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
too weak and feeble to admit of so lofty a flight Let nature and the power of it be never so much commended by its admirers the natural man without a supernatural principle and the sweet yet mighty assiâ—â—ance of special grace never did never can make God his highest end No no self sâ—icks too close to him and is predominant it is both at the top and bottom of all his actions and doth indeed run quite thorough them Whereupon Theophylact said you cannot instance in one good Heathen because they did all for vain glory 2. Your deceased Pastors desigâ—ed the salvation of their own souls interest in God communion with him and fruition of him tasts of his sweetness sights of his beauty now and satisfaction hereafter They were of David's mind and rejoyced in the same hopes David had been speaking of the men of the world how they had their bellies filled with hid treasures Oh! that is good say some we wish we had our belly full too but stay that which spoiled all is this that they had their portion in this liâ—e The comforts of the wâ—â—ld are good enâ—oymenâ—s but they are a bad portion that holy man did think them so and therefore closed most sweetly thus Psâ—l 17. 15. As for me I will behold thy â—â—ce in rightâ—â—usâ—ess I shall be sâ—tisfied when I awake with thy likeness It is as if he had said Every one as he likes if these men see so much in the world let them take it and much good may it do them when they have their bellies full let them go to rest and sing themselves asleep in the lap of pleasures at the breast of creatures when God awakens them they will find emptiness and pain having fed all along upon wind and ashes As for me I will not be put off with these things they are but for the body but for the belly which must be destroyed for that part of man which shall never be glorified As for me I study the good of my precious soul and am set for a portion for my soul I would have my portion to take when their portion is spent I am for beholding the face of God and satisfaction with the likeness of God and when I once have that I am sure that I shall have enough both of his love and of his glory Paul laboured more abundantly than all if you should ask him what it was he laboured for he tells you I and my faithful Brethren labour that whether present or absent they might be accepted of God 2 Cor. 5. 9. We would gladly be accepted of the Saints but our chief desire and ambition is to be accepted of the God of Saints and to be received to live with him as his Children for ever And surely their greatest Adversaries may well allow them this We all know there is a scantiness in the creature and a narrowness in the world from whence proceeds shouldering and justling and scrambling but the Divine Love is infinite the fulness of a God inexhaustible and in Heaven there are many mansions room enough and happiness enough and glory enough for all that shall come thither let us not quarrel by the way nor at the Inne at home at our Fathers house there is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore 3. Lastly They desir'd and aim'd at the spiritual good and eternal welfare of your souls To bring you unto Christ to build you upon Christ to keep you from departures from him and from unstedfastness with him in a word to be instrumental for the making you meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Your selves are witnesses of the pains they took among you God is witness of their studies for you the tears they shed in private the prayers they made in which they wrestled with great wrestlings that you might live in his sight and neither fall short of the grace which is bestowed upon his people nor of the Rest which remains for them I dare with highest confidence affirm these were the ends at which they principally aimed and do not fear being put to the blush at last as one that is found a lyar 2. But now let us consider the end of their daies their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 last end their going off the stage of the world and out of this vail of tears What Exist have they how come they off at last for that is the import of the word in the Original which saith a Learned Critick is a metaphor taken from those who being incompast about with thieves are in danger on every side how do they escape Faithful Pastors are tha light of the world but how many are there every where puffing at them They are the Salt of the earth but how do the wicked endeavour to cast all this Salt upon the dung-hill and what an unsavoury world should we have then They are troubled on every side and in all revolutions of Kingdoms and Nations none are so much exposed to hazard as they Well now observe and consider the end the last Act and blessed be our good God you shall find that in the Evening it is light Finis coronat opus Their End is such as that it crowns their works such as makes them free to tell the world that their labour hath not been in vain in the Lord because it fully answers all their hopes and expectations nay doth unspeakably exceed them It is such an End as is desirable for all men Even a Balaam wished thus Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his The vile wretch did not like the righteous mans life that was too refined and strict for him who loved the wages of unrighteousness but he would fain have his end And you will see no cause at all to wonder at it if you will but retire a little and in good earnest consider these things 1. The End of your faithful Pastors yea and of faithful Christians too is a welcome end Others like the fool in the Gospel have their souls taken from them there is a force put if they could resist they would in a sullen mood and disconted fit they will call for death but when it comes indeed they wish it â—arther off Whereas these resign their souls and give up the Ghost and commend their spirits into their Saviours hand They did according to their duty love their work and Relations and Friends and Comforts yea and glory in the Cross of Christ but they can freely bid farewel to all when they know they shall and think they do go to God Though their daies be few yet they depart hence full of daies because they have had their fill of living they do not only submit to God when he sends for them but also are well pleased the World was crucified to them and they to the World when things are once brought to that pass it is no hard matter to part the World
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