PEACE The End of the Perfect and Vpright Demonstrated and usefully Improved in a SERMON Preached upon the Occasion of the Death and Decease of that Piously Affected and truely Religious MATRON Mrs. ANNE MASON Sometime Wife to Major Mason who not long after finished his Course and is now at rest By Mr. James Fitch Pastor of the Church of Christ at Norwich Prov. 10.7 The Memory of the just is blessed Psal 112.6 The Righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance Heb. 6.11 We desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end 12. That ye be not sloathful but followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the promises CAMBRIDGE Printed by Samuel Green 1672. Christian Reader THe Abusive and justly to be Condemned practise of too too many who in Preaching Funeral Sermons by mis-representing the Dead have dangerously misled the living and by flatteriâ—s corrupted many hath occasioned not a few to question if not conclude against the lawfulness of Preaching at such seasons and made others less forward and almost afraiâ— to make a due improvement of such awful â—olemn oportunities by comporting with the providence of God in making use of those heart awakening strokes of his angry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Almighty Arm whereby we have been bereavâ—d of much of our strength and glory But surely it iâ— the holy will of God which determineth what is good and lawful and that by an eternal Law not alterable by the sinful lusts of men 〈…〉 The Vessels of the Temple lost not their Holiness of Consecration to the service of the true and living God by their ill usage in Babilon Holy Paul 1 Cor. 3 22. setting down and summing up the riche of true Believers put into tâ—e Inventory Life and Death Life is yours and Death is yours but not your own only but of others who are Fellow members of the same Mystical Body and part of the fulness of him who filleth all in all Thâ—se Worthies whose Live Deaths are Recorded in Heb. Chap. 11. are presented Chap. 12.1 as a Cloud of Witnesses to be minded by us and followed in running with patience the race that is set before us Had not importunity of such as kâ—ew and honoured the eminent piety of that deceased Saint now at rest whose departure out of this World occasionea this ensuing Sermon out of a desire to Embalm her Name and preserve the memory of a life and death so exemplary and instructiâ—â— prevailea with the pious Author too much a lover of privacie and retirement these useful Notes had not so publickly presented themselves unto tâ—y view Now the God of alâ— Grace vouchsafe so to sanctifie this with other like helpâ— that when summâ—â—ed hence into another World thou mayest be able to say and pray witâ— good Hezechiah Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight Vnto His mercy I commâ—â—â— thee and rest thine in him J. S. PSAL. 37.37 Mark the Perfect and behold the Vpright for the end of that man is peace EVery Word of God as it s his Word is very precious but some Honey Combes contain more Honey and better Honey then some other The Word of God is more precious then Gold then fine Gold and sweeter then the Honey and the Honey Combe as in Psal 19.10 Judicious and pious Calvin that famous Expositor saith of this Psalm that it containâ— Doctrine Principally usefull and he gives weighty Reason to prâ—â—â— it because David by this Psalm shewes that though the Godly suffer Advâ—â—siâ—y in a Godly way and the wicked prosper in their wicked way and 〈◊〉 seemingly goes ill with the best and well with the worst personâ— for a time yet the vast difference the Lord makes between the Godly and the wicked makeing the Godly to be happy through his Grace in their greatest misery and leaving the wicked through his just â—udgâ—ment in a cursed and miserable state in their greatest outward 〈…〉 and the difference between these two is very Remarkable in thâ—â—… 〈◊〉 and in their Death First The difference in their Lives and the â—â—â—…rious dispâ—â—sations of God to them are in many particulars speciâ—â—â—â— from the â—â—â—rse to the 25. And the difference in respect of theâ—â— Death from the 35 verse to the end of this Psalm The General which contains the specialties is exprâ—â—sed in my Text this 37 verse Mark the Perfect and behold the Vpright for the end of that man is Peace The Text implies 1. That some Persons are remarkable Subjects of Gods mercy and Divine favour Who are these but the Perfect the upright 2. In what are they remarkable First As they are perfect and upright ones so they are to be marked in their Lives Secondly In respect of their latter end and thus they are to be marked in their Dâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace Thirdly Our Duty the Psalmist calls for special observation mark and behold the upright how he lives and how he dyes what his life is and what is his end and as Calvin renders it observe and consider This Psalm of which these words are a principal part they may be taken as an Epitome briefly containing the whole being to open that which is a Paradox as he calls it The Doctrine from these words is Doct. The Life and Latter end of the Godly containt observable things which God requires us to consider What the Life and what the Death of the Godly is our God calls us to mark and behold For the Explication of this Doctrine let us consider 1. What are the Observable things in the Life and in the Death of the Godly 2. what ought to be our Observation of them We are not to expect that all the Observable things respecting the Life and the Death of the Godly can be particularly contained and exprest in one Sermon although an Angel from Heaven should be sent at this time to Preach to you for much of the time through all Eternity shall be spent upon this Subject amongst the Spirits of the Just made perfect But I shall give you some Observations concerning some specialties to set your Observations to work so far as God shall assist in this very afflicting time First Concerning the Observations respecting the life of the Godly the Text presents us with two Generals First The perfection of the Godly Secondly The uprightness of such Mark the Perfect and behold the Vpright concerning the first of these the Question ariseth What perfection can be observed in a Godly mans Life while he lives with a body of sin in him I Answer Yet it 's to be marked 1 That the Godly in this life have some beginnings of perfection and those which shall grow up till they come to perfection and so abide for ever There is a
Ordinances This is only the general let us more particularly consider First it 's a marking by way of comparison the blessedness of the upright in their lives and latter end in comparison of others this is a principal scope of the Text and of the foregoing and following words and therefore let us comparatively mark the Upright as if we see thâ—m stand at the right hand of Christ and others at his lest hand both in their life and death Behold the life of the Upright how he shines as a light in a darksome World and shall shine as the Stars for ever and for ever and behold how others walk in darkness and shall go into outer darkness Prov. 3.18 19. Behold the Vpright lives as a Citizen of Heaven having his conversation in Heaven Phil. 3. and Heaven is his Country and own place Heb 11.10 and behold how others live as slaves to the World and in bondage to their Lusts and the Devils temptations and they shall go to their own places Act. 1.25 Behold the Vpright lives and walks in the spirit of Christ Gal. 5.28 and you may behold Christ living and walking in him Gal. 2.20 but others live and walk in their own spirits and you may see the evil one living and walking in them Joh. 8.44 Oh mark the latter end of the Upright in comparison of the latter end of others the end of the Upright man is peace the end of others is no peace but hellish woe Oh when the Upright dye the Angels stand ready to receive the Soul carry it into Abrams Bosome or rather into Christs Bosome when others dye the Devils stand ready to take hold of their Souls and to hurry them into intollerable and endless misery were our eyes opened to see the Attendants the Upright have at their dying hour like the sixty Valliant men spoken of in Cant. 3.7 about Solomons Bed of the valliant of Israel but the black Guard and cursing and cursed tormentors which are about others in their dying hour we should readily acknowledge an infinite difference and distance the Lord has made between the Upright and others Secondly We should mark the Upright by way of Imitation if we do not in this sense mark them we mark in vain and behold them to no good purpose the Lord requireth us to mark the life of the Upright as a living example that may live with us and in us and that when they are dead and to consider the end of their conversation that we may live and dye as they Heb. 13.7 the Lord commands us to behold the upright who have gone before us as the Israelites did behold the Cloud which went before them in the Wilderness shewing them their way through the Wilderness unto Canaan and as if they heard a voice saying Follow me Heb. 12.1 We are compast about with a Cloud of Witnesses Oh all the examples of the Upright who are gone before us and they are the Cloud in the Wilderness to guid us Isai 6.16 Ask for the way wherein they walked and found rest to their Souls Oh mark well and behold the light side of this Cloud of their upright Example it hath a voice saying Follow this way of Communion with God and walking with the Lord and ye shall have rest to your Souls Thirdly Mark the Upright by way of Lamentation Isai 57.1 the Vpright perish and 〈◊〉 man layeth it to heart and the merciful taken away and none considering that the Righteous is taken away from the evil to come We should so mark the life and death of the Upright that we lay it to heart not mourning because of their state for they are happy all tears wip't away and are lead by the Lambe to the Fountains of waters Rev. 7.17 and Rivers of pleasure Psal 1.16 But mourn because they no longer be so helpful to us Oh that wholsome Tongue which was a Tree of life and o helpful to administring Grace to the hearer you shall hear it no more Oh that countenance and in which Wisdome and Grace shined you shall see it no more Oh that hand which relieved and refreshed the bowels of many in miâ—eâ—y shall help no more help Lord the Godly â—easeth and the faithful fail Psal 12.1 and who knows but such are taken from the evil to come there may be a dreadful storm at hand which it may be in tenderness to them they are taken away but we must abide and suffer it The Application of the Doctrine follows The Doctrine it self and the Explication of it is so Applicatory in all the parts of it That I can not but think that you who are conscientiously attentive have been applying this Doctrine to your Souls while I have been opening of it 1 Vse It commends to us and sets before us the surpassing excellency of Uprightness Doth the Lord call us to mark and behold the Upright because of their happy life and blessed death can we behold their excellency and happiness and not behold the excellency of Uprightness which makes them to excel that is the good which doth us the greatest good which doth us good at the latter end to humble and to prove and do thee good at thy latter end for that is thy good for ever and for ever but it 's uprightness that which doth thee good at thy latter end Behold the Vpright the end of that man is peace Oh it 's not thy riches and wealth Oh what can that do in the day of wrath the covetous who has spent his time and strength in the pursuit of the World and has neglected communion with God the Ordinances and Means of his Souls good Oh how is he tormented in that day Ezek. 7.19 wealth cannot deliver his soul Psal 49.7 8. it 's not honour and applause of men it 's not visible profession and some common gifts and abilities when thy dying hour is come all the questions are reduced to that one Whether upright or no whether upright in thy Family relations whether upright in thy Church Relations whether thy walk was in uprightness and if any one Minister of Christ or any Godly Friend can Answer thee this Question to thy Souls satisfaction he shall be to thee a Messenger indeed one of a thousand Job 33.23 2 Vse Doth the Lord call uâ— to mark and behold the Upright in their life and death You know what hath befallen us and whom the Lord hath lately taken away from us unto himself His Servant and Handmaid who lived to the Lord and dyed to the Lord and is with the Lord but was a Mother a nursing Mother to this afflicted Church and People I know it will be without offence to you if I declare to you the remarkable things worthy of observation in her life and death My God in the express words of the Text requires me to Mark and Behold Her Godly life and Happy end and not bury those Observations with her but that they may live in us and in
of the actings of the upright towards God in the second follows his actings towards man First in Words Secondly in Works 1. In Words whose endeavour is so to speak that he may not offend with his Tongue and therefore keeps a Watch before the door of his lips Psal 141.3 But that which the upright strives after in so he measure attain is better then this to administer Grace to the heareâ—â— that his words may be seasoned Ephâ—s 4.29 Col. 46. and may become to others a tree of life bearing precious fruit Prov. 15.4 and the words of the upright proceeding from the uprightness of their hearts are very observable things 2. In Works Mark and behold the upright how in his works he lives without offence Phil. 2.15 blamel of and harmless and not only so but shining as a Light in the World as in works of Holiness God ward so in works of Justice Love and mercy towards others full of mercy and good fruit without Hypocrisie Jam. 3.17 He that sâ—es not observable thing in the works of the Upright is strangely blinced Hitherto of the life of the Upright nextly follows the remarkable things respecting their Death The Text sayes For the end of that man iâ—pâ—ace is the end of the Upright peace how doth this appear do not some who have been upright suffer much trouble of minde in their death and do express none or very little of peace at their latter end I Anâ—wer First leâ—s usual with the Lord to shine in upon their Souls of his upright oneâ— before or at their Death that before their departure out of the World it 's manifest to them to discerning Spectators that while they are yeas in their Enemies Land they are more then Conquerors and that 〈◊〉 death it self Rom. 8.37 Hence the peace that passeth understanding and the unspeakable joy which some upright ones feel in their dying hour which makes them very willing to depart Simeon like they can depart in such peace Luk. 2.29 Secondly When it 's the pleasure of the Lord to withhold such a measure of this peace yet it 's usual that he affords them so much of this peace as shall rule in their hearts and meekly dispose their spirits to divine providence and behold in this is often seen a marvellous thing that if an upright person hath not much of the sense of the sweetness of that unspeakable peace in his dying hour and though he is now aware of the misery of falling short for none can be so sensible of that as those who know experimentally the preciousness of Christ and heavenly things and though also many times the very thought what if deceived what if fall short at last that thought would make the flesh tremble the heart feeling the intollerable weight of a supposed separation from Christ and yet for such without any clear evidence of the love of God to have peace ruling in the heart as in Col. 3.15 and to say I am content now to be at the Lords dispose I commit the cause of my soul to him this is very observable Eli sentenced to death both he and his two Sons and many other things which shall make the cars of every one who heareth it to tingle 1 Sam. 3.11 17 18. and yet Eli enabled to say It 's the Lord let him do what seemeth him good there is a peace which is the inseparable companion of meekness a meek and a quiet spirit is of great price 1 Pet 3.4 Christs Soulness a meek and a quiet spirit is of great price 1 Pet 3.4 Christs Soul-trouble was extream in his dying hour but yet he had the peace and quietness of a meek spirit which did rule in his heart and compose his spirit to submission to his Fathers Will and to commit his Spirit into his Fatherly hand Luk. 23.46 and what if it should be the pleasure of the Lord that some of his Children shall have a fellowship with Christ in his suffering Soul-trouble in their dying hour yet if the Lamb of God doth by his Lamb-like spirit compose the heart to a childe-like committing of the Soul into his fatherly hands here is peace the peace and quietness of a meek spirit but it 's a marve lous thing to have peace ruling in the heart in the midst of many-troublesome thoughts in the minde Thirdly to conclude this if the marks of uprightness appear in their life there is no reason for us to doubt but that the Lord will make the end of such to be peace whatever troubles they suffer before their â—nd if I behold a Christian walking in integrity making it his integrity making it his dally exercise to keep a Conscience void of offence â—owards God and towards man whatever trouble he may suffer in time of sickness and nigh his latter end yet the Lord sayes Mark this upright one and have I seen the mark of uprightness stamped upon his life and walk surely the Lord who sayes His end shall be peace doth say to me that I ought to believe it and ought as certainly to believe it as it I see â—ensibly the Angels taking the Soul and Heavens opening to receive it and heard a now Song tuned in Heaven for the triumph of this Soul over death He that walks in integrity what ever his labour may be in his journey and when nigh to his journies end yet as soon as his labour ends his â—est is eternal rest his peace the peace which passeth understanding begins He shall enter into pâ—aâ—e they shall rest in their bâ—â—â— each one walking in â—is uprightness Isaâ— 572. The Second Particular â—ollows what ouâ— duty is in observing these observable things The Lord calls us to mark and behold Quest What is the marking and beholding Ans It 's an affectionate Attention of the minde It 's as when the eye affects the heart and the heart being affected keeps the eye looking upon the Object you have the like expression in another place used by â—obs friends to lob Job 33 31. Mark wel Oh Ioh anâ— hearken to me hold tâ—y peaâ—e and I vvill speak Oh mark well the lite and latter end of the upright Oh hearken to what the Lord sayes concerning their life and death the same Expression the Lord improves to the Prophet when he would prepare him for the Visions of the Ordinances of his House Ezâ—k 44.5 The Lord said Son of Man mark well and behold with thine Eyes â—â—hâ—ar with thine Ears all that I say to thee concerning the Ordinances of mine House and mark well the entring into it But in my Text the Lord saith Mark the perfect and behold the upright it 's as if the Lord had said us I would have you mark well and behold mine Ordinances so I do requiâ—e you to mark well and behold the life and latter end of those who have loved my Habitation and seen my beauty in my Houâ—e have walked with me in the faithful improvement of all my holy