Specially the Names of such professors who by their villanies have made Religion stink in the nostrils of foolish men though it is pity it should Let all men judge of our Religion not by the practices of some that pretend to it but by its own Rules and Laws which are the most exact excellent and noble of any in the World But let the name of the wicked rot and indeed so it doth and shall There is a curse upon it and that rots it There was wickedness in their Lives and that causeth rottenness in their Names No good man will speak well of them and the commendations of the wicked are not worth the having for they are a real disgrace But these followers of the Lamb have obtained a good report and left it behind them That Death which makes them naked and bare of all their temporal enjoyments cannot strip them of this The righteousness of Christ and the graces of the Spirit go along with them their works sollow them and the remembrance of their holiness and usefulness stays behind How do their Relations and Friends want them How do their People and acquaintance bewail their absence nay some of their Enemies will strew flowers upon their Herse And though they will not be so liberal as their Conscience nor speak all that 's put into their mouths but suppress and detain such truths in unrighteousness yet they will bestow the Epithet of an honest man That God whom they served hath said The Righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance He takes care of their names as well as of their dust And he hath also said the memory of the just is blessed It is and shall be so like a precious oyntment which fills the whole place where they lived with a fragrant odour yea and places far remote We cannot expect all should speak well of them Some paint the Angels black the Devil would have had Iob taken for a meer mercenary although he was the Worlds none-such for his uprightness Shimei cursed David and Tertullus the Orator threw dirt upon a Paul Christ himself was called a Deceiver after his death yet He was in all things faithful to him that appointed him When all men speak well of one it is a shrewd sign all was not well Either something was amiss they will be such as their company is or else something was wanting viz. Faithfulness and plain dealing It is honour enough to have a good report among them who fear God they are best able to judge and most to be credited and this honour have all his Saints all those whose character I have given you and those also who tread in their steps and hold out to the end so doing 5. Lastly It is a most blessed and glorious end You Slaves of Hell who are at the Devils beck and drudge for him all your days committing uncleanness with greediness and drawing sin as with Cart-ropes what is the end you must expect The Apostle tells you Rom. 6. 21. The end of those things is death That is the best wages the Devil hath to bestow upon his Servants a never-dying death a death which is unspeakably worse than death and their end is shame Now they are impudent but then they shall be ashamed Dread shall fill them and shame cover them That is the promotion of fools Prov. 3. 35. Oh! change your Master leave your work break off your sins by repentance unless you think eternal death a good reward and everlasting shame desirable preferment But behold these servants of the Lord who have served their generation according to the will of God and glorified him upon earth who have fought a good fight and kept the faith to the finishing of their course who have desired and endeavoured to turn many to righteousness how is it with them when their end comes I want words The lines fall to them in pleasant places they have a goodly heritage Who can summe up their happiness were one of them here were an Angel here he could not tell you half They are approved and highly commended The testimony given is that they pleased God that they have done well very well Eâ—ge bone serve Well done good and faithful servant thou hast been faithful in thy little Now they shine as Stars in the â—irmament now they have their Crown of Righteousness in comparison of which the richest Diadems are not worth taking up in the street And their glory is answerable to their Crown An exceeding and eternal weight of glory such as hath substance and solidity in it And no wonder if together with all this they have their joy If any thing can this will make them forget their sormer sufferings the worlds affronts and inoignities the angers and bitter unkindnesses of their Mothers children who are dandled in her lap and yet are peevish with their weaned Brethren All this will make them merry at heart and cheerful in look and sing Allelujah They have a joy of God's making and maintaining not the crackling joy of the world but the unconceiveable joy of their Lord a joy too big for them to contain though their capacities are greatly enlarged it cannot enter into them they shall enter into it a joy that shall fill them to the brim and compass them round about they shall be in joy as a full vessel in the midst of the immense Ocean The doctrinal part being thus finished I shall speak a little and but a little in a way of Application And Vse 1. My Reverend Fathers and Brethren in the Ministry of whatsoever Judgment you are in these divided times give me leave in all humility yet with all earnestness to beg of you that you would so preach and walk so labour and live as that you may be exâ—mples to the flock and your memory may be blessed Oh! let us all look to it that we know and speak the truth as it is in Iesus not departing from the purity and simplicity of the Gospel Let us remember whose Embassadours we are and keep close to our Commission delivering only our Masters word Let our lips preserve knowledge and not cause people to erre May our discourses turn chiefly and mostly upon those two Cardinal points that Pauls did Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Iesus Christ. Do what you can to turn your Auditors from all their immoralities to a sober civil and unblamable life Doubtless the Gospel requires this Christ came to redeem us not only from Hell and condemnation but also from a vain and vicious conversation And our perfection in Heaven will consist in a compleat conformity to the Moral Law If any decry Morality it is because they do not understand it Yet my Brethren let us also teach Faith in Jesus Christ do not rob him of any part of his glory to bestow it upon another Sure I am that is far from Morality it is no good manners to deal so with a precious Saviour to whom we are infinitely
is weary of them because they convince and condemn it and they are weary of the World because of its wickedness and frowardness It is terrible to think what a strugling there is when a wicked man comes to die Methinks it is something like though much beyond that of the Vine and Olive when the rest of the Trees would have made one of them King Oh saith the Vine how shall I leave my sweetness and I saith the Olive my fatness So say ungodly men upon a dying-bed how shall I leave my jovial and merry companions my honours and preferments my riches and estate my pleasures and delights if these be once gone all is gone with me there is nothing left I have nothing to take to Death ruines them at once Alas these poor crâ—aturâ—s are not branches of the Vine they are not ingrafted into the Olive they are brambles and it is not strange that they should rather chuse to rule on earth than to burn in Hell But when these holy men come to die whatever struglings there are in nature they chearfully comply Death is what they have looked and longâ—d for Pâ—ul desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ Phil. 1. 23. They groan earnesily to be 〈◊〉 upon with a robe of glory and that house which is from Heaven 2 Cor. 5. 2. They have been familiar with death they have prepared for it and waited for it and given many a long look and what should hinder their bidding of it welcome since they know it comes upon a good errand though it be a grim Messenger 2. It is a peaceable end If a wicked man should say to Death as Ioram did to Jehu is it peace Death He might expect such an answer as he had What peace so long as thy rebellions and whoredoms and abominations are so many peace no no peace I am come to arrest thee upon Actions of high Treason against the King of Heaven The Soveraignty Holiness Goodness Son Gospel Mercies Judgments of God have brought in their charges against thee and I am come to drag thee as a cursed Malefactor to the tribunal of thy Judge where thou shalt be convicted and sentenc'd But now if these gracious men should ask death as the Elders did Samuel comest thou peaceably the answer would be yes peaceably I was thine Enemy but I am reconciled A good Friend of thine hath pluckt out my sting so that I cannot hurt thee I am come to fetch thee home I am come to send thee to a place where thou hast laid up great hopes and many prayers and much treasure to a place where thy Father is and thy Saviour and an innumerable company of Angels and Spirits of just men made perfect many of them thou knowest most of them thou knowest not yet all of them one and other are ready with joy to bid you welcome Sanctifie thy self set thine house in order and come away As soon as ever I have taken off this clog of earth Angels shâ—ll according to the charge their great Lord hath given them receive thee and conduct thee to Iehovahs pallace where thou shalt quickly be no tiring by the way and no want in the Countrey It is true a malicious Devil is ready to fall upon the Saints when they are weakest and if God permit him he will bruise their heel just when they are to go their journey And sometimes there is a very sharp bout and soar conflict upon a death-bed between him and them but when once death is come he parts the fray and all is quiet The Devil may rage and storm and fret but he can do nothing else 3. It is a comfortable end I deny not but a little before there may be Clouds and this shady Valley so dark as that the Believer is at a great loss Though his Title be good yet hâ— cannot read his Evidence God may be pleased to put a Vail upon his own face and the Sun of Righteousness suspend his Beams There may be a great silence in Heaven and not one word of comfort spoken that the attentive and listening Soul can hear God is indeed by but he is not seen He doth uphold but not revive And hereupon there follows sad questionings and hot disputes if it be so why am I thus will not God vouchâ—afe me one smile now and can I think he owns me for one of his Children Is his mercy clean gone for ever Hath he forgotten to be gracious or resolved he will not be so to me But when it is thus very dark the dawning of the day is near at hand And oftentimes the Clouds scatter and the case is rightly stated and things are brought to a good issue before the last blow be given God comes in and takes off the sackcloth and puts upon his beloved Child a Garment of praise so that now he lies in state upon his Bed of languishment But however as soon as Death hath done his work the dispute is at an end and the controversie is determined on the Souls side And this is done when things have been at the worst After the lowest ebb there then is a spring-tide of consolation Then the enlarged Soul doth magnifie the Lord and the Spirit rejoyceth in God its Saviour But how often is it otherwise have you not known have you not heard that some of these precious Sons of Sion these heirs of joy and glory have triumphed over Death even while they were under its assaults When Death hath been making its most furious batteries then have they been singing their Song of praise in the Apostles language and strain 1 Cor. 15. 55 56 57. O Death where is thy stiâ—g O Grave where is thy Victory The sting of Death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ. What raptures have they been in and what extasies of joy so that their pains and throws have been forgotten or neglected How have some of them told by-standers hic sat lucis here is light enough meaning in their breasts And others that they were as full of joy as they could hold God had anointed them with the oyl of gladness against their burial and made their cups run over so that their Hearts have leaped within them at the thoughts of their being upon the borders of Eternity and so near the company which they lov'd so well Witness that more than Swan-like Song of good old Simeon Luke 2. 29. 30. Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy salvation Having got his Heart and Christ in his Eye he would set up his Sail and his Frait Grace inbe gone for the other World 4. It is an Honourable end Wicked men go out in a stink not only the grosly profane but the hypocritical professors if discovered as often they are Their putrid carasses are not so unsavoury as their Names
a gloe-worm or the blaze of a candle who do injoy the help of Scripture that hath brought life and immortality to light who do through the riches of mercy injoy the gracious beams the warming and quickning influences of the eternal Son of Righteousness Let us not disparage the God of Israel by repairing to the forges of the Philistines or borrowing their weapons for our spiritual warfare none like to the sword of the spirit the Word of God which is mighty through God We need not go to those puddles since the Lord hath been pleased to open to us the Wells of salvation out of which we may with joy draw living waters for the refreshing of thirsty and reviving of fainting souls Those Ministers are to be remembred who bring not their own idle dreams but Gods Truths not the Precepts of men but the Doctrine of Jesus who have determined as Paul did to know nothing among you but Iesus Christ and him crucified Those Pastors which like the woman spoken of Revel 12. 1. were cloathed with the Sun and had upon their heads a crown of twelve stars The Truth of Christ and the Doctrine of the Apostles in short men sound in judgment 2. They are such as did believe what they Preached therefore you have mention made of their faith Whose faith follow Oh that I could say all Preachers are Believers But I cannot but tell you though I desire to be very charitable I have not faith enough for that all ages having sadly proved the contrary The woful defections and apostacâ—es of many in the Pagan Arrian and Antichristian Persecutions are undeniable demonstrations of the contrary God forbid I should take upon me to judg any particulars much less whole Parties that very word Party is exceeding bitter and unsavoury to me I heartily wish there were no such name or thing and oh for that day when will that day come the God of love and peace hasten it in which his people shall serve him with one shoulder and with one consent in the beauties of holiness In the mean time I am firmly perswaded that there are those who fear God and work righteousness and study to approve themselves by a sincere desire and care of walking up to Scripture-rules and the dictates of their consciences among all those Parties in England which hold the Head and have not drunk in damnable heresies as the Apostle calls them yet yet I fear there are also those that have not faith Rest they do in floating notions take things upon trust are beholding meerly to education or the profession of the Countrey where they live for their being Protestants or Christians And I also tremble to think how many would be found stark rotten if they should be shaken by a temptation found dross if they should be cast into the furnace Those deserve to be remembred who are rooted and grounded in the faith who can say Lo this we have searched this we have experienced so it is Those that see the truth in its own evidence that have found it mighty in operation upon their own souls those that have held the mystery of faith in a pure conscience and would not let it go upon any terms or in any times but chuse rather to venture all to part with all to throw all over-board than to make shipwrack of faith and a good conscience 3. They are sâ—ch as practic'd what they Preach'd and lived their own Sermons such as exprest the virtues of him who had called them out of darkness into his marvellous light and advanced them to be lights unto others Such Masters of the Assemblies as did drive home and fasten the nails of serious wholesome counsels aâ—d exhortations with the forcible hammer of a spotless gracious and heavenly deportmeâ—t in the world such as preached Christ and lived him too such as received him and walked in him such as did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foot it right and could boldly say to their flock Walk so as ye have me for an example Such as did not mind earthly things nor hunt after the world as if it had been their god did not sinfully serve the times nor turn into all shapes and wound their souls to save their skins did not prodigally spend their precious hours nor unchristianly smite their fellow-servants nor eat and drink with the drunken but were the companions of them that fear the Lord and placed their highest delight next to God in the Saints those excellent ones of the earth and did shew out of a good conversation their works with meekness of wisdom making it their inward desire great care and utmost endeavour in all things to adorn the Gospel Holy men of God who were good in the Pulpit and in the House too and in all places in all companies against whom there could be no exception save in the matter of their God abating them for those natural humane infirmities which are inseperable from the most holy persons whilest on this side of perfection tabernacling in houses of Clay The good Lord increase the number of such Pastors in England yea all the world over in all places where he hath caused his holy Name to dwell and unto them mine honour be thou united unto them shall my soul adhere in sincere and most intire affection whatever smaller and circumstantial differences are or may be between us May so much suffice to be spoken concerning the object about which the following Acts are to be exercised unto which I now come Quest. Next then What is to be done by that people whom God did bless with such Pastors Answ. Two things Remember them follow their faith Of which in order Remember them Your memories are precious Cabinets too good for dung and trifles lay up nothing in them but what is excellent there is enough of that Remember your Creator in the days of your youth yea and in the days of your age so shall you be satisfied as with marrow and fatness Remember your dear Saviour his love his life his death attend upon Ordinances and receive the Sacrament in remembrance of him remember his love more than wine Remember the mercies you have received so as to be thankful the promises you have made so as to be faithful the sins you have committed so as to be humble the experiences you have had so as to be encouraged Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them them that are in straits and necessities so as to be compassionate and liberal to them Remember your latter end so as to be diligent and quicken your pace and withal remember your deceased Pastors who obtained mercy to be found faithful They they are some of Gods Jewels allow them therefore a choice room in these Cabinets Quest. You will ask me howâ—they are to be remembred Answ. I Answer in these following particulars 1. Remember them so as to bless God for them Have not you had great benefit soul-advantages by them Oh! let God have