before you die Death is yours An earthly Saint is a contradiction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a man refined and separated from the earth if an Astronomer in stead of observing the Planets and the motions of the Heavens should take a reed in his hand and fall a measuring of the earth would not this be counted a solecisme and is it not as great a solecisme in Religion when men that pretend to have Christ and heaven in their eye yet minde earthly things Phil. 3.19 Our souls me thinks should be like to a ship which is made little and narrow downwards but more wide and broad upwards So our affections should be very narrow downwards to the earth but wide and large upwards towards heavenly things Thus we see death is a priviledge to believers death is yours the heire while he is under age is capable of the land he is borne to but he hath not the use or the benefit of it till he comes of age be as old as you will you are never of age till you die Death brings us of age and then the possession comes into our hands CHAP. VII The second Prerogative Royall of a Believer NOw I proceed to the second Prerogative which is yet to come what holy David saith of Sion Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou City of God Psalm 87.3 I may apply to these blessed things in reversion 2. The second Prerogative royall of a Christian is he shall be carried up by the Angels In this life a believer is carried by the Saints they lift him upon the wings of their prayers and when they can carry him no longer after death the Angels take him and carry him up thus shall it be done to the man whom God will honour Wicked men who are of the Devils life-guard when they die they shall have a black-guard of Angels to carry them Thou who art an old sinner that hast an hoary head but thy heart is as young in sinne as ever I may say to thee as Christ said in another sense to Peter When thou art old thou shalt stretch forth thy hands and another shall gird thee and carry thee whither thou wouldest not So I say Thou old sinner the time is shortly coming when thou shalt stretch forth thy hands on thy death-bed and another shall binde thee and carry thee whither thou wouldest not thou shalt be carried by a black-guard but a believer shall be carried by the Angels into Heaven The begger died and was carried by the Angels into Abraham 's bosome Abraham's bosome is a figurative speech representing the seat of the Blessed thither was he carried by the Angels Poore Lazarus when he was upon earth he had no friends but dogs to come at him when he was dead he had â— convoy of Angels After our fall the Angels as well as God fell out with us and became our enemies hence we reade that the Angels set out by the Cherubims stood with a flaming sword to keepe our first Parents out of Paradise Gen. 3.24 but being at peace with God we are at peace with the Angels Therefore the Angell comes with an Olive-branch of Peace in his mouth and proclaimes with triumph the newes of Christs incarnation Luk. 2.11 For unto you is borne in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord the Angels blesse God for mans Redemption Ver. 13. And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly hoast praising God and saying Glory be to God in the highest The Angels love mankinde especially where there is the new-man and are ready to do all friendly offices for us as in our life-time they are our supporters Psal. 91.11 He shall give his Angels charge to keep thee So after death they are our Porters Lazarus was carried up by the Angels The Angels are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ministring Spirits they are willing to minister for the good of the Saints Hence some observe it is said Lazarus was carried 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Angels in the plurall not by one Angel as if the Angels had been ambitious to carry Lazarus and every one strived which should have a part wicked men do not strive more who shall have a part in the death of the godly then the Angels do who shall beare a part in their ascension O in what pomp and triumph did Lazarus's soule now ride never was Dives so honoured in his life as Lazarus was at his death For a King to help to carry the Hearse of one of his Subjects were an high honour but a believer shall have a guard of Angels to conduct him Amasis King of Egypt that he might set forth his magnificence would have his Chariot drawn with foure Princes which he had conquered in the War but what was all this to the Chariot in which Lazarus and the soul of every believer shall be drawn at their death they shall be carried by the Angels of God CHAP. VIII The third Prerogative Royal of a Believer THe next great Prerogative is The Believer shall be with Christ in glory Phil. 1.23 I desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be dissolved or loosen anchor and to be with Christ This is a priviledge of the first magnitude surely we can be no losers by being with Christ. A graft or scion though it be taken out of the tree it doth not perish but is set into a better stock thus it is with a Christian while he is here even after Conversion there is much of the wilde Olive still in him now when this scion by death is cut off he doth not perish but is set into a more noble and generous stock he is with Christ which is farre better a state of perfection is better then a state of imperfection Our graces are our best jewels but they are imperfect and do not give out their full lustre they are like the Moon which when it shines brightest hath a darke spot Our faith is mingled with unbeliefe our humility is stained with pride the flame of our graces is not so pure but it hath some smoake grace is but in its infancy and minority it will never be of full growth till we are with Christ. This is the highest link in the chaine of glory we shall be with Christ. What is it the pious soule desires in this life is it not to have the sweet presence of Christ he cares for nothing but what hath aliquid Christi something of Christ in it he loves duties only as they are manuductions to Christ why is prayer so sweet but because the soul hath private conference with Christ Why is the Word precious but because it is a meanes to convey Christ he comes down to us upon the wings of the Spirit and we go up to him upon the wings of Faith An ordinance without Christ is but feeding upon the dish in stead of the meat Why doth the wife â—ove the Letter
Covenant is founded upon Christ and is sealed in his blood We read of the Mercy-seat which was a divine Hieroglyphick typifying Jesus Christ. There will I meet thee and I will commune with thee from above the Mercy-seat ver 22. To shew that in Christ God is propitions From above this Mercy-seat he communes with us and enters into Covenant Therefore it is observable when the Apostle had said All thing are yours he presently adds Ye are Christs There comes in the title we hold all in capite This golden chain Things present and things to come is linked to us by vertue of our being linked to Christ. By faith we have an interest in Christ having an interest in Christ we have an interest in God having an interest in God we have a title to all things CHAP. III. The opening of the Charter Things present are a Beleevers AND now I come to that great question What are the things contained in the Charter Resp. There are two words in the text that expresse it Things present and things to come I begin with the first 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Things present are a beleevers Amongst these things present there are three specified in the text Paul and Apollo the world life c. Here is me thinks a row of pearl I will take every one of these asunder and shew you their worth then see how rich a beleever is that wears such a chaine of pearle about him §. 1. Paul and Apollo are yours 1. Under these words Paul and Apollo by a figure are comprehended all the Ministers of Christ the weakest as well as the eminentest Paul and Apollo are yours viz. their labours are for edifying the Church They are adminicula fidei the helpers of your faith The parts of a Minister are not given him for himself they are the Churches If the people have a taint of errour the Ministers of Christ must season them with wholesome words therefore they are called the salt of the earth If any soul be fainting under the burden of sin 't is the work of a Minister to drop in comfort therefore he is said to hold forth the brests as a nurse Thus Paul and Apollo are yours All the gifts of a Minister all his graces are not only for himself they are the Churches A Minister must not monopolize his gifts to himselfe this is to hide his talents in a napkin such an one makes an enclosure where God would have all common Paul and Apollo are yours The Ministers of Christ should be as musk among linnen which casts a fragrancy or like that box of spiknard which being broken open fill'd the house with its odour So should they do by the savour of their ointments A Minister by sending out a sweet perfume in his doctrine and life makes the Church of God as a garden of spices Paul and Apollo are yours They are as a lamp or torch to light souls to heaven Chrysostome's hearers thought they had as good be without the Sun in the Firmament as Chrysostome in the Pulpit Paul and Apollo are springs that hold the water of life as these springs must not be poisoned so neither must they be shut up or sealed A Minister of Christ is both a granary to hold the corn and a Steward to give it out 'T is little better then theft to withhold the bread of life The lips of Apollo must be as an hony-comb dropping in season and out of season The graces of the Spirit are sacred flowers which though they cannot die yet being apt to wither Apollo must come with his water-pot It is not enough that there be Grace in the heart but it must be poured into his lips As Paul is a beleever so all things are his but as Paul is a Minister so he is not his own he is the Churches There are three corrolaries I shall draw from this Use 1. If Paul and Apollo are yours Every Minister of Christ is given for the edifying of the Church take heed that you despise not the least of these for all are for your profit The least star gives light the least drop moistens There is some use to be made even of the lowest parts of men There are gifts differing but all are yours The weakest Minister may help to strengthen your faith In the law all the Levites did not sacrifice onely the Priests as Aaron and his sons but all were serviceable in the worship of God those that did not sacrifice yet helped to bear the Arke As in a building some bring stones some timber some perhaps bring only nailes yet these are usefull these serve to fasten the work in the building The Church of God is a spiritual building some Ministers bring stones are more eminent and useful others timber others lesse they have but a nail in the work yet all serve for the good of this building The least nail in the Ministry serves for the fastning of souls to Christ therefore let none be contemned Though all are not Apostles all are not Evangelists all have not the same dexterous abilities in their work yet remember all are yours all edifie Oftentimes God crowns his labours and sends most fish into his net who though he may be lesse skilful is more faithful and though he hath lesse of the brain yet more of the heart An Ambassador may deliver his Ambassage with a trembling lip and a stammering tongue but he is honourable for his works sake he represents the Kings person Use. 2. If Paul and Apollo are yours all Christs Ministers have a subserviency to your good they come to make up the match between Christ and you then love Paul and Apollo All the labours of a Minister his prayers his tears the pregnancy of his parts the torrent of his affections all are yours then by the law of equity there must be some reflections of love from your hearts towards Paul and Apollo such as are set over you in the Lord If they seek your establishment you must seek their encouragement if they endeavour your salvation you must endeavour their safety What an unnatural thing is it that any should strive to bring them to death whose very calling is to bring men to life The Minister is a spiritual Father it was a brand of infamy on them Hos. 4.4 For this people are as they that strive with their Priest Was there none to fall out with but the Priest even he that offered up their sacrifices for them and what is it think we for men to quarrel with their spiritual Fathers even those whom they once had a venerable opinion of and acknowledged to be the means of their conversion Either love your spiritual Fathers or there is ground of suspicion that yours was but a false birth Use 3. If Paul and Apollo are yours they are for the building you up in your faith Then
Debt-book is crossed in his blood Quest. How is Death ours Answ. Two wayes 1. It is the Out-let to Sin 2. It is the In-let to happiness 1. Death to a Beleever is an Out-let to Sin we are in this life under a sinful necessity even the best Saint There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not Evill thoughts are continually arising out of our hearts as sparks out of a Furnace Sin keeps house with us whether we will or no the best Saint alive is troubled with In-mates though he forsakes his sinnes yet his sinnes will not forsake him 1. Sin doth indispose to good How to performe that which is good I finde not Rom. 7. ver 18. When we would pray the heart is as a Voyal out of tune When we would weepe we are as clouds without rain 2. Sin doth irritate to evil The Flesh lusts against the Spirit There needs no winde of Tentation we have Tide strong enough in our hearts to carry us to Hell Consider sinne under this threefold notion 1. Sin is a body of death and that not impertinently First It is a body for its weight The body is an heavy and weighty substance so is Sin a body it weighs us down When we should pray the weights of Sin are tied to our feet that we cannot ascend Anselm seeing a little Boy playing with a Bird he let her flie up and presently pulls the Bird down againe by a string So saith he it is with me as with this Bird when I would flie up to heaven upon the wings of meditation I finde a string tied to my leg I am over-powered with corruption but Death pulls off these weights of sin and le ts the Soul free Secondly Sin is a body of death for its annoyance It was a cruel torment that one used he tied a dead man to a living that the dead man might annoy and infest the living Thus it is with a childe of God he hath two men within him Flesh and Spirit Grace and Corruption here is the dead man tied to the living a proud sinful heart is worse to a childe of God then the smell of a dead Corps Indeed to a natural man sinne is not offensive for being dead in sinne he is not sensible of the body of death but where there is a vitall principle there is no greater annoyance then the body of Death Insomuch that the pious soule oft cries out as David Wo is me that I dwell in Mesek and sojourn in the tents of Kedar So saith he Wo is me that I am constrained to abide with sin How long shall I be troubled with inmates How long shall I offend that God whom I love When shall I leave these Tents of Kedar 2. Sinne is a Tyrant it carries in it the nature of a Law the Apostle calls it the law in his members There is the law of Pride the law of Unbelief it hath a kinde of jurisdiction as Caesar over the Senate perpetuam dictaturam What I hate that do I The Apostle was like a man carried down the streame and was not able to beare up against it Sinne takes us prisoners whence are our carnal fears whence our passions whence is it that a childe of God doth that which he allows not yea against knowledge only this he is for a time Sinnes Prisoner The Flesh oft prevailes though in coole blood the elder shall serve the younger whence is it that he who is borne of God should be so earthly The reason is he is captived under sin but be of good chear where grace makes a Combate death shall make a Conquest 3. Sin is a leprous spot It makes every thing we touch uncleane We reade when the Leprosie did spread in the walls of the house the Priests commanded them to take away the stones in the wall in which the Plague was and take other stones and put in the place of those stones and take other morter Levit. 14.42 But when the Plague spread againe in the wall then he must break downe the house with the stones and timber thereof Vers. 45. Thus in every man naturally there is a fretting leprosie of sinne pride impenitency c. These are leprous spots now in conversion here God doth as it were take away the old stones and timber and put new in the roome he makes a change in the heart of a sinner but still the leprousie of sinne spreads then at last death comes and pulls down the stones and timber of the house and the soule is quite freed from the leprousie Sinne is a defiling thing it makes us red with guilt and black with filth 'T is compared to a menstruous cloath we need carry it no higher Pliny tells us that the Trees with touching of it would become barren and Hierom saith Nihil in lege menstruato immundius there was nothing in the Law more uncleane then the menstruous cloath this is sinne Sinne drawes the Devils picture in a man malice is the Devils eye oppression is his hand hypocrisie is his cloven foot but behold death will give us our discharge death is the last and best Physician which cures all diseases the aking head and the unbelieving heart Peccatum erat obstetrix mortis mors erit sepulchrum peccati Sinne was the Mid-wife that brought Death into the World and Death shall be the Grave to bury Sinne O the Priviledge of a Beleever he is not taken away in his sinnes but he is taken away from his sinnes The Persians had a certaine day in the yeare which they called vitiorum interitum wherein they used to kill all Serpents and venemous creatures Such a day as that will the day of death be to a man in Christ. This day the old Serpent dies in a Beleever that hath so often stung him with his temptations this day the sinnes of the godly these venemous creatures shall all be destroyed they shall never be proud more they shall never grieve the Spirit of God more the Death of the body shall quite destroy the Body of death 2. Death to a Believer is an Inlet to happinesse Sampson found an honey-combe in the Lions carcase so may a childe of God suck much sweetnesse from death Death is the gate of life death pulls off our rags and gives us change of rayment all the hurt it doth us is to put us into a better condition Death is called in Scripture a sleepe 1 Thes. 4.14 Those that sleepe in Iesus as after sleep the spirits are exhilarated and refreshed so after Death the times of refreshing come from the presence of the Lord. Death is yours Death opens the portal into Heaven as Tertullian speakes The day of a Christian's death is the birth-day of his heavenly life it is his Ascension-day to glory it is his Marriage-day with Jesus Christ. After our Funerall begins our Marriage Well then
might Solomon say Better is the day of a mans death then the day of his birth Death is the spiritual man's preferment why then should he fear it Death I confesse hath a grimme visage to an impenitent sinner so it is ghastly to look upon it is a pursuivant to carry him to hell but to such as are in Christ Death is yours It is a part of the Joincture Death is like the Pillar of cloud it hath a dark-side to a sinner but it hath a light-side to a believer Deaths pale face looks ruddy when the blood of sprinkling is upon it in short Faith gives us a propriety in Heaven Death gives us a possession Feare not your priviledge the thoughts of death should be delightfull Iacob when he saw the Chariots his spirits revived Death is a Waggon or Chariot to carry us to our Fathers house What were the Martyrs flames but a fiery Chariot to carry them up to Heaven How should we long for Death This world is but a Desart we live in Shall we not be willing to leave it for Paradise We say It is good to be here we affect an earthly eternity but grace must curb nature Think of the priviledges of Death The Planets have a proper motion and a violent by their proper motion they are carried from the West to the East but by a violent motion they are over-ruled by the Primum Mobile and are carried from the East to the West So though naturally we desire to live here as we are made up of flesh yet grace should be as the primum mobile or master-wheele that swayes our will and carries us in a violent motion making us long for death Saint Paul desired to be dissolved and 2 Corinth 5.2 In this we groane earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from heaven we would put off the earthly cloathes of our body and put on the bright robe of immortality we groane 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is a Metaphor taken from a mother who being pregnant groanes and cries out for delivery Austine longed to die that he might see that head which was once crowned with thornes We pray Thy Kingdome come and when God is leading us into his Kingdome shall we be afraid to go The times we live in should me thinks make us long for death we live in dying times we may heare as it were Gods passing Bell ringing over these Nations Foelix Nepotianus qui haec non videt as Hierome said in his time Nepotian is an happy man that doth not see the evils which befall us they are wel that are out of the storm and are gotten already to the haven To me to die is gaine Quest. But who shall have this priviledge Answ. death is certaine but there are only two sorts of Persons to whom we may say Death is yours 'T is your preferment 1. Such as die daily We are not borne Angels die we must Therefore we had need carry alwayes a deaths-head about us The Basilisk if it see a man first it kills him but if he see it first it doth him no hurt The Basilisk death if it sees us first before we see it 't is dangerous but if we see it first by meditating upon it it doth us no hurt study death often walke among the Tombs It is the thoughts of death before-hand that must do us good In a dark night one Torch carried before a man is worth many Torches carried after him one serious thought of death before-hand one teare shed for sinne before death is worth a thousand shed after when it is too late 'T is good to make Death our familiar and in this sense to be in Deaths oft that if God should presently seal a lease of ejectment if he should send us a Letter of Summons this night to surrender we might have nothing to do but to die Alas how do we adjourne the thoughts of death 'T is almost death to think of it There are some that are in the very threshold of the grave who have one legge in the earth and another legge in hell yet put farre from them the evil day I have read of our Lysicrates who in his old age dyed his gray hairs black that he might seeme young againe When we should be building our Tombes we are building our Tabernacles die daily lest you die eternally The holy Patriarchs in purchasing for themselves a burying place shewed us what thoughts they still had of Death Ioseph of Arimathea erected his Sepulchre in his Garden we have many that set up the Trophies of their victories others that set up their Scutchions that they may blaze their honour but how few that set up their Sepulchres who erect in their hearts the serious thoughts of death Oh remember when you are in your gardens in places most delicious and fragrant to keep a place for your Tomb-stone die daily There is no better way to bring sinne into a Consumption then by oft looking on the pale horse and him that sits thereon By thinking on death we begin to repent of an evil life and so we disarme death before it comes and cut the lock where its strength lies 2. Such as are in Heaven before they die death is yours If we will needs be high-minded let it be in setting our minde upon heavenly things Heaven must come down into us before we go up thither A childe of God breaths his faith in Heaven his thoughts are there When I awake I am still with thee Psal. 139.17 David awaked in Heaven his conversation is there Philip. 3.20 For our conversation is in Heaven The Believer often ascends Mount Tabor and takes a prospect of glory O that we had this celestial frame of heart When Zacheus was in the croud he was too low to see Christ therefore he climbed up into the Sycomore-Tree When we are in a croud of worldly businesse we cannot see Christ Climb up into the tree by divine contemplation If thou wouldest get Christ into thy heart let Heaven be in thy eye Set your affections upon things above Colos. 3.2 There needs no exhortation to set our hearts upon things below How is the curse of the Serpent upon most men Upon thy belly shalt thou go and dust shalt thou eat all the dayes of thy life Those that feed onely upon dust Golden dust will be unwilling to returne to dust Death will be terrible The tribes of Reuben and Gad desired Moses that they might stay on this side Iordan and have their portion there it being a place convenient for their Cattel It seems they minded their Cattel more then their passage into the holy Land so many Christians if they may have but a little grazing here in the world in their Shops and in their Farms they art content to live on this side the River and minde not their passage into the Land of Promise you that are in heaven