her but because her heart followed her eye backe againe into Sodome therefore was this punishment vpon her as a dreadfull document to answer all turne-backs vnto sinne that they shall not haue Gods grace to step one foote forward to the seruice of God Nay the seruants of God who haue obtained pardon vpon their true repentance God doth notwithstanding proportion his temporal punishments vnto their sinnes to teach vs that none of vs shall euer be any gainers by sinning Was not Dauids adultery wel rewarded in Absolons folly with his Fathers Concubines And for his murder of Vriah the sword was not to depart from his house all the daies of his life And because his sonne Salomon diuided Gods kingdome and religion betweene God and Idols therfore God diuided his kingdome between Rehoboam and Ieroboam And because his sonne Rehoboam would neede be a yokemaker to oppresse Israel so as his little finger should be bigger than his fathers loynes therefore God brought it about that his loynes were no bigger than his fathers finger by cutting off of ten Tribes at one blow So I haue giuen you a taste and but a taste of this truth in the roote in the tree and in the branches in nations in persons that be reprobrate in the true seruāts of God but these are but temporall iudgmēts God tempers all his iudgments they be like our quarter Sessions here and there some are adiudged in this world for examples sake and as Dauid saith in the 58. Psalme the last verse that men may say doubtlesse there is a God that iudgeth in the earth For as S. Austin hath well obserued if all sinners should bee punished in this world wee should feare no farther iudgement and if none at all wee should doubt of Gods prouidence in the first booke de Ciuitate Dei the 8. Therefore there shall come a day when this my text shall be fulfilled in plenitudine in weight number and measure in a most exact proportion when the deniall of a crum of bread vnto poore Lazarus shall bee requited with a deniall of a drop of water in hell fire When the vialls of Gods vengance shall bee powred out in full measure vpon damned spirits When infinite torments shall bee inflicted vpon sinners for their sins which as the haires of their heads are innumerable and infinite so shall the punishment bee vpon obstinate sinners against that diuine maiestie which is infinite And vpon impenitent sinners for frustrating and making voide that price of their redemption which is infinite And vpon those vngratefull wretches who haue made so little reckoning of the graces and blessings of God towards mankinde which are infinite And as infinite torments shall be inflicted proportionable vnto their infinite sins committed against God so likewise the omission of our manifold duties shall there be punished with an vtter depriuation of all comfort there shall be vtter darknes and no mitigation of torments no not for a moment Where the tormentors are spirits and cannot be weary where the worme shall euer gnaw and neuer dye where the fire shall bee vnquenchable neuer going out where the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimston doth kindle it Esay 30. 33. there shall bee no hope of deliuerance and yet were it not for hope the heart would burst no there shall be no hope yet the heart must hold a roote of immortalitie continually feeding both soule and body vnto eternall death What remedy then but patience Nay no patience neither who can dwell with euerlasting burning where shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth and not lose his patience seing that gnashing of teeth is an effect of an impatient furie But alas replies the vnfaithfull sinner what proportion is here Shall I be punished with eternall torments for my momentanie sins euerlasting burning for a few yeares sinning what proportion Verily a most exact proportion for hee that doth delight in sinne doth desire that those delights of his might continue if it were possible for euer now saith St Bernard the very desire of sinning is sinne it selfe before God therefore an infinite desire shall be eternally punished Besides that of S. Gregorie I take it is well grounded he that dyeth without repentance iustice doth presuppose that if that man could haue liued for euer hee would haue sinned for euer if thou then wilt offend thy God in aeternitudine that is so long as thou liuest then God will iustly punish thee in aeterno that is so long as God himselfe liueth for euer and euer For those that will sinne against God so long as they haue any being in this world without repentance they shal be punished by God so long as they shall haue any being in the world to come without mercy The contrary doth illustrate and proue both whosoeuer continueth to the end he shall be saued saith the text By what proportion Because God in mercy doth presuppose that that man if he had liued for euer would haue continued for euer in well doing Therefore as God in his iust mercy doth crowne our perseuerance with immortalitie so likewise in his most iust iudgment shall he punish finally all impenitencie with eternall vengeance iust as a man soweth so shall hee also reape in most exact proportion And let this serue for the truth of this proposition Now followeth the generall to bee examined whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall hee also reape Whatsoeuer be it good or bad be it sowen to the flesh or to the spirit which is the Apostles distribution in the verse following If to the flesh then is it generall without exception that whatsoeuer is sowen turneth to corruption and to our confusion as Hosea saith cap 8. 7. they sow the winde and shall reape the whirlewinde Their roote is rottennesse and their bud dust Esay 5. 24. But marke the phrase Quicquid seminaverit homo Whatsoeuer a man shall sow For there are some weeds which grow of themselues naturally without sowing others about which wee take paines and imploy our selues with all industrie and are of our owne sowing As S. Bernard amongst his sentences like wise expoundeth semine tuo i. e. operibus tuis calling the deeds which wee doe the seede which wee sow And Ioh. 8. 44. our Sauiour saith that when the Deuill speaketh a lye de suo loquitur hee speaketh that which is as it were of his owne sowing and growing 1. As for those weeds which grow vp in vs with out our sowing if so be that they displease vs as they did the Apostle in the 7. to the Romans verse 24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death if we finde in our selues a loathing of our sinnes or of our selues for sinne If we be vexed at the soule for our owne sinnes as the Cananitish womans daughter was Matth. 15. 22. for her diuell if wee labour to suppresse them and learne of our Captaine
that loue is abused Now when wee doe ascribe any humane affection vnto God we must separate from it all imperfections whatsoeuer if there be a ielousie not grounded in loue it is faultie or if it be a ielousie without cause it is blame worthy neither of these faults are in the ielousie that we ascribe vnto GOD and vnto CHRIST hee is a ielous God but his ielousie proceeds of loue though it tend vnto hate vpon suspition that loue is abused and not without cause so God may be ielous of vs but wee cannot be ielous of God the reason is because he that is ielous is ielous of a partner in loue I would to God saith S. Paul to Agrippa Act. 26. 29. I would that all that heare me this day were both almost and altogether such as I am S. Paul cares not how many partners hee hath in the loue of Christ the reason of the difference is that the loue of God towards vs is infinite but our loue vnto Christ it is so straight and so narrow that if so be he haue any partners with him it is to be feared he shall not haue his due so that hee hath cause to be ielous Wherefore without all question wee must take this motiue to be spoken of Christ and of his ielousie Loue is strong as death Ielousie is cruell as the graue to shew the strength of Christs loue vnto vs the Holy Ghost hath made a fit comparison For what is stronger than death that deuoureth all Surely the loue of Christ vnto man Marke then what is the generall effect of death yee know it is the separation of the soule and the body taking the soule out of the body and leauing it wan pale and gastly And that is likewise the effect of the extremitie of loue especially of Christs loue towards vs. For this pure chast and diuine loue wherewith Christ loued vs it made him to emptie himself that he might fill vs to go out of himselfe that he might dwell in vs to die once in himselfe that wee might liue for euermore Wherein did death euer shew his greatest power Verily in seasing vpon the Sonne of God our Sauiour himselfe then was showne the greatest power that euer death exercised Yet let me tell you herein the loue of Christ was farre stronger than death Death seazed on Christ when hee was become man vpon the earth but the loue of Christ to vs pulled him out of heauen when hee was in the bosome of his Father and humbled him and made him so weake that hee might become a fit Redeemer for vs. What ailed thee thou great strong Sampson of heauen saith Chrysostome thou that bindest Kings in chaines what meanes this surely it was the loue of Christ to our trecherous nature that delt so vntruly and so falsly with him that pulled this Sampson out of heauen and made him as weake as one of vs. To speake properly when death did seaze on christ in his weaknes it was not the power of death but the power of loue Christ tels vs so plainly in the 10. of Iohn the 18 vers I lay downe my life no man taketh it from me So then take death at the strongest still the loue of Christ vnto vs is stronger than death Wee haue heard sufficiently of the loue of Christ vnto vs if this will not draw from vs loue againe vnto Christ what will True loue is of the nature of a Loade-stone it drawes loue vnto it Magnes amoris amor but such is our ingratitude though we loue to heare of the loue of Christ yet wee care not to shew our loue to him againe This vnthankfulnes of vs ingratefull wretches is the the cause that wee are euer so loth to be drawn vnto him Dauid in the 118. Psalme the 27. vers speaking of the sacrifice that was offred when he reckons vp the loue of God towards vs he speaketh sodenly in regard of our retribution of loue backe to him againe binde the sacrifice with cords yea euen to the hornes of the Altar It is a saying amongst the Hebrewes that the beasts that were offered in sacrifice they were the struglingst Procul extensum petulaÌ„s quatit hâ—stia funem Juven Satyr 12. beasts of all the rest such is the nature of vs vnthankfull beasts when wee should loue God againe we are readier for to runne away from him wee must bee tyed to the Altar with cords to draw from vs loue or feare Though it bee true that forced loue is no loue Non extor quebis amari His loue is strong as death but if we abuse his loue by our vnthankfulnesse then marke what followes out of his loue hee growes ielous and that ielousie growes cruell cruel euen as the graue Ielousie saith Salomon it is the raging of a man it will not be pacified Prou 6. 34 35. Remember the Law and the sacrifice that was appointed for ielous persons in the 5. of Num the 15. verse there was neither oyle to make it gracious nor incense to giue place of atonement or reconciliation For intire loue it will not be adulterated nor yet suffer it selfe to be wronged such is the nature of mans ielousie Our God he is a ielous God and our blessed Sauiour out of the vehemencie of his loue he is a louing Sauiour and ielous too but the ground of this ielousie it is loue and if his loue be abused it tends vnto hate vpon iust suspition of a iust cause Then to summe vp all in a word it is the primarie nature of our good God blessed Sauiour to bee most louing and gracious vnto vs so is it the nature of that loue if there bee iust cause to grow ielous and it is the nature of that ielousie to be cruell cruell as the graue if so be before the graue we do not appease it and be reconciled to our husband Christ by true repentance For we may assure our selues that if our Sauior Christ finde any impression in the heart deeper than this set vpon it or any ornament aboue true religion faith in Christ hee will presently grow ielous and that ielousie will grow cruell In the 22 of Genesis when as Abraham seemed for to bee fond of his sonne Isaack God tryeth Abraham what he would doe for his sake yea he tries him whether hee loued him truly and indeed or no Therefore saith he to Abraham go and take thy sonne thy onely son Isaack and offer him vp for a sacrifice Abraham showes there though he loued his sonne Isaack very dearely and tenderly yet notwithstanding it was not to be compared with his loue to God In the Decalogue of the Law God hee is so iealous he wil not set any creature in the same table of the Law with himselfe there shal stand neither Father nor Mother King nor Caesar Saint nor Angell none in the same table with God he is a iealous God if there be cause And Beloued there is none of vs
Preacher the 6. verse the seedes of vertue in the morning of his youth the young gallant is not disposed he is no fit auditour of that doctrine he hopes for to liue many yeeres and in them all to reioyce as it is at the 8. verse And therefore if wee come to vrge his conscience so soone hee thinkes of vs as the Diuell sayd to Christ that we are come to torment him before his time But Salomon telles him that though he liue many yeeres yet they are but vanity and they come to the end of darknesse he cannot preuaile with his many yeeres marke what followeth at the 9. verse saith GOD by Salomon Reioyce oh youngman in thy youth let thy heart cheere thee in thy yoong dayes so God sayth but hee doth but mocke him for if God laugh it is time for the young man to weep for there followeth a most fearefull Catastraphe for know and bee thou sure that for all these things GOD shall bring thee to iudgement But most excellently and fit for this purpose is that that wisdom herselfe deliuereth or rather GOD who is wisdome it selfe in the first of the Prouerbes at the 20. verse shee calleth without she vttereth her voyce in the streets shee stretcheth out her hands in the high street among the presse of the people and vttereth her words in the city the 21. verse as if he had sayd in your Churches at the Crosse or in these places and The Spittle what be her words because I haue called and you refused because I haue stretched out mine hand and none would regard yea despised my counsels would none of my corrections at the 24. verse Therefore I will laugh at your destruction when feare commeth like sudden desolation and your misery and destruction like a whirle-winde when affliction and anguish shall come vpon you then shall they call but I will not answer they shall seeke me earely but they shall not find me Marke these that mocke God how God mockes them againe For they reape the same in kinde they would not heare him when hee preached vnto them in their health therefore God will not heare them when they shall pray to him in their sickenesse they heard God preaching by his word out of the pulpet but they would not obey therefore God shall heare them cry from their death-beds but hee will not answer them they shall seek him early but shall not finde him and as they sowed so shall they reape the same in kinde if not the like in proportion as you may reade the quality of the sinne in the nature of Gods punishments be it temporall or bee it eternall if temporall looke vpon the roote was not Adams temporal punishmēt well fitted to his fal He did eat in wantonnes hee shall now eat in sorrow in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the dayes of thy life The shame of his soule it was the sin of his soule it was expressed in the nakednesse of his body His aspiring minde in affecting to bee aboue a man was pulled downe so low that he was beholding to the poore beasts for a couering and we his sonnes if our coats be of wooll the sheepe wore them first if of silke the poore silke-worme may pull downe our pride The hardnesse of Adams fore-head in excusing and defending his sinne so obstinately before God face to face was well dissolued into the sweat of his browes his brow also remaining the seate of shame That extraordinary delight the woman tooke in the forbidden fruit multiplied her sorrowes Oh it was pleasing vnto the eye in the 3. of Genesis the 6 therefore the eye is the catarract and floud-gate of sorrow sorrow shall remaine in her eyes more than ordinarie She had a longing desire to that fruit oh the fruit in the middest of the garden worth all the rest and what else is the reason that so many quames and vnnaturall longings are yet in that sexe Shee so abused her liberty in ouer-ruling her husband to whom before shee was sweetly subordinat without renitencie therefore now will shee nill shee shee must be subiect and hee must rule ouer her Looke vpon the tree that springeth out of this root A deluge of sinne ouerflowed the old world which brought a deluge of water to wash the same and that which the water cannot wash the fire shall purge Behold the builders of Babels Tower conspired against heauen therefore were they scattred vpon the earth By that conspiracie they had thought to haue gotten them a name therefore God makes them so ridiculous that one man knowes not an others language and all this in the very tongue which is the very instrument and trumpet of fame And that burning lust of the Sodomites was fitly punished with fire from heauen that vnnaturall lust with vnnaturall fire and brimstone from heauen that now it remaineth a monument of that their filthy abomination vntill this day I could hold you too long in the proportion of Gods iudgements vnto the sinnes of Countries and Nations As of the Egyptians the Edomites the Cananites the Iewes themselues for killing the Lord of life whose bloud according vnto their owne imprecation is remayning vpon their children vnto this day But that which is personall is more sensible to euery one of vs and commeth home to my text that as a man soweth so shall he also reap either the same in person or he shall reape the same in kinde an eye for eye a tooth for a tooth a toe for a toe 70 Kings saith Adonibezek with their thumbs and toes cut off haue eaten meat vnder my table iust as I delt with them so hath God delt with me the 1 of Iudges the 7. If not the same in kinde yet in exact proportion as Abels bloud cryed for vengance against his vnnaturall brother Nature was offended nature will be reuenged as in the 4. of Genesis at the 2. verse Thou shalt till the ground and hence-forth shee shall not yeeld thee her naturall strength Because Cain would not afford an abiding place for Abel vpon the earth therefore the earth would not afford an abiding place for Cain a vagabond and a runnagate shalt thou be vpon the earth That wicked Cham the spot of nature who against naturall reuerence dishonoured his father Noah was accursed in his owne sonne whose graceles posteritie the Cananites for Cham was the father of Canaan Gen 9. 18 giuen ouer to all vnnaturall vice became natures vomit in the 18 of Leuiticus the land spued them out v. 28 For a remembrance of that vnfaithful soule that would beleeue no more of Gods iudgments than shee saw with her eyes there stands a pillar of salt depriued of all sense for abusing her sense in looking backe for an euerlasting monument for an example of Gods iudgment to salt and season all posterities to take heede of back sliding into sinne She might pretend that shee looked backe to encourage her two daughters that followed
soule is pulled and mooued to and fro either vnto good or vnto bad actions Here is Loue stronge loue stronge as death and affection that will mooue vs if not here is feare of Iealousie that growes cruell Iealousie cruell as the graue if loue will moue vs wee shall bee knit vnto Christ that way if not if feare will moue vs wee shall bee drawne vnto Christ that way and if neither of these single will moue vs if both together will moue vs here is feare that growes out of loue grounded vpon loue loue is strong as death but if abused she growes iealous and that Iealousie growes cruell But if neither loue nor feare nor both these grafted together will drawe vs then is our case most desperate this I conceiue to bee the resolution of the text the branches whereof you haue heard in my text Set mee as a seale on thine heart and as a signet vpon thine arme that is the petition of the Church or the euidence of Christ his two metaphors which doe most liuely expresse and set foorth vnto vs. The neere coniunction betweene Christ and his Church in the 22. of Ieremie the 24. verse as I liue saith the Lord though Coniah the sonne of Iehoiakim king of Iudah were the signet of my right arme that is as neere to mee as neere possiblie could be yet I would cast him off The personall vnion of the sonne of God vnto our nature it is the first great mysterie of godlinesse for without controuersie great is the mysterie of godlinesse the 1. of Tim. the 3. chap. the last vers God manifested in the flesh Yet notwithstanding you may be bold to say that this vnion wherof Salomon doth here speake it is aboue that and a neerer vnion and coniunction vnto vs in two respects first that hypostaticall vnion it was the coniunction of God and mans nature in generall but this comes neerer doth incorporate our particular persons into one bodie with Christ Howsoeuer the other in his owne nature bee great betweene the things themselues vnited yet notwithstanding this is vnto vs more comfortable because it brings with it a particular application to euery one that wee may say and pray with Dauid in the 35. Psalme the 3. verse Say vnto my soule I am thy saluation not onely vnto all in generall but vnto thy soule and my soule in particular which is more comfortable Therefore God hee hath for this purpose not only ordained the preaching of the Gospell in publike to declare the loue of God in Christ Iesus to mankind in generall but hee hath also instituted sacraments which are ministred vnto euery ones persons in particular that as Gods loue is vnto all so he confirmeth the same loue to euery one in particular that is capable of the same Secondly this coniunction which this metaphor expresseth it exceedeth the other in this that though Christ did take our nature vpon him and our nature with all humane infirmities yet hee did take it cleane voide of all sinne but in this misticall vnion betweene Christ and his members though we be full of sinne and infirmities as well in soule as body yet he vouchsafed to knit vs vnto himselfe as being one bodie Iesus Christ ties vs as in an vnseparable knot which vnity is most comfortably in the Scripture set forth by two Metaphors both which come short of these meraphors in my text It is expressed by the head and the members and by man and wife but Nero or some Tyrant may chop the head from the members and death doth make a separation between man and wife but of this vnion saith the Apostle Paul I am perswaded neither death nor life principalities nor powers shall be able to separate vs from Christ and in the 8. of the Epistle to the Bomanes the 28. also we know that all things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God euen to them that are called of his purpose But the two metaphors of my text are more emphaticall for the heart it is the fountaine of life it is the first that liueth and the last that dieth and the arme is the instrument of power if Christ haue set vs as a seale vpon his heart and as a signet vpon his arme let vs see what principalities or power what life or death is able to make a separation betweene vs except he can be ouercome who is omnipotent God himselfe this signet shall neuer bee plucked from his arme and vnlesse he can die againe who is life it selfe the Lord of life this seale which is imprinted in his heart shall neuer be blotted out this admirable coniunction betweene Christ and vs it is here declared in this place and propounded by way of a petition whereof we may be bold to make a position and say indeede that Christ hath set vs as a seale vpon his heart and that he hath worne vs as a signet vpon his arme For that which was the wish the prayer desire of the Church in Salomons time when this song was sung that is now inioyed by the Church of Christ their wish is our Article their prayer our creede wee doe beleeue it because Christ hath manifested it since the Son of God did take vnto him an heart and an arme that is to say a humane soule within and a naturall bodie without hee hath in that soule and body fully granted the petition to the Church and set vs as a seale vpon his heart For were not we deepely imprinted in his heart when he suffered his hart to bee deuided by the point of the speare when he shed out water his heart bloud in loue vnto vs when he was in a manner forsaken of his owne Father rather then his father should forsake vs. That Euangelicall Prophet Isaiah in the 49. cha ver 16. saith in the person of God vnto Zion I haue ingrauen thee in the palmes of my hands were we not deepely ingrauen in the palme of Christs hands when hee suffered both hands and feete to bee pierced vpon the crosse it was a deep impression and Christ would neuer haue suffered it vnlesse this seale had bin deeply printed in his hands showing them after his resurrection this print still in the 24. of Luke Behold my hands and feet It is a question amongst Diuines whether those scarres in the hands and in the sides of our blessed Sauiour which remained in his bodie after his death resurrection to the end that hee might shew himself vnto a few doe not yet remaine in his glorious body being in heauen that he may shew them at the last day of his resurrection that they might looke vpon him whom they had pierced and this is without all question the impression spoken of in this place remayning still on his hands and heart and Iesus Christ doth euen weare vs and makes as precious account of vs as the signet of his right hand for the same affections hee had
and let vs desire the Lord so to blesse vs with his spirit of grace that as we professe the words of the holy one so wee may neuer deny the power thereof but so walke according to the same that God may receiue glorie and wee eternall comfort in Iesus Christ Amen A SERMON PREACHED AT the Funerall of Mr. Iohn Newman Citizen and Grocer of LONDON at St. Steuens in Walbrooke BY ROGER FENTON D. in Diuinitie LONDON Printed for William Aspley 1616. GEN 15. 15. But thou shalt goe to thy Fathers in peace and shalt be buried in a good age IN the premises of this Chap. there passed a couenant betweene God and Abraham a couenant confirmed by a ceremonie an ancient ceremonie of diuiding of beasts in pieces and going through the parts of them so diuided signifying thereby that they should bee so diuided and broken in pieces who should first breake the couenant So we doe finde that couenant expressed in the 34. of Ier. the 18. verse And so did Almightie God vouchsafe to couenant with Abraham in this place in the 9. verse before my text after the manner of men But when Abraham had diuided the beasts and God presented by the fire had passed betweene the parts of the same there fell out two accidents that were not ordinarie first the text saith that the foules of the aire did light vpon the parts of the beasts Abraham draue them away in the 11. verse signifying thereby how the Egyptians should pray vpon Abrahams posteritie the children of Israel and yet notwithstanding for Abrahams sake God afterward would deliuer them Secondly it is said that there fell a heauie sleepe vpon Abraham that is now expressed in these words that I haue read vnto you signifying the death of Abraham that howsoeuer hereafter his posteritie might happily remaine in the land of Egypt yet hee should go to his Fathers in peace and should bee buried in a good age so then you see that these words doe contain a most comfortable promise and a prophesie of Abrahams death Death is sorrowful in it selfe as being terrible vnto nature but such a death is comfortable so you see my text is like vnto the occasion of this our present meeting it is a mixture or compound of sorrow and comfort well tempered together wherein I will desire you to consider First the person whom this doth concerne it was Abraham Secondly the condition of his death which is here prophesied First that it is seasonable in respect of the circumstances as my text hath reference to the premises thus and thus shall thy posteritie fare but thou shalt bee in thy graue before thou see that Secondly in regard of death it selfe it was a blessed death blessed in two respects In respect of his soule first for hee should go to his Fathers and the manner how in peace Secondly in respect of his body also that it should bee buried in a good age and these are the branches as you see them lie in the text But thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace and shalt bee buried in a good age and of these briefely because the time will permit no long discourse We must first beginne with the person for else I shall make vnto you at this time but a groundlesse speech For this is a sure rule as the person is such is the death of the person the person was Abraham Father Abraham the Father of the faithfull and as hee was called a father so likewise was he a patterne example of all godlie vertues vnto all posterities a patterne of faith religion the father of the faithfull How his faith hath beene tried I shall not neede to particularise And wheresoeuer he came or into what countrie or place soeuer he was sent we shall read Abraham built there an Altar to shew his religion and worship of God amongst heathens and Infidels A patterne of true obedience that wheresoeuer God called him to any countrie hee was readie to goe obediently euen to the offering vp of his owne sonne at Gods commandement A patterne of humilitie of meekenesse and mildenesse of patience and of a peaceable disposition When his seruants and the seruants of Lot could not agree how hee intreated for peace betweene them A patterne of loue and of kindnesse vnto all euen to the very Sodomites themselues how affectionately doth hee perswade with Almighty God and pray for Sodome and Gomorah euen as though it had been for his owne soule Peraduenture there bee some righteous within the Citie wilt thou not spare the rest for their sakes or if there be thus many or thus few and so goes as lowe till he goes beyond all proportion A patterne of righteousnesse and good dealing with all men For although faith was imputed vnto Abraham for righteousnesse yet faith went not without righteousnesse No Pharaoh himselfe shall loose nothing by Abraham A patterne of Charitie his seate and place was in the tent doore hee did not hide himselfe and locke the doores and shut them after him but he was readie to receiue those that stood in neede to bee refreshed A patterne of fatherly prouidence in his owne hous-hold prouiding for the same to the vttermost of his power Marrying his son a little before his death when he was old hee instructed and admonished his sonnes from time to time I know saith God Abraham will teach his children As hee was the father of the faithfull so he was a patterne and example of all godly vertues vnto posterities Thus you haue heard what he was Now will you heare briefely what became of him Hee must die but his death it was a seasonable death it was a timely death Seasonable in two respects First because he should be taken away before his eyes did see those afflictions which God ment to send vpon his posteritie The children of Israel shall be thus in affliction in Aegypt but thou shalt goe to thy fathers in peace his posterity should bee afflicted but not for Abrahams sake they may thanke themselues for that they shall bee carried into Aegypt for their owne sinnes but deliuered out of Aegypt for Abrahams sake and his eies shall not see their affliction because hee was no cause of it A blessing that God doth promise vnto his Saints and hee doth bestow this blessing vpon diuers of his saints as Isay sheweth in the 57. chap. 1. verse The righteous man is taken away and no man vnderstandeth that hee is taken from the euill to come and so God promised to Iosiah the 2. of the Chron. 34. and the 28. verse That hee should goe to his Fathers in peace and his eyes should not see the euill which almightie God purposed to bring vpon that place Secondly Abrahams death it was seasonable and timely because it was after the couenant which now was made betweene God and him God had made a couenant in this chapter with Abraham that hee would bee his sure buckler and exceeding great
It is threatned by Salomon that those who are disobedient to their parents the rauens of the valleyes shall picke out their eyes And those that are treacherous to the Ciuill Magistrates wee see they are made a spectacle to the world and depriued of buriall and set vp in the aire and made a prey to the foules of the aire as this is a iudgement on these so likewise the other is a blessing on them that goe vnto the graue in peace and it is an honour that is due vnto the very bodies of the Saints of God shewing they are the worke of Gods hands not as the bodies of beasts which God did make as it were with a word after a more sleight maner but for mans bodie hee formed it not onely with his word but it is the tabernacle of an heauenly substance that 's the soule which is the image of God because our bodily nature is also assumed into the diuine nature at the incarnation of the Sonne of GOD. Because the bodies of the Saints are the members of Christ and the temples of the HOLY GHOST Know you not saith the Apostle that your bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost And last of all because though they sleepe in the dust for a time yet here-after they shall rise in glory and shine as the Sunne in glory in the kingdome of heauen and therfore great reason that some honor and reuerence bee done euen vnto the very bodies of the Saints So was Abraham buried buried hy his two sonnes Isaack and Ismael as in the 25. chapter of this booke the ninth verse buried in the field of Ephron a selected groūd of purpose where his wife Sarah was buried long before Genes 23. 19. and his sonnes wife Rebecca in the 49. of this booke the 31. verse One blessing more let mee adde in my Text to Abraham and we will come to my purpose Abraham was buried in a good age for so God did promise and it was prophesied in this place and so performed in the 25. of this booke the 8. verse and there wee finde the place amplified in three phrases together for euermore the performance of God is with the largest The promise is like a seede sowne in the ground onely but the performance comes in like fruit that 's multiplied caried in in due season so it is said that Abraham was buried he died in a good age an olde man of great yeares here is three phrases to expresse one thing and it is no idle repetition he died in a good age so good as hee desired to liue no longer nor did he desire for to die any sooner he liued to settle his houshold in order to marrie his sonne Isaack to prepare his soule for God and to depart in peace A good age Secondly he dyed an old man If hee had liued any longer his daies would but haue beene troublesome and burdensome vnto himselfe An old man ye◠not old before his time therefore a third phrase is added an old man of great yeares and so did Abraham die and was gathered to his people Dauid liued but threescore and ten yeares and yet Dauid was old before his time Secondly hee died in good yeares this God promised to Abraham and this God hath performed so as that was verified of him that is promised to the Saints in the 5. of Iob the 25. verse that they go vnto their graue as a ricke of come that goes into the barne when the Regions are white vnto the haruest as our Sauiour Christ speaketh so according to the Hebrew text it is here as we say in a good age When the Regions are white vnto the haruest then the sickle of death is put in in due season and they carried to the euer-lasting barnes What blessing was there then that Abraham did want hee was taken away before the affliction of his posteritie came yet not before the couenant was confirmed betweene GOD and him all this was granted him and hee dyed an ould man full of yeeres And thus beloued haue you heard of Abraham what he was and what is become of him May it please you now a little for to turne your thoughts vpon one of the sonnes of Abraham and briefely to remember with me first what he was and now what is become of him For as hee did tread in the steps of his Father Abraham so I will treade in the steps of my text concerning him and Abraham hee was the sonne of Abraham while he liued the blessing of Abraham was vpon him at his death and so I make no doubt but hee doth rest in Abrahams bosome Abraham the father of the faithfull a patterne of faith and religion vnto his sonnes and posteritie this was one of them It was his chiefe stay and comfort euer in his great heauinesse and in his sicknesse long before his death or before that deadly sicknes the couenant that passeth betweene GOD and his Saints in Christ Iesus there was his stay Abraham was a patterne of faith faith was imputed vnto him for righteousnes but it neuer went without righteousnesse no more did his I doe refer him for that to you that haue had so many yeres experience of him did this our brother do any man wrong willingly was hee not an vpright and a iust man in all his dealing with all whom hee had to doe withall Abraham was a patterne of humilitie of meeknes of mildnesse of patience and of a quiet and peaceable disposition and so was he witnes this Parish wherein he hath liued How deadly any contention or debate amongst vs was vnto his soule and spirit how diligent would he be and how troubled till the peace were made blessed are the peace-makers Araham was a patterne of loue and kindnesse of kinde affection vnto all men and so was he ready and prone to shew his kindnes according to his estate vpon any occasion Abraham was a patterne of charitie so was he for I haue obserued comming to this mans table at ordinarie occasions who were his guests commonly but such as were not able to bid him againe such as had most neede of refreshing like Lazarus in Abrahams bosome He was a patterne of fatherly prouidence in his familie and to his children I know saith God that Abraham will teach his sonnes and so did hee hee did continually admonish them and if any admonition at any time did not take that effect hee desired how grieuous it was to his soule and spirit let his Sonnes remember it now he is gone and if any affliction come vpō them as on Abrahams posteritie let them thank themselues it was not the Fathers fault they shall fare the better for his sake Abrahams posteritie were not afflicted in Egypt for his sake but deliuered out of Egypt for Abrahams sake but he is gone hee is taken away seasonablely from the euill that is to come the sinnes of these times do prophesie some euill to come vpon vs and it is a blessing vnto them that are taken away before it comes He is gone to enioy the effect of that couenant made betweene God and his Saints in Christ Iesus that was his comfort he is gone vnto his Fathers and if his Sons will tread in his steps they shall goe to their Fathers he is gone and hath left this companie this companie now present whereof hee was a good member and is gone vnto an other companie of the Saints and Angels of God in heauen hee is gone in peace in that manner that his death was a sleeping in death in peace of conscience In a peaceable manner did hee depart this life euen as if hee had stolne a nap wee that were then present with him could not tell when he went and now beloued are wee here assembled for to solemnize his Funerall in that decent manner you see and that is beseeming to follow and to remember the Saints of God that are taken away from amongst vs. Abraham hee was buried and hee was buried in the ground where hee had buried his beloued wife Sarai before and so is hee Innocent hee was in his life innocent as a doue hee hath continued this many yeeres solitarie as a turtle doue and now hee is gone yet so many yeeres after as I thinke one graue may well hold them both Last of all let me adde the conclusion of my text he is buried in a good age I may adde the three phrases before mentioned of Abraham A good age an old man of great yeeres if he had liued longer as I haue often heard him say vnto mee hee should haue beene burdensome and troublesome vnto himselfe a good age fourescore one a good age in these times but let me yet add one thing more as hee died in a good age so I may say truely that hee died vpon a good day also for it was vpon the Saboth day in the morning that hee commended his soule into the hands of God in the morning when we were about to assemble in this place to praise God then did hee sing Halleluiah with the saints and Angells in heauen No man did more duly obserue Gods saboths in this place them hee did and now his soule doth enioy that saboth of rest in the kingdome of heauen On the Sabboth day in the morning did he goe to solemnize the Sabboth in heauen a Sabboth without an euening that is an eternall rest into this rest is hee now entred and into this rest that we in due time may also enter that our spirits may enioy the blessed companie of all the Saints of God let vs desire of him who hath purchased the same Sabboth for vs IESVS CHRIST the righteous To whom with the Father blessed Spirit one euerliuing and only wise God be ascribed all praise power thanksgiuing this day and for euermore Amen FINIS