see in our people Well there is no remedy we are borne to dye sorrow will not helpe it a good plausible ground for patience in Reason But know we religious patience hath another ground Psal 39. I was dumbe saith Dauid and opened not my mouth why because thou O Lord didst it This is Christian patience to moderate our affections vpon this ground because we know it is the Lord that doth it and death of friends betides vs by Gods appointment It is appoynted to all men once to dye Vse 3 There are sundry other vses inferred by Gods spirit vpon this doctrine that God hath appointed our death Iob hauing at large treated of this point thus inferres for his owne vse seeing God hath numbered my dayes and determined the number of my moneths decreed my death and dissolution Therefore all the dayes of mine appoynted time will I waite a Iob. 14.14 vntill my change shall come his meaning is that his whole life should be nothing but a Continuall meditation of death Our people haue taken vp an euill by word when they will expresse their vtter and extreme forgetfulnesse of a thing not thought of they vse this comparison I thought as little of it as of my dying day Alas and is that dying day of all things least thought of Haue we not euery day spectacles of our Mortalitie and carrie we not in our bosomes the principles of our dissolution how comes it to passe then that the day of death should be of all things least thought of and farthest out of remembrance and yet it is too true as appeares by those long hopes wee promise to our selues Almost no man so old or so diseased but hee thinkes hee may draw on one yeare longer A dangerous dreame as euer Sathan could send vpon men taking away all care of preparation and opening a gappe to all dissolutenesse of life and Conuersation take we heed of it Vse 4 I might also hence inferre as our Sauiour doth b Ioh. 9.4 that while the day lasts wee should worke the workes of God because there comes a night when as no man can worke He alludes to the Câ—â—tome and vse of men as Dauid hath expressed it in the Psalme the sunne ariseth c. Man goeth out to his worke and to his labour vntill the Euening at night when darkenesse hath couered all things he retires him to his rest because he wants day light to direct him in working So is the terme of euery mans nâ—turall life God hath giuen it to the sons of Men that therein they should worke things pleasing vnto God Whiles this day lasteth worke we the workes of God There comes a night vpon vs that couers all with darkenesse and leaues no time for men to worke in Therefore sayd the Apostle while we haue time a Gal. 6. let vs do good and Salomon b Eccl. 9.10 whatsoeuer thine hand shall find to do do it with all thy power for there is neither worke nor inuention nor knowledge nor wisdome in the graue whither thou goest Proceede we to the second thing the subiect of death Men i. all men If any shall obiect that Enoch and Elias were translated that they should not see death and that Gods Children suruiuing at the day of iudgement shall not sleepe but shall be changed 1. Thes 4. Let him consider first that Extraordinaria non euertunt regulam a few extraordinary instances impeach not the course of generall ordinances And howsoeuer the suruiuers at the last day shall not suffer death as it is a seperation of the soule and the body yet as it puts an end to this animall life they may be sayd after a sort to dye at least this change is vnto them insteed of death or lastly the Apostle here speakes of the ordinary course as it is now stablished amongst men by the appointment of God Now mankind in Scripture are all ranged into these two ranckes Elect and Reprobate Beleeuers and Vnbeleeuers And of both sorts it is true that the Apostle here speakes it is appoynted vnto them all once to dye Now because it may seeme strange that Gods Children freed by Christ from the whâ—â—e curse of the Law should yet be subiect to a necessity of dying it shall not be amisse a little to enquire the reasons of this Gods ordinance in respect of his Children Papists as appeares in all their tracts of Purgatory vsually thus explaine it that Gods Children must therefore dye because by Christ they are freed from none but eternall punishments due for their sinnes As for temporall iudgements as sicknesses Death c. They still remaine vnto vs in the nature of punishments by suffering whereof we must expiate our veniall sinnes as they terme them And therfore it is their constant Doctrine that Christ hath satisfied for none but sinnes mortall freed vs from no punishment but Euerlasting there is a remainder of satisfaction left for vs whereby Gods iustice and wrath must by vs be appeased Now the Apostle a Gal. 3.13 hath taught vs that Christ hath redeemed vs from the Curse of the Law i. from the whole Curse due for our sinnes And who can read Deut. 28. but he must acknowledge bodily sufferinges to be a part of our Curse Isay teacheth Chap 53. that the Chastisement of our peace was laid vpon Christ i. the Chastisement whereby our peace and reconcilement with God was perfectly wrought And the Apostle a Heb. 10.11.14 affirmes that Christ by his one offering of himselfe hath perfected foreuer them that be Sanctified Yea take wee but euen Popish concessions in this kinde they grant that Christ hath deliuered vs perfectly from the guilt of our sinnes Now the guilt is nothing but a Consequent of sinne wherby we stand in account as sinners and are liable to punishment for our offences Now then hath Christ perfectly freed vs from the guilt of our sinnes then stand we as innocent in the sight of God and are reputed of God for Christes sake as if wee had neuer commited our sinnes therefore also are freed from subiection vnto punishment For shall wee say the Lord punisheth a man guiltlesse farre be it from the iust God to punish the guiltlesse as the guilty the guilt is remoued therefore all punishment But wee see these temporall paines and death it selfe remaines to Gods Children after iustification Obiect It is true Sol. the things remaine the same for substance but their habit vse condition is altered They remaine not in the nature of punishments properly so called for they tend not to satisfaction of Iustice nor as parts of the Curse from which Christ hath freed vs but temporall paines remaine as preuentions as admonitions as restrainements as instructions as nurturings as reducements as abatements of Corruption Death not as the wages of sinne to Gods Children nor as a part of the Curse but as the period of misery and a gate into heauenly happinesse But leauing them
offered that man into the hand of the slayer what can be more casuall in respect of the meanes and yet hath Gods prouidence a stroke therein A second error is of those that haue lift vp nature and naturall causes in this kind to shoulder out Gods prouidence from all working in the death of men And these giue vnto God no more but a generall influence into second causes supposing them to worke according to that order set in them in the first Creation And these men in death violent or naturall acknowledge no speciall worke of God ordering and disposing second causes to their euents but impute all to distemper of body wherby diseases are brought vpon vs which of themselues worke the dissolution of the body But see we what the Scripture teacheth It is c Deut. 18.22 The Lord that smites with consumptions and agues and burning feuers and a 2. Sam. 12.15 the Lord stroke Dauids child with sicknesse that though it be true our death is wrought by these as meanes yet Gods hand hath the chiefe stroke in these immissions And hereof it is that we see many dye in their full strength their breastes full of Milke and their bones full of Marrow as Iob 21.23.24 without bodily diseases some also visited with deadly sicknesses as b Isay 38 1. Hezekiah and yet recouered the Lord would teach vs heereby that sickenesses and bodily diseases are but his arbitrary instruments which he vseth or not vseth at his owne pleasure to bring his purpose to passe To Conclude let this euer be holden as a principall by all Christians that howsoeuer our death is ordinarily brought vpon vs by sicknesse decay of nature or other inferiour meanes yet are they all swayed and ordered not onely by a generall influence but euen by a speciall ordinance and appointment of God these being but his instruments whereby he bringes his appointments to their accomplishment Vse 2 Secondly this doctrine must be vnto vs all an argument of patience and Contentment whensoeuer God shall by death depriue vs of friendes how nearely soeuer ioyned vnto vs as at this time God hath taken from some a bountifull Master from some a kind friend from the Country a Magistrate from vs all a Christian brother our duty is with patience to submit to this appointment and good pleasure of our God considering that in their death the will and ordinance of God is accomplished I know that in such Cases naturall affections will shew themselues Neither are they simply to be blamed hauing so good warrant from the will of God instinct of Nature practise of Christ and his Saints It is sayd of our Sauiour a Ioh. 11.35 that seeing the lamentation of the people ouer Lazarus himselfe had his share in weeping And of Abraham it is written b Gen. 23.2 that hee mourned for Sara her death and of Ioseph c Gen. 50. that he kept a seuen dayes solemne lamentation for his father Iacob And it was a senselesse errour of the Storckes grounded vpon their heathenish fate that a wise man should not suffer himselfe to be mooued with any accident though neuer so lamentable The Apostle was otherwise minded d Rom. 1.30 where he reckons this same Stoicall indolence amongst the vices accompanying a reprobate mind And surely if there be any of vs found so stockish as whom losses of this nature moue not to mourning I say not as Paul he sheweth himselfe gracelesse but which is more almost vnnaturall And for this gentleman deceased not to presse particulars vpon Children I feare too much giuing the raines to sorrow when we shall consider the care he hath euer shewed of the Countries good in affayres of Common-wealth how speedy in dispatch of businesses of the Kingdome methinkes wee should not choose but bewaile the losse of so prouident a guide as members in the body are touched especially with losse of their chiefest fellow members Yet this withall let vs all remember as well they that are nearest touched as those that are farther of wounded that Christian sorrow must in such cases haue a double aspect one cast on our losse the other lift vp to Gods appointment When wee looke on our losse he shall bee an vnnaturall child that cannot bewaile the losse of so kind a father an vnworthy member of the state that laments not the fall of such rulers in the Country But yet if we shall looke vp to him whose hand hath swayed these things and by whose appointment death hath seazed on him me thinkes again we should a little bridle affections lest they carry vs to impatience and discontentment at this worke of God It is said of Dauid 2. Sam. 12. that when God had stricken the child which Vriahs wife bare him with sickenesse he fasted and prayed and wept and would not be comforted For thus he apprehended that prediction of Nathan as implying the condition ordinary in such threatenings for who can tell saith he whether God will haue mercy on the child that he may liue But when he saw the euidence of Gods will and resolute determination he left off mourning and went to praise God Beloued we now see Gods determinate appointment in this Gentleman it shall be our duty patiently to submit to his most holy and iust dispositions and take we heed lest loosing the bridle to naturall affections they carry vs not beyond all bounds of right reason and religion What saith th' Apostle a 1 Thes 4.13 I would not haue you ignorant as concerning them that sleepe to sorrow as men without hope as if he had sayd Immoderate lamentations are fitter for Heathens that know no life but this then for Christians that expect a ioyfull resurrection It is noted of the Egyptians b Gen. 50. that they mourned for Iacobs death 70 daies of Ioseph that he lamented him seuen dayes onely some man perhaps will thinke Ioseph scarce naturally affected that so soone ended his mourning when the Egyptians strangers to him so long drew on their lamentation But behold the difference betwixt a hopelesse heathen and a beleeuing Christian The Egyptians mourne vnmeasureably as thinking death to be a destruction of all things Ioseph as a Christian hopefully expecting the promise of Resurrection And let vs that haue cause to expect a comfortable resurrection of this Christian Gentleman labour by considering Gods holy appointment to moderate our priuate griefes and quietly to rest in Gods holy determinations Yet let me a little farther presse this point of patience I say not onely that we should moderate our griefes but euen vpon this ground because God hath appoynted practise patience There is a kind of patience euen in people that are heathenish it is grounded commonly vpon the ineuitable necessity of such like euents Such a kind of patience or stupidity rather was that of Stoicks death was necessary life not reuocable therfore vaine are all lamentations And such a like patience so grounded you shall
let vs see for what ends the Lord hath appointed death for his owne Children One is the abolishing of the reliques of sinne that euen after regeneration sticke in vs. By a wonderfull wisedome God hath ordained that during the dwelling of the soule in the body there shall be also a dwelling of sinne in our mortall body partly to exercise vs by resisting the assaults thereof partly to shew vs from how great a bondage Christ hath deliuered vs But by death hee puts an end to sinne in respect of all practice and inhabitation Through enuy of the deuill sinne entred into the world and death by sinne Through the wisedome of God death puts an end to sinning And this is one end of this appointment of God A second is to put an end to the sensible miseries of this life for as there continues a remanent of the old Adam euen after grace so some portion of afflictions still remaynes to Gods Children not as Papists teach for satisfaction but partly to giue vs a taste of those miseries from which Christ hath freed vs partly to tame and subdue Corruption partly to conforme to the Image of Christ Now death brings an end to all sensible euills And for this cause also hath God prouided death as a remedy lest too long endurance of euills should ouercome our patience Thirdly that the soule might be admitted into the presence of God which made Paul desire a Phil 1.23 to be dissolued because he knew his soule should persently be admitted into the presence of Christ Vse 1 Now seeing God for these good ends hath ordained the death of his Saints methinkes it should teach vs contentment at least if not reioycing in the death of all those that dye in the Lord. And surely if any man haue knowne and felt the misery of subiection vnto his sinnes the strong rebellion of Corruption against grace I doubt not but hee is thus minded that in that respect he would change conditions with the meanest of Gods Saints that haue dyed in the Lord. And therefore well is it with the dead they rest from their labours their workes follow them and which is not the least blessing they are freed from the miserable bondage to Corruption Now as touching the wicked the Reason of their dying is because death is to them a part of the Curse due to their sinnes and there must be an end put to their pleasures in sinning a bringing of their soules to those vnsufferable torments God hath prouided for impenitent sinners And therefore I wonder not Vse if as the wise man speaketh the very remembrance of death bee bitter vnto them it is their iudgement their Curse the end of reioycing the very suburbes and gate that leades into Hell See we now the last thing .i. the consequent of death After that comes the iudgement I hope I shall not need to vse many words amongst vs Christians to euidence this truth being so plentifully taught in Scripture consented vnto by the Heathen testified by our conscience euidenced by particular iudgements The Scriptures are plentifull in this point how often occurre these and the like sayings God shall bring euery worke vnto iudgement with euery a Ecles 12. vlt. secret thing whether it be good or euill We must all appeare before the b 2 Cor. 5.10 iudgement seate of Christ that euery one may receiue the things he hath done in his body whether they be good or euill The Heathen had their tribunall after death and Aeacus Minos and Rhadamanthus presidents of proceedings therein Yea aske but the Conscience of the vilest Athiest it will be a thousand witnesses of this truth how often are they filled with vnspeakeable horrours especially in death wherefore but because they know there is a iudgement that followes it See but particular iudgements which are as praludia iudicij vniuersalis the ouerthrow of Sodom the deluge of the old world particular iudgements on particular persons what else doe they testifie but a iudgement to come some sinnes are here punished that wee might know there is a prouidence and a iudge that takes notice not all here punished that wee might expect a greater iudgement to come Yea that very Confusion of things as they terme it which some haue brought as an argument to ouerthrow both prouidence and iudgement viz the present prosperity of the wicked and the afflicted estate of Gods Children it is argument sufficient in Pauls diuinity to proue a iudgement to come c 2. Thes 1.4.5 The present persecutions of Gods children are an euident Demonstration of a iudgement to come and Salomon d Eccle. 3.16.17 before him in his suruiew of vanities I saw sayth he a place of iudgement and â—oe there was wickednesse a place of Iustice and behold iniquity what inferres he therefore no prouidence therfore no iudgement to come Nay but the contrary I sayd in my heart surely God will iudge the iust and vniust for a time there is for euery purpose and for euery worke See we a little what this iudgement importes Iudgement implies three things First Examination and withall discouerie of euery mans workes whether they be a Eccl. 12. vlt. good or euill then b 1 Cor. 4.5 come your close and secret adulteries then your priuie and coloured bribery then your hypocrisie then your euery euill worke to be scanned and examined The c Apoc. â—0 12 bookes are opened first of Gods d Mal. 3.16 remembrance wherein are registred euery of our sinnes euen to an e Math. 12.36 idle word secondly of our owne Conscience which serues to bring in records against vs of all our vngodly deedes which wee haue vngodlily committed Secondly After Examination followes sentence giuing First of Absolution to Gods Children howsoeuer here laden with reproaches and scandals condemned for Hypocrites The Lord shall then euidence by fruites of faith that sure their faith was vnfained Secondly of Condemnation vpon the wicked here blearing the eyes of men with I know not what pretenses of their good hearts and good faith to God The Lord shall then make their madnesse and dissembling knowne to all men by lacke of true Good workes to grace their pretended faith with all Math. 25.35.42 Thirdly After sentence follows Execution .i. A happie admission of Gods Children into possession of the kingdome prepared by the father purchased by Christ Iesus Secondly A heauy and vncomfortable dismission of all impenitent and incorrigible sinners into that lake that burnes with fire and Brimestone before the throne of God for euer and euer Vse Now Brethren I could wish in applying of this doctrine I had a measure of the Apostles spirit that I might with it pierce into the Consciences of vs all S. Paul a 2. Cor. 5.11 hauing breifly mentioned this doctrine of last iudgement thus sayth that by this terror he perswaded men And surely if this terror perswade not to repentance I know not what will