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death_n	call_v	soul_n	zion_n	17	3	8.4035	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A60670	Life in death, or The living hope of a dying saint, handled in a sermon preached at the funeral of that eminently vertuous, and religious gentle-woman, Mris. Mary Morley, late wife to Colonel Harbert Morley, Esq; and daughter to Sr. John Trevor Knight. By Zachary Smith, minister of the Gospel, and pastor of the church at Glynde in Sussex, Sept. 18. 1656.	Smith, Zachary, b. 1604 or 5.	1656 (1656)	Wing S4351; ESTC R214782	29,879	40

faithfullnes towards them which they have had in time of their life confirmes their hope of obtaining what good things he hath promised them after death Vers 4. experience worketh Hope So that believers in greatest straits may argue as David against Goliah 1. Sam. 17.37 The Lord that delivered me out of the Paw of the Lion and out of the Paw of the Bear he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine and as Paul 2. Cor. 1.9 10. We had the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us 6. Lastly Because of Gods bounty towards others in this life The Lord bestows liberal portions of outward blessings upon many that regard not to serve and honour him but go on in wayes of Rebellion wicked men prosper and abound in worldly comforts sometimes when good men want them surely then this argueth that he hath reserved better things in store for his own Children after death Psalm 31.19 O how great is thy goodnesse which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee This consideration David made use of as a ground to confirm his hope in death of enjoying happinesse after this life Psal 17.14 15. the men of the World have their portion in this life whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure As for me I will behold thy face in righteousnesse I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likenesse he professeth his resolution to go on in the wayes of God expecting a gracious yea a glorious issue out of all his dangers and persecutions q.d. I will not live wickedly as they do but righteously and then I shall enjoy thy favour here and Heaven hereafter I shall view thy face and see thee plainly and perfectly and stand in thy presence where is fulnesse of joy when I awake i.e. from the sleep of death when I am raised out of the dust I shall be satisfied with thy likenesse having thine image upon me and thy glory fully manifested unto me in Heaven this beatifical Vision shall so abundantly satiate and solace my Soul that it shall say I have enough So Ps 49. when in death worldly men leave their wealth to others and are like the beasts that perish i.e. dying without hope of any further happinesse yea in a worse condition for death shall feed on them vers 14. yea the second death shall have power over them and they shall lye in Hell-torments then saith the righteous even under the pangs of death vers 15. But God will redeem my Soul from the power of the grave for he shall receive me Selah Where Selah is added not onely as a bare Musical Note for raising of the voice c. but it calls for elevation of minde and more than ordinary attention pointing at a clear Testimony for the immortality of the Soul and for a better life after this the hope whereof fills the hearts of the godly with comfort and triumphant joy even under the pangs of death For he shall receive me whensoever the fatal hour shall come that body and Soul must part God will receive my spirit into Heaven So again Psal 73.24.26 against all the discouragements which he met with in the wayes of God from the present prosperity which the wicked enjoyed and the manifold afflictions that himself under-went he comforts himself in certain hope of eternal life and being received up into glory and hereupon resolves still to follow the conduct and direction of Gods word and spirit Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel in this life and after this life ended wilt receive me to that glory which thou hast promised me Thus have I made good the truth of the Doctrinal Proposition The righteous hath hope in his death and confirmed it by shewing you several grounds and reasons and should now come to make application of it but I desire first to remove one objection that seems to lye in the way Quest If the righteous have such hope in their death how comes it to passe and why is it that some good Christians are so fearfull of death and so unwilling to die Why are they not rather desirous to die having such hope of future glory happiness Answ It is true there may be in the dearest of Gods Children an unwillingnesse and fear to die Jeremy petitioned King Zedekiah that he might not be sent again to the house of Jonathan the Scribe lest he should die there Jer. 37.20 if he were shut up close prisoner in that nasty stinking Dungeon so our Saviour forewarning Peter of the manner of his death tells him he should be carried whither he would not Ioh. 21.18 and some of the Martyrs have sometimes found fear and unwillingnesse in themselves to die Latymer in a Letter to B. Ridley writes thus Pray for me I say pray for me for I am sometimes so fearfull that I would creep into a Mous-hole c. as Lot lingred when God would take him out of Sodom so there is some backwardnesse and unwillingnesse in the Saints of God to leave this world and to die And the reasons of it may be 1. Death causeth a parting of two most dear inward and ancient friends the dissolution of Soul and body one from the other is unpleasing to nature old friends are loath to part when David and Jonathan were to depart one from another O how grievous was their parting 1 Sam. 20.41 But the Soul and body have been more inward and ancient friends than Jonathan and David were no marvel therefore though they part so unwillingly The untying of the Marriage-knot between Soul and body is unwelcome to nature though grace may bid it welcome which suggests another reason 2. The best of Gods Children believe but in part and are not perfectly rid of sin and corruption till death They have flesh remaining in them as well as spirit Gal. 5.17 and though the spirit be willing yet the flesh is weak Matth. 26.41 The spirit saith to death as to Christ Come but the flesh saith Go The flesh saith its good being here though the spirit saith it s better being in Heaven and it may be believers do not stir up their graces nor read over their Evidences nor consider seriously of their Priviledges by and after death Yet lastly I answer Though there be some unwillingnesse in the best to die yet they know it is their fault and sin to be unwilling and they chide themselves for it and overcome this unwillingnesse in the end many who in their life-time have seemed unwilling to die and afraid of death yet when it hath come to the point have been suddenly strengthened beyond expectation willingly and cheerfully to lay down their heads on the block yea to yield up their bodies to the flames and have bid death welcome though it hath seized upon them with

LIFE IN DEATH OR The living Hope of a dying Saint HANDLED IN A SERMON Preached at the Funeral of that Eminently Vertuous and Religious Gentle-woman Mris MARY MORLEY Late wife to Colonel Harbert Morley Esq and Daughter to Sr. JOHN TREVOR Knight By Zachary Smith Minister of the Gospel and Pastor of the Church at Glynde in Sussex Sept. 18. 1656. Psal 116.15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Prov. 10.28 The hope of the righteous shall be gladnesse but the expectation of the wicked shall perish 1 Cor. 15.19 If in this life onely we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable Polani Syntagma pag. 342. Mors electis credentibus non est pro peccatis satisfactio sed peccati abolitio transitus in vitam aeternam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Nazianzen Orat. 21. London Printed by W. Bentley for Andrew Crook at the sign of the green Dragon in Pauls Church-yard 1656. To the Honourable Sr. JOHN TREVOR Knight And to his vertuous Consort the Lady ANNE TREVOR As also to the Honourable Colonel HARBERT MORLEY Esq HONOURABLE I Make bold to prefix your names to this plain ensuing Sermon not that I conceive it worthy of your Patronage but because none had sadder hearts than your selves at the occasion of it nor any Persons on earth greater Interest in or nearer Relation to that precious Gentle-woman at whose Funeral it was preached If my heart deceive me not it 's not desire of vain-glory that makes me willing to publish this Sermon but rather these motives First a desire that God may have the glory of the Soveraignty of his grace ascribed unto him who can so deeply implant his fear in the hearts of his people that they shall never depart from him and can keep alive those sparks of heavenly fire which he casts into the bosoms of his Children in the midst of the Sea of worldly encumbrances or enjoyments Many waters cannot quench love a proof whereof was evident in her she lost not her first love to Christ and his Truth in these times of Libertinisme and Errour neither did the Cares or Profits or Pleasures or Honours of the world whereof she might have her hands full choke the good seed of Gods word in her but still she kept the best room of her heart free for Christ and heavenly things Many of my reverend brethren have of late years born publick testimony to the Truth of Christ I take this occasion to give in my testimony to the Truth of his grace maintained and manifested to the last in this blessed Saint Though Paul tells us that not many wise not many mighty not many rich not many Noble are chosen and called yet one such at least was in this little Parish whiles she continued among us who gloried more in the Lord than in riches or honour or all worldly enjoyments and I hope some yet remain among us looking towards Christ and heaven much provoked thereunto and bettered by her example Another motive that induced me hereunto was an earnest inclination in my spirit to testifie that honourable respect that I did bear towards her I am not afraid to tell the world that she was a Gentle-woman whom I did as much honour and as highly esteem as any one living of her sex and quality in regard of the vertues and graces which I observed shining forth in her carriage whereby she did very much beautifie and adorn her profession of Religion I find Matth. 26.13 that our Saviour takes care that a Memorial of Maries Piety Beneficence towards him in anointing his head and feet with precious Oyntment Joh. 12.3 might be published and perpetuated in after-ages and I am much emboldned by that instance of Christ to take some care that this Maries Memorial also who delighted to sit at Christs feet and hear his word and who often anointed his head with the sweet Oyntment of Piety and Devotion glorifying him as God and his feet with the Oyntment of Charity and Compassion relieving his poor Members and so ministring to Christ of her substance may be published and transmitted to posterity In hope also that the Readers hereof may through the blessing of God be edified and provoked to walk in the way to eternal life and follow after righteousnesse so as they also may have hope in their death I have adventured to commit this Sermon to publick view to give people warning not to go on in their sins lest they be driven away in their wickednesse nor to content themselves with the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees lest they come short of the Kingdom of Heaven nor to rest in a bare groundlesse lazie conjectural Hope lest their hope make them ashamed and exhorting them to use all diligence to make their calling and election sure by making sure their interest in Christ by faith considering that such as are without Christ are without hope Ephes 2.12 whereas such as have Christ framed in them have learned a rich and glorious mystery Christ in us being the hope of glory Col. 1.27 For if with Paul we resolve endeavour that Christ shall be magnified by us whether by life or death he will be unto us both in life and death advantage Phil. 1.20 21. And when Christ who is our life shall appear we shall also appear with him in glory Col. 3.4 I shall not trouble you further with any Apology for my boldnesse in mentioning your names and addressing my self to you in the Dedication hereof assuring you it is not with any desire or intent to revive or encrease your sorrow or aggravate your grief who had the greatest share in that great losse which we have of late sustained but rather to asswage and allay it by minding you of that great gain and advantage which she hath gotten by death Our Saviour tells his Disciples when comfortlesse at the thought of his departure from them If ye loved me ye would rejoyce because I go unto the Father John 14.28 I know you loved her dearly as a dutifull Childe to you her Parents and as a tender affectionate faithfull spouse and true Christian yoke-fellow to you her Husband let your love to her be now expressed rather in rejoycing that she is gone to her heavenly Father that she is at rest in the bosom of her Spiritual Bridegroom than in mourning for her departure from 〈…〉 of this Vale of misceries considering that to be with Christ is far better and in the presence of her heavenly relations she may enjoy fulnesse of blisse and pleasures for ever more If the Poet spake truth when he said Solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris That it 's a comfort to the afflicted to have companions of their grief you may take some comfort in considering you had many who did sympathize and condole with you at her death yea very many of the Children of Sion did mourn and make bitter lamentation so that

fancy whereby they expect some good but have no warrant for it presuming that all is well with them and that God will take them to himself and shew them mercy when they die though they regarded not to take the Lord for their Portion nor his word for their guide while they lived Sperando pereunt a livelesse lazy conceit building castles in the aire casting Anchor among Quicksands their hope will make them ashamed There is the Hope of the Righteous upright 2. Christian Hope which is an undoubted expectationof all promised good things to come being freely given us of God through Jesus Christ Heb. 6.18 19. that we might have strong consolation who have fled for Refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us which Hope we have as an Anchor of the soule sure and stedfast and which entreth into that within the vaile Hath Hope Tremelius renders it thus Recipit se etiam in morte sua justus with this annotation upon it Recipit se à malo adeo vt ne mors quidem ipsa sit ipsi mala i.e. He recovers and delivers himself from evil so that Death it self cannot be evil or hurtfull to him so Mr. Cleaver explains it The righteous hath not only confidence and good expectation but refuge and deliverance in greatest extremities yea in the very danger and torment of death it self yea then especially and more than ever at any time before The Object of the Righteous persons Hope is God himself Ps 39.7 And now Lord what wait I for my hope is in thee 1. Tim. 1.1 And Lord Jesus Christ which is our hope Ier. 14.8 Ier. 17.18 And all those future good things which God hath graciously promised in his word both for soul and body Col. 1.5 for the hope which is laid up for you in heaven vers 27. Christ in you the hope of Glory Titus 1.2 In hope of eternall life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began Tit. 3.7 that being justified by his grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternall life The Hope of a Christian is in another world no man hath better surer greater hopes than a Christian a Worldlings Motto is a Bird in the hand but a Christians is spero meliora I hope for better things The Philosopher could say Tolle coelum nullus ero Much better and surer ground hath a true Christian to reioice in hope of the glory of God and to glory in tribulation for the hope that is laid up in heaven for him which hope maketh not ashamed Rom. 5.2 3 5. Pro. 10.28 The hope of the righteous shall be gladnes but the expectation of the wicked shall perish yea when the hope of the wicked shall be cut off then shall the righteous have a vigorous lively or a living hope 1 Pet 3. an hope that shall not fail even in death they have hope of life and by death they come to be partakers of the object of their Hope and so I come to the 3. particular When. 3. When. The time when the Righteous hath hope in his Death in the evil day in time of greatest disconsolation when friends stand weeping and wringing their hands when speech sight senses strength fail when riches will not profit a man when Physicians are of no value when all Creatures prove miserable comforters and when all human helps fail then is a Christians soule full of hope and may comfortably use this motto spero meliora though I leave a faire house pleasant gardens and loving friends and deare Relations yet I hope to enioy and inhabit an house not made with hands eternall in the heavens whose builder is God to dwell with my heavenly father in his Mansion house I hope to enioy better friends more deare Relations Communion with such as are of a more holy society I hope now by death to come unto Mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels To the Generall Assembly and Church of the first-born which are written in heaven and to God the Iudge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect And to Jesus the Mediatour of the New Covenant Heb. 12.22 23 24. 4 Proofs To prove that the Righteous i e. true beleivers who walke uprightly following after Righteousnes have this Hope in their Death consider some testimonies of scripture and some examples Isa 57.1 2. The righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart and mercifull men are taken away none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come He shall enter into peace they shall rest in their beds each one walking in his uprightnes Where we have a sad complaint of the Cursed security of most people not regarding nor laying to heart the sad tokens of Gods displeasure nor their own danger approaching threatned by the Lords taking away his righteous servants from among them and secondly a Relation of the blessed security happy estate of Gods people at and after their death however they may seeme to perish from the earth yet they are taken away from the evil to come and enter into peace c. The Lord in that Scripture gives us a Description and Character of his own people and of Others of worldlings that lived among them His own people are described 1. By their Disposition and behaviour while they live here 1. Righteous 2. Mercifull 3. Walking in uprightnes as Micah 6.8 2. By their state and condition at and after Death 1. They are taken from the evil to come 2. They enter into peace 3. They rest in their beds The Description of worldlings and carnall people that lived among them by their disposition and behaviour is partly in the end of the former chapter eagerly and inordinately pursuing worldly profits and sensuall pleasures presuming upon long life and plenty c. 56.11 12. and in the first verse of this chapter they are said to be inconsiderat senselesse stupid dead-hearted not laying things to heart not regarding to heare the rod and who hath appointed it nor to behold the Majesty of the Lord when his hand is lifted up Their Dangerous state and condition when Gods servants are taken away from among them is there also hinted at it s a sad omen and forerunner of evil coming upon them That which I specially quoted this foregoing scripture for was to prove that the Righteous have hope in their death and here it is cleerely and fully affirmed that by death they are taken from the evil to come and enter into a state of blessed peace and sweet security Another proofe here of is Revelation 14.13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto mee write Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works doe follow them This testimony John received by a voice from heaven and

therefore it s of undoubted truth and asserted by the spirit of Truth that Gods people are in a blessed condition after death Not only such as die for the Lord who were put to cruell torments and to suffer death by Antichristian Persecutors for not complying with them in their idolatrous worship but such as die in the Lord are blessed i.e. such as were effectually called unto fellowship with Jesus Christ and united to him by faith as members of his mysticall body are happy in their death Death puts a period to all their troubles and labours and brings them to the enjoyment of rest and peace and to receive the reward of their works Here are no purgatory-torments mentioned to be endured by them after death but a perfect cessation from all labour and a full enioyment of rest and blisse To give instance in some examples of Gods people who have had hope in their death we finde that Jacob when he lay on his Death-bed professed his hope of salvation and enioying a better life Gen. 49.18 I have waited for thy salvation O Lord so Abel Enock Noah Abraham Sarah Heb. 11.13 These all died in faith not having received the promises but having seen them a farre off and were perswaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers on earth declaring plainly that they expected a better Countrey that is an heavenly Thus Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward and endured as seeing him who is invisible vers 25 26 27. Job's spirit was upheld from sinking into despair under all his pressures losses and afflictions and he professeth his hope even in death Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Job 13.15 as if he had said if God should take away my life yet would I in the midst of death expect a better life from him So David Psal 23.4 Though I walk through the Valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil And Psal 73.26 my flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever his hope of being received into glory after death encouraged him to go on in the wayes of righteousnesse whatever afflictions he underwent in his life time Paul in time of his imprisonment at Rome lest the Philippians should be discouraged at his sufferings professeth his earnest expectation and hope of salvation and that he was not any way afraid of death but rather desirous of it in regard of the gain and benefit he should reap by it Phil. 1.21 for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain that is Christ is my life here by grace and hereafter by glory he is both the Authour and end of my life and if I be put to death that shall no way endamage me but rather bring me great advantage in regard that thereby I shall exchange and gain Heaven for Earth and an happy eternal life for this miserable and mortal life and vers 23 I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better And again 2 Tim. 4.6 7 8 giving notice of his approaching death and that the time of his Martyrdom was now at hand he professeth his hope in his death I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me onely but unto them also that love his appearing and again 1 Cor. 15.19 If we have hope in Christ in this life onely we are of all men most miserable Cyprian speaking of the nature of death to believers saith It is Janua vitae victoria belli portus maris The gate of life the victory of war the haven of the Sea death to Gods people is as the Angel was to Peter to fetch him out of prison and set him at liberty Act. 12.7 c. and as Pharaohs Messenger was to Joseph to remove him out of the Dungeon into Pharaohs Court Gen. 41.14 where he was highly advanced to Honour and Dignity The benefits which believers hope to be made partakers of by death are either such as concern their Souls or their bodies The Souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holinesse Heb. 12.23 and brought to the spirits of just men made perfect Death abolisheth sin and corruption in believers and brings finalem gratiam the perfection of grace that may make them capable of glorie as sin brought death into the World so death drives sin out of Gods peoples natures Rom. 6.7 he that is dead is freed from sin there is not so much as any remnant of sin that cleaves to a believing Soul after death but it is presented unto Christ without spot or wrinkle void of all sinfull infirmities Here the best of Gods Saints grone under the burden of their corruptions 2 Cor. 5.4 and cry out with Paul Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death before death the best Christians complain the good that I would I do not but the evil that I would not that I do Rom. 7.19 but now after death the least in the Kingdom of Heaven saith the evil that I would not I do not and the good that I would I do 1. By death they have full discharge from all possibility of offending God Death is a loosening to the Children of God here they are as it were tyed to a stake to be baited by Sathan and his instruments death is the breaking of the Chain and the Soul escapeth as a Bird out of the snare of the Fowler as the fire burnt the bonds of the three Children and so procured their liberty so death is a Goal-delivery to the Children of God That one happy pang which pulls away the Soul from the body doth also pull away sin both from the Soul and body Greenham Byfield Hieron Hildersam c. to this purpose many of our English Divines have written excellently to comfort the surviving friends of deceased Saints to cure them of the fear of death So Polan Syntagm 342. Mors electis credentibus non est pro peccatis satisfactio sed peccati abolitio transitus in vitam aeternam By death believers are freed from all occasions of sin Temptations to sin Power and dominion of it yea from all dregs and remainders of sin This made the Martyrs so willing to endure any kinde of death that Tyranny could devise that they might be rid of their sinfull bands and this corruptible burden which presseth down the Soul that looks