A LEARNED AND GODLY SERMON Preached on the XIX day of December Anno Dom. MDCXXXI at the Funerall of Mr. ROBERT BOLTON Batchelour in Divinity and Minister of Broughton in Northampton-Shire By Mr. NICOLAS ESTVVICK Batchelour in Divinity and sometimes fellow of Christs Colledge in Cambridge and now Minister of Warkton in Northampton-Shire LONDON Printed by GEORGE MILLER dwelling in Black-Friers 1639. flock of sheep without a particular shepheard and if thou hadst leave to name his successour thou mightest seeke from one end of the land to another in thy choice and yet not find in all points a man matchable to him he was a bright and a shining lamp if any of thy inhabitants doe sit in darknesse their ignorance is altogether inexcusable hee lifted up his voice in this place many yeares together like a trumpet if any of thy inhabitants are not awakened out of the sleepe of sinne they may now goe on more securely in this dead sleep but wo to them it will be easier for Sodome and Gomorrah at the day of judgement than for them I pitie your case good friends and bewaile your losse but why do J name your losse It is my losse and a common losse we are all of us sharers though not all alike in this judgement LORD that thou shouldest suffer such a wretched sinner and an unprofitable servant of thine as I am yet to live and deprive the visible Church of so worthy an instrument of thy glorie as M. Bolton Holy Father we may think had it stood it with thy holy pleasure that it had been good for thy Church if his life had been spared with the losse of many of ours he was a deep channell in whose justly deserved commendations the streames of eloquence which in former ages flowed from those great and godly Orators the two Gregories both of Nazianzum and Nyssa from great Basil and golden-mouth'd Chrysostome from S. Ambrose and S. Austin might have emptied themselves and yet not over-flowed the banks and what do I then come hither with my distracted thoughts and trembling heart which if ever I had any gift in encomiasticall and laudative Orations have many years since willingly neglected it and so lost it As Gregory Nazianzen spoke of his Basil I have for my part as great reason to speake of our sometimes deare and now blessed M. Bolton J admired him while he lived and honoured him in my heart to speak of his excellencies wherwith the LORD had plentifully inriched him is a burden too heavy for my shoulders and a very hard task for those who doe nothing els but study Oratory all that I can speak in the praises of this godly man falls short by many degrees of his worth whose memory is precious and shall be kept greene and flourishing as the rod of Aaron laid up in the Tabernacle THE TEXT PHIL. 1. 23 24. I desire to be dissolved THe Apostle S. Paul was in a strait or divided betwixt two affections carried to different objects and they were in a sort contrary one way he was drawne with a desire to be with CHRIST farre from the Philippians even as farre as Heaven is from earth another way he was drawne with a desire to continue with his beloved brethren warring on earth and to bee for a time farre remooved from CHRIST the necessity of his brethren did move him to desire the latter his great love to CHRIST did incite him to long for the former betwixt these two affections the Apostle had a conflict and he was so perplexed that he knew not whither to turne him he knew not what to chuse He was as iron betwixt two load-stones drawne this way first and then that way We read that David was on a time in a great strait but apparent were the differences betwixt the present perplexity of this our Apostle and that of David Davids was in regard of evills proposed this was for the enjoying of good his necessity was touching evill which could not be avoided but the Apostles was free and voluntary his perplexity somwhat concerned himself the shunning of his own evill but the Apostles was for the good of others which was joyned with his own hurt Behold here as in a perspective a heart truly Apostolicall wherein he shewed at once both great love to CHRIST desiring to be with him and withall great love to his brethren desiring to abide with them for their profit I begin with the first of these Pauls desire in respect of himselfe wherein are observable three particulars 1. The desire it selfe and that was to depart or die 2. A reason implied of this his desire for then hee should be with CHRIST 3. His censure or judgement of that estate to bee with CHRIST it 's best of all Let us open the words first and then raise Observations out of them for our edification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is word for word having a desire and this is somewhat more than simply to desire for it noteth a vehement earnest and continued desire a desire which is in action and working till wee have our desire accomplished wheras to desire simply may be a sudden motion or momentany passion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some translate the word passively Tertullian renders it recipi l. de patientia pa. 8. others to be dissolved or loosed and it is done when things mixt and compounded are resolved into their parts and principles now because the soule is as it were included in the body and cannot enjoy CHRIST fully till that composition by the body be resolved by death therfore doth S. Paul earnestly desire this resolution 2. Or it may signifie to return as the word is taken elsewhere the LORD will returne from the wedding which sense is not dissonant from the scope of this place for the spirit being freed from the body returneth to GOD that gave it and what els doth the Apostle now desire but to returne unto CHRIST by whom he was sent to preach the Gospell 3. It signifieth to loose anchor or as Chrysostome renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to flit or to change our place and so it 's a metaphor from marriners importing a flitting or sailing from the state of this present life by the ship of death to another port to saile as it were from one bank to another It is not much materiall which reading we follow they all of them doe agree in the maine point and substance and doe affoord an observation which might be enlarged and set foorth with variety of colours and strengthened with long discourses but as they which have a long journey to goe and but a short time allowed them must make but a short stay in any one place and as Painters many times use only to draw out the heads and superiour parts of men leaving all the other parts lineaments to be proportionably supplied by the wise beholders even so must J at this time propound
returne to their earth Truly they are like the running waters our dove i. e. our faith can find no rest for the soles of her feet in any of the sons of men such hope is like the house of a spider one sweep of GODS besome will easily make both the objects of their hope and their hopes to be in the dust it is as a broken reed to leane on it will both deceive and pierce them the whole world runs on wheeles look Eastward or in the West North or South you shall see nothing but inconstancy in all the parts therof Oh how safe and happy then are they which make the God of Iacob their help and whose hope is in the Lord their God whose hearts and eyes are fixed upon him how hard soever the world goeth with them for the present all shall be well assure your selves with such in GODS good time he will provide all shall be well he will helpe the husband hee will comfort the wife hee will guide the servants hee will preserve the goods yea rather than it should bee undone with reverence be it spoken he will rock the cradle they are the words of the learned Martyr B. Hooper This doctrine doth check all vain glorious proud persons which Narcissus-like do dote on themselves their own beauty or strength or any ornament of the body which may like Ionas his gourd in one night be withered Who is more odious in our sight than a proud beggar and nothing is more hatefull in GODS eyes than a proud man or woman who are but meat for the silly crawling wormes to feed upon and if thou knowest not thy selfe go to the graves of those which have been most lovely and beautifull in their daies in that picture and glasse maist thou view thy self there maist thou behold the mysteries of our nature as Gregory Nyssen speaketh and excellently inlargeth this point Hast thou not saith he seen a heap of dead mens bones hast thou not seen their skuls without flesh a grim spectacle to behold the very eyes being wasted and turned into dust Hast thou not seene their mouthes as it were grinning and shewing their corrupted teeth and their other bones lie scattered in the grave If thou hast seene these thou hast in them seen thy selfe where are the tokens of flourishing age where are those beautiful cheeks where is bloud and colours in the lips what is now becom of those sparkling and lovely eyes what of the comely nose placed in the midst of the cheeks where are those locks of haire which were wont to adorne their heads c. what is become of all those things which do increase thy pride Tell me what dreame is more vanishing what shadow more flitting than is thy beauty or any other thing whereof thou gloriest Fourthly those also are to be reproved which are earth-wormes and do labour inordinately and immoderately for transitory riches which are carefull for very trifles and carelesse for matters of greatest consequence which toile uncessantly for an estate to leave to posterity and are compared by Bartholomeus to children following butter-flies they must sometimes goe out of the way in their pursuit they may misse and if they catch it 's but a flie to besmeare their hands Naked we came into this world and whatsoever we have gotten here we must leave it all behind for naked shall we go out of the world Saladine a Mahometan the great Turke may teach Christians a good lesson he caused a Proclamation to be made by one of his Priests a shirt fastned to a speare in manner of an ensigne saying this is all that Saladine Conquerour of the East caries away with him of all his riches indeed it is not all they carry with them a guilty accusing conscience which will extort from parents curses to their children because that they to make them rich became Usurers unmercifull Land-lords deceitfull in their dealings and worldly minded we can pitie others in their miseries and shall we have no compassion on our owne soules shall our owne soules now be vile to us in comparison of which al the kingdoms of the world are but trifles for what shall it profit a man to win the whole world and to loose his owne soule or what recompence shall a man give for his soule if the soule perisheth then all the world is gone with us This Doctrine should teach al sinners a point of spirituall wisdom not to defer their repentance and seeking to make their peace with God the children of this world are wise in their generation that if they be tenants at will and courtesie and certain ere long to be thrust out of their houses they would looke abroad to provide elsewhere they would run all the country over to get an assurance of an earthly house and will not thou while thou maiest provide for the eternall welfare of thy soule if a man was hungry and had twenty or thirty dishes set before him and he knew poyson was in one of them the danger of that would make him be afraid of the rest thou hast a desire to live twenty or thirty yeares that in possibility are before thee which thou maist happily live but in one of them thou knowest not which death in probability will come to thee should not this prepare thee for death alwaies men that are wise and have enemies keepe continuall watch garrisons in frontier towns for feare of a sudden surprisall death continually shootes his arrowes abroad sometimes he mortally smites those above thee sometimes those below thee and thou seest some fall dead hard by thee if thou givest thy soule to Satan in thy life how canst thou hope that GOD will entertaine it at thy death O then why shouldest thou for the pleasures of unrighteousnesse for a very few daies little dost thou know how few destroy thy soule for ever do thou whip thy soule with the lashes of divine sentences to follow after GOD as Saint Austin did his when it was backeward and resisted this heavenly work of thy conversion and let not those nugae nugarum vanitates vanitatum of those antient sins which did shake his coate and whispered in his eares dost thou leave us now and must we part for ever let not these bosome sins I say detaine thee in the prison of the divell but shake them off as Saint Paul did the Viper that they may doe thee no hurt Neither doth this concerne the unregenerate only but those also which through the policy of hell have disgraced their profession instantly to arise from their sin by unfained repentance a duty praise-worthy in any and to be practised by the greatest men on the earth Many heroicall vertues were in King David for none is he more to be honoured then for his repentance it is a goodlier sight to see a King on his knees feeding upon the bread of
death where is thy sting they may take this all-devouring serpent without any hurt at all into their bosomes they that have their debts paid dare go out of doores and are not afraid to meet the Sergeant they dare looke on death and welcome him as the King of heavens officer to give them possession of an everlasting-inheritance wee feare our friends when they have a vizour on their faces but put it off and we rejoyce in them Excellent was the speech of S. Ambrose to the Nobles of his city which with threats and flatteries were sent to him by the Count Stilico to perswade him to pray unto GOD for the continuance of his life which when the holy Bishop heard he answered divinely J have not so lived amongst you that I am ashamed to live longer nor am J afraid to die because we have a good Lord. Doubtlesse had we beloved brethren as much faith on earth as there is joy in heaven we would not be afraid of death this is the narrow passage betwixt this life and our countrie on this side the bridge we have many troubles many sins many feares many temptations of the Divel which should make us think the worse of our lives and very willing to leave them but on the other side we shall be freed from all trouble from all sin from al molestation of the divel and shall be filled with all the joy our hearts can possibly desire So that hitherto we may apply Sampsons riddle Out of the enter came forth meat and out of the strong came forth sweetnesse Secondly this may serve to moderate our excessive mourning for our friends which die we hope in the LORD David exceeded in his sorrow for Absalon and was there not a cause He did not so at the death of the infant Let us rejoyce Saint Chrysostome saith for the just both living and dead because they are happy let us not in an unseemely manner bewaile them by pulling off our haires baring our armes tearing our faces or putting on mourning garments so saith the father and I say happy are they which have exchanged a base earthly tabernacle for a princely Pallace sorrowes for joy and earth for heaven and me thinkes our blessed brother now deceased if he had intercourse with us mortall creatures would say to his deare wife lying in her teares children and friends as our Saviour did to those pious women that followed him Daughters of Ierusalem weepe not for me but weepe for your sâ—lves you know my fastings my meditations my watchings and know you brethren that godly Ministers do purposely watch and meditate for you when you are or would be a sleep You know my griefe for my owne calamities and for the calamities of GODS Church and by your owne experience you may know what sharpe combats I have had with that raging enemie the Divell and what wounds I have received in the conflict now do I feare no perils on the land or sea no perils in the house or in the field now am J victorious over Satan and have trampled him under my feet and now he hath nothing at all in mee and now am J crowned with glorie and would you my deare friends be so unkind to me to wish me alive againe and to run the former hazards Kings and Queenes are willing to marrie their daughters to forraine Princes and never looke to set their eyes onthem againe and should we mourne too much for his absence and not rather rejoyce with him for his happier estate then this earth can afford When Iacob heard that his beloved Ioseph was alive and governour over all the Land of Aegypt his fainting heart revived no lesse ought the consideration of the glorie of departed servants of GOD cheere up our drooping and sad hearts for them and excite us to desire the fruition of the same glorie And this is my next point to be handled I desire saith S. Paul to be dissolved and to be with CHRIST It 's the fore-sight of heavenly glory and being with CHRIST that makes a man desire to die Some men indeed would die because there is nothing in this world for them to expect but miserie and shame and these do little lesse sometimes then call for the rocks to fall upon them that they might end their wretched daies as Iob saith they long for death and dig for it more then for hid treasure which rejoyce exceedingly and are glad when they can finde the grave this motive swaied not Saint Paul but onely this that he might be with CHRIST I grant to desire death simply as death is against the Law of GOD and the law of nature death is our enemie and is not from GOD creationes by creation though it be truly from him ultione to revenge the sins of man saith Florus de praedest or as others say it is from him ordinatione because in justice he ordained death corporall as one part of the punishment which was due for the sinne of man and hence our Saviour CHRIST himselfe who knew no sin at all viewing death as it is in it selfe considered declined it let this cup passe and so did Saint Paul too we will not saith he be uncloathed the parting of these good friends body and soule without some further end is a grievous separation this harmelesse innocent nature teacheth and as death is further a meanes to cut off all possibility to profit others and to helpe the poore Church of CHRIST with our labours â—â—…us piety and grace may move them to pray with David LORD let my soule live These cautions are premised to prevent mistaking in the point but now which is to my purpose Consider death as it is a way meanes to bring us to the presence of CHRIST so it may be holily desired our Saviour CHRIST who said let this cup passe said also as his death was our life I have a Baptisme to be baptized withall and how am I pained till it be accomplished and nót only I Paul but we that are faithfull that are in this tabernacle do groane earnestly ver 2. not for that we would be uncloathed but cloathed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life and after we are willing rather to be absent from the body and present with the LORD It s the love that a child should be borne into the world not the love of paine that makes the mother desire the travell in child-birth excellently saith Saint Basil properanti ad coebestem paetriam c. to him that makes hast to the countrey which is above the stay in the body is more grievous then any paine or any prison and it is said that Peter and Andrew welcomed their crosses as they were wont to doe their dearest friends and imbraced them in their armes and saluted them with kisses of peace Ignatius encouraged wild beasts to devoure him that he might be
affection to die and assurance of being with CHRIST when thou art dead then dost thou labour for the true sense and feeling of thy reconciliation with GOD and dost make thy peace with thy brother whom thou hast wronged by word or deed if thou lookest to see the face of CHRIST the righteous Judge with comfort thou wilt abandon foolish shame and fond selfe-love thou wilt make restitution and returne goods in thy hands to the right owner thou wilt not suffer sin to lie upon thy soule nor let thy furrowes in thy field to cry out against thee nor by proportion the stone and timber of thy house to complaine of thee Zach 5. 4. for this would bring a curse to consume them thou wilt often make thy reckning even with thy GOD for this makes friendship durable if CHRIST be gone as he seemes to be at some time from his children thou wilt seek for him sorrowing as Mary his mother did and thou shalt in GODS good time find him in the Temple as she did I mean in the use of his holy ordinances Thirdly alwaies be vigilant and watchfull this spirituall watch is nothing but the carefullnesse of the soule to keep spirituall graces in their vigour and activity and though GOD hath appointed watchmen over us yet hath he not appointed watchmen for us their watching is not in our stead to give us leave to sleepe but it is to keepe us waking what I say to you I say to all Watch. And very good reason You know not saith our Saviour what houre your LORD will come and our drousie disposition will be soone rocked a sleepe by Satan who besprinkles the temples of our head with his spirituall opium of wicked motions and suggestions if we do not lawfully strive against them take heed least thine owne corrupt heart the greatest enemy thou hast beguileth thee not be prudently vigilant to descry dangers before they come to prevent all occasions whereby thy happy estate might be lost the dumbe beasts as Oxe and Mule that are without understanding will not come neare the place where they have escaped danger and shouldest thou adventure to the hazard of thy soule in knowledge be not like the horse and mule in avoiding dangers be like them Consider the Divels policy he is a theefe a beggar may safely passe by him his aime is to rob the wealthy passenger rub thine eyes often frequently ransacke thy heart keep GODS feare fresh in thy soule Iacob could not sleepe when he heard of Esau his comming against him and Sampson had little list to sleepe in Dalilaes lap when he heard the Philistins were comming on him delight in the society of the Saints good company keepes us waking all these are soveraigne helps to keepe us spiritually watching Fourthly often meditate on death die as it were daily in the disposition of thy soule and preparation to death forgetfullnesse of death makes life to be sinfull and death to be terrible as a destroying Lyon whereas the sight of savage beasts is not terrible to those that converse with them looke on death as on the Sun in an opticke glasse though it be far off yet it seemes neere at hand and so in truth it may be neere us being as a pit covered with snow into which wee may suddenly fall that which many carrie in their rings carrie thou in thy heart memento mori be like to those that in their life time had their scpulchers in their gardens and places of pleasure and that they might be mindfull hereof some had dead mens skuls before their eyes in their most delicious banquets by so doing we should prevent a great deale of sin it would be as a bitter pill to purge out many noisome humours and prove that we are truly wise alwaies ready for death it s an excellent thing when death approacheth to have nothing else to do but to die Fifthly it is a comfortable signe if thou dost heartily pray to GOD for this very end as the Saints of GOD have done prayer is our best guard when we are at home and when we are abroad GOD will not denie our suits made in CHRIST his name because this was one benefit which CHRIST merited for us Alas what else should we do when we are every day for ought we know going to judgement should we not intreat the Judge to pardon us should we not with sighes and sobs cry continually unto him to be mercifull unto us Hier. reports in the life of Paul a Disciple of Anthony the first Monke and that not simply for devotion but to avoid persecution that this religious man was found dead kneeling upon his knees holding up his hands lifting up his eyes the soule was so devout that the very dead corps seemed to pray unto GOD now this humble seeking to GOD by prayer that he would make us alwaies ready for death argues a soule sensible of its owne weakenesse and of GODS goodnesse Sixthly if thou art sincere and sound at the heart and walkest with GOD in the uprightnesse of thy soule and makest this the crowne and garland of thy life which will never wither and decay that thou hatest all knowne sins not the outward onely whereof men may be witnesses but all inward corruptions as hardnesse of heart wanton revengefull thoughts and such like whereof the world can take no notice if thou magnifiest GODS graces and gracious persons and canst be content out of thy love to CHRIST to suffer any thing for CHRIST this is sincerity I say not legall sincerity that is a perfection too high for us to attaine unto nor onely naturall and morall integrity whereby an unregenerate man is guided by the light which is in him without hypocrisie this may the very heathens have but Evangelicall integrity whereby the person being accepted for CHRIST the heart though failing in some particular actions yet manifests habituall grace by a constant course in the generall of a holy conversation Lastly to name no more if we are truly thankfull unto GOD for making away for us to goe by death to heaven by the death of his Son whose portion by due desert was hell how Iudith and Ester were magnified for procuring deliverance to their countrymen from outward enemies the Bible sheweth how the Grecians honoured Flaminius the Romane for prevailing against Philip of Macedon and proclaiming their liberty is registred in heathen stories with what applauses and acclamations of all the Romans men women and children Constantine was received into that Queene of Cities Eusebius the Historian doth relate for vanquishing the Tyrant Maxentius calling him their deliverer their conserver their bountifull Patron a common good thing c. here was love and thankfulnesse we see most earnest GOD knowes and our owne consciences testifie unto us this day how far we exceed those Grecians and Romans