removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee nor the Covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee And as God will not of himself take away his loving kindness so neither can any creature in Hell or on Earth separate us from the love of God Rom. 8.38 39. I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus Now our reconciliation to God by Jesus Christ is a ground of joy and strong consolation against the terrours of Death and troubles of Life Rom. 5.11 We joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now recieved an atonement When we understand that our Lord Jesus Christ hath made an atonement for us this may fill our hearts with joy when death looks us in the face when other men tremble at the thoughts of God they that are reconciled to him may joy in God both while they live and when they dye In the next verse the Apostle speaks of death entring into the world by sin and passing upon all men for that all have sinned ver 12. And in the 3d. and 4th verses he speaks of the tribulations we are liable to in this life We glory in Tribulations Yet in all our tribulations and when we see death approaching and passing upon us we may joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have received an atonement The knowledge of Gods love to our Souls may cause us to glory and rejoyce in the Lord in times of greatest mortality when Death is coming in at our Windows and entred into our houses and cuts off both young and old and there such a multitude of dead corpses that there are none to bury them Jer. 9.21 22.24 Death is come up into our Windows and is entered into our Palaces to cut off the children from without and the young men from the streets speak thus saith the Lord even the Carcasses of men shall fall as dung upon the open field and as the handful after the harvest man and none shall gather them But let him that glorieth glory in this that he knoweth and understandeth me We see here that a man may attain to glory in dismal and dark days in times of greatest mortality when death is cutting down multitudes in all places our houses the streets the fields and we may see in what a man may glory at such a time and that is in the knowledge of Gods love Let him glory in this that he knoweth and understandeth me that I am the Lord that exerciseth loving kindness It was a great comfort to Jacob when he understood that Esau was reconciled to him while he apprehended his brother to be offended and that he came to meet in displeasure he was greatly afraid and distressed Gen. 32.7 But when he saw his Brother was pleased with him that made him exceeding joyful even as if he had a sight of the face of God Gen 33.10 I have seen thy face as though I had seen the face of God and thou wast pleased with me If reconciliation with an offended brother be such a ground of comfort what is reconciliation with an offended God Solomon speaks highly of the favour of a King that is like life to a dying man and like the Rain to the thirsty ground very grateful and refreshing Prov. 16.15 In the light of the Kings Countenance is Life and his favour is as a Cloud of the latter Rain If there be such joy in the favour of an Earthly King what joy is there in the favour of the King of Kings Reconciliation with God affords strong Consolation against the Fears and Terrors of Death several ways 1. Because such as are reconciled to God by the death of Christ shall assuredly be saved by Christ Rom. 5.10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life 2. Because when God is reconciled to us and his wrath turned away from us we may trust in him for Salvation and all other good things without being afraid of what death or men or devils or any creatures can do unto us Isa 12.1 2. O Lord I will praise thee though thou wast angry with me thine anger is turned away and thou hast comforted me Behold God is my Salvation I will trust and not be afraid When God is reconciled to us we need not fear what man can do to us Psal 118.7 The Lord is on my side I will not fear What can man do unto me Man can kill the body and man can torture the body but death can't hurt a man reconciled to God VVhen God is reconciled we may triumph over all our enemies not only over man but over death and the grave and the devils and Hell it self Rom. 8.31 What shall we then say to these things if God be for us who can be against us II. Jesus Christ by his death hath obtained for all that are his a free full perpetual pardon of all their sins and this is a ground of strong consolation under the troubles of the world and all the fears and terrors of death The great end of Christs death was to expiate our sins and to obtain for us forgiveness of sins 1 Cor. 15.3 Christ dyed for our sins according to the Scriptures Gal. 1.4 Who gave himself for our sins 1 Joh. 3.5 And ye know that he was manifest to take away our sins Joh. 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world Heb. 9.26 Now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself Now concerning this pardon which our Lord Jesus hath obtained by his offering up himself a Sacrifice for us let us observe these four things 1. It is a full and general pardon of all and every one of our sins 1 Joh. 1.7 The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin All sorts of sins sins of Omission and Commission sins of Ignorance and sins against light original and actual sins are cleansed away by the Blood of Christ and every particular sin great and small is cleansed by the Blood of Christ Tit. 2.14 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity He did not design our Redemption from some one sin or from many but to redeem us from all iniquity by his giving himself to death for us This was typified by the scape goat over him Aaron laid his hands and confessed all the sins and all the aggravations that were in the sins of the Children of Israel and the goat bore away all their iniquities into the land of forgetfulness Lev. 16.21 22. Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live
have thereby As namely that Jesus of Nazareth was God manifest in the Flesh the Son of God as well as the Son of man that he is that Saviour that was foretold and promised should come into the World to save lost man that he dyed for our sins and rose again for our justification and ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God tomake intercession for us that God hath made him both Lord and Christ and exalted him to be a Prince and a Saviour c. Now then we recieve his Testimony when we believe the truth of those things which are revealed in the Gospel concerning Jesus Christ Joh. 3.33 He that hath received his Testimony hath set to his Seal that he is true Thus we receive Christ when we believe the Doctrine of the Gospel and continue therein And this is necessary to our enjoying an Interest in Christ 2 Joh. 9. He that abideth in the Doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the Son 2. We recieve Jesus Christ by the consent of our Wills When our Wills consent to take this Jesus for our Lord and Saviour as he is offered to us in the Gospel and we are willing to be ruled by him and to be saved by him in his own way Rev. 22.17 Whosoever will let him take the water of life freely The great work is to porswade and bring over the will to Christ to make a man willing to have Christ for his Lord and Saviour and to be willing to to be saved by him in Life and Death in his own way The averseness of the will to accept of Christ for our Lord and Saviour we may see from such Scriptures as these Ps 81.11 Israel would none of me Luk. 19.14 We will not have this man reign over us Joh. 5.40 Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life It is the work of God yea the power of God that is required to make a man willing to have Christ for his Lord and Saviour Phil. 2.13 It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his own good pleasure Ps 110.3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power When our wills consent to take Christ as he offers himself to us he becomes ours As the consenting to the enticeing of Sinners makes us one with them and makes us partakers of their evil deeds Ps 51.18 2 John ver 11. And therefore Solomon adviseth Pro. 1.10 My Son if sinners entice thee consent thou not So by our consenting to receive Christ when he offers himself to us and wooeth and intreateth us to accept him we become one with and are made partakers of his benefits As 't is in Marriage it is not wooing and waiting but consenting that makes up the Match So it is in the mystical Marriage it is not inviting and calling and waiting but consenting makes up the Match 3. We receive Christ for our Saviour when we rely upon him and trust in him for Salvation and all things requisite unto Salvation When we look upon him as the only Saviour and as an all-sufficient Saviour and do trust in him for our eternal Salvation Eph. 1.13 In whom ye trusted after ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of your Salvation Ps 86.2 O thou my God save thy Servant that trusteth in thee The Lord was displeased with the Israelites when they did not trust in his Salvation Psal 78.21 22. The Lord was wroth because they believed not in God nor trusted in his Salvation In these three things consisteth this duty of receiving Christ 1. In the assent of the mind to the truth of those things that are revealed concerning Christ in the Gospel 2. In the consent of the will to take this Jesus for our Lord and Saviour 3. In the relyance or trust of the heart on Christ for Salvation 4. Christ becometh ours by our entring into Covenant with God When upon the call of the Gospel we come to Christ and believe in Christ then we enter into Covenant with God then God makes an everlasting Covenant with us Isa 55.3 Incline your ear and come unto me hear and your souls shall live and I will make an Everlasting Covenant with you even the sure Mercies of David And when the Lord takes us into his Covenant then Jesus Christ becometh ours and all his saving benefits become ours For one main branch of the covenant is to give us Christ and all his saving benefits Isa 42.6 I will give thee for a Covenant of the people for a light of the Gentiles to open the blind eyes and to bring out the Prisoners from the Prison The great promise of the new covenant is I will be your God Ezek. 36.28 And when the Lord promiseth to be our God in that promise God the Father engageth himself to be our Father and God the Son engageth to be our Saviour and our Redeemer and God the Holy Ghost engageth to be our comforter How do we become Christs I. By the donation of the Father God the Father chose out of the children of men whom he saw good and gave them to Jesus Christ to be his peculiar people to be redeemed and saved by him Joh. 17.6 Thine they were and thou gavest them me 1 Pet. 2.9 Ye are a chosen generation a peculiar people All that God chose to eternal life he gave to Christ to redeem them So that all that are Christs are the Fathers and all that are the Fathers by election are the Sons by redemption Joh. 17.10 All mine are thine and thine are mine II. VVe are Christs by Redemption He bought us with a price he purchased us with his own blood he bought us Body and Soul for himself with a great price 1 Cor. 6.19 20. Ye are not your own ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your Spirits which are Gods The price that Christ gave for this purchase was his own blood Act. 20.28 To feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood III. We become Christs by the Spirits causing and enabling us to give our selves to Christ We become Christs by a voluntary resignation of our own selves unto him 2 Cor. 8.5 First gave their own selves unto the Lord. Isa 44.5 One shall say I am the Lord and another shall subscribe with his hand to the Lord. that is shall surely and firmly engage himself to be the Lords Servant Psal 116.16 O Lord truly I am thy Servant I am thy Servant IIII. VVe become Christs by vertue of the covenant He enters into covenant with us that he will graciously accept us to be his Ezek. 16.8 I entered into a Covenant with thee saith the Lord God and thou becamest mine It is part of Gods Covenant that he will accept of us for his people Heb. 8.10 Ye shall be to me a people And as the Lord makes a covenant with us to accept us for his so
Christ for Sanctification as well as Salvation 1 Cor. 1.30 Of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Sanctification Now if Christ be made of God unto us Sanctification then we may we ought to trust in Christ for Sanctification as well as other Blessings Vse last Learn hence that they which have gotten their interest in Christ cleared to their Souls need not to be afraid of death but may depart in peace A confirmation hereof we have in the example of this our deceased Sister Mrs. Ellen Asty who was a Mother in Israel who was so much above the fear of Death that when I was with her a few days before she dyed she used these expressions I can chearfully embrace death I should not be afraid of death if I should see him coming in at the Windows if I should see him come into my Chamber for my beloved is mine and I am his and therefore she knew he would not condemn her And having found abundance of comfort in her interest in Christ she was desirous that this Text might be Preached on at her Funeral My beloved is mine and I am his I suppose that others might be stirred up to get an interest in Christ and to get their interest made out Several things have been observed wherein she may be exemplary to others as may be seen in the account of her life which followeth THE LIFE OF Mrs. Ellen Asty THE Late Wife of Mr. Asty of Stratford in Suffolk Deceased Revel 14.13 Blessed are the Dead that dye in the Lord. Printed by J. R. 1681. THE LIFE OF Mrs. Ellen Asty THE Wife of Mr. Asty late Minister of the Gospel in Essex IT is exceedingly pleasant unto many to be beholding the Pictures of their dearest Friends when their persons are removed out of their sight and laid in the silent dust and it hath been found more than a little profitable unto surviving Friends to be reading over the lives of the most eminent Saints departed as hereby being dead they yet speak and become still as living patterns for their imitation It is said The memory of the just is Blessed Prov. 10.7 And it may be said of this pious Matron as of Demetrius 3 Joh. 1.12 She hath a good report of all men and of the truth it self As to her Birth and Education much might be spoken She was the Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bently her Father an eminent Godly Minister her Mother a very Gracious Holy Gentlewoman who lived at Plumsted in Norfolk who brought her up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord. She remembred her Creator in the days of her youth and chose him to be hers betimes The Lord was pleased to begin a work of Grace so early upon her heart and ripen it so fast that whilst she was young and Nature not grown to its perfection she was a well grown Christian in gracious experiences excelling many who set out for Jesus Christ long before her that she became a pattern of piety to others yea the whole Family where she lived before she entred into a married estate and many out of it even such as occasionally came into it were much the better for her and Blessed God that they had acquaintance with her valuing her Grace and Judgment in the deep matters of the Gospel She was the wife of Mr. Asty a laborious Minister of the Gospel whom God made much use of in the Conversion of many sinners and building up others in Grace and Holiness who were already brought home to Jesus Christ When she was first married several Gentlewomen sent their Daughters to be with her that they might live under her instructions and the Lord made her very useful to them She was eminent for her deportment and carriage in all Relations some who had intimate acquaintance with her do testify that she was dutiful to her Parents an obedient and loving Wife to her Husband a tender hearted Mother to her Children one said never did any bear the Souls of her Children and Childrens Children more upon their hearts than she did never was any more concerned for their Souls nor did more Travel in Birth than she till she could see that in Christ they were born again never any more concerned for the Souls of those committed to her charge though but servants than she was Some Ministers and others who knew her Conversation testifie of her gracious carriage and behaviour in her various conditions in the course of her Life as followeth She was very knowing in the things of Jesus Christ and her knowledge was experimental growing humbling and practical a well grounded Professor and an honour and glory to her Profession She had a sound Judgment a well enlightned understanding in the mystery of godliness She had the Scriptures the Fountain of saving knowledge in very high estimation and daily to the last diligently searched into them not one day passed but she read or had read to her some portions of them which she made matter of meditation and when her weaknesses were so great and her eyes so fail'd in the latter part of her life that she could not read her self she called one to read to her weighed all her actions by the Scriptures as her Rule considered her warrant call and command from God for all she did and acted in all in obedience thereunto She would often be telling others how in their way they might serve the Lord though the work of their place was never so mean and low if they did consider the precepts and rules which God had given referring to such a Relation place employ or condition wherein they stood and acted in obedience to his will therein She outwent most Christians in her strictness on the Lords day the whole time was spent in publick and private exercises and would allow nothing that was secular and aliene to Religion to be done in her Family that was not of indispensible necessity on that day and always had a more than ordinary preparation in her house the day before that those in her family might have no temptation in that respect to violate any part of the sacred time of that day She was very exact as to her words and discourses on that day not opening her Lips to speak any thing that wasnot suitable and agreeable to the holiness of that day and it was a great burthen and affliction to her Spirit which she could not bear but mourned under to hear others give their tongues a liberty to speak any thing unsuitable and heterogeneal to the day she did highly prize all the ordinances of Jesus Christ they were sweeter to her than the hony or the hony Comb more desirable than her appointed food never so much in her element as when waiting upon the Lord either in publick or private opportunities and to the last would venture through all difficulties and bear up under great weaknesses in duties of Christian Communion and could not live without