spices gathered to the Embalming of this Rare Phoenix out of his own ashes holding my self engaged as much as any to cast my mite into the treasury of his blessed memory as having had my Bene esse most from him First By him I was examined and admitted into the Vniversity near Dublin in Ireland his native City and Countrey above forty years ago Secondly Whilst I continued there which was the space of eight years he took special care of me and account of my studies there Thirdly By him I was ordained or to use the Apostle's word put into the Ministry and the same day admitted his Chaplain in Ordinary now two and thirty years ago though then able to do him little service being called to a Congregation in another nation which call his Grace did then approve of Having given this account to the Reader I shall only mention three things Concerning him and forbear many more that might be added First To the testimonies concerning him from Spanhemius Ger. Vossius Buchartus Simplitius Lud de dieu Paulus Testardus Blessensis Arnoldus Bootius Mr. Selden Dr. Prideaux Bp. Davenant Bertius Mr. Cambden Sir Rog. Twisden and the whole University of Oxford beside the forced testimony of his adversaries Moranez Beaumont Alias Rookwood Challoner Henry Fitz. Simonds for all which I refer to the book aforesaid Give me leave to add the testimony of Dr. William Chappel sometimes fellow of Christ's College in Cambridge and afterwards Provost of Trinity College near Dublin which from such an acute man as he was may amount to the like equivalent testimony from the University of Cambridge He gave me once three reasons why he thought Doctor Usher then Bishop of Meath was in his esteem the greatest Scholar in the Christian world 1. One was because of his rare natural parts the foundation of his other Learning having a quick Apprehension a prompt Wit a strong Memory a clear Understanding a piercing Judgment and a ready utterance Seldom said he shall you meet all these in an Eminent degree in the same person but in him they so concurred that it is hard to say in which he most excelled 2. Another was because few men though they had such parts were either able or willing to make so rich improvement of them by choice Libraries unwearied studying in them and searching out the Rarities of any other few men's bodies and brains he believed would bear it 3. The third was because he was so esteemed both in these Universities and in those beyond the Seas and indeed whosoever conversed with him found him if they pleased to try it a skilful Linguist a Subtil Disputant a fluent Orator a profound Divine a mighty Antiquary an exact Chronologer and indeed a living and walking Library The greatest professors have admired the Concatenation of so much and such variety of Learning in one person 1. Do but think he that Learned to read of two of his Aunts that were both blind Was converted from a state of Nature into grace at ten years old Was admitted the first Scholar into the College at Dublin and that upon design by reason of his pregnancy and forwardness at thirteen years of age Made an exact Chronology of good part of the Bible and of some other Authors he had read at fifteen years old Encountred a Jesuite at 19 years old and afterwards was called by him of such as are not Catholicks the most Learned Was Master of Arts answered the Philosophy Act and chosen Catechist of the Colledge when he went through a great part of the body of Divinity in the Chappel by way of common place at nineteen years old Commenced Batchelour of Divinity at twenty seven years old and immediately after was chosen Professor of Divinity in that Vniversity Do but think I say how mighty he was when beside his promptness in School Divinity he had read over all the Fathers and trusted his own eyes in the search of them by that he was thirty eight years of age and was Master of all other Learning also Secondly If any yet be found that would detract from so accomplished a person and indeed pillar of our Church in his Generation by reason of the distance at which they stand from Prelacy or by reason of their Engagement in the late civil and unhappy differences between The late King and Parliament claiming to themselves Liberty wherein soever they differ from others both in matters of Church and State but allowing to others as little concerning either to such as these if they be such as deserve satisfaction give me leave to say A Divine and Apostolical Bishop he was and next to the Apostles Evangelists and Prophets as great a Pastor and Teacher and trusted with as much of Gods mind as I believe any one since hath been An Ecclesiastical Bishop he was also and the most able Moderator in Church assemblies To him pertained the double honour for ruling well and for Labouring in word and Doctrine Famous were two of his Predecessors in that See of Armagh in their Generations the one for his Sanctity the other for his Learning but both these Eminently met in him John the Divine commendeth the Angel or Bishop of Ephesus c. And Ireland will do no less for this Angel or Bishop of Armagh But for Popish Bishops none was further off then he Witness his Learned Writings against the Romish Synagogue his Judgment within the bounds of a moderated Episcopacy and when the Reader hath perused that frame of Church Government drawn up under his own hand and now published he will see what a good Bishop Doctor Usher was The last thing which I shall propose to the Reader is The Crown God set upon the head of this Humble Saint both in the Conversion and Edification of very many Indeed his bow seldom turned back nor his sword returned empty God was mighty in him which way soever he bent himself either in Conviction Conversion or Consolation wherein he had the Tongue of the Learned given unto him Witness the many Souls who were and are his Epistle known and read of all Men Witness again the success God gave to divers of his Encounters with Adversaries to the true Religion Some instances whereof the Learned Doctor that writes his Life hath given to which many more might be added Witness also such as were his frequent hearers how mightily the hand of God was with him so that a great number believed and turned unto the Lord. If they that turn many to righteousness shall shine as stars for ever and ever then this famous Evangelist is a star of the greatest Magnitude and will be able in the strength of Christ to say after him Behold I and the Children which God hath given me And though the work of the Ministery is ours the success Gods yet who so expecteth blessing from God upon his Labours I cannot commend to such a pattern more
the root of the Tree 3. And Christ himself coming into the World and Preaching to Nicodemus begins Vnless a man be bâ—rn again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God John 3. A man in his natural condition can never enter into Heaven for he is carnal That that is born of the flesh is flesh and that that is born of the Spirit is Spirit It 's carnal and must be born again A little patching will not serve the turn Thou must be new born new moulded a little mending is not sufficient A man must be a new creature and new made So that this is the substance of this Doctrine of Christ that if thou be no better than moral vertue or civil education can make thee if thou hast any thing less than Regeneration believe me thou canst never see heaven There 's no hope of heaven till then till thou art born again till then our Saviour excludes all false fancies that way 4. The Apostles begin to gather the first Church after Christs Resurrection Act. 2.23 They do not begin to preach Christ first his Vertue and Efficacy but first they tell them of their great sin in crucifying the Lord of Life viz. Whom with wicked hands you have taken and crucified But what was the end of their doing thus It 's set down v. 37. They were pricked to the heart and then they cried out Men and brethren what shall we do to be saved See this was the end of all the humbling of them that by declaring what they had done they might be pricked at the heart so that now they see it if it be no better with them then for the present it 's like to go ill with them This makes them cry out What shall we do Then saith Peter repent and be baptized and you shall receive the gift of the holy Ghost After he had told them their own had brought them to their search which is their first work then comes the promise of Christ. Observe the Apostles method in the Epistle to the Romans which Book is a perfect Catechism of the Church which contains these three parts of Divinity Humiliation Justification and Sanctification See how the Apostle orders his method From the first Cap. to part of the third he treats all of the Law and convinces both Jew and Gentile and all of sin Then Cap. 3.19 mark his Conclusion that every mouth may be stopped When he had stopped every mouth cast down every strong hold which lifted it self up against God when he had laid all at Gods feet and left them bleeding as it were under the knife of God then comes he to Christ Rom. 3.21 The righteousness of God without the Law is manifest He had done his first business in humbling them in shewing them their sins by the Law and assoon as that was done when every mouth was stopped then comes he to the promise by faith in Jesus Christ to all that believe You see then the method of the Scripture is first to conclude all under sin and so to fit men for the promise of Jesus Christ. Know therefore that Law is the high-way to the Gospel the path that leads to it that way which must be trodden in we are still out of our way till we have begun our walks in this path And if thou art not terrified by the Law and the sight of thy sins been at thy wits end as it were weary of thy condition and bondage thou art not in the way yet Our sowing must be in tears Psal. 126.5 And it is said that in the Church Triumphant all tears shall be wiped away from our eyes That 's a promise But is it possible that tears should bâ— wiped from our eyes before we shed them Shall we look to go to Heaven in a way that was never yet found out Shall it be accounted a point of preciseness to walk in this way or a soul-torturing doctrine to preach it This is the way that all our Fore-Fathers have both preached and gone This is that time of sowing spoken of in Psal. 126.5 6. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy It brings us joy in the end to begin our sowing in tears It waters that precious seed and makes it bring forth joy unto us in abundance yea such as no man can take from us So then having laid laid this point for a foundation we now will come to the next That until we come to Christ the Law layes hold of us Till Christ come we are shut up under the Law kept under it And if there were nothing else in the World to make a man weary of his condition this were enough Until a man hath given over himself to Christ and renounced his own righteousness he is subject to the Law kept under it not under grace It brings a man only to the place where grace is Put this therefore close to your consciences and jumble not these two together First Nature cometh and whilst you are under that you are under the Law Never think you are under the Covenant of Grace till you believe of which belief we shall speak more hereafter Whilst you are under the Law you are held under it and by it made obnoxious to the wrath of God Whoever is under the Law is under the curse Now that I may unfold it and shew what a fearful thing it is to be under the Law to be held under it although many think it no great matter hearken what the Apostle saith of it Cursed be every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to doe them Gal. 3.10 Well then art thou under the Law Then never think of being under grace at the same time not but that we may hope to be under grace afterwards By this Law we must be judged and the Judgment of the Law is very severe It requires not onely that thou do this or that good thing but if thou continuest not in every thing that is written therein it condemns thee Strange conceits men have now adayes and strange Divinity is brought forth into the World That if a man does as much as lies in him and what he is of himself able to do nay farther though he be a Heathen that knows not Christ yet if he doth the best he can if he live honestly towards men according to the conduct of his reason and hath a good mind towards God it 's enough he need not question his eternal welfare A cursed and desperate Doctrine they conclude hence Why say they may not this man be saved as well as the best But if it be so I ask such What is the benefit and advantage of the Jew more then the Gentile What is the benefit of Christ of the Church of Faith of Baptism of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper This ground of Pelagianism is that for which the devout Spouse of Christ the Church abhors us when we shall undertake
birth begins our progress unto death A time a way we have but it leads unto death There is a way from the Tower to Tyburn but it is a way to death Until thou comest to be reconciled unto Christ every hour tends unto thy death there 's not a day that thou canst truly say thou livest in thou art ever posting on to death death in this world and eternal death in the world to come And as it is thus with us at our coming into the world so we are to understand it of that little time we have above ground our days are full of sorrow But mark when I speak of sorrows here we must not take them for such afflictions and sorrows as befal Gods children for theirs are blessings unto them Chastisements are tokens of Gods love For as many as I love I rebuke and chasten saith Christ. Revel 3.19 Affliction to them is like the Dove with an Olive-branch in her mouth to shew that all is well but take a man that is under the Law and then every cross whether it be loss of friends loss of goods diseases on his body all things every thing to him is a token of Gods wrath not a token of Gods love as it is to Gods children but it is as his impress money as part of payment of a greater sum an earnest of the wrath of God the first part of the payment thereof It 's the Apostles direction that among the other Armour we should get our feet shod that so we might be able to go through the afflictions we shall meet withal in this life Eph. 6.15 Let your feet be shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace What is the shooing of the feet a part of the Armour Yes For in the Roman discipline there were things they called Galltraps which were cast in the way before the Army before the horse and men they had three points so that which way soever they threw them there was a point upwards Now to meet with and prevent this mischief they had brazen shooes that they might tread upon these Gall-traps and not be hurt As we read of Goliah amongst other Armour he had boots of Brass To this it seems the Apostle had reference in this metaphorical speech The meaning is that as we should get the shield of faith and sword of the spirit so we should have our feet shod that we might be prepared against all those outward troubles that we should meet with in the world which are all of them as so many stings and pricks all outward crosses I say are so And what is it that makes all these hurt us what is it that makes all these as so many deaths unto us but sin If sin reign in thee and bear rule that puts a sting into them It is sin that arms death against us and it is sin that arms all that goes before death against us Hast thou been crossed in the loss of thy Wife Children good friends c. why the sting of all is from sin sin it is which makes us feel sorrow What shall we then do Why get thy feet shod with the preparation of thâ— Gospel of peace Prepare thy self get God at peace with thee and then whatsoever affliction cometh howsoever it may be a warning piece to another that Gods wrath is coming yet to thee it is a messenger of peace Now these outward troubles are the least part of a wicked mans pâ—yment though all these are a part of his death so long as he remains unreconciled whatsoever comes upon him whereby he suffers either in himself or in any thing that belongs unto him they are all tokens of Gods wrath and are the beginnings of his death in the 26th of Levit. and the 28th of Deut. the particulars of it are set down But this is that I told you the last time how that the law of God is a perfect law and nothing is to be added to it yet the variety of the curses belonging unto a man unreconciled are so many that the ample book of God cannot contain them Deut. 28.61 All the curses which are not written c. we read v. 27. The Lord shall smite thee with â—he botch of Aegypt and with hemeroids and with a scab and with itch See the diversities of plagues all these are made parts of the curse The very itch and scab is a part of the payment of Gods wrath in hell Lev. 26.26 I will send a Sword amongst you which shall avenge the quarrel of my Covenant the sword that shall destroy you that when you shall hear of war of the coming of the sword which the children of God need not fear all is alike unto them it shall be to avenge the quarrel of Gods Covenant The Book of God comprehends not all the curses that are to light on the wicked And therefore we find in Zachary a Book a great Folio Book every side whereof was full of curses Cap. 5.2 He said unto me what seâ—st thou And I said I see a flying roll the length thereof is 20 cubits and the breadth thereof is 10 cubits Here 's a big book indeed but mark what is in it Sure it is not for nought that the Holy Ghost sets down the dimensions of it there is something questionless in it the length thereof is 20 cubits and the breadth 10 cubits a huge volume Nor is it a Book but a Roll so that the crassitude goeth into the compass and this is written thick within and without and is full of curses against sin Now for the dimension of it compare this place with 1 Kings 6.3 and you shall find them the very dimensions of Solomons Porch A great place where the people were wont to come for the hearing of the Word and not only in that time but it was continued to the time of Christ and the Apostles For we read how our Saviour walkâ—d in Solomon 's Porch and the Apostles were in Solomons Porch Acts 5. So large then was this Roll that it agreed in length and breadth with Solomons Porch and so many curses were written in it as were able to come in at the Church door It is as if we should see a huge book now coming in at the Church door that should fill it up Such a thing was presented unto him and it was a Roll full of curses and all these curses shall come on those that obey not all the Commandments all shall come upon them and overtake them Cursed shalt thou be in the City and cursed shalt thou be in the field cursed in thy basket and in thy store cursed when thou comest in and when thou goest forth Deut. 28.16 Till a man come to receive the Promises till he come to be a son of blessing till he be in Christ he is beset so with curses that if he lie down to sleep there is a curse on his pillow if he put his Money in his cofer he lays up a curse
warrant to take Christ offer'd as thou hast to take the bread and wine which thou art commanded to receive Thus I thought good to add something to sweeten the rest that I might shew that there is a way to be freed from the bitter pains of eternal death PHIL. 2.6 7 8. Let this mind be in you which also was in Jesus Christ who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men And being found in fashion of a man be humbled himself unto the death even the death of the Cross. YOU have heretofore heard that point of Christian Doctrine which concerns the knowledge of our misery and wretched estate by nature The substance of all is That we are the children of wrath and disobedience as well as others You see then in what state every man stands before he hath made his peace with God as long as he stands on terms of Rebellion You see what the Holy Ghost saith We were all the sons of disobedience and Children of Wrath as well as others This I tell you as hath often been declared not to discourage a sinnâ—r or to drive him to desperation but because it 's fit he should know his estate in which he is If they will try conclusions with God if they oppose him the Lord cometh with a Rod of Iron and will break them in pieces like a Potters vessel Psal. 2.9 Those mine enemies that will not have me to reign over them bring them and slay them before me Luk. 19.27 It is fit every man should know this This part is only for this end that it may awaken us otherwise to what purpose do we preach unto you Till the Law awaken us we sleep securely in our sins till the dreadful Trumpet of Mount Sinai comes with thundring and lightning as Eph. 5.14 Awake thou that sleepest c. Unless this awaken us in what case are we Sinful men are as sleepers that are a dreaming as the Apostle speaks Jude 8. A sleeping sinner will be a dreaming sinner he never sees things as they are in their proper shape but he thinks with the Church of Laodicea That he is rich and wants nothing when as he is poor miserable blind and naked He thinks he shall be admitted into heaven as soon as the proudest but this is a dream Isa. 29.8 As the hungry man dreameth and behold he eateth but when he awakes behold he is empty or as a thirsty man that dreams he drinketh but awakes and behold he is faint Thus it is with us we think we are entring upon the Suburbs of heaven and yet we are but in a dream and in a sleep Now being thus awaked consider with thy self what thou hast to do when the dreadful Trumpet of the Law hath awakened thee consider thy state if thou sleepest this night in thy sins perhaps hell fire may be thy portion before the morning It were better for thee therefore to awake before the flames of hell fire awake thee Consider likewise that thou must not be led by thy self thou must renounce thine own will Our Estates may be pleasing unto us to enjoy in a dream our hearts lusts here on earth but consider unless thou cross thy Will here it shall be crossed hereafter yea it shall be the main cross a man shall have in hell besides the eternal weight of Gods wrath that he can will or desire nothing but he shall be crossed in it not the least thing he desires but he shall have the contrary world without end Learn then what a woful thing it is to be our own Lords to follow our own Lusts and Pleasures see what we shall gain by it never shalt thou enjoy the least portion of thy will in the world to come if thou wouldst have but a drop of cold water thou shalt be crossed in it There 's nothing thou desirest but thou shalt have the opposite to it Thus having truly and plainly shewed our Sinfulness Wretchedness and Cursedness by nature I come unto the second part which I proposed to wit Our Remedy or our Redemption by Christ. And God forbid that he should create man the best of his visible Creatures for destruction What gain and profit is there in our blood Psalm 30.9 God is full of Grace and Compassion and he considers that we are but dust And happy are we that we are but dust Had we been more glorious Creatures as Angels we had not had the benefit of a Saviour When they rebelled God considered their Metal And as with an high hand they rebelled So the Lord reserved them in everlasting chains under darkness unto the Judgment of the great day Jude 3. 1 Thes. 1.10 They fell without a Redeemer It is well for us that God considereth that we are but dust For by Jesus Christ he delivereth us from the wrath to come 1 Thessal 1.10 It had been better for us never to have been born then to be born fire-brands of Hell But now the point is what we are Brands pluckt out of the fire Zach. 3 2. It is fit therefore we should know who is our Redeemer Now as I have shewed you the last day it is Jesus Christ And here consider 1. That Christ Jesus was offered for us for the satisfaction of Gods Justice and this is his priestly office 2. As there was no Remission without shedding of blood Hebr. 9.22 Therefore after the bloud is shed and the Priest offered himself there comes a second thing else we are never the better and that is Christ offered to us This makes up our comfort Many talk of the extent of Christs Death and Passion saying he dyed sufficiently for us which is an improper speech For what comfort were this that Christ was offered for us if there were no more A bare sufficiency in Christ seâ—ves not the turn This were a cold comfort As if a man that were in debt and afraid of every Serjeant and every Sheriff should be told Sir there is money enough in the King Exchequer to discharge all your debts This is very true but what is that to him What comfort hath he by it unless the King make him an offer to come and take freely for his discharge And a cold comfort were it to us to know Christ to be sufficient for us unless he invite us to take freely of the waters of life Ho every one of you that thirsteth come you to the waters c. Isa. 55.1 Thus unless Christ be offered to us as well as for us we are never the near Now to make this appear Observe that in every Sacrament there are two acts of the Minister The one hath Relation to God a Commemoration of the Sacrifice in which respect the ancient Fathers called it a Sacrifice the other the breaking of the Bread and pouring out of the
say what comfort then may I have of the first work of the Spirit in me For as yet I have found none of these things I have not been thus humbled nor terrifyed nor had such experience as you speak of in that state under the spirit of bondage I answer though this be a work of the spirit yet it is not the principal justifying and saving work of the spirit yea the children of the Devil may come to have a greater measure of this then Gods own dear Children whom for the most part he will not affright nor afflict in that terrible manner as he doth some of them but the consequence of this is more to be accounted of then the measure to see whither that measure I have what ever it be leads me For if the measure were never so absolutely necessary to salvation then all Gods Children should have enough of it But I make a difference still between humiliation and humility which is a grace of it self and leads me along with comfort and Life Thus therefore I think of humiliation if I have so much of it as will bring me to see my danger and cause me to run to the medicine and City of refuge for help to hate sin for time to come and to set my self constantly in the ways and practice of holiness it is enough And so I say in the case of Repentance if a man have a sight of sin past and a heart firmly set against all sin for the time to come the greater and firmer this were the lesser measure of sorrow might suffice for sins fore-past As we see a wise Father would never beat his Child for faults that are past but for the prevention of that which is to come for we see in time of Correction the Child cryes out O I will never do so any more So God deals with us because our resolutions and promises are faint and fail and that without much mourning humiliation and Stripes we attain not this hatred of sins past and strength against them for time to come therefore it is that our humiliation and sorrow must be proportionable to that work which is to be done otherwise any measure of it were sufficient which fits us for the time to come But I will add there are indeed divers measures of it according unto which the conscience is wounded or eased when there is a tough melancholy humour that the powers of the soul are distracted good Duties omitted and the heart so much the more hardned When upon this the Lord le ts loose the band of the conscience oppressing the same with exceeding fears and terrours this the Lord uses as a wedge to cleave in sunder a hard piece of wood God then doth shew us because we would not plough our selves we shall be ploughed If we would judge our selves saith the Apostle we should not be judged and therefore the Church confesses and complains Psalm 129.2 That the ploughers ploughed upon her back and made deep furrows Why How came this she did not plough up her own fallow ground wherefore the Lord sent her other strangers and harsh ploughers that ploughed her soundly indeed Wherefore doth God thus deal with his Children because he is the great and most wise Husband-man who will not sow amongst thorns Therefore when he is about to sow the seed of Eternal Life in the soul which must take deep root and grow for ever he will have the ground throughly ploughed The way then to avoid these things that are so harsh and displeasing to flesh and blood is to take the Rod betimes and beat our selves for when we are slow and secure and omit this God doth do the work himself But yet God makes a difference of good education in those who have kept themselves from the common pollutions and gross sins of the times it pleaseth God saith comes into them they know not how nor the time Grace drops in by little and little now a little and then a little by degrees sin is more and more hated and the heart inflamed with a desire of good things in a conscionable Life But in a measure I say such must have had have or shall have fears and terrours so much as may keep them from sin and quicken them to go on constantly in the ways of holiness or when they fly out of the way they shall smart for it and be whipped home again yet for the main they find themselves as it were in Heaven they know not how But if a man have stuck deep and long in sin he must look for a greater measure of humiliation and fear and a more certain time of his calling there must be hawling and pulling such a man out of the fire with violence and he must not look to obtain peace and comfort with ease God will thunder and lighten in such a man's conscience in Mount Sinai before he speak peace unto him in Mount Zion A second time there is also of a great measure of humiliation which is though a man may be free from great gross sins and worldly pollutions when the Lord intends to shew the feeling of his mercy and the sense thereof to any in an extraordinary measure or to fit them for some high services then they shall be much humbled before as we see St. Paul was Act. 8.9 God did thunder upon him and beat him down in the High way to the ground being stricken with blindness for three days after Thus much shall suffice to have been spoken of the 15th verse touching the Spirit of Bondage and the spirit of Adoption The Apostle tells them they may thank God the spirit of fear thus came that hereafter they might partake of the Spirit of Adoption to fear no more he stirs them up as it were to be thankful because now they had obtained a better state Why what estate A very high one vers 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God ROM 8.16 The same Spirit beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God HAving spoken concerning the Spirit of Bondage and the Spirit of Adoption in the former verse the Apostle in these words that I have now read doth as it were stir up those unto thankfulness to whom he writes because they had now attained to a better state The Spirit it self bearing witness with their spirits that they are the children of God The thing then is to know our selves to be the children of God there must be sound evidences here then are two set down whose Testimony we cannot deny I will touch them as briefly as I can and so will make an end First the witness of our spirit Secondly the witness of God's Spirit with our spirits These are two Evidences not single but compounded wherein you see there may be some work of our spirit But some may say our spirit is deceitful how then can our own spirit work in this manner to