a follower of Christ to endeavour after a further and greater knowledge of God and of his Son whom to know is Life Eternal All knowledge and all Sciences invented and revealed by the wise men of the world without the knowledge of Jesus Christ by whom remission of Sins and Eternal happiness is obtained are vain and unprofitable What doth it avail a man to know the height of the Heavens the bredth of the Earth the depth of the Sea and the course and influence of the Stars if in the mean time he is ignorant of God and the weighty concernments of Eternity and his Conscience tells him he is unworthy of the Earth and without a right to Heaven Suppose a man could Compose and take a view and have perfect knowledge of this Terrestial Globe and all things in it and after that as the Devil proffered our Saviour enjoy it and all the Kingdoms and Glory of it for the time of his Life if yet he were ignorant of heavenly things and had not by Christ a title to a more enduring substance he were of all men most miserable and in truth knew Si Christum nescis nihil est si caetera ai ces Si Christum disces nihil est si caetera nescis nothing enjoyed nothing The knowledge of Christ therefore is to be prized and preferred which only can make the souls of men truly happy for the excellency of this knowledge St. Paul counted all things but loss and dung The like esteem I hope Phil. 3 7 8. you have of all things here below in comparison of this divine and saving knowledge You go down into the Sea in Ships and see the wonders of the Lord in the deep O! Let the wonderful Visions which you behold and the wonderful deliverances which you often receive augment your awe of his dreadful Majesty and cause you to walk humbly and thankfully before him undertake all in his name and for his glory jo may you be assured of success and inriching returns Forget not when you are in the depth of the Sea with Jonah to make your prayers to him accomplish and fullfil all your Vows and Promises made to the Almighty in times of danger and extremity that so he may be your deliverer again in time of need And when by his providence he Calls you Swit Christ mans Call 2. p. 477. forth to your Lawful employments then do you and all that Embark with you take faith for your guide Scripture for your Compass an holy fear for your sounding line the Son of Righteousness for your Loadstar Hope for your Anchor the white linnen of the Saints imputed Righteousness with a Red Cross in it of precious blood for your Flagg with this Motto Save us Master or we Perish And I beseech the God of the Sea and Dry Land to be your continual Convoy his Spirit to be your Pilate in all your Courses that so at last after all your tumblings and tossings hazzards and hardshaps in the toublesome Sea of this world You may arrive with top and top gallant richly laden with Spiritual good things at the blessed harbour of everlasting rest Heaven and receive for your reward Love Honour and Glory for ever and ever Amen So prayeth Your obliged Loving Friend Samuel Peck August 18. 1671. The Inseparable Union between Christ and a Believer c. Opened from that Text ROM 8. 38 39. For I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor Height nor Depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. AS among Pearls which are all excellent some excell others So in Books of Holy Scripture as in the Old Testament the Book of the Psalms containing an Anotamy of the Soul in the New Testament after the divine History of our Saviour the Epistles among the Epistles St. Pauls among St. Pauls this to the Romans is most excellent which contains a methodical Catechise wherein the grounds of Theology are laid down in most excellent order As 1. The misery of man by nature 2. The means of delivery by Christ 3. How man comes to be partaker of Christ viz by faith whereby he is justified in the sight of God 4. He shews that this man that is thus justified is also sanctified Chap. 6. 5. That his Sanctification though it be throughout yet it is not so perfect but there is a remain of Corruption in him which doth much perplex and disquiet a Child of God as the Apostle sheweth in his own person Chap. 7. 6. Here in this Chapter he makes an end of the point of Justification and shews that though there remain Corruption in Gods Children yet seeing they walk not after it but after the Spirit it shall not prejudice their salvation verse 1. there is therefore now no Condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus who walk not aftr the flesh but after the Spirit This eighth Chapter placed in the midst of the Epistle is called by some Divines a pleasant knot of the Garden or Paradice of God for the faithful to delight themselves in a breast full of the milk of Consolation for such as are born again to suck and be satisfied with It consists of three parts 1. The First part contains matter of Consolation against the remainders of Sin and Corruption in us from 1. to 17. verse 2. The Second affords true Consolation against the manifold afflictions to be endured in this Life to the 29. and 30. verse 3. The Third part is a Conclusion full of all Comfort drawn from the immutable love of God in Christ to all the faithful causing them to triumph like conquerours in the midst of their tryalls ver 28 29. I am perswaded that neither death shall separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. He whom God loves is happy though he knows it not he that knows God loves him knows himself to be happy this happy knowledge our blessed Apostle had which made him in his own name and in the name of all the beloved of God to make this glorious insultation over all the enemies of his and their happiness that they could not separate him or them from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus In the Words you have 1. His and their Assurance 2. The ground of it 1. The assurance is of the immutability of Gods love to the faithful from whose affection nothing can make separation I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life c. 2. The ground of this assurance because the free love of God to the faithful is founded upon Christ Jesus whose merits are infinite and whose efficacy is omnipotent therefore Gods love is immutable and can never fail In the first you have 1. An enumeration of some particulars nine in number which if any thing could separate us from Gods love it
adorned with those graces wherewith the holy women of old were adorned of which St. Peter speaks in 1 Pet. 3. from the v. 1. 1 Pet. 3. 1. ad 7. to 7. Recount those worthy women recorded in sacred story Obedient Sara modest Rebecca Devout Hanna lovely Elizabeth and Dorcas full of good works and she was all these she was excellent in all those vertues and graces commendable in them what Saint do you read of in all the book of God which in some grace or other she did not resemble she lived and dyed a daughter of Abraham and is now no doubt at rest in Abrahams bosome 2. But more particularly Consider her both in her relative and personal capacity 1. In her relative capacity and here you might behold her 1 a most Chaste Loyal loving and according to her matrimonial ingagement and duty an obedient wife as her loving husband survives to testifie 2 Consider her as a Mother and a Mistress and she was exemplary in these relations Her government was made up of sweetness and gravity sweetness without levity or remisness and gravity without bitterness or severity There was no severity in her disciplines save what was in the pattern she Proposed to them in her conversation and indeed she was severely good Her care was that her family might know God and Jesus Christ whom to know Joh. 17. 3d is life eternal She was of a Joshuah like resolution as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. She thought it not enough to go to Heaven alone but laboured to carry as many as she could with her especially those of her own house By Catechising and instructing them she indeavoured their conversion and to bring them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as well knowing that her Childrens and Servants Souls were as pretious to God as her own and cost Jesus Christ as much blood to redeem You that are Governours of families labour to imitate her in this 3. As a friend and neighbour she was of a most sweet obliging Converse beloved of all that knew her her large bounty and charity and offices of love in that kind made her highly esteemed of all the poor in the place where she lived which they testified by their bitter lamentation for her when she dyed what company soever she was in she retained her Christian modesty and gravity and would never talk vainly or frothily nor shew her self sometimes holly and sometimes prophane to please the company but her words were as those present were fit to receive them savoury and tending to edification I might inlarge in these her relative excellencys but a word or two of her 2. In her personal capacity because I hasten and her all that knew her might observe her holiness meekness love faith and patience were eminent She made Religion her business the common Sanctity of the world would not serve her turn which is only Civility and Morality She out went the Scribes and Phariseessin righteousness and walked according to the pattern her Saviour had set before her She wore the comely garment of an holy profession without any visible spot forgetting the things that were behind and pressing towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus In her meekness she resembled Moses this ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit rendred her amiable in the eyes of God and man Her love was transcendent to God whom she loved suparlatively to Christ whom she loved for his Person as well as portion for what he was as well as for what he had she beheld him with the spouses eye fairer then the Children of men the chiefest of ten thousand altogether lovely and pretious to her Soul Her love was great to the publique Ordinances to all Gods Ministers and to all others in whom she beheld any thing of Christ she dare not but love them for his sake Her faith and patience were always visible in their fruits but more especially in the time of her last sickness keeping her Spirit quiet and steddy amidst all those billows that beat upon her in her passage from Earth to Heaven so that all her afflictions were but the trials and triumph of her patience and faith by the exercise of which graces she at last came off a conquerour through Christ that loved her and hath her faith and patience rewarded with a full and joyful fruition of her beloved in his Kingdom and Glory I might inlarge farther but I forbear this is she whom we have lost and Oh what a loss do we all sustain One hath lost a loving comfort others a tender Mother and all of us a choise and faithful friend and Neighbour and what shall we doe shall we now give up our selves to sorrow No or shall we make it our work to forget her whom we cannot recal No neither but let us remember her so as to imitate her and be followers of her O that all that hear of her would imitate her that all you that knew her would follow her in that pattern she hath given you Especially you that are her near and dear relations do you remember her so as to be followers of her wherein she was a follower of Christ Methinks I hear her calling to you out of Heaven where her triumphant Soul is placed amongst the Spirits of just men made perfect as sometimes her Lord and ours bespake his Desciples saying I have given you an example that you should doe as I have done Now the Lord grant that you and all of us may be followers of her and all other the Saints of God who were followers of Christ that we at last with them and her may also inherit the promises FINIS
earnestly call for a Bible with these words come come death approcheth let us gather some flowers to comfort this heart in this hour and turning with his own hand to the 8. Chapt. to the Romans he gave it to a Minister present and bad him read and at the end of every Verse Mr. Holland made a Pause gave the sense of it and so continued his meditation and exposition for two hours On the suddain he said to the Minister that was reading to him O stay your reading what brightness is that I see have you lighted any Candles to whom was answered no it is the Sun shine Sun shine saith he nay my Saviours shine now farewel world welcome Heaven the Day-star from on high hath visited my heart O speak it when I am gone and Preach it at my funeral God dealeth familiarly with men I see his mercy I see his Majesty whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell but God knows I see things unutterable And a little before he dyed ravished in Spirit he raised himself up and shut up his blessed life with these blessed words Oh what an happy change shall I make from darkness to light from night to day from death to life from sorrow to sollace from a sinful world to an heavenly Being O my dear Brethren Sisters and Friends iâ— pittys me to leave you behind yet remember my death when I am gone and what I now feel I hope you shall feel ere you dye that God doth and will deal familiarly with men And now ye blessed Angels bear me O bear me into the bosome of my best beloved Amen Amen come Lord Jesus come quickly and so fell asleep in the Lord. So Mr. Bolton boasted at his death to a friend what he felt in his Soul I am said he by the wonderful mercies of God as full of comfort as my heart can hold and feel nothing in my Soul but Christ with whom I heartily desire to be So Mrs. Catherine Britterge a Holly woman said at her death O my sweet Saviour dost thou so love me who am but dust and ashes O how wonderful how wonderful is thy love O thee joyes the joyes that I feel in my Soul they be wonderful they be wonderful Many like examples might be given of Saints dying as full of the sense of Gods love as heart could hold and more then their tongues could express I shall instance but in one more and it is in this pretious servant of Jesus Christ whose funerals we solemnize this day her death did not separate her from the sense and feeling of Gods love how sweetly did shee apply the promises for her comfort and in her greatest weakness by the shength of her faith drow those brests of consolation which are then sweetest when death is nearest How comfortably did she speak to her Relations and friends weeping about her desiring them not to mourn for her but to rejoyce rather because the time of her redemption was at hand redemption from sin from sorrow from sickness and pain which she had long suffered What a plerophory and full perswasion she had of her salvation and future happiness appears by her words to my self which were these I know in whom I have believed and will not cast away my confidence And also by her last and remarkable words to her dear and disconsolate Husband which she uttered a little before she breathed out her Soul into the bosom of her best beloved alluding to the words of her Saviour she said I goe to my Father and thy Father to my God and thy God By all these instances you may see death cannot separate a believer from the sense of Gods love much less from his love Thus you have the doctrinal part a few words by way of Application Use 1. If death cannot separate the faithful from the love of God thâ—s then is a sweet comfort to Gods Children against the fear of death of what sort soever in what manner soever Though there be many separaâ—â—ons in death terrible to flesh and blood dreadful to nature as 1. It is a separation from our dear friends and relations from husband wife and children from Father and Mother death plucks us from all these at once this is dreadful to nature but yet no separation from Gods love It only takes us from friends on Earth to friends in Heaven it brings us to the general assembly of the first born to Jesus the mediaâ—our to Angels and the Spirits of just men made perfect So that by this separation we doe but change our place not our company and our faithful friends which we leave behind us shall shortly follow after us co 〈…〉 to us and we and them shall ever be with the Lord. 2. The death of the body is a separation from all our Earthly comforts from all our worldly injoyments and accommodations and this is uncomfortable to nature too He that hath House and Land Money and Stock flocks and heards riches and honours high dignities and great preferments in the world must take a final farewel of all these when death comes The Fool and his full Barns rich stores and goods for many years must suddenly and ever lastingly part when death aproacheth and this is sad to him that hath nothing in store in another world But such a separation is not terrible or uncomfortable to a Child of God because he is assured though these things leave him yet God loves him which is better to him then all the comforts of life and will bring him ever by death to better comforts to a building an house in Heaven to inherit all things to a rich and glorious purchase to an everlasting Kingdom to joyes unspeakable felicity inconcevable and to Rivers of pleasures at Gods right hand for evermore 3. The death of the body is the separation of the Soul from thee body which is most terrible to nature that the body and Soul these old friends must now part the body to return to the dust as it was and the Soul to God that gave it and Oh with what bitterness with what throbs and groans with what sighs and tears with what pangs and pains do these long and intimate acquaintance usually part But though death part Soul and body yet neither the Soul nor the body of a Saint from the love of God Psal 116. 15. Pretious Psal 116. 15. in the sight of the Lord is the death of all his Saints A poor Child of God lying upon his death bed bemoans himself his friends also grieve and mourn for him and in the sight of the world he is in a grievous and miserable Estate but in the sight and estimation of God his death is very pretious and dear the Lord loves him loves his Soul in its separation from the body and receives it as a pretious Jewel into the very besome of his love He loves his dead body yea his very dust and will raise it again out
THE Inseparable Union Between CHRIST AND A BELIEVER Which Death it Self cannot Sever. OR The Bond that can never be broken Opened in a Sermon at the Funeral of M rs Dorothy Freeborne who was Interred at Prittlewell in Essex on 24. of August 1658. By Thomas Peck M. A. And Preacher of Gods Word at Prittlewell Ioh. 13. 1. Having loved this own which were in the world he loved them to the end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 2. 19. London Printed for Thomas Parkhurst and are to be sold at his Shop at the Bible and three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers Chappel and at the Bible on London Bridge 1671. To the truly Pious and his much Honoured Friend Mr. Samuel Freeborne S. P. wisheth increase of Grace and fruition of Glory Honoured Sir WHen you first view this Paper I know you will be stricken with wonder what I aim at or intend by it but when you understand both the occasion and end of this undertaking you will I doubt not accept it with mildness and candour and forgive my boldness in presuming upon your Patronage seeing I know not any who hath a juster right to it than yourself The occasion of making this Sermon delivered by my Father at the funeral of your late religious * Mrs. Dorothy Free-borne Consort publique was the desire and solicitation of her two a Captain Richard and Captain William Goodlad Sons to whom I bare so singular a respect and am so much ingaged that I could not deny this their first and so reasonable request nor shall deny any other which is in my power to grant this was the occasion The end of it is twofold private and publique and I hope both good Private for the benefit of you and them of your Family and theirs by receiving the memory of so choise a Saint who was a pattern of Piety in all her relations more especially in those two of a Wife and a Mother whose example if her Children follow they will manifest themselves born again and so to have a right to that Glory which she now possesseth The publique end I aim at is the Spiritual good of all those that shall read the Sermon with diligence and Prayer to profit by it This the good of Souls was I am sure my Fathers chiefest end in Preaching it and is mine also in Publishing it His great care and design in his work when ever God gave him opportunity was to win Souls and God was pleased to let him see of the travel of his Soul the fruits of his labours long before he took him to himself which was great comfort and satisfaction to him upon his dying Bed You know Sir it was never his custome or ambition to interline his Sermons especially upon such solemn occasions as this with much reading nor yet to glaze them with much Rhetorick well understanding that the leaves of Antiquity would make but a weak Shield against the stroke of Death and that the fine flowers of Rhetorick would not be Armour of proof against the conquering fears of the King of terrors His manner was to Preach a crucified Christ in a cracified stile to hold fast the form of sound words delivering the mind of God in Scripture language not in the inticing words of mans wisdom to see that his Doctrine was sound wholesome savoury and edifying not meerly notional suited to mens corrupt humours but well grounded on holy writ and suited to the Souls of his hearers which savours of a more divine-like spirit than the light jingling of some and spiritual bombest of other Preachers and Writers in our dairs Such as it was in the Pulpit such you have it from the Press there is nothing added to adorn it nor yet to enlarge it somthing more there is than was delivered time preventing him yet nothing more than what I find in his own Notes As to the dead if any thing be added t is but what he could have spoken of her if occasion had permitted and but what all persons who had the happiness to know her and be acquainted with her will witness to be true yea and say that all that is written doth not set forth half of her Glory the half of her excellency The Charracter which the Holy Ghost hath given of Abigall 1 Sam. 25. 3. May be 1 Sam. 25. 3. given of her she was a woman of good understanding and of a beautiful countenance She was eminent for her Piety Modesty Humility Charity and which made her amiable in the eyes both of God and men she was adorned with the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit So richly decked with all Christian excellencies that as Solomon speaks of the Vertuous Pro. 31. 10. Woman Prov. 31. 10. Her price was far above Rubies for what doth the wise man mention Commendable in Women that was not found in her She stretched out her Verse 20. hand to the Poor yea she reached forth her hand to the Needy She opened her mouth with wisdom in Verse 26. her tongue was the Law of kindness She looked well to the waies of her Verse 27. Houshold and eat not the bread of Idleness Her Children rise up and Verse 28. call her blessed her Husband also and he praiseth her Many Daughters have done Vertuously but she Verse 29. excelleth them all and her own works praise her in the gates But lest Verse 31. while I mention her though God hath been pleased to Compensate your loss in another Pious Consort I should renew your grief I forbare and only add my prayer to the God of all grace to perfect his own work begun in you and to increase your graces till you shall attain the measure of assurance which she enjoyed till you shall certainly know there is such an Union betwixt Christ and your Soul as death it self shall never be able to loose that so when your work is finished and your graces perfected according to the measure of that stature which God hath appointed you in Christ Jesus here on Earth You may go triumphantly to Heaven which is and shall be the fervent desire of Sir Your truly Respectful and Loving friend Samuel Peck August 18. 1671. To his highly Respected Friends Captain Richard and Captain William Goodlad S. P. wisheth all increase of Spiritual and Temporal riches Worthy Friends WHen I understood the desire you had that I would Publish and let pass into the eye of this Censorious age this Sermon Preached at the Funeral of your honoured Mother whose departure was much lamented and whose memory shall ever be blessed so long as any survive who knew her worth I did set my self to Transcribe it for the Press And the rather because this might give me opportunity to make a thankful acknowledgement of your respectful and more than ordinary favours to me All that I can do besides in requital is to Counsel and intreat you to be followers of her as she was