LIVING LOVES BETWIXT CHRIST AND DYING CHRISTIANS A SERMON Preached At M. Magdalene Bermondsey in Southwark near London June 6. 1654. At the Funeral of that faithful Servant of Christ Mr. Jeremiah Whitaker Minister of the Gospel and Pastor of the Church there With a Narative of his Exemplarily holy Life and Death By SIMEON ASHE his much endeared Friend and Brother Together with POEMS and ELEGIES on his Death by divers Ministers in the City of LONDON The Righteous perish and no man layeth it to heart and merciful men are taken away none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come He shall enter into Peace they shall rest in their beds each one walking in his uprightness Isai 57. 1 2 London Printed by T. M. for Ralph Smith at the Bible in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange 1654. The Licencer's Epistle to the READER IT is reported in the life of Ambrose that when he Ambrosii vitâ per Paulinum scriptâ flebat amarissimè quotiescunque fortè nuntiatum illi fuerat de cujuscunque sancti obitu sacerdotis c. Isa 57. 1. heard of the death of any holy Ministers he would weep very bitterly The like I read of Philo that when he came into any Town or Village and heard of the death of any good man there dwelling he would mourn exceedingly becauâ—e of the great losse that place and the whole Church of Christ had received thereby How much more cause have we of this age to lament our condition who have in few years lost so many precious Saints and so many Reverend Learned and godly Ministers Surely this sad providence of God speaks with a loud voice that miseries and calamities are hasting upon this Nation For the righteous perish saith the Prophet and no man layeth it to heart and merciful men are taken away none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come Thus Austin died a little before Hippo wherin he dwelt was taken And Paraeus before Heilderbergh was sacked And Luther immediately before Germany was overrun with waâ— and bloodshed * Mr. Scuddar Mr. Greslâ— Mr. Ferrihj Mr. Ludlam Mr. Nat. Ward Dr. Gouge Dr. Hill Mr. Walker Mr. Conaut Mr. Wilson Mr. Paramoor Mr. Gataker c. And now of late years many eminent Lights have been extinguished in this Nation to fore signifie the great darknesse that is coming upon us Amongst which I cannot but reckon my revereâ—d brother Mr. Jeremiah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whitaker at whose Funeral this ensuing Sermon was preached If I should enter upon his commendation I might truly say what Nazianzene doth of his sister Gorgonia That I have more cause to fear least I should speak below then above the Truth for he was a burning and a shining light in this our Israel a Messenger and an Interpreter one among a thousand a Bezaleel in Gods Tabernacle a true Nathanael that by his integrity humility constancy charity publicknesse and peaceablenesse of spirit and by his diligence and faithfulnesse in preaching the Gospel made his life both amiable and desirable He was yet not he but the grace of God with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. Oratio Funebris in laudem Patris sui c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And though I will not say what Nazianzene saith of Athanasius that to commend him were to commend Vertue because all Vertues were contracted in him yet this I will say which is also said of Athanasius That he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Adamant and a Load-stone To all that conversed with him he was as a Load-stone to draw their hearts to love him but in the cause of God in reference to the truths of Christ he is as an unconquerable Adamant He was a Jeremiah both in mourning for and witnessing against the sins of the times He was a second Whitaker though not so eminent in learning as to be what is In vita D. Whitakeri Oratio Funebris said of him Mundi miraculum Academiae oraculum yet he was which is also said of him sound in the faith one that had no private opinion that did not in veteri viâ novam semitam quaerere seek out new pathes of his own but kept the old way and the old path That had a great wit without any mixture of madnesse It is very disputable to me whether he preached more by the heavenlynesse of his Doctrine or by the holinesse of his life Sure I am he had this peculiar dispensation That he preached as effectually by his death as by his life or Doctrine For the manner of his sicknesse and death speaketh to all that saw it or shall now know it by reading this Sermon 1. That the best of men are subject to the worst of Diseases That all things come alike to all that no man knoweth love or hatred by all that is before him 2. That though the Lord cause his chlldren to passe through the waters and through the fire yet he will be with them so as the waters shall not overflow them nor the fire burn them Though they are troubled on every side yet they are not distressed though perplexed yet not in despair though persecuted yet not forsaken though cast down yet not destroyed For so great was the patience that God measured out to this our dear Brother that though he groaned yet he never grumbled though he often mourned yet he never murmured nay though he often roared by reason of the greatnesse of his pain yet he always justified and magnified God and this he did so constantly and in such a degree and proportion that as it is said of Job so it will be said by the Saints that succeed us for their mutual consolation and encouragement Ye have heard of the patience of Whitaker He had an ulcerated flesh but a sound and whole spirit and that made him bear his infirmity he had a stone in the bladder but a very tender and soft heart he had a body gangren'd but a soul unbelepred with sin I heard him often say with thankfulnesse That under all his bodily sufferings he had a blessed calmnesse and quietnesse in his spirit that God spake peace that though he roared for pain yet the devil was chained up from roaring upon him It was no small delight to me to behold the tears that were shed at his Funeral Not that I was glad that there was such cause of sorrow but to see in these dayes especially wherein the godly Ministery is so much undervalued a Minister that neither lived undesired nor died unlamented of whom it may be said as is of Stephen That devout men carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him But I will not detein the Reader from beholding these things more largely related in the following Sermon by one that was his fidus Achates and as dear to him as Jonathan to David The Lord sanctifie this example to all that shall hear
deny any motion for preaching and praying if God gave bodily ability and other unavoidable occasions did not necessarily hinder Many week-dayes he preached twice yea then when he attended the work of the Assembly of Divines viz. the morning-exercise either at Westminster or elsewhere afterwards in the afternoon I here remember the commendation which St. Paul gave of Epaphroditus in his Epistle to the Philippians For the work of the Lord he was nigh unto Phil. 2. 30. death not regarding his life How farre this is appliable to painful Mr. Whitaker multitudes do well know yea many conceive that his painful distempers which hastened his removal from us were caused and increased by his many constant labours in this kind Neither were his Sermons jejune and dry because thus frequent but always full of Scripture-strength savoury affectionate as his Auditors will testifie Thirdly Such was his love to Christ that his publick Imployments did not take him off from family-duties nor from more private exercises of communion with God His ordinary course was together with prayers to expound some parts of the holy Scriptures in his own family twice every day and beside other parts of Scripture which he daily read in secret he usually read over all the Epistles in the Greek Testament twice every fourtnight yea when by reason of pain and weakness he himself could not read he herein imployed others for his help Hence it was that he was a man mighty in the Scriptures like unto Apollo Acts 18. 24. as was observed by all who conversed with him And this course he earnestly commended to the practice of his dearly beloved eldest son as an excellent means to make him both a ready and a profitable Preacher Fourthly His courage in Christs Cause did much commend his love whereof I will suggest these evidences 1. While he lived in Rutland-shire he refused to read the book allowing of sports upon the Sabbath though it was with commands and threatnings pressed upon him And when he was called to give in his answer about the collection amongst Ministers to maintain the War against Scotland he openly told the Bishop or Chancellor that his conscience could not yield thereto This his answer exposing him to great danger both to lose living and liberty in those times a neighbour through misguided love compassionating him and his family payed the money and subscribed Mr. Whitakers name without his knowledge This he was long ignorant of and when he heard it he expressed with many complaints much grief of heart 2. Since our times of woful desertion and Apostasie both from Gospel-truths and practices he would undauntedly in private conferences and in his publick Ministery express his dislike yea detestation thereof to the faces of them who too much favoured Errour Heresies and ranting courses though he knew that thereby he did run hazards and procure many frownes He refused to subscribe the late Engagement though thereby he was in danger to be taken off from his Westminster Lecture And if his Sermons preached there upon Ephes 2. 2 3. concerning mens walking according to the course of this world c. fulfilling the lusts of the flesh c. could be collected and published thereby it would be manifest that Mr. Whitaker in love unto his Lord Christ was a man of good metal and magnanimity 3. One more private proof of the good mans valiant love to Christ I will make bold to insert because my self can knowingly attest its truth Since these stormy dayes wherein the liberty and livelihood of Ministers have been maligned and struck at he riding with an intimate friend by Tiburn which he had not known or not observed before demanded what that was and answer being made this is Tiburn where many Malefactors have lost their lives he stopped his horse and uttered these words with great affection O what a shame is it that so many thousands should die for the satisfaction of their lusts and so few be found willing to lay down their lives for Christ Why should not we in a good Cause and upon a good call be ready to be hanged for Jesus Christ It would be everlasting honour and it is a thousand times better to die for Christ to be hanged to be burnt for Christ then to die in our beds And how much he condemned life in respect unto Christ Jesus there are many who from his own mouth can witnesse Fifthly So great was his love unto his God and Saviour that he maintained and expressed high estimations and honourable thoughts of his Majesty when under tormenting providences nothing being more feared then this lest he should do or speak any dishonours unto his Name These were some breathings of his large love when through paine he was as in the fire and upon the Rack Good Lord keep me from dishonouring thy Name by impatiency O who would not even in burnings have honourable thoughts of God! Who that knoweth thee would not fear thee O Lord love thee and honour thee Lord thou givest me no cause to have any haâ—d thought of thee Blessed be God there is nothing of hell in all this Blessed be his Name for Jesuâ— Christ and the revelation of the everlasting Gospel Who knoweth the power of thy wrath If it be so heavy upon thy servant here how heavy shall it be to all those who shall endure it without mixture Blessed be God for the peace of mine inward man when my outward man is so full of trouble This is a bitter cup but it is of my Fathers mixture and shall I not drink it yea Lord through thy strength I will this is my burthen and I will beare it Upon any abatement of his paines he was constantly much in blessing God using these and such like expressions O! what a mercy is it that there is any mitigation any intermission Lord make me thankful And turning himselfe towards those who stood by he would speak thus O help me to be thankful O lift up a prayer for me that I may be thankful O what a mercy is this How much worse might this affliction have been I might have been distracted or laid roaring under disquietnesse of spirit By these workings of his spirit which my self and others do well remember and I could heartily wish that all the rest had been recorded who perceiveth not the sparklings of his love to God I will annex one more which hath much affected my heart viz. these words he hath often spoken to me Brother through mercy I have not one repining thought against God Now upon all these considerations I appeale unto the consciences of all ingenuous ones whether there be not ground to beleeve that Christ if here with us would give him the honour of this compellation My loving friend Whitaker The second head of my Narrative followeth That Christ loved Mr. Whitaker For as I discovered in my Sermon this love is alwayes mutual The discovery hereof will be clear upon a double account
give out their shine and their light make a profitable use of them to Gods honour and your own souls welfare Vse 6. Therefore I hence exhort all the friends of Christ to prepare themselves for death and to maintaine upon their Spirits a prepared posture for natures dissolution Although I know that they being united unto Christ and reconciled to God through him they Rev. 14. 13. shall undoubtedly whensoever they die be translated from earth to heaven yet there is something more to Luke 16. 22. be minded by Christians that they may be ready to die How much might be comprized in Jobs expression All Job 14. 14. the dayes of mine appointed time will I wait until my change shall come I shall not undertake to discover but I desire to leave these foure words of advice in the bosomes of Christians in tendency unto their preparation for death 1. Seek well grounded assurance of your interest in Christ and of undoubted title unto heaven through him This foundation being laid Paul could triumph over death Oh death where is thy sting thanks be to 1 Cor. 15 55. God who hath given us victory through Jesus Christ And Simeon could sing when ready to die Now lettest thou thy Luk. 2. 19 30. servant depart in peace For mine eyes have seen thy salvation Whereas there are sad shiverings upon some gracious hearts when death looketh in at the windows because they question their admission into heaven upon natures dissolution 2. Take heed of all scandalous sinnes sinnes against conscience the commission whereof may blemish Religion and lie as blocks of offence in the wayes of others It is conceived by some Divines that in this regard Saint Paul died with the more confidence because after his conversion he was no way scandalous I have fought the 2 Tim. 4. 7. 8. good fight and I have kept the faith and henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of righteousnesse Whereas Peter having dishonoured Christ disgraced his profession wounded his own conscience and prejudiced others how farre we know not by his fearful threefold denial was so full of perplexity that Christ saw cause before Joh. 21. 15 19 the foretelling of his death to confirme his heart in helping on the discovery of his sincere love notwithstanding that sad offensive Apostacy Broken bones though knit will ake towards change of weather And the remembrance of scandalous miscariages may occasion anguish in the bosomes of dying Saints 3. Settle your outward estate and concernments according to divine prudence and holy principles remembring that you must be accountable unto the Lord whose stewards you are how you dispose of the things of this life Luke 16. 2. with which he hath entrusted you This was Gods own advice unto Hezekiah Thus saith the Lord set thine house i◠Esay 38. 1. order for thou shalt die Many good people deare unto God upon this neglect are lesse comfortable to themselves and lesse serviceabl◠unto others upon their death-beds because they suspe◠the many sad consequences of their not endeavouring t◠prevent sinne and trouble by an orderly setling of all the◠earthly enjoyments 4. Leave with gracious gravity and seriousnesse charges Appropinquante morte multò es divinior and convictions upon the consciences of your nearest relations that Christ heaven and their immortal soules may be principally cared for Warne your friends to beware of the sinnes of the times and of their own inclinations Communicate your experiences for future profit prudently Here I might expatiate upon the examples of Jacob blessing Gen. 49. Deut. 31. 2. 32. 33. Josh 23. 1 2. 24. 1. Joh. 13. 1. 14. 15. 16. 17. his sonnes when on his death-bed of Moses and of Joshua their plaine dealing with Israel when ready to die yea and of Christ himself But I am necessitated to abbreviate these things with this hearty request that my friendly faithfull counsell in these things may not be forgotten And do not I pray you do not deferre these things for death may steale upon you suddenly unexpectedly as a man falls asleep sometimes when he thought not of it This lets in the next point Doct. 2. That Christs friends by death do fall asleep The Protomartyr Stephen his death is thus expressed He Act. 7 60. 1 Co◠15. 16 18 20 51. fell asleep And the Apostle Paul doth often in the fifteenth Chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians attest this truth This sleep is not to be applied unto the soule after its Eccles 12. 7. Luke 23. 43. Phil. 1. 23. Heb. 12. 23. departure from the body as some fondly dreame for it goeth to God immediately forth-with enjoyeth fellowship with Christ and becometh perfect But it belongs to the dead body laid in the grave which in this regard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mr. Calamy his Sermon upon Acts 7. 60. is called a sleeping place I shall not dilate upon the resemblance betwixt death and sleep which is fully done by others But I will only touch upon two things which are here intended 1. Death is a sleep unto the godly because thereby they are laid to rest There is a Verse 13. taking of rest by sleep They shall rest in their beds saith the Prophet speaking of the death of righteous ones And Isa 57. 2. they rest from their labours so saith the Spirit who die in the Lord. 2. Because their bodies shall be raised as Rev. 14. 15. men are awakened out of sleep This is expressed in the words which immediately follow the Text Our friend Lazarus sleepeth but I go that I may awake him out of sleep And the Apostle Paul is much upon this Metaphor Cor. 15. in that place where he undertaketh to prove the Resurrection Vse 1. Therefore true beleevers real Saints should not be afraid to die I grant that death unto nature is the King of feares and it hath its poisonous sting with which it will wound the wicked whom it doth usher into hell This with many other useful truths relating unto death is admirably Dr. Tuckney his Sermons upon 1. Cor. 15. 55. laid open of late by a worthy servant of Christ and it would be a digression if I should undertake that discovery But I only move Gods people to arme themselves against the sinking feare of death because unto them it is no worse then falling asleep And indeed there is great need of this counsel among Gods own servants every where who like foolish children are afraid to put off their cloathes and go to bed in a dark chamber As Baxter in his Saints everlasting rest Herein the forementioned Authour and others have administred much good help in which regard I may be silent Vse 2. Neither let us mourne immoderately because of the death of our Christian friends seeing they are only fallen asleep When our Saviour had spoken the Verse 12. words of the
Text Then said his Disciples If he sleep he shall do well And by the argument the Apostle seeks to prevaile with the Thessalonians that they might not mourne excessively upon such occasion For those who sleep in Jesus will God bring with him Then he addeth 1 Thes 4. 13 14 17 18. We shall be ever with the Lord wherefore comfort one another with these words Love moveth joy when our weak weary pained diseased friends are fallen into a sound sweet sleep This consideration therefore should cheere our drooping spirits in reference unto godly friends who died in the Lord. Let us minde this the rather because God who propoundeth this ground of comfort observeth both when we have need of this cordial and also what improvement we make thereof as it followeth in the next and last Doctrine which remaines to be handled Doct. 3. The Lord knoweth when his own and his Churches friends do fall asleep by death As Christ though now at a bodily distance from Bethany the place of Lazarus his abode yet told his Disciples of his death Our friend Lazarus sleepeth As God spake this to Joshuah My Josh 1. 2. servant Moses is dead This truth may be concluded strongly by these arguments Reas 1. Because Christ hath the keys of death Rev. 1. 18. in keeping the soule cannot be let out of the body without his leave And he knoweth all his own grants Reas 2. Because he also hath power in heaven keeping as it were the gate hereof into which none can enter without his allowance This is manifest by his promise to the penitent thief This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Therefore he exactly observeth when any persons or person Luke 23. 43. hath admission thither Vse 1. Hence the deity of Christ may be proved undeniably for though there be thousands dying hourely in the several places of the world yet Christ knows particularly 1. Both their qualification whether his friends and his Churches friends or no. 2. And the time when every one of them giveth up the ghost As the instance under discourse doth evince 1. He understood infallibly that Lazarus was a faithful friend both unto himselfe and his servants Our friend Lazarus 2. And though he was not corporeally present with Lazarus in the place where he died yet he knew without any creature-intelligence that now he was fallen asleep by death Vse 2. This truth speaketh manifold comforts unto Gods children For 1. This hints his respect to them Precious in Psal 116. 15. â— the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints He will not suffer any of them to lose life without his special observation thereof together with causes and concomitants therein considerable 2. It suggests his care of every soule when it removeth out of the body the place of its habitation it shall not miscary or be lost through Christs regardlessenesse Though thousands of devils may watch to intercept the soule yet Christ who observeth when it leaveth the body will undoubtedly according to his charge and promise secure its Passages to glory This is a Cordial to the poorest Christian for there is no respect of persons with the Lord. It came to passe that the beggar died and was carried by the Angels into Luk. 16. 22. Abrahams bosome And 3. It may relieve the sad hearts of godly ones mourning for their losse in the death of their dear Christian friends for their God and Saviour is quickly and fully acquainted with this their affliction he saw when our beloved relations breathed out their last gasp Questionlesse it cheered Hagar when she understood that God took notice when the bottle was empty and heard the cry of Ishmael because he wanted water And you may be Gen. 21. 16 17. confident that Christ who understands when your Parents your Pastors your yoakfellows your friends die he doth also consider what counsel what comfort what supports what supplies what encouragements you be deprived of by meanes of their death Is not this a choice Cordial to Gods children that their heavenly Father knoweth they need such things Mat. 6. 32. Vse 3. Lastly this Doctrine yields matter of seasonable and needful admonition Therefore upon the death of Gods servants we should seek after such dispositions as may be pleasing unto his Majesty who observeth together with such providences how we are affected therewith Here then I would advise two particulars wherein I intreat the Lord to make us serious 1. To be rightly affected with such like dispensations laying to heart the publick losse sustained when the friends of Christ and his servants are taken away by death The Lord observeth and complaineth when people do not herein answer his expectation The righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart And our love unto Esay 57. 1. the publick together with the consideration of the great use of such persons would help forward our humiliation in such cases You heard before that they are friends to Christ and much befriended by Christ yea that they are lovers of the cause and people of God Now is not the death of such to be bewailed When Elijah went up by a whirlewinde to heaven Elisha 2 King 1. 11 12 saw it and he cryed My father my father the Charet of Israel and the horsemen thereof And when Elisha was 2 Kin. 13. 11 14 sick Joash though not a good man wept over him and said Oh my father my father the Charet of Israel and the horsemen thereof Because they beleeved that the publick safety depended much upon the interest of godly men in God therefore their death was thus lamented And truly such friends of God are the chief stakes in the hedge and maine pillars in the building both of Church and Common-wealth Therefore in such cases it may well become us to imitate the devout men who Acts 8. 2. carryed Stephen to his grave and made great lamentation for him 2. To imitate the deceased Saints in their graces and holy conversation we should lay their lives as so many faire copies before our eyes and labour to write after them by consciencious imitation The Apostle having given in a catalogue of Old-Testament-beleevers who in their several places and ages did worthily he earnestly perswadeth Christians to be followers of them And Heb. 11. compared with Heb. 12. 1. seeing God hath given us to behold the beauty of holinesse and the power of godlinesse in their courses it will much aggravate our sinne if we labour not to be like them This leadeth me to that which you all look for viz to spread before you the exemplary life of Master Jeremiah Whitaker the late Pastor of this place whose Funeral hath occasioned this great Assembly and my Sermon in reference unto whom that I may speak unto your edification I will with the change of one word only undertake my Text again Our friend Whitaker sleepeth And truly I am very confident
them who will consider it as in other regards so because their love draweth our prayers unto God as need requireth Psal 122. 6 â— 2. From hence they may infallibly conclude their regeneration by special grace Let us love one another saith Saint John for love is of God and every one that loveth 1 Joh. 4. 7. Noscitur ex socio c. 2 Tim. 3 3. is born of God Whereas persons under the power of depraved nature are despisers of them who are good 3. And as they may upon this evidence lay claime to the comforts of grace upon earth so may they raise confidence of future glory in heaven We know that we 1 Joh. 3. 14. have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren Vse 4 The last Use is exhortation wherein two duties might be perswaded First to love Christians because they are like unto Christ and belonging unto him in the nearest relations The holy Ghost is often and earnest in this perswasion 1 Pet. 2. 17. and 3. 8. Col. 3. 14. Love the brotherhood love as brethren and above all things put on charity which is the bond of perfectnesse As helps herein let these meditations be moulded believingly upon your hearts 1. That they are in regard of spiritual beauties the lovelyest people under the Sun Exceeding beautiful The Church is called the fairest among Ezek. 16. 13. Cant. 6. 1. 5. women And this is not the judgement of persons subject to mistakes but even of Christ himself which he gives in again and again both as a ground of his own love and requiring attention unto his testimony Behold thou art Cant. 1. 15 16. and 4. 7. faire my beloved behold thou art faire behold thou art faire yea pleasant Thou art all faire my love there is no spot in thee Therefore that you may beget love in your bosomes towards Saints do not so much pore upon their blemishes as their beauties look rather upon their vertue then their vices as Titus by remembring the obedience rather then the disobedience of the Corinthians found his affections enlarged 2 Cor. 7. 15. towards them 2. That the obligations of love which the Gospel hath laid upon you are many and commanding Here I will only name without enlargement the particulars whereby Saint Paul perswadeth the Christian Ephesians to keep Eph. 4 3 4 5 6 the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace There is one body and one spirit one baptisme one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all 3. That no persons whatsoever have been or are likely to be so useful to your selves and to the publick as these Saints and servants of the most high God This argument Paul presseth upon Philemon to move his affections towards Phil. 11. converted Onesimus because now saith he profitable to thee and me These are repairers of breaches and restorers of paths to Isa 58. 12. Isa 1. 9. dwell in And these are the remnant which if God had not left we should have been like unto Sodom and Gomorrah I forbear to report how they bestead the publick 1. By their prayers As if Moses had not stood up in the breach to turne away Gods wrath Israel had been destroyed Psal 106. 13. 2 And by their presence As God told Lot he could do nothing till he removed from Sodome By this reason Gen. 19. 22. Jonathan speaketh to move Saul's bowels towards David For he did put his life in his hand and slew the Philistine and 1 Sam. 18. 5. the Lord wrought a great salvation for all Israel Secondly I might from this doctrine deale with all sorts by perswasion to endeavour to become godly that they may be admitted as friends into the bosomes of Gods people Although I know that there are higher ends to be intended in undertaking the practice of piety viz. Gods glory and our own salvation yet this consideration under hand would not be slighted if these particulars which I shall onely name were well weighed 1. That the love of Gods people towards us will Phil. 1. 4 6. produce their frequent and fervent addresses unto heaven for us according to our serviceable necessities 1. That their applications unto the Lord are very Job 42. 8. prevalent in regard of their great favour with his Highnesse 2. Their love will work them unto readinesse in any other kinde to serve us with their interests and abilities Heb. 6. 10. counsels and communication of their experiences as opportunity may be offered 3. And their expressions of loving respect may administer some relief unto the faint hopes of self-suspecting soules because they are to be looked upon as best able in regard of their principles and experiments to judge of the spiritual conditions of other Christians I proceed to the third circumstance considerable in the first part of the Text viz. That Christ himself doth testifie the forementioned relation of friendship betwixt Lazarus and himself with his Disciples Our friend Doct. 3 That Jesus Christ knoweth and acknowledgeth them particularly who are friends unto himself and his peculiar people The Lord knoweth them that are his This 2 Tim. 1. 14. knowledge comprehends observation approbation and commemoration As he owned Lazarus here his friend So likewise he did his Disciples under the relation of Matth. 28. 10. brotherhood after his Resurrection Go tell my brethren And since his Ascension into glory such is his respect unto all sanctified ones That he is not ashamed to call them Heb. 10. 11. brethren If more clear Scripture-proof be demanded let these two passages be observed 1. That Christ knoweth who love him while they are alive This is manifest by Peters attestation Lord thou knowest that I love thee Joh. 21. 15 16 17. 2. That the Lord remembreth after the death of his friends that they were so during life As dead Lazarus is thus spoken of Our friend And long after Abrahams decease God speaking of Israel thus expresseth himself The Isa 41. 8. seed of Abraham my friend Reasons I shall only point at the Reasons whence this truth may be concluded 1. God knoweth his friends because himself maketh them so And therefore because he understands his own actions he cannot be ignorant in whose bosomes there Psal 33. 14 15. are these friendly dispositions 2. And God will acknowledge them because he hath undertaken torecompence them He is not unrighteous to forget labours of love Heb. 6. 10. The Application followeth This consideration may be a cooling card unto two sorts of people Vse 1 1. To all them whose consciences bear witnesse that they have no friendly frame of heart unto such godly ones whose holy conversations discover them to be chosen and called out of the world If mens hearts condemn them Gods is greater and knoweth all There will be many 1 Joh. 3. 20. rejected at the last day who
have pretended much respect to Christ Maâ— 7. 22 23. 2. To all those who are ashamed to own Christ in his cause and his friends in their holy conversation for all these our Lord observeth and of them he will be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of Mark 3. 32. his Father with the holy Angels And I leave it to your consideration how miserable their case will be at the last day when Christ who knoweth all his friends and foes shall separate the sheep and the Matth. 25. 32. goats And shall come to execute judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly amongst them Jude 15. of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him And of the individual unfriendly neglects of his necessitous servants these must depart with a curse from Christ and go away into everlasting Mat. 25. 41. 46. punishment Vse 2 This truth administreth sweet comfort unto all them who are faithful friends unto the Lord Jesus Christ and his real Relations The testimony of their own consciences 2 Coâ— 1. 12. will in this case reflect refreshing and this will be a great addition unto their comfort that expressions of friendly respect both to God and his servants are thus observed and will be acknowledged The Lord himself to enâ—ourage Israel in captivity giveth them to Jer. 24 5. understand that he will own them in that estate No doubt it was good news to Cornelius when he heard Acts 10. 4. from heaven Thy Prayers and thine Alms are come for a memorial before God So the Psalmist cheareth himself by this consideration I have preached Righteousnesse in the Psal 40 9 10. great Congregation Lo I have not refrained my lips O Lord thou knowest it This consolation will be admirably sweet at two seasons First When we may be injuriously suspected and censured for falsnesse and unfaithfulnesse either to God or to his people How well was it for Mordecai Esther 2. 21. when himself with his Countrey-men were decryed and condemned as enemies to the State that his fidelity in a particular instance was recorded And to bring this home to the knowledge that God taketh of his servants sincerity Jâ—b being reproached Job 23. 10. as an hypocrite hath recourse to this He knoweth the way that I take And Jeremiah being suspected to be one ill-affected towards the place where he lived maketh this appeale to the Lord Jer. 17. 16. I have not desired the wofull day thou knowest Secondly At the day of Judgement when God will measure out unto people according to their wayes The Prophet Malachy having mentioned both Gods hearing the good conferences of such who feare his Name in evil times and the book of Remembrance recording all he addeth And these shall be mine Mal. 3. 16 17. saith the Lord of Hosts in the day when I make up my jewels c. And this cordial is contained in Pauls Prayer for Onesiphorus The Lord give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus for he refreshed me and was 2 Tim. 1. 16 17 18. not ashamed of my chaine But when he was at Rome he sought me diligently and found me The Lord grant unto him that he may finde mercy of the Lord in that day But most comfortable is that full promise of Christ himselfe unto all such who are friendly unto him in his Matth. 25. 34. 40. 46. relations recorded in Matthew 25. from ver 34. to ver 40. from whence these particulars are worthy consideration 1. That he will at the last day remember all the individual offices of friendship to his members and will mention much that themselves never minded And they shall say when saw we thee an hungred Ver. 37. c. 2. That all acts of love and pitty towards his relations even the least and lowest shall be interpreted as a special kindnesse shewed unto himself In as Ver. 40. much as you have done it to one of the least of these my brethren you have done it unto me 3. And the recompence shall be exceeding great Then shall the King say Come ye blessed of my Father inherit Verse 34. 46. the Kingdom prepared for you And the Righteous shall go into eternal life Vse 3 I will conclude this Doctrine and this first part of my Text with a double short Exhortation First to real friendlinesse both unto Christ and to all those who peculiarly belong unto him Suppose ye saw Christ sitting in a chaire of Majesty and heard him speaking thus in the audience of all the inhabitants on earth Who is on my side Let all my faithful friends gather themselves before me In this case would not multitudes come in with professions and protestations of love Now it is thus in truth for our Lord looketh from heaven and considereth exactly who are his friends and who are not Therefore bethink your selves what you will do And if you be content to come in to Christ as faithful friends then befriend for his sake those especially Gal. 6. 10. who are of his houshold for this will be observed and rewarded Therefore my beloved be ye stedfast and 1 Cor. 15. 58. unmovable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as you know that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. Secondly to beware of all kinds of doubling and hypocrisie both in the profession and practice of love whether towards Christ or faithful Christians It is the admonition of the Apostle Let love be Rom. 12. 9. without dissimulation And the Doctrine is a strong Argument to back it because of the notice which our Saviour taketh thereof Christ himself by this consideration moveth sincerity in all services whether of piety towards God or charity towards men because an eye Matâ—h 6. 4 6. from heaven doth espie whatsoever is done on earth with greatest secrecy This motive will be the more prevalent if we minde Christ who as the Judge of all men will manifest and recompence Luke 12 1 2. 2 Cor. 5. 9 10. their services according to their nature and manner of performance The second part of my Text followeth in the handling whereof I shall be the shorter because I have been so large in the former Lazarus sleepeth In the division of the Text there were three things noted thence which I shall speak unto very briefly in three points of Doctrine Doct. 1 1. That such who are Christs and his peoples friends are subject to death This word Sleepeth is by our Evangelist himself thus Verse 13. Verse 14. expounded Jesus spake of his death and it is added Jesus saith to them plainly Lazarus is dead There is no need of Scripture quotations here because experiences from age to age every where give in sufficient proof of this Truth When the Apostle Heb. 11. 13. had particularized many Worthies