hee be a Lord and Commander also But you see I cannot stand to insist upon this The occasion of our meeting at this time is to commit to the Earth the body of our sister departed Shee hath now the termination and conclusion of all her wayting and expectation And after so long a wayting there remaineth a sleeping in the Grave a while when the soule resteth in the hands of Christ and waiteth for that great day when body and soule shall be joyned together I perswade my selfe well of her that Shee was one of the number of those wayters that shall have joy at the comming of Christ I had not much knowledge of her only I observed in her sicknesse a good purpose and desire of new and better obedience and performing better service to Christ then shee had done if God should have spared her longer And shee expressed also a great desire of Christs second comming a desire that hee would receive her to himselfe and that these dayes of sinne might bee finished Much she was in these desires and she had good warrant for it for shee was carefull as I am informed to set up the kingdome of Christ in her Family It is the dutie of a good Wife to be a helpe to her Husband especially in matters of piety and the worship of God and therein her example should teach wives to strive herein Shee was alwayes stirring him up to prayer in his Familie to a more carefull sanctifying of the Lords day herein Shee was frequent Shee was much mortified to the world for some late yeares as it was observed in her daily course by those that knew her Thus she laboured to fit her selfe and her Familie that shee might have comfort in the great Day of the appearing of the Lord Jesus I speake upon information for your edification to stirre you up to labour to fit your selves for Christ by purging out of sinne in your hearts and lives Labour to fit your Families for Christ that when you and your servants and children shall appeare before him you may looke on them and looke on Christ with comfort as men that before have prepared themselves for the comming of Christ and as those that then shall lift up their heads because the day of their redemption draweth nigh FINIS CHRISTS PRECEPT AND PROMISE OR SECVRITIE AGAINST DEATH LVKE 9. 44. Let these sayings sinke downe into your eares PRO. 23. 14. The law of the wise is a fountaine of life to depart from the snares of death LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. CHRISTS PRECEPT AND PROMISE OR SECVRITIE AGAINST DEATH SERMON XVII JOHN 8. 51. Verily verily I say unto you if a man keepe my saying hee shall never see death IT is not long men and brethren since Death rode in triumph thorow this Citie and did beare downe all before him hee locked up your houses pulled downe your windowes and made the wealthiest among you put upon them the semblance of Banckroutnesse by locking up their dores and turning their backes to their houses and running away so it played the Tyrant then there died thousands a-weeke and the Grave that alwayes cryeth Give give was almost cloyed with carkasses Death served himselfe so fast that the Prison could scarse hold the Prisoners It might almost have beene said then of this Citie as once it was of Egypt There was scarse a house wherein some were not dead at least where there was not the feare of Death Now it hath pleased God to shew you more favour and men now die but by scores Death goeth his old pace and takes away a few secretly without observation But Death is amongst you still and still will be so long as sinne is among you and therefore it will not bee unseasonable upon this occasion for mee to speake and you to heare somewhat that may arme you against this last and and worst Enemy Death which though hee make not such a stirre in these times of lesse Mortalitie yet hee will certainly take us all away one by one And who can tell but hee may be amongst the number of the hundred or fewer hundreds that die now as no man could tell whether hee should be amongst the number of the thousands then Since Death therefore is alwayes an enemie and alwayes fighteth against us though not alwayes with like furie and violence it is a part of wisedome in us alwayes to heare and to practise that which may secure us against the danger of death And that is taught in this Text. Verily verily I say unto you If a man keepe my saying hee shall never see death Wherein not to speake any thing of the Context I pray take notice who speakes the words The Authour of truth the Death of Death hee that can best tell by what meanes a man may shun the hurt of it hee that hath vanquished it and overcome the uttermost of his assaults Our Lord Iesus Christ that hath slaine death and brought life and immortality to light Hee giveth us this direction for the avoyding of the hurt of Death Then observe the manner of his speaking Verily verily I say unto you with an affirmation earnest and redoubled Hee never affirmed any thing untrue therefore that which hee speakes is an undoubted verity Hee never spake any thing rashly therefore that which hee affirmed so earnestly is a weighty thing and of great consequence And lastly observe that which I only shall insist upon the matter of his direction here comprehended in a hypotheticall proposition which hath as all such have two parts An Antecedent and a Consequent In the one hee sheweth the Dutie to bee done as a necessary condition for the obtaining of that which is specified in the other The first hath the Dutie The second the benefit that floweth from the Dutie These two are knit together in a most necessary consequence If a man keepe my word hee shall never see death You see now the only and perfect remedie against the evill of Death that is to keepe the saying and word of Christ. If any would know by what meanes he may bee secured against the terrible of all terrible things as one calleth Death here is a sure and certaine rule for him and hee need not doubt of it it commeth from the mouth of Christ let him keepe his saying and then Death shall never doe him harme I will first interpret these words unto you and then make them good by Scripture and Reason and then apply them and commit my selfe and you and all at last to the blessing of God First then when our Saviour Christ saith If a man wee must conceive him to meane generally at least indefinitely If any man whatsoever for so it pleaseth him to inlarge his promise in the redoubling of the word that no man may have cause to say hee is excluded except hee exclude himselfe Keepe my sayings Here first I must shew you what is meant by sayings and
howsoever here we vanish as a vapour yet one day wee shall become as fixed starres in the right hand of Christ wee shall shine as starres for ever Thus I have shewed how the life of man is compared to a vapour that appeares for a little while and then vanisheth away Beloved I pray let not this Sermon passe as a vapour let not all of it passe away in the sound you heare but fix it as a naile in a sure place in your understanding in your memorie in your affections and remember how short and sudden every mans end and life is or may be O that my people were wise they would understand this they would consider their latter end Wee have a spectacle here before us that was a reall comment upon this Text She did understand the Doctrine of it and was excellent in the practice of it A Gentlewoman that deserved a better Orator to commemorate the vertues that were in her and to give her praises due it had beene a fitter worke for your reverend and worthy Minister whose absence at this time I supply he could have spoken more fully of her then I can because he was acquainted longer with her then I was I account it a part of my unhappinesse that I knew her so little a while and peradventure you will say it is a part of her unhappinesse that this office is done by one that knew her so little a while It is true indeed I am not able to say much of her for my knowledge of her was but a few weekes or moneths by reason of our neighbourhood in the Countrey but then I observed her to be one of the ornaments of her sexe and every thing that came from her was gracefull and comely the sweetnesse of nature and grace in my opinion concurred in her But I must deliver the most that I have to say from the report that I have from others yet from very good hands Solomon saith A good name is as a good oyntment poured forth like the precions Alablaster-boxe that Mary broke on the head of our Saviour the smell of it perfumed all the house I may say of her as the Apostle saith of Demetrius She was well reported of by all and I am perswaded she was reported well of the truth it selfe shee had a name answerable to her vertues Solomon saith A prudent wife or a good wife is the gift of God shee was a Theodosia that was her name The gift of God and a gift God bestowed to the comfort of him that had her Shee was constant both in the performance of publike duties and private in hearing Gods word not only on the Lords day but as occasion gave leave on the weeke-dayes and she was not only constant at good exercises abroad but which was the crowne of her commendations she was so at home also shee was constant in reading the Word I am credibly informed that shee read over the Bible seven times in the seven yeares that shee was married Shee constantly made use of that shee heard I my selfe saw no lesse then two quires of paper writ out with her owne hand collected partly out of other bookes but principally out of Sermons not noted at Church when shee heard them but when she came home being in this like Mary that layed up the sayings of Christ in her heart her daily spending of her time was commendable and exemplarie in the morning up to prayer with her familie and then unto private prayer by her selfe from prayer to reading and then to worke and then to prayer and to dinner and then to worke this was her continuall course of life without interruption Shee was a Sarah for obedience Rebecca for wisedome Mary for pietie Martha for houswiferie a true Lidea shee heard and God opened her heart that shee attended to those things she heard A true Dorcas full of good workes they that knew her knew her so farre as wisedome and discretion dictated to her full of charitie of good workes and almes-deedes But her life was a vapour that appeared for a little while and then vanished away Shee verefied my Text too truely in that it pleased God suddenly to call her even in the prime and strength of her yeares she was but a young woman and shee died in Child-bed You that are Child-bearing women I wish you to set this patterne and example before your eyes and learn by this spectacle to see how neere you walke to the brincke of your grave when you come to be delivered of childe I wonder therefore by the way that any should find fault with that solemne thanks-giving that is appointed by the Church to be rendred to God for women for his preserving them from the great danger of Child-birth there is but a step betweene you and death you should then have a care to prepare for your death I see a great deale of time spent to prepare all brave and fine God may quickly turne all your chambers and hang them with blacke and turne your jollitie into mourning therefore you should rather prepare for your winding-sheete and for your grave for undoubtedly she did so and I may in some sence apply that literally of the Apostle to her In bearing of children shee is saved It is true the Apostle gives that as an argument of comfort to women because before hee had preached obedience to them a doctrine that they doe not well relish yet he gives two reasons because Adam was first made and she first sinned that is another reason yet lest shee should bee too much discouraged with that of the Apostle and because the paine of child-bearing was threatned to women for a part of their curse the Apostle addes that as a comfort In bearing of children they shall bee saved Notwithstanding the paine and sorrow of child-bearing was inflicted as a punishment upon them yet under that curse there is a way of salvation opened if they be such women saith the Apostle as continue in faith and charitie with holinesse and sobrietie These vertues being eminent in this deare Christian sister of ours no doubt but in bearing of children shee is saved that is she found under that curse a way to a blessing an everlasting blessing of salvation How shee disposed her selfe in the time of her sicknesse those of the family well know truly I have not oft scarse ever heard of a woman of her ranke and quality for shee was a woman well descended and well bred and yet I never heard of a woman more beloved and more bewayled her Husband complaines of his losse never man lost a better wife all the servants never any had a better Mistris and all the neighbours never any had a better neighbour Concerning her in the time of her sicknesse they can give a better and more particular testimonie then I I only did one office and service to her when in the absence of your reverend Pastor I was called I visited her an houre or
be as a naile fastned in a sure place and thinkest thou shalt never bee moved from this condition Thou knowest not how soone God may turne his hand upon thee when thou maist bee as Iob was on the dunghill deprived of all comforts What will be thy consolation then that when thou hadst wealth thou didst good with it It will adde to thy affliction that thou hadst great possessions and didst neither glorifie God nor doe good to men So much for the opening of the point I come to apply it First then it serves for the reproofe of many to whom God hath given the price in their hands But they want hearts to embrace the opportunities of doing good They pretend to doe good and have a mind inclining to good But they have no heart to take the opportunities and advantages of times and meanes which God hath bestowed on them for the same purpose they want hearts to embrace those Remember what Solomon saith Say not to thy neighbour goe and come againe to morrow if it bee now in thine hands to give him The Lord will not only have a man not denie to doe good but besides that hee would not have him delay to doe good put him not from thee till to morrow if his helpe remaine in thine hands to day yea though thou have a purpose to doe it to morrow if it be in thy power to day doe it and deferre it not till to morrow But what shall we say to those who doe not only delay their purposes but by protracting lose their purposes There is nothing more ordinarie then in some cases for men not only to purpose truly but to promise heartily to God that they will performe these and these acts of mercy if God will dâ—…iver them from such feares and dangers as they at such times are incompast with A man that endures extremitie of weather in a tempestuous Sea if happily hee may attaine the land in safetie a man that is diseased with sicknesse if now he may recover his health againe or one that suffers imprisonment if he may procure his libertie or a man that is in feare of the losse of his estate by the meanes of some unhappy casualtie if now hee may escape that losse hee will bestow a great deale on God and on the servants of God nay hee promises and vowes unto God in his extremitie But how many of those promises as well as those other purposes come to nothing they have libertie they receive health they enjoy safetie and have the full fruition of all their desires but alas how short come their vowes of peformance not one of many of them but turnes God away without his bargaine Remember how the Lord taxeth the people of Israel In the day of their distresse and the Lord reckons up divers and sundrie troubles they were in then they spake good words to God they would cleave to him and promised to doe thus and thus But thus saith the Text They flattered the Lord with their lippes and were false in the Covenant with God Is not it so beloved with many of us Oh that your hearts might smite you this day before the Lord for many purposes and promises that you have made of doing this or that for the glorifying of God and the discharge of your dutie One man hath promised restitution of unjust gaine another to become more liberall and bountifull towards others And the Lord hath waited weeke after weeke moneth after moneth and yeare after yeare and yet neverthelesse you continue the same men either unsensible or carelesse to accomplish your promise to God or rendring unto him his due That is the first Use. Secondly let it stirre up every one of us to a care of his dutie of embracing opportunities And when wee perswade you to take opportunities wee would draw you a degree higher not only to take them but to seeke them for how shall a man obtaine the advantage of taking opportunities if he first seeke them not and therefore we perswade you to that Wee see Abraham sitting in the dore of his Tent that hee might observe opportunities of doing good hee stayed not till the men knocked at his doore for reliefe but tooke notice of their passing by that he might call them Wee see a good old man in Iudges 19. As hee perceives a stranger passing the streetes first takes occasion to question his wants and forbeares not till the man complaine so willing was hee to administer to his necessities and to embrace a fit opportunitie of doing him good Wee see David expressing his thankfulnesse to God and to Ionathan Hee enquires if there were any of the house of Saul that hâ—… might shew him kindnesse for Ionathans sake So should we doe Is there any of the houshold of Faith as the Text saith and as the Scripture calls them unto whom I may shew kindnesse for the Lords sake Hee hath beene better to us then Ionathan was to David and yet wee are much more backward to Retribution and expressions of thankfulnesse then David was to Ionathan But the Scriptures are plentifull in this wee need not stand on it I say this is a dutie that every one should discharge this taske not to stay and forbeare till the reports of mens wants are brought to them but to bee circumspect and seeke for all occasions that may deserve the extent of their goodnesse If you live in a Parish wherein happily there remaines not many poore yet you live in a Citie there are many there if there bee not many in the Citie you live in a Country in a Kingdome doubtles where there are many if there bee none there yet thou hast further meanes to extend thy charitie Thou livest in a Church is there any member of the Church in all the World dispersed in Bohemia in the Palatinate in any place of the earth where the poore abide enquire after them that you may know their wants and relieve their necessities I come now to the second from the determination of time to the declaration of dutie while wee have time Let us doe good I told you what this goodnesse is in the intent of the Apostle in this place Doing good is a releeving those that are in necessity for that is the Apostles meaning as we may see in the context and coherence of these words with the former So then the maine Point is no more but this It is the dutie of Gods servants as to make advantages of their times so to employ themselves in releeving of others Take it more briefly It is a doing good to releive others that is the dutie of Gods servants and it well becomes them to be employed in this work while we have time on earth and meanes to doe it to employ our selves in doing good and releiving others And there is familiar appearance of this in Scripture and by reasons also By Scripture it is commanded in precept and
commended in practise of the Saints If any of thy brethren among thee be poore saith God thou shalt not harden thy heart thou shalt not shut up thy hand against thy poore brother The not opening the hands to relieve him God accounts that as proceeding from the hardnesse of the heart Thou shalt not harden thy heart against thy brother c. Cast thy bread upon the Waters for after many dayes thou shalt finde it Is not this the fast that I have chosen for a man to give his bread to the hungry and that a man should release those that are in Captivity and to let the oppressed goe free The Apostle wisheth that as they abounded in knowledge and in vertue and in faith and goodnesse so they might abound also in this Grace of God The Grace of God that he there speaks of is the willing readinesse to the doing of good To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased You see there by doing good he meanes distribution the latter word doth prove the former and both explaine this Text. You have it likewise commended in the practice of the Saints I need not bee large in discoursing to you the carriage of Abraham of Lot of David of Iob the practice of Cornelius yea of Christ himselfe The Scripture is plentifull in this I and that which is more to bee observed that although Christ himselfe were relieved by others yet out of that hee gave a share to the poore It will appeare likewise in reason that this is a necessarie dutie and these may be taken First from the equity of it for it is equall you should thus employ your time and estate and those advantages of life which God hath made you doner of partly to that purpose and a man commits an injurie in neglecting these holy duties and is not only become an unmercifull but an unjust man and so in the plainest phrase a dishonest man hee is not just that doth not thus Therefore with-hold not the good from the owner thereof sayth God when it is in thy power to give The poore is owner of the estate of the rich so farre as his necessitie requires it and it proves but a matter of justice and equitie to bestow his riches where it ought to bee bestowed and a man is unjust in that respect if hee doe it not Riches are called unrighteous Mammon as hath beene expressed before when they are urighteously with-held from them to whom they should bee given as well as when they are unrighteously gotten So that detaining it from those unto whom it is appointed by Gods direction converts that riches perchance honestly procured into the Mammon of unrighteousnesse Secondly as it becomes a matter of justice so it proves likewise a matter of wisedome a man makes wise provision for the present and the future also by this course And therefore it makes way for the felicitie of the servants of God to employ their endeavours in the execution of this dutie and to lay fast hold on the forehead of opportunitie First it proves a consequent of wisedome for themselves in procuring their owne good Blessed is the man that judgeth wisely of the poore why so the Lord will consider him in the day of evill and he will not give him over to the will of his enemies What is the thing that a man is most subject to feare in this World but that which David sayth concerning Saul I shall fall sometime or other by the hands of some enemie of some mischievous person or malicious person or other You see the Lord hath here promis'd a large assurance of safetie and protection from the malice of his adversaries in the day of evill if hee wisely consider the poore Againe it makes much for the good of his posteritie The good man is mercifull c. and his feed inherits the blessing It may bee he perceives not such sensible and apparant fruits or outward successe in his owne life upon this course yet his seed inherits the blessing and the lesse hee enjoyes the more shall they receive of Gods goodnesse towards them as a recompence for his benevolent kindnesse towards the people of God And what greater legacie can man bestow upon his posteritie then to leave them by his particular meanes in the loving favour of the Almightie And as it is so for the present so it becomes a course of wisdome for the future also Charge the rich men of the World that they be ready to doe good c. laying up a good foundation for the time to come And by this meanes a man may provide well for eternitie Make you friends sayth Christ of your unrighteous Mammon that when you faile they may receive you into everlasting habitations The way for a man to provide for eternall good is to use his tallent of wealth and estate for the present to the good of many Thus wee see the Reasons plainly verified To make use of it briefly and hasten to that which remaines Is it so then that it is writ downe to bee the dutie of Gods servants to mannage the opportunities of this life for this end and in this course of doing good that is of distribution and reliefe Then it serves to reprove those that neglect this dutie and account it not a businesse of their life onely they conceive of it as a matter of praise and commendations a thing that they doe well in performing and not very ill in omitting They conceive it to bee of no absolvte necessitie but voluntary charitie as a matter arbitrarie but not as a dutie necessarie and for this cause they appeare but slack and indifferent they conceive this as a dutie to lay up wealth but never remember the necessity of laying out wealth to bee commanded for a greater dutie then the former they take it for their dutie to get all they can but forget the following precept to doe all the good with that they get as they can And here is the reason why there are such lavish expences bestowed upon every vanitie that the portion of the poore and such as ought to bee relieved with our estates in point of equitie and by vertue of Gods Cōmandement is swallowed up by every vanity It is spent in excessiue apparell for the satisfaction of the vaine fashion-monger in superfluity of dyet for the Glutton and the Epicure in Haukes and Hounds and Dogs to please the humour of the voluptuous person it is consumed in raising up vaine and unnecessarie Buildings by earth-wormes that make their habitations below and lay a foundation for themselves on earth neglecting that goodly building given of God to the re-edifying of their soules in the kingdome of Grace And thus is the portion of the poore consumed and themselves for want of the same exposed to all the miserie that this World can inflict Some cry they cannot doe
instances of this in the word of God But I hasten You see the reason Let us now come to make some use of it that we may not be prevented Wee have told you that it is true of States and Kingdomes of particular persons of every man that when in a course of sinne and impenitencie they cry peace to themselves then judgement and destruction is comming upon them It serveth therefore to informe us what to thinke of our selves of the estate of this Land wherein wee live of these times wherein we are fallen What can we expect when we consider to what a height of sinne wee are come how impenitent men are how obstinate and hard-hearted and stiff-necked against the voyce of God in the Gospell and the meanes of Grace but destruction to come upon us If we looke upon the sinnes of men wee may perceive even a generall ripenesse for judgement When the sinnes of the Amorites were full Judgement came upon them How neere the sinnes of this Land are come to that fulnesse wee know not wee have cause to feare Wee see in other Countreys the shaking of the sword upon us it hath not yet awakened us to feare God At home wee have had the voyce of the Prophets the Ministers crying unto us from day to day to returne lest destruction come upon us it hath not brought us to returne from our sinnes Wee have seene the mercies of God upon particular persons and families it hath not awakened men to walke conscionably in their places Wee see no reformation there is rather an increase of sinne And what can we expect there wants but one sinne and when that is come sudden destruction commeth What is that Securitie And have wee not cause to bewaile the generall securitie that is amongst us May not the Angell of the Lord returne that answer as hee did in the first of Zephany All the world is at rest Goe into the streets the houses the shops of men every man is at rest no man is troubled about his estate nor affected with Gods displeasure either against himselfe or the Land wee live in See is not the Land as secure as they of Laish or worse They were secure because they did not heare of the danger of the purpose of the Danites against them therefore their securitie was not altogether so culpable and blame-worthy But I will tell you what securitie ours is nay the holy Ghost hath told us to our hands Prov. 23. 34. That judgement there that is threatned against a man that goeth on in sinne seemes to bee a judgement executed upon us at this time Thou shalt be as a man that lies downe in the middest of the sea or as hee that lies upon the top of a must They have striken mee shalt thou say and I was not sicke they have beaten mee and I felt it not when I awake I will seeke it yet againe Our security I say is like that of a man in the middest of the sea and yet asleepe as a man upon the top of a mast and yet asleepe Nay men not only in danger but such as have the stroke upon them They have striken mee and I was not sicke they have wounded me and I felt it not Is it not thus with us in these dead and secure times that wee live in And shall wee say that wee are not asleepe Hath not the Lord sent the destroying Angell amongst us that hath smitten thousands in our streets and yet we have not felt it Shall we say we are not in danger Wee are as a man that sleepeth on the top of a mast at Sea Nay as a man in the middest of the waves in a dead sleep like such as are drunke and yet wee feele nothing Truly we have little cause to be secure we have little cause to flatter our selves with vaine conceits of peace and continuance of prosperity if wee looke well about us Where is any man that takes occasion by what he heares abroad or sees at home to enter into the reformation of his owne house of his owne heart It may be some men will say It is an unjust tax that you put upon us wee are not so secure as you speake of You shall scarse come to any mans table but they will bee talking of the judgements abroad You shall scarse meet a man in the streets but hee will leave other occasions and tell you how ill it goes with the Churches beyond the Seas You shall scarse meet with one in the field but all the time is tooke up with discourse of the evils at home or troubles abroad And is this a signe of security Alas beloved this is to bee asleepe in the middest of the waves Every man is in the middest of danger and yet is secure How shall that appeare I will make it appeare by demonstrations and signes that may convince you before the Lord that wee adde this to the rest of our sinnes that in the middest of our sinnes and impenitency we are secure and therefore that destruction is comming upon us What are the signes whereby wee may bee convinced of securitie I will give you a few that by those you may see whether the Land the Citie your families your selves and all be not asleepe and at rest this day The first signe shall be this When men profit not by the judgements of God Certainly it is an evident signe of a deepe â—…eepe in sinne when neither the afflictions that are upon others or upon our selves doe any good upon us Looke how God hath smitten others Hath that awakned us You will say that it is a secure child that seeth his brother beaten for the same fault before his eyes and yet goeth on in it you will say that that is a secure malefactour that seeth such a person executed before his face and yet goeth on in the same fellony and theft And must we not say that we are a secure generation when we can see our brethren in other Countreys how they have suffered and yet goe on in the very same sinnes that wee our selves thinke the hand of God is upon them for We can talke of their sinnes of their unrighteousnesse and injustice wee can talke of their neglect of the Lords day and other holy duties and for these wee judge them smitten of God How is it then that we are such our selves how is it that wee goe on in unrighteousnesse in prophaning the Lords day in neglecting the house of God and our owne families Have they found such sweetnesse in these sinnes that wee walke on in the same Is it a pleasant and comfortable thing to be driven from Gods house and from our owne houses to be a reproach to all the world If we thinke that the hand of God is upon them for these sinnes how is it that wee are not awakened I remember Daniel in the fifth Chapter of his prophesie taxeth Belshazzar for this though thou knowest saith
it wee have not an estate to undergoe it in the meane time they runne to excesse of Riot and make such voluptuous and superfluous feasts that the Phenix hardly escapes the bounds of their desires If you can bee thus excessive in your dyet in your apparell in your sports if you can cast away in presents and in gifts in bribes and in gratuities superfluously upon rich friends there must of necessitie bee a defect in your will to the command of God when you neglect the miserable condition of the poore and lend no hand to helpe them What is the reason of it but because of the naturall rebellion and Athisme that is in the heart of every man against God that they will employ their estates any way rather then bestow them to that purpose for which they are appointed by God Oh what account shall such bee able to make at the day of Judgement doe but suppose when the Bookes shall come to bee opened wherein the particular diaries and passages of your life shall be thus examined Item so much for a feast Item on such a day for such another great feast and many a hundred daies for as many hundred feasts wherein hundreds of the servants of God have endured extreame want and inforced into banishment into other places to persecution to miserie and distresse when thou couldst not finde one of them in a corner of thy purse Item so much for such apparell for such entertainment for such building of Walks and Galleries What nothing for the servants of God are they so emptie when your houses appeare so full live they so poore and you so richly clad what can you spare nothing for Christ and the distressed members of the Church all this while Oh my beloved remember what Iames sayth Goe to now you rich men weepe and houle for your garments are Moth-eaten whereon you have bestowed so much cost and your gold and silver is rustie and canker'd and the rust of them shall eate up your flesh as it were fire at that day Let it teach therfore the servants of God to bestow their Almes most willingly to be free and in continuall readinesse in extending their contribution towards the necessities of those that want them and not onely so but to doe good in so doing for that is the principall dutie unto which the Text doth invite you While you have opportunitie do good But how shall a man in such actions of mercie and bountie and liberalitie make it appeare that hee doth good Therefore briefly take some helpes in this A man that will contribute out of his estate to releeve others and intends to doe good First hee must doe what hee doth justly he must not out of mercie extended to one injure another but must alwayes levell his charitie by his owne abilitie And this is that which the holy Ghost calls the giving of a mans owne Cast thy bread upon the waters thy owne bread not another mans To give that which is a mans owne by right by lawfull procuring his owne by right of possession the gifts bestowed out of that makes acceptation before God and provides a double recompence for the giver You see how Zacheus gives If I have wronged any man I will restore it and halfe my goods I give to the poore That is I will first make restitution of what I have unjustly gotten and then of the remainder I will give halfe to the poore It is no giving for a man to employ all his life-time in the procurement of unjust gaine By Usurie deceit in trading and other indirect and forbidden courses to heape up abundance of red clay and then to summe up a large Bill of the particular good hee intends to Religion for Churches and for Hospitalls and the poore with other such like benevolences makes but a simple satisfaction for thy unjuct courses in procuring such wealth to the prejudice and detriment of others this is nothing to thy advantage all this while thou art a theefe and givest stolne goods Nay thou maist further assure thy selfe that Hell shall bee the greatest recompence of thy charitie because thou bestowest that which is not thine Thou oughtest first to have made thy estate cleare and have restored the things that belonged unto others and reserved thine owne by it selfe and then to give free scope to thy charitie to the doing of any good action which time and occasion could propound This is the first dutie of any man that will doe good in giving he must give justly Secondly hee must give wisely too it is made the marke of a man fearing God Hee considers wisely of the poore and hee orders his affaires with judgement What is that Judgement hath a twofold respect it hath respect to the quantitie of a mans gift and to the qualitie of the person to whom he gives There must be a judgement a wise ordering of things in respect of the quantitie which a man bestowes according to that expression of the holy Ghost in Acts 11. 29. They gave according to their abilities they kept within the limits of their estates and exceeded not So must thou or else another man may perchance lose by thy liberalitie Againe there must be respect had to the qualitie of the person to whom hee gives My goodnesse extends to the Saints that are on earth to the faithful ones as the Text saith here to the houshold of faith It is not necessarie to give to every one that comes next to hand There be some persons I told you before that are not to be releeved except in case of extreme necessitie Wee must extend our Benevolence to those of the houshold of Faith Give unto Christ and to the naked and hungrie members that belong unto him and thou shalt not want a sweet and comfortable returne of thy charitie Againe as it must be done justly and wisely so if we desire to do good in releeving wee must doe it simply In the simplicitie and plainnesse of our hearts Let him that distributes doe it in simplicitie saith the Apostle What is that simplicitie when a man lookes up to God with a single eye as the eye may be said to bee single when it viewes but one object at once so the heart is small when it respects God onely in this action of charitie and makes no other reckoning of any outward object A double-minded man he lookes up to God and yet carries some respect to the outward honour which hee expects of the World and more often times to the World then to God at least he joynes them together But if a man bee desirous to bestow his benevolence with a purpose to receive recompence from above let him doe it for his sake that commands it and reflect upon God in all things This is the testimonie of our Conscience sayth the Apostle that in simplicitie and sinceritie wee have had our conversation among you not affecting the
die Saint Paul was growne humble and the Lord had prevailed upon him kept downe his spirit from being exalted above measure and now saith he my life is not deare to mee he was content to lay downe his life and all when he was humbled Beloved pride in some outward excellencies or other setteth a man above his place therefore when a man is tooke off from all that puffes up the spirit of a man he will be content to lay downe any of those things even life it selfe if need be Againe secondly Doth God doe it to strengthen faith in a man then the more thou strengthenest faith the more thou shalt be freed from these feares you know faith lookes upon Christ as the proper obiect of it and the more a man interesteth himselfe in Christ the more by Christ hee is freed from the feare of Death Christ hath redeemed us from the Grave and from Death and therefore when by faith hee lookes upon Christ and through him upon Death hee lookes upon that as a thing made instead of poison a medicine in stead of a destroyer a Saviour and deliverer as a meanes to free him from the bondage of sinne and miserie and afflictions c. Thirdly Doth God doe this that he may make men more holy and watchfull in their course then certainly the more thou canst purge out thy sinne in the course of thy life the lesse thou shalt feare death The sting of Death is sinne then if thou wilt have Death comfortable let thy life be conformable to Gods rule and word or else every sinne will present it selfe in death before thee specially those sinnes thou allowest thy selfe in will make Death as bitter as Hell Fourthly Doth God doe it for this end that he may make thee better prepared for death Then the more thou art prepared for Death before hand the lesse thou shalt feare it when it commeth upon thee it will not come as a stranger but thou wilt be ready to receive it as one with whom thou art acquainted already It is a great matter if men could learne this wisedome to die daily that is be every day imployed as dying daily I meane for the manner of your carriage not for the matter for the substance of the dutie If a man were sure to die this day he would lay aside all businesse and set himselfe to be prepared for judgement and would lay aside the use of any other comforts and delights But that is not the meaning but this that we carry our selves in businesse every day as if Death should seize upon us in that businesse that we might be found well-doing that is when a man followeth his earthly businesse with a heavenly mind when he keepeth to the rule of righteousnesse and truth in his ordinary calling when he is doing or receiving good in his company when he useth his pleasures and recreations as the whet-stone to the Sithe to make him fitter for God I say when thus we doe things to a right end and in a right maner if Death now should seize upon us in such an action it should find us well-doing And this is that we perswade you to if you would have death comfortable and not terrible be so imployed as that your actions may be good both for matter and forme that you are now about because Death may strike you in such an action But I cannot stand on these particulars Againe for the causes in our selves If you would be freed from the terrours of Death then rectifie your apprehensions and opinions of Death thinke of it as it is as it is I say to beleevers to those that are in Christ. It is not the destruction of nature and so a naturall Ill as you account it It is rather a cure of nature for assoone as ever we live we are dying and all our life it is but a living death a continuall decaying and dying Now when death commeth it putteth an end to all the decayes of nature and setteth all right againe It is but asleepe and sleepe it is not a destruction but a helpe of the bodie and that which inableth to vigour and strength and fitnesse to action Againe it is not the destruction of any part of a man the body it selfe is not destroyed indeed it is in the Grave but it is in the grave as in a bed of peace They shall come and rest in their beddes saith the Prophet The grave is but as a bed wherein the body lies asleepe and no man you know is troubled with feare that hee goeth to bed The grave is but as Gods chest to keepe in all his Treasure whereof the bodies of his servants are apart precious to him even in the grave in death Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints and God will open this Cabinet and the Chest of the Grave in the great day of the Resurrection and bring the body out againe and then it shall be as good as ever it was nay I say not onely as good but much better too for our vile bodies shall bee made like the glorious bodie of Christ. Phil. 3. No man when he goeth to bed thinkes much to have his old cloathes taken off that they may be mended and made better against morning When we sleepe in the Grave it is no more but this the garment of the soule the body the old apparell that is taken off that it may be made better and a more glorious body this is all we lose nothing by it but our estates even our bodily estate is bettered by it And for the Soule Death doth not destroy that neither for know this the soule liveth for ever the bodie indeed returneth to the Earth as it was but the soule returneth to God that gave it The soule I say liveth that is the thing that Christ himselfe proveth in 22. Mat. Abraham is alive why so For God is not the God of the dead but of the living for God said I am the God of Abraham c. How can this be that God is the God of Abraham and yet he is dead Indeed he is dead if wee looke to the separation of the soule and body in the cessation of bodily actions but if we looke to the better part of Abraham his soule that continueth the ever-living God hath made an everlasting Covenant with him and therefore he dieth not Againe it is not onely not the destruction of nature but not of your actions neither Death doth not destroy them neither Indeed there is a cessation of bodily actions but it is that the body may have better strength and be the fitter instrument of holinesse after But for those actions of the soule that depend not upon the body they are as perfectly done when we are dead as when we are alive and better too When a man liveth upon the earth you see his soule is much hindered by the body A distempered sicke
what world with the world of ungodly men God hath borne with the world many Ages of yeares many thousand yeares already and yet beareth still with the world The most holy God that perfectly hateth wickednesse yet to shew his Patience he beareth with ungodly ones Yea and he beareth with men too the mighty God that is able to destroy all the world with the very breath of his mouth that as with a word hee made the world so with a blast he is able to bring it to nothing yet this mighty God beareth with men this holy God with ungodly men yea and this God that might suddenly destroy the earth as hee did the old World with water he beareth so many thousand yeares with the world of ungodly men that his Patience and long-suffering may appeare You have God for an example then And Christ for an example too and you are predestinated for this very end to be like the Image of the Sonne to be made conformable unto Christ Wherein In all imitable and necessary graces I say in all those graces that are necessary by vertue of a rule and that are imitable wherein we may or can follow him Amongst the rest this is one his Patience See the Patience of Christ. In his carriage toward his Father how he bore the displeasure of his Father In his carriage toward men when hee might have commanded fire from heaven yet you see how hee bore with them and rebuked his Disciples You know not of what spirit you are Hee was lead as a Lambe dumbe before the shearers and hee opened not his mouth Againe you have the examples of the servants of God Take my brethren saith Saint Iames the Prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an ensample of suffering affliction and of Patience The Prophets suffered long and endured the frownes of the world and the rage of Princes they endured a thousand miseries and all to discharge their duty But amongst all the servants of God You have heard of the Patience of Iob and what end the Lord made with him Every man can speake of the patience of Iob but this was written for our ensample to teach us to be patient as hee was Whatsoever things were written afore-time were written for our learnings that wee through Patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Againe secondly as it is necessary for a Christian to strive for the perfection of Patience in the degrees of it because of the conformitie that should be betweene him and those examples of God of Christ and of the Saints betweene God the Father and beleevers his children betweene Christ the head and beleevers his members betweene the Saints of God children of the same Father and servants of the same Master that should honour him in the same grace of Patience So there is a necessitie likewise of it in respect of the tryals whereunto a Christian may be put you had need to strive that you may be perfect in Patience because you know not what tryals yee shall be put to what times yee are reserved to Every man must expect troubles and afflictions they are called Tribulations and you know what Tribulum was the Iron ball that was full of pikes round about so that wheresoever it was cast it did sticke an Engine used in warre Tribulations are unavoydable they will fall and sticke yee cannot escape them on any side by any turning to the right hand or to the left It is the will of God that through many tribulations wee should enter into the kingdome of heaven and whosoever will live Godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution Now beloved is this so that this is a Statute in heaven decreed and ordained by God and will not be reversed like the lawes of the Medes and Persians that every man must passe to heaven through tribulation and affliction upon earth then it concernes every one to be armed to get such a measure of patience as may support him in such afflictions Yee know not what afflictions yee may have what particular tryals God may put yee to In what a miserable case then is a man if he be to seeke of his armour when he is in the middest of the pikes if he be then to get patience when he is in the middest of tryals when he is disturbed and distracted with vexation of spirit What foolish disorderly speeches proceed from men in the time of affliction We may see it in David so foolish was I and ignorant and in this point a beast before thee What foolish sensuall beastly speeches unreasonable absurd passages proceed from men in those times of trouble if they have not got to themselves before hand this grace and are not fitted to a Christian caraiage in time by patience Thus yee see the necessitie of patience to the perfection of a Christian and the necessitie of the perfection of patience to the ornament of a Christian. Now we come to make use of both these together First it serveth for the just reproofe of Christians that are carefull for other parts and acts of religion and are not so seriously mindfull of this duty of Patience as they should be but are so farre from striving for patience that they seeme rather to strive for impatience that make their crosses more heavy and their afflictions more bitter then they would be Indeed we make Gods Cuppe that of it selfe is grievous enough to nature and to sense by putting into it our owne ingredients that are inbred in our owne passions and pride and selfe-will and our owne earthly mindes farre more bitter then else it would be But how doth a man make afflictions worse There are divers wayes that men take wherein they are so farre from perfecting patience in themselves that they wholly destroy patience The first is by their agravating of their afflictions by all the severall circumstances that possibly they can invent All their eloquence is used in expressing the grievousnesse of that crosse and affliction that is upon them They that in the times of mercy could scarse ever drop a word in thankfulnesse and acknowledgement of Gods goodnesse to them now they can poure out flouds of sentences in expression of Gods bitter and heavie dealing with them in such afflictions and crosses and distresses that befall them As the Church speakes in the Lamentations Consider all that passe by is there any Affliction like my affliction wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me The like speech you have ordinarily in the mouthes of persons Is there any affliction like mine there is no body so wronged in their name as I nor hath such paine in their body nor never went with such a heavy heart as I never any man suffered so many injuries by friends and enemies and all sorts of people as I have done as if all the afflictions in the world the flouds and waves of tryals were
is that The time of death the heart of a man is put to it at such a time and now these shrinke nothing can inable a man against feare so much as sincerity and uprightnesse When the Prophet Isaiah told Hezekiah from God that he must die he flieth to this Lord remember how I have walked before thee with an upright heart and done that which was good in thy sight When Death commeth to a wicked voluptuous person and telleth him I am here come for thee thou must appeare before God what can this man say Lord I have lived before thee a voluptuous proud wretched life I was a scorner of thy Word a contemner and persecutor of thy people a swearer c. What though perhaps he can say Lord I have heard so many Sermons I have beene so much in conference and the like will this inable a man against the feare of Death No nothing but this that he hath a sincere heart that his heart is unmixed that sinne is not affected in his soule that there is no sinne that hee would live in no duty that he would not doe Lord remember that I have walked before thee uprightly I say nothing will inable a man more against feare then sinceritie and nothing disgraceth perplexeth the soule in an exigent more then hypocrisie It is sinceritie that takes away the sting of Death The Apostle in Rom. 14. saith he No man liveth to himselfe but if hee live hee liveth to the Lord and if hee die hee dieth to the Lord whether wee live or die wee are the Lords Here is the comfort wee are the Lords saith he How proveth hee that Wee live unto him That is the worke of a sincere heart A true Christian liveth not to himselfe but to Christ Now if thy conscience give thee this testimony I have lived unto Christ then whether I live or die I am the Lords the Apostle concludeth it So right is that of Solomon Riches availeth not in the day of wrath but righteousnesse delivereth from death Thy righteousnesse and sincerity delivereth thee not from dying but from death It takes away the sting and power of Death Death shall not be death to thee it is onely a passage to thee Therefore remember as to get a part in Christ so to get a perfect and sincere heart and then the sting of death is gone But a hypocriticall divided heart a heart and a heart that will sting a man That is the second Thirdly wouldest thou have the sting of death pulled out now Then mortifie thy sinnes now doe it presently Remember what Saint Paul saith but I thinke hee speakes it in respect of afflictions I professe by our rejoycing in Christ Iesus I die daily If it be meant of afflictions yet it should be verified of us in respect of sinne die daily to sinne and then the sting of death is gone Oh beloved our condition will be sad and discomfortable when at once we must enter into the field with Death and Sinne he that dieth daily to Sin hee hath nothing to doe with Death when it commeth Death may come to such a party but it cannot hurt him he may rest quietly when it commeth And observe it so much sinne as thou now sparest so much sting thou reservest for Death and is it not folly in a man to spare sinne that giveth a sting to Death But now as a man is to crucifie every sinne let me put in this caution and remember this advise As the sting of every sin is to be pulled out so pull out especially the sting of that Sin that now stingeth thy conscience that now lieth upon thy conscience for if it worke now it will worke fearfully at death Death doth not lessen the work of sin but inrageth it God wil then present and set thy sins in orderbefore thee perhaps God hath brought thee here to day to heare this Word getthee home and set thy soule in order The love of Sin and the feare of Death seldome paâ—…t and where Sinne is much loved Death will there be much feared Death is never more terrible then where sin is most delighted in Therefore crucifie sinne if thou wilt have the sting of death taken away It may be thou thinkest it is a troublesome worke but remember that those sinnes which thou now so much delightest in and lovest and livest in will then prove the sting of death to thee If a man would spend his time in the mortification of sinne when death commeth he should have nothing to doe but to let his soule loose to God and to give it up to him as into the hands of his most faithfull Creatour and Redeemer And is it not an excellent thing for a man to have nothing to doe with Death when it commeth Lastly here is a use of comfort If it hath pleased God to give any of us the grace to pull out the sting of death it is a great comfort But Death is approching you will say Oh but Death is disarmed the sting of it is taken away what a singular comfort is it then to you that Death is comming Indeed all the comfort that the soule is capable of is this that the sting of death is tooke away Now when Death commeth upon such a man it doth but free him from all that state of miserie hee is in here from all that extremitie of condition that he is put into from all those diversities of occasions pressing occasions of tumbling about in the world Death doth but put an end to all And which is an excellent comfort to a Christian Sin is ended with Death what afflicteth the soule of a Christian but that hee carrieth about him a body of sinne and of death This was a trouble to Saint Paul and is to every true Christian Now when Death commeth there is an end of this Body of sinne thou shalt never sinne more thou shalt never grieve the Spirit of God more thou shalt never be clogged with such imperfections and infirmities in dutie that death that commeth to thee shall passe thee to the fruition of eternall glory and what canst thou desire more then to be happy in eternall glory with God FINIS THE DESRVCTION OF THE DESTROYER OR THE OVER THROVV OF THE LAST ENEMIE PSAL. 9. 6. O thou Enemie thy Destructions are come to a perpetuall end ISAIAH 25. 8. Hee will swallow up Death in victorie LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. THE DESTRVCTION OF THE DESTROYER OR THE OVER THROW OF THE LAST ENEMIE SERMON VII 1 COR. 15. 16. The last enemie that shall bee destroyed is Death DEath is a subject that a Christian should have in his thoughts often and neither the hearing nor thinking nor speaking of it can be unseasonable for any place or person We have heard that the life of Philosophers is nothing but a meditation of Death and certainly the life of a Christian much more should abound in
provide a countrey house but God hath beset us in the Countrey and in the Citie There will be no flight but to repentance there is the Citie of refuge and there is no way to repent but by consideration these must be tooke to heart before there can be amendment and till there be amendment there will be no removing of judgement It is plaine then that we are conformable in that part of the Text. And in the first too That mercifull men are taken away experience sheweth it daily they are taken so frequently that there is hardly any left they are not only taken away but swept away And if there were no other proofe this representation this sad spectacle before our eyes that is an argument to make the proofe of the conformitie of the first part of the text with us In the text there is mention made of a righteous man of a mercifull man The Spirit of God bringeth in all the parts by paires It is fulfilled in the solemnitie and occasion of this day by paires God calleth us to pietie by paires he giveth us spectacles of mortalitie I thought I had come to doe the dutie for one to performe the solemnitie of one Funerall but after I perceived I was called to doe the office for two It was not so from the beginning it falleth not out so every day Here is the true proofe that these are the times of mortalitie set the paires any way and wee shall see that there is none free none can secure himselfe from the stroke of death One a vertuous ancient Gentlewoman the other a grave learned Minister but of younger condition here are both ages tooke away and both presented not only so but here are both conditions of life and both presented together and here are both sexes and both presented together to teach us that no sexe no condition no age can secure themselves I will smite the Shepheard saith Christ foretelling the Disciples what should befall them Here is the smiting of the Shepheard and the sheepe too Put both together and I beleeve this place cannot send such another paire For the one Hee was the most eminent for his place For the other shee was the most eminent for her pietie I was not acquainted with the conversation of either and therefore I shall not speake much and the information I had it was not much for it was needlesse I may save a labour for both for if I speake any thing false yee are able to refuâ—…e me if I speake any thing true as all must be true that is spoken here yet yee are able to prevent me and I can say nothing that yee know not For the one I heare that he had the report of a man that was conscionable in the discharge of his place And all that I shall say of him shall be only this there is cause that yee should take to heart his death For what is the reason that in this little Parish that is as healthfull as another But God is wonderfull in his wayes and we must not search into the judgements of God that it is not full eight yeares but there have three succeeded that have beene commended to this place and have died one after another Is it so that yee kill them with unkindnesse the world saith so I tell yee I know not but this I am sure of that there have beene too many unkind passages where the fault is your selves know But this is to be taken into consideration that God removeth them from yee as if yee were worthy of none If God send us these helpes and Lampes that waste themselves to shine to us and to breake and dispense to us the bread of life shall we not give them incouragement in their studies that they may goe on quietly and peaceably A word is enough for that Howsoever some of yee would not suffer him to rest God hath taken him to his rest There is more might bee said but I will not say too much For the other since I came from my house I had information At my first footing in the Parish they said shee was as good a woman as lived At my first footing in the house they said shee was a very good woman Those that have lived in the Parish they testifie that she was a woman most eminent for her pietie and vertue Shall shee want a memoriall I asked of those that have knowne her of old they say shee was a righteous woman for the righteousnesse of pietie and a mercifull woman for the righteousnesse of mercie Shee had respect to both tables to her dutie to God to her Neighbour For the mercie of charitie she was good to the poore shee was a lender to those that were in necessitie and a giver too For the mercie of pittie she was very compassionate to those that were in afflictions she sympathized with them visited them and comforted them For the mercie of peace in time of contention she laboured to set all straite she had a soft answer to pacifie wrath Shee was a mercifull woman and God hath given her the reward hath tooke her to his rest She was a lover of peace he hath taken her to the place of peace She was one that studied happinesse and hee hath taken her to a place of happinesse He hath tooke her from these evils that we are reserved to and that we may feare That is the difference betweene a godly and an impenitent man Impenitent men if they be tooke away they are taken to further evill if they bee left alive they are left to further evill Mercifull men if they be tooke away they are taken away for the eschewing of evill and if they be left on the earth it is for the diverting of evill They divert them while they live and shunne them when they die As they labour to honour God in their lives so God gratifieth them in their death he takes them to himselfe This consideration and occasion is a proofe of the Text. As it is proved in all the Text let us disprove it in our selves that this word may never goe in the course it lieth here but in a contrary course That righteous men perish and men doe lay it to heart let it be said so and mercifull men though they be tooke away yet there are those that take it into consideration I have done with the last part and with the occasion FINIS THE GOOD MANS EPITAPH OR THE HAPPINESSE OF THOSE THAT DIE WELL. 2 TIM 4. 7. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith VERSE 8. Hence-forth is layed up for mee a crowne of righteousnesse c. LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. THE GOOD MANS EPITAPH OR THE HAPPINESSE OF THOSE THAT DIE WELL. SERMON IX REVELAT 14. 13. I heard a voyce from heaven saying unto mee write Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from hence forth yea saith the spirit
therefore they should in these things agree together The generall end at which they all aymed in their doings is the Lord Hee that eateth saith he eateth to the Lord and he that eateth not to the Lord hee eateth not that is still he propoundeth God as his end and the pleasing of God in his actions as the rule of them That he may prove this unto us that they stand thus affected both of them notwithstanding this difference he bringeth in this as the generall reason whereto every particular of their lives may bee reduced All their life is ordered by the Lord they live to the Lord they die to the Lord so that whether they live or die they are the Lords Therefore all their particular actions are to the Lord. Whether we live wee live to the Lord and whether we die we die to the Lord. Now this generall reason he propoundeth two wayes First Negatively None of us liveth to himselfe and no man dieth to himselfe Secondly Affirmatively which consisteth of two parts Their dutie to God Gods acceptance of them and protection over them Their dutieto God if we live we live to the Lord and if wee die we die to the Load Gods acceptance of them Whether wee live or die wee are the Lords That which we shall now insist upon is the former part the negative expression and proposall of this generall reason None of us liveth to himselfe and no man dieth to himselfe Now when the Apostle affirmeth this of the beleevers of those times he therein intimateth thus much that it is the course of beleevers in all times It is a dutie belonging to all others of which they must make account not to live to themselves but to the Lord. Therefore though he speakes generally here yet there is in his speech a kind of particular universalitie a generality with a restraint He saith none of us hee saith not none in the world live to themselves for there are many in the world live to themselves and not to the Lord but none of us none of those that wee ranke our selves with that are in the condition of beleevers none of those concerning whom we speake in this question none of us live to our selves Life in generall is nothing else but that power whereby wee act or move As we read Gen. 2. God breathed into man the breath of life and he became a living soule he gave him the power whereby he acted The acting of this power is the exercise of that life whether the action be of the mind or of the body And so as there is a double life there are two sorts of actions of life there are naturall actions of a naturall life and there are spirituall actions of a spirituall life When the Apostle speakes of living hee intends both these Wee live not that is we doe not the actions of life whether naturall or spirituall to our selves but to the Lord. No man liveth to himselfe By himselfe he meaneth not only a mans person either soule or body but all those advantages that conduce to the well-being of a man No man of us so ordereth the actions of his life with reference and respect to our selves as the uttermost end wee doe not make our owne wel-beeing or wel-fare the uttermost end of our actions None of us live to our selves You have the sense and meaning of the words which being a patterne to other Christians a thing which the Apostle supposeth is or should be in every beleever it giveth us this point of instruction whereupon we shall insist at this time That is No beleever none that are in Christ should make themselves the end in their actions None should live that is spend their time and strength and endeavour ayming at no higher end then themselves No Christian should so spend his time as to seeke himselfe only in the actions that he doth None of us liveth to himselfe But here it may bee objected for the clearing of the point May not a Christian seeke himselfe in the things that hee doth When they doe good things that which God commandeth that they may avoide the punishment when being incouraged by the promise of a reward they performe the actions of obedience doe they not herein seeke themselves They seeke the avoyding of evill to themselves and the obtaining of good for themselves and doing thus they live to themselves To this wee Answer Wee must consider our selves two wayes First in subordination to God Secondly in competition with him or opposition against him Consider a mans selfe in subordination to God so a man may seeke himselfe that is he may seeke his owne good though not as the uttermost end wherein his thoughts rest yet hee hath this incouragement Selfe-love is a plant of Gods owne planting in the heart of man and hee will not have any man root out that that he hath planted Grace drieth not up the fountaine of nature It doth but turne the streame into a new channell it guides it the right way When a man is renewed by grace and sanctified he is the same man in his faculties he doth his actions better then he did before and all that he did before he doth them to a better end It is impossible that the will of man should incline to any thing but as he conceiveth it good and good for mee now there is no man can conceive a thing as good for him but hee must conceive it as good and sutable to him sutable to his welfare and condition The law of God forbiddeth not this but stablish it and commendeth it if it be rightly ordered Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy soule and with all thy strength that is the chiefe notwithstanding thou shalt not hate thy selfe thou shalt love thy nighbour as thy selfe subordinate to the love of a mans selfe must be the love of his neighbour and subordinate to his love of God must be the love of himselfe Thou maist love thy selfe but in a degree inferiour to God Thou must love thy selfe in God and seeke thy good in God and not in thy selfe therefore it is that God in the Scripture hath set promises and threatnings one opposite to the other Now it is lawfull for a man to bee drawne to obedience or driven from sinne by any argument that God useth in his Word When God threatneth punishment shall not men be awakened the Lyon roareth and the beasts of the Forrest tremble When God promiseth here is the act of Faith to receive this promise and to believe it Herein Iesus Christ the Author and finisher of our faith is set as a patterne for us hee set before him the joy It is lawfull for a Christian herein to imitate Christ I speake this for their sakes to allure them by incouragements from the Word that howsoever the avoyding of sinne by threatnings is an action of selfe-love without the love of God yet
it that They are most secure that are in least safetie A man is in the greatest danger when he is in the greatest securitie Then a mans Judgement is neerest when he least thinkes of it when he least feareth it This is the very thing that the holy Ghost would have us to take notice of here At that very time not before that time they shall crie peace Nor after the time when they had done it and repented of it But just at the very time when they are in the middest of their sinnes applauding of their owne estate living under the power and guilt of sinne then commeth destruction upon them and they shall not escape Thus farre the text That we may make the point cleare before wee come to prove it give me leave first briefly to tell you what wee meane by that securitie which is upon men even in their chiefest dangers Know therefore that there is a twofold securitie A holy spirituall A sinfull carnall securitie There is first a holy and spirituall securitie and that even in this state whereinto wee are fallen which consisteth in a mans reconciliation with God when hee is in termes of peace with him having obtained remission of his sinnes and his favour through Jesus Christ so that God is pleased with him in his Son hath received him into the Covenant of grace interested him into all the promises and is become his God by a Covenant for ever Now here a man may be secure yea and hee must bee so in a spirituall manner Confidence upon the goodnesse of God in Christ upon the promises of God in the Gospell is that which is requisite in every Christian it is that which God commandeth Feare not saith he in one place And againe Trust in the Lord. The Scripture is full in a calling for such securitie as this that men should lay aside all those carking and distracting cares when once they are in the Covenant of grace that now they should mind nothing but duty and not bee troubled about successe For my brethren it is such a security as makes a man not to neglect duty but such as freeth a man from those disquiets of soule about the event of things This was that which David had and rejoyced in I laid mee downe in rest and peace for the Lord keepeth mee in safetie This is that which the Lord commanded the people of Israel to doe Isa. 26. 20. Come my people enter thou into thy chamber and shut thy dores about thee hide thy selfe c. Hee would have them secure themselves under his protection and in his ordinances This is such a securitie as draweth men neerer to God bringeth them to further acquaintance with God keepeth them in a constant communion with God causeth them to walke in Gods presence c. This is a good security But then secondly there is a sinfull carnall security that is when a man yet living in a course of sinne hee beareth up his spirit against all feare either of judgements threatned or judgements approaching upon him under a vaine hope of I know not what mercy in God and of I know not what assurance from men and upon worldly conceits and flatteries either from others or his owne heart Here is now a sinfull carnall securitie not warranted but condemned in the word of God This is the security that is ever an ill prognosticator and fore-runner of some heavy judgement to fall upon that person in whom it is This is the security that we have now in chase First then wee will make it appeare that it is an infallible signe of Godâ—…â—…udgement upon a person or a people to cry peace to themselves to be secure and no way troubled at their estate when God is at warre with them You shall see this in instances and examples See it in particular persons and in States and Kingdomes and you shall generally find it that before the destroying judgement came upon them they have beene given up to this securitie wee speake of this crying of peace upon a false ground See it in Agag 1 Sam. 15. 13. The bitternesse of death is past But was it past Nay at that very time the bitternesse of death was upon him for the very next thing that wee meet withall in the Storie is that Agag was hewen in pieces before the Lord in Gilgall Yee have Belshazzar in Dan. 5. wondrous secure carrowsing and quafâ—…ing in the holy vessels that were taken out of the Temple of the house of God which was at Ierusalem amongst his Princes and Nobles his Wives and his Concubines as if there would be no change of his estate and translation of his Empire But what was it so Nay at that very time the very same houre saith the text verse 5. came forth fingers of a mans hand and wrote upon the plaister of the wall of the Kings pallace Mene Mene Tekell Vpharsin Thou art laid in the ballance and art found too light thy kingdome is divided and given to the Medes and Persians and immediatly In that very night vers 30. was Belshazzar king of the Caldeans slaine hee was tooke away from all his comfort and jollity See tâ—…is in the Rich man Luke 12. 19. Soule soule saith he take thine ease eate drinke and bee merry and why so was it because his soule indeed was washed in the bloud of Christ Nothing lesse But take thine ease thou hast goods laid up for many yeares thou art well provided against a hard Winter against a deare yeare now take thine ease Well what of this had his soule any whit the more ease had he many yeares to enjoy that which hee had laid up for many yeares Nay marke the answer of God verse 20. Thou foole this night thy soule shall bee taken from thee then whose shall those things bee that thou hast provided It is ordinary as Iob noteth of worldly men thus to flatter themselves They spend their dayes in wealth and in a moment got downe to the grave They spend their daies in wealth this is that they resolve upon while they live upon earth they will bee merry and enjoy their wealth and worldly contentments to the height and want nothing but in a moment while they are in the middest of these thoughts of raising a happinesse to themselves out of their worldly estate in the middest of these thoughts they goe downe to the grave So it is also in Nations and States See it in two particulars in the 17. Luke That of the old world That of Sodome and Gomorrah They were eating and drinking and building and plaâ—…ing and marrying and giving in marriage till the flood came upon the one and fire and brimstone upon the other till sudden destruction came upon both according to my Text. Yee shall have Jerusalem in the same case Their Prophets are flattering them and crying peace peace as Ieremy tells them
and testament and be troubled about that when thou hadst more need to have that Will and testament confirmed that Christ hath made And then set thy soule and conscience thy inner house in order let not conscience be to seeke then of any thing that concerneth thee for thy peace toward God and man Die thus and die happily Though Death be an enemie yet thou shalt not be hurt of it because it is subdued and at last thou shalt get the victorie over it when thou shalt see it utterly destroyed And now as I have exhorted you to doe this by way of counsell so yet a little further I crave patience that I may encourage you to doe it by way of example By the example of this blessed servant and Saint of God for whose occasion you have given this meeting and I have preached this Sermon Give me leave to doe by her as Mary Magdelen did by our Saviour Christ to breake a box of Spiknard and poure it on her that I may anoint her for her buriall Concerning whom though I could say a great deale yet knowing how well shee was knowne to you I should not be afraid to say too much Yet on the other side because the night is farre spent and because shee was sufficiently knowne to you although I speake but a little I shall speake enough Shee dwelt among you who is he that can speake ill of her who knew her but reported well of her The Apostle Saint Paul reduceth all the practicall parts of Christianitie to three heads Living soberly and righteously and holily The grace of God saith he hath appeared and teacheth us to doe all this Shee had learned to live soberly Shee was a patterne of sobrietie Sober in her countenance in her diet in her apparell in her speech in all her behaviour And the grace of God taught her to live righteously both in those things that concerne the workes of justice and those things that concerne the workes of mercy both are referred to righteousnesse For her Justice I am perswaded shee was exceeding carefull in all her wayes to keepe a good Conscience I am sure she was a woman very diligent and painfull in her Calling shee was truly one of those good house-wives that Solomon describeth in Prov. 31. and had studied that Chapter well and attained the practise of it she could never endure idlenesse in any there was no plague she said to idlenesse and that diligence in our Callings sets open a dore to many blessings and shuts up the dore to many tentations I may call her a discreet woman that was a crowne to her husband so Solomon said a vertuous woman is Hee had a rich portion when God gave him her Houses and lands come by inheritance but a Prudent wife commeth of the Lord. Shee was an excellent guide to her family to her servants Children she had none She had such children as S. Austin speakes of and he saith they are those children that women are saved by What children saith he Good workes and those children shee was full of She did the part of a Mother in bringing up her servants that were with her insomuch as she would say sometimes though they were none of her owne children Behold here am I and the children that God hath given me And for workes of mercie aswell as justice she was most open-hearted and handed not only to doe according but beyond her abilitie alwayes ready upon every occasion to distribute and administer to the necessities of the Saints and provoked and stirred others to the doing of the like Among her neighbours she lived unblameably A woman of a meeke and quiet spirit and Saint Peter saith Such of God are much set by She was no tattler nor busie medler in other folkes matters For Pietie shee was remarkablâ—… Shee shewed it both in her health and sicknesse In her health both publikely and privatly In publike She was a religious frequenter of the ordinances on the Lords day and on the weeke dayes a diligent hearer and attender an excellent rememberer one of the best Remembrancers that I have heard of And in private she was excellent for duties there both for the discharge of her owne dutie by giving ensample to others and many times by good and godly exhortations and instructions and daily by private reading and prayer shee set apart some time for her selfe for private meditation In her sicknesse she was a spectacle for thousands to looke on It pleased God to lay a long and heavy affliction upon her Shee had a Cancer in her breast that had beene on her three yeares in the two last yeares she suffered a great deale of extremity as you may imagine by one thing that I shall say Shee was faine to endure a great deale of dressing with Corrasives and sharpe medicines a great deale of cutting and searing and burning shee was above fiftie times burnt with hot Irons but Lord with what patience did she still endure it Shee would say It was no matter sanctified afflictions were better then unsanctified prosperity Apelles said when the picture of a beautifull woman was to be compleatly drawne he must borrow one part from one and another from another and put altogether She had learned this Shee had looked on many good patternes in the Scripture and had drawne to her selfe an imitation of them all so that she was a perfect and compleat Modell Though I say much yet I know I say nothing but the truth I read of few excellent women in the Scripture but she made them a patterne of one vertue or other For obedience she was a Saraah for wisedome a Rebecca for meeknesse a Hannah for a discreet temper an Abigal for good houswiverie a Martha for pietie a Mary a Lydia I know not any necessarie thing that belonged to make up a good Christian but in some measure it pleased God to bestow it on her Thus she continued all her life in the time of her health and in sicknesse with so much patience as after a sort she endured a martyrdome and I see no reason but we may allow a Martyr of Gods making aswell as of mans I am sure if God make Martyrs I know not any fitter then she so meeke and patient and constant Many daughters saith Solomon have done vertuously but thou surmountest them all I will not say so of her because I decline flatterie But this I will say that I know not many excell her scarse any that come neere her She hath the reward of that shee hath done given her of God and her workes follow her We leave her to God and having committed her soule into his hands we beseech his gracious favour upon our selves FINIS THE GREAT TRIBUNALL OR GODS SCRUTINIE OF MANS SECRETS ROM 14. 10. Wee shall all stand before the Iudgement seat of Christ. 2 COR. 5. 10. That every one may receive the things done in his body according to that hee hath done
with patience waite for it saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 25. If we have hope and expectation of Christs comming if it be right it will stay the heart and calme and quiet the spirit in the middest of all injuries and crosses and afflictions in the world it will make us to waite with patience Hee that beleeveth will not make hast When a man beleeveth that there is a time when Christ will put an end to all these things it is that which mortifieth and subdueth the rising of his spirit and discontentednesse in afflictions it makes him possesse his soule in Patience There is a kind of impatient waiting of men in the middest of discontent and revilings and evill speakings and threatnings of others and then Oh that Christ would come But when Faith workes kindly in the soule of a man there is a calme composednesse of heart a submission to God in the present tryall and yet neverthelesse a rejoycing in hope of the comming of Christ and of that glory that shall bee revealed That is the first thing there is Patience accompanying it The second thing that accompanieth it is Love No man can in truth and aright hope for and waite for the comming of Christ but he that loveth Christ and his comming Now this Love must be grounded on our tast of Gods love Not that wee loved him but that he loved us first saith the Apostle no man loveth Christ but first he is loved of Christ no man loveth God but first he is loved of God and the tast and rellish of Gods love in my soule workes love to God againe as from the heate that commeth from the Sunne there is a reflection that boundeth backe againe to the Sunne so Gods love in us reflects love to God againe This Love will appeare in the secret sighings of the heart All the creatures groane yea we also sigh in our selves saith the Apostle waiting for the adoption even the redemption of our bodies There is I say a secret sighing of heart and that not only in the time of trouble and affliction but in the time of comfort and prosperitie when a man hath abundance of outward things about him yet then because his love is set upon Christ and the perfection and end of love is the fruition of the object loved therefore there is a sighing a holy discontent as it were a kind of yearning of the heart toward Christ When shall I come and appeare before God saith David how long Lord how long saith the Church in the Revelation If a man love Christ and his comming only because it shall end those miseries and those troubles that are upon him in this life this is not so much love of Christ as love of a mans selfe of his owne ease and peace and rest But the love of Christ is this when for the injoying of himselfe I long for the fruitton of him whom my soule loveth and I account nothing amiable in comparison of Christ nothing delectable nothing comfortable nothing sweet to Christ this is it that putteth the soule out of tast and rellish with any thing makes it sigh as it were under the enjoyment of all the comforts of this life and long for the appearance of Christ because then hee shall be perfected in the perfect enjoyment of Christ himselfe This is that love of Christ that is accompanied with Faith in a Christian and hope and expectation of his comming Now then if thou waite for Christ in truth how commeth it that thou dost not love him thou canst not waite for him aright except thou love Christ himselfe and for himselfe And if thou love Christ it will appeare by thy care to walke in Christ to derive vertue from him in all holy actions to derive all heavenly wisedome all heavenly disposition of heart from him to please Christ in all thy wayes to doe that whereby thou maist aprove thy selfe to God in Christ. This is the disposition of a heart loving Christ and this is that loving of Christ for himselfe and in himselfe that giveth me assurance that I love the appearance of Christ. That is the second companion of this waiting for Christ if it be right there is a love to Christ. The third and last companion of a mans waiting for Christ is the continuall affection of the heart those same ejaculations that intercourse that holy and heavenly communion which the soule hath with Christ here First in his ordinances having a holy communion with him in them waiting at the Posts of the dore of wisedomes house to heare what Christ who is wisedome it selfe will speake to us waiting if that hee will come now in the ministrie of his Word in his Spirit whom we hope to enjoy fully in glory Wayting for him likewise in the Sacraments to receive a further confirmation of our faith in him wayting for him also in prayer to receive further consolation and strength from him Thus Annah it is said that She was one that waited for the consolation of Israel and served God in the Temple in prayer day and night So where there is a waiting for Christ there will be a continuall intercourse of the soule with Christ a heavenly and holy communion with him in duties Dost thou waite for Christs comming and yet runne from Christs ordinances How can these stand together There is no man that can ever waite with comfort for Christs comming in glory but hee that now waiteth upon Christ in his ordinances If thy delight be in holy duties in the worship of God and that in such religious performances thou waitest for a further conveyance of the Spirit of Christ into thee thou hast warrant to waite for and to expect with comfort the second comming of Christ. Try yourselves therefore by these things It is not every one that saith I would that the Lord Iesus would come or I would that these dayes were full and finished It is not every one that saith thus that rightly lookes for or desires the comming of Christ. But he that thereby becommeth patient and stayes and composeth his heart in a calme and quiet temper in the middest of all crosses and troubles and afflictions that befall him and that upon this ground because Christ will come and put an end to my sinne as well as to my sorrow therefore I will waite with patience till hee come And againe hee that loveth Christ that sigheth for his comming And hee that now delighteth in his ordinances this man only waiteth for the comming of Christ. There is yet a third Tryall and that is the effects and fruits of our waiting for the comming of Christ And that is threefold to goe no further then the Text. The first is a heavenly Conversation The second is a mans resting on Christ as his Saviour and Lord. The third is the change of the body which shall bee in the great day when the soule and body shall bee united together Who shall
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
God will judge you for your sinnes The Apostle Saint Paul he moveth the Athenians Acts 17. 31. to repentance upon this very ground because God hath appointed a day in which hee will Iudge the world in righteousnesse And surely if this will not awaken us nothing will nothing can What doe we meane beloved to suffer our sinnes to stand upon the score Where is our wisedome Our grace Are wee able to stand before God when hee is angrie with us Why doe we not take off our sinnes by godly sorrow If a Judge should say to a Malefactour except thou mourne for thy offence thou shalt die and bee executed Doe we not thinke hee would mourne to save his life Behold God saith to you except you mourne for your iniquities you shall die in your sinnes Oh why doe not wee make our eyes as fountaines to bewayle our sinnes that man is possest with extreame hardnesse that lamenteth not his iniquitie and hee treasureth up unto himselfe wrath against the day of wrath and the declaration of the righteous judgement of God Well if wee will not mourne for our sinnes here to repentance wee shall mourne hereafter in hellish horrour without hope of helpe or mercie In the third place this Doctrine that God will Judge us should make us preserve in ourselves a good conscience It is the very use that the Apostle makes Acts 24. 15 16. Hee had hope that there should be a resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust therefore hee did exercise himselfe to have alwayes a good conscience voyde of offence toward God and toward men Blessed saith Christ are those that are pure in heart There is nothing that will bee so rewarded and so regarded at the last day as a good conscience But for those that have stayned their consciences with all wickednesse and sin and have not washed their consciences with the bloud of Christ and the teares of true repentance these shall have their portion without amongst those that are uncleane Lastly this Doctrine should teach us to feare God and to give glory to him As Saint Iohn speakes in the Revelation the day of his Judgement is comming therefore feare him and give glory to him If the particular judgements of God that light upon men in this life should make us reverence his holy Name how much more should this last Judgement that is so terrible and unavoidable FINIS ABRAHAMS PURCHASE OR A POSSESSION FOR BVRIALL GEN. 25. 10. The field which Abraham purchased of the sonnes of Heth there was Abraham buried and Sarah his wife JOB 17. 13. The Grave is mine house I have made my bed in the darknesse LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. ABRAHAMS PVRCHASE OR A POSSESSION FOR BVRIALL SERMON XIX GEN. 23. 4. I am a stranger and sojourner among you give me a possession of a burying place with you that I may bury my dead out of my sight THis is the conclusion of all flesh they were never so deare before but they come to be as loathsome and intollerable now When once the lynes and picture of Death is drawne over the Fabrique of Man or womans body as it is said here of Sarah all their glory ceaseth all their good respect vanisheth away their best friends would be faynest ridde of them even Sarah that was so goodly and amiable in Abrahams sight must now out of his sight he must bury his dead out of his sight Oh the strange misery that sinne hath brought us to when it devolveth and throweth downe all our glory at once and the ruffe of man-kind in their chiefest pride in their greatest jollitie all is tumbled in an instant in a moment to basenesse and stinke and miserie How should wee be diligent to get the hope of a better life seeing this is so little worth having And how should our thoughts alwayes flie up to God since there is nothing but rottennesse and putrifaction found here in the world But Abraham as the Father of faithfull men and a patterne to all loving Husbands in all ages insuing doth not this till such time as the dead Sarah groweth noysome to all that looke upon her As long as he could by his mourning and lamentation prosecute her without offence to his eyes and danger to his health he did it but now the time is come when earth must bee put to earth and dust must returne to dust There is no place for the fairest beauty above ground when once God hath taken life and breath from it it must goe to its owne elements and to the rocke and pit from whence it was hewen thither it must returne This holy man therefore being well resolved of this and knowing the doome already uttered by God upon out first Parents Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne hee cannot keepe his dead longer by him hee knoweth the bed wherein now shee must be layed therefore he seekes for it to these Countrey-men that he lived withall that were Heathens and Pagans but very morall and civill men as wee may see in this whole Discourse And he desireth them that he might have a place for his owne use and turne not intimating so much to them as that there should be a separation in their very death from Pagans and Heathens but he keepeth that to himselfe and covereth it with smooth speech and elegancie of language as his manner was For indeed it was not lawfull for Abraham to bury his dead amongst the Cananites the sonnes of Heth of whom he demanded this peculiar favour at this time but God would have his children as they differ in all their life from Heathens that know no God so they should differ in every point even in their Graves after death that there might bee no commixtion and mingling of light and darknesse and no fellowship betweene Christ and Belial Therefore to continue this hope and confirme it in all his Posteritie that were a peculiar and chosen people It was necessarie hee should chuse his Grave his place of Sepulture that they might be sequestred from them in their death as they were in the course of their life Now after he had performed that dutie that every man oweth to his dead friend especially to his Wife the mate of his bosome he commeth to move this to the sonnes of Heth that were Lords of the soile Hee was abundant in teares before hee comes to move it for God which commandeth us not to lament for the Dead as men without hope doth notwithstanding not forbid us to mourne and sorrow for them and to lament hee giveth us leave nay he rather alloweth and approveth of naturall affection when wee weepe with them that weepe and mourne with them that mourne and rejoyce with them that rejoyce Abraham knew well in what estate his Wife was he knew shee was in a happy condition hee knew shee was the Mother of the Faithfull and was translated to the heavenly
free gift of God And in Rom. 8. hee saith that the sufferings of this life is not worthy of the glory that shall bee revealed all our sufferings all our workes they are not worthy of the glory of God we cannot properly merit them This was the constant Doctrine of the primitive Church that a good life when wee are justified and an eternall life when wee are glorified they all grant that all that is good in us is the gift of God that eternall life is not a retribution to our workes but the free gift of God When God crownes our merits hee crownes nothing else but his owne free gift these and many other sentences wee finde among the ancient Fathers plainely convincing our adversaries that in this point they swerve not onely from Scripture but from all sound antiquitie Secondly then to come to our selves this should humble us in respect of our owne deservings doe all the good thou canst take heede it doe not puffe thee up thinke not to merit heaven Alas thou canst not doe it for what is it to the Almightie as it is sayd in Job that thou art righteous Thy well doing extends not to him thou canst doe him no good therefore thou canst looke for nothing at his hands since thou canst doe him no good but all that thou doest in his service it is not for his but for thy good yet he commands thee and thou art bound to doe it but all thou canst doe is no more then thou art bound to doe Therefore when thou hast done all that thou canst acknowledge thy selfe to bee an unprofitable servant and thou hast done no more then thy duty If thou hast many good workes yet thou hast more sinne and the least sinne of thine in the rigour of justice will deprive thee of thy interest in God Therefore thy appeale must bee to the throne of grace and thy onely plea must bee that of the Publican every one of us God be mercifull to me a sinner when wee have done all wee can it must be mercie and not any merit of ours that must bring us to heaven Thirdly here is comfort for the children of God in that this inestimable treasure of eternall life is not committed to our keeping but God hath it in his keeping It is his gift it is not committed to the rotten box of our merits then wee could have no certaintie of it the devill would easily pick the Locke yea without picking he would shake in peeces the crazie joynts of the best worke wee doe he would steale it from us and take it away and deprive us of this excellent benefit but the Lord hath dealt better for us hee hath kept it in his owne hands hee hath layd it up in the Cabinet of his owne mercy and love that never failes for with everlasting mercie hee hath compassion on us Esay 54. hee loves us with an everlasting love It is his mercie that wee are not consumed because his compassions faile not and whom hee loves he loves to the end It is layd up in the mercy of God hee will have it his gift least we should keepe it and it should be lost hee hath reserved it in his owne hands Therefore in temptations when they drive us to doubt of our attaining of eternall life let us cast our eye upon the keeper of it it is the Lord he is warie to discerne and faithfull to bestow it therefore let us comfort our selves and say every one of us as Saint Paul 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know whom I have trusted and I am perswaded that hee is able to keepe that which I have committed to him against that day Lastly seeing eternall life is the free gift of God it must make us thankefull to him for it which wee should never doe if we deserved it doth a master thanke his servant for doing his dutie So if wee did thinke heaven were our due we should never be thankfull for it Pride is a great enemy to thankefulnesse therefore the way is to humble our selves and to consider that wee deserve no good thing at Gods hands then wee will take this great benefit at Gods hands most thankefully Especially when wee consider it is all that God requires of us as he saith Psal. 50. Call upon me in the day of trouble I will heare thee and deliver thee and what shalt thou doe Thou shalt glorifie me Glorifying God and being thankefull to him is all the tribute wee are to pay to this our royall Lord and shall we deny him this It is a small benefit that is not worth thankes We set eternall life at too low a rate if wee forget to bee thankefull There was never a precious Iewell afforded so cheape as eternall life for our thankefulnesse If wee did know what it were to want it we would give ten thousand worlds rather then be without it Therefore as Naamans servants sayd to him concerning his washing in Iordan If the Prophet had commanded thee a greater thing wouldest thou not have done it So if God had commanded us a great matter for eternall life wee should have done it how much more when he saith take it and be thankfull be but thankefull Thus I have described to you this twofold seruice the wages of sinne that is death temporall eternall The service of righteousnesse the wages and reward of that eternall life which is not wages but the gift of God So that I may now say to you as Moses did to Israel Deut. 30. 19. Behold I have set before you life and death cursing and blessing Therefore choose not cursing chuse not sinne nor the wages thereof it is death but choose life that you and your seede may live If wee follow sinne the wages will be death if wee apply our selves to righteousnesse in the service of God our reward shall be eternall life not that wee deserve it but that it is the pleasure of our heavenly Father to bestow it upon us For the wages of sinne is death and the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. FINIS THE PROFIT OF AFFLICTIONS OR GODS AYME IN HIS CORRECTIONS PSAL. 119. 71. It is good for me that I have beene afflicted that I might learne thy Statutes ISA. 27. 9. By this therefore shall the iniquitie of Iacob be purged and this is all the fruite to take away his sinne LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. THE PROFIT OF AFFLICTIONS OR GODS AYME IN HIS CORRECTIONS SERMON XXX HEB. 12. 10. For they verely for a few dayes chastened us after their owne pleasure but Hee for our profit that we might bee partakers of his holinesse THere are two things among many others eminently in Jesus Christ which declare him to be an all-sufficient Saviour of his people and these the Scripture frequently setteth forth unto us in a most sweet conjunction Righteousnesse and strength So the Prophet Surely shall one
pressures and many sore and grievous temptations that lay upon him If so be his setled resolution concerning his spirituall estate and the satisfying of others in many doubts and disquiets of spirit that rose within him If so be the due respect to the Lords day the desire of promoting the sanctifying of it both by himselfe and others with a continuall griefe proceeding from a sense of his owne disabilitie to answer to the occasions and duties of the day If there bee any thing to bee concluded of concerning Religion from such passages as these then brethren I have all these as so many materialls put into my hand to builde withall and so to reare up a testimony before you concerning this disceased And thus in briefe have I testefied of him and to you all hee though dead now speakes but in a more speciall manner to you that are young men his death and that example wee have in him of mortalitie is as a loud Sermon preached unto you concerning the care you ought to have to bethinke your selves in your younger yeares of the things that concerne your spirituall and eternall welfare and how much it concernes you now to give all dilligence to make your calling and election sure Your thoughts it may bee are too much upon your patrimony and inheritances your houses and possessions your great estates and your matches that thereby you may as you use to say rayse your fortunes too too apt you are to be taken up with these considerations and to pursue thoughts of this nature but you see by this example how God may come and prevent the accomplishment of all these and in that day in that very day all these thoughts will perish death may come and marry you to the dust and call you not to your fathers mansions but to the common house appointed for all living where you must say to corruption thou art my father and to the worme thou art my mother and my sister this was his condition and so may yours bee too Therefore you young men remember you your Creatour in the dayes of your youth and know you that God hath provided instructions and counsels in his Word that are directed to young men that they may know how to cleanse their way and to flie the lusts of youth and betimes to beginne with God that so whether they live to old age or be cut off in youth they may be gathered to their Fathers in a good and a full age like a Shocke of Corne and so receive the blessing of the promise FINIS SPIRITUALL HEARTS-EASE OR THE WAY TO TRANQILITIE PSAL. 42. 5. Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted in mee JOB 5. 24. Thou shalt know that thy Tabernacle shall be in peace LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1630. SPIRITUALL HEARTS-EASE OR THE VVAY TO TRANQVILITIE SERMON XXXI JOHN 14. 1 2 3. 1 Let not your hearts be troubled you beleeve in God beleeve also in me 2 In my fathers house are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you I goe to prepare a place for you 3 And if I goe and prepare a place for you I will come againe and receive you unto my selfe that where I am there yee may be also IN the 33. verse of the former Chapter our Saviour Christ told his Disciples that he must now goe away from them Little children yet a little while I am with you and you shall seeke mee and as I said to the Iewes whither I goe you cannot come so say I now to you This message of the departure of Christ from the earth of his being tooke from them did exceedingly sad their hearts and very much perplex and disquiet their spirits they knew what a comfort they had in the presence of Christ they knew what a faithfull Teacher hee was what a mightie Protector hee had beene how gracious and full of heavenly comfort hee had manifested himselfe to them at all times in his being with them And they could not now thinke of parring with him without much perplexitie and disquiet and trouble of spirit Therefore the words that I have now read are the speech of our blessed Saviour to comfort them strengthening their hearts against those disquiets under which they were exercised In which words you may briefly observe these three things for time will not suffer mee to stand much upon them First a dutie whereunto they are exhorted Secondly the meanes whereby it may be performed Thirdly the letts that were to bee removed that hindered them in the performance of the dutie in the use of these meanes The dutie that is to bee performed is in the beginning of the first verse Let not your hearts be troubled The meanes whereby to performe it in the words following You beleeve in God beleeve also in me The letts and impediments of the performance of it in the use of these meanes are so many objections and doubts as are wisely prevented by the wisedome of God in the two verses following I shall take them as I come to them in order and but give a briefe touch upon every one of of them First the dutie that is to be performed it is this to stablish and comfort their hearts Let not your hearts be troubled The word that is here translated trouble it signifieth such a trouble as is in water when the mudde is stirred up or when the waves and surges are raised by some tempest or storme It signifieth such a trouble as is in an Army when the Souldiers are disranked and routed when they are disordered and it shewes thus much that those distempers that are in the hearts of men in the affections of men doe exceedingly hinder their judgements that they can see no more nor discerne things no better then a man can doe in a muddie water All the affections are as so many Souldiers in an Armie disordered that keepe not their due subordination to their leader and guide by reason that the understanding that should guide the will and affections is now made a servant to them And this distemper of spirit ariseth from the inordinacie of the affections the inordinate motion and agitation of them This is called trouble Let not your hearts be troubled Bee not disturbed thus and disquieted and disordered So that no facultie of the soule can performe its owne worke So as that it is disabled to judge of things according to truth but that you are mis-led and deluded by mists and appearances It is with the mind in sorrow as it is with the eye in teares that cannot see a thing clearely so the mind cannot judge of things distinctly when the soule is disturbed Let not your hearts be troubled But that which our Saviour aymes at here hath a particular respect to the affections of feare and griefe when these are in the excesse the mind is troubled when a man over-feares any thing
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
that may be meant but that which is unrighteously kept is unrighteous Mammon to you if you procured it never so justly unlesse you doe rightly dispose of it and if you be desirous to doe right in disposing of your mammon of your wealth doe it now That when you want that power and those times you may enjoy the comfortable fruit of the well-redeeming of the time of your life to receive you into everlasting habitations In the 25. verse of the 16. Luke it is the challenge of Abraham to Dives Sonne remember that thou in thy life-time haddest thy goods for so the word signifieth thou haddest thy opportunities of life and of goods too but now thou hast neither life nor goods left thee to doe good with and therefore hee is blessed and thou art tormented It was the folly of those five Virgins They tooke not the opportunitie of life for that is the thing meant there but they posted over all to the last and hoped that all might bee effected in a trice or minute of their life which would haue held them employment enough all the dayes of their lives And therefore they came short of heaven the gates were shut against them as you see when the Bridegroome came If any man imagine because it is said Blessed are they that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them That therefore it matters not so long as a man doth good at his death though hee have neglected the wayes of goodnesse all his life Let them know that by works there is not meant the actions of men but the fruites of their actions Their workes follow them not the workes they have deferred untill death but the fruites of those workes they did while they were living and received not the benefit of them untill death Their workes follow them that is the fruits of their workes It is more good and pleasant by farre to have the actions goe before and the fruites and comfortable effects to succeed and follow after But if any man yet suppose that hee may make that up in his Will which he hath neglected all his life long and though hee have lived miserably covetously and unprofitably all the dayes of his life yet his thoughts may tell him that by the Charitable Bequests of his last Testament as bequeathing largely to the Church and Common-wealth and to all sorts of people hee may at the last make fit compensation and satisfaction for neglect of former duties Let no man deceive himselfe with such a bad resolution for first it argues a signe of infidelitie that a man will not trust God for feare he should want in his life-time what is the reason else that he deferres the doing good in health unlesse it be for feare of wanting himselfe such distrust hee hath in the providence of God Besides the same God which bids thee doe good when thou hast opportunitie and while thou enjoyest the advantage of life hee expects it now And it may bee truly said of many that neglect those times of doing good while they lived and have now supplied that defect in their death by the large benevolence of their Wills Their will is good but their deed is â—…ught So much for the first point I proceed unto the second that is thou must not only take the time of thy life but also the opportunitie of thy meanes and thy estate while there is yet a price in thine hand while thou hast opportunitie and enjoyest wealth to doe good with redeeme the advantages and opportunities by employing them in that way for which thou didst receive them The time may come wherein you may desire to doe good but cannot wanting at estate and opportunities whereby to doe it Marke what Solomon saith Wilt thou trust in a thing of nothing for Riches have wings as an Eagle and flie away toward heaven It is the vanitie of men that they still forbeare and stay while their estates increase pretending that then they shall bee better able to doe good and extend themselves more largely or that they may keepe their wealth and waite for a better opportunitie But why wilt thou trust in a thing of nothing Thou seest a fowle in her flight and now it may be thou perceivest it but instantly it vanisheth out of thy sight Why riches have wings saith Solomon Thou hast them now in thy possession and retainest them fast in hold but presently they are departed they flie as an Eagle out of thy sight And the same wise man when he exhorteth men to cast their bread upon the waters Hee gives them this reason Thou knowest not what evills thou knowest not what judgements and calamities God intends to bring upon that Nation where thou livest upon the Citie upon the Familie where thou dwellest upon thy person or estate Thou knowest not what evils God will bring upon the earth And so likewise charge rich men in this world that they hee not high-minded and that they trust not in uncertaine riches but in the living God that they bee readie to distribute and to communicate and to doe good workes What is it that hinders men from distributing and communicating Because they trust in uncertaine Riches For if they would now learne not to trust in uncertaine Riches but account them uncertaine as they are and put confidence in the living God who can provide for them when those outward meanes which they so much rely on faile their expectations they would then be more liberall and bountifull and readie to doe good and to communicate So then here is the meaning of the point Take the opportunities of life That is first take the time of life while you may doe good and then take the meanes the wealth and estate which is the time of your meanes For this observe Iobs case hee goes on discoursing of this very point he was now a man stript of all hee had but the other day the Richest man in the East the Sâ—…ans and Caldeans had carried away his goods his cattell and his children and all things were taken from him Yet there was onething that administred comfort in the day of his adversitie and his affliction And it was this saith he If I have made the eyes of the poore to faile or if I eate my morsels alone or if I have not relieved the fatherlesse c. If I have not done thus and thus then let the Lords fiercest judgement fall upon mee But herein consists my comfort my conscience beares mee witnesse that when I had wealth and estate and enjoyed the goods of this life I did good I was father to the fatherlesse a foot to the lame and eyes to the blind I did all the good that lay within the compasse of my power to doe when I had meanes to doe it I say little doe you know beloved whatsoever thou art whatsoever estate thou hast though thou
Father to begâ—…t them they are begotten by the same Word of Truth they enjoy the same Mother the Church Ierusalem that is abovâ—… is free and is the Mother of us all they are brethren together of the same Familie And therefore beloved let men see and acknowledge this that whatsoever difference there is of Nation yet they are all of the same Houshold in this respect You see the Iewes notwithstanding they were distinguished by Tribes yet they are all nominated together the House of Israel So all the people of God let their distinctions bee never so distant in respect of wealth of naturall birth of decent or outward ornament they are brethren of the same Familie notwithstanding Beloved let us looke to this Point we â—…re all brethren and all of the same House Is it not a shame then when one brother is full to suffer another to dye with famine and hunger for one of the same House to let his brother sincke under reproach and disgrace not offering his assistance or his hand to helpe him and prevent his extreamitie If this be the taske and dutie of Christians that they should especially looke to them of the Houshold of Faith let the instâ—…ction stirre up oâ—… endeavours to the performance of this dutie and above all the affection wee beare to others let the respect wee beare to the people of God bee advanced Saith our Saviour Christ when you come to a place aske who is worthie and I could heartily wish that you who intend any worke of mercie out of the estate which the providence of God hath enabled you withall according to the command of this dutie would propound the same rule unto your selves enquiring first who are worthie Bestow not your charitie at randome as it is the manner of many such are in want and they looâ—…e no further but enquire where you may bee furnished with better directions who are worthie and who are of the Houshold of Faith and inhabitants of the Familie such you are to labour to find and having found them looke to them And the more to incite you to this dutie know that Christ calls for it and doth continually expect it He would have you especially to have an eye to his members I was hungrie and you did not feed mee hee calls for it that gave you your wealth Neither doth hee demand any thing that is not his owne as David confesseth in his Provision for the Temple of thine owne have I given thee so you may account of whatsoever Christ calls for if it bee to your estate it came by his donation and hee gave it you first If you bestow any gift on your Children you thinke you may reserve that power unto your selves to take it againe at your pleasure and give it unto whom you list and shall not God be allowed that priviledge 〈◊〉 hee that conferres many liberall bâ—…ssings on thee Sure thou art much in his debt and it argues too foule an ingratitude if hee lend thee a Million and thou refusest to pay him a Mite Againe if hee call for it t' is not for thy lossâ—… that he requires it but will give thee better riches Aske of him and he will give you the Holy Ghost nay the kingdome of Heaven and those are riches farre above the value of any substance thou enjoyest Aske of him and hee will forgive your sinnes 10000. Tallents whereas hee demands but one penny of thee I daâ—… say he doth greater things for thee already then he desires for others Againe consider what want you have of him that demands this Hee gives you dayly bread give us this day ouâ—… dayly bread if you did not receive dayly bread and a blessing on it â—…om him you neither could have bread nor enjoy life by it Againe make on what termes he requires it t' is but to be lent and to bee lent upon Usurie too Many covetoâ—…s earth-worms would bee glad to heare of the most advantage by Intrest of money yet no Usurie is lawfull except this and this is spoken in this phrase to no other purpose but to convince the world of sinne that seeke gaine to their owne losse and procure their profit a wrong way Hee that gives to the poore hee lends to the Lord upon Usurie It is the confession of the Usurer that to receive ten in the hundred is great gaine and hee concludes that much advantage doth acrue to his Coffors and accounts it a prosperous profession Miserable trading when wee exchange our Soules and expose them to eternall destruction for the procurement of a little wealth of this world which hath not a minutes subsistance But This is the trade of advantage not ten in the hundred but a hundred for ten nay a hundred for one To enjoy a hundred for one here and in the world to come eternall life is advantage farre above the comparison of any gaine the earth can afford us Further marke who it is that askes this at thy hands even hee whose favour thou must one day seeke for whose countenance thou wouldest give all the world it is hee before whose seat thou must appeare that calls for this dutie of doing good with thy estate while thou enjoyest it denie not this small courtesie to him lest his favours being abused turne into anger and thou become a miserable instance of his heavie displeasure No man desiring the favour of a Prince or Judge in some businesse of importance but would gladly embrace an occasion of doing him a pleasure before the tryall of his cause that so the Judge may take notice of his good will and gratifie his kindnesse Beloved wee have speciall use for the favour of Christ and must all appeare before his Iudgement seate Now wee have opportunitie sufficient Christ in his poore members of the houshold of faith comes to you expecting favour at your hands hee wills you to doe good to them and to him in them What you bestow on them he accounts as a courtesie to himselfe In asmuch as you have done it to those it extends unto him and what is denied them he takes it as an inâ—…urie to himselfe In asmuch as you have not done it to those you have not done it to him Therefore looke how you extend mercy here to enjoy it hereafter and as you expect the favour of the Judge make way for his kindnesse by the performance of his will in a seasonable contribution during this life hee that useth not mercy here shall find none hereafter and Iudgement shall bee mercilesse saith the Apostle to them that shew not mercie Nay looke that such mercy â—…e showâ—…e as God expecteth you that are wealthy according to the wealth and riches you possesse God will accept of no beggerly present from a wealthy man neitheâ—… will he receive a poore reward from the Coffers of him that hath horded up much red â—…ay where hee hath 〈◊〉 liberally hee wilâ—… 〈◊〉 liberally Looke to it for
sinne and certainty of Judgement and uncertainty of salvation Heb. 9. 27. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Isa. 33. 14. Why Death called the last enemie 1. Because it is the last that shall assault us Therfore we have more enemies than Death The Divell The world The flesh Psal. 27. 11. Therefore likely to be the worst enemie 2. Because it is the last that shall be destroyed Who it is that destroyeth Death Rev. 5. 3. 5. 1 Sam. 17 32. Hos. 13. 14. Act. 3. 15. When Deach shall be destroyed At the day of the Resurrection Comfort in the meane time 2 Cor. 15. 57 Rev. 7. 17. Hos. 13. 14. 1 Cor. 3. 22. Vse 1. Death an enemy only to the wicked 1 King 21. 20 Death to the beleever is 1. A subdued Enemie Cant. 8. 3. Psal. 41. 3. Phil. 1. 23. Job 19. 27. Phil. 3. 21. Heb. 12. 23. Psal. 1â—… 11. 〈◊〉 Cor. 5. 2. A reconciled Enemie 3. An Enemie that at last shall be destroyed Rev. 20. Rom. 6. 9. Vse 2. For instruction How to be prepared for death 1. Die to sin 2. Live to God 3. Be ofâ—… iâ—… the meditation of death 4. Settle all things before hand that concerne the outward man The inward man Tit. 3. 11. 1 Pet. 3. 4. Prov. 31. 29. Coherence Division The Person judging God Opera 〈◊〉 ad extra sunt indivisa Opera 〈◊〉 ad intra sunt divisa â—…uique personae incommunicabiliter propria Obiect 2 Cor. 5. 10. 1 Cor. 6. 3. Answ. How Christ is said to be the Judge Rom. 2. 16. Joh. 5. Why God hath committed the power of the exâ—…cution of Judgement to Christ. Three properties requi site in a Judge 1. Knowledge to discerne Heb. 4. 2. Power to execute Psal. 149. Rev. 15. 3. Justice in the Execution Gen. 18. Job 8. 3. The Judgement 1. It shall be Types of the last Judgement Luke 17. Reas. 1. Reas. 2. Reas. 3. Act. 17. 31. Reas. 4. 2. In what manner it shall be 1. The summons Joh. 5. 28. Matt. 24 31. 1 Cor. 15. 1 Thes. 4. 16. 2. The Appearance 2 Cor. 5. 10. Rom. 14. 12. 1 Cot. 1. 7. 3. The separation 4. The tryall Rev. 20. 12. The Bookes that shall be opened at the day of Judgement 5. The Sentence The generall things observable in the words 1. The dutie 2. The motives The duty exprest 1. Generally 2. Particularly The generall dutie expressed 1. In the Object 2. In the Acts that are exercised on the Object 3. In the manner of exercising The Object 1. God Simile Simile 2. The name of God The Acts that are exercised on the Object 1. Of the understanding Memorie 2. Of the will and affections Desires Desires an argument of a gracious heart Joyned with endeavours Desires without endeavours false The manner of exercising these acts 1. They must come from inward principles 2. They must be sincere Simile Simile 3. They must be pitched on God alone 4. They must bee universall 5. They must be constant Simile The particular duties In times of mercie 1. Chearfulnesse 2. Fruitfulnesse In times of judgement Simile 1. Perseverance Simile 2. Diligent exercise of our graces Simile 3. Patience 4. Proficiencie The Motives to the duties 1 God seeth and judgeth all our wayes 2. This alone differenceth the godly from the wicked Coherence Division of the words 1 2 3 4 Obser. 1. The Saints on earth have a heavenly conversation What it is The priviledges thereof 1. Their names are written in heaven Luk. 10. 20. 2. They are governed by the law of God 3. They are safely kept 4. They have interest In God Mat. 6. 32. Chap. 7. 11. In Christ. Dan. 12. 1. In the holy Ghost 2 Cor. 13. 10. In the Angels In thâ—… Saints that are in heaven That are on earth 5. They are inriched with heavenly treasure Mat. 13. Isa. 55. 1. The Traffique of a Christian what How to know whether our conversation be in heaven By our affections Note Obser. 2. While the Saints are on earth they are stated in heaven 1. In respect of right and title 2. In respect of present possession John 14. Vse Presumption to hope for heaven without union with Christ first on earth Ezra 2. 62. Christ in respect of his bodily presence is onely in heaven Transubstantiarion Collos 3. 1. Obser. 3. Expectation of Christs comming to Judgement the best meanes to worke a man to a holy conversation The continuall expectation of the Saints is for Christs comming A threefoldâ—… comming of Christ. Proved 2 Tim. 4. 8. Heb. 9. 28. Vse For tryall How to know whether our expectation of Christs comming bee right 1. By the ground of it Heb. 11. 1. 2. By the companions of it Which are 1. Patience 2. Love Manifested in secret longings Care to walk in Christ. 3. Delight in the ordinances 3. By the effects and fruits of it The expectation of Christs comming the best meanes to procure a heavenly Conversation Proved 1. It is the worker of Mortification Collos. 3. 1. 7. 1 Joh. 3. 2 3. Guilt of sinne causeth the apprehension of death to be terrible 2. Subdues our worldly affections Collos. 3. 1. 3. Keepes us from sinfull actions A 3. 18. Act 17. 30. 4. Quickens to holinesse of life 2 Pet. 3. 11 12. 5. Furthers our perseverance in godlinesse 〈◊〉 Iohn 2. 28. Rev. 6. Rev. 3. 11. Vse For tryall Rev. 6. 15. Heb. 2. 14. 1 Thes. 1. 10. Division 1. The dutie commanded Meaning of the words What is meant by the saying of Christ viz. The Doctrine of the Gospell Two parts of the Gospell 1. Shewing our miserie Rom. 3. 23. 2. The remedie against this miserie 1. The Redeemer 2. The manner how we are redeemed Rom. 3. 24. 3. The means how to enjoy the remedie 1. The Conditions of the Covenant of Grace 1. Repentance Mark 1. 15. Heb. 6. The parts of Repentance Godly sorrow for sinne Psal. 38. â—…am 4. 9. Confession of sinne Pro. 28. Psal. 32. 4. 1 Joh. 1. 9. Firme purpose of amendment Joh. 5. Petition for patdon in the name of Christ. Hos. 14. 2. Repentance only taught in the Gospell Mans repentance tends to the honour of Gods justice 2. Faith Joh. 6. 29. Definition of Faith Faith only taught in the Gospell 3. New obedience How differenced from that required under the Law What it to keepe the saying of Christ. 2. The benefit What it is to see Death What Death is here meant Joh. 6. 68. Act. 5. 20. Act. â—…1 14. Reas. 1. 1 Joh. 2. 24. Reas. 2. Vse 1. Intitation to thankfulnesse Vse 2. Reprehension Vse 3. Exhortation Vse 4. Consolation Obiect Answ. Coherence Division of the words 1. The sin of young men 2. The Cure Doct. 1. It is the siâ—… of young men to rejoyce inordinately Gen. 6. 11. Isa 22. 14. Eccles. 12. 1. 1 Tim. 2. 22. Tit. 2. 6. Job 1. Reas. 1. Naturall corruption Reas. 2. Forgetfulness of judgement Deut. 32. 29. Reas. 3. Freedome from crosses Jer. 32. Reas. 4.