concerning Men nor concerning Beasts Plants or Trees these Creatures have a Sensitive or Vegetative Life but when they die they are not said to sleep because their Life is utterly extinguished and totally abolished but when Men Die they do but Sleep the Senses of the Body are indeed seal'd up it becomes a Carcase without Sense or Motion but the Soul is alive the Light is snatched out of the Lanthorn of the Body but is not exringuished Life is still preserved in the Soul as the root and tho men sleep yet there is one that will a wake them Christ the first born of Gods new Family is up fiâ—st he is raised out of the Grave and will call out and rouse up all his Spiritual Brethren and Sisters out of the long sleep of Death 3. Peters saying He must put off his Tabernacle doth further mind us of and instruct us in a great Duty that Saints ought to Die in obedience and willingly to lay down the body tho Christians are snatched by a violent death and cut off by cruel hands tho their fleshly Garment be plucked off and their Earthly Tabernacle by barbarous Enemies be plucked down yet God expects and Christ looks for submission to the fatal Stroke and that we should choose Sufferings and Death rather than sin this is to put off our Tabernacle when God takes away the Souls of Hypocrites Job 27.8 we must commit them into his Hands Psal 31.5 when others are driven away out of the World Prov. 32. we must desire to depart and to be with Christ Phil. 23. We must die to the Lord Rom. 14.8 that is we must breath out our Souls and give them up when he calls for them and requires them we must die in compliance with his will to be more subject to him to 〈◊〉 more possessed by him to enjoy a Peace and fuller Communication with him not so much to be freed of Sufferings as to be rid of Sin To be perfected in the Image and Life of Christ 3. Why must Christs Ministers as well as others put off their Tabarnacles Ans 1. They have contracted and are involved in guilt all have sinned Rom. 3.23 As they are not free from the Contagion of Iniquity so they are not exempted from the Sentence of Death Gen. 3.19 Sin dwells in them and this opens the door and lets in Death upon them they as well as other Christians do want the Soader the Glew the Cement of a perfect inherent Righteousness and therefore their Building doth moulder and the Stones of it sall one from another Death is compar'd to a Flood Psal 90.5 Thou carriest them away as with a Flood this Flood is very general it carrie away High and Low Rich and Poor Saints and Sinners we read but of two little Islands Enoch and Elias that have not hitherto been over whelm'd with this Flood all the rest of Mankind shall be carried away with this Plood except those that shall be found a live at the last day It is appointed for all men once to die Heb. 9.27 This is a Law not to be Repealed a Seâ—â—… not to be Reversed the Body is Dead by Reason of Sin Rom. 8.10 Death passeth over all men because all have sinned Rom. 5.12 2. Ministers must die that sometimes by their Death they may Eminently Glorify God Christ foretold Peters Martyrdom and by his being girded and led whither he would not did signify that violent death whereby he should Glorify God and John 1.18 19. that he durst not lay down his Lise that is most sweet and submit to Death that is most bitter to Nature in obedience to an invisible God and in hope of an unseen World this signally Glorifies God and benefits his People Paul speaks of his being offered on the Service and Sacrifice of the Philippians Faith 2 Phil. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies a Drink-offering the Drink-offering used to be annexed to the Sacrifices and these were of Wines On this account the Vine in the Parable saith That by its Wine it cheared the Heart of God Judg. 9. as well as of men the Apostle with allusion to the Sacrifices of the Law was willing that his Blood should be poured out by cruel hands that God might dispose his true Offerings to this Holy and Gracious end to promote and advance the Faith of the Philippians the sufferings of the Pastors for the true Religion do so greatly tend to Edify their Flocks and to strengthen their Belief of the Gospel Paul would not have Died for an uncertain Doctrine or for a Fable invented by men he was fully perswaded of the truth of the Gospel of Christ that he durst to venture his Life his Soul his all for Eternity on the credit of this Doctrine so Christ was Magnified by him and Saints were confirmed and established by his sufferings Phil. 1.12 13 20. 3 Christs Ministers do put off their Tabernacle to shew that God is not stinted or confined to particular Ministers he can bare up his Name support his Kingdom carry on his Interest tho he cut off eminent Embassadors and gives a quiet rest to painful Labourers God hath absolute need of no person if he cut off some he can raise up others if the day and work of some be done he hath a residue of the Spirit and can furnish fit and thrust out other Labourers into his Harvest if Pillars be pulled away yet the Church that is the Temple of the Living God shall not fall God hath others to substitute in the room of those that are snatched away as God reneweth the Face of the Earth by sending forth his Spirit Psal 104.30 tho Plants and Trees decay Birds die Beasts perish Men give up the Ghost yet Gods great Farm is not unstocked his House unfurnished or destitute of Inhabitants so tho Saints die and Ministers are snatch'd away yet God sends forth his Spirit and begets a new Generation of Saints and raises up a new Stock and suptly of Ministers and so renews the Face of the Church God will not want Friends to wooe for that Bridegroom Ambassadours of Christ for Peace Heralds to Proclaim Christ the King of Glory 4. God calls his Ministers home to receive the Reward of their Labours to reap the fruits of all their pains 2 Tim. 4.7 8. Paul saith That after Death there remnined for him a Crown of Righteousness God design'd it towards him God laid it up for him Ministers go hence to set on the Throne to wear the Crown to possess the Eternal Inheritance to partake of the everlasting Feast promised to them when God saith to the Body Return to thy dust Gen. 3.19 then he speaks to the Soul as God did to Jacob Gen. 31.3 Return to the Land of thy Fathers and to thy Kindred and I will be with thee when the Soul is turned out of an Earthly Tabernacle it is taken into an Heavenly House when the Flesh is Sown in the dust the
Christ's Ministers must shortly put off their TABERNACLES Set forth in a Funeral Sermon Preach'd at Hungerford at the Interring OF Mr. Ric. Moor Late Minister of the Gospel there By Samuel Tomlyns M. A. and Minister of the Gospel at Marlborough LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Threee Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers-Chappel 1694. THE Epistle Dedicatory TO The Honourable Sir HEALE HOOK Baronet of Chilton in the County of Wilts Grace Mercy and Peace be multiplied from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ THE Sermon that I preach'd at the Funeral of my Worthy Friend and your near Neighbour Mr. Richard Moor late of Hungerford I here present to you with some small Enlargements I did not think of publishing it but the importunity of some hath prevailed with me to transcribe and print it The Subject insisted on is weighty it treats of putting off our Earthly Tabernacles It is that which must certainly be and it can be done but once It is appointed for all men once to die Heb. 9.27 and it is said The Master of the House will once Rise and shut the Door of his House Luke 13.25 He will rise to shut it against the slothful and Negligent against the impenitent and unbelieving And when he is once Risen and hath shut the door he will never rise again to open it Those that are once excluded are excluded and undone for ever The Errors committed in this Life cannot be redressed or mended by living again and Christ will never revoke his Sentence that he hath pronounced against those that have trifled away their day of Life and sinned away their day of Grace it is your Duty and Interest to think of and prepare for the putting off your Earthly Tabernacle If a man be warned out of one House in this World he will consider how to furnish and provide himself with another Our Souls must dislodge out of these Cottages of Clay and Tabernacles of Flesh and shall we not think of another habitation How will God dispose of us where will he six us for Eternity Then we begin to be wise when we number our days and think of and prepare for our Removal into an Everlasting State Heb. 6.19 then we establish our hearts when we cast Anchor within the Vail then we provide never-failing Springs of Consolation when we look not at the things that are seen but at the things that are not seen 2 Cor. 4.18 How unreasonable is it for an immortal Soul to mind only its Tabernacle-state in this World and to put all its Comforts and Happiness upon an inch a moment of time and on days of an hands breadth Would it not be Folly and Madness for a man to be careful how he should live for one day and be careless of all his other days And is it not worse to be solicitous for the one short day of Time and to be regardless of the innumerable days of Eternity O why should we be so dim so short sighted as to discern only the Objects of Sense and things near to us and not to behold things that are afar off the Feast that is to be enjoyed the Treasure that is to be possessed the Country that is to be inherited after death Solomon speaks of it as bad for persons to be born into the world and have nothing to be Heirs of Poverty and Beggery Eccles 5.14 He begetteth a Son and there is nothing in his hand But it is much worse to be born into Eternity and to have nothing to have interest in no Friend Title to no Inheritance Claim to no suitable and satisfying Good to live on for Eternity for nothing to remain but the sin of men and the wrath of God 1. John last 3. John last By the Fall of the First Adam we were all captivated to seen things and fell under the power of the Life of Sense It is the mighty and rich Grace of God that must raise us from this low and base life of Sense to an higher and Nobler life of Faith converse with and dwell on invisible and eternal things in our thoughts and affections tho we have all sinned and so come short of the Glory of God Rom. 3.23 Yet it is possible we may be justified by Faith have peace with God and rejoyce in the hope of the Glory of God The Son of God hath proclaimed a Spiritual Jubilee Isa 61.2 that not only our lost liberty may be retrieved but also our alienated Inheritance may be recovered The Lord fix your Eye and center your Heart on invisible and eternal things that when you shall be a Steward out of Office you may be an Heir in possession These are the unfeigned desires of Your Affectionate and Humble Servant S. T. A Funeral Sermon Preached at Hungerford at the Interring of Mr. Richard Moor late Minister of the Gospel there 2 Pet. 1.14 Knowing that shortly I must put off this my Tabernacle even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me IN the Text we may observe these several Parts a Name given to the Body it is call'd a Tabernacle and this Name imports its frailty and weakness there is a vast difference between the present and future Estate of it now it is a Feeble Tabernacle but hereafter it shall be a strong and everlasting House 2 Cor. 5.2 In this we groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed with our houses which shall be Raised by the second sinless Adam 〈…〉 or this Name implies that Men continue in this Tabernacle but a little time while they are Warring with Enemies below and Travelling to their Fathers House above 2. We have a description of Death it is the putting off this Tabernacle we are but Temporary Sojourners in the Body by sin our first Parents Sold the Fee-simple of life and we have now but a short Lease of it yea are Tenants at the will of our great Landlord when he removes us out of our Tabernacle we must depart and be gone that Body which to standing Adam would have been an everlasting House to Fallen Man is but a Temporary Cottage but this expression of the Apostle to put off this Tabernacle may seem a Catachrisis or bold Metaphor yet if we stop not in the surface but search deeper into the Expression we shall find great Emphasis and Elegancy in it A Tabernacle is a standing Garment and a Garment is a movable Tabernacle they both serve for the same end and use to keep off the inconvenience or hurt the Body may sustain by being exposed to the open Air to Rainy or cold Weather 3. The Apostle Peter intimates that the time for his departure out of the Body was appâ—â—â—â—ning and near at hand I must shortly put off this Tabernacle If Violent hands do pull down this Tabernacle it will be shortly put off if it be suffered to continue till it fall of it self that then it will be shortly put off this Clay Cottage will soon moulder
down this Lamp of Life will quickly go out if no violent strong breath doth blow it out we shall of our own accord within a little time drop from the Tree of Life if no violent Wind doth shake us down or cruel hand doth a little sooner pluck us from it 4. Peter tells us his especial ground why he did know that shortly he must put off his Earthly Tabernacle because the Lord Jesus Christ had told him so Jesus Christ could not be mistaken about a future Event He knew what Cruel Men would endeavour to commit and what he himself would permit and therefore certainly warned Peter of that violent Death that did abide him Peter in these words seems to relate to and reflect on what is Recorded in the 21 John 18 19. That when he was old another should Gird him that is with Bonds of Chains and carry him whither he would not that is he should be led to such Hard Sufferings and cruel Death as Nature was averse to and did recoil from Peter had lived several years since this Prediction and therefore the fulfilling and accomplishing of it could not now be far off The Doctrine that the words offer and offer'd to us is this Doctr. Christ's Ministers must shortly put off their Earthly Tabernacles Peter an Eminent Apostle was to submit to and fall under the Fatal Stroke of Death To Die indeed is common to all Men but to be put to Death for the Gospel this is peculiar to Christians and Saints Death makes War against the Ambassadours of Peace blows out the Sacred Lamps of the Sanctuary silences the very Friends of the Bridegroom so that they can no more Sollicit a Marriage between the Lord of Life and poor Perishing Sinners This King of Terrors not only Executes Saints but also cuts off even Christs Seâ—â—es-men and sows them in the Dust Reapes the Lords Harvest-men and Removes them into the Barn of Heaven and gathers them into the Garners of Glory that sad Providence that is the occasion of this Solemnity is an evident Proof and clear demonstration of the Truth of the Doctrine one of the Lords Messengers in the Flower and Prime of his Days hath quickly put off his Tabernacle In the handling of the Doctrine I shall 1. Take notice of the Name given to the Body 2. Insist upon the Name given to Death 3. I shall shew you why even Ministers must put off this Tabernacle 4. I shall evidence what ground they have to conclude that shortly they must put off their Tabernacle 1. Let us consider the Name put on the Body It is called a Tabernacle as I hinted before 1. To express its weakness on this account it is Styled an Earthen Vessel 2 Cor. 4.7 By a little knock this Earthly Vessel may easily be dash'd to Pieces a little Sickness looses the Cords pulls up the Stakes and overthrows this Tabernacle A Disease of a few days pulls it down to the dust as grass we spring up and wither as bubble we rise and fall as vapours we appear and vanish away 4. James 14.14 Job 1. We act a short part on the Stage of Time and retire within the Curtains of Eternity 2. It is called a Tabernacle to Note the short continuance of the Soul in it it must soon dislodg and remove to another Habitation The Traveller had his Tent so Jacob when he journied towards Canaan he pitch'd his Tent in Mount Gilead Gen. 31.25 And Soldiers when they Camped in the open Field they had their Tents 2 Sam 11.11 When Israel and Judah did Besiege Rabbah they did abide in Tents The word Tent and Tabernacle are used promiscuously for the same thing 1 Chron. 16.1 David is said to pitch a Tent for the Ark of God but in 2 Sam. 6.17 it is said they brought the Ark of God and set it in its place in the midst of the Tabernacle that David had pitched for it For this Reason the Patriarchs are said to dwell in Tabernacles or to sojourn in Tents Heb. 11.9 to shew that they had no long time to stay in this World that they accounted themselves to be but Pilgrims and Strangers on Earth Heb. 11.13 that they look for an abiding City that they desired a Country above Heb. 11. and were Travelling towards an invisible and glorious World our welfare will soon be accomplished and then the Soldiers Tent is taken down our Pilgrimage will quickly be at an end and then the Travellers Tent ceases and is gone Saints not only have no abiding City in this World but they would have none they desire none below 2. Death is here called the putting off this Tabernacle this Phrase may instruct us and teach us three considerable Lessons and weighty truths 1. The Nobility and Excellency of the Soul the Body is but a Tabernacle the Soul is the Tenant and Inhabitant in it how much better is the Tenant than the Tabernacle therefore Souls should be most highly valued chiefly thought of cared for and attended to the Soul doth not follow the state of the Body but the Body follows the state of the Soul either for a blessed or a miserable Eternity Will a man lay out all his Time and waste his Estate to beautify flourish and fine out his House and will he neglect famish and Starve himself And that we feed heal cloath our Bodies but for get all the concerns wants and necessities of our Souls and that we doat on our baser despise forget and famish our better part 2. This expression of putting off our Tabernatle may teach us the immortality of our Souls the Body is but the Tent of the Soul a Traveller or Soldier hath no such dependance on his Tent but he can go out of it and yet live there is no such necessary connexion between the Tent and the Traveller but he can exist and subsist tho his Tent be taken down Aristotle de anima tho a Heathen did acknowledg that the Soul came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from without by this expression he seems to intimate that the Soul is of a higher Original of a more Noble Extraction than to derive its Pedigree from Progenitors below Man is so great and noble a Creature that he came from two Worlds and therefore must needs be for two Worlds our Flesh was propagared from Parents below but our Spirits descend and derive our Original from a Father above Heb. 12.9 This lower world is but a passage for Travelling Souls to journey through but the upper world is the home and rest for Holy and Blessed Souls to dwell in the Body is but the Garment of the Soul as a man can live tho he put off his Cloaths so the Soul can continue its being tho it be stript of the Garment of the Flesh a naked divested Spirit can live in the World of Spirits tho it leave the World of Bodies Death in Scripture is often called a Sleep 1 Kings 2.10 Job 7.21 this Phrase is used only