize it the more and to improve it more to his glory when he sends it again 6. The sixth and last sin that sickness sent by God is a means to purge out or prevent is Forgetfulness of Death Jerusalem in prosperity remembred not her last end Lam. 1.9 The best of us in times of health too too seldom think of Death which made Moses cry out Deut. 32.29 O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end God therefore sends sickness which is Ante-ambulo Mortis the fore-runner of Death to mind them that the King of Terrors is not far off they at such a time expect Death and look upon it as that which will certainly come Abel Redivivus in his life Bishop Andrews said oft in his sickness It must come once and why not here David in sickness saw the vanity of Man in his best state Psalm 39.5 Surely every man at his best state is altogether vanity Selah And vers 11. he warbles it over again on his doleful Harp Surely every man is vanity Selah So Moses under God's afflicting hand Psalm 90.7 saw the frailty of Man's life and therefore prayed vers 12. So teach us to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom Thus you see God sends sickness for the purging out or preventing of several sins in his People 2. The other end that God hath in such passages of his providence towards his Servants is for the tryal and exercise of their Graces Affliction is sent to try us Psal 66.10 11. Jer. 9.7 1 Pet. 4.12 It is both the Touchstone and Whet-stone of Grace A Feaver or some such like Distemper is as a fiery Tryal to try the truth of God's Graces in us and to set them awork in so much as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 12.10 I take pleasure in infirmities for when I am weak then am I strong When he was weak in Body he was strong in Grace But more particularly God sends sickness to try and exercise these following Graces 1. Faith and Hope I put them both together for they are nigh of kin The Apostle speaks of God's suffering his People to be in heaviness through manifold temptations that is afflictions for the tryal of their Faith as you may see 1 Pet. 1.6 7. Job's Faith was seen and set awork under his sufferings Job 13.15 Though he slay me yet will I trust in him It is Faith indeed to trust in that God that seems to frown So hope is seen and set awork in a tempest It is compared to an Anchor Heb. 6.19 whose use is best seen in a storm 2. Patience In times of affliction there is matter for patience as well as faith to be exercised about Rev. 13.10 so 2 Thess 1.4 The Apostle saith Tribulation worketh Patience Rom. 5.3 He means It occasions the exercise of Patience James 5.11 Ye have heard of the Patience of Job saith Saint James Ye had not heard so much of his Patience had it not been for his sickness and such like afflictions which God exercised him with Sickness is the School of Patience 3. Love to God Jer. 2.2 I remember thee saith the Lord the kindness of thy youth the love of thine espousals when thou wentest after me in the Wilderness in a Land that was
not sown It is love and kindness indeed to follow God in a Wilderness of temptations and tryals to love him even when we groan under sad Distempers and can feel nothing as it were but signs of his displeasure The World is apt to think that Believers love God only for what they gain by his service as though their love to God was purely mercinary as the Devil said Doth Job fear God for nought c. Job 1.9 10 11. so Job 2.4 5. The Devil said Skin for Skin yea all that a man hath will he give for his life but put forth thine hand now and touch his bone and his flesh and he will curse thee to thy face God as you read afterwards suffered the Devil sorely to afflict Job vers 6 7 8. Yea Job's Wife took the Devils part as you see vers 9. The Devil handed over a temptation to him by his Wife hoping thereby to prevail with Job as he did by the Wife prevail with Adam Gen. 3.6 But the Devil could not nor Job's Wife that crooked Rib that cross piece to help him cause that good Man to curse his God See how sharply he rebukes her for her folly vers 10. Thou speakest as one of the foolish Women speaketh What shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evil In all this or hitherto did not Job sin with his lips And though we read afterwards of his cursing the day of his birth Chap. 3. and of other rash speeches proceeding from him Chap. 6. and elsewhere Yet his resolution was Not to let go his integrity so long as he lived Job 27.5 6. Here was a full proof of the sincerity of his love to God and strength of his Christian courage For if thou faint in the day of adversity thy strength is small Prov. 24.10 4. And lastly Prayer Sickness sets Prayer awork like trouble Psal 18.4 5 6. Psal 88. per totum Psal 116.3 4. so Isa 26.16 Lord saith the Prophet in trouble have they visited thee they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them When God visits his People with sickness or some such like affliction then especially they visit him with prayers Prayers which before did but as it were drop out now and then a prayer are in time of trouble frequently and fervently put up unto God Christ in his agony prayed more earnestly Luk. 22.44 Thus when the outward man is ready to perish or decay through sickness or some such like affliction then the inward Man is renewed i. e. gathereth strength Isa 40.31 by daily pressures 2 Cor. 4.16 As the * Depressa resurgit Ps 92.12 Palm-tree the more it is drepressed the more it flourisheth As Jacob said to Laban Gen. 30.30 It was but little which thou hadst before I came but it is now encreased to a multitude And the Lord hath blessed thee since my coming So may sickness say to many a child of God It was but little in comparison which thou hadst before my coming but little Faith Patience Love to God Devotion c. but now it is much encreased Divine Graces like Torches in a dark night shine brightest ' midst manifold afflictions Let us now come to Use and Application which through Gods blessing may be most profitable Vse 1 1. This consideration should be a Cordial to comfort us in sickness It should make thee and me patient under sickness when God is pleased to send it Nothing befals us but what befals God's dearest Servants David Job Hezekiah Paul Epaphroditus and others as you have heard even the bravest-spirited the wisest the holiest have been sorely visited with sickness There is no temptation i. e. affliction hath taken you but what is humane so the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as it is rendred common to Man 1 Cor. 10.13 Yea to the best of men and being thus ordinary it may be the better endured Solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris So then as the Author to the Hebrews speaks Seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses I add with so many examples of good men in sickness Let us run with patience Heb. 12.1 As Phocion said to one that was condemned to the same death with him Art thou not glad to fare as Phocion doth So shall not we be glad or at least be content and patient under sickness seeing we fare no worse than God's dearest Servants do Nay let us cast our eyes abroad and we shall find many our betters by far in Grace far more afflicted than our selves be with sickness Our sickness being neither so violent nor so permanent as theirs Now shall not we be content to sip of that bitter Cup which they drink so deeply of Epaphroditus's sickness besides the violence thereof was cloathed with this sad circumstance that he was * Muscul in loc Procul à suis remotus He was far from home in a strange place But we at home amongst friends and acquaintance who are at hand to give friendly visits and to minister to our necessities Vse 2 2. This consideration should strike terrour into the hearts of impatient wretches If sickness and pain be the condition of Gods dear Servants here what will be the portion of the wicked hereafter in the day of their visitation If they who shall be Heirs of Salvation Heb. 1.14 be in such a sick condition that they know not what to do which way to turn them for ease how easeless and painful will their condition one day be who are Vessels of wrath fitted to destruction Rom. 9.22 see 1 Pet. 4.17 For the time is come it may be rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Original that it is the season that judgment begin at the House of God and if it first begin at us what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospel of God Now in this life judgments i. e. chastisements Psal 7.11 befall God's dear Servants for their sinful infirmities who are here called the House of God for they are the Temples of the Holy-Ghost 1 Cor. 3.16 and if judgment begin at us first what shall the end of them be that obey not the Gospel However for the present they live become old yea are mighty in power as Job speaks Job 21.7 And their Houses are safe from fear neither is the Rod of God upon them vers 9. Yet their end will be sad vers 30. The wicked is reserved to the day of destruction They shall be brought forth to the day of wrath So the Psalmist whether Asaph or David it is uncertain stumbled at the prosperity of the wicked Psal 73.2 3. He saw they lived merrily here and when they died they died without much pain in their sickness for saith he vers 4. There are no bonds that is See Dr. Hammond in Psalm 73.4 no pangs in their death q. d. Their death is not caused by those violent and painful
lest I should exceed the bounds of an Epistle craving your Lordships Patronage and Acceptance of these my Labours I take leave and rest My Lord Your Honours most humbly devoted Servant Tho. Allestree Ashow Jan. 27. 1670. To the Reader Courteous Reader SOme judicious Divines have looked upon these following Notes as a Talent not to be buried in a Napkin or in a few sheets of Paper in my Study I therefore resolved at last to press them for publick service This I can say I have not offered thee that which cost me nothing I have spent much time and labour in the composure of this following Treatise What I have met with in reading that might serve for my present purpose I have digested into a method for thy benefit and the principal Quotations I have set down A Posy is not cast away because made up of several Flowers nor Honey distasted which the diligent Bee gathers here and there nor I hope wilt thou like this Book the worse because there are several Quotations in it The former part of this Funeral Handkerchief may teach thee to take patiently the death of Friends We read Act. 19.12 That frō the body of Paul were brought to the sick Handkerchiefs or Aprons and the Diseases departed from them and the evil spirits went out of them This Handkerchief brought to thee from mine hand may through Gods blessing be a means to cure thee of melancholly immoderate sorrow discontent and such like distempers of spirit which may arise at death of Friends and Relations Mine Arguments are grounded upon Divine Writ And as David said of the Sword of Goliah 1 Sam. 21.9 There is none like that give it me So say I of Scripture-Arguments there are none like them These are right words and so the more perswasive Job 6.25 How forcible are right words The latter part of this Treatise may teach thee several good uses which thou oughtest to make of the death of Friends and Relations The first part is far larger than the second what though A large first makes recompence for the shorter second Course at any mans Table And this I also say That though the first part be greater in bulk yet the latter is of greater worth both parts I hope may in some measure answer expectation as to what they promise but the latter chiefly if thou livest up to it may be a means to promote thy eternal Salvation which is the hearty desire of Thy faithful Friend and Servant T. Allestree Ashow Jan. 27. 1670. Errata in the Funeral Handkerchief PAge 3. line 13 read Telluris p. 4. l. 21 r. are not p. 5. l. 7 r. mourning p. 6. l. 10 r. resorbebant p. 11. l. 27 r. as his gift so saith p. 20. l. 1 r. Patimur p. 59. l. 22 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 60. l. 1 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 2 r. a fixed p. 61. l. 19 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 62. l. 3 r. cast off p. 64. l. 20 r. may be presently p. 67. l. 3 after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insert 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 77. Marg. r. miserum p. 84. l. 33 r. did so lively paint p. 125. l. 13 r. whet l. 14 r. Mowers p. 130. l. 9 r. my Corn. p. 159. l. 24 r. meet p. 190. l. 14 r. suffer patiently p. 191. l. 26 r. secundae p. 197. l. 12 r. manuum p. 198. l. 22 r. be no. p. 217. l. 30 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 254. l. 2 r. Gen. 47. l. 30 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 266. l. 31 r. with the wicked p. 277. l. 27 for within r. with him p. 279. l. 17 r. thy enquiries p. 282. l. 25 r. putting p. 297. l. 27 r. expectation p. 299. l. 20 r. tormented in which Errata in the three Sermons Page 7. line 7 read gratitudinem l. 34 r. frequentiam p. 9. l. 13 f. them r. him l. 17 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marg. r. à morte remotus p. 12. l. 20 r. saith he hath l. 21. r. there is sin p. 22. l. 28 r. impenitent wretches p. 31. l. 14. r. Afflictorum p. 32. l. 1 r. erexit p. 40. l. 12. r. strangely p. 46. l. 24 r. devoted p. 55. l. 9 r. his life These and some other small faults of the Printer which thou mayest possibly meet with in reading may be easily mended with a little Ink But the Personal Faults of the Author can onely be done away by the Blood of Christ for the effecting of which thy prayers are desired Farewell A Funeral handkerchief Part 1. CHAP. I. The Porch Entrance or Preface to to the ensuing Discourse WHen a Friend is going a long Journey it is a commendable piece of civility to go with him some part of the way and to weep at parting so civil were the people to St. Paul Act. 20.37 38. they accompanied him to the ship and wept over him So when our Friends depart and go to their long-home from whence they shall never return till time shall be no more is it not good manners to accompany them to the Grave and shed some tears for them whom we shall see no more with mortal eyes Eccl. 12.5 Man goeth to his long-home and the Mourners go about the streets The Jews were wont to hire Mourners 2 Chron. 35.25 Jer. 9.17 18. Amos 5.16 and for the most part they were women called in Latin Praeficae They profest an Art in Mourning and composing doleful Ditties And for the greater solemnity persons of worth or estate would hire them to accompany the Hearse and they would mourn for the Dead with such affection gesture and lamentation that they would cause others to mourn for company We find Eccles 7.2 4. the Wise-man calling the house where one dies the house of Mourning which he would not do if it were not lawful to mourn upon such an occasion We reade in Scripture how Abraham mourned for Sarah Gen. 23.2 Joseph for his Father Jacob Gen. 50.10 The Israelites wept for Moses Deut. 34.8 so for Samuel 1 Sam. 25.1 Elisha cryes after Elijah 2 King 2.12 Jeremiah weeps for Josiah 2 Chro. 35.25 And under the New-Testament we find Act. 8.2 devout man carried Stephen to his Burial and made great Lamentation over him And Act. 9.36 37 39. We find there the Widows embalming charitable Dorcas in tears And before this we reade how Martha and Mary wept sore for their Brother Lazarus John 11.19 31 33. Nay Christ himself wept v. 35. and the Jews interpreted it as an argument of his love to Lazarus v. 36. so that civility custom and love to deceased Friends call for weeping upon such an occasion It is pronounced as a judgment upon wicked men when relations shed not a tear nor pay a solemn sigh but are rather glad to be rid of them Job 27.15 Psa 78.64 so God threatned Jehoiakim that he should die unlamented and be buried with the burial of an Ass Jer. 22. 18
19. Herod looked on it so sad to die unlamented that he gave express command that when he died one of every Noble Family in his kingdom should be slain Dr. Abbot 6th Lect. on Jonah p. 124.1 that by that means his death might of necessity be lamented if not for love of him as the Tyrant had no reason to expect yet for the loss of others Joseph Antiquit. The saying of Solon Dr. Willet on Gen. p. 251. Mors mea non careat Lachrymis and let not my death want tears so it be done temperately is to be preferred before that of Ennius Nemo me lachrymis decoret Let no man mourn for me He hath lived Tellius inutile pondus a very unprofitable wretch who being dead is carried forth as servants carry out the sweepings of the House or guts of Birds or entrails of Beasts without any shew of sorrow Tears then at death of Friends are silent expressions of the usefulness of our dead Friend whilest living and of our value and esteem of him And if we seriously consider losses of this nature how can we chuse but weep For a wife to lose her husband the Guide of her Youth Pro. 2.7 who was a shield to defend her or as the Sun to chear her Gen. 37.9 10. must needs be a bitter loss So for a Husband to lose his Wife the Wife of his Youth Prov. 5.18 or the Wife of his Bosom Mic. 7.5 the desire of his eyes Ezek. 24.16 18. must needs be a bitter loss So for Parents to lose Children who have their being from them and from whom they expect comfort in their old age must needs be a bitter loss So how can Children chuse but weep at death of Parents to lose a Father that begot them Prov. 23.22 and took pains to provide for them 1 Tim. 5.8 so to lose a dear Mother that bare them nine months in her belly twelve months in her arms and many years in her mind and care must needs be a bitter loss Yet the Apostle in the catalogue of offenders that should come in the last dayes and surely ours are the last tells us of some that shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 3.3 without natural affection unnatural to Relations whilst living and when dead as if their hearts were hewen out of a Rock they are unmoved they can with dry eyes and cheeks behold the Funeral Solemnities of Parents Children Husband Wife c. without any shew of sorrow Though God strikes them through their Relations yet they have not grieved Jer. 5.3 let such consider that of the Psalmist Psal 28.5 because they regard not the works of the Lord nor the operations of his hands he shall destroy them and not build them up God there threatens such as are affected with sad passages of his providence the chief of which we conclude are loss of Friends and Relations The Poet had observed an unnatural Son that before the time would be enquiring into his Father's age Filius ante diem Patrios inquiret in annos He would have his Father wrapt up in his winding-sheet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mixtus fletui risus Sphinx Philos p. 316. that he might rip open his Baggs would have him in his Coffin that he might enter into his Coffers And when the time of his Fathers interment is at hand which to him comes never sooner than expected or desired this unnatural Son it may be goes clothed in black having a light and merry heart under a sad and mournful habit So many Wives that have lived it may be too loosly and wantonly at their husbands death like that woman that Joab sent for 2 Sam. 14.2 feigh themselves to be Mourners and put on monring Apparel Thus Bathsheba's mourning for her husband Uriah 2 Sam. 11.26 is thought by some to be hypocritical for by his death she was freed from her husbands rage from shame and punishment which she justly deserved and withal she had hopes to become a Queen as indeed she did But let such hypocritical Mourners consider without repentance their portion will be with Hypocrites where Mat. 24.51 there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth In Hell there is weeping in good earnest And every tear shed is so far from quenching Hell-fire that like Oyl it will encrease the flame thereof and here I leave such unnatural wretches On the other side some there are that at death of Friends weep immoderately they weep till they can weep no more as the expression is 1 Sam. 30.4 they are so impatient that for ever after they lead disconsolate lives sitting daily inter suspiria lachrymas sighing sobbing and sorrowing they are so discomposed that they cannot as the Apostle commands attend upon the Lord without distraction 1 Cor. 7.35 They cannot pray nor meditate nor give thanks to God with that fixedness and composure as they ought to do Psal 57.7 And it may be they forbear going to Church because they cannot endure the sight of their friends grave Nay further they are not only inwardly pensive but outwardly passionate they fill Heaven and Earth with Exclamations Horrendis gravitèr Coelum pulsâsse querelis And many times passionate unsavory Speeches the scum of a discontented spirit proceed from them as from Jonah when his Gourd withered Jonah 4.8 9. He wish'd himself dead and tells God He did well to be angry even unto death St. Austin speaking of his Mothers Death said Aug. Confess lib 9 cap. 12. Oculi mei resorbebant fontem suum usque ad siccitatem His eyes had drained his very Fountains dry so excessive he was in weeping Indeed this hath been an infirmity in the best of men and women See Jacob at the supposed death of Joseph Gen. 37.33 34 35. He rent his clothes and put sackcloth upon his loins and mourned for his son many dayes and all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him but he refused to be comforted and he said For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning thus his father wept for him His mourning like the swelling of Jordan Jer. 12.5 impetuously passed the banks of Reason So if mischief saith he befal Benjamin by the way in which ye go then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave Gen. 42.38 So David hearing news of the untimely death of Absalom the text tells you ◠Sam. 18.33 The king was much moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and as he went thus he said O my son Absalom my son my son Absalom would God I had died for thee O Absalom my son my son David is too excessive in his grief and speaks things that were not fitting as passionate men use to do Would God I had died for thee Why David what would have become of the Kingdom what miseries would it have been involved in if Absalom had survived The violence of Passion here makes David forget himself Gods
her Son was dead to call your sins to remembrance 1 King 17.18 May be your sin might be foolish Indulgence or too much Fondness you loved your Relation too much and therefore God took him or her away that you might not commit spiritual adultery which you do when you bestow that love and delight upon the Creature that is due to the Creator Psal 73.27 God there threatens such as go a whoring from him He will not suffer such behaviour in those whom he hath marryed to himself Hos 2.19 God is a Jealous God Exod. 20.5 And as a discreet Wife if she perceives her Husband to be in love with her Maidservant will presently put her away that she may be chief in her Husbands affection So if God loves us he will take that away which steals our affections from him Privat bonis aut liberis nimium amatis ut desiderium bonorum praestantiorum atque coelestium magis in eis excitat He deprives us saith Paraeus Paraeus in Gen. 37. chap. of Children or some such outward good things which we love too much that he may thereby excite us to love better things more Or your sin might be worldly-mindedness you were it may be over-worldly in providing portions for such or such a Child Salvian ad Ecles Cathol lib. 2 pag. 380. Quae insania est ô miserrimi ut haeredes alios quoscunque faciatis vos ipsos vero exhaeredetis God saw thee well nigh lost in a croud of worldly cares and therefore took away thy Child that thou mightest sit loose to the world and mind heavenly things God is a gracious Father as one saith wisely tempering the Cup for his Children lest they should surfeit on worldly enjoyments which they might easily do if they were not mixed with occasions of sorrow Or it may be thou didst not think sufficiently on thy latter end as God requires Deut. 32.29 We are ready to say with Peter It is good for us to be â—ere Mark 9.5 God therefore took away a near Relation which speaks as Dalilah to Sampson The Philistines be upon thee Sampson Judg. 16.9 So thy dead friend speaks to thee thou hast a mortal Body Death is at the door By this means God teacheth thee to number thy dayes and apply thy heart to wisdom as Moses prayed Ps 90.12 Or lastly God it may be took away thy Friend to humble thee and prove thee to try thy Obedience to exercise thy Faith and Patience as in Jobs case James 5.11 Thus as the Author to the Hebrews Heb. 12.11 No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous nevertheless afterwards it yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of Righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby So that this crossing of us is to do us more good at our latter end Deut. 8.16 Moses with his Rod wrought wonders Exod. 4.17 And God teacheth us many admirable and excellent Lessons with a Fescu made of a Rod Job 6.8 9 10. Mic. 6.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nocumenta documenta Well then as a Patient refuseth not from his Physitian a bitter Potion or from the Chyrurgeon a corrhoding Plaister because it makes way for healing it is in order to a Cure So loss of Friends though of all outward losses most bitter yet should be taken patiently because it is a Medicine to heal spiritual Maladies See Isa 27.9 Me-thinks this consideration should make us not only submit but rejoyce under such losses Consid 5 Fifthly consider God is still with thee Psal 46.1 God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble So Psal 90.2 From everlasting to everlasting thou art God Though Friends forsake us through unavoidable mortality yet an Eternal God is still where he was he keeps his standing He can supply the place of Father Mother Husband Wife Son or Daughter for he is an All-sufficient God So it is in the Original Gen. 17.1 In him there is all excellency beauty comfort and good of the creature in a most superlative and glorious manner sufficiently eminently transcendently so that every loss is made up in him as Philip said Shew us the Father and it sufficeth us John 14.8 and St. Paul saith Phil. 4.19 My God shall supply all your need There is sweetness enough in God to sweeten all outward bitterness so that though the Conduit Pipes through which mercies were conveyed unto us be taken away yet the Fountain runs still entire in God Hagar we read had a Fountain by but her blubbering eyes kept her from seeing it Gen. 21.17 18 19. God the fountain of happiness is still with thee and thou maist have daily recourse to him and therefore wipe thine eyes and â—â—â—t contented God saith to his People what the King of Israel did to the King of Syria I am thine and all that I have 1 Kings 20.4 Let us then under loss of Friends comfort our selves in the Lord our God and say with David Psal 18.46 The Lord liveth and blessed be my Rock and praised be the God of my Salvation When Creture-crutches fail we have the Rock of Ages to rely upon Therefore Rejoyce in the Lord and again I say rejoyce Phil. 4.4 Consid 6 Sixthly consider Thou deservest greater losses and crosses than those thou meetest with Thy sins are far heavier than thy sufferings The shower of misery and trouble that befalls us through loss of Friends was raised by the ascending vapour of our sin Nehem. 9.33 So Psal 39.10 God corrects man for his iniquity and therefore Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sin Lam. 3.39 Why doth vain man fret as though his sins cast not one mite into the treasury of his sufferings Whereas indeed his sufferings are less than his sins As Ezra said Thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve Ezr. 9.13 And as Zophar told Job Job 11.6 Know that God exacts of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth So David Psal 103.10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded us according to our iniquities Quamvis aspera adversa patiamur minora patiamur quà m meremur Quid querimur Salv. lib. 4 de gub Dei pag. 114. quod dure agat nobiscum Deus multò nos cum Deo duriùs agimus Exacerbamus quippe Deum impuritatibus nostris ad puniendum nos trahimus invitum The fire of Gods wrath is not proportionable to the fuel of our sins whilst we live in this world Let us then bear the indignation of the Lord because we have sinned against him Thus the Church resolves Mich. 7.9 Let us not murmur that it is so bad but rather admire at Gods goodness that it is not worse with us Consid 7 Seventhly consider The many undeserved favours which God confers upon thee He might have taken away all thy Relations whereas he hath left several to chear thee And therefore as Jonadab said to David Let not my Lord suppose that they have slain all
the young men the Kings Sons for Amnon onely is dead Now therefore let not my Lord the King take the thing to his heart 2 Sam. 13.31 32 33. If God hath taken away but one relation at a time let us not lay it to heart to grieve excessively seeing he continues to us several other Relations whom he for our sins might justly have deprived us of Besides God might have taken away our health wealth yea life it self and sent us to Hell It is of the Lords mercys that we are not consumed because his compassio is fail not They are new every morning great is thy faithfulness Lam. 3.22 23. Look round about thee and thou canst not chuse but see many precious mercies that thou still enjoyest And thou shouldst be thankful for what thou hast rather than repine at what thou hast lost Lot had most of his goods which he had not time to remove and his Sons in Law consumed in a fearful fire from Heaven and his Wise turned into a pillar of Salt before his eyes a fearful spectacle as you may read Gen. 19. Yet he counted it notwithstanding his great losses a great mercy that he had his life spared Vers 19. Behold now thy servant hath found grace in thy sight and thou hast magnified thy mercy which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my Life And Job whose case as to outward losses was far worse than thine thought himself bound by the good to endure the bad Job 2.10 What Shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evil It was a fearful miscarriage in Rachel who under the want of Children cryed out to her Husband Gen. 30.1 Give me children or else I die She had no desire to live or she would die of discontent and grief under the want of Children It was a great weakness in Jacob that having so many Children left and living in so great honour and plenty yet took the supposed death of his Son Joseph so impatiently that he refuseth to be comforted Gen. 37.34 35. resolving to go to the grave mourning And no less excusable was Jonah who having his Gourd smitten grows wonderfully impatient Jonah 4.8 9. Whereas he might have thankfully reflected upon his late deliverance out of the Whales-belly Shall the want of one thing that we prize deprive us of the comfort we should take in the rest we do enjoy Shall great mercies sink to the bottom and be buried in Oblivion and light miseries swim on the top and be always thought on with repining grief God forbid If man do us but a small courtesie we usually are thankful but if God load us as he daily doth with his benefits Psal 68.19 we make light of that load and forget him What ado we make with a little misery and how little we make of much mercy A little misery afflicts us much and much mercy affects us but a little God help us I have read somewhere of Alcibiades an heathen that being told of one that had stolen half his Plate said chearfully I have cause rather to be thankful that he hath stolen no more than be troubled that he hath took so much A shame it is for Christians to think so much of what they have lost as quite to forget the mercies they do enjoy To such we may apply that speech of Absalom to Hushai Is this your kindness to your friend 2 Sam. 16.17 Or as it is Deut. 32 5 6. Do you thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise c. To end this our condition here on earth is checker wrought and like the Pillar of the Cloud Exod. 14.20 It hath a light part as well as a black mercies we have as well as miseries Do not then stand alwayes poring on thy afflictions but likewise be pondering on thy mercies as the one will keep thee humble so the other thankful Consid 8 Eighthly Consider The invalidity of Weeping If we could shed rivers of tears and each tear were a Pearl yet it would not redeem our departed Friends from the Prison of the Grave If you could weep as one saith Aqua fortis Dr. Walker Funr Serm. on Luk 7 12 13 â— 14 â—â—râ—gia nulla retrorsum your tears would not dissolve the chains of death 2 Sam. 14.14 We must neeeds die and if once dead We are as water spilt on the ground which cannot be gathered up again Death is a strict door-keeper all that pass out that way the door is shut on them they shall never return viz to converse more with us in this world or to enjoy those worldly comforts they once had and by death have lost See Job 7.9 10. So Job 10.21 and 14.7 8 c. and 16.22 So Psal 39. last vers All our groans sighs sobs and pittiful out-cries cannot awaken them out of the sleep of Death They shall never awake tâ—ll â—hey be awakened by the shril noise of the 〈◊〉 Trâ—mp Me-thinks I hear God saying to those that weep immoderately at death of Friends as Judas did in another case Ad quid perditio haec Mat. 26.8 What needs all this waste Tears are a pretious water let them not be prodigally poured out and all to no purpose into your friends Grave reserve them for an ingredient into Prayer Repentance c. Let David be your Pattern in this He prayed for his Child while living He fasted and wept for said he Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me that the Child may live but now he is dead wherefore should I fast and thus afflict my self Can I bring him back again I shall go to him but he shall not return to me 2 Sam. 12.22 23. The Child being dead he wipes his eyes and rests contented Sen Consol ad Polib c. 23. Parcamus lachrymis nihil proficientibus And again saith Seneca Desinat dolor qui perit He would have us not weep immoderately at death of Friends because tears do not profit nor can recal the dead Consid 9 Ninthly consider The evil that comes by discontent and immoderate weeping 1. It is extreamly afflictive to a man A discontented man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a self-tormentor he erects his own cross Luke 21.19 In patience possess your souls So that by impatience we are dispossessed of our souls we are turned our of our understanding peace and comfort while Passion playes the Tyrant At such a time Reason and Judgment those superiour faculties of the soul are degraded and Fancy and Phrenzy step up in their room making a very Bealam within our own bosom It is called The yoak of affliction Lam. 3.27 Now you know fretting and vexing makes the yoke gaul and pinch the more An impatient person is an Hercules furens or like the man in the Gospel possessed with the Devil Mark 5.2 3. He wounds and vexeth himself none can bind him Nay as one observes he is worse than the Daemoniack there for he was among the
Tombs but this impatient man is among the Living and molests and grieves those that are near him 2. Immoderate sorrow wasteth the Spirits See Prov. 15.13 By sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken It weakens the Body and hastens Death 2 Cor. 7.10 The sorrow of the world worketh Death saith the Apostle by sorrow of the world we may understand immoderate sorrow about worldly things hastens death and eats out the very comfort of Life You read of Moses Deut. 34.7 He was an hundred and twenty years old when he dyed his eye was not dim nor his natural force abated What should be the reason Why surely under God his own meekness For Numb 12.3 He was very meek above all the men that were upon the face of the earth Hippocrates saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Animalia quae felle carent ut Cervi sunt longaeva So meek persons many times live longest but impatient persons through fretting discontent bring their bodies into a Consumption Suppose as Job saith Job 6.12 Your strength was the strength of stones yet continual dropping of tears and drooping under sorrow would bring you down and wear you away for the same Job tells you Job 14.19 The waters wear the stones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gutta cavat lapidem non vi sed saepè cadendo And the wise man tells you Prov. 12.25 Heaviness in the heart of a man makes it stoop Immoderate grief like a heavy burthen laid upon a man will make him stoop and break him Many a man looks wrinkled with sorrow and care long before he is wrinkled with age Cura facit canos quamvis homo non habet annos Let us then Seneca Consâ—l ad Poâ—â—â— c. 23. as an Heathen said spare such grief as this is Faciliùs illi nos dolor iste ad jiciet quà m illum nobis reducet For soon will it send thee to him whom thou bewailest than bring him back to thee 3dly and lastly It greatly provokes God Indeed A meek and quiet spirit is in the sight of God of great price 1 Pet. 3.4 but a froward peevish spirit is abomination to him as you may read Prov. 11.20 17.20 22.5 So Ps 18.26 Discontent is a sin that God takes special notice of Exod. 16.7 8 9 12. So the Apostle tells us God was not well pleased The meaning is for the words are a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was highly displeased with the murmuring Israelites for they were overthrown in the wilderness 1 Cor. 10.5 10 compared This must needs he hateful to God for it is a decompounded sin made up of many bitter ingredients as pride passion unthankfulness c. Sighings sobbings sorrowfull exclamations do penetrate the heavens and enter into the ears of the Lord of Hosts but make no good musick there God is thereby provoked to lengthen our miseries and adjourn our mercies Paula Romana who carried it frowardly and fretfully at death of her Children met with many losses of that nature We say Impatiens aegrotus crudelem facit medicum And so it is strugling and stubbornness that makes the Father continue to beat the Child Indeed God is an indulgent tender-hearted Father to his Children Psal 103.13 yet he will not burn the Rod till their stout stomacks be taken down How did he pursue Jonah with winds and tempests nay he casts him over-board into the sea and plunged him over head and ears into the hell of the Whales belly never leaving him till he submitted to his will to go to Niniveh Ferre minora volo nè graviora feram Let us bear lesser troubles patiently lest God lay greater troubles upon us To end this A man in a seaver the more he struggles the more he encreaseth his pain A wild Bull in a net Isa 51.20 instead of breaking forth by strugling he more entangles himself So we gain nothing by our strugling impatience and obstinacy against God but encrease of our miseries Oh! then let us not by any means give passions a loose reign for Phaiton-like with his wild Horses they 'l do a world of mischief Consid 10 Tenthly and lastly consider Death is very advantagious to the godly Phil. 1.21 For me to die is gain There is a privative and positive benefit that death brings to believers To begin with the first Death frees a believer 1. From sin Peccatum peperit mortem filia devoravit matrem Sin brought in death Rom. 5.12 and 6.23 and death carryes out sin Viper-like it devoures that which brought it forth He that is dead is freed from sin Rom. 6.7 Here indeed is no perfection 1 John 1.8 Grace is like Gold in the Oar mingled with much dross the most refined soul hath some dregs and is daily contesting with home-bred corruptions Cum avarit â nobis cum impudicitiâ cum irâ cum ambitione congressis est Cyprian Here the best are continually afflicted either for their sins or with their sins But death frees them from all sin Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me saith St. Paul from the body of this death Why by the death of the body we are delivered from sin which is the body of Death 1 Cor. 15.26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is Death If sin continued after death death were not a believers last enemy Dictum est primo homini morieres si peccaveris nunc dicitur morere nè pecces nisi peccâssent illi non morerentur peccarent autem justi nisi moriantur St. August de Civitate Dei Lib. 13. Cap. 3. Whilst we are in the wilderness of this world latet Anguis in herbâ fiery Serpents sting us sins stick close to us but at death as St. Paul cast the Viper off his hand Acts 28.3 5. so do Believers shake off sin Their dying day is the funeral of all their Vices the least of which maks them grieve here as the least hair makes the eye to water After death they are like God himself in perfect holiness and righteousness not having spot or wrinkle Ephes 5.27 2. From Satans temptations The Devil like to Joab makes our miseries his sport and play 2 Sam. 2.14 He is the great Peripatetick going up and down the World Job 1.7 and 2.2 This roaring lyon is continually ranging for his prey 1 Pet. 5.8 He assaulted Christ the Head Mat. 4.1 c. and so he doth the members Quid aliud in mundo quà m pugna adversus Diabolum quotidiè geritur Cypr. The righteous are the white at which the Devil most shoots the Arrows of temptation Chrysostome somewhere in his Homilies hath this comparison 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. As Pirats upon the Sea set upon the richest Vessels so Satan seeing a Vessel fraught with Grace useth all art and exerciseth all violence to master both the Vessel and the Prize But in Heaven they shall no more be troubled with Satans fiery darts for the Accuser of the Brethren is cast out Rev.
12.9 10. He is cast out Ejectione firmâ and shall never re-enter He sets not his ugly Paw upon the pavement of Heaven The tempter enters not into this Paradise for Rev. 21.27 There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth 3. From Spiritual desertions The Church like the Moon hath her spots and therefore sometimes her Eclipses so long as she wanders in this Planetary world See Isa 50.10 The Prophet there intimates unto us that A Child of God may walk in darkness and see no light So it was with David Psal 22.1 with Asaph Psal 77.7 8 9. with Heman Psal 88. with Ethan Ps 89.46 So it was with Jonah Jon. 2.2 4. Nay it was thus with Christ himself Mat. 27.46 And thus to want the sense of Gods favour must needs be troublesom Psal 30.7 Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled So Psal 104.29 So Cant. 5.6 My beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone saith the Spouse and then it follows my soul failed Egressa est anima mea She was as it were without her soul whilst without the sence of Gods favour But Death frees Believers from such desertions They shall be for ever with the Lord 1 Thes 4.17 There shall be no more suspensions of the light of God's countenance no more eclipses of his savour never cloud more shall interpose betwixt Heaven and their souls but the Sun of Righteousness shall shine upon them with perpendicular rayes of comfort to all eternity 4. From evil Company It is a sad affliction to live amongst the Wicked Psal 84.10 so Psal 120.5 Wo is me saith David that I sojourn in Mesech that I dwell in the tents of Kedar And Isaiah sadly complains Isa 6.5 Wo is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips Sad indeed it is to live amongst them for their wicked manner of living is an heart-break to the Righteous Psal 119.136 Rivers of tears run down mine eyes because they keep not thy Law And St. Paul could not speak of their sins without tears in his eyes Phil. 3.18 And before this Lot was vexed with the filthy conversation of the Sodomites 2 Pet. 2.7 8. See Mr. Leigh's Crit. Sac. in vocem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat oppressus fatigatus graviter afflictus We translate it vexed but according to Orig. He was laboured against He laboured under it as under a burden he was even tired out under their wicked courses Besides the Wicked load the Righteous amongst whom they live with calumnies raylings revilings scoffs jears taunts c. if they run not with them to the same excess of riot see 1 Pet. 4.4 like the troubled Seas they 'l cast forth mire and dirt upon them Isa 57.20 Thus the old world dealt with Noah that Preacher of Righteousness 2 Pet. 2.5 So David was abused for his goodness Psal 69.12 he tells us he was spoken against he was the Drunkards song and v. 19. Lord saith he thou hast known my reproach and my shame and my dishonour mine adversaries are all before thee See the complaint of the Church Psal 44.14 so 79.4 We are become a reproach to our neighbours a scorn and derision to them that are round about us No wonder it is thus with the servant when it was so with the Lord and Master Christ himself was set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as old Simeon said Luke 2.34 He was set for a sign that shall be spoken against To end this The Righteous are the mark at which wicked men shoot their Arrows even bitter words but Death takes them out of their company and from the reach of their malice See Job 3.17 There the wicked speaking of the Grave cease from troubling and there the weary be at rest 5. From bodily Aches and Diseases The body here is the receptacle of innumerable distempers St. Austin tells us de ipso corpore tot exstant morborum mala De Civit. Dei lib. 22. c. 22. ut nec libris medicorum cuncta comprehensa No Book that ever Physicians wrote contains a perfect Narrative of all distempers Many distempers daily arise unknown to our fore-fathers One alas lies languishing through a Consumption another's tortured with the Stone another with the Gout another burnt with a Feaver another complains under Head-ach Tooth-ach c. some lie under one distemper some under another So that as one alludes to the speech of our Saviour Luke 17.37 Where the body is there sicknesses and sores as so many Eagles are preying upon it And some by reason of these distempers lie under so great misery that they wish for death but it comes not and would be glad and rejoyce exceedingly if they could find the grave as Job tells you Job 3.20 21 22. Some with Job ch 7.3 4. Possess months of vanity and have wearisom nights appointed for them when they lie down they say When shall we arise and the night be gone And they are full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day And again v. 13 14. saith Job When I say my Bed shall comfort me my Couch shall ease my complaint as sick people think to change their pain with changing their place then thou scarest me with dreams and terrifiest me with visions so that what with frightful dreams when sleeping and evil thoughts whilst waking the sick man takes little rest in his resting-time and finds little ease in an easie bed but now Death frees them from all pain Rev. 21.4 There shall be no more sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain Death frees Believers from heats and colds from hunger and thirst Rev. 7.16 17. or any thing else that is painful to the body It is the best Physician curing them of all bodily distempers 6. From troublesome works of Calling Man at first before the fall was to labour Gen. 2.15 Adam was not to live an idle life but to imploy himself like a Gardener in pruning and dressing the trees and herbs of the Garden c. But this labour would not have been a toil but a recreation to him had he not faln into sin For weariness and sweat came as a curse upon him for the commission of sin Gen. 3.17 18 19. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread c. By sweat we understand all manner of labour whether of body or brain and this he was doom'd unto because he ate of the forbidden fruit What is Mans diet now but bread of carefulness got with the sweat of his brows what disquieting projects hath sinfull man to get worldly things what riding up and down what digging and delving toyling and moyling is there in the world some taking pains in one calling some in another and all to get oyl to maintain the lamp of life but after death there is no such working Rev. 14.13 Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord they
being in the blood of the mother then the flesh was consolidated Now under the Gospel God hath left Baptism to discretion of Parents and not tyed them strictly to the observance of a day but let not Parents create needless delays to baptize the Child Mr. Fuller in his Infants Advocat Ne quod differatur auferatur lest God in the interim take the Child from them In which case faith Mr. Fuller as I will not be Judg to condemn the Child so should I be one of the Jury I would not aquit the Father St. Austin was called durus Pater Infantum and sure he was an hard-hearted Father to Infants for his opinion was as I have read that children that dyed unbaptized were damned Indeed we read Gen. 17.14 The uncircumcised Man-Child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised that soul shall be cut off from his people he hath broken my Covenant Certainly this place is not to be interpreted of the infant breaking the Covenant who can do nothing to the keeping of it vid. Musculum in loc pag. 407 408. They therefore are here threatned by whose default Curcumcision was omitted or it may be understood of those not circumcised in childhood if they should after come to years of discretion and refuse Circumcision they were to be cut off and looked upon as breakers of the Covenant But to come home to you 1. Consider It is in the want of Baptism as in the want of Circumcision The want of Circumcision except in case of contempt or wilful neglect was not so dangerous Jos 5.7 Circumcision as may be gathered from that text was omitted for forty years in the wilderness and as some observe not reproved in Scripture Indeed we say Contemptus damnat the contempt of the Ordinance is dangerous without repentance and deep humiliation for it for God was displeased with Moses because he neglected to circumcise his son Exod. 4.24 but not the want of it when it was against your will 2. Consider Davids child he lived not to recieve the seal of Circumcision set upon him for he dyed the seventh day 2 Sam. 12.18 And it came to pass on the seventh day the Child dyed Some understand the 7th day from the Child's sickness others in my conceit more rightly understand it the seventh day from the birth of it so that the Child dyed before it was circumcised yet v. 23. he had hopes of the Child 's eternal welfare and therefore wipes his eyes and rests contented Indeed Baptism under the Gospel requires not adjournment to the eighth day as Circumcision did under the Law But if your Child dyed suddenly unexpectedly before the Minister could be procured and your desire was that your Child should be Baptised surely you are herein excusable for God hears the very desire of the humble Psal 10.17 3. And lastly consider Though we be bound to observe Gods Ordinance yet God himself is not tyed to the Sacrament As a most learned and pious Bishop said That Spirit which worketh by means will not be tyed to means Bp. Hall 5th Decad Epistle 4th Cast your eyes upon that good thief good in his death though in his life abominable he was never washed in Jordan yet is received into Paradise his soul was foul with rapines and injustice yea bloudy with murders And yet being scoured only with the blood of his Saviour not with water of Baptism it is presented glorious to God Thus as St. Austin saith Non minus sine Sacramentis salvatus est latro quam cum Sacramentis condemnatus est Judas Thus God who usually works by the Ordinances can also work without them 2d Apology answered Another cryes out This Child that God hath taken away was my Darling the Child I most affected as Jacob did Joseph Gen. 37.3 I could have wished God had taken some other of my children so he had but spared this Answ Thou sayest that thou hast lost a Child that thou most affectedst above all the rest of thy children Yea and it is to be feared more then God too It is I concieve lawful to love one child above another though it be not prudence to express it too fondly for fear of exasperating the rest Gen. 37.3 4. Col. 3.21 thou mayest and oughtest to love that child most which is most like thy Maker Christ loved all his Disciples Joh. 13.1 but John eminently transcendently above the rest John 13.23 and 20.2 and 21.20 because according to his name he was most gracious We may then love our children dearly Salv. ad Eccles Cathol l. 1. p. 347 more then any other outward possessions Non Solum amandos dicimus filios sed precipue ac super omnia amandos nec quicquam his omnino anteponendum nisi Deum solum But we must love no Child more then God If we do God will if he bear special love to us take away that little idol we too much dote upon that he may be loved and admired the more and the creature the less God cannot away with Corrivals he calls for the Heart Prov. 23.26 and will have intensiveness of Affection Matth. 22.37 and therefore removes from you that Child which was as a skreen to keep off the heat of your love from him Hadst thou then loved thy Child less thou mightest have enjoyed him longer Parents may kill their Children by over-loving them aswel as by over-laying them Blame then thy self who too fondly lovedst thy Child but blame not God who took away thy Child for thy good lest thy soul should eternally miscarry And whereas thou sayest thou couldest have wished he had taken some other of thy children so he had but spared this Answ 1. Consider Such kind of speeches are very offensive to God It is not for silly man to prescribe but to submit to God Who art thou that replyest against God in his providential dispensations Rom. 9.20 As God makes all in wisdom Psa 104.24 So he orders all things in wisdom Eph. 1.11 Who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will He knows when he means to shoot what Arrow in his Quiver to chuse he sits at the Helm of this World guiding all things in Wisdom so that when things fall not out as we would have them yet as God would And as * Salv. lib. 1. De Gub. Dei pag. 23. Salvian speaks Summa justitia est voluntas Dei His Will is the Rule of Rectitude and therefore cannot do any thing unjustly Job 34.10 Therefore we should say under cross providences that befall us as 2 Sam. 15.26 Behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good unto him We read 2 Sam. 3.36 Whatsoever the King did pleased all the people Surely what the Kings King the great Lord and Master of Heaven and Earth is pleased to do should please us For can poor mortals as we are be better disposed of then by Wisdom and Goodness it self Liberame Domine a meipso
8. Consid If you fear God hee 'l provide a dwelling-place for you Exod. 1.21 And it came to pass because the Midwives feared God that he made them houses i. e. he provided amongst other blessings places of habitation for them This God promised David and Solomon 2 Sam. 7.11 1 King 11.38 and was as good as his promise and so he will be to thee if he see it good for thee Plead then that Promise Isa 65.21 They shall build houses and inhabit them and again v. 22. they shall not build and another inhabit He promiseth they should long enjoy them and not be turned out till death However 9. And lastly consider If you belong to God ye have an house in heaven which Christ hath prepared for you Joh. 14.1 2. Christ himself is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 6.20 the Harbinger and is gone before to provide Lodgings for you And this is an eternal house it will never be out of repair nor you ever be turned out of it when once you have taken possession thereof which will be shortly for saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.1 We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens And whereas you say you must fare hardly I answer Christians should not make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof Rom. 13.13 We Dr. Reynold's Treatise of the passions p. 192. reade indeed how Nero had an Officer which was called Elegantiae Arbiter the Inventer of new Lusts for him And we reade in the same Author of Philoxenus who wish'd he had the throat of a Crane or Vulture that the pleasure of his taste might last the longer but this as my worthy Author saith was a most sorded and brutish wish Ibid. p. 168. for it was the wisdom of Nature intending the chief perfection of Man to his Soul to make his bodily pleasures the shorter To complain of faring hardly is an unworthy carriage in a Christian now to prevent this consider for thy comfort 1. Consid Thy betters have fared more hardly and yet murmured not We reade 1 King 17.8 c. how Elijah and the Widow of Sarepta with her Family did live many dayes upon an handful of Meal in a Barrel and a little Oyl in a Cruse So 1 King 18.13 we reade of an hundred men of the Lord's Prophets hid by fifty in a Cave and fed with bread and water So Micaiah that faithful Prophet of the Lord was put in prison and fed with the bread and water of affliction 1 King 22.27 So the sons of the Prophets fared hardly 2 King 4.38 c. David was sometimes sore put to 't for-diet 1 Sam. 25.8 And the Israelites in the Wilderness were hungry and thirsty their soul fainted in them Psal 107.5 So we reade of Jeremy Jer. 38.9 cast into the Dungeon ready to die for hunger John Baptist was a worthy person Mat. 11.11 yet his diet mean Mat. 3.4 his meat was Locusts and wild-Honey So Luke 1.15 He shall neither drink Wine nor strong-drink So we reade Luke 16.21 how Lazarus that was afterwards translated into Abraham's bosom v. 23. lay at the rich-mans gate full of sores and beg'd the crumbs that fell from the rich-man's table Christ's Disciples for hunger did rub the ears of corn in their hands and ate it when they had done Mat. 12.1 The Apostles fared hardly 1 Cor. 4.11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger and thirst St. Paul himself was in hunger and thirst in fasting often 2 Cor. 11.27 So those of whom the world was not worthy Heb. 11.37 38. They were destitute viz. of food and raiment Jesus Christ himself fared hardly he was often an hungry and thirsty John 4.6 7 8 9. John 19.28 29. See Mark 11.11 12. Christ was hungry and seeing a fig-tree afar off having leaves he came if happily he might find any thing he would have been glad of any thing that he could eat thereon and when he came to it he found nothing but leaves Many of thy betters have been acquainted with greater wants than thine are and yet have been thankful 2 Consider The mean Diet of our Fore-fathers Musculus Muscul in Gen. 1.29 p. 48. a learned Expositer observes from Gen. 1.29 compared with Gen. 9.3 that God appointed Herbs and the fruit of Trees to be mans food and not Flesh till after the Flood Herbas arborum fructus dedit in cibum non carnem nisi post Diluvium And a learned * Mr Fuller in Comment on Ruth Divine of our own saith That for a thousand five hundred and sixty years the World fed upon Herbs And the Scripture makes mention since of mean fare of many godly men Abraham a great man prepared for his great guests no curious diet but only plain and wholesom country-fare Gen. 18.5 c. So Lot bakes unleavened bread for the same guests Gen. 19.3 Luther speaking of excess in meats and drinks in his time hath this speech Si nunc Adam resurgeret videret hanc insaniam omnium ordinum profectò credo quòd prae stupore tanquà m lapis staret Luth. in Gen. 3. If our great Grandfather Adam should revive and see the madness of people now a-dayes in making provision I believe he would stand amazed at it Oh how do we degenerate from the simplicity and plainness of former ages 3 Consider It is a mercy thou hast any thing to feed upon Bread to eat and Raiment to put oh is God's free gift Gen. 28.20 So Mat. 6.11 What thou hast of mercy is more by far than thou deservest Gen. 32.10 I am not worthy saith godly Jacob of the least of all the mercies which thou hast shewed unto thy servant You live on free Grace indebted to God for every crust and crumb of Bread A cup of cold water a dinner of green herbs a bit of dry bread is a mercy It comes out of the alms-basket of Providence and therefore be content 4 Consider God can make course diet as healthful Learned Musculus Muscul in Gen. 1.29 p. 48. speaking of God's prescribing to man at first herbs and fruit of trees for his food saith Hoc cibi genus parabile innoxium dubio prócul erat naturae commodum salubre Without doubt this mean food was wholsom as wel as ready at hand for the supply of mans necessity Gods blessing with a little sufficeth Hence we have that precious Promise that in case we serve the Lord he will bless our bread and water Exod. 23.25 so Deut. 8.3 Man lives not by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live Mat. 4.4 Daniel Hananiah Mishael and Azariah did eat pulse and water and their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh through God's blessing then they that did eat on the Kings portion as you may read Dan.
c. 1 Pet. 4.12 2. To wean thee from the world We love to stay where we are much made of God suffers thee to meet with disrespect that as Aloes laid to the Breast of the World it might wean thee from it See Dr. Hamond on that place 3. To drive thee to prayer Psal 69.12 They that sit in the Gate speak against me and I was the song of the drunkards Grave men that sit in the seat of Judicature and as one would have thought should have had more wit and vain men that spend their time in drinking excessively both sorts despised him but how doth David behave himself under this disrespect see v. 13. But as for me my prayer is to thee O Lord in an acceptable time See the like carriage in the same person under the like disrespect Psal 109.2 3 4. 4. And lastly God suffers thee to lie under disrespect to make thee walk circumspectly David walkt so because he had many enemies watched for his halting as you may see Psal 27.11 Teach me thy way O Lord and lead me in a plain path because of mine enemies So Psal 56.5 6 13. compared Thus you see God in his providence orders it for good So that we may say with Luther Mihi maximè prosunt qui mei pessimè meminerunt Lutherus pascitur convitijs Scornful enemies if we have hearts rightly to improve the affliction are our best friends though not intentionally yet eventually 4. Consider To complain of disrespect from the world is unsutable to a Christian and that in three respects 1. It is unsutable to a Christian's Spirit It is below the magnanimous spirit of a Christian to take notice of worldly disrespect Noah met with much disrespect from the Old World yet he binds their jeers taunts and reproaches as a Crown to his head and advanceth couragiously forward in the race of Christianity When the Senate had informed Augustus of some reproachful words and bad usage towards him he replied non tantum habemus otij I am not at leisure to mind such trivial things He thought it not worth while to take notice of worldly disrespect Let not Christians for shame come short of Heathens 2. It is unsutable to a Christians Profession They profess themselves not to be of this World Phil. 3.19 20. and therefore no wonder that they are disrespected by the world John 15.19 so 1 John 3.13 Marvel not my Brethren if the World hate you Believers confess they are Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth Gen. 47.9 1 Chron. 29.15 Heb. 11.13 14 15. Strangers look for no great respect being from home in a far country Strangers are content with mean usage they know they shall be much made of when they are in their own country 3. It is unsutable to a Christians practice Wicked men are desirous of vain-glory witness Phaeroh Haman Herod c. but for the Righteous the more holy the more humble and the less they care for worldly respect A vessel upon the water the more it fills the more it sinks the weightiest ears of corn bow down their heads the lowest Ezra cryes out Ezra 9.6 O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God for our iniquities are encreased over our head and our trespass is grown up unto the Heavens So wise Agur confesseth he is more brutish then any man Prov. 30.2 So Isaiah confesseth he is a man of unclean lips Isa 6.5 And Daniel cryes out Dan. 9.8 O Lord to us belongeth confusion of face because we have sinned against thee So Paul that eminent Apostle counts himself less then the least of all Saints Ephes 3.8 and of sinners the chief 1 Tim. 1.15 True Godliness dryes up all ambitious humours The righteous have their eyes open to see their wretched vileness sinfulness nakedness worthlesness they are conscious to themselves of many sins committed before conversion and many frailties since conversion and they are so far from wondring at that disrespect they meet with that they wonder they are no more disrespected 5. Consid If you serve the Lord you are not without respect Sin puts vileness upon the person that is great in the worlds esteem Dan. 11.21 Nah. 1.14 A wicked person is called a vile person Psal 15.4 Sin renders a man vile and contemptible and makes him as Jacob said to Ruben Gen. 49.4 that he cannot excell But Holiness renders a man honourable The Righteous are the only excellent Psal 16.3 so Prov. 12.26 The Righteous is more excellent then his Neighbour They are called Vessels of Honour 2 Tim. 2.21 They are Vessels brim-full of honour But more particularly if you serve God 1. God himself respects you Isa 43.4 Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee He calls them his Jewels Mal. 3.17 They are Hephzibah the Lord's delight Isa 62.4 God respects their Persons though never so poor Psal 40.17 I am poor and needy yet the Lord thinketh on me So Psal 138.6 Though the Lord be high yet hath he respect unto the lowly And as their Persons so their Prayers are precious Cant. 2.14 Let me see thy Countenance let me hear thy Voice saith Christ to the Church for sweet is thy Voice and thy Countenance is comly So Psal 34.15 17. He will regard the prayer of the destitute and not despise their prayer So Psal 106.43 44. and Mic. 7.7 My God will hear me saith the afflicted Church And as their persons and prayers so their tears are precious God bottles them up Psal 56.8 so Psal 126.5 They that sow in Tears shall reap in Joy Yea their very death is precious Psal 116.15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Thus you see they that honour God are honoured by God according to his promise 1 Sam. 2.30 so Psa 5.12 Thou Lord wilt bless the righteous with favour wilt thou compass him as with ashield Tantus quisque est quantus est apud Deum Being then Gods favourit value not the worlds frowns 2. Good Angels respect you as they rejoyced at your conversion Luke 15.10 so they now flock about you to do you good Psal 34.7 The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him and delivereth them So Psal 91.11 so Heb. 1.14 Are they not all ministring Spirits speaking of the Angels sent forth to minister for them who shall be Heirs of Salvation The Righteous have Angels for their Life-guard 3. And lastly Good men respect you they speak well of you pray to God for you and are ready to relieve you according to their ability Psal 15.4 a good man honoureth them that fear the Lord. So Psal 16.2 3. My goodness saith David extends not to thee but to the Saints that are in the Earth and to the Excellent in whom is all my delight So Psal 119.63 I am a companion saith he of all them that fear thee and keep thy Precepts The
went to the Cross with much care and many agonies nay the Apostle tells you that he feared Heb. 5.7 Did he die comfortless Answ 1. Consid It is one thing to have true comfort another thing to have the sence of it The sence of it as Divines say may be taken away for a while through the violence of the distemper or through Satans malice who is most busie at such a time to disturb a good man's peace The Devil that roaring Lyon who at all times goes about seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5.8 at such a time plays the Devil indeed and exerciseth what cruelty he may because his time is short Rev. 12.12 But though the sence of comfort for a while may be taken away yet their comfort is not quite gone See Isa 54.7 8. The holy Ghost the comforter where he once takes possession abides for ever John 14.16 2. Consid Our Saviour Christ He who was the only begotten Son in whom alone God was well pleased Mat. 3. last As he had not alwayes a sence and feeling of Gods love Mat. 27.46 so nor of spiritual and heavenly joy Mat. 26.38 39. His soul was exceeding sorrowful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 declarat animum undique moerore obsessum circumvallatum His soul was besieged with grief and sorrow compassed it about So Luke 22.44 He was in an agony 3. And lastly Consid Though a good man seem to dye comfortless yet his end is comfortable Ps 37.37 Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace If peace did not enter into him whilst living yet being dead he enters into peace Isa 57.2 He shall enter into peace that walks in his uprightness The Godly through tedious conflicts as the Israelites through a crooked and tedious wilderness come to the promised Land at last Did desperate words idle vain talk unseemly gestures and speeches proceed from him Answ Indeed many of God's dear servants have given sweet exhortations at the time of their death heavenly discourses have proceeded from them Jacob blessed his Sons Gen. 49. so Heb. 11.21 See the sweet carriage and pious discourses of Moses a little before his departure Deut. 31 32 33 Chapt. So Joshua dying exhorts the people to obedience Jos 23.14 and Chap. 24. So David when he was dying professeth his faith in Gods promises and declares the different state of the wicked 2 Sam. 23. beginning and instructs his son Solomon 1 Kin. 2.2 Blessed Stephen made a sweet end praying for his enemies Act. 7. latter end So blessed Peter about to put off his tabernacle ceaseth not to give good instructions and exhortations 2 Pet. 1.13 14 15. Such serious discourses of dying Christians as they instruct by standers and make deepest impressions upon their spirits so they afford abundance of comfort to living Friends to see so blessed a departure But if it fell out otherwise with thy Godly-Friend Consider for thy comfort That these frenzies and raving unseemly speeches and carriage if they proceeded onely from the person while sick did not proceed ex animo but ex animi morbo they proceeded not so much from the person as from his distemper fuming up into the brain or from want of sleep c. So it was with Job that God boasts of for his Servant as a Nonsuch Job 1.8 2.3 when he was sadly diseased in body he was sadly distemper'd in mind for in chap. 3. he curseth the day of his birth and chap. 6. so chap. 9. wisheth God would destroy him and cut him off And Job 13.14 like a mad-man he takes his flesh in his teeth And chap. 16.9 he said God hated him What unseemly speeches and carriage were in this good man in the time of his sickness So David under bodily distemper said he was cut off Psal 31.10 22 compared Asaph behaves himself as strangely see Psal 77.7 c. but these desperat words proceded from him in his sickness v. 2. Such speeches as these proceed not from the disposition of the heart but from the distemper of the head lightness of the phansie caused by the distemper of the body Mr. Smith's Essex-Dove T. 3. p. 143. A Christian may dye saith a Godly Divine of so strange a disease of the Flux Burning-Ague Stone Convulsion when either the Choler shooting up into the head or the disease working furiously upon the tender vital parts the party may dye strangely talk idely c. nay he may have his face and mouth drawn awry yet for all this be a dear Child of God Some may dye of an Apoplexy or dead Palsy in which case a man shall have his senses benum'd so as he may dye like a block without shew of judgment or reason yet may be in a blessed state For though the state of his body be changed yet the state of his mind and soul remains untouched August Tom. 9. de Disciplin c. 2. We may conclude for our comfort as St. Austine saith Non potest malè mori qui benè vixerit Audéo dicere non potest-malè mori qui benè vixerit I dare say it and say it again that he cannot die ill that hath lived well Another cryes out 9th Apology answered This Friend of mine was much tortured with his disease Oh the sad casts of his countenance how did he tumble and toss upon the bed of languishment without any intervals of rest nothing could tempt his eyes to let their curtains down Groans and sighs and sobs were his soul's passing-bell There was a sad parting betwixt soul and body And this troubles me Answ Indeed many are sore troubled to consider God should deal so severely with their relations in the time of their sickness They cannot chuse but sympathize with them and sadly reflect upon the groans and pains of deceased Friends But Consider 1. God is absolute Lord over all his creatures and his dispensations towards them are various God deals with some as with Enoch he takes them away and they hardly see or feel death whereas many others as dear to him are with Elijah carrâ—ed to Heaven as it were in a fiery-Chariot and by a Whirlwind Luther Abel Redivivus in Life of Luther without any bodily pain that could be discerned departed this life whereas Calvin was miserably wrack'd before he dyed having the Gout Feaver and Cholick all at one time Nah. 1.3 The Lord hath his way in the Whirlwind We cannot give a reason of all God's dealings towards the sons of men but considering he is absolute Lord over all his creatures this is reason sufficient we should submit unto him 2. Consid Thy Friend dyed not so cruel a death as many of God's dear Servants have done Christ himself dyed the death of the Cross which was a painful as well as a shameful death Phil. 2.6 7 8. Heb. 12.2 Naboth was stoned 1 Kin. 21.13 so was Zacharias 2 Chron. 24.22 and the Protomartyr St. Stephen Act. 7.59 You
breaking no more doth righteousness the rich workmanship of God's blessed Spirit Ephes 2.10 preserve any man from mouldring to dust Moses Joshua David Job Daniel c. are dead and gone Dorcas that woman full of God works and almsdeeds which she did fell sick and died Acts 9.36 37. Holiness is no armour of proof to keep off the dart of Death The shield of faith and brest-plate of righteousness which are able to resist the fiery darts of Satan Ephes 6.16 yet are not able to defend a man from the dart of Death The best persons are not persons priviledged from the arrest of Death that surly Sergeant 2. Consid God can raise up other good men in their stead A Phoenix may arise out of the ashes There may hopeful branches come in their stead Uno avulso non deficit alter Aureus simili frondescit virgâ—metallo Virgil. See 2 Epist of John 1st 4th verses compared That Elect Lady that worthy Matron honoured for her wealth and liberality to the poor had Children constantly professing the true Religion and living according to it who might succeed her in works of charity and piety Buxtorf floril Heb. p. 204. The Jews have a saying Quandò occidit Sol vir illustris utilis oritur Sol viz. alius similis ipsi That never doth there die any illustrious man but there is another born as bright on the same day To which they accommodate that place See Mr. Patricks Serm. on Psa 90.12 Eccles 1.5 Nay they observe further that he makes some Star or other arise before the Sun be set as Joshua began to shine before Moses his light was darkned And before Joshua went to bed Othniel the Son of Kenaz was risen up to judge Eli was not gathered to his fathers before Samuel appeared to be a most hopeful youth and among the other sex they also note that Sarah was not taken away till Rebeccah was ready to come in her stead Furthermore we find in Scripture how Elisha succeeded Elijah Eleazer Aaron Haggai and Zechary supplyed the loss of Daniel and Christ arose in John Baptists stead And hopeful Timothy in the room of Paul the aged Consider then that others as good and useful in their generations may succeed in their stead 3. Lastly consid The happiness that a good man is estated in at death The righteous like Stars though they set in one place yet they rise in another These trees of righteousness are translated into the Coelestial Paradise so that though they be not with us yet they are with God If we truly love them we cannot but congratulate their feasts of joy their rivers of pleasures their palms of victory Dr. Stuarts Cathol Divin pag. 158. Aug. Manuals c. 7 de gaudio their robes of majesty their crown of glory O vita vitalis vita sempiterna sempiternè beata ubi gaudium sine moerore requies sine labore sanitas sine languore opes sine amissione perpetuitas sine corruptione In heaven there is life indeed an eternal blessed life where there is joy without sorrow rest without labour health without sickness riches without loss everlastingness without corruption Even Balaam saw the happy condition of such as dye in the Lord which made him cry out Let me dye the death of the Righteous and let my last end be like his Numb 23.10 Let us not then weep immoderately for those from whose eyes God hath wiped away all tears Let us rejoyce in their joy as we are commanded Rom. 12.15 and not weep as though we envied their happiness Indeed we have great loss when good men are taken away but let us not look altogether upon our loss but likewise on their gain and let the one at least counterballance the other 14. And last Apology answered Another cryes out 14th Apology answerd This Friend or Relation of mine lived an openly profane wretch and he died without any shew of penitential sorrow As he lived sottishly so for ought I could see he died securely I fear he is a damned creature and this troubles me Answ This complaint usually Parents take up over their wicked Children And if Parents have the least spark of grace or true love to their Children they cannot chuse but grieve to see their Children cut off in their wicked courses Sad it is to consider that their Children should be companions with Divels that their own flesh and blood should be fuel for the fire of Hell Indeed this is just matter of humility but not of discontented sullenness mourn under it you may but you must not mourn immoderately or murmur through discontent To this end let Parents consider 1. Consid Many of Gods dear Servants have had wicked Children Our first Parents Adam and Eve as Divines generally observe had laid hold on that promise Gen. 3.15 and were renewed by faith and repentance yet they had a very wicked Son their first-born Cain was an hypocrite and a murderer Gen. 4. So Noah a just man and upright in his generation and one that walked with God Gen. 6.9 had a cursed Cham. Gen. 9.22 Abraham whom God boasts of Gen. 18.19 had a persecuting Ishmael Gen. 16.12 Gal. 4.19 Isaac a good man had Esau a prophane wretch Heb. 12.16 Jacob who wrestled with God in prayer and prevailed Gen. 32.28 had Simeon and Levi as well as Joseph and Benjamin Samuel one devoted to the Lord when he was old made his sons Judges over Israel but they walked not in his wayes but turned aside after lucre 1 Sam. 8.3 David a man after Gods own heart had not only Salomon that was beloved of God but likewise incestuous Amnon ambitious Absalom and treacherous Adonijah 1 King 1.5 Josiah that good King left wicked sons behind him Jehoahaz 2 King 23.30 31 32 and Jehoiakim vers 34 36 37. so Jer. 22.18 Many more examples might be brought out of Scripture to prove this but in a point so clear and known to be too true by daily experience let these suffice Be content then thy case is not singular Solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris 2. Consid Gods servants have been patient when God hath before their eyes cut off their children in their wickedness When Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire before the Lord by fire from the Lord as with lightning they were destroyed Livit. 10.1 2. And how doth their Father take it See vers 3. Aaron held his peace either because his grief was so great as that he could not vent himself in answerable expressions Curae leves loquuntur ingentes stupent or rather he held his peace being convinced of the justice of divine vengeance for Moses had said to Aaron This is that the Lord spake saying I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me and before all the People I will be glorified So old Eli's sons were sons of Belial they knew not the Lord 1 Sam. 2.12 though indeed being educated by their godly Father they
had a notional knowledge of God and his Laws yet they had not a spiritual practical saving knowledge You may read of their wickedness and how God threatned to cut off Eli's posterity Samuel tells him this sad news 1 Sam. 3.11 12. What saith Eli vers 18. It is the Lord let him do what seems him good Job's Children were no better than they should be they used to feast much and Job was afraid lest they should sin much at such a time Job 1.5 he feared lest at such a time of feasting they should offend God as we are apt so to do by excessive mirth immodest gestures luxury intemperance forgetfulness of the poor c. or by having irreverent thoughts of God and at a feast his Children were suddenly swept away by a great wind in the midst of their jolity vers 18.19 Yet see Jobs patient carriage vers 20 21 22. He charged not God foolishly but thought well of him and his providence notwithstanding the manifold miseries that befel him 3. Consid Weeping though never so excessive cannot recall them either from the gates of death or hell Incestuous Amnon being slain when drunk 2 Sam. 13.28 David bewailed him for a great while together vers 37 38 39. but as you may there read David at last ceased mourning because it would not fetch him again He was comforted concerning Amnon seeing he was dead 4. Consid God is glorified even in the destruction of the wicked Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself yea even the wicked for the day of evil So Job 21.30 God got himself glory by wicked Pharaoh Exod. 9.16 So Exod. 14.4 17. Moses told Aaron even now mentioned that God would be glorified and this made Aaron hold his peace when his sons were cut off in their act of sin Levit. 10.3 See Rom. 9.21 22 23. 5. Consid If thy Child had lived longer he might have been a greater grief and burthen to thee He might with the Prodigal have spent thy substance in riotous living Luke 15.13 30. and so he would have brought shame to thee for he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his Father Pro. 28.7 Yea thy whole family might have fared the worse for him he might have taken such courses as would have brought him to the gallows which would have been a greater shame and grief to thee nay farther yet if he had lived longer he might have gone about to take away thy life from all which frights fear and shame God by cutting him off hath delivered thee It was sure a great weakness in David so pathetically to lament the death of Absalom 2 Sam. 18.33 who went about to take away his life 2 Sam. 16.11 and was a continual grief and vexation to him 6. Consid If he had lived longer he would have multiplied his sin here and sorrow hereafter Impenitent wretches as it is said of the Crocodile quà m diu vivit crescit daily add something to their stature in sin Job 36.13 The hypocrites or as it is in the Orig. Prophane men in heart heap up wrath So Isa 1.5 Why should ye be smitten any more ye will revolt more and more Jer. 9.3 They proceed from evil to evil and they know not me saith the Lord. 2 Tim. 3.13 Evil men and Seducers shall wax worse and worse It was a sad curse wherewith David did imprecate some of God's implacable enemies Psal 69.27 Add iniquity unto their iniquity q. d. Give them over to a Reprobate sense as a punishment of their incorrigibleness that so they may encrease their sin here and sorrow hereafter Such as these do treasure up wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 They do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heap up wrath in manner of a treasure which you know encreaseth by daily addition Forbearance we say is no acquittance God suffers some to run their race to the utmost length as the Amorites were suffered to make up the full measure of their offences to the full Gen. 15.16 He lets some wicked men live become old c. Job 21.7 but it is for their greater punishment at last For God will more severely punish these Psal 50.21 These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest saith God to the impenitent wicked wretch that I was altogether such a one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes Confusion will cover that mans face whose sins God sets in order before his eyes Lasa patientia fit furor The longer the hand is in lifting up when it strâ—kes the greater will the blow be when it falls The Water-course the longer it is stopped the more violently it breaks foâ—th The Justice of God as one saith whilst dormant is crescent and though couchant will be rampant Psal 50.22 Consider this ye that forget God lest I tear you in pieces saith God and there be none to deliver you Well then consider if thy Child had lived longer it might have been worse for him 7. And lastly consider If he be damned who can help it Religion cannot be conveyed to Children as House and Lands c. it descends not from Father to Son John 1.12 13. What the Apostle speaks of Ministers may be here applied 1 Cor. 3.6 7. Paul may plant Apollos water but God gives the increase so then neither is he that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that giveth the encrease The Husbandman may plant and sow yet he cannot bring down the early and latter rain to bring seed to perfection So Parents may instruct reprove exhort correct pray for Children and go before them by good example but it is God that must reform them It is God that quickneth such as are dead in trespasses and sins as we are all by nature Eph. 2.1 2 3 5. Regeneration is Creation-work v. 10. which is only proper to God A Parent can but shew the way wherein a Child should walk It is God that must draw him that way Cant. 1.4 John 6.44 It is God that delivers from the power of darkness and translates us into the Kingdom of his dear Son Col. 1.13 It is he that effectually calls us out of darkness into his marvelous Light 1 Pet. 2.9 It is God that gives Faith Phil. 1.29 Ephes 2.8 He gives Repentance Act. 5.31 2 Tim. 2.25 He sanctifies us Jude 1. He saves us Eph. 2.5 8. Rom. 8.30 Well then if we have done our duty and yet fail of our end and desire viz. the conversion of our Children or any other Friends and Relations let us rest contented assuring our selves 1 Cor. 3.8 Every one shall receive his own reward according to his own labour not according to our success but according to our labour We may say Liberavimus animas we have freed our souls from the guilt we might have contracted through negligence Ezek. 3.18 19 20 21 And so the Will of the Lord be done Why should we vex our selves for what
this he had said to God Job 10.2 Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me When God takes away Relations he testifieth against you as he did against Naomi who had lost her husband and two sons Ruth 1.5 21 compared that something in your lives hath been displeasing to him God oft-times visits the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children Exod. 20.5 34.7 2 Sam. 12.14 1 King 15.29 30. Isa 14.21 Parents may by their sins provoke God to bring upon their children a temporal but not an eternal death for Ezek. 18.20 The soul that sinneth it shall die Indeed all persons as well Children as Parents ow a death to God if not by reason of actual yet of original corruption that is in them Psa 51.5 Rom. 5.12 Yet God many times takes away Children and other Relations not having an eye so much to their sins as to the sins of parents and others that provoke God to inflict a penal evil Well then pray to the Lord to discover to thee thy sin which provoked him so soon to take away thy Friend Psal 4.4 Commune with your own heart upon your bed and be still When others are a sleeping do you be a thinking what sins you were guilty of that might cause God to deprive you of such a Relation Search into God's Word and see for what sins God usually punisheth with loss of Friends Now God might take away thy Relation for such sins as these 1. Thy sin might be undervaluing thy Friend May be thou didst not prize him according to his worth and now God will teach thee the worth of him by the want of him You would not follow his good counsels reproofs example c. and therefore God might because you did not work by it put out this burning and shining Light It may be you dealt by him as the Philistines did by Sampson make sport with him and a laughing-stock of him and therefore God took him away Or 2dly Thy sin might be overvaluing thy Friend You might over-love him too much rejoyce in him or trust in him too much God breaks the Conduit-pipes when you forget the Fountain Gustavus the renowned King of Sweden said God would take him away because he was too much admired and his words were too true a prophecy Indeed hopeful Children godly Relations they are Jewels Mal. 3.17 but if you take them and make a golden calf of them and idolize them God may justly break them to pouder as Moses dealt with the golden Calf Exod. 32.3 4 20 compared So Hezekiah brake in pieces the brazen Serpent that Moses had made when he saw the people give divine worship unto it 2 King 18.4 When you make Idols of Friends and Relations bestowing that love joy and delight upon them which is due to God he may justly break them to pieces Jonah took more delight than he should have done in his refreshing Gourd and that hand that sent it sent a worm to destroy it Fond Parents like foolish Apes kill their young ones with imbraces Or 3dly Thy sin might be foolish indulgence Eli was too indulgent towards his Sons 1 Sam. 3.13 his Sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not or according to the Original frowned not upon them he was too gentle in his reproofs and corrections as you may see 1 Sam. 2.22 c. and God threatned that all the encrease of his house should die in the flower of their age and his two sons Hophni and Phineas should in one day die both of them ver 33 34. And accordingly it came to pass 1 Sam. 4.17 So David too fondly affected Absolom and he lived to see him come to an untimely death Or 4thly Thy sin might be undutifulness to thy own Parents Absalom even now mentioned had once three sons as you may read 2 Sam. 14.27 but he lived to see them all buried as you may gather from 2 Sam. 18.18 Absalom was an undutiful child seeking to take away the life of his Father and God takes away his childrens lives Or 5thly Thy sin might be Lasciviousness or Wantonness You read 2 Sam. 12.14 The Child gotten in Adultery dieth Solomon loved many strange women 1 King 11.1 and he left but one son behind him as we read of in Scripture Rehoboam by name v. 43. and he no wiser than he should be as you may reade 1 King 12. Or 6thly Thy sin might be Bloodshed or Murder God threatned Ahab's posterity for his murdering of Naboth 1 King 21.21 so God threatned David for his murdering Uriah 2 Sam. 12.9 10. that the Sword-should never depart from his house and he lived to see two of his Children slain incestuous Amnon 2 Sam. 13. and rebellious Absalom 2 Sam. 18. Or 7thly Thy sin might be Oppression See Job 27.13 14 15. God there threatens that the Sword or Famine or some such sudden and fearful Judgment shall sweep away the Oppressors Children So Amos 4.1 2. There is the posterity of Oppressors threatned God may most justly take away the lives of their Children who take away the livelihood of others Children It is seldom seen that a covetous griping Oppressor or Usurer leaves many Children behind him For these and some other sins mentioned before God may suddenly deprive us of dear and near Relations Now what saith Conscience doth it not fly in your face and tell you that you have been guilty of some one or more of these sins With Pharoah's Butler call to mind thy fault this day Gen. 41.9 And having thus found it out 2. Confess it to God be deeply humbled for it and pray heartily for pardon thereof Say as Josephs Brethren did Gen. 42.21 We are verily guilty concerning our Brother Let your uncircumcised hearts be humbled and accept of the punishment of your iniquity as the Expression is Levit. 26.41 Turn sorrowing for your Friend into sorrowing for your Sins that have deprived you of his sweet society We find 2 Sam. 24. David sin'd in numbering of the People and God punisheth him in lessening the number of them See what David doth vers 10. His heart smote him after he had numbred the People and he said unto the Lord I have sinned greatly in that I have done And now I beseech thee O Lord take away the iniquity of thy Servant for I have done very foolishly No sooner was David convinced of his sin by the testimony of his Conscience acted by the Spirit of God but presently makes his humble addresses to God confessing his sin and heartily bewailing his folly he prayes to God for pardon thereof vers 17. David seeing the People smitten by the destroying Angel he cries out Lo I have sinned and I have done wickedly but these Sheep what have they done David knew very well that the People were not without their faults justly deserving this and a greater judgment yet reflecting upon his sin as an occasion of this judgment he endeavours to acquit them taking the fault wholly upon himself and
thou hast magnified thy mercy which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life Oh then let death of others put thee upon blessing and praising God for sparing thee and not only praise him with thy Lips but with thy Life too Love him obey him cleave to him for he is thy Life and the length of thy dayes Deut. 30.20 Use 6 6. Let death of Friends teach you not to trust in the arm of flesh God would not have us by any means to put our trust in man as these places shew Isa 2.22 Isa 30.23 Isa 36.6 Jer. 17.5 7. So Psal 118.8 9. Luther on that place It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man c. calls it Artem artium mirificam sacrificium omnium gratissimum suavissimum cultum omnium pulcherrimum To trust in God and not in man is the Art of Arts the wonderful and great Art a most excellent Sacrifice and commendable piece of Religion He that builds his hopes on so weak a foundation as the life of Man he is like that foolish Man in the Gospel that built his House on the Sand Mat. 7.26 Or like a foolish Merchant that ventures all his substance in a crazy Vessel The Psalmist tells you Men of low degree are a vanity and men of high degree are a lie he gives great ones the lie Psal 62.9 He means all Friends both of high and low degree are lying vanities and perform not what they seem to promise so that whoever trust in any Friends as it is said in another case Isa 28.15 They have made lies their refuge and under falshood they have hid themselves And these Friends that they trust in like Absaloms Mule 2 Sam. 18.9 many times give them the slip when they have most need of their support and assistance for if they fail them not through willful treachery as many times they do Psal 55.12 Mic. 7.5 6. Luke 21.16 yet they may through unavoidable mortality as Jonathan failed and disappointed David of whom he saith I am distressed for thee my Brother Jonathan 2 Sam. 1.26 27. Mr. Duguard's Sermon on Psal 89.48 p. 17 18. Caesar Borgia that wicked Son of a more wicked Father Pope Alexander the sixth grounded many designs on his relation to the Pope but the Pope suddenly dies and dashes all And Borgia when he heard of his death cryed out I never dreamed of such an accident now all my purposes and projects are stifled and come to nothing He that knows man well enough knows him better then to trust in him Wherefore as it is Psal 146.3 4. Put not your trust in Princes nor in the Son of man in whom there is no help his breath goeth forth he returneth to his earth in that very day his thoughts perish His thoughts and designs of doing thee good if he had any die with him and thine hopes and expections are buried in his Grave therefore as it follows vers 5. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help whose hope is in the Lord his God He casts Anchor amiss that casts it any where else save on the Rock of Ages Use 7 7. Let death of Friends teach you not to set your affections too much upon any Relation We see Friends stay but a short time with us who would be too fond of them We may love and rejoyce one in another Husband in Wife Wife in Husband Parents in Children Children in Parents c. But it must be moderately as though we rejoyced not seeing the time of enjoying is short and will quickly be expired 1 Cor. 7.29 30 31. The rivolet of our affections may run to other things but the full stream must run towards God Luke 14.26 If any man come to me saith Christ and hate not that is loveth not less then me Mat. 10.37 Father and Mother Wife and Children Brethren and Sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my Disciple Say then with the Psalmist Psal 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee And there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee God is called the Living God Psal 42.2 Let therefore the life and vigour of your affections as love joy delight c. be for ever set upon him and not upon mortal Friends which like Noah's Dove however they bring an Olive Branch promising peace and comfort yet they are upon the Wing and presently fly from us Or like Thorns under a Pot though they give a little blaze shining and comfort for a while yet they presently drop into ashes When you too fondly set your affections on them and think to hold them fast they give you the slip as Juno did Ixion or as Joseph did his Mistress when she laid hold on his Coat Gen. 39.12 13. Let therefore these perishing comforts have perishing affections Use 8 8. Let death of Friends put a stop to covetousness and immoderate desires after the riches of this World The wise man saith Prov. 23.4 Labour not to be rich And the Prophet Jeremiah saith to Baruch Jer. 45.5 Seekest thou great things for thy self Seek them not And David saith Psal 62.10 If riches increase set not your heart upon them Riches indeed are a very uncertain tenure 1 Tim. 6.17 Orig. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Silver and Gold those refined parts of the Earth are but corruptible things 1 Pet. 1.18 Worldly possessions are nothing certain Prov. 23.5 If they leave not us which they may do for they are subject to many casualties Fire may burn them Thieves steal them c. yet we must ere long leave them Death gives a Bill of Ejectment It divorceth from Gold and Silver Houses and Lands c. It squeezeth those Spunges that have suckt themselves full and leaves them as dry and empty as they were at first Job 1.21 Eccles 5.15 16. Psal 49.10 17. comp Luke 12.20 1 Tim. 6.7 8. Death that surly Serjeant as you see daily will not be bribed to put off his Arrest In a word you may be sick and die and be turned to dust yea and be damned too for any thing your riches can help you Prov. 11.4 And therefore project not for time to come as if this life would never be done Use 9 9. Let death of Friends be a curbing-bit to restrain intemperance in eating and drinking and an eager prosecution of sinful pleasures Many in the last dayes of this Worlds continuance Jehu-like drive on furiously in sinful pleasures They are lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God 2 Tim. 3.4 but God would not have us to indulge our selves in rioting and drunkenness in chambering and wantonness he would not have us to make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lust thereof Rom. 13.13 14. And methinks the meditation of death of Friends should be a means to prevent intemperance As I have read of one who had continually amidst the multitude of his dainties a Deaths Head served up in a Charger to
forbidden Fruit he should surely die Now we know Adam did eat Gen. 3. and the threatning took effect for after that he had eaten every day some part of his life was gone The wise Man tells us Eccles 3.2 There is a time to be born and a time to die What no time to live Truly it may be the wise man thought this life-time was so short that it was not worth taking notice of or it may be he would give us to understand that all the while we live we are in a dying condition An Heathen by the dim candle-light of Nature had a glymps of this for saith Seneca Quotidie morimur quotidiè enim demitur aliqua pars vitae Vita hominum dum crescit decrescit dum augetur minuitur Cylind as a Candle you know is no sooner lighted but begins to waste it is not the last blaze that spends it but it spends all the while it burns So an Hour-glass is no sooner turned but presently the Sand begins to run out The longer a man lives the less he hath to live Oh did we but see the Glass of our Life running many of us would see but little Sand remaining Well then let your going to the House of Mourning and following the Corps to the Grave mind you of your mortality that God will shortly bring you to the Grave The House appointed for all men living Job 30.23 15th and last Use Lastly Let death of Friends put us upon preparing for Death Seneca said Aetate fruere mobili cursu fugit Use time while you have it He meant it not in that sence in which the merry Greeks and voluptuous Epicures take it 1 Cor. 15.32 Let us eat and drink for to morrow we die But he would have us to imploy our short time in doing vertuous actions Labour that the Temple of Grace be erected in your souls before the Temple of your bodies be pulled down I have read how Peter Waldo about the year 1160. a Merchant of Lyons Mr. Fuller in his Holy War rich in substance and learning was walking and talking with his Friends when one of them suddenly sell down dead which lively spectacle of mans mortality so impressed the soul of this Waldo that instantly he resolved on a strict reformation of life which to his power he performed Mr. Dugard in his Serm. on Ps 89 48. pag. 39. Ribad de vita Fr. Borgia lib. 1. c. 9. It is likwise reported of Sir Francis Borgia a Spanish Courtier That having been at the Funeral of the Empress and considering how little a Grave had devoured all earthly Greatness he said when he came home Augustae mors mihi vitam attulit The death of the Empress hath brought me life and forthwith he became a wonderfully reformed man So when Friends die and we return from their burial let us resolve to lay aside worldly vanities and return home more grave and serious Let us set our House and Souls in order Luke 12.40 Be ye therefore ready for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye think not As we know not the time of our general so neither of our particular judgment It is good for us to stand upon our watch Mar. 13.32 and to improve all our opportunities both of doing and receiving good that so we may be as the wise Virgins Mat. 25. having Oyl in our Lamps Grace in our Hearts and may be fitted and prepared to meet the Bridegroom of our Souls when ever he cometh Now because preparation for Death though last mentioned is a chief and principal use that we should make of death of Friends I shall therefore somewhat enlarge upon it and shew you in the next Chapter wherein it consists CHAP. II. Shewing wherein preparation for Death consists NOW preparation for Death consists in these following Particulars 1. In praying unto God 1. Dir. Praecandos Confess thy manifold sins at the Throne of Grace and pray to God for pardon thereof Moses David Daniel Paul and other good men mentioned in Scripture were conversant in this duty of Prayer Our Saviour himself in the dayes of his flesh offered up Prayers and Supplications with strong crying and tears Heb. 5.7 The * Per miserere mei tollitur ira Dei Publican confessing his sins and most humbly suing out the pardon of them went away justified Luke 18.13 14. How did Christ remember the Thief upon the Cross praying to him Luke 23. 42 43. Jacob was frequent and prevalent with God in prayer Gen. 32.28 even when he was old and weak he humbly presented his devotion to God Gen. 48.31 Heb. 11.21 Stephen that saw Heaven opened Acts 7.56 as he lived so he died praying Abel rediv in life of Luther and Erasmus vers 59. Luther he died praying and resigning his Spirit into Gods hands Erasmus breathed out his Soul in these Ejaculations Mercy sweet Jesus Lord loose these Bands How long Lord Jesus How long Jesus Fountain of Mercy have mercy upon me c. Bishop * Dr. Bernard in life of B. Vsher Usher he died like Mr. Perkins who expired with crying for mercy and forgiveness Pray then to God that he would pardon your manifold sins and fit you for death say with David Psal 39.4 Lord make me to know my end and the measure of my dayes that I may know how frail I am Pray with Moses Psal 90.12 Dr. Abbot on Jonah 4.2 p. 521. So teach us to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom Prayer rightly performed as a learned Doctor saith is the best Sacrifice which the Soul can send up into Heaven 2. Preparation for Death consists in bewailing our sins 2. Dir. Peccata deplorando We should be like Doves of the Valleys all of us mourning every one for his iniquity as the Prophet speaks Ezek. 7.16 A broken and contrite heart saith David O God thou wilt not despise Psal 51.17 The words are a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he means God highly prizeth a broken and contrite heart under the sence of sin St. Bernard saith Qui non plangit peccata non sentit vulnera He is not sensible of his spiritual wounds who doth not bewail his sinful condition And again saith another Father St. Austin Gravissima peccata gravissimus lamentis indigent Great sins call for great sorrows David saith Psal 6.6 All the night make I my bed to swim I water my couch with my tears and Psal 38.6 I go mourning all the day long so that night and day he mourned for his sins And Peter having sin'd he went out and wept bitterly Mat. 26.75 The crowing of the Cock was a Monitor of his fault And some say he never heard a Cock crow after but he wept bitterly for his offence in denying so shamefully as he did his Lord and Master St. Paul complains of a Body of Death Rom. 7.24 * Tertul. lib. de Panitent c. ult
Man is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him Col. 3.10 Gods Children are savingly enlightned 2. Cor. 4.6 Such as have their understandings darkned through the ignorance that is in them are alienated from the life of God Ephes 4.18 Yea and from the life of Christ too 2. There was in Christ meekness and patience Christ was a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief Isa 53.3 He was a Man of sorrows it is an Hebraism and signifies the manifold sorrows he met with as though he had been wholly made up of sorrow and he is said to be acquainted with grief Grief was his Acquaintance Tota vita Christi continuata passio his Familiar it lodged with him it was no stranger to him He was hurried from place to place posted from Judge to Judge put over from torment to torment from the Garden to Annas from Annas to Caiphas from Caiphas to Pilate from Pilate to Herod from Herod to Pilate again Cruelty as one faith walking the Circle and Impiety if ever now treading the Ring Yet under all indignities offered he opened not his mouth murmuringly or impatiently Isa 53.7 He was oppressed he was afflicted saith the * Non tam Propheta quam Evangelista dicendus Hieron ad Paul Eust Tom. 3. p. 26. Evangelical Prophet yet he opened not his mouth he is brought as a Lamb to the slaughter and as a Sheep before the shearers is dumb so he openeth not his mouth He died the painful shameful and accursed death of the Cross without the least bleating of impatience see Heb. 12.2 3. so 1 Pet. 2.21 22.23 This Lesson he would have us learn from him promising that thereby we shall find rest to our Souls Matth. 11.29 Considering the manifold afflictions we may meet with in our Christian course we have need of patience Heb. 10.36 Ye have need of patience that after ye have done the Will of God ye might receive the promise 3. There was in Christ humility and self-denyal Gal. 4.4 When the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his Son And this Son emptied himself of his glory * Bishop Andrews on Gal. 4.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that thought it no robbery to be equal with God made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of men and being found in fashion as a Man he humbled himself c. Phil. 2.5 6 7 8. He was born in Bethlem a mean City in a Stable a very mean Room the Manger was his Cradle the Cobwebs his Canopy He conversed with not as a Companion but as a Physitian the meanest of men Publicans and Sinners He sought not humane applause but suppres'd his own praises We read in the Gospel how he forbad his Patients to declare their Cure Mr. Abraham Wrights 3d Serm. Cant. 2.2 and desired his Miracles might be as invisible as his God-head He unlockt the mouth of the Dumb and then cryed See you tell no Man which was to tie up that Organ which he had before loosed so he drew the Curtain from the blind mans eyes and yet commanded him not to see and take notice of his Physician so he restored the withered hand and straight-way as it were dryed it up again in forbidding its use crying Point not at me What greater token of his humility and self-denyal than this Nay when some would have made him King he with-drew himself John 6.15 and elsewhere told them His Kingdom is not of this World He washed his Disciples Feet to teach us by his own Example a Lesson of loving condescention John 13.14 15. Let us resemble Christ in humility and self-denyal Mat. 11.29 Learn of me saith Christ for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest to your souls And Luke 9.23 Christ said Descende ut ascendas humiliare ut exalta is Aug. If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross daily and follow me A proud man that will not stoop cannot enter into the narrow Wicket of Heaven The Kingdom of Heaven belongs to the poor in Spirit Mat. 5.3 and to such as are little in their own eyes Luke 12.32 4. There was in Christ harmlesness and inoffensiveness He is compared to a Lamb John 1.29 A Lamb he was for innocency as well as meekness The Spirit is said to descend upon him in the likeness of a Dove Mat. 3.16 What Creature more harmless then a Lamb among Beasts and a Dove among Birds They may suffer wrong from others but they do none to others Christ was very inoffensive some of his very enemies acquit him as you may read Luke 23.4 22. Judas who betray'd him said He had sin'd in betraying innocent blood Mat. 27.4 He walked very inoffensively both before God and Man 1 Pet. 2.22 Though he made his Grave with the World and suffered betwixt two Malefactors yet he did no violence neither was any deceit in his mouth Isa 53.9 He is such an High Priest as is holy harmless undefiled Heb. 7.26 Indeed many took offence at Christ at the meanness of his Person strictness of his Life purity of his Doctrine c. Mat. 15.12 Mar. 6.3 but he gave none offence Thus ought we to walk inoffensively with St. Paul endeavouring to keep a Conscience void of offence both towards God and towards Man Acts 24.16 so 1 Cor. 10.32 Give none offence saith the Apostle We should he blameless and harmless Phil. 2.15 so 1 Thes 2.10 Christ would have us to be harmless as Doves as well as wise as Serpents Mat. 10.16 Ut nulli nocuisse potes imitare columbam Serpentem ut possit nemo nocere tibi 5. There was in Christ usefulness and profitableness He did good both to the Souls and Bodies of all that came to him with a desire to profit by him He was anointed for this purpose Luke 4.18 19. And we read Acts 10.38 He went about doing good He did not confine himself to one place but as the Sun in its perambulation so this Sun of Righteousness for so he is called Mal. 4.2 went about that he might do the more good So let us do what good we can both to the Souls and Bodies of such as we converse with Let us be useful with our Purses Prayers and wholsome Instructions Believers are profitable Converted Onesimus was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to his * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vtilis fructuosus Name to which perhaps the Apostle alludeth he was profitable God bestows his Spirit upon them that they may be profitable 1 Cor. 12.7 The Apostle sought the profit of many that they might be saved Muscul in Gen. 1. p. 23. 1 Cor. 10.33 Mundo fideles utilitatem suae praesentiae non denegant 6. There was in Christ zeal for his Fathers Glory Christ though cool in his own yet was hot in the concerns of his
us thankfully acknowledge both spiritual and temporal Mercies to proceed from him as the Apostle speaks Eph. 5.20 Giving thanks alwayes for all things unto God and the Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Thes 5.18 In every thing give thanks for this is the Will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you Adam had he continued in Paradise should have sung praise unto God And the Saints now in Heaven as so many blessed Quiristers are continually chanting forth Divine Anthems of praise Rev. 4.10 11. And Dr. Sibs saith They that begin not Heaven upon Earth shall never go to Heaven when taken from the Earth Let us then bear a part here in singing praises to God which is a pleasant and comely duty Psal 147.1 if we would hereafter have admittance into the Coelestial Quire to sing forth perpetual Hallelujahs Future happiness is called Glorification John 13.32 And he that gives not glory unto God here shall not hereafter be glorified by God Let us then be much in thanksgiving for as God saith Psal 50.23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me and to him that ordereth his conversaition aright will I shew the Salvation of God 10. And lastly to name no more There was in Christ Heavenly-mindedness He lived on Earth as if he had been still in Heaven The gaudy vanities of this World were too pittiful a lure for him to be taken with So Heavenly-minded he was that he extracted many spiritual contemplations instructions from all sorts of earthly objects occasions that were before him Upon the sight of Jacob's Well he preacheth to the Woman of Samaria concerning the Living-Water John 4.10 By which Theophilact understands as we are told 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Grace of the Holy Spirit which refresheth the weary Soul even to life eternal vers 14. So when he had wrought the Miracle in feeding five thousand with five Loaves and two Fishes he teacheth them that sought after him that they should not labour for that Meat that perisheth but for that Meat which endureth to everlasting life John 6.27 And after tells them He was the Bread of Life vers 32.33 so John 15.1 passing through or by some Vineyard he tells them That he was the True Vine and his Father the Husband-man It was Christ's usual manner upon the sight of things temporal to raise Spiritual and Heavenly Meditations Let us play the Divine Chymists and extract Spiritual Instructions and Heavenly Meditations from Worldly Occurrences The Moralist could say Senec. Praefat. in Natural Quest Quà m contempta res est homo si non supra humana se exercuerit What a dung-hill wretch is Man if he mind only earthly things The Apostle tells you The end of such is destruction Nos ut Coelorum cives nos-met gerimus Beza Phil. 3.19 but saith he vers 20. Our conversation is in Heaven Christians are ad majora nati born to look after greater things than the World affords Let us then as we are commanded Col. 3.2 set our affections upon or according to * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orig. let us savour and mind the things that are above and not the things upon earth Let not the Heaven-born Soul be imprisoned in an earthly body See Dr. Boreman's Serm. on Phil. 3.20 or be chained in Fetters of earthly cares but let it be dilated in its ardent desires after Heaven and Heavenly Objects These and the like vertues which appeared in the Life of Christ must appear in our lives and conversations else we cannot be saved 1 John 2.6 He that saith he abides in him ought himself also so to walk even as he walked Christ was full of Grace John 1.14 and true Christians that are in Christ not only in regard of outward profession but likewise in respect of saving union they partake of his fulness vers 16. All God's Elect are conformed to the Image of his Son Rom. 8.29 1 Cor. 11.1 The Oyl poured on Aaron's Head ran down upon his Beard and went down to the Skirts of his Garments Psal 133.2 by which was signified That the very same Oyl of Grace that was poured on the Head Christ Jesus is thence derived unto all even the meanest of his Members As Jacob was blessed by his Father Isaac in the goodly Raiment of his Elder Brother Gen. 27.15 27 compared So must we have on the Spiritual Garment of Christ's Vertues who is our Elder Brother if we expect the Blessing of our Heavenly Father These and the like Vertues are called Glory because they undoubtedly lead to Glory 2 Cor. 3.18 View then Christ's Image in the Glass of the Gospel and labour to be transformed into that Image Put on therefore as the Elect of God Holy and Beloved bowels of mercy kindness humbleness of mind long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another c. Col. 3.12 13. And as St. Peter speaks 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7 10 compared Giving all diligence add to your Faith Vertue and to Vertue Knowledge and to Knowledge Temperance and to Temperance Patience and to Patience Godliness and to Godliness Brotherly-kindness and to Brotherly-kindness Charity for if ye do these things ye shall never fall And thus much for the fifth Direction 6. And lastly Preparation for Death consists in Believing 6th last Direction Fidendo This though◠mentioned last is not the least but chief Direction see John 3.14 15 16 18 36. To this Paul directed the trembling Jaylor Acts 16.31 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Acts 10.43 To him give all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins Christ is the Lord our Righteousness Jer. 23.6 He is the Way the Truth and the Life as he tells Thomas John 14.6 He is the true way to Eternal Life Qui aliter vadit cadit He that thinks to go to Heaven any other way will fall short of it For there is none other Name given among men whereby we must be saved Acts 4.12 See for farther proof of this Gal. 2.20 3.11 1 Pet. 1.5 9. 1 John 5.13 Those Worthies mentioned Heb. 11. died in the Faith St. Paul would not be found at the Day of Judgment in the most righteous Work that ever he did Phil. 3.8 9. Nay Bellarmine himself after a long Discourse concerning the merit of Works he overturns all in his last conclusion Propter incertitudinem propriae justitiae periculum inanis gloriae tutissimum est fiduciam totam insolâ Dei misericordiâ reponere He thought it the safest way to put his whole trust in the mercy of God alone Works must needs be a Sandy Foundation to build hopes of Eternal Life upon For our best Works are imperfect they flow from a foul Fountain for there is no mind so illuminated but there is some darkness in it See Bp. Andrew's Serm. on Jer. 23.6 no Heart so sanctified but there is some uncleanness in it and
and what art thou now afraid to depart Go out my Soul And with that he laid himself down upon his Pillow and quietly slept in the Lord. That good man Oecolampadius when he lay a dying being asked by some of his friends whether the light did not offend him he clapt his hand on h s breast saying Hic sat lucis est Here is light enough meaning comfort So that solid Divine and eminent Christian Master Bolton said to some of his Friends that came to visit him at the point of death I am said he by the wonderful mercies of God as full of comfort as mine heart can hold and feel nothing in my Soul but Christ I could produce great store of such like Examples but let these suffice Object But are not some of God's dear Servants unwilling to die as was David Psal 102.24 and Hezekiah Isa 38.1 2 3 Do not some die with little or no comfort Answ As for David and Hezekiah they were publick Magistrates and desired to live longer that they might be serviceable in their Generation and bring glory to God They knew if they had died at such a time the wicked would have insulted and made Songs of Tryumph at their Funeral They feared Distractions both in Church and State which might follow upon their death And haply they were the more unwilling to die because in their apprehensions not sufficiently prepared for Death Possibly by falling unadvisedly into some sins they had blurred their evidences and wounded their Consciences It is therefore good counsel which * Dr. Boreman in Serm. on Phil. 3 20. p. 45. Carthusianus gives and that is so to provide for the coming of Death ut nihil in mente resideat quod Conscientiam mordeat cum quo mori timeat that no sin reside or remain in our breast which may wound and trouble the Conscience and with which we being guilty cannot die in peace and safety Sin like Jonah in the Ship raiseth a tempest in the Soul The reason why many find so little comfort at death is because they are too negligent in preparing themselves for it I end this with that of the Psalmist Psal 37.37 Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace 3. and last Consider 3. And lastly By this means you shall arise again with comfort That there will be a Resurrection of the Body is clear from Scripture Insomuch that our Saviour told the Sadduces which said there is no Resurrection Matth. 22.29 Ye do err not knowing the Scriptures When Jesus told Martha that her Brother should rise again Joh. 11.23 she replyed vers 24. I know that he shall rise again in the Resurrection at the last Day And the Apostle spends the largest Chapter in all his Epistles in proving this Point against some in the Church of Corinth who denied it 1 Cor. 15.12 Well then at Christs second coming to Judgment we must all rise again with our own bodies and give an account of our own Works as you may see 2 Cor. 5.10 Rom. 14.12 This will be a joyful day to such as have lived in expectation of it and preparation for it For when Christ their life appears they shall appear with him in glory Col. 3.4 They shall have a Crown of Righteousness conferred upon them 2 Tim. 4.7 8. They shall rise to everlasting life Dan. 12.2 John 5.29 They shall lift up their heads with joy They shall have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming 1 Joh. 2.28 For he who is their Saviour Surety Intercessor Head and Husband will be their Judge He will at that day gather them together and place them on his right hand and pronounce that blessed Sentence Mat. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the World They shall be Assessores in judicio like Justices of the Peace upon the Bench with the Judge approving of that righteous Sentence which Christ shall pronounce upon the wicked both Men and Devils 1 Cor. 6.2 3. Know ye not that the Saints shall judge the World Know ye not that we shall judge Angels * Psalm 149.9 This and much more honour have all the Saints in that great day They enter upon such happiness as shall never end Dan. 12.3 They shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament and as the Stars for ever and ever see 1 Thes 4.14 c. After the Apostle had spoken of the Resurrection and second coming of Christ he tells us that Believers shall be for ever with the Lord vers 17. And then he adds Comfort one another with these words vers 18. This eternal happiness will make amends for all our pains and care in our Christian course Thus you see how comfortable their condition is that live in continual expection of Death and preparation for Death They live comfortably they die comfortably and they shall rise again with comfort Whereas on the other side if men be careless herein they have no true comfort whilst they live even in laughter their heart is sorrowful and the end of that mirth is heaviness Prov. 14.13 So it was with Belshazzar Dan. 5.4 5. God saith again and again by the Prophet Isaiah That there is no peace to the wicked Isa 48.22 57.21 And if they have no true peace and comfort whilst they live I am sure they have none when they come to die As Ahab said to Elijah so may a wicked man say upon the approach of Death 1 King 21.20 Hast thou found me O mine Enemy Death to him is the King of Terrors as Bildad in Job call'd it Job 18.14 Or as the Philosopher Arist Eth. ad Nic lib. 3. c. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nothing is so terrible to him as Death The Soul at such a time is usually full of horrors and heavy apprehensions Pangs of Death horrour of Conscience sense of Guilt and frights of Hell are sufficient to render him perfectly miserable If there be any wicked men that die with little sense of pain and less fear of Death as Psal 73.4 we must know that this is security and sensless stupidity no true peace And if they have no true peace and comfort neither in life nor at death they 'l have none after death nor at the general Resurrection for no sooner is the soul separated from the body but God passeth a particular judgment upon it Eccles 12.7 Heb. 9.27 and dooms it to misery Even as Sodom and Gomorrah are set forth for an Example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire Jude 7. And at the second coming of Christ to Judgment the body shall rise and be reunited to the soul and Christ will pronounce that dreadful Sentence upon all wicked persons Mat. 25.41 Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels And this Sentence being once pass'd shall never be alter'd Hence it is called
God's dearest Children Jacob was sick Gen. 48.1 So was Hezekiah 2 King 20.1 So Job was smitten with a sore Boyl from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot Job 2.7 8. He was so loathsome a Creature none would come near him he was fain to be his own Chyrurgeon and his dressing Instrument was a piece of a broken Pot see likewise Job 7.3 4 5 13 14 15 16. So David was sick nigh unto death read Psal 6. Psal 38. So under the New Testament we read Dorcas that Woman full of good Works and Alms-deeds which she did fell sick Acts 9.36 37. So Paul himself saith We had that Sentence of Death in our selves c. 2 Cor. 1.9 He means the great danger he was in by reason of his Adversaries or by reason of sickness or both Thus he was in deaths oft i. e. in deadly dangers 2 Cor. 11.23 So before this you read of some in the Church of Corinth that were chastned of the Lord by some violent sickness that they might not be condemned with the World 1 Cor. 11.30 32. Timothy had but bad health which made the Apostle to give him this advice To drink no longer Water but to use a little Wine for his Stomachs sake and his often infirmities 1 Tim. 5.23 So we read of Trophimus the Ephesian Paul's Disciple and Companion in travels Acts 20.4 21.29 left of Paul at * This Miletum or rather Miletus Act. 20.17 was a City famous for Wool and Cloathing Nec Miletus erat vellere digna tuo Martial Miletum sick 2 Tim. 4.20 But we need not light up a Candle at noon-day and seek for that which is neither hid nor lost This truth is confirmed or Proposition verified by daily experience I therefore pass on to the Reasons of the Point which may be taken from three heads 1. From their natural constitution The Godly though they be the Sons of God by the grace of Adoption yet they are the Sons of Adam by natural production And as the Wood breeds a Worm that eats it the Garment a Moth that frets it and Fruit that which doth corrupt it so natural bodies produce Diseases to destroy them The bodies of the best are earthly houses 2 Cor. 5.1 which moulder away of themselves The Apostle calls the body even of the best men a vile body because Tot miseriis obnoxium subject amongst other miseries to sickness and distempers Calv in Phil. 3.21 If the humours of the body be but a little stirred they turn to the nutriment of a Disease Our very blood as Dr. Taylor saith wherein our life dwells is the scene under which nature acts many sharp Feavers and heavy Sicknesses Many men saith another * Mr. Byfield on 1 Pet. 2.24 p. 883. Divine that for the present are free from the pains of Diseases yet have their enemies in their bodies in divers parts of them laid as it were in Garison which may and will break out upon them at a time they know not 2. From inherent corruption The best besides original corruption have many actual provocations 1 King 8.46 Psal 19.12 Psal 143.2 Prov. 20.9 Eccles 7.20 1 John 1.8 If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us If the best of us saith he hath no sin he sins in saying so De vero cultu lib. 6. c. 13. for this is sin in the best Nemo esse sine delicto potest quamdiù indumento carnis oneratus est Lactant. Now sin is the procuring cause of sickness Had not sin entred into the World there had been no sickness Had our first Parents continued in a state of holiness they had continued in a state of health and happiness everlasting but their eating the forbidden fruit brought Diseases upon them and their posterity It is sin that brings all mankind even the best to the Grave Rom. 5.12 And no wonder if it cast them upon a sick-bed Sin is the Pandora's Box that filleth the World with innumerable diseases and calamities Like another Jonah it raiseth storms and aestuations in the Body as he did in the Sea Jonah 1.4 7. compared What saith David Psal 31.10 My life is spent with grief and my years with sighing My strength faileth because of mine iniquity and my bones are consumed It was sin that weakned him and brought as it were his body into a consumption So Psal 38.3 There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger Agnoscit morbi istius causam esse iram Dei propter selera sua in se accensam Muscul in loc neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin So vers 5. My Wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness So Psal 39.11 God with rebukes doth correct man for iniquity Diseases are properly the Rod of the Lord and the Rod for the fools back seems to have been a Proverb amongst the Jews Prov. 10.13 26.3 Hence the Psalmist allusively tells us Psal 107.17 Fools because of their transgressions and because of their iniquities are afflicted The best of men are no wiser than they should be nay they too oft play the fool as David did 2 Sam. 24.10 and no wonder if God chastise them with sickness 3. And lastly From Divine Ordination 1 Thes 3.3 The Devil cannot smite us with sores or sickness without God's Commission or at least without his Permission as you may see in the case of Job Job 2.6 Whatever may be the instrumental or material cause of any affliction yet God himself is the supream efficient Job 5.6 as Eliphaz said Affliction cometh not forth of the dust neither doth trouble spring out of the ground By this proverbial Speech he would have us look higher than to secondary causes even to God himself as the Author for so he is Isa 45.7 so Amos 3.6 Shall there be evil in a City and the Lord hath not done it It is not to be understood of the malum culpae sed poenae evil of sin but of affliction and punishment God then sends sickness to his Children or he is pleased to exercise them with sickness and such like afflictions for good ends I 'le name two especially 1. For the purging out or preventing of sin Psal 119.67 71. so Isa 1.25 Isa 27.9 so Heb. 12.10 11. God sends sickness as he sent an Angel with a drawn Sword in his hand to Balaam Numb 22.32 to divert us from sinful courses God takes away corporal to recover spiritual health he weakens thee in body to weaken the body of sin in thee If he cast thee into a Feaver or burning Ague it is to refine thee and make thee a Vessel unto Honour sanctified and meet for the Masters use and prepared unto every good work as expressions be 2 Tim. 2.21 I have somewhere read how Basil the Great that holy Man being much troubled with the Head-ach prayed to God to remove it and was at length
of the rebellion of Corah and how the Earth opened her mouth and swallowed him up and his Company vers 32 33. So rebellious Absalom came to an untimely death and David was much moved with grief in that he died in rebellion 2 Sam. 18.9 33 compared See Prov. 16.14 The wrath of a King is as Messengers of Death but a wise man will pacifie it and it follows vers 15. In the light of the Kings countenance is life Be not disobedient and irreverent in your carriage towards Ministers which are your Spiritual Parens You may read 2 King 2.23 24. Two She Bears destroyed forty two Children for mocking the Prophet Though Children yet God would not bear it in them Possibly as some think because there were so many gathered together they were set on by their Idolatrous Parents to do what they did and therefore God justly punished them with the loss of their Children Lastly Be not disobedient to Natural Parents God may justly deprive them of natural life that are without natural affection Prov. 30.17 Prov. 20.20 Mar. 7.20 The eye that mocketh at his Father and despiseth to obey his Mother the Ravens of the Valley shall pick it out and the young Eagles shall eat it Homer though commonly reported to be blind yet saw and observed as much for speaking of one that did not relieve his Parents he tells us he lived but a short time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iliad Δ. Take heed then of disobedience to Magistrates Ministers or Natural Parents as you love your lives 2. Take heed of lustful uncleanness Sodom and Gomorrha and the Cities about them burnt strongly in lust Jude 7. and God sent a strange fire to destroy them from off the face of the Earth Gen. 19.24 25. So God cut off Onan for his filthiness Gen. 38.9 10. So 1 Cor. 10.8 you read how that for uncleanness there fell in one day three and twenty thousand Plin. Nat. Hist lib. 7. c. 53. Pliny tells us of Cornelius Gallus and T. Aetherius two great persons in Rome that died in the act of unchastity The Dog-dayes of lust are very dangerous Indeed this sin consumes the radical moisture and so in its own nature tends to weakness and sickness and the shortening of a mans dayes The wise Man tells you The Harlots house enclineth unto death and her paths unto the dead Prov. 2.18 so likewise Prov. 5.9 11. Prov. 6.26 33 34 35. Prov. 7.22 23. Prov. 31.3 Solomons Mother there adviseth him not to give his strength unto Women 3. Take heed of intemperance in eating and drinking This is as a Knife to cut our own Throats see Prov. 23.1 2. When thou sittest to eat with a Ruler a Magistrate or some great Man consider diligently what is before thee and put a Knife to thy Throat if thou be a man given to appetite Some read it impones cultellum gutturi tuo and then the sence is this thou dost as good as put a Knife to thy Throat if thou be a man given to appetite thou mayest endanger thy life if thou feedest too plentifully So vers 29 30. Who hath wo who hath sorrow who hath wounds without cause who hath redness of eyes They that tarry long at the Wine Our own luxuries as one saith fill us full of Diseases which shorten this our short day of life and set our Clock forward that it striketh dead before the time of our natural circle is gone about Deinde cogitemus saith Musculus Musculus in Ps 6.2 quae sit illorum vaesania qui per gulam intemperantiam seipsos donâ— sanitatis privant variis morbis obnoxios reddunt We may say of fasting and feasting as the Womâ—n sang of Saul and David Sam. 18.7 Saul hath slain his thousands and David his ten thousands feasting kills more ten to one than fasting Poor people who have the shortest meals have commonly the longest graces and the best health The Glutton digs his Grave with his own teeth the Drunkard drinks healths so long to others that he hath none to himself Non est in potâ vera salute salus And it is but just with God to strike him dead that makes himself dead drunk Take heed then of this sin it is good advice at all times but most seasonable at this time which is a time of much feasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pythag. Aurea Carmina We ought saith an Heathen to have a care of our bodily health and to observe a mean in drinking dyet and recreation 4. Take heed of immoderate sorrow This like an heavy burthen breaks a man and makes him stoop Prov. 12.25 Heaviness in the heart of man makes it stoop So Prov. 15.13 A merry heart makes a chearful countenance but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken David tells us Psal 31.10 My life is spent with grief and my years with sighing And the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 7.10 The sorrow of the World worketh death Immoderate sorrow for loss of worldly things weakens the body and hasteneth death 5. Take heed of impatience passion and discontent The murmurring Israelites were destroyed of the destroyer 1 Cor. 10.10 An impatient man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his own scourge We say truly the hasty man never wants wo. Pettish fretful passionate persons like the Demoniack in the Gospel Mar. 5.2 3. wound and cut themselves Wrath is compared to fire in Scripture Gen. 39.19 20. Esth 1.12 Est intus flamma medullas This fire of passion devours and consumes that which should maintain natural life The passionate man like Mount Aetna consumes his own bowels with inward burnings Thus as Eliphas tells Job Job 5.2 Wrath killeth the foolish man Vexing and fretting under providential dispensations spends a mans spirits and puts him upon taking such unlawful courses as are oft-times attended with destruction Prov. 19.19 A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment for if thou deliver him yet thou must do it again q. d. A passionate man is no sooner delivered from one danger but he brings himself into another 6. Take heed of Envy Job 5.2 Envy slayeth the silly one If a man be so silly as to hug this Viper in his bosom he doth it to his destruction Envy like a Moth doth insensibly consume a man depriving him of health and the comforts of this life Hence the wise Man calls envy the rottenness of the bones Prov. 14.30 The envious man melts away at the prosperity of others as you may see Psal 112.10 Invidus alterius rebus macrescit opimis The Dart of Envy is as a worthy Divine observes like that in Homer Dr. Pierce in Sinner impleaded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iliad γ. v. 348. Reflexa est ei cuspis Scuto in valido It alway recoyls into the breast of him that shot it and mischieves most at rebound 7. Take heed of pride and ambition
sickness but Epaphroditus did not regard his life to supply the Philippians lack of service towards Paul Heming in Phil. 2.30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat perperam consulere uti faciunt qui se in apertum vitae periculum conjiciunt Epaphroditus was willing to hazard health and life to supply St. Pauls wants And as Hemingius saith Hoc facere in loco pro Christo non est stultitiae aut imprudentiae sed verè coelestis sapientiae c. Thus to hazard life is not folly but true wisdom And as Musculus saith of Epaphroditus's sickness Muscul in Phil. 2.27 Id omnium erat optimum quòd in tà m pio verè Christiano opere incidit in hanc morbum beati sunt qui hoc mortis genere auferuntur ex hoc saeculo It was best of all that he fell sick in so good a work and happy are all they that die thus in the Work of the Lord Rev. 14.13 I end this point with that of our Saviour John 12.25 He that loveth his * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Hom. 66. Luk. 14.26 more then is fitting more then Christ his Church or Truth shall lose it in another World but he that hateth his life in this World loving it less for that 's the hatred here meant Gen. 29.31 then the Truth and Church of Christ shall keep it unto life eternal So much for this time Epaphroditus's Recovery Third Sermon PHIL 2.27 but God had mercy on him Dearly Beloved I Handled in the morning a Doctrine implyed which was this That life and health are mercies And in handling that Point as a Divine though TheologoruÌ„ minimus I shewed you Viam rectam ad vitam longam the true way to health and long life according to the Scriptures I shall not trouble you with repetition of what I then delivered because I have much matter before me and I would willingly finish this Text at this time I come then to the last and chief Point these words import which is this That God doth sometimes graciously recover or mercifully restore his People though they be grievously visited with sickness That God that knockt off Peters Chains and released him from Prison brought forth this Epaphroditus who like a Prisoner was confined to a sick Bed with few Attendants about him That God that ruleth the raging of the Sea Job 38.11 and stilleth the Waves thereof when they arise as it is Psal 89.9 put a stop in his due time to the fury of his Distemper We read of Dr. Willet that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that in his Journey from London he was forced to take up his lodging at Hodsdon in Hertfordshire having by a fall from his Horse broken his right Leg there being sick he continued God's Prisoner about nine dayes together and died It pleased God as my * Abel Redivivâ—â— in life of Dr. Willet Author speaks who hath appointed to every man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his own proper and peculiar kind of death and without whose providence not a Leaf falls from the Tree so to dispose of this Godly mans death that as a Pilgrim here on earth he must die in an Inn He was carried thence by Coach to his Town of Barley where he was Preacher and there buried He fell sick not far from home yet recovered not to go alive thither But Epaphroditus who fell sick at Rome above six hundred miles from Philippi through God's mercy was restored to health and returned to his People who were not a little comforted at the sight of him Now that God doth sometimes deliver his when nigh unto death is clear 1. From Scripture Texts see 1 Sam. 2 6. so Deut. 32.39 so Job 5.18 19. Eliphaz speaking of God saith He maketh sore and bindeth up he woundeth and his hands make whole He shall deliver thee in six troubles yea in seven there shall no evil touch thee So saith David Psalm 34.19 Many are the afflictions of the Righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of them all So Psal 68.20 He that is our God is the God of Salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad salutes Bythner according to the Original it is Salvations in the plural Number because he delivers several wayes and at several times and is the God of all manner of Salvation Temporal Spiritual and Eternal and then it follows * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exitus i e Domini est educere a morte Bythner in locum Unto God the Lord belong the issues from death in most deadly dangers he oft-times sends in help 2. The Point is clear by Scripture-Examples God recovered Hezekiah who was deadly sick 1 King 20.1.5 So he did Job yea and David oft insomuch that he describes God by this Periphrasis Psal 9.13 Thou that liftest me up from the gates of death That is from the power of death E portis mortis i. e. è potestate mortis sumiter enim porta in Scripturis pro magistratu potestate quòd in portis solerent exerceri judicia Muscul Muscul in Psul 9.13 in loc So Psal 116.6 I was brought low and he helped me So God delivered Paul from deadly dangers as you may gather from 2 Cor. 1.8 9 10. Thus it was with Epaphroditus in my Text who being sick nigh unto death the Lord had mercy on him Significat quod attinebat naturae vires actum fuisse de vitâ illius ideóque quòd sanitatè restitutus erat singulari fuisse ope ac virtute Dei factum Muscul Muscul in Phil 2.27 Vbi humanum deficit ibi incipit divinum auxiliums Many thousands in this Nation who have been sick even unto death both in the apprehension of themselves and others have been raised up again by God as so many Acts and Monuments of his mercy I therefore cease any farther proof of this known Point and shall proceed to give you the reasons of it And here for your profit I will take the Proposition into two parts and accordingly to each give in the Reasons of the Point and then I shall put them together again and make application of the whole The first part is this God is the Deliverer of his People And the chief Reasons why he doth deliver them I conceive to be these three 1. Because he is related to them and they to him He is their Husband Head King Master Father c. and they are his peculiar People his Spouse Members Subjects Servants Children and what not that speak thâ—m a People near and dear unto him Surely then as Samuel said 1 Sam. 12.22 The Lord will not forsake his People for his great Names sake because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his People 2. Because of his Promises of deliverance which he hath made to them See Psal 41.3 Psal 50.15 Isa 41.10 1 Cor. 10.13 These are precious Promises 2 Pet. 1.4 which God hath given to his People and in
place Psalm 68.20 He that is our God is the God of Salvation and to God the Lord belongs the issues from death This God whom the Righteous are related to and have an interest in can help in greatest straits and send in deliverance when they are nigh unto death and stand in most need of help That God that kept Moses's Bush burning yet it was not consumed Exod. 3.2 and preserved Noah's Ark upon the Waters from perishing in the Waters This God can preserve his People under sickness and their saddest tryals and in his due time give them an happy issue out of all afflictions See what the Psalmist saith Psal 73.26 My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart or according to Orig. The Rock of my heart or according to Septuag 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The God of mine heart and my portion for ever When the Godly Man's flesh fails health declines strength is weakned then is God ready to support him under sickness and to ease him of his pains either by restoring him to health or by taking him out of the miseries of this sinful World by death So that if we belong to God as Bullinger Bulling in phil 2.27 saith Optimè nobiscum agitur sive revalescamus sive moriamur it will go well with us whether we live or die 2. This Consideration affords comfort not only to believers ' midst personal sickness but likewise to God's Church ' midst national calamities Though Church and State lie as it were bed-rid languishing unto Death under Schism and Division Sin and Errour and other national Calamities Yet let us not despair of help for he that cured Epaphroditus here who was sick nigh unto death can help us even in this extremity See Ezek. 37.11 12 13. God like a skilful Bone-setter or Chyrurgeon can bind up the breach of his People and heal the stroak of their Wound as the expression is Isa 30.26 God hath promised to heal in case we return unto him by prayer and unfeigned repentance Isa 19.22 so Jer. 33.6 None indeed can heal us but he Hos 5.13 All others except God be of the Quorum are Physitians of no value Let us then as it is Hos 6.1 Come and return unto the Lord for he hath torn and he will heal us he hath smitten and he will bind us up Una eademque manus vulnus opemque feret 3. This consideration may afford comfort to such as are spiritually sick and in their apprehensions nigh unto eternal death and destruction That God that raised Epaphroditus who was deadly sick in body can cure thy Soul mortally wounded with sin Let such as are wounded in conscience consider this Though your wounds have been grievous and of a long standing yet they exceed not the skill and power of God the spiritual Physitian God can yea and will cure you if you turn to him and relie upon him Take my word for it Nay it is not only mine but God's Word or I should be loth to speak it in this place See Isa 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way Ezek. 18.27 and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon So Matth. 11.28 Come unto me saith Christ all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Come to Christ and wellcome he keeps open house to all comers 4. And lastly Gods dear People that by their sinning have blurred their evidences for Heaven and fallen from some degrees of Grace and Spiritual Comfort as David did Psal 51.8 12. Let them not despair of recovery That God that restored Epaphroditus's sick body to its pristine health Ps 147.3 can restore thy soul to spiritual health peace and comfort Thus he dealt by David Psal 23.3 He restoreth my soul He is the Creator of Peace and Comfort Isa 45.7 so Isa 57.17 18 19. and hath promised in his due time to speak peace unto his People and to his Saints but let them not turn again to folly Psal 85.8 I end this with that of the Evangelical Prophet Isa 50.10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his Servant that walketh in darkness and hath no light a Child of light it seems may walk in darkness i. e. have little or no comfort for the present yet let him trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon his God Let him still wait on God prayingly believingly obediently c. in God's due time which is ever best comfort will come And so much for this Use by way of comfort Vse 2 2. By way of instruction We learn if God cure the body of sickness as he did Epaphroditus here surely it is he that cures the Soul of sin which is a far harder work God upon the account of Christ who as at this time came into the World to undertake for us heals our souls of sin by applying Christs perfect Righteousness to the soul he removes the guilt and by his blessed Spirit implanting in the soul the Seeds of Divine Grace he heals it of the filth of sin Psal 103.3 Who pardoneth all thine Iniquities who healeth all thy Diseases God alone that cures the body of its distempers heals the soul of its spiritual maladies The Scribes and Pharisees acknowledged as much Luke 5.21 The Pope cannot pardon sins The Ministers of the Church of England absolve no otherwise then declarativè as the Embassadors of Christ God doth it autoritativè the authority is wholly his We do but pronounce the Pardon which before we speak is really done in Heaven to sincere Penitents Vse 3 and last 3. And lastly By way of Exhortation 1. To all in general Let us be exhorted to go to God for help in time of sickness It was he that cured Epaphroditus when sick nigh unto death Too too blame are they who in sickness and such like straits consult Astrologers Witches Devils and I know not whom for help It was an inexcusable sin in Ahaziah King of Israel who in his sickness sought to Baalzebub the Godd of Ekron for recovery of his health and for so doing God threatned him and accordingly brought it to pass that he should not come down from his sick-bed but should surely die Read the passage in 2 King 1.2 c. What good got Saul by consulting the Witch of Endor Surely the Wounds of God are rather to be chosen than the Devils Plaisters Indeed their best cures are deadly wounds For if the mortal body should be restored by such unlawful means yet the immortal soul which is the far better part is thereby much endangered Habes hoc loco qui omnes depollit morbos Bul in Phil. 2.27 O do not go about indirectly to wind your selves out of trouble you have a God to repair unto who can help at all straits and at every turn your head cannot ake
without his leave nor leave aking without his help Quest But what would you have us to use no outward means to take no Medicines to consult no Physicians Answ Not so I would have lawful means to be used Physicians to be consulted and that betimes before Distempers become inveterate and so scorn the vertue of soveraign Drugs Ovid. Principiis obsta Pharmaca nascenti sunt adhibenda malo Our Saviour saith Mat. 9.12 The whole need not the Physician but they that are sick The sick then do need him and ought to seek unto him So we read Luke 8.43 of a woman that had an issue of blood twelve years and had spent all her Living upon Physitians neither could be healed of any Yet our Saviour did not blame her for seeking to them for help nor the Physitians for taking their Fees though they did her no good for she rather grew worse saith another Evangelist Mark 5.26 Yet considering that life is so great a mercy as you heard in the morning methinks Physitians should not be too exacting but do something for the poorer sort of people for charity-sake and for conscience-sake I hope Physitians will pardon me this short digression for I am pleading for them Asa is not blamed for seeking unto Physitians but because he sought to them chiefly neglecting God 2 Chron. 16.12 And in the very next verse you read of his death vers 13. Means never help without God Jer. 46.11 nor doth God now-adayes usually help without means God requires we should use means as a learned Mr. Corbet in Serm. on 1 Cor. 1.27 Divine saith Ex indulgentiâ non ex indigentiâ To honour us not to help him The same reasons which moved God to make the Creatures move him still to use them not necessity and want of power but love and goodness Object 1 If God have decreed I shall recover I shall recover though I use no means Answ Non sequitur It doth not follow that if God have decreed you shall recover you shall recover without using means You may as well say If God have decreed I shall have a Crop of Corn this ensuing year I shall have it without Ploughing and Sowing If God have decreed I shall come to my journeys end I shall come thither though I sit still or walk a contrary way It is a known rule Praedestinatus ad finem ad media etiam praedestinatus God hath appointed means in order to the end and what God hath joyned together let no man put asunder He may justly lose the fruit of an happy end that neglects the use of lawful means God had promised to add fifteen years to Hezekiah's life Isa 38. and Hezekiah was assured of it by a certain sign from the Lord yet he must take a lump of Figs and lay it for a Playster upon the Bile vers 21. God assured Paul in that great tempest that there should be no loss of any mans life among them but of the Ship Acts 27.22 23 24. and St. Paul himself believed as much vers 25. yet tells them vers 31. Except these abide in the Ship ye cannot be saved Object 2 But cannot God cure if he will without means or by weake and improbable means Answ Yes God nourished Moses and Elias forty dayes without food he made Clay and Spittle which one would think should put out sight a means to recover it John 9.6 7. He so wrought that the very shadow of Peter should heal multitudes of all Diseases Acts 5.15 God's hand is not now shortned nor doth the antient of dayes like an old man grow weak and infirm in the latter end of the World What he hath done he can still do if it please him Psal 115.3 But we are not to expect now-adayes God's miraculous working A potentiâ Dei ad actum non valet consequentia nisi etiam accedat voluntas Dei God commonly sets down a course of means which he will not alter and then as one saith it concerns us to answer providence with industry and to put forth our strength and use such means as God vouchsafes We are now to expect a concourse of second causes which in their Sphere may derive to every effect a proper vertue through God's ordinary blessing Object 3 Best Physitians kill more than they cure Turba medicorum Cesarem perdidit Answ I think not so but the chief reason why so many die in their hands is this Because people repair to them when it is too late Serò Medicina paratur Hopes of outwrestling the Distemper fear of expences or some prejudice against Physitians make many people to delay making application to them Or it may be they have been tampering with some Quacksalvers or Mountebanks for cheapness and indeed these may afford their Physick for little for it is little worth and their knowledge cost them little having never seen the Universities except in some journey who not understanding the nature of the Distemper apply wrong means so that the Patients growing worse betake themselves to a more learned man but it is too late for him to cure them so that men dying in his hand he shall be sure to have his back sadled with illfavoured language though he deserves it not Have recourse then betimes to learned and experienced Doctors in that Art for the cure of your Distempers Thousands in this Nation as well as my self can tell you experimentally of the good service done this way Object 4 Last If my appointed time be run up means are not available Answ But who knows when his appointed time is run up Old Isaac said I know not the day of my death Gen. 27.2 Christ told the Apostles Acts 1.7 It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power God makes none of his Privy Council herein What saith Moses Deut. 29.29 Secret things such as this is belong unto the Lord our God but revealed things to us c. Let us do our duty in consulting Physitians and then let God do his pleasure Let us use means and leave the success to God Means then are to be used Physitians to be consulted but God is principally to be eyed as the best Physitian for so indeed he is And that you may find him ready to help you in your sickness put these following Directions into practice 1. Pray and get others to pray for thee Thus did David in sickness and the like straits as you may see Psal 6.2 3 4 5. so Psal 25. 16 17 18. so Psal 39.10 The Title of the 142 Psalm is Maschil of David a Prayer when he was in the Cave When thou art pursued with some violent Distemper and confined to a sick-bed as to a Cave then make thy supplication unto God as David did I doubt not as Musculus Musculus in Ps 6.2 saith but David in sickness made use of Medicines but he prayes to God to bless those outward means as
swiftly towards us if these sins were removed deliverance would come on apace When God then casts thee upon a sick-bed commune with thine own heart and let thy spirit make diligent search Psal 77.6 Conscience at such a time that bosom Preacher if God in justice hath not silenced it for willful disobedience will preach to thee thy particular sins Affliction oft-times awakens a drowsie Conscience Particular straits many times bring particular sins to remembrance which have been long forgotten as you may see Gen. 42.21 so Job 36.8 9 10. Hearken then to the voice of Conscience which may bring to mind thy particular sins and seriously meditate upon the forementioned sins that tend to the impairing of health and with Job in sickness and sores pray to God to shew thee wherefore he contendeth with thee Job 10.2 And again saith he Job 13.23 Make me to know my transgression and my sin And as Elibu speaks Job 34.31 That which I see not teach thou me if I have done iniquity I will do no more Having thus found out thy sins confess them with grief of heart and deal with them as the Marriners dealt by Jonah Jon. 1.15 cast them overboard forsake them utterly so the storm may cease If we thus humble our selves under the mighty hand of God he will exalt us in due time 1 Pet. 5.6 and raise us up from beds of languishment if he see it best for us as he did Epaphroditus here who was sick nigh unto death but God had mercy on him And so much for the first branch of this Use of Exhortation I come now to the second branch and it is a word of Exhortation to such as have been sick and God in mercy hath restored to health Let them be exhorted to take forth these following Lessons 1. Live in constant expectation of death and preparation for death Many are too too confident of health after sickness whereas it is ordinary for poor man to recover of one Distemper and fall irrecoverably into the same again or some other Non est sic illius misertus Deus ut ab hoc mortis debito in posterum prorsus esset liberatus Muscul Muscul in Phil. 2.27 God was not so merciful unto Epaphroditus as that he should never die The best of men one time or other how soon God knows must pay the debt to extorting Nature Ps 89.48 The Apostle speaks of the dissolution of the earthly house of this Tabernacle 2 Cor. 5.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de re periturâ as of a thing that will shortly perish So speaks St. Peter 2 Pet. 1.14 I must shortly put off this my Tabernacle And truly after sickness we may rationally conclude That the house cannot stand long that hath been so terribly shaken Let us then though reprieved for the present expect death and speedily prepare our selves for it Eccl. 9.10 Whatever thy hand finds to do do it with all thy might Let us bring our selves daily to a strict scrutiny set soul and house in order and speedily dress our selves for immortality for we see when sickness comes we have work enough to wrestle with the Distemper Oh my beloved Put not off soul-concerns till old age or sickness this is to lay the greatest burthen upon the weakest horse Repentance is too great a task to be rightly performed upon a sick-bed and usually like the party it is at best but weak and sickly Do not we who have been sick know by experience how unfit we are for any work at such a time especially for this great work of repentance which indeed should be an entire act of the whole life And therefore 2. Live circumspectly Most men in sickness are seemingly devout and therefore the Holy Ghost sets a brand upon Ahaz who in the time of distress did trespass yet more against the Lord 2 Chron. 28.22 This is that King Ahaz he points at him as a monster of man-kind for men usually during the continuance of distress do seek unto the Lord Hos 5.15 and bewail their sins and promise fair as Pharaoh Ahab and others but when the force of his hand is removed they return again to their old bias they are as bad if not worse then ever like a dunghill the more the Sun of Mercy shines upon them the more they stink and putrifie in all sin See an unworthy carriage in Hezekiah though for the main a good man 2 Chron. 32.24 there you read of his recovery from deadly sickness and vers 25. But Hezekiah rendred not again according to the benefit done unto him for his heart was lifted up His heart was not lift up in the wayes of God as it is said of Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 17.6 but in sinful wayes as pride self-conceit c. Therefore there was wrath upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem and this wrath had broken forth upon them had they not humbled themselves and with tears of contrition quenched those flames as you read v. 26. The Devil himself as the story goes when he was sick would be holy and turn Monk but when he was recovered he was as much a Devil as before * Dr. Vanes Wisdom and Innocence p. 119. Aegrotat Daemon Monachus tunc esse volebat Convaluit Daemon Daemon ut ante fuit The Devil was sick the Devil a Monk would be The Devil was well the Devil a Monk was he But O my Friends let us labour to preserve that gracious frame that was in us in our sickness If we be not careful either wicked Company or the cares of this World will soon make us luke-warm or key-cold Methinks the mercy of God in recovering us should mightily affect us We read 1 Sam. 24.16 17 18. how David got Saul at an advantage and spared him when he had * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power to destroy him whereupon Saul lift up his voice and wept God that cast us on a sick-bed might justly have cast us thence into Hell He spared us when he might have destroyed us O let it grieve us at the heart that ever we offended so good a God And as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 6.15 Shall I take the Members of Christ and make them Members of an Harlot God forbid So let every one which God hath raised up again say Shall I take the members of my body which God hath delivered from grievous pains and imploy them in sin and wickedness God forbid I should be so vile a wretch Methinks the remembrance of the great pain that we underwent in sickness should humble us for our miscarriages all the days of our life after Lam. 3.19 20. Remembring my affliction my misery the Wormwood and the Gall my soul hath them still in remembrance and is humbled in me Besides are not the vows of God upon us as David speaks Psal 56.12 Sacramental Vows Personal Vows Did we not promise and vow That if God restored us we would be more holy and strict then ever It is
best for us to pay our Vows Deut. 23.21 Eccl. 5.4 5. we are perjur'd persons truce-breakers if we do not Defer not to put into action what God's Spirit in sickness put into intention Do as David did when he was brought low God helped him Psal 116.6 God delivered his soul from death v. 8. See his resolution v. 9. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living He devoted himself to God's Service v. 16. Truly O Lord I am thy Servant I am thy Servant And he likewise resolved to pay his Vows v. 14. so v. 18. so likewise Psal 66.13 14. I will go into thine house with burnt-offerings I will pay thee my Vows which my lips have uttered and my mouth hath spoken when I was in trouble Let health strength life soul and body the products of Gods mercy be presented to his service Rom. 12.1 I end this with that advice which Christ gave to one whom he cured John 5.14 Behold thou art made whole sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee 3. Apply your selves to God in future straits pray unto him trust in him Thus did David Psal 116.2 Because he hath enclined his ear unto me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live So v. 17. I will call upon the Name of the Lord. So Ps 56.3 What time I am afraid I will put my trust in thee for v. 13. Thou hast delivered my soul from death So Ps 63.7 Thou hast been my help therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoyce See 1 Sam. 17.37 so 2 Cor. 1.9 10. We had the sentence of death saith the Apostle in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raised the dead who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us It is good Scripture-logick as * Mr. Reyners Praecepts p. 266. one saith to draw conclusions of confidence from premises of experience Such then whom God hath restored to health when God casts them again into the Prison of a sick-bed let them be still Prisoners of Hope as the expression is Zach. 9.12 Suffer not Faith to flag and Hope to hang wing Lam. 3.26 It is good that a man should both hope and patiently wait for the salvation of the Lord. 4. Sympathize with others that are in misery If God have had mercy on thee go thou and have mercy on others Be not straitned in your bowels as some in the Church of Corinth were 2 Cor. 6.12 Oh pity and pray for such as are in sickness and misery and do them all offices of love and kindness that may be Not only God calls for this but the Law of friendship calls for it Job 6.14 To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend But yet Job's friends dealt very unfriendly with him as you may see v. 15. whom he compares to a Brook which in open weather when people have least need of water promiseth refreshment but in cold weather is frozen up and in hot weather is become dry so that the weary Travellers fall short of their expectation So you may find him complaining how he was forsaken of all Relations Job 19.2 c. insomuch that he begs their pity upon the account of friendship v. 21. Have pity upon me have pity upon me O ye my Friends for the hand of God hath touched me here is another Argument for if you touch or strike upon the string of an Instrument other strings move too When God strikes another with sickness we our selves should be moved with compassion towards them the sicknesses and miseries of others call for your help Jos 10.6 Acts 16.9 As the Father said of Lazarus's sores Quot ulcera tot ora so many sores so many mouths calling for the rich mans help Yea though they be their enemies you should pity them as David did Psal 35.11 12 13 14. Though compassion begin at the heart yet it should proceed to the hand and mouth help them with your counsels and prayers and purses too Sic mens per compassionem doleat ut larga manus affectum doloris ostendat What the good Samaritan did Luk. 10.30 c. By which passage our Saviour would teach us to have pity on those whether friends or enemies acquaintance or strangers that stand in need of our help v. 37. Go thou and do likewise The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies Alms comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies Pity Alms should be a fruit of pity 1 Joh. 3.17 If you who have known what it is to lie under sickness do not pity such folk who should if you do not who will 5. Lastly Give God the sole praise of all let him have the glory of the cure for to him it belongs and it is a piece of sacriledge to rob God of his due We should not give nor should any man take to himself the glory of a cure Neither Peter nor John Act. 3.12 Paul nor Barnabas Act. 14.11 c. durst take to themselves the glory of a cure Every Physitian should say as the King of Israel in another case said to the Woman crying out to him for help 2 King 6.26 27. If the Lord do not help thee whence shall I help thee The best Physitians can do nothing without Gods assistance Simples are but simple things without the blessing of God upon them Who put medicinal qualities into Drugs but the God of Nature Whence had the Physitian his skill to find out the quality of the Distemper and apply sutable means but from the God of Wisdom Jam. 1.5 Christ said Mat. 4.4 Man lives not by bread alone c. Nor is man recovered by Physick alone without Gods blessing Ps 107.18 19 20. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat and they draw near to the gates of death then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble he saveth them out of their distress he sent his Word and healed them and delivered them from their destructions It follows v. 21. O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men Quest But may we not thank our Physitian Answ Yes and you are too blame if you do not Ingratitude is an odious sin Gen. 40.23 compared with Gen. 41.9 It is one of the sins that makes the last times so perillous 2 Tim. 3.2 The Heathen thought you could not give a man a more odious title then to call him ungrateful Ingratum si dixeris omnia as though it was a compendium of all vices and indeed it is a decompounded sin Ahasuerus was too blame to forget loyal-hearted Mordecai so long who had been a means to save his life till it was almost too late to remember him He was to be commended for conferring civil dignities upon him afterwards as you read he did Esth 6. Let such as are unthankful to Physitians and to such as are a means to save their lives from destruction go to School to those Barbarians Acts 28.8 9 10. from whom they may learn lessons of Civility They honoured Saint Paul who healed many amongst them of many Diseases with many honours and when he with the rest of his company departed they laded them with such things as were necessary Well then you may and ought to thank them as Instruments but remember that God is the supream efficient They are to be rewarded and respected for their pains and care with us but God alone is to be praised for the Cure wrought upon us God is the Fountain they are but as Pipes to convey God's mercies to us Let us then give God the praise of all as the Angels sung Gloria in Excelsis Glory be to God on high Luk. 2.14 And as Christ hath taught us Mat. 6.13 For thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory for ever Amen That Woman in the Gospel cured of the Distemper called by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glorified God as you may read Luke 13.13 There were ten Lepers that lift up their voices and said Jesus Master have mercy on us Luk. 17.13 Yet being cleansed there was but one of them that turned back and with a loud voice glorified God vers 15. But Christ took notice of their ingratitude v. 17 18. There was but one of ten that returned to give thanks 'T is ten to one if God cure us but we prove ungrateful Oh let us not in sickness pray for mercy and in health forget to return thanks for the receit of mercy Non sonet illud tantum miserere Deus sed sonet etiam laus gratianum actio pro accepta illius misericordia Muscul in Phil. 2.27 David was much in praising God for delivering him from deadly dangers as the Psalms testifie Psal 30.1 3 4. 86.12 13. 103.3 104.33 116.6 12 17. 118.14 146. v. 1 2. So Hezekiah being recovered pens a Song of Thanksgiving Isa 38.9 c. Oh my beloved extraordinary mercies call for more then ordinary thanks Exod. 12.42 Communicate your experiences Psalm 66.16 Tell others of the cures God hath wrought Joh. 5.15 Mar. 5.19 The tongue is called our glory Psal 16.9 Let your glory sing praise to God and not be silent Psal 30.12 Wherein is your tongue a glory if not in setting forth the glory of God I end all with that Doxology of the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.17 Now unto the King Eternal Immortal Invisible the only wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS