as any that they could heare yet could they receive no comfort or benefit at all by it Moses spake so saith the text Exod. 6. 9. unto the children of Israel but they hearkned not unto Moses for anguish of spirit and for cruell bondage 3. Admit we were never so able and fit to minde this matter then and to go about this weighty businesse admit we could be then more apt to seeke reconciliation with God than at any other time yet have we just cause to feare that because we have wilfully neglected this worke so long and presumptuously put it off till the last houre the Lord in his righteous judgement will refuse to be found of us at that time Thus we shall find the Lord hath threatned to do Prov. 1. 24 26 28 29. Because I have called saith he and ye refused I have stretched out mine hand and no man regarded I also will laugh at your calamity I will mocke when your feare commeth Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seeke me early but they shall not find me for that they hated knowledge and did not choose the feare of the Lord. Now if you shall aske me how may this be done I answer That he that would make this sure to himselfe that when he dies he shall go to heaven must do these three things 1. He must repent of all his knowne sinnes He must call them to mind bewaile them unfainedly confesse them to God and crave earnestly of him the pardon of them and resolve with himselfe to forsake them all For 1. Sinne is the sâ—ing of death as the Apostle cals it 1 Cor. 15. 56. And if that be once done away and forsaken death can never hurt a man nor hath he any cause to feare it at all 2. On the other side no man can hope to go to heaven with his sinnes unrepented of Know ye not saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6. 9. that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdome of God Be not deceived neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor theeves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God Any one of these sinnes unrepented of will certainly exclude a man utterly out of the kingdome of heaven 3. Though it be dangerous for a man to live in sinne yet is it a matter of farre greater danger to him to die in sinne and to be over-taken by death before he have repented of it This our Saviour noteth as the extreme unhappinesse of the wicked Iewes and repeats it often Iohn 8. 21. 24. that they should die in their sinnes 2. Get good assurance by a lively faith that Christ is thine and then shalt thou be able to die in peace and in a certaine hope to go to heaven when thou art dead When old Simeon had seene Christ whom he had waited for by faith and longed to see and was thereby confirmed much in that faith he had in him before He blessed God anâ— said Luke 2. 28 29 30. Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seene thy salvation They that have once seene and embraced Christ as he did spiritually by faith I meane and not corporally onely shall die in peace and none but they can do so For 1. It is Christ onely that hath overcome death for us and taken away the sting of it When the Apostle had said 1 Cor. 15. 56. that sin is the sting of death But thanks be to God saith he Verse 57. which giveth us victory through our Lord Iesus Christ. Death is overcome so that it cannot hurt the true believer at all but him that is nor in Christ it will sting unto death even unto the second death 2. We can have no hope to come to heaven but onely through him Christ is in you saith the Apostle Col. 1. 27. the hope of glory There is no hope to come to glory but onely by Christ. Nay there is no hope to come to glory through him unlesse he be in us unlesse he dwell in us by a lively faith 3. If thou wouldst be sure to go to heaven when thou diest labour whilest thou livest to lead an unblameable a godly and fruitfull life even to do all the good that God gives thee power and opportunity to do As we have opportunity saith the Apostle Gal. 6. 10. which none of us can tell how soone it may be taken from us let us do good unto all men especially unto them that are of the houshold of faith See what comfort Hezechia found in this when he was to die Remember now O Lord I beseech thee saith he Esa. 38. 3. how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart have done that which is good in thy sight Now on his death-bed his conscience gave this comfortaâ—â—e testimony unto him that he had lead a holy life and now doth he even before the Lord comfort himselfe in that against the feare of death See also what a testimony the holy Apostle gives unto good workes even to the workes of charity and mercy in this case Charge them that are 〈◊〉 in this world saith he 1 Tim. 6. 17 19. that they 〈◊〉 good that they be rich in good workes ready to distribute willing to communicate laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternall life Workes of charity not as a meritorious cause of salvation but as a sure evidence that by a lively faith we have interest and title to the merits of Christ shal be rewarded with stable and durable riches in time to come and will make a man able with confidence of hope to lay hold on eternall life And that which the Apostle saith of certaine bad men 2 Cor. 11. 15. that their end shal be according to their workes may be said of all good men also their end shal be according to their workes A good life will certainly end in a blessed and comfortable death Foure things are wont to be objected against this which I will briefly give answer unto Experience sheweth daily that many do die willingly and quietly and comfortably also that have neither lived so unblameably and fruitfully nor used any such means to prepare themselves for death as you have prescribed To this I answer 1. That we may not thinke that every one that dies quietly and speakes gloriously of his willingnesse to die and of the peace and comfort that he finds in the assurance of his salvation doth die happily and comfortably indeed For the Holy Ghost speaks of some that were most wâ—cked and wretched men that have no bands in their death Psal. 73. 4. In outward things all things aswell in death as in life fall alike to good and bad as Salomon saith Eccles. 9. 2. 2. We have just cause to suspect the peace
upon his name This was the meane whereby Gods people were kept from the prophanenesse and security of those times and God was wonderfully pleased with it Yea many a heart hath been mollified this way which the publique Ministry could not soften Nathans private dealing with David prevailed more with him than all the publique meanes he had enjoyed in a whole yeare 2 Sam. 12. 7. 13. Fourthly Count it therefore a great blessing of God to thee to have such a friend or such a Minister as will watch over thee and deale thus privately and plainely with thee yea seeke for such friends It is said of Ionâ—than 1 Sam. 20. 8. that he had brought David into a covenant of the Lord with him We should labour to get such friends as we might make this covenant with Yea we should beg of God to give us such a friend Psal. 141. 5. Let the righteous smite me it shal be a kindnesse and let him reprove me it shal be an excellent oyle that shall not breake my head And we have all great need of it for selfeâ— love so blinds us as we cannot see that that is amisse in our selves In these last times especially men shal be lovers of themselves as the Apostle teacheth us 2 Tim. 3. 2. And what marvell then if there be now adayes so much security and hardnesse of heart among Christians No man holds himselfe bound to watch over his brother to admonish or reprove him but every man saith in his heart as Cain Gen. 4. 9. Am I my brothers keeper The Papists shall rise up in judgement against us in this for they take all opportunities to gaine others to Antichrist They like the Scribes and Pharises of whom our Saviour speaketh Mat. 23. 15. do compasse sea and land to make one proselyte but we have no care at all to gaine any unto Christ. And on the other side all men are unwilling to be admonished and plainly dealt with in private even by the Minister of God but are apt to say to any that would admonish them as the Sodomites did to Lot Gen. 19. 9. Stand backe this fellow will needs be a Iudge But know for a certainty that thou that art so unwilling to heare of thy sinne and to be plainly dealt with about it art in love with thy sinne and hast no desire to bring thy heart to godly griefe and sorrow for it SERMON VII Decemb. 7. 1625. IT followeth now that we come to those meanes wherein we are to be principall agents our selves For though this to speake properly be the mighty work of God to humble and mollifie the heart of man and make it able to mourne for sinne according to that promise Ezek. 11. 19. I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and I will give them an heart of flesh yet may we after we are once regenerated do much to further this great worke of God in our selves Therefore we see David professeth here that he afflicted his owne soule and Psal. 69. 10. that he chastned his soule And of Iosiâ—h it is said that he did humble himselfe before God 2 Chron. 34. 27. and of Manasses 2 Chron. 33. 12. that he humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his fathers Yea Gods people are commanded in the day of their fast Levit. 23. 27. to afflict their owne soules and Ioel 2. 13. to rent their hearts And Iâ—â— 4. 3 4. to breake up their fallow ground and to circumcise and take away the foreskin of their owne hearts By all which places it appeareth we may our selves do much in this worke yea that we must be doers in it our selves or els it will never be well done And certainly if we would do what we might our hearts would be much softer and better able to mourne for our sinnes than they are If any of you shall aske me Why what can we do or what should we do to worke our hearts to this godly sorrow I answer There are foure principall things that we may doe and that we must do if we would get broken and humbled hearts For 1. We must make choice of a fit time 2. Of a fit place 3. When we have so done we must examine our hearts seriously and imparâ—ially 4. We must pray to God for his assistance in this businesse First We must take a fit time to go about this worke For though this be but a matter of circumstance yet have Gods people found much helpe unto spirituall duties even in this Daniel for his private prayer made choice of the time that God had appointed for the evening sacrifice Dan. 9. 21. And so did Cornelius as will appeare if you compare Act. 10. 30. and 31. together Our blessed Saviour made choice of the evening for this purpose sometimes Mat. 14. 23. and sometimes of the morning early before day Mar. 1. 35. And as all our time is not to be spent in mourning so are there some times and seasons fitter for this purpose and such as will yeeld us more helpe in this worke than other-some will do Eccles. 3. 4. There is a time to weepe and a time to laugh a time to mourne and a time to dance And it is the wisdome of a Christian to discerne and take the fittest time for this purpose Eccles. 8. 5. A wise mans heart discerneth both time and judgement saith Salomon Eph. 5. 15 16. Walke not as fooles but as wise men redeeming the time The wisdome of a man you see consisteth much in the husbanding of his time well and making choice of the fittest time fore every purpose and action that he takes in hand And what times are the fittest may you say for this purpose I answer it is profitable for a man every day to be doing somewhat in this worke by observing his owne wayes and calling himselfe to an account for them For First The Apostle tels us we are in danger to be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne if we do not exhort or stirre up our selves daily Heb. 3. 13. Secondly The time of our death is very uncertaine and such servants we know as have great dealings for their master and looke to be called to a strict account they know not how soone will looke every day into their accounts and have them in areadinesse continually And surely this is our case we know not how soone our accounts will be called for Mar. 13. 35 36. Watch ye therefore for ye know not when the master of the house will come least comming suddenly he find you sleeping Thirdly This would helpe us greatly in our daily prayers unto God The more sense and sorrow for sinne we have when we pray the more acceptable certainly would our prayers be unto God Psal. 34. When David had said Vers. 17. The righteous cry and the Lord heareth them he tels us Verse 18. what cries and prayers of the righteous they be that the Lord hath such respect unto The
saith Moses Psal. 90. 8. set our iniquities before thee our secret sinnes in the light of thy countenance But thou wilt say to me What sinnes should I call to mind all that is an endlesse worke I know not where to begin nor where to make an end Psal. 40. 12. They are more in number saith David then the haires of my head How much more wilt thou say are my sins innumerable I answer 1. The more sinnes thou canst call to mind the better it will be for thee This we may see Ezek. 20. 43. where this is promised as a singular grace God would worke in his peoples hearts You shall remember your wayes and all your doings you have beene defiled and yee shall loath your selves in your owne sight for all your evils that ye have committed Therefore also when the Lord prescribeth unto Aaron the course hee should take in making an attonement betweene God and the people he tels him Levit. 16. 21. he must confesse over the live goat all the iniquities of the children of Israel and all their transgressions in all their sinnes And therefore it is good when thou goest about this worke to take the helpe of the glasse set the glasse of Gods Law before thee and examine thy wayes according unto it Rom. 3. 20. By the Law commeth the knowledge of sinne Secondly take heed thou dost not in thy examination willingly forget or passe by any sinne Either 1. out of a conceit that it is but small For Gods curse is due to the smallest Deut. 27. 26 Nor. 2. out of favour thou bearest to it and loathnesse to leave it For if thou regardi niquity in thine heart the Lord will not regard thee Psal. 66. 18. and Prov. 28. 13. Hee that hideth his sin shall not prosper Thirdly and lâ—stly Be thou yet in this examination of thy selfe specially desirous and carefull to call to mind the foulest and grossest of all thy sinnes that ever thou commiettdst though it were long agoe Deut 9. 7. Remember and forget not how thou provokedst the Lord thy God to wrath in the wiâ—dernesse Thus did David in the exercising of himâ—selfe unto repentance thinke oft of the sinnes of his youth Psalm 25. 7. Remember not the sinnes of my youth nor my transgressions So did Paul oft call to mind his foulest sinnes 1 Tim. 1. 13. I was a blasphemer and a persecuter For the heart will sooner bee brought to remorse and sorrow by remembrance of these then of smaller sinnes which was the cause why the Publicans and Harlots those grosse sinners repented sooner then the civill Pharisees Matth. 21. 32. No hard matter for you that have beene adulterers blasphemers persecuters theeves oppressours drunkards to bring your hearts unto godly sorrow if you would take but a little paines with them You that have lived more civilly as that rich young man had done that concerning the Commandements of the second Table could say unto Christ Matthew 19. 20. All these things have I kept from my youth up must take the more paines in this work The second thing we must doe in this examination of our selves is this When we have found out and called to mind our sinnes then must wee consider and weigh with our selves the hainousnesse of them aggravate them against our selves and lay them so to heart as we may bee affected and moved to remorse and sorrow for them Men are oft blamed for this that they laid not their sinnes to their heart considered not so of them as to bee affected with them Esay 47. 7. The Caldeans are blamed that they did not lay to their hearts the oppressions they had done to Gods people And the Iewes Esay 57. 11. that they laid not to heart their Idolatry Now the way to lay them to our heart is to consider well the hainousnesse of them and the circumstances whereby they are aggravated Paâ—l did use thus to aggravate his sinnes against himselfe Ephe. 3. 8. I am lesse then the least of all Saints 1 Tim. 1. 15. I am the chief of all sinners The circumstances whereby sinne is aggravated are many I will name a few of them First Consider thy sinnes have beene committed against many and strong meanes of grace Remember what Christ saith Matth. 11. 24. to Capernaum because of this I say unto thee that it shall bee more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgement then for thee Oh! consider with thy selfe that if the sinnes of Indians and other barbarous people that never enjoyed any ordinary meanes of grace shall justly be punished in Hell fire as doubtlesse they shall For as many as have sinned without Law shall also perish without Law saith the Apostle Rom. 2. 12. If the sinnes of Infants doe justly deserve damnation as certainly they doe Death hath raigned saith he Rom. 5. 14. even over them that have not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression that is not actually What degree and measure of punishment and torment thinkest thou is most justly due to thy sinnes that have beene committed against such meanes of grace as thou hast enjoyed Secondly Thy sinnes have not beene committed upon ignorance but against thy knowledge And if the elect Iewes were so pricked in heart for the sinne they committed ignorantly Act. 3. 17. how much more cause hast thou Remember what Christ saith of this circumstance Luk. 12. 47. That servant which knew his Lords will and prepared not himselfe neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes Thirdly How voluntary thou hast sinned how weake and light the tentations have often beene that have drawne thee to it nay how thou hast drawne and provoked thy selfe to it And say thou to thine owne heart If God were so much offended with Ahab though he had so strong a tempter as Iesabel his wife I Kings 21. 25. Alas what cause hath he to bee offended with mee that have beene mine owne tempter Remember what the Holy Ghost speaketh of this circumstance Esay 33. 1 Woe to thee that spoilest and wast not spoiled 5. 18. Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity sin as it were with a cart rope Fourthly The◠〈◊〉 â—â—mber of thy sinnes Say they were in their 〈…〉 so small yet the number of them and thy multiplyiâ—g of them so ofâ— makes the burden â—f them intolerable Consider how the Lord aggravates sinne by this circumstance Ier. 5. 6. A Lyon out of the forrest shall slay them and a Wolfe of the eveningâ— shall spoile them a Leopard shall watch over their cities every one that goeth out thence shall be torne in pieces because their transgressions are many and their backslidings are increased See what weight this very circumstance gave unto Davids sinne in the sense of his Conscience Mine iniquities saith he Psal. 40. 12. are more then the haires of mine head therefore mine heart faileth mee The sands though taken severally they
hearts so desirous or willing to thinke of our death and future estate as we ought to be Nay 2. Most of us do wilfully refuse to thinke of death but abandon this thought by all meanes and use our utmost endeavour to keep it out of our hearts as the Persian Kings were wont to keep all mourners out of their gates Esth. 4 2. Nay 3. which is worst of all many of us for this very cause will not think of our end but banish by all meanes this meditation out of our hearts that we may sinne the more freely And with those vile men that I told you the Prophet complaines of Amos 6. 3. we put farre away the evill day of purpose that we may cause the seat of violence to come neare that without feare and checke of conscience we may run headlong into all excesse of riot that we can devise Secondly this Doctrine serves to exhorte us all to prepare for death For that is the chief reason as we have heard why we should remember and thinke of it so oft And this preparation consisteth in two things principally First We must labour to weane our hearts daily from the overmuch love of all earthly things and inure our selves to beare willingly the daily and ordinary crosses we are subject to in this life nothing makes us so unwilling and unfit to dye as the immoderate love of earthly things They are in themselves certainly Gods good blessings and he doth of his goodnesse and bounty allow us to use and enjoy them not for our necessity onely but even for our delight and comfort also he giveth us richly all things to enjoy saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 6. 17. But the love of them is a most deadly enemy to grace specially unto this grace of dying willingly and comfortably That which the Apostle saith of the love of mony 1 Tim. 6. 10. that it is the root of all evill and cause why many are even pierced thorow with many sorrows the truth whereof is never more seene then when they are to dye may be likewise said of the love of any other worldly thing Love not the world saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 2. 15. neither the things that are in the world If any man love the world the love of the father is not in him For this cause it was that our blessed Saviour when he would prepare his disciples for persecution death bears so much upon these points First That they would take heed of esteeming too highly of or overloving any of the comforts of this life Secondly That they would learne to beare willingly the ordinary crosses God is pleased to exercise them with He that loveth father or mother saith he Mat. 10. 37 38. more then me is not worthy of mee and he that loveth sonne or daughter more then me is not worthy of mee And he that taketh not his crosse and followeth after me is not worthy of me And he said to them all Luke 9. 23. if any man will come after me let him deny himselfe and take up his crosse daily and follow mee And so the Apostle saith of himselfe 1 Cor. 15. 31. that he did dye daily that is by his willing forsaking of the comforts of this life and bearing of those daily crosses that he was subject unto he learned to dye every day Secondly Our preparation for death consisteth in our care to dispatch without delay and with all diligence those things of most importance which must needs be done before we dye Because we doe not know how soone nor how suddenly death may take us Thus wee see the harvest man and travailer that are afraid to be benighted are wont to doe And we have Christs owne example for this I must worke the works of him that sent me saith he Iohn 9. 4. while it is day the night commeth when no man can worke And what is that businesse of importance will you say that we must thus dispatch without delay if we would be well prepared to dye Surely to make this sure to our selves that whensoever we dye our soules shall goe to Heaven When this businesse is once done we shall be able to dye confidently and comfortably when once we know as the Apostle speaketh of himselfe and of others of the faithfull also 2 Cor. 5. 1. that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were disolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternall in the Heavens then we may sâ—y as he also doth there verse 8. Therfore we are alwayes confident knowing that whilest wee are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. It is held a good point of wisdome for a man specially if he be one that hath much to dispose to have his will alwayes in a readinesse And indeed so it is for it is commanded of God set thine house in order saith the Lord by his Prophet unto Hezechia Esa. 38. 1. for thou must dye and not live But there is one thing more needfull then that is even to set oursoules in order and to have them alwayes in a readinesse This is that one thing that is needfull of which our Saviour speaketh Luke 10. 42. It stands us upon to make our peace with God and to acquaint our selves well with him before we dye or else with what comfort can we goe unto him and appeare before him then yea we had need do it now in time of our health and without delay Acquaint thyselfe now with God saith Eliphas to Iob 22. 21 and make peace I because death commeth upon many and may doe upon us sodenly for man knoweth not his times saith Salomon Eccl. 9. 12. as the fishes that are taken in an evill net and as the birds that are caught in the snare so are the sonnes of men snared in an evill time when it cometh suddenly upon them 2. When extremity of sicknesse comes we shall be most unfit then to set our soules in order to begin our acquaintance with God or to make our peace with him Remember now thy Creatour saith Salomon Eccles. 12. 1. in the dayes of thy youth while the evill dayes come not nor the yeares drawnigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them He thought age an unfit time to begin this worke in but our last sicknesse is certainly a more unfit time for it than age is Then the mind of man is wont to be so distracted and troubled what with worldly cares for them that he shall leave behind him what with the extremity of paines that use to accompany sicknesse and specially with the terrours that rise from the apprehension of his future estate and from Satans temptations that he is not made uncapable of comfort or direction by the best meanes that can bee brought unto him When Moses that excellent servant of God one of a thousand came to the Israelites at such a time though the message he brought to them were as comfortable
is wont to be the sharpest of all other The Apostle telleth us Col. 2. 15. that our blessed Saviour spoiled the principalities and powers and made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in his crosse All the principalities and powers of hell did then set upon him and shewed their uttermost strength and rage against him This Christ did fore-see and told his Disciples of also before hand The prince of this world commeth saith he Iohn 14. 30. and hath nothing in me as if he should say I know well that Satan in my passion which is now at hand will come and assault me with all his forces but he hath nothing nothing of his owne no corruption at all in me and therefore shall lose his labour and do me no hurt at all And as he did with Christ our head so hath he been wont to deale also with the best of his members and servants even to set upon them most fiercely in their â—ast sicknesse and that for two causes 1. Because he sees his time and opportunity that he can have with them is now so short having great wrath saith the voice from heaven Rev. 12. 12. because he knoweth that he hath but a short time 2. Because he knoweth we are then through paines and feares and distempers of body and mind like to be most weake and unable to resist him Secondly though godly men may have such conflicts with Satan and experience of his most fiery assaults upon their death-beds yet the Lord the God of peace is wont to tread downe Satan under their feet as the Apostle speakes Rom. 6. 20. before they die He useth to make them even in this life morâ— then conquerours over that distresse and anguish which his assaults hath brought them unto In all these we are more than conquerours saith he Rom. 8. 37. through him that loved us Yea the experience of many of Gods servants hath proved that these bitter conflicts of theirs have ended in more abundance of peace and comfort than ever they found in their lives before and that not inwardly onely in their owne feeling but God hath made them able also to expresse it outwardly to the exceeding comfort and admiration of them that have beene about them Thirdly and lastly although it should so fall out that the Lord for the further hardning of wicked men or for some other causes best knowne to himselfe whose judgements are unsearchable and his wayes past finding out as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 11. 33. should take away any of his servants in these fearfull fits and conflicts and utterly disable them from expressing by word or gesture the victory over them and the comfort that they have ended in yet are we to rest confidently assured of this that every one that hath lead a good and godly life doth certainly die blessedly and comfortably though we cannot perceive it Because we are to walke by faith and not by sight as the Apostle teacheth us 2 Cor. 5. 7. and more credit is to be given to the word of God than to all sense and experience of men and therefore whatsoever we heare them speake or see in the manner of their death we should resolve with Salomon Eccl. 8. 12. Yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that feare God which feare before him For the Lord hath expresly said of every godly man Prov. 14. 32. The righteous hath hope in his death And commanded us Psal. 37. 37. to marke the perfect man and behold the upright assuring us that the end of that man is peace The fourth and last thing that may be objected against that which hath been said is this if the death of all the godly be so blessed and happy why hath there beene such mourning and lamentation for their death among Gods people as we see there was both in the old Testament for the death of Iacob Gen. 50. 10. and of Samuel 1 Sam. 25. 1. and of many more and in the new Testament also for the death of Steven Acts 8. 2. and of Tabitha Acts 9. 36. and sundry others To this I answer 1. That the happinesse of the godly in their death makes nothing against our mourning for them but it is both lawfull and fit for us to mouâ—ne for the death of our Christian friends for all that 1. Out of the respect we owe unto them and out of that love and affection we are bound to shew unto them And the Apostle noteth it Rom. 1. 31. for a signe of one that is given up of God to a reprobate mind to be void of natural affection towards them that God hath linked him unto 2. Out of respect to our selves and therein unto the Lord also for we are to take it for an argument of Gods displeasure against us for our sinne when he deprives us of such friends as were his good instruments of our comfort any way So Naomi when God had taken from her her husband and her two sonnes said Ruth 1. 21. that the Lord had testified against her and the Almighty had afflicted her Secondly though it be lawfull and fit we should mourne for the death of our Christian friends yet may we not mourne for them immoderately but take heed that we exceed not this way They that weepe saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 7. 30. should be as though they wept not They must take heed their hearts be not too much taken up and oppressed with griefe I would not have you to be ignorant brethren saith he 1 Thess. 4. 13. concerning them which are asleepe that ye sorrow not even as others which have no hope And we should moderate our griefe in this case 1. Out of our respect unto the Lord who is the doer of this It is he that gives and it is he also that takes away our friends from us This quieted Iobs mind and moderated his sorrow when he had lost all his sonnes and daughters The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away saith he Iob 1. 21. It becomes us all to stoope and submit our selves to his will in all things and to say with old Ely 1 Sam. 3. 18. It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good And immoderate sorrow in any of our losses must needs argue a kind of murmuring and impatiency against God 2. Out of our respect unto our Christian friends whom we mourne for for death is to them we know a great advantage to die is their gaine as the Apostle speaketh Phil. 1. 21. Death makes them happy and blessed Write blessed are the dead which die in the Lord saith the voice from heaven Rev. 14. 13. For 1. Death puts an end to all their sorrowes afflictions and tentations that they were vexed with continually in this life now they rest from their labours Rev. 14. 13. 2. Death puts an end to all their infirmities which they so much complained of and perfecteth their sanctification which they so much longed after while
they lived The spirits of just men saith the Apostle Heb. 12. 23. when they are once separated from their bodies and translated to heaven and not before then are made perfect 3. And lastly their workes follow them Rev. 14. 13. Death puts them in possession of their eternall happinesse and of that blessednesse whereby God hath promised to reward their obedience and all that care they have had to please him Certainly the least thing that any child of God hath done in love and obedience unto him shall not be forgotten nor unrewarded of God no not the dutifulnesse and diligence and faithfulnesse of a poore servant to his master Knowing saith the Apostle to such Col. 3. 24. that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of inheritance for ye serve the Lord Christ. And whosoever saith our Saviour Mat. 10. 42. shall give to drinke unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water onely in the name of a Disciple verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his reward But this reward is many times not given to Gods servants in this life When the even is once come and we have done working then will the Lord of the vineyard as we read Mat. 20. 8. give unto all his labourers the wages he hath covenanted to give unto them Now because of this great advantage and benefit that in all these three respects comes to our Christian friends by their death we faile much in the love we pretend to have borne unto them if we mourne immoderately for their departure from us Old Barzillai was willing even out of his love to his sonne to part with him and forgo the great helpe and comfort he might have had from him in his age because of the great preferment he knew it would be to his sonne to leave him and live with David in his court 2 Sam. 19. 37. And what comparison is there betweene that preferment and this that every child of God is advanced unto by his death 3. And lastly out of respect unto ourselves we should moderate our griefe for the departure of our Christian friends because we have not quite lost them but we shal be sure to enjoy them againe with much more content and comfort in their society than ever we did here By this consideration David moderated his sorrow for the death of his child 2 Sam. 12. 23. I shall go to him but he shall not returne unto me For though we shall not know one another nor enjoy the society and company one of another in the life to come in that naturall and carnall manner as we did in this life yet shall we certainly rejoyce much more one in another than ever we did in this world And this comfort that the faithfull shall have in heaven in their mutuall society is oft mentioned in the holy Scripture as one part and degree of that unspeakable happinesse that they shall enjoy there They shall sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob saith our Saviour Matthew 8. 11. in the kingdome of heaven They shall be admitted into the general assembly and church of the first-born which are written in heaven and to the spirits of just men made perfect And the Apostle saith of the Thessalonians who were won to God by his ministry and in whom he had taken great comfort in this life 1 Thess. 3. 19 20. that he knew well that in the life to come even in the presence of our Lord Iesus and at his comming they â—â—ould be his glory and joy and crowne of rejoycing he should take farre more comfort in them then than ever he had done in this world And this may suffice for answer to all thâ—se foure things that have been objected and to settle your hearts in this truth that the man that lives a godly and fruitfull life may be sure to die happily and comfortably and none but he And thus much also shall serve to have been spoken at this time Let us now praise God for his mercy and commend this that we have heard to his blessing by humble and faithfull prayer FINIS TO HIS MOST WORTHY AND MVCH HONOVRED PAtrone Master William Cokayne Merchant at his house in Austine Fryers in London SIR I Hope the world will not blame me for increasing the crowd of Englishwriters with which it is so much troubled nor censure me of folly for thrusting this little Booke into the throng where it is like to be smoothered if I may be admitted to put in this plea. To the first that as a dutifull sonne in honour of my deare fathers Name and memory I strive for some place for this Monument which may be some meanes to perpetuate the same in Gods Church as a faithfull Executor I am carefull to discharge this part of his though but nuncupative will to endeavour the publishing of this and some other of his Workes which himselfe intended and had prepared for the presse To the latter I plead that though it be in it selfe but small yet will it finde in the throng a booke to which it is neerely allyed a childe of the same Authors braine and heart the Lectures on Saint Iohn 4. which having found free and speedy passage will make way for this and easily procure it welcome and entertainment where it selfe hath found the like and I presume elsewhere also for somuch as the company of this may be procured at a farre easier charge then the former and as it hath one already to lead the way so God willing ere long I hope it shall be seconded by another of later bâ—â—th but greater growth It no way becometh me to commend this or any other worke of his let me rather strive to imitate him my selfe then to commend him or any thing of his to others his very name will commend them And least under that name the reader should suspect he may bee abused I heere solemnly promise that what is or shall be by me published under his name shall not be loose notes that have beene taken by some ignorant Scribe nor shall it be made up with additions and alterations of my owne buâ— the Copies under his owne hand carefully transcribed And as for publishing these Sermons I have good reason so for dedicating them to your selfe The occasion of them was that heavy Visitation which was then upon your City the drift of one part of them was to moove his auditors to commiserate the then wofull estate of it to you therefore as a Citizen of no meane note have I directed them but principally to you as my Patrone I have not nor expect anything of mine owne worthy publique view this I owne not as Authour but as Heire to the Authour and it being in mine hands I thought it my duty being the first booke I had to dispose of to present it first into those hands which freely bestowed the Presentation to this Parsonage upon me I have beene for above these foure yeeres covetous of