judgement to the parents and to the children too Vpon the Parent as farre as hee is guiltie of the neglect of his dutie and of evill example and the like so hee is punished in the shame that befalleth his posterity As it is a blessing upon a man that hee is not ashamed to sit in the Gates as Solomon speakes no man can upbraid him with his children So it is a correction to Gods children even when their children prove ungodly so farre as they have beene negligent and carelesse of their duty This was the case of old Eli a good man yet neverthelesse the hand of God was gone out against his house and familie and what was the reason of it Because thou honourest thy sonnes above mee they made themselves vile and thou restrainest them not therefore will I bring a judgement upon thy house at which both the cares of every one that heareth it shall tingle I say it may come to passe and that by reason of that naturall affection that is in Parents that that miserie that befalleth their children may bee an exceeding crosse and affliction to them God layes sharpe corrections on them when he makes those children which they accounted as comforts and the hope of their life to bee the very crosse and vexation of their life There is then yee see such a course of Gods dealing with men to visit the sinnes of the Fathers upon the children that is if the children walke in their fathers steps if the child and the father agree in a course of sinne if the father by omission or commission make himselfe guiltie of the sinne of the child c. and so if the child either by imitation or allowance goe on in his fathers way he draweth a greater judgement upon himselfe by adding to his fathers sinne and as they are alike in sinne so they shall be alike in judgement You see likewise for temporall judgements that God may and often-times doth lay many sicknesses and crosses upon the children for the sinne of their parents that they may bee smitten by the judgement that is upon their children and yet neverthelesse the children may be free from sinne for who ever was afflicted being innocent Is this so then in the first place it should teach Parents to take heede of making themselves miserable in their posteritie by sinning against God There are specially three sorts of sinnes in Scripture for which God continueth his judgements upon mens posterities and families The first are sinnes against the first Table against the worship of God Idolatrie and such like for these God smiteth mens posterities as wee may see in Ieroboam and others And so the neglect of dutie prophanenesse and negligence in Gods worship Let thy wrath come upon the heathen and on the families that call not upon thy name A familie I know in a large sense signifieth a Nation but in a strict sense a familie or posterity in that place it signifieth both A Familie or people that lay aside the worship of God and the sanctifying of his Name those that lie under this charge of not calling upon the name of God let thy wrath come upon them A second sort of sinnes are those against the second Table unrighteousnesse injustice uncleannesse and the like for those sins God visiteth mens posterities punisheth them in their children sometime by taking them away sometimes by smiting them with such sicknesses and temporall afflictions and chastisements as Parents have continuall matter of sorrow and humiliation and calling their sins to mind The Scripture is full of instances of this kinde Thirdly for the neglect of dutie to their children when Parents are too fond and remisse in their education and carelesse in their dutie therefore Iob was fearefull of this lest his sons should sinne against God and he was continually in prayer that God would keepe them in his feare Parents if they would have a blessing continued on their posteritie they should be carefull of sanctifying their Families by the worship of God and by their walking with an upright heart in the middest of their house by dealing righteously with men in all their businesses not to strive to reare their posteritie by wealth but by grace to leave them heires of the blessing rather then of much money That is the way to have comfort in children and posterity Yee see how few of those that in this Citie or other places that have got such wealth thrive in many generations nay it may be not in the next generation but come some to notorious beggarie in the sight of others that others may be warned how they get estates by unjustice and unrighteousnesse to leave to their families There is the judgement of God going along with unrighteous gaine and a sinfull life and falleth upon posteritie as farre as they approve of or walke in their fathers waies In the second place it should teach children to take heed of the sinfull courses of their Parents if they will not joyne with them in their punishment nay if they will not have the increase of their punishments take heed I say take heed of going on in their sinnes Remember the charge that the Lord gave concerning Babilon Come out of her if you will not partake of her Plagues if yee will not partake of their plagues take heed of partaking in the sinnes of your Parents Here was Davids pietie he calleth his sinnes to remembrance So ought Parents in all crosses that befall their families or posteritie if any child be sicke or weake or if there be any crosse in their estates or trade or successe in their businesse whereby they should maintaine their Families to call their owne sinnes to remembrance to looke over the severall commands of God to see what sinnes they are guiltie of that they have not yet repented of Now wee come to Davids carriage when the childe was dead But now hee is dead wherefore should I fast Can I bring him backe againe I shall goe to him but hee shall not returne to mee Here yee have Davids carriage and the reasons why he did not fast First because it was against reason wherefore should I fast in this expression he implieth that he saw no reason for it and that made him forbeare it Secondly it is altogether bootlesse and needlesse Can I bring him backe againe Thirdly I shall goe to him I have somewhat else to doe then to spend my time in unprofitable sorrow there is a matter that concerneth mee more neerely to thinke upon that is concerning my owne death to prepare for that And lastly the last reason is Hee shall not returne to mee These are the reasons of the alteration of his carriage upon the death of the child Concerning sorrow for the dead ye must understand it of excessive sorrow Here is not forbidden a due measure of sorrow that is allowed but he speakes of sorrow in the excesse
parts the maine matter whereof things were made and shall that be the destruction of that whereof it is made Yes saith the Apostle All things were made by water too and yet they were destroyed by water and why not then by fire But God deferreth the promise of his comming What of that He putteth it not quite off though he deferre yet it is not long with God for there is no time long to him that is eternall and in that he deferreth it is that some men may be brought to salvation and others made inexcusable Thus the Apostle takes off all objections of the Atheists of the world and sheweth that there shall be a day of Iudgement Secondly it serveth for instruction If there shall be such a Iudgement to come if God will have such a time of reckoning with all his stewards in the world Then it teacheth us first not to busie our selves in judging one another why because there shall a time come of Gods Iudgement Who art thou saith the Apostle that judgest thy brother wee shall all stand before the judgement seate of Christ. Asif he should say What a bold part what a presumptuous part is this that thou shouldst judge thy brother Dost thou not know that there is one that shall judge him and thee is it fit that he that is a prisoner at the Barre should come and leape up into the place of the Iudge and sit in his seat Yee are all fellow prisoners together and yee must all stand before the judgement seat of Christ. So in another place the same Apostle when hee would take men off from judging saith hee Iudge nothing before the time Why for the Lord will come who both will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts and then shall every man have praise of God As if hee should say Thou art not able to judge aright it may bee that man that thou dispraisest at that day may find praise with God Secondly Turne the judgement on thy owne heart bee more in judging of thy selfe that thou mayest not bee judged of the Lord. Will God call thee to a reckoning then begin to call thy selfe to a reckoning first How shall that bee done There is a double reckoning that every man must undergoe that will avoid this reckoning with God First hee must reckon with his owne heart Secondly with others First with his owne heart Every man must take all the advantages and opportunities that God hath given to reckon with himselfe Doth God awaken thy conscience by the preaching of his word Descend into thy owne heart It is that that the Lord lookes for that a man should say What have I done Doth God smite thee with someafflictions if with losses reckon with thy selfe how thou hast gained thy wealth If with disgraces reckon with thy selfe about thy pride and ambition and vanitie of thy heart If God smite thy body with sicknesse reckon with thy selfe about the imployment of thy health and the well usage of the times and seasons of grace Every evening call thy selfe to an account What have I done this day where have I beene In what company how have I carried my selfe there what good have I done what good have I received In the matters of thy calling reckon with thy selfe with what heart thou hast followed it with what care to conforme thy selfe to Gods word the rule of righteousnesse If thou hast been in pleasures whether they were lawfull and if they were whether they were lawfully used Thus must every man reckon with his owne heart as the Church in Lament 3. 39. Wherefore is the living man sorrowfull Man suffereth for his sinne let us search our wayes and turne againe to the Lord. There are many that thinke to out-face God and men in their sinnes but know this who-ever thou art that if thou forbeare to reckon with thy owne heart God will assuredly reckon with thee thou must reckon here or hereafter with thy selfe or with God therefore saith David Psal. 4. Commune with your owne hearts upon your beds that is bee sure to take time from your sleepe rather then to neglect this businesse of reckoning with your owne hearts Secondly Reckon with others too Let that man that is in authoritie a Magistrate so carry himselfe in his imployments that he may reckon with the people and give an account to them if need be as Samuel did Whose oxe have I taken or whose asse have I taken or whom have I defrauded whom have I oppressed or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith The Lord saith hee is a witnesse that yee have not found any thing in my hand And not only so but that they may bee able to witnesse that they have beene great instruments of Gods glory and of the good of others Let Ministers reckon with the people committed to their charge as Paul did when hee tooke his leave of the Ephesians and was to goe up to Ierusalem I take you to record this day saith he that I am pure from the bloud of all men for I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsell of God and I have kept backe nothing that was profitable unto you but have shewed you and taught you publikely and from house to house And because I know that after my departure there will somewhat remaine to be done for Grievous wolves will enter in not sparing the flocke therefore I will be carefull that there be a succession of faithfull Ministers after me and therefore I give charge to the rest that follow that they take heed to themselves and to the flocke over which the holy Ghost hath made them overseers to feed the Church of God which hee hath purchased with his owne bloud Let Masters reckon with their Families their servants and children whether they have done their dutie as faithfull Masters not only in furthering the service of God but also in furthering of them by instruction and example to all good Let those that are in a way of traffique learne to reckon with those that they deale withall If thou hast wronged any by unjust gaine thou must reckon with him by restitution there is nothing that thou hast gotten unjustly for which thou dost not reckon now but as Saint Iames saith at that day shall eat thy flesh as it were fire Therefore Zacheus when salvation was brought to his house If I have done unjustly and wronged any I restore it Doubtlesse there are many men that cloathe themselves in Sattin and Velvet and abound in all varietie and bravery that would now be houselesse and monilesse and apparellesse it may bee if they should make restitution of their unjust gaine Well doe it as yee love your owne soules you shall reckon as you are Gods stewards with him how you have come by every penny that you have in
a flash of lightning in the Ayre and gone away againe presently but it must be rooted and grounded in a man so as that it will continue continue so as that the exercise of graces and duties toward God should be frequent and quotidian as it is here in the Text The desire of our soule is to thee in the evening and our spirit shall seeke thee early in the morning Morning and evening frequently daily to have commerce and communion with God to walke with him to set our selves in his presence and to approve our selves to him to make it our constant trade to doe so to be Gods dayes-men to worke by the day with him and withall to be constant to hold out for perpetuity Onely time can discover truth and truth is the daughter of time to us God knoweth it before but wee can never know but by the holding out but by the perpetuity I acknowledge there is a great difference betweene that which the Scripture calleth temporary faith and that which it calleth saving faith there is I say a great difference they doe not only differ in this that the one holdeth out and the other doth not hold out but they differ in their vitall principles by vertue of which one holdeth out because it hath a more noble nature in it and the other because it is a slighter timbered thing it doth not hold out because the one is a reall and true and substantiall beautie of grace the other but a superficiall and painted beautie substantiall beauty that is founded upon nature upon our complexion whether it raine or shine it will hold out in both but painted beauty one feares a little wet will alter the painting another lest a little heate should doe it A painted beauty will not hold but true will hold And they that doe love true love long as our Proverb saith I am certaine it is so here they who doe once love God truly love God for ever I will dispatch the rest in a word There be some speciall duties besides these generalls which make the generall character of a Christian I say there are some speciall duties that doe concerne him according to the speciallity of times Now there is a double time and so a double posture of a Christian in which accordingly he hath severall suites of graces to put on and to exercise There is a double dealing of God which is the foundation of it God dealeth sometime in a way of mercie and favour toward his servants and God dealeth sometime in a way of judgement and wrath and displeasure and he doth so though not as an angrie Judge but as a father that is angrie even with his owne servants Now accordingly as this generall temper and frame of spirit should be at all times so it should shew and discover it selfe in those severall times In the time when God sheweth favour then the servant of God is to serve God so much the more chearfully and so much the more fruitfully to runne the wayes of Gods commandements because God inlargeth his way and giveth him free scope and more opportunities and advantages for it and to improve those favours for the advancement of his glory that gave them But the particular thing that is especially exprest here though that be intimated too and it is noted as a character here of a wicked spirit that they will doe wickedly in the land of uprightnesse that is in the land where God dealeth very gently and graciously and uprightly with them every way and squarely that they can no waycomplaine it is a wicked spirit that doth so But that which is specially meant here in the way of thy judgements will we waite for thee is that Gods servants will not only not start if their temper be right from God when he smiles upon them but they will love him when he frowneth they will even then stoope and kisse the rodde they will then obey him Gods children will acknowledge him to be their Father and Lord and submit to him even when he is angrie Here is a vast difference betweene the godly and the wicked as I shall a little touch by and by As the Father speakes even to this very purpose when sweet oyntment is chafed it smells the more sweet it delivereth the perfume the more excellent but in a dunghill in a filthy place stirre it and the more you stirre the more it stinkes Wicked spirits when God doth but chafe them manifest the filth and corruption that is within them as a man may know money as he saith when it falleth downe whether it be silver or brasse it will then betray it selfe so here their language their speech will betray them then and declare what they are The divell thought that Iob had beene of such a temper that hee would have curst God to his face if hee would lay his hand upon him and touch him but it was farre otherwise because he was of a better mettall and stampe therefore he blessed God in the middest of judgement as he had done formerly in the middest of his mercies And this is that a Christian should doe labour to bee fruitfull in thankfulnesse and chearefulnesse of spirit when God sheweth favour and giveth any case and mercy to him and labour likewise to be faithfull and constant to him even when his judgements are abroad But there be divers particulars in that I will but meerely mention them There be these foure things as so many steps and degrees of the dutie of a Christian in the times of Judgement whether they be impendant or incombent whether they be publike or private that concerne the Church or particular persons First of all the dutie of a Christian in the times of Judgement if he be of a right temper is Perseverance to hold out not to be beaten off for a little storme or shocke but to keepe on his pace to keepe on his way Travellers that goe to sea meerely to bee sicke a little or in sport if there arise but a blacke cloud they presently give over their voyage is at an end they come not to venture shockes and stormes and danger they come for pleasure but the Marchant that is bound upon a voyage whose trade and imployment of life it is every cloud and wind doeth not make him to returne backe a gaine to shoare and to give over but he goeth them through so it is in this case one that is not indeed and in earnest travelling toward heaven he will be easily off upon a little storme arising if God doe but frowne if there be but a wrinckle in his brow all his pleasure in religion is gone for it was some other things he aymed at it was but for pleasure he came in here but a godly Christian who is bound for heaven whose voyage is set for heaven and his course and the bent of his soule lieth that way that like a ship
the Doctrine of repentance because the kingdome of God was at hand This is that upon which Saint Peter groundeth his exhortation unto the people Acts 3. 18. Repent saith he and bee converted that your sinnes may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord Therefore repent and returne unto God doe away your sinnes because there will a time of refreshing come and you had need then to be found in another hue in another state then in your old rotten withered condition and sinfull lusts This is the Argument that the Apostle used to the Athenians to bring them from Idolatrie to serve the living God because God hath appointed to judge the world in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath ordained Even for that reason because God hath appointed a time to judge the world in righteousnesse therefore they should turne from their Idols to serve the living God There is nothing that doth so unbottome the heart nothing so shakes and looseneth a mans hold of sinne and unrighteousnesse as the consideration of Christs comming to Judgement What will it boote me will the soule reason to keep my sins when Christ will come to judge me for my sins What shall I get by going on in a course of a sinne when I can looke for nothing then but a sentence of wrath to be denounced against me This then is that that doth settle a man in a holy conversation in that respect Nay fourthly this is that also which quickneth a man to the practise of all holy duties in his place both in his generall and particular Calling It is the very argument which the Apostle Saint Peter useth to stirre us up to holinesse of conversation Seeing saith he that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought wee to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse looking for the comming of the day of God wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with fervent heate As if hee should have said Looke now about the whole world and see what it is that now can comfort you if you be such as goe on in a course of sinne It may be you will say I feare not much for I have many friends Yea but all these shall die It may bee thou hast store of lands but all that shall bee burnt with fire It may be thou hast many pleasures but then there shall bee nothing but Judgement The comming of the Lord that shall then put an end to all these and turne the course of things the expectation thereof is a speciall meanes to take us off from a course of sinne and put us on to a course of obedience to make us walke in another kind of fashion while wee are in the world Therefore the Apostle Saint Paul when he would stirre up Timothy to the worke of the Ministrie what is the Argument that hee useth I charge thee before Christ who shall judge the quicke and the dead As if hee should say there shall be an appearing before the Lord and therefore if thou wilt give thy account up with joy at that day I charge thee to looke to thy Ministrie So may I say to every man in his place I charge thee that art a Master of a Familie looke to the businesse of thy Familie to the salvation of the soules of thy people I charge thee that art a Father or a Mother to looke to the salvation of the soules of thy Children I charge thee that art a Christian to looke to the salvation of thy owne soule And how is the charge I charge thee before the Lord Iesus Christ who shall judge the quicke and dead Because there shall come a time when both thou and they shall bee present before Christ at his appearing therefore if thou wilt have comfort in them and in thy selfe and in Christ be carefull to doe the dutie that concernes thy place looking for the comming of the Lord Iesus So then you see in this respect also thereis nothing so forcible an Argument to settle a man in a holy conversation in a heavenly course as this for a man alwayes to looke for the second comming of Christ. Lastly there is nothing fixeth a man so constantly in a holy course as this Our conversation saith the Apostle is alwayes in heaven Wee alwayes walke on earth as those that aspire to heaven because wee alwayes looke for the comming of Christ. Wert thou carefull to serve God yesterday doe it to day also it may be Christ may come now and take thee away by death to day and there is no preparation for judgement afterward Little children saith Saint Iohn now abide in him that when hee shall appeare wee may have confidence and not bee ashamed before him at his comming What is it that giveth a man boldnesse and takes away shame from him at the comming of Christ What is the reason that a man hath not that spirit of feare and trembling upon him that shall bee upon the hearts of all those that goe on in sinne when they shall cry to the mountaines to fall upon them but this that hee hath continued in a holy conversation and constantly walked before the Lord with an upright heart I have finished my course saith the Apostle I have fought a good fight I have kept the faith hence-forth is layd up for mee a crowne of righteousnesse which Christ the righteous Iudge shall give to mee and to all them that love his appearing Still the servants of God have incouraged themselves to persevere in a holy course from the expectation of the comming of Christ that will give them a reward for their constancie in his service It is the Argument that the holy Ghost useth to the Church of Philadelphia Rev. 3. 11. Hold fast that thou hast and let no man take thy crowne As if hee should say There is a time comming when Crownes shall bee given but to whom to those that hold out that persevere in a godly course Be thou faithfull to the death and thou shalt receive a crowne of glory This is that I say that will make a man goe on will make him that is good in youth be good in age also because whensoever he dieth he shall receive his Crowne This will make a man that he shall not begin in the spirit and end in the flesh this will make him that having put his hand to the plough hee will not looke backe because hee no further lookes for comfort in the appearance of Christ then hee hath had care to walke on constantly in a good course Thus you see the point proved to you that a Christian soule hath a maine benefit by his looking for the second comming of Christ and that this is it that makes him carefull to mortifie his secret lusts that this is it that makes him carefull to purge himselfe from worldly affections that
your selves with these things And particularly concerning the Female sex because the Apostle here applieth it to them and saith of them as well as of men that they are heires Co-heires of the same inheritance this therefore is to be applied to them for when the Apostle makes distinction of outward conditions in Gal. 3. 28. hee putteth in this Male and Female and of these and those hee saith all are one in Christ no difference for the Female at first were made after the same Image that the Male were Hee made them Male and Female in his owne Image Gen. 1. 27. Both sorts have the same Saviour and are Redeemed by the same price A woman said My soule rejoyceth in God my Saviour they are both sanctified by the same Spirit the Apostle saith that when an unbeleeving Husband is knit to a beleeving Wife the husband is sanctified by the wife as well as in the other case the Wife is sanctified by the Husband And this my brethren giveth a checke to the undue the unjust censure that many doe give to this weaker vessell that this Sex is as it were the imperfection of nature and I know not what I will not stand upon it as most unworthy the confutation But for the Sex it selfe it is a particular consolation against that matter of griefe which it might conceive through Eves first sinne not onely in sinning her selfe but in taking Sathans part to tempt her Husband whereupon followed subjection to the Man and likewise paine in travell and bringing forth of children But notwithstanding saith the Apostle of that Sex they shall bee saved if they continue in faith and charitie and holinesse with sobrietie So that you see they have a right too And the truth is that God hath graciously dealt with them in making them the meanes of bringing forth the principall ground of this right of the one and of the other which is the Lord of life the Saviour of the world who was borne of a Woman Now this Sex is to comfort themselves in this that notwithstanding there bee some differences in outward condition yet they are made partakers of the greatest and best priviledge alike joynt heires of the grace of God I find but two things that in Scripture are exempted from that Sex two priviledges one to have jurisdiction over the Husband another publikely to teach in the Church of God But yet notwithstanding marke a kind of recompence made for this The former is but particular betweene Husband and Wife but in lieu thereof a Woman may reigne over many men yea over Nations Queenes shall bee thy nursing mothers saith the Prophet Isaiah to the Church And for the later to recompence that they may bee and have beene endued with the gift of prophesie so that wee see how God doth every manner of way incourage them One word more concerning men and so I will conclude this point Namely admonition to them answerably to respect the other Sex as those that are Co-heires with them and therefore while they live according to their places according to their gifts according to the bond of relation that is betweene them to respect them and to shew the same when they are dead by a decent comely Funerall and maintaining their credit and giving of them their due praises Thus much for the Text. And now my brethren give mee leave I beseech you to steppe a little further and to speake a word concerning this object before mee Howsoever I am not over-forward at any time to speake much on such occasions yet at this time I suppose I should doe much wrong to the partie in concealing those things that are meete to be made knowne to the honour of that God who bestowed those excellent endowments upon her and also injurie to those that knew her I doe not feare to be accounted a flatterer by any that heare mee and if any else shall imagine any such thing it may it must needs bee their envie in that they censure what they know not My feare is lest those that did know her should thinke that wrong is done to her by that little that shall be spoken for enough cannot be spoken of her You see here a blacke Herse before you a body in it deprived of life and within these few dayes animated by a divine soule now as we have just cause to beleeve glorified in heaven The body of Mistris I. R. in regard of Mariage being the Daughter of Master I. B. a Gentleman in C. It seemed that as God endowed her with excellent parts every way so shee had good education Shee was married to Master I. R. a grave prudent man that lived in the fore-named place who had beene twice Major there and long continued Alderman still relyed upon when any matter of employment was to bee performed and therefore oft chosen to be a Burgesse of the Parliament out of that Corporation In the beginning of her mariage shee attending to the Word as Lydia did God was pleased to open her heart and that specially under the Ministrie of a reverend Pastour now some yeares with God faithfull painfull powerfull in his place while he lived who yet liveth in the many workes hee published in his life time I say by his Ministrie being wrought upon she wonderfully improved the grace that was so wrought in her and used all meanes for the growth thereof by continuall applying her selfe to the publike ministrie of the Word conscionably on the Lords day frequently also on other dayes both in that Citie and in this also whither she came oftentimes upon sundrie imployments both while her Husband lived and likewise since she hath beene a Widow which hath beene about the space of five yeares Now I say as shee did thus helpe on the growth of grace by this publike meanes so also by private diligently reading the Word not contenting her selfe with a coursorie reading it over by taske as some doe but shee had a Paper booke by her and in reading would note downe particular points note speciall duties that belonged to such and such persons to Magistrates to Ministers to Husbands to Wives to Masters to servants Generall duties that belonged to Christians as they were Christians and that in such a manner as if so bee they had beene the Common places of some young Divine And here by the way let me tell you what my selfe have seene of an Alderman of this Citie some while dead who left behind him Volumes of bookes written with his owne hand his manner was first he would reade and after that he would walke up and downe and meditate upon what he read and write downe the summe and particulars of it as he conceived by which meanes hee made himselfe excellently skilfull as in Divine so in humane learning Thus did this grave Matron hereby she came to much knowledge shee gathered also many signes whereby she had evidence of the truth of grace and
wee have sinnes enough to bring us all thither God grant they bee not so violent and full of ominous precipitations that they portend our sudden ruine portend it they do but O nullam sit in omnia c. I am loath to bee redious Hee should not be tedious that reades a lecture of mortalitie How many in the world since this Sermon first began have made an experiment and proofe of this truth of this sentence that man is mortall and those spectacles are but examples of this truth they come to their period before my speech My speech my selfe and all that heare me all that breath in this ayre must follow It hath beene said wee live to die give me leave a little to invert it let us liue to live live the life of grace that we may live the life of glory and then though we doe die let us never feare it we shall rise from the dead againe and live with our God out of the reach of the dead for ever and ever So much for the Text at this time To declare unto you the cause of this present assembly would be altogether superfluous the dumbe oratorie of that silent object doth give you to understand in a language sufficiently intelligible that we are now met to performe the last rites and dutie that we owe to the memorie of our deare Sister here before us And Christian charitie hath beene so powerfull in all ages that it hath beene retained as a pious and laudable custome at Funerall solemnities to adorne the dead with the deserved praises of their life not for any pompe or vaine-glorious ostentation but that Gods glorie here may bee for ever magnified by whose grace they have beene enabled to fight a good fight and that the surviving may be encouraged to runne the same course when they behold them discharged of this tedious combat and crowned with a crowne of glory and immortalitie This Sister of ours was borne in this parish and hath lived in it some thirtie foure yeares or there-about eighteene yeares a single woman and sixteene yeares a married Wife of whom though upon my owne knowledge I can speake but little yet having credible information from others with whom she had long and private intimacie of many yeares acquaintance I must and will speake That which I told you was recorded of Rachel that shee was fruitfull in procreation of Children may in a great measure bee spoken of her for if the Scripture account bearing but of two children fruite certainly it will make an extraordinarie fruite in bearing of twelve which shee did It is a certaine token of a true and faithfull servant of God to frequent his house to pray unto him to praise him in his Church earnestly to labour to bee instructed in his will out of his Word then and there read and preached to them all which evidences of a good Christian were found in this our Sister For her constant comming to Church I my selfe can now speake upon my owne knowledge I have seriously and strictly examined my selfe and I professe ingenously before God that knowes my heart and you that heare me speeke that I cannot call to mind that ever she mist comming to Church twice a Sabbath day since I came which I would be heartily glad I could speake as well of others of this Parish as of her For some of them have got such a fisking tricke up and downe to goe to other Churches as if there were no rellishable food at their owne that I feare at the last they will come to none at all I pray God they amend this fault It was a vertue in her that deserved commendation and it is a vice in them that deserves reprehension When shee was in Gods house shee did not as too too many doe imploy her time in sleeping or some such ill course but I ever observed her to listen very diligently and attentively to what was delivered for the nourishing of her soule I confesse I doe not remember that ever I saw her take any notes in the Church of Sermons that were preached for it seemes shee did it when she came home for since her death going to her house accidentally I met with a booke of hers wherein shee had written many texts of Scripture with notes the day when they were preached and the persons by whom most of those which I have preached I saw and perused and others of stangers that I my selfe have heard these qualities are not to be past over in silence but are worthy of your serious imitation Neither did she thinke it fit barely to set them downe for her owne instruction only but what she heard upon the Sabbath day that she constantly practised upon the weeke dayes Shee catechised her children in those points spending some time in trayning them up in the knowledge of God and putting them in mind of their dutie to him in whom wee live and move and have our being by repeating Gods word delivered by hearing them reade Gods word printed and by singing Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs That she was a most provident and carefull Wife and a most indulgent and loving Mother all that knew her can best testifie and some of them have informed me And this let me speake and I have it from the mouth of some that perhaps did not thinke I would have mentioned it at this time and would have had it concealed but for reasons best knowne to my selfe I hold it very fit to relate shee was ever held to be of a most sweet nature and of a very loving disposition that shee was very charitable and inclined to relieve the poore It is likewise testified of her she was liberall alway but more liberall now then usually having had a consideration of the hard and needie times to which end as if shee had prognosticated her owne death shee layd by some money according to that abilitie that God had blessed her with for the reliefe of the poore Let no man censure me for speaking these things I doe for if I should not have given her her just and deserved praises some that now heare me and knew her from her cradle might justly have censured me for too much remisnesse Thus for her life As for her death I can say little touching it It pleased God not to giue her any long time of sicknesse but to take her away though not unprepared yet on a sudden with a short warning When her bitter pangs first came upon her she called to her Husband and desired him to joyne with her in hearty prayer to Almightie God that he would bee graciously pleased to extend his mercie towards her that hee would be pleased to let her live longer that she might repent of her sinnes and beg mercie at his hands for them that shee might amend her life And if he would not grant this for her yet for those many poore Children that were young that she was to leave behind her
How prove you that By the force of the Argument here that the Apostle useth for this being a part of an Argument and an Hypotheticall proposition he reasoneth thus If in this life onely we have hope in Christ then are we miserable but now for this life onely we have not hope in Christ he doth not set our rest there therefore wee are not of all men the most miserable How prove you that because the most wicked the most wretched so the lesse wicked the least wretched and the most righteous the best blest and the least miserable Not the most not at all Not at all No for as the outward prosperitie of the wicked in this World is no true prosperitie so the outward adversitie of the godly is no true miserie it is not such as doth destitute and dissolute a man utterly but you shall have the faithfull come off with hope I and with rejoycing rather then grudging and repining at it yea they joy in their sufferings and at last are more then conquerours and all this sheweth then that that they are farre enough from miserie Well the knowledge of this lifes miseriâ—… the knowledge of our not being at all miserable thâ—… 〈◊〉 righteous should teach all of us to bee righteous to be religious to strive to be godly if not for the love of vertue and pietie and holinesse and such kinde of Graces as all good Christians and godly persons should be though there were no Hell to punish nor no Heaven to cherish a man in though there were no reward for the good nor revenge against the bad yet notwithstanding the love of vertue should constraine an ingenious Christian to strive after holinesse and pietie but if not for the love of religion let us doe it for the feare of the miserie that may befall us which wee shall prevent if wee remember now our duties that is to bee godly and to be righteous for the righteous man is not cannot be miserable And then lastly this shall serve to shew to us how it ought to keepe off the World from judging rashly there is a great obliquitie and a perverse judgement in the World men censure those that are in any kinde of miserie to bee of all men the most miserable whereas we know that this is no true misery on their part for it is but outward it is but temporall misery it is no true reall miserie And thererore this serveth to rectifie the obliquitie of such mens judgements as doe determine the godly to bee in a miserable conditon whereas the contrary is most true for wee count them sayth Saint Iames blessed that endure Do they endure to the very death Blessed are they that dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours and who would not dye here that hee may dwell with God there in rest who that loveth who that hopeth would not be where his love where his hope is would not have what hee hopeth for Doth not the Lord say to his servant Moses No man can see my face and live Oh sayth a Father let mee dye then for I will dye to see thee who would not dye for the present to dwell ever where his hope is If in this life we had onely hope then were we of all men the most miserable but our hope is not onely in this life of the things of this life therefore wee are not of all men most miserable no not miserable at all I have done with my Text You see the occasion of our present meeting to Interre this little Child in Christian buriall the last service and dutie we owe to deceased Saints I cannot and I know you expect not that I should say any thing of it It is a Child of the Covenant sealed in the Covenant dyed in the Covenant resteth according to the Covenant with the God of the Covenant of whom I doubt no more of a happy rest with Christ the mediatour of the Covenant then I do of the Covenant that Christ hath sealed and so I leave it in that rest and returne our selves to our owne dutie and service to call upon God for a blessing FINIS THE PLATFORME OF CHARITIE OR THE LIBERALL MANS GVIDE DEUT. 15. 11. The poore shall never cease out of the land Therefore I command thee saying Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother to thy poore and to thy needy in the land PSAL. 16. 2. O Lord my goodnesse extendeth not to thee but to the Saints that are in the earth and to the excellent in whom is all my delight LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. THE PLATFORME OF CHARITIE OR THE LIBERALL MANS GVIDE SERMON XXXIX GAL. 6. 10. As wee have therefore opportunitie let us doe good to all especially to them who are of the houshold of faith IN the sixt verse of this Chapter the Apostle begins to perswade these Galatians to whom he wrote to Beneficence and having in the ninth verse the verse before the Text given them great incouragement in this course Bee not wearie saith he of well-doing for in due season we shall reape if we faint not The words I have now read to you are an inference upon that which went before seeing if wee hold out we shall reape in due time then faith the Apostle As wee have opportunitie let us doe good to all c. To speake something for the opening of the words and then to obsere the maine things the Apostle intends in this place As wee have opportunitie Cairos signifieth more then time As wee have time so the old Translation reades it but the word signifieth more there is a Chronos and a Cairos a time and an opportunitie of time There is a time taken in the largest sence there is an opportunitie of time restrained to those advantages of times that a man by wisedome may make unto himselfe for the performing of any dutie that God requires of him This must be understood with a reference to what was spoken of before Wee shall reape if wee faint not Hee shewes there is a time of sowing and a time of reaping and so in Eccles. 3. There is a time for all things there is a time to sow and a time to reape Now while the sowing time lasts for that is the opportunitie that hee now speakes of while the time of sowing lasts let us embrace those times and opportunities for the doing of good Let us as wee have opportunitie doe good to all Doe good is of a large extent it is of as large an extent as the law All is good that is agreeable to Gods will revealed Bee renewed in the spirit of your mindes that you may know what the good and acceptable will of God is But in this place it is restrained to some particular acts of Beneficence towards men towards the servants of God which are then said to be good deedes and good acts when there is a
concurrence betweene the action and the affection with conformitie to the Rule First there must be actions It is not speaking good nor meaning good only but it is doing good Saith the Apostle If a brother be naked or hungrie or cold and you say to him goe in peace warme thee but you give him no fire and goe and cloath thee but you give him no apparell and goe and feed thee but you give him no meate Here are good words now but the deedes are not answerable here are no good deedes at all Solomon compares such complementall charitie that is only verball and in outward expression to Cloudes and windes without raine Not much unlike the boxes of Apothecaries that are adorned with glorious tytles without but open them and examine the insides you shall finde nothing but emptinesse Well that is the first thing there must bee good actions Againe secondly these must have a good rise they must proceed from a good affection too or else they lose the name of good actions Make the tree good and the fruit shall bee of the same condition the actions are not good if the affections bee naught and therefore the same God that requires beneficence hee commands benevolence also and would have men become tender-hearted and put on the bowels of compassion that they should Sympathize with others and be like affectioned to them to mourne with those that mourne and to be with those that are bound as being bound with them This is that which our Saviour calls being mercifull Bee mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull Hee saith not only doe workes of mercie but be mercifull doe them from a mercifull heart from bowels of compassion that yearne towards those that are in necessitie That is the second thing But then thirdly these actions and these affections whence they rise they must hold conformitie with the Law There is no good but what is conformable to the rule of goodnesse that is the written word of God and therefore all those will-worships and idle ceremonies made according to the inventions of man as a thousand devices in Poperie wherein they intimate a show of great Liberalitie they are not good deedes because they want that good rule that should uphold and make them so So much shall serve for the opening of it Good deedes then are such actions as rise from a sanctified affection and receive ground and warrant from Gods will revealed in his Word to men Againe there is a third terme yet Doe good to all men What doth the Apostle meane that every man should receive the fruits of our Beneficence There are some men notoriously wicked and rather to be punished than relieved The Apostle meanes not such for hee gives you a Caution If any man worke not let him not eate Relieve him not that hath abilitie to get and will live idlie and unprofitably But doe good to all men that is to all men so farre as you see them in extreme want unable to helpe themselves if their lawfull necessities call upon your charitie in this respect all men must be looked unto but especially To the houshold of Faith By houshold of faith here he meanes the multitude of beleevers and not only those that dwell neere us and about us but those that are dispersed throughout the whole earth the Churches of God The dispersion spoken of through all the parts of the world are this houshold of faith all the Saints of God in what difference or distance soever one from another yet they are of the same houshold together of the same Church of God So the Church of God is called the house of God and sometime it is understood of the Church militant and sometime of the Church triumphant Of the Church triumphant In my Father 〈◊〉 many mansions There it is heaven the place of the blessed Then for the Church militant Moses was faithfull in all his house saith the Text. And Paul exhorts Timothie how hee should carry himselfe in the house of God that is in the Church militant As for those that live above us they need not our good workes and actions therefore it is intended of those that are here in the Church militant that is called Gods houshold because there is such a communion amongst beleevers as amongst those that live in the same house that abide under the same roofe that live under the same government that eat at the same Table c. So then you have the meaning of all which is no more but this Take those advantages of times which you can obtaine or elâ—… many will slip unprofitablie to bee conversant in such actions of mercie which tend to the reliefe of thoâ—… that want them If there be extreme necessitie doe good to all but if you may make choyce of persons to whom you may doe good choose the houshold of faith Thus you have the substance and the meaning of the words In them you may observe briefly these three parts The first is a determination or limitation of time to which the Saints are tyed in the performance of the duties that are injoyned them as you have opportunitie and while you have time Secondly there is a declaration of dutie doe good Thirdly there is a description of the persons to whom this good must be done first more generally Doe good to all and then more particularly and with an especiall note Especially to those of the houshold of Faith Of these in order First for the determination of time to take the words as they lie while you have time therefore or as you have opportunitie the words themselves doe render the maine point It is the dutie of Christians to take their advantages of times to take the best opportunities of their life to doe good I will speake somewhat by way of Explication of the point and something by way of Application and so proceed to what followes First for the Explication what is intended or meant in it when we incite you to embrace times and opportunities Briefly these two things are meant in it First that you should bee sure not to lose the time of life And Secondly that you should not forgoe the advantages and opportunities of estates You shall not alwayes have life to doe good and it may bee if you have life you â—…all not alwayes enjoy meanes and abilitie to doe good Whâ—…â—…ou have life therefore and time doe good or while you enjoy meanes and so power to doe good embrace these opportunities That is the meaning of the Apostle in this place First then there must be a doing good while you have life let your good workes goe before you doe things while you live and deferre not the performance of them till your death Make you friends of the unrighteous Mammon that when you want they may receive you into everlasting habitations Hee calls that unrighteous Mammon not that it is unrighteously gotten only though
praise of men but ayming to approve our selves to God in that wee doe This is that which Christ advised the Pharisees that they should not admit their right hand to know what their left hand did Lastly as it must be simple so it must be chearefull God loves a chearefull giver And this is a perfect signe of chearfulnesse when a man doth not only give without grudging upon all opportunities but when he will be carefull to prevent them in his willingnesse to seeke them As I said before So much for the second point the dutie it selfe Now I proceed to the last thing that is the description of the persons to whom this must be done First generally All and then particularly The houshold of faith First generally Doe good to all It is as I have told you to all that endure such wants and necessities as that it may be a worke of mercy and no transgression of the rule to releeve them for those that live unprofitably and become burthens to the Common-wealth except in case of extreme necessitie it loses the name of mercy to releeve them and deserves neither reward nor commendations Yet if they live in extreme necessitie then take the Rule of the Apostle Doe good to all even to them also Wee have the Parable of our Saviour to direct us in this path where the good Samaritan lends his assistance to the Iew that fell among theeves Wee cannot but know of the opposition and enmitie betweene the Samaritans and the Iewes yet wee see that in case of extremitie the Samaritan helpes the Iew. Therein our Saviour teacheth us that every man in this case is a mans neighbour and therefore the same law that commands to love thy neighbour as thy selfe intends wee should doe good to all if necessitie require The Reason is in regard there is the same maker of one as of another Wee have all one Father sayth the Prophet and hath not one God created us Then by Creation wee are all alike Children though not by Adoption and especiall Grace and as they are the Creatures of God and beare the Image of their Maker there ought to bee some consideration extended toward them in case of extreame necessitie Againe there dwells a part of Gods Image in all man kinde and that resemblance makes us alied to each other by the bonds of Nature then if wee love not our brother whom wee see daylie how shall wee love him whom wee never saw sayth the Apostle To make some use briefly of this Is it so that doing of good is to bee extended to all when necessitie requires it Then let it teach us without all evasion and protraction of those duties commanded to embrace every object and occasion that may invite us to doe good and to bee mercifull But some man may reply in this fashion my intent is very plyable that way of goodnesse I could willingly extend it toward such a man but hee is a stranger unto mee and one with whom I was never acquainted What is this but the churlish reply of Nabal to the servants of David there are divers men abroad whom I know not there are some servants that are runne from their masters shall I give my bread and that I have provided for my shearers unto them Nabal was his name and follie was with him Abigal did truly interpret his nature to bee answerable to his name which signified a man of follie for if his conditions had beene otherwise he would not have sent them emptie to their Master knowing their absolute necessitie in which case a stranger ought to bee relieved and we cannot thrust him backe from our charitie Secondly such a one I confesse is not a stranger but an enemie and when it lay in his power hee procur'd mee all the mischiefe hee could and should I now relieve him Marke the rule of the Apostle If thine enemie hunger feed him if hee bee naked cloath him if he thirst give him drinke for in so doing thou shalt heap coales of fire upon his head But some man will say there remaines so much unthankfulnes in the World that one is soone discouraged by peoples ingratitude in the office of doing good But what saith the Lord Cast thy bread upon the waters for after many dayes thou shalt finde it Thought it seeme no more to thee but as a stone suncke downe into the deepe or as a morsell of bread in the water that floates from the sight of him that cast it in without possibilitie of recovering it againe or receiving any fruit or benefit from the same yet cease not to cast it there for after many dayes thou shalt finde it But some man replies I doe good to some already I give something to the maintaining of a Scholler in the Universitie somewhat I doe for the binding of a poore Child to an Apprentishippe and I have bestowed my good will towards the setting up of a young beginner in his trade what is there no end of doing good Marke again the advise of Solomon for that Give a portion to seven and to eight If thou have done good to one extend it to a second to a third and againe to a fourth and a fift and sixt and a seventh and to eight and so long as there remaines an object of mercie and power in thine hands to doe it though thou hast extended the like bountie to seven and to eight already Some man will answer againe that by this course if every man bestow his benevolence so largely no man could become rich in this life and God appoints some rich men in this World as well as poore Solomon answers that objection thus If the Clouds bee full they poure downe raine As if hee should have argued thus God hath bestowed riches on men as hee hath given raine to the Clouds hee gave them that superfluitie of waters to poure downe on the earth for the benefit of the same and not that they shall still detaine it to no purpose at all So God hath given riches to men that when they arive at a fulnesse of estate they should then poure downe and distill the fruits of that blessing on them that are poore and live in necessitie as the raine descends upon drie clods of earth But some man will say a man might poure downe comfort but the ill successe it meets with and the little good it begets in them on whom it is bestowed for they oftentimes become worse by the receipt of such benefits disheartens the giver from the extending of his charitie according to Gods command and his owne good nature Saith Solomon for that As the Tree falls so it lyes whether to the East or West to North or South his meaning is this As the Tree being hewen downe lie which way it will falls to the profit and advantage of the owner so
love but besides that there is a course of affection that floweth naturally and kindly from the Father to the child as it is with those rivers that fall downward they fall more vehemently then those that are carried upward so the more naturall the affection is the more vehement it expresseth it selfe in the motion to such objects Now when the Father expresseth his affection to his child this is more vehement because it is more naturall there is more strength of nature in it I cannot stand upon this only a word by way of inference and application to our selves First are naturall parents thus to their children Then here is a ground of faith for the children of God that he is pleased to stile himselfe by the name of Father and to receive them into the adoption of sonnes and daughters This was Davids expression of God As a father hath compassion of his children so hath the Lord on those that feare him And the Prophet Isaiah expresseth it fully In all their affliction hee was afflicted and the Angel of his presence saved them in his love and pittie hee redeemed them and bee bare them all the dayes of old hee bore them upon his wings This giveth confidence and boldnesse to Gods children in making their requests knowne to him This was it that incouraged the Prodigall I will arise and goe to my father and say Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee c. God saith S. Bernard alwayes grants those petitions that are sweetned with the name of father and the affection of a child I should hence speake somewhat to children to stirre them up to answer the love of their Parents but other things that follow forbids me any long discourse of this Secondly here is Davids pietie expressed in this Who knoweth whether the Lord will bee gracious to mee Hee exprest not only the Pittie and affection of a naturall father to a child but pietie also arising from the sense of his guilt Hee was guiltie of sinne and by sinne he had brought this sorrow upon himselfe and therefore who knoweth whether the Lord will bee gracious to me in sealing to me the pardon of my sinne this way in adding this mercy as a further assurance of his love in granting me the forgivenesse of my sinne God had told him by Nathan that his sinne was pardoned though he told him the Child should die it may be by the same mercy he will release me from this sentence of death upon my Child whereby he released me from the guilt of my sinne before Here I say is the sense of his owne sinne The point I note hence is That Parents in the miseries that befall their children should call their owne sinne to remembrance All the sorrowes and sicknesses and paines and miseries that befall children should present to Parents the remembrance of their owne sinne It was the expression of the Widow of Sarepta to the Prophet Eliah Art thou come to call my sinnes to remembrance and to slay my childe Shee saw her sinne in the death of her Child So I say in all the afflictions and crosses that befall children the Parents should call to remembrance their owne sinne But some men will here say There seemeth to be no need of such a course for God hath said plainly That the child shall not die for the sinne of the Parent And after God cleareth his owne waies from inequalitie and injustice by that argument The sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the father Therefore what reason is there that Parents should call their sinnes to remembrance in the miseries that befall their children I answer Though he say the child shall not die for the Parents sinne yet we must understand it a right for what doth hee meane by the sinnes of the Parent And what doth hee meane by death By sinnes of the Parent he meaneth those sinnes that are so the parents as that the children are not at all guiltie of those sins then the children shall not die By Death he meaneth as the word signifieth the destruction of nature So death shall not befall the child for that sinne that himselfe is not guiltie of But how then come little children to die before they have committed any sinne actually was this for their owne sinne or for the sinne of their Parents I answer for their owne sinne they die for the soule that sinneth it shall die and all children have sinned they brought sinne into the world and sinne brought death as the Apostle speakes therefore death reigneth over all even over those that have not sinned according to the similitude of Adams transgression that is that have not sinned actually as Adam had done yet neverthelesse they die because they have sinne upon them they have the corruption of nature In sinne they were borne and in iniquitie their mother conceived them and the wages of sinne is death therefore they die for their owne sinne But what if temporall judgements and afflictions befall them is this for their owne sinne or for the sinne of their Parents I answer for both both for their owne and for the sinne of their Parents for as death so all the miseries of this life are fruits of originall sinne which is an inheritance in the person of every child by nature as soone as it is borne but yet if the sinne of the Parents be added to it that may bring temporall judgements There are many instances and examples of this how God hath visited upon the posteritie of wicked persons the sinnes of their Fathers according to that threatning in the second Commandement And this you shall see either in godly children of wicked parents or in ungodly children of godly Parents Suppose a man leave a great deale of wealth to his children and have one that feares God amongst them it may please God to lay some losse or crosse upon him to the undoing of him he may utterly be impoverished and beggered and deprived of all that meanes that his father left him by unrighteousnesse Hee getteth an heire and in his hand is nothing saith Solomon that is God deprived him of all that estate his father left him by unrighteousnesse Now I say here is a judgement upon the father and yet a mercy upon the child A judgement upon the father that all that he hath laboured for that which hee lost his soule for should bee vaine should come to nothing and not benefit his posteritie as he thought Yet it is a mercy to the childe to the child of God He by this meanes is humbled it draweth him from the world Nay when God emptieth him of these things that were unrighteously gotten he giveth him it may be an estate another way wherein he shall see God his Father provide for him without any indirect and unlawfull courses So sometimes the very shame and reproach that falleth upon wicked children here it is a