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A79008 A patterne for all, especially for noble and honourable persons, to teach them how to die nobly and honourably. Delivered in a sermon preached at the solemne interment of the corps of the Right Honourable Robert Earle of Warwick. Who aged 70 years 11. months, died April 19. And was honorably buried, May 1. 1658. at Felsted in Essex. By Edmund Calamy B.D. and pastor of the church at Aldermanbury. Calamy, Edmund, 1600-1666. 1658 (1658) Wing C262; Thomason E947_1; ESTC R207615 31,046 52

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setting apart a sufficient space of time for selfe-examination And besides this give me leave without offence to relate a passage which in my opinion conduceth much to his honour and may through Gods blessing become an example to his relations and to the Noble-men and Gentlemen of the Nation When he first came to the Sacrament at Aldermanbury he freely presented himselfe to the Minister and Elders to be examined and although he gave ample satisfaction yet being at that time indisposed in body by reason of a sudden distemper he afterwards wrote me a letter in which he signified that if we were not satisfied he would rather come againe than come without giving full satisfaction here was humility in a high degree here is a patterne to be admired and imitated 6. In his faithfulness to the trust committed to him as in other things so more especially in disposing of his Church-livings Herein he was very eminent and very exemplary being alwayes exactly careful to preferre able godly and painful Ministers to them And I doubt not but there are thousands blessing God in heaven for the good they have got by the Ministers put in by this Noble Earle The truth is he was a great Patron and Mecaenas to the pious and religious Ministry We Ministers may say of him as they did of the Centurion he loved our Nation we have great cause to weep over his herse and to bemoane his death For we have this day lost one of the greatest friends that the godly and painful Ministers had in England 7. I might adde if need were as a further and a most signal testimony of his godlinesse his singular care that not only while he was living but that after his death also his Church-livings might be rightly disposed but I forbeare 8. There are three things yet behind which I must not omit 1. He was bountiful and Prince-like in his hospitality and house-keeping 2. He was very merciful and charitable to the poor members of Jesus Christ I have often and often been his Almoner to distribute considerable summes of money to necessitous and pious Christians 3. He was a liberal and most loving Master to his houshold-servants and hath given competent pensions to all his old servants during life 9. In a word He was one who did not make use of religion for his own private gaine and interest he had no politick designe in professing godlinesse his whole aime both by sea and land both in Parliament and in private was to be serviceable to Church and State and in this particular he was a true Nathaneel in whom there was no guile he was a countenancer of religion in the worst times he appeared for God and for his cause and servants when it was both dangerous and disgraceful in the eyes of the leading men of the Nation he received Mr. Burroughs that eminent Minister of Christ into his family and protected him for a long while till at last he was forced to fly out of the land He was a very special friend unto that man of God of famous memory Dr. Sibbs To summe up all in a few lines As it is said of Socrates as I remember that he was so good a man that all that knew him loved him and if any man did not love him it was because they did not know him So it may be said of the Earle of Warwick All who knew him loved him and if any man did not love him it was because he did not know him As for the manner of his death it was somewhat sudden but you must know that a child of God never dies suddenly though he die never so suddenly though he may dye suddenly in regard of time yet he never dyes suddenly in regard of preparation A wicked man dies suddenly though he dyes never so lingringly because he dyes unpreparedly but he that dyes with grace in his heart cannot be said to die suddenly though he die never so suddenly And yet this sad stroak of death was not altogether unexpected For when the funeral of his Grand-child was delayed longer than he desired or expected he was heard to say That if they tarried a little longer they should carry him down also to he buried with him My hope is That he dyed as these Noble Patriarkes in the text he died in the faith in which he lived He dyed professing the true doctrine of faith and I hope having his heart adorned with the grace of faith And let me assure you that as he lived much desired so he now dyeth much lamented especially by men professing godlinesse I have heard a memorable story of an ancient and religious Gentleman Mr. Knightly of Northamptonshire well known to some here who coming to Leeze and beholding the brave Parkes and goodly gardens and other such-like accommodations there to be enjoyed was heard to say to this our Earle My Lord you had need be very good it is ill going to hell from such a Paradise it will be a doleful and dismal exchange Or as others relate it My Lord you had need make sure of heaven or else when you dye you will be a great loser A rare speech worthy to be laid to heart by all Noble persons Now I verily perswade my selfe that this our dear and honourable Christian brother is no loser but a great gainer by his death He is gone I hope from earth to heaven from an earthly Paradise to a heavenly Pallace from a house made with hands to a house made without hands eternal in the heavens It is true and it must be confessed least I should be accounted a flatterer he had his failings and his many infirmities which I trust Jesus Christ hath covered with the roabe of his righteousnesse My prayer to God is That all his infirmities may be buried in the grave of oblivion and that all his virtues and graces may supervive and live in his son and heire that as he inherits the estate so he may also inherit the vertues of his Father And that religion piety and godlinesse may be entailed upon the Noble family of the Riches from one generation to another till the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ unto judgement That while they live they may be professors of the true faith and indued with the heart-purifying grace of faith And when they come to dye they may make that gallant noble and blessed closure and conclusion of their dayes which these godly Patriarkes in my text did of whom it is said These all dyed in faith FINIS Utin●m caelebs vixissem aut orbus periiss●m Prorsus faelicem suturum fuisse inquit Ausonius si hunc filium n●n generass●t 1 Pet. 1. 17. 1 Cor. 5. 7 8. Psalm 15. 4. Prov 13. 5. Dan. 11 21. John 6. 70. Perkins in locum Paraus in locum Vetus juxt● fidem Beza secundum fidem Gen. 22. 18. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} N●●pe sicus navigantes terram Abraham didicerat expectandos
sufficient to prove that according to the mind of St. Austin none but the elect of God are in time effectually called and really justified and pardoned and made partakers of the holy Ghost and become real members of Christs body and therefore the effectually called and justified c. can no more fall away than the elect which all confesse to be under an impossibility of Apostacy in St. Austins judgment 2. Let me perswade you not only to beleeve but to practise the doctrine of perseverance For there are Divers learned men that are so much scandalized at the great Apostacy of some eminent professours in our unhappy dayes that they begin to be stagger'd and to doubt of the truth of the doctrine of Perseverance But these men forget the saying of the Apostle They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us For my part I conceive that these Reverend and learned men should rather doubt of the truth of their graces whom they see thus foully to A postatize than of the truth of the Doctrine of Perseverance But howsoever let us take heed of laying this stumbling block least by our practical Apostacy men should begin to turne Doctrinal Apostates Let us labour to dye well as well as to live well to continue and persevere in wel-doing It is the great commendation of the Saints in the text That they died in the faith These all dyed in faith Remember what Christ saith No man having put his hand to the plough and looking back is fit for the Kingdome of God And what the Apostle Paul saith If any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him but we are not of them who draw back unto perdition c. And what the Apostle Peter saith It had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousnesse than after they have known it to turne from the holy commandment delivered to them c. Remember also Lots wife She did only look back she did not go back and yet she was turned into a pillar of salt As God hath fire and brimstone for a Sodomite so he hath a pillar of salt for an Apostate But why do you exhort us to persevere when as you tell us that if we be true Saints we cannot but persevere 1. We do not say it is simply and absolutely impossible for a Saint not to persevere For if you consider the Saints as they are in themselves and the mightinesse and multitude of their spiritual enemies it is impossible for them not to fall away But we say it is impossible upon supposition Considering the unchangeable nature of God and the unchangeable decree and purpose of God and the unchangeable Covenant promises and Oath of God in this respect we say it is impossible 2. Scripture exhortations are divine motives and meanes to perswade and enable the Saints to persevere and they are so farre from interfering with or nullifying of the promises of faith and perseverance that they are many of them built and grounded upon them Phil. 2. 12 13. 2 Cor. 7. 1. What meanes must I use that I may hold out and continue unto the end and not only live in the faith but also dye in it 1. Dig deep in humiliation The stony ground fell away for want of depth of earth Humility is the best preservative of grace The lower the foundation the surer the building Spiritual pride paves a causey to Apostacy A chesnut put whole into the fire will fly out It is the broken heart only that will persevere 2. Labour for sincerity and uprightness of heart As the firmnesse of a pillar is in the uprightnesse of it if once it begins to bow it will quickly break So the firmnesse and stability of a Christian is in his sincerity and uprightnesse Rottenness of heart betrayeth a man into Apostacy A rotten apple will quickly appeare so outwardly So will a rotten Christian If ever you would persevere take heed of making use of Religion for the promotion of your carnal interest He that serves God for an earthly Kingdome when he bath got what he sought for will forsake God as Jehu did He that followeth Christ only for the loaves will leave Christ when he hath got them 3. Labour for a tender conscience This will keep us from the least degree of Apostacy As hot water grow's cold by degrees first it is luke-warme before it is starke cold So a Christian declines into Apostacy by degrees Lots wife first lingred and then afterwards lookt back first we slack our pace in Religion then we stand still and at last turne back But now a tender conscience will keep us from the least abatement of zeale and forwardnesse in Religion 4. Be not high minded but feare I speak not of a feare of diffidence and distrustfulnesse but of a feare of diligence and watchfulnesse He that would be secure from feare let him feare to be secure Mr. Saunders by his feare of falling away kept himselfe from Apostacy whereas Dr. Pendleton by his notorious presumption and over-bold confidence fell away 5. Take heed least there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} will end in {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Apostacy is the child of unbelief Faith will set us upon a rock higher than us even such a rock against which the gates of hell shall never prevaile 6. Take heed of the inordinate love of the world and of the base feare of men The love of mony is reckoned by the Apostle as the root of all evil in general and more especially of Apostacy 1 Tim. 6. 10. Which while some coveted after they have erred from the faith c. And the base feare of men was the cause which made thousands Apostatize in Queen Maries bloody dayes And therefore if ever you would persevere you must labour to love God above your corruptions relations and possessions and to feare sin more than the losse of estate or life He that loves God above the world will never forsake God to gaine the world He that feares sin more than death will rather dye than sin 7. Pray unto God the Father Son and holy Ghost that they would uphold you and enable you not only to live but to dye in the faith Pray to the Father that he would keep you by his power through faith unto salvation that he would uphold you by his mighty hand and keep you from falling as it is Psalm 37. ●4 Psalm 94. 18. That he would put his feare in your hearts that you may never depart from him Pray to the Son that he would apprehend you and hold you so fast in his armes that none may pluck
you out of his hands and that you may every day enjoy the benefit of his Intercession Pray unto the holy Ghost that he would abide in you for ever and give you the earnest of your inheritance and seale you up unto the day of Redemption So much for the fourth inference Doctrine 5. That to dye in the true faith is a noble gallant blessed and happy ●anner of dying These all died in faith Herein especially consisted the happy condition of these godly Patriarks that they lived and dyed in the faith It is put down by way of commendation and left upon record as a patterne for us to learne to die by They died in the faith of the Messias expecting salvation by him only They died perswaded of the promises and embracing the Lord Jesus Looking waiting and confidently hoping for a City which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God There is a double manner of dying 1. A dying in sin 2. A dying in faith 1. A dying in sin Of this we read John 8. 24. If you beleeve not that I am he ye shall dye in your sins This is a said manner of dying If any should desire me to give him a character of a man in a cursed condition I would answer He is one who is dead in sin while he lives and dies in his sins when he dies It is a happinesse to be dead to sin but to die in sin is misery unexpressible For he that dieth in his sins shall certainly go into everlasting damnation He that dies in his sins dies out of Christ and he that dieth out of Christ shall never go to Christ 2. A dying in faith This is a noble gallant and blessed manner of dying heaven it selfe beares witnesse to this Rev. 14. 13. I heard a voyce from heaven saying unto me write Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord that is united unto the Lord Jesus Christ by a true and a lively faith Such as these are happy if you will either beleeve a voyce from heaven or the voyce of the Spirit for it followeth in the text so saith the Spirit And they are blessed from the very instant of their death So it is in the same place from henceforth {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} from that very minute for their souls go immediately to God to enjoy perfect and perpetual rest and happinesse and their works follow them It is a greater happinesse to die in the Lord than to die for the Lord If a man die for the Lord and be not in the Lord he is not blessed in his death A man may die for the Lords cause and not for the Lords sake but out of vain-glory This is hinted by the Apostle Though I give my body to be burned and have not charity it profiteth me nothing If I do it not out of love to God but out of love to my selfe and mine own praise it is nothing worth But he that dyeth in the Lord is certainly blessed The only use I shall make of this is to beseech the New Testament Saints to follow this Old Testament copy and patterne You have been often taught how to live well give me leave to teach you this day how to dye well It is not long but you must all die Let it be your care that when you come to die you may die in the faith of the Lord Jesus There is a double faith in which you must labour to die In fide quae creditur quâ creditur 1. In the true doctrine of faith 2. In the saving grace of faith 1. In the true doctrine of faith For there are damnable doctrines as well as damnable practices There are doctrines of Devils as well as works of Devils A man may go to hell for heresie as well as ●or iniquity The Scripture tells us of some opinions which subvert the soul and overthrow the faith which T●rtullian calls doctrines devouring a mans salvation and the cankers of Christian Religion And therefore let it be your care to avoid all soul-subverting doctrines to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the Saints and to hold fast the ancient Catholick and Apostolical faith Now if you ask me in what Religion I would have you to die I shall quickly returne an answer without the least haesitation In the true Christian Protestant reformed Religion This is via tuta ad vitam aeternam A safe way unto eternal life as a learned Knight hath sufficiently made known to the world my soul for yours he that dies in this Religion wants nothing in point of doctrine necessary to salvation For it is built wholly only upon the Scriptures It is purely Apostolical and teacheth us to deny ungodliness and all worldly lusts and to live godly soberly and righteously in this present world It requires us to beleeve in Christ for justification and to manifest the truth of our faith by our holinesse towards God and our righteousnesse mercy and charity towards our neighbour And when we have done all to account our selves but unprofitable servants and to trust only to the merits of Christ for salvation It hath been sealed by the blood of many Martyrs and he that professeth it and liveth according to the directions of it may die with a tribunal-proofe confidence of everlasting salvation Let us therefore be stedfast and unmoveable in this faith and take heed of the Arrian and Socinian heresies which unchristianize a man and of all doctrines that are contrary to godliness which drown the soul in perdition and destruction Let us abhorre the heresie Idolatry and tyranny of the Romish Synagogue alwaies remembring that sad text If any man worship the beast and his image and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out witbout mixture into the cup of his indignation and he shall be tormented with ●●re and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb Let us be sure that when we come to die we may be able to say with the Apostle Paul I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith Though I have lost my liberty wealth and honours yet I have kept the faith And with that Reverend Bishop I can deny my selfe my estate my reputation but I cannot deny my faith 2. In the saving grace of faith He that dieth with faith in Christ shall certainly go to live in heaven with Christ He that dieth embracing Christ shall go from Christ to Christ from Christ by grace to Christ in glory But then you must be sure that this faith be a true justifying-faith A heart-purifying sanctifying and world-overcoming faith A painted faith will never bring you to a real heaven A dead faith will never please a living God Faith without works will send a man merrily