off from it For this a threefold Reason may be assigned Answ This he did upon a threefold ground 1. Reas 1 The first and principal whereof is that which we meet with in the Text. His obedience to his Father His Father had given this Cup to him to drink and therefore he will drink it The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it God his Father had decreed willed that he should suffer and dye and this his will he had made known unto him And therefore in obedience to his command he thus willingly yieldeth hereunto I lay down my life of my self saith he but wherefore Why This Commandement I have received from my Father so himself there giveth the Reason of it Joh. 10.18 Even as Isaac herein a type of him in obedience to his Father yields himself to be bound and layed upon the Wood to be sacrificed Gen. 22. which he did willingly without the least reluctancy or resistance that we read of So did the Lord Jesus in obedience to his Father he willingly yielded up himself to the death He humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse Phil. 2.8 Such an absolute and universal complyance there was betwixt Christ and his Father What his Father willed that he willed So himself declares it Joh. 5.30 I seek not mine own will but the will of him that sent me And again in the Chapter following v. 38. I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me Thus did he as God perfectly comply with the will of his Father Being one God with him there was but one will betwixt them What the Father willed the Son willed And as Man he was in every thing subordinate to him Not doing his own will I seek not myne own will As Man if it had been consistent with the will of God his Father he could have wished that this Cup might have passed from him which he doth Matth. 26.39 Father if it be possible let this Cup passe from me There was the will of his humane iâ—firmity Nature being desirous to preserve it self which it might doe without sin But this will he submits and resolves into the will of his Father Neverthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt so he there limits his desire And again vers 42. O my Father if this Cup may not passe from me except I drink it thy will be done Thus was there a perfect conformity of his will as God and subordination as Man to the will of his Father And from hence flowed this willing submission of his in drinking of this Cup. This he did in obedience to his Father Which I shall God willing make some Application of hereafter for the present passing it by 2. Reas 2 As herein he had an eye to his Father willing this so also to his Elect people needing it His good wil to his Elect people Their redemption their salvation depended upon it As for what he had already done in his Active Obedience in fulfilling the Law this alone could have been no wayes available unto them The Justice of God required further satisfaction even the suffering of death This was that which the Law had threatned In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye saith the Lord to Adam Gen. 2.17 thou shalt die the death be subject and bound over unto death not only temporall but eternall And under this sentence do all the Sons of Adam by nature lye being bound over unto death not only in their Bodies but in their Souls bound over unto eternall death Now this Law must be satisfied before the Elect of God could be redeemed And how should this be without shedding of blood Without shedding of blood there is no Remission Heb. 9.22 And upon this account again it was that our blessed Saviour was so willing to drink this Cup to subject himself to this accursed death not only to a naturall but to that which was equivalent to an eternall death to suffer the wrath of God due unto the sins of the World that so he might free his Elect people from that Curse Which he did out of an unspeakable love to them This it was that induced God the Father to give this Gup to his Son God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son c. Joh. 3.16 And this it was which also induced him so willingly to drink it in this way to give himself for them Who loved me and gave himself for me saith Paul Gal. 2.20 Christ hath loved us and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God Eph. 5.2 Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it v. 25. This it was which next to the will of God his Father put him forward upon this service with such resolution and willingnesse even that ardent affection which he bare to his Elect people This will love doe The power of intense Love It beareth all things as the Apostle saith of it 1 Cor. 13.7 Where it is intense it will make a heavy burden light Jacob loving Rachel he served a Seven-years Apprentiship for her And saith the Text they seemed to him but a few dayes for the love he had to her Gen. 29.20 And thus would men serve their God did they but love him as they ought though it were for many years their service would not be tedious unto them So was it here with our blessed Saviour Loving his Elect people with such an intense affection as he did he thinks nothing too much that either he could doe or suffer for them Applic. Where before we passe any further Applic. This Love of Christ to be admited make we a stand a little suffering our thoughts to be taken up with an holy Contemplation and high admiration of this matchlesse love which our blessed Saviour doth herein expresse in shewing himself so willing to drink this Cup. A Bitter Cup So he had found it already Yet behold he not only submits to the drinking of it but will not indure that it should be taken from his mouth till he had drunk it off The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it As if he had thirsted after it no lesse then a thirsty man doth after a Cup of drink to quench his thirst withall Thus was he carryed on to this his Passion with an earnest desire Even as he was to the drinking of that mystical Cup concerning which he tells his Disciples Luk. 22.15 With desire I have desired that is Earnestly desired to eat this Passeover with you before I suffer meaning the Sacrament of the Lords Supper so was he to the drinking of this metaphoricall Cup whereof that was a forerunner and a sign his Death and Passion this was a thing which he was carryed to with the like earnest desire This is that which he tells his Disciples Luk. 12.50 I have a
Apostle himself who tells his Corinthians 2 Cor. 1.8 that by the trouble which hapned to him in Asia he was pressed out of measure beyond strength 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so falleth it out sometimes with other of the Saints There is a great disproportion betwixt their burden and their strength the one great the other small Now how shall a Christian be able to bear up in such a case so to fortifie and strengthen his spirit as that he may not faint in the day of Adversity A. A great and difficult work I confesse A. Some soveraign Cordials prescribed yet through the help of Grace attainable To help you therein let me prescribe unto you some Soveraign Cordials some spiritual Consolations which may be and being taken into the soul will be very usefull for this purpose for the supporting and bearing up the spirit under whatever affliction this poor life of ours upon earth is subject to These Consolations are many as also our Afflictions are I shall single out some of the choisest Which I shall desire you carefully to lay up Happily at the present you may have no great need of them but how soon you may you know not And therefore lay them up in the Closet of your hearts They are not like the Apothecaries Drugs some of which being long kept lose their vertue The day may come when some one of them may requite all your care and pains In the First place then look at Afflictions themselves Direct 1 Loâ—k at Afflictions themselves wherein consider The Israelites in the Wildernesse were cured of the stinging of the Serpents by looking upon the Serpent And so may a Christian by looking upon Afflictions strengthen his heart against them The Hony of the Bee is a medicine for the Sting Afflictions though never so bitter yet will afford somewhat that may serve to allay that bitternesse In them cast we an eye upon 4 or 5 particulars which may be usefull this way The Quality Quantity Continuance Commonnesse Issue of them 1. Consid 1 The Quality of them Here we shall finde that in themselves they are a Curse The Quality of them as qualified by Christ Such are all Afflictions all fruits and consequents of sin and punishments of it every one being an Appendix to that first Curse The day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death surely die Gen. 2.17 that is be subject to manifold evils as in soul so in body tending to death to the destruction of both But by through Christ their nature is now altered the Curse is taken away That was one and the chief of those Ingredients which was put into this Cup which was given to Christ to drink and which he did drink upon the Crosse He being there made subject to that accursed death that he might free us from the Curse of death and of all its retinue Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a curse for us Gal. 3.13 So that what the Apostle saith of Death it self 1 Cor. 15.55 O Death where is thy sting We may say the same of whatever afflictions and crosses can befall the children of God upon earth their Sting is gone Surely the bitternesse of death is past saith Agag having as he thought armed himself against the fear of it which is the greatest part of Deaths bitternesse 1 Sam. 15.32 And the like may all true Believers say concerning all their Afflictions and sufferings The bitternesse of them is past as to them the Curse being taken away from them by Christ which is indeed the chief part of their bitternesse Even as Moses altered the quality of those waters of Marah took away the bitternesse of them by casting into them that Tree which the Lord had shewed him so hath Christ taken away the bitternesse of all the waters of Affliction by the Tree of his Crosse to which he was designed by his Father The bitternesse of Afflictions as I said was the Curse going along with them they being in themselves all tokens of wrath But now that bitternesse that Curse is taken away So as to true Believers they are no longer tokens of wrath but rather Love-tokens Whom the Lord loveth he correcteth Prov. 3.12 chasteneth Heb. 12.6 Yea Pledges of Adoption So it there followeth Heb. 12.6 7. He scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth If ye endure chastenings God dealeth with you as with Sons Not to know what Chastisements mean it is no good sign If ye be without Chastisement whereof all all Gods children are partakers then are ye bastards and not sons so it there followeth v. 8. For God to exercise his Children with afflictions it is a sign that he owns them for his Children and a demonstration of his fatherly love to them and care of them Thus do these Cups which Gods people drink of they come from the hand of a Father not of a Judge being to them not satisfactory but castigatory punishments Not properly punishments but Chastisements Not tokens of wrath but Love-tokens A usefull and comfortable meditation for the soul of a Believer to feed upon in the midst of whatever distresse What is it that maketh these Cups so bitter unto the soul Why when it looketh upon them as they are in themselves as Cups of divine wrath and fury Now no wonder if it shake and tremble at the drinking of them So long as a man apprehends these Arrowes which he feeleth to stick fast in him to be poysoned Arrowes shot at him by the hand of a revenging God now no wonder if the soul have no peace no quiet But look upon them as they are changed and altered by Christ having the Curse taken away and as they are tokens and pledges of Adoption which being sanctified they certainly are the soul being perswaded of this this will be as a soveraign Cordial to it to keep it from fainting Q. Q. Yea but you will say how shall a man know this How Chastisements may be known from Punishments that they are so to him that they are only Chastisements and not Punishments and that they are tokens of love and pledges of Adoption When as they are tokens of wrath to some how shall I know that they are not so to me A. A. To this I have in part hinted an Answere already Take it a little more fully yet briefly 1. How do you drink this Cup how doe ye suffer these afflictions Doe you quietly patiently By the manner of suffering them contentedly submit to the hand of God in them If so now hear what the Apostle saith to you in that Text even now cited Heb. 12.7 If ye indure chastning God dealeth with you as with Sons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not if you suffer afflictions for so do the worst of men But if ye endure chastening receive Afflictions from the hands of God as Chastisements kissing the Rod humbling your selves under the hand of God as dutifull Children under
grave compassed me about v. 5 My heart is sore pained within me and the terrours of death are fallen upon me Psal 55.4 And so Psal 116.3 This it was that rung those tears from Hezekiahs eyes Isai 38. Though a holy man one who as he appeareth to God in it v. 2 of that Chapter had walked before him in truth with a perfect heart and had done that which was good in his sight Yet when the Prophet commeth and presenteth this Cup to him bringing to him that message from the Lord that he must die and not live Now saith the storie Hezekiah turned his face to the wall as not daring to look this enemy in the face and he prayed unto the Lord v. 2. Yea as the next verse hath it he wept sore And himself tels us v. 14. that he chattered like a crane or swallow So unwelcome were those tidings unto him And St Paul though inferiour to none in holy courage and resolution which he shewed when he told the Disciples weeping about him that he was ready not only to be bound but to dye at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus Act. 21.13 Yet being as he thought arrested by this serjeant having as he saith received in himself the sentence of death he declares to his Corinthians that he was pressed out of measure above strength 2 Cor. 1.8.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above the strength of nature yea even above the strength of that grace which he had which at the present he being suddainly surprized was hardly able to bear up his spirit under the apprehension of that eminent danger wherein he was And if Cedars be thus pressed how shall shrubs look to bear up head Should God now send the like message to any of us my Brethren as there he did to Hezekiah bidding us Set thine House in order for thou shalt dye and not live Or should we here see such an hand writing upon the wal as Belshezar once did giving us to take notice that our daies are numbred and our course finished put the question now to our own hearts what entertainment we could give to such a message such tidings Are there not some of us who would with Hezekiah turn away our face and weep at it as sore as ever he did Nay would it not fare with some of us as there it did with Belshazar of whom the story tels us that when he saw that hand-writing though he understood not what it meant yet his guilty conscience suggesting that it portended no good to him his countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the joints of his loines were loosed and his knees smote one against the other Dan. 5.6 How few are there of us that would so receive the Messengers of such tidings as our blessed Saviour doth here these Messengers which were sent to apprehend him so submitting to the will of God herein as he did But yet know we this to be our Duty Yet a Christians Duty a Lesson which our Lord and Master by his own example hath taught us And being so let every of us apply our selves to the learning and taking of it forth that we may thus submit to the drinking of this Cup when ever God shall give it unto us Which sooner or later he will do how soon we know not Q. And possible to be done I but you may say is this a thing possible to be done to bring the heart to such a willing submission hereunto A. Though not by Nature To this I answer as before that to flesh and bloud it is not possible Nature seeking the preservation of it self cannot readily and willingly imbrace that which is the destruction of it self Especially if the eye of the Soul shall be opened to see death as it is and to see the Consequents of it to look upon it as an inlet into a future Estate That which maketh meere naturall men sometimes so willing to dye is because they are blinded with mishapprehensions of it they look upon it as a period to their troubles as an end of all misery Whereas did they apprehend it as an inlet to Eternity yea to an Eternity of misery which to them it is as an entry into that dark dungeon where they shall be kept in those everlasting chaines under darknesse to the judgment of the great day it is not possible that they should look upon it or think of it without horrour and astonishment Yet by grace But to Grace this is possible This being one of those ends wherefore Christ dyed that through death he might deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject unto bondage as the Apostle tels us Heb. 2.15 Such is the condition of all the Sons of men by nature being continually subject unto death they are in bondage through the fear of it But this priviledge Christ hath by his death obtained for his Elect that through grace through faith in him they may be freed and delivered from this bondage this fear Though not from the Naturall yet from the slavish fear of it As for the Naturall fear of it that our blessed Saviour himself was not free from noe more are the best of Saints Not thus to fear death what is it but Hominem exuere to put off humanity But for the servile slavish fear of it that through grace believers may be freed from Yea so freed from it as to receive and embrace death readily and willingly This we find some of the Saints to have done Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace saith old Simeon Luk. 2.29 I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ saith Paul Phil. 1.23 In this we groan desiring earnestly to be cloathed upon with our house which is from Heaven saith the same Apostle of himself and other believers 2 Cor. 5.2 And again v. 8. We are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. So then this is a thing possible for Christians to attain unto to be willing to dye when God calleth them to it Some and many have attained it and others may if they be not wanting to themselves Nay A shame to Christians not to be willing to dye it is a shame unto those who professing themselves Christians doe not in some measure attain hereunto 1. In as much Frist as this is contrary to their professions Being contrary to their profession Being Christians they profess themselves strangers and pilgrims on the earth as the Fathers of old time are said to have done Heb. 11.13 Now as it there followeth v. 14. They which say such things declare plainly that they seek a Countrey that they desire a better Country that is an heavenly as the 16 verse explaines it Such is the Christians profession Now then for them to be unwilling to passe through this Jordan to take possession of this their heavenly Canaan it
is free from his Master so Job describes the state of the dead Job 3.17 18 19. Thus doth God our heavenly Father make use of this as his Handkerchief to wipe away all tears from the eyes of his Children as we have it Rev. 7. last After death there shall be to them no more death nor crying neither shall there be any more pain as that other Text hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ae chylus Rev. 21.4 Death lets out the Christian as it doth all men from the sense and fear of all temporall Evils 2. Yea it freeth him from what is far worse from Spiritual Evils Spirituall giving a Quietus est as to the Body so to the Soul Freeing him 1. From Sin He that is dead is freed from sin Rom. From sin 6.7 So it is indeed with a mortified soul a regenerate person that is spiritually dead dead to sin which the Apostle there chiefly aymeth at he is freed from it viz. from the guilt and power of it But this is but a partiall freedome which is compleated and perfected in and by naturall death by which the Believer obtaineth a perfect freedome Being hereby so freed from sin as in this life he cannot be Freed from the committing of it From the inbeing of it From the beholding of it From the committing of it 1. From the committing of it which while he is here he is not cannot be However as the Apostle hath it in the verse there foregoing Rom. 6.6 the old man being crucified with Christ the Body of sin is so far destroyed that henceforth the regenerate person doth not serve sin he having thus suffered in the flesh ceaseth from sin as St. Peter hath it 1 Pet. 4.1 Corruption being in measure mortified he doth not now sin as before he did so as to make a custome and practise of it yet through weaknesse he doth commit some acts of sin and that daily There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not Eccl. 7.20 But Death giveth the Believer a perfect discharge so as thenceforth he sinneth no more He that hath entred into his rest saith the Apostle he also hath ceased from his own works as God did from his Heb. 4.10 God upon the seventh day kept a Sabbath resting from his works of Creation such as he had wrought upon the six dayes before So doth the Believer in death he entereth into his rest that Eternall Sabbatisme where he ceaseth from his own works such works as he here wrought in the flesh specially from the works of the flesh sinfull works Opera nostra vocantur labores curas vocationis nostrae tùm opera carnis noturae vitiosae peccatae quae vere sunt nestra quia â nobis fiunt nec probantur Dec c. Pareus Com. ad loc which as Pareus there noteth upon it may most properly be called a mans own works inasmuch as he doth them of himself without any approbation or allowance from God From these works the Godly man after death wholly ceaseth Which the wicked man doth not who being in Hell ceaseth not to blaspheme God Like as the followers of the Beast are said to doe upon the powring out of the Vials They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains c. Rev. 16.9 11 21. so doe the damned in hell because of their torments they blaspheme God and commit other sins such as that their state is capable of Which whether they be formally and properly sins in them not lying under a Law as here they did I shall not dispute but Materially I am sure they are being the same sinfull acts which here they committed But from such acts shall the believer now cease so as never more to commit any sin Noe nor yet to be in any possibility of committing it Such a state doth death bring Gods Children to a state in this respect far more happy then that wherein our first Parents were in Paradise There they were free from sin but not from a possibility of sinning which the event shewed But Gods Saints by death are freed from this being hereby put into an impeccable state and so confirmed as that they shall never more have any will or inclination to that which is evill Thus are they freed from the acting the Committing of sin 2. From the inbeing of it And so Secondly from the Inbeing the Indwelling of it So it is that the best of Saints while they are here they have sin dwelling in them It is no more I that do it saith Paul but sin that dwelleth in me Rom. 7.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thereby meaning Innolita illa pridem peccandi consuetndo Grot. Annot. ad loc not that Habit and Custome of sin which is in an unregenerate person as Grotius expounds it but that Naturall Corruption which still cleaveth to the Regenerate This he found still dwelling in him And so it will in the most sanctyfied soul upon earth And there dwelling it will also be warring seeming sometimes to Conquer So also that Apostle there out of his own experience complaines v. 23. I find another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind and bringing me into Captivity to the Law of sin which is in my members Such a conflict there is and will be in the best of Saints Corruption striving against Grace Yea and sometimes prevailing against it Even as a strong tide carrieth the ship against the stroke of the Rowers Which cannot but create a great deal of trouble to the Soul So it did to that blessed Apostle who upon this account looked upon himself as a miserable man crying out in the next verse verse 24. O wretched man that I am who shal deliver me from the Body of this death That Body of sin as he elswere calleth it Rom. 6.6 which he found living in him was to him a Body of death making his life miserable to him So would it be to a Child-bearing woman to have the Child lye dead within her rotting and putrifying in her womb whereof notwithstanding all indeavours used she cannot be delivered Or to a living man to be tyed to a dead karkesse Even so is it with a regenerate person whilest he is here the living and the dead are tyed together Grace and Gorruption And so tyed together as nothing can part them but death Like as it was with that fretting leprosie of which we read Lev. 14.45 which having eaten into the Wals there was no cure for it but by pulling down the house Even so is it with this Leprosie of sin having seized upon the soul and eaten into all the powers and faculties of Soul and Body there is no way to be freed from it but by death And this will do it The house being pulled down the Leprosie ceased And so doth sin in death The dissolution of the Body is the Absolution of the Soul freeing it from this
Death free the Believer This gust shall blow away all those dark and gloomy Clouds which here intercepted the light of Gods countenance so as from thenceforth he shall never know what doubtings or fears mean but shall enjoy a constant Sunshine of Gods grace and favour to all Eternity Thus you see what evils Death freeth the Believer from Generally Universally from the sense and fear of all Evils both Temporall and Spirituall And thus freeing them from Evils Consid 2 it bringeth great Good to them The great good which Death brings the Believer to letting him into Paradise or them to it Letting them into Paradise This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise saith our dying Saviour to that penitent Thief Luk. 23.43 meaning the Celestial Paradise Heaven whereof the earthly Paradise was a Type and shadow so called from those transcendent pleasures delights and contentments which are there to be found Paul being caught up into this Paradise he heard as he tells his Corinthians unspeakable words such as himself could not utter 2 Cor. 12.4 And so shall the soul ascending thither see and enjoy unspeakable things such as the tongue of man cannot expresse Eye hath not seen ear hath not heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 What things are layed up in heaven for them And these shall Death let the regenerate soul into the possession of letting it into life Mors Janua Vitae Temporall death is the dore which letteth into everlasting life Of this Tree shall he eat who hath overcome this his last Enemy To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God Rev. 2.7 to partake of eternall life of those everlasting Joyes to which Death is the Entry Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord saith the Master having reckoned with his good and faithfull servant Matth. 25.23 Thus doth Christ reckon with all his servants at the day of death then giving to them according to their works This is the Evening wherein those who have laboured in his vineyard shall every one receive their Penny Matth. 20.9 The reward of all the service which here they have done unto him a superabundant recompense infinitely exceeding whatever they have deserved Even that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that eternall weight of glory as the Apostle calleth it 2 Cor. 4.17 Then shall the Crown be set upon the heads of all Gods Saints I have finished my course saith St Paul henceforth is layed up for me the Crown of righteousnesse 2 Tim. 4.8 All true believers they are Kings while here upon earth made so by Christ who hath obtained that honour and dignity for them He hath made us Kings unto God and his Father Rev. 1.6 Spiritual Kings But they are as yet but Kings Elect heirs apparent to the Crown having a right to it but Crowned they cannot be til death Now what Prince would be unwilling to hear of his Coronation daies And such is the day of death to the true believer his Coronation day At which time being divested of his rags he shall have a Robe put upon him A white Robe He that overcommeth shall be cloathed in white rayment Rev. 3.4 Thus was Christ himself cloathed in his transfiguration on the Mount His rayment was white as the light Matth. 17.2 And so shall his Saints be cloathed after their departure hence having white rayment a garment of glory put upon them Then shall they be cloathed upon with that their house which is from Heaven when once they have laid down this earthly Tabernacle The consideration whereof made the blessed Apostle to groan so earnestly as he said he did 2 Cor. 5.1 2. desiring his dissolution upon that account Then shall they enter into their Glory So did our blessed Saviour by suffering of death he entred into his Glory Luk. 24.26 And so shall all they who follow his steps imitate his obedience death shall be to them Porta Gloriae The gate of glory letting in the soul to the beholding and injoying of that glory and happinesse which now cannot enter into it Letting it into the presence of God where it shall see him Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Matth. 5.8 And see him as he is as Saint John tels us 1 Joh. 3.2 Have a full sight of him see him after another manner then here it doth Now we see through a glasse darkly saith the Apostle but then face to face 1 Cor. 13.12 Now we see God only in the glass of his word and works which do but darkly represent him But after death believers shall have a clear and full view of him The beholding of God a beatifical vision Then shall their Faith be turned into Vision Which shall be to them as the Schools call it a truely Beatificall vision making the beholders happy Happy in as much as hereby they shall be transformed into the Image of God made like him we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is saith St John there 1 Joh. 3.2 This Believers in part are here upon earth Whilest they behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord they are changed into the same Image from glory to glory As the Apostle hath it 2 Cor. 3.18 Beholding God in the glass of his word thereby they come by degrees to be transformed into his Image to be made like him in holinesse But when they shall come to see him face to face then shall they be made perfectly like unto him Death brings the Soul to perfection so far as their finite natures are capable of partaking of his infinite perfections Then shal they be perfect as their heavenly Father is perfect Perfect with a perfection both of Grace and Glory 1. Of Grace Which is here imperfect Such is Knowledge and Love Of Grace and all other graces in the most sanctyfied soul But upon the dissolution of the Body the soul comming into the presence of God it shal attain a full perfection A perfection of Knowledge Now I know in part saith the Apostle but then I shall know even as I am known 1 Cor. 13.12 Of knowledg Many things there are which the most knowing men upon earth are ignorant of Many mysteries in Nature which by all their search they cannot find out the reason of Much more Celestiall Mysteries concerning God and Jesus Christ As the Trinity of Persons in the unity of Essence The Hypostaticall union of the two Natures The Godhead and Manhood in the person of Christ Mysteries too sublime for any of this side heaven to pry into so as to comprehend or yet apprehend them otherwise then by faith But these with whatever else may any waies conduce to the happinesse of the soul to know it shal have a clear knowledg of after death Seeing God as he is it shall
do to bring and keep our hearts in such a temper as that we may not be inordinately affected with any thing here below whether Crosses or Comforts Not but that a Christian may be affected with both He may both Weep and Rejoyce and that upon the account of temporal concernments But see that it be not in an inordinate manner And so may he buy and sell seek and indeavour to get an estate in the world to purchase and possess houses and lands But take we heed we do not make them our chief possession It is a good distinction which Augustine maketh use of betwixt Vti and Frui Vsing and injoying Which let all of us learn that so we may not be guilty of what he chargeth as a great impiety viz. Vti fruendis or frui utendis only to make use of what we ought to injoy or to injoy what we ought only to make use of As only to make use of heaven and heavenly things by thinking or speaking of them sometime which we ought to make our injoyment or to make the things of this world our injoyment which we ought only to make use of and that so using them as if we used them not Thus labour we so take of our hearts that they may sit loose to the world Which till a man do he will never be willing to leave it Surely this is it which maketh the men of this world so unwilling to hear of death much more to see it their hearts are glewed and fastned to the world to the profits or pleasures or honours of it Some thing or other there is to which they are wedded And no wonder then that this Apparatour Death which brings to them a Bil of divorce should be so unwelcome a messenger Get we our hearts then weaned and taken of from all these so as we may leave this world before it leaveth us leave it in Affection before we leave it in Person Which having done death will not be unwelcome Q. But how shall we get our hearts thus weaned from the world Q. How to get the heart weaned from the world A. Briefly 1. By a serious consideration of the vanity of it even all things upon earth The mutability uncertainty with the vacuity and emptinesse of them A. 1 Consider the vanity of earth how they are such things as a man can have to assurance of injoying them and whilest injoyed cannot afford any true contentment to the soul but oftimes breeding wormes in it cares and fears vexations and disquietments All which the wisest of men by his own experience found as he sets it forth at large in that his Book of Retractions Ecclesiastes 2. Consider the transcendency of those Riches The happinesse of heaven Honours and Pleasures which are to be found in that other world in Heaven Which being put into the ballance against these of this world doe infinitely outweigh them Those being as the Apostle calleth them Heb. 10.34 A better and an induring substance whereas these are only vain and vanishing shadows Look we rightly seriously and steadfastly upon the one our eies will be so dazled with the splendor and brightnesse of them that they will never after be much taken with the glimmering of the other 3. Have no unnecessary society or familiarity with the men of this world the worlds minions and Favourites men who mind nothing but earthly things But associate and acquaint our selves with such as are in their affections got above the earth and have learned to contemn and make light of all things in it 4. Single out the particulars which our hearts are most taken with and fastest linked to and make it our daily work to wean our soules from them But I hasten towards a conclusion Thus dye to the world daily And thirdly Dye daily as to the Death of nature Which do we Dye daily the death of nature 1. By inuring our selves to a quiet and patient bearing and suffering of lighter afflictions and Crosses Submitting to lesser Crosses which are as petty deaths Every of which is a kind of petty death all of them deaths retinue forerunners of it and making way for it Now inure we our selves to a quiet submission to the will of God in drinking of these lesser Cups in suffering of these lesser tryals with patience and holy contentation this will make us the more ready and willing to submit to this last stroak when it cometh to suffer death it self The new Cart in the Fable which never bare any burden before it made a noise at the first load whereas the old one having been accustomed thereunto was silent The soul which never inurd it self to bear the Crosse to suffer lighter Afflictions with patience in obedience to God will hardly be brought quietly to submit to his will in this last act It is good saith the Church for a man that he bare the yoke in his youth he sitteth alone and keepeth silence because he hath born it upon him Lam. 3.27 By being inured to the patient bearing of lighter afflictions he quietly submits to greater when they come and so to death it self 2. Seriously and frequently meditate of death And Secondly often acting this part with our selves in private before we come to do it upon the publike stage Dying daily by a frequent and serious meditation of death Setting it continually before our eyes often thinking of our latter end Which is a great piece of true Christian wisdome O that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter end saith the Lord of his people Israel Deut. 32.29 Consider that we must dye And here do not put far off from us this evil day Do not look upon death as they do who look through the Optick glass at the wrong end whereby things near at hand seem at a great distance from them Do not thus look upon death as a thing afar of but near hand A practise of great use as to other ends so to make death familiar and consepuently not so dreadful It is the forgetfulnesse of death saith one that maketh life sinful and death terrible And therefore as he had his deaths head every meal set upon his Table and the guize of mourners is to wear them in their rings so do we often set death before us frequently and seriously thinking of it And looking upon it as near hand so living every day as if it were our last day Continually standing upon our gard waiting all the dayes of our appointed time till our change shall come as Job saith he would doe Job 14.14 By this meanes having been made account of and looked for before it comes it will not be so terrible when it cometh Thus prepare for death by dying daily And then in the third place work while our day lasteth Dir. 3 Work whilest our day lasteth So did our blessed Saviour I must work the works of him that sent me while
might be accomplished the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus to proclaim liberty to that people to return to their own Countrey as we finde it 2 Chron. 36.21 22. So exact is God in measuring out the continuance of the sufferings of his people for a year nay for a dâ—y When the four hundred and thirty years were expâ—râ—d the self same day departed all the hoasts of the Lord â—ut of the Land of Egypt so that Text hath it Exod. 12.41 Thus doth God number the dayes of his peoples affliction Ye shall have tribulation ten dayes saith Christ to the Church of Smyrna Rev. 2.10 that is for a set time Even as it was with our Saviours resting in the Grave his lying under the power of death it was for a set time for so many dayes beyond which he could not be detained in that prison Thus hath God determined and set down the dayes of his peoples lying under an affliction with the day of their deliverance After two dayes he will revive us and the third day he will raise us up saith the Church Hos 6.2 In which Text the Prophet is by some conceived to have an eye to the Buriall and Resurrection of Christ shewing how God would raise up hi hua Grch and people out of the grave of affliction at the set and appointed time Even as he raised up Christ out of the Grave There he lay two dayes but the third day he was raised up So did God deal with the Head and so will he deal with his mysticall Body and all the members thereof his Church and people However for a time for two dayes as it were he may suffer them to lye buryed under an affliction yet when the third day cometh the time by himself appointed then will he raise them up nothing shall hinder their deliverance When the third day was come nothing could hinder the Resurrection of Christ Not the Stone rolled upon the Spulcher not the seal set upon it not the Watch set to guard it Maugre all these he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15.4 And so shall it be with his Members the Saints and servants of God Let the Stone be never so great the pressure never so weighty that lyeth upon any of them let men and Devils conspire and use all wayes and means they can to keep them still in the grave under an affliction yet in despite of all the third day they shall rise again when the time by God prescribed and determined is come deliverance shall not be deferred Thus doth God exactly measure out all the sufferings of his people both for the quantity and continuance of them Q. But by what measure doth he thus measure them A. Christisements measured out by a measure of mercy to Gods people To this I have in part returned answer already This he doth by a measure not of justice but of mercy Such is that measure which the Prophet Isai there speaketh of in the Text forecited Isa 27.8 In measure when it shooteth forth thou wilt debate with it In measure by measure a measure of mercy moderatè as Tremellius renders it with moderation So doth God deal with his people in afflicting them not as with his and their Enemies Hath be smitten him as he smote those that smote him saith the verse foregoing God in debating with his Enemies in punishing them he proceeds in a way of justice not so in correcting his people with them he deals in a way of mercy Whereas he poureth out his wrath upon the one Poure thy fury upon the Heathen that know thee not Jer. 10.25 he measureth out his anger unto the other and that by a measure of mercy dealing with them in a way of discretion and mercifull moderation So he tells his people the Jewes that he would deal with them Jer. 30.11 repeated cap. 46.11 I will correct thee in measure and will not leave thee altogether unpunished God being provoked by his people he spareth not to punish them but it is in measure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In judicio Lammishpat saith the Originall by judgement so the former Translation there properly renders it and the like doth our new translation elsewhere as Jer. 10.24 where the Prophet speaking in the person of the people makes it his Request Correct me O Lord but with judgement whereas the word is the same Bemishphat Thus doth God deal with his people though he doth correct them and that sometimes sharply yet still it is in measure with judgement proportioning their sufferings not to their sins Proportioned to their strength but to their strength Even as the Physician as I told you in praescribing Pills and Potions he hath a respect as well to the strength and ability of his Patient as to the nature and quality of the disease So dealeth God in afflicting his people he doth not proportion his judgements to their sins their deserts He hath not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded us according to our iniquities Psal 103.10 But to their abilities and strength So the Psalmist there goeth on vers 13 14. of that Psalme Like as a Father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him For he knoweth our frame he remembreth that we are but dust Thus doth he deal with his people not as a Judge who proceeding according to the strict rule of justice regardeth not the person of the Offender but the nature and quality of the offence to which he proportioneth the penalty but as a Father with his children whom if they offend he correcteth but with a wise moderation and temper having a regard to their age and strength proportioning his strokes to their weaknesse So dealeth God with his children If they offend they shall feel the smart of his rod. If they break my Statutes and keep not my Commandements then will I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes Psal 89.31 32. But herein he dealeth with them in a wise and mercifull way having a regard to their strength So much Paul assureth his Corinthians of 1 Cor. 10.13 God is faithfull saith he who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God will not himself afflict neither will he suffer Satan or his Instruments to oppresse his people beyond their strength Obj. Gods people how said to be pressed out of measure above strength Obj. No it may be said Doth God alwayes thus measure out afflictions to his people proportioning them to their strength what then means that information of the Apostle St. Paul himself 2 Cor. 1.8 where acquainting his Corinthians with some great afflictions which had happened unto him he tells them expressely that he was pressed out of measure beyond strength For brethren saith he we would not have you ignorant of our trouble or Affliction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which came to us in Asia that
which fall not a few Reduce them into three ranks Such as despise the Judgements of the Lord Such as murmure at them Such as faint under them All which are far from this disposition which here we meet with in our blessed Saviour To speak a word to each of them severally 1. Sort 1 Some there are who despise the Judgements of the Lord Despisers of Gods Judgements As the Israelites are charged to have done by the Judgements of his mouth his word Ezek. 20.13 They have despised my Judgements So doe they by the Judgements of his hand Of which 4 sorts his works of Judgement they despise them sleight them under which head come divers 1 Such as put this Cup far from them So did they of whom the Prophet Amos speaketh Such as put this Cup far from them 6.3 They put far away the evil day In the midst of their other Cups whilest they were drinking Wine in Boles as the 6 vers there hath it quaffing and carousing drinking by measure without measure as Drinkers of Healths as they abusively call them use to do this Cup was far removed out of their sight Whilest they were rioting and revelling feasting and sporting they little thought of the day of Calamity which was then coming upon them And so is it with many In the time of Prosperity whilest they have the sweet Cup at their mouths they never think of that bitter Cup which sooner or later they may nay must drink of Never think of the day of Adversity the day of Affliction the day of Death And so they go on securely in their sins promising to themselves security that they shall not feel of the Judgments of God So was it as with literall Isa 47.8 so with Mysticall Babylon Rev. 18.7 She saith in her heart I sit a Queen and am no Widow and shall see no sorrow Being in a prosperous and flourishing condition she promiseth to her self that she should never see a change But mark what follows in the next Verse Therefore shall her plagues come in one day death and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire c. See here what it is that all secure sinners may expect such as putting this Cup the Judgments of God far from them go on in their sinfull provocations certainly God hath a Bitter Cup for them which sooner or later they shall drink and that it may be sooner then they are aware of Expresse to this purpose is that known Text which I wish all of this rank may take notice of Deut. 29.19 20. Where the Lord telleth his people Israel that if there should be amongst them a root that beareth Gall and Wormwood any wicked and ungodly person whose sins are as distastefull unto God as the bitterest Gall or Wormwood are unto man And it come to passe saith the Text when he heareth the words of this Curse that he blesse himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of myne heart to adde drunkennesse to thirst one sin to another then mark what follows The Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoke like fire against that man The Cup of Gods wrath is not nearer to any than those who thus put it far from them 2. And others there are not much unlike them Such as will not see it when it cometh towards them who when this bitter Cup is coming towards them yet they shut their eyes against it so as seeing they will not see it Such the Prophet Isai speaketh of Isa 26.11 Lord saith he when thy hand is lifted up they will not see Notwithstanding God was at work wonderfully declaring and manifesting his power as in working miraculous deliverances for his people so in executing strange and remarkable Judgements upon his and their enemies yet they shut their eyes against it not regarding what he did Even so deal many When Gods hand is lifted up and his Judgements are abroad in the earth this Cup is walking to and fro on every side of them yet they shut their eyes against it will not take notice of it so as to be at all affected with it Though it be coming towards them yet they hope it shall not come at them so was it with those Edomites whom I spake of before Though the Cup of Gods fury went round among the Nations so as all their Neighbours had drunk of it yet they hoped they should not do the like Even so is it with many secure sinners In the midst of common calamities they promise to themselves immunity and freedome that this Cup shall passe by them So did the Jewes of old though the Lord sent his Prophets to them one after another every one with a Cup in his hand as the Prophet Jeremy there saith of himself in that Text forecited Jer. 25. a Cup of wrath and fury which they held forth unto them threatning them with the Judgements of God yet few of them gave credit to what they said But what saith the Lord to them for this You may read it as often elsewhere so Amos 9.10 All the sinners of my people shall die by the Sword which say the evil shall not overtake nor prevent us The Sinners of my people presumptuous sinners such as the greatest part of them were though God had threatned his Judgements against that Nation yet they neither feared nor cared for them they would believe no more then they felt still they flattered themselves that the Judgements threatned either should not come or not come at them they should do well enough Now as for such the Lord there tells them what they should expect they should be sure to dye by the Sword whoever escaped his Judgements they should not And the like let all secure sinners look for Such as make a Covenant with death and with Hell they are at an agreement as the Prophet Isai sets forth the security of the Rulers of Israel Isa 28.15 saying in their hearts as it there followeth when the overflowing scourge shall passe through it shall not come unto us Thus do they as he goeth on make lyes their refuge and under falshood do they hide themselves But let all such make account that this Covenant of theirs shall be disanulled So the Lord there threatens it against those Rulers vers 18. Your Covenant with death shall be disanulled and your agreement with Hell shall not stand when the overflowing scourge shall passe through then ye shall be trodden down by it Secure sinners shall not escape the Judgements of God They who when his hand is lifted up will not see they shall see and feel So the Prophet there threatneth them in that Text even now cited Isa 26.11 Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see but they shall see and be ashamed yea the fire of thine enemies shall devour them The fire of thine enemies the fierce
Exod. 15.24 and so against God in him as Moses tells them Exod. 16.7 and the Lord himself interprets it Numb 14.29 And the like they did upon other occasions as in the want of bread Exod. 16.2 Thus did they murmure in the Wildernesse And the like are the best of Gods Saints subject to If God bring them to the waters of Marah bitter waters giving them some bitter Cup to drink exercising them with some sharp afflictious their gestures their speeches their actions are too ready to bewray the secret discontents and impatience of their spirits Those instances of Eliah Jeremy Job Jonah are all obvious All eminent servants of God and yet how were they surprized with this distemper Now O Lord take away my life for I am not better then my Fathers saith Eliah in the Wildernesse 1 King 19.4 Why is my pain perpetuall and my wound incurable which refuseth to be healed Wilt thou be unto me altogether as a Lyar or as waters that fail saith Jeremy to his God in a distempered Passion Jer. 15.18 And again O Lord thou hast deceived me and I was deceived thou art stronger then I and hast prevailed I am in derision daily every one mocketh me cap. 20.7 And again v. 14. Cursed be the day wherein I was born let not the day wherein my Mother bare me be blessed and so he goeth on to the end of the Chapter in a great deal of passionate language bewraying a strange distemper that was upon him by reason of the contempt and treachery and ill use which he met with And the like we finde in Job Though looked upon and that deservedly as a pattern of patience yet we may hear him venting his Passion in the like language cap. 3. where from the 3d verse to the 16th he spends himself in such passionate expressions Let the day be darknesse wherein I was born c. And so Jonah when his gourd was withered and the Sun lay hot upon his head he breaks forth in Passion not sparing to tell God to his face that he did well to be angry even unto death Jon. 4.9 Strange distempers to be found in sanctified hearts Is it so that any of us have found or at any time shall finde any spice hereof in our selves as who can say he is free take we the reproof to our selves taking notice that it was far otherwise with our blessed Saviour our heavenly pattern Though his Cup was a bitterer Cup then ever any man upon earth tasted yet we finde him far from murmuring or repining when he was to drink it There are yet a third sort who drink this Cup Sort 3 but they faint in the drinking of it Such as faint unâ—â— afflictions As the first sort make their sufferings too light so these make them too heavy their spirits drooping and sinking under their burdens A weaknesse very incident even to Gods own people yea to the best of them It is that which Jeremy saith of himself Jer. 8.18 When I would comfort my self against sorrow my heart is faint in me And the like we may hear from the Church in her Captivity Lam. 1. last My sighes are many and my heart is faint Such deliquiums such despondencies and faintings the strongest of Saints as I said are subject to It is that which David saith of himself when he was in some eminent danger My soul is bowed down viz. through fear Psal 57.6 and elsewhere being pursued by his implacable enemy King Saul hunted as a Partridge in the Mountains as himself expresseth it we finde him giving up himself for a lost man He said in his heart I shall now perish by the hand of Saul 1 Sam. 27.1 An infirmity arising partly from the weaknesse of nature An Infirmity from whence arising which contributes much to these despondencies but chiefly from the weaknesse of grace If thou faint in the day of Adversity thy strength is small saith the Wiseman Prov. 24.10 thy spiritual strength it argues Faith to be weak This it is which supporteth and beareth up the spirit under afflictions keepeth it from fainting I had fainted saith David unlesse I bad believed to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the Land of the living Psal 27.13 Faith in God believing his Promises and resting upon his power mercy truth it boyeth up the soul keepeth the head above water Where Faith faileth no wonder if the heart fainteth And it is often helped forwards by looking upon afflictions through false Glasses which represent them greater then they are As also by neglecting or refusing means of Consolation and comfort As it is said of Rachel the Benjamitâ—sh women descended from Rachel when her children were carried into Captivity she wâ—pt saith the Text and would not be comforted because they were not Mat. 2.18 Thus it is sometimes when God withdraws one blessing men overlook all others they enjoy and will take no comfort in them Like Children who if one of their toyes be taken from them they presently throw away all the rest But from what ground soever it ariseth or by what means soever it is procured or promoted it is a weaknesse and that such a one as deserves a just Reprehension It was not so with our blessed Saviour Never was there Cup like this Cup which he was now to drink yet behold here how he beareth up under it betaking himself to his suffering work with a holy and steadfast resolution The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it Thus much by way of Reprehension From which passe we in the second place to that which I principally aim at Vse 2 Exhortation to follow this Pattern Exhortation Where let me set this pattern before you propounding it for your imitation exciting and stirring up all who professe themselves the Disciples of Jesus Christ that herein they would endeavour to shew themselves conformable to this their Head Conformity to Christ is that which God hath predestinated all his Elect people to So the Apostle infoms us Rom. 8.29 Whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son to be made like him and that as in glory so in grace Now as we desire the former have we an eye to the latter see that we imitate Christ in what was imitable in him following his steps So suffering as Christ did Which do we as in his Active so in his Passive Obedience so drinking those Cups which our heavenly Father shall give unto us as he here did this which was given to him not despising of not murmuring at not fainting under whatever Afflictions and Chastisements God shall please to exercise us with but bearing and suffering them patiently obediently willingly Every of which particulars give me leave to spend a little time upon The three former whereof are Negatives shewing us what we are not to doe the three latter Positives shewing us what we are to doe Begin with the former the
crosses which he met with And the like more or less must every one make account to meet with upon earth even a succession of troubles like waves of the Sea where depth calleth unto deep one Crosse following upon the neck of another So as the more daies the more sorrows All which serve to wean the heart from this world as the infant is from the brest by laying bitter things upon it 2. Divine But I shall not any longer insist upon these or any other Arguments of the like nature The Resolution of a Christian must be built upon better grounds then these If God shall please to open the eyes of a naturall man to see death as it is it is not any or all of these or whatever other Arguments Reason can suggest that will bear up the soul against the terrors of it They must be Cordials of a higher extraction that will strengthen the heart in this last conflict divine Considerations such as the word holdeth forth Of these take a few among many 1. In the First place Look upon God who hath appointed and determined Let our eye be upon God our Father whose Cup this is So was our Saviours here The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it And so must theirs who would drink this Cup as he did submit unto the stroke of death patiently and willingly they must see God in the ordering and disposing of it looking upon it as his appointment Which it is he having 1. Appointed that men shall die It is appointed to men once to die Heb. 9.27 Appointed viz. That men shall dye by God who as he is the Lord of life so he is the appointer of death Having passed a generall law for it Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return Gen. 3. Which Law also he executeth upon particular persons bringing them to death I know that thou wilt bring me to death and to the house appointed for all living Job 30 23. So it is however secondary Causes concur in bringing men to their Graves yet God himself hath the principall stroke in it Death being his Messenger sent by him He hath appointed that men shall dye Which taking notice of look we upon it as our duty to submit hereunto when he calleth us to it 2. As he hath appointed that men shall dye so when they shall dye The time when Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth viz. how long he shall-live Job 7.1 His dayes are determined the number of his Moneths are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot passe Job 14.5 So certain are Gods decrees concerning the time of mans life that he cannot go beyond the term limited the Year the Moneth the Day the Hour set down Father the hour is come saith our Saviour speaking of the time appointed for his suffering of death Joh. 17.1 3. As the time so the place As the time when so the place where The place where that is also determined by God Goe up into Mount Nebo and die there saith the Lord to Moses Deut. 32.50 Our Saviour must goe up to Jerusalem and there suffer many things and be killed so he tells his Disciples Matth. 16.21 4. And appointing the time and place he also appointeth the manner The manner how how men shall dye what kinde of death whether naturall or violent So it was determined concerning our Saviour that he should die upon the Crosse be crucified which he acquaints his Disciples with Math. 20.19 And so concerning Peter to whom our Saviour foretells by what death he should glorifie God Joh. 21.19 And so is it determined concerning every of the sons of men as when and where so how they shall dye None of these are left to Chance and Fortune Time place manner all appointed by God Which being seriously considered and believed it will be of great use to bring the heart to a quiet and willing submission to the will of God in suffering what he hath so appointed Thus look at God In the Second place look we upon Jesus Christ Look upon Jesus the Captain of our Salvation as the Apostle calleth him Heb. 2.10 Where behold we him 1. Drinking of this Cup before us Suffering death And shall not we then pledge him Shall the Captain goe before and shall not the Souldiers follow after Malus miles qui Imperatorem gemens sequitur He is but an ill Souldier that weeps when he is to march after his Generall Shall our Joshua go before us over this Jordan and shall not we go after him It was a good Resolution in that man that Scribe had he held to it who said to our Saviour Master I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest Mat. 8.19 Such should be the Resolution of every Christian to follow Christ when he cals him to go after him though it be to Mount Calvary or Golgotha the place of a skull as both those words signifie and the latter of them is expounded Joh. 19 17. and Mat. 27.33 the Caemeterie or Church-yard as we call it 2. And whilest we behold him suffering of death behold we also the issues of this his suffering Conquering it as St James saith of Job Ye have heard of the patience of Job and have seen the end of the Lord Jam. 5.11 What Issue God was pleased to give him which was very joyfull and comfortable So here looking upon Christ submitting to his Father in suffering of death behold we the end of the Lord the issue of this his suffering which was victorious and glorious Victorious Even as David cut off the head of the Philistine with his own sword so did this our David by dying he conquered death which he manifested in his Resurrection Where he brake the bands of death rising again by his own power and so became the first born from the dead as the Apostle calleth him Col. 1.18 Now the first born openeth the womb for those that come after him And so hath Christ opened the grave for all true believers so as it shall be no more able to hold them then it was him Thus was the issue of this his conflict with this his last enemy victorious And as victorious so Glorious we see Jesus who was made a little lower then the Angels for or through 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour He. 2.9 In this way he entred into his glory Luk. 24.26 Through this dark entry he went into his heavenly palace And so shall they who do herein follow his steps being obedient as he was Obedient to the death 3. Look we upon death it self But here look upon it in Look upon death it self Not in the glass of the Lawe but gospell and through a right glass Not that of the Law but of the Gospell The glasse of the Lawe presents the face of it as ghastly and terrible holding it forth as a
our Saviour here did 1. Suppose this to be the condition of the body The Soul the kernell the Body but the shell that it suffereth after this manner in and by death yet what of that so long as it reacheth not unto the Soul So long as the kernell is safe what matters it what becomes of the Shell So long as the soul the better part is a gainer by death so great a gainer as you have heard what matters it what becometh of the Body being so vile as it is That is the Epithite which St. Paul giveth it Phil. 3.21 Our vile Body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Body of vilenesse Corpus humilitatis nostrae saith the vulgar Latin he Body of our humbling And it is noe other then it deserveth The Body being no other but a Lump of clay which is little worth and carrying that in it or about with it which may serve to humble the owner of it and make him not to dote upon it as the greatest part do Now being so vile as it is why should men be so affected with what befalleth it 2. But Secondly the Body shall not ever continue in this estate The bodies of Gods Saints shal be changed Whilest it lyeth in the grave it is but a grain of Corn sowen in the earth as our Saviour maketh the comparison Joh. 12.24 As also the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.36 Which though it lye rotting there for a time yet after a few months it springs forth And so shall the Body in due time it shal arise and then it shal come forth after another manner then when it was laid down It is sown in corruption it is raysed in incorruption it is sown in dishonour it is raised in glory c. so the Apostle describeth the resurrection of the Bodies of Gods Saints at the Last day 1 Cor. 15.42 c Thus shall the Body also be a gainer by death as well as the Soul 3. In the mean time consider that inseparable union that is between Christ and the Believer The union betwixt Christ and the Bodies of his Saints Death may separate his Soul and Body the one from the other but separate either from Christ that it cannot As it was with Christ himself when his Body lay in the grave it was separated from his Soul but stil the God-head was united to both Such is the union betwixt Christ and the believer an indissoluble union death doth not dissolve it That Body which was a member of Christ whilest living which the Bodies of all Gods Saints are Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6 15 it still retaineth the same relation when dead And being thus united unto Christ it shal by his power be preserved and by his vertue raised up again at the last day Even as the branches of a tree which seem to be dead in the winter yet having union with the root by a vertue springing from it they revive in the spring time So shal it be with the bodies of Gods Saints Though they be uncloathed by death as the tree is of his leaves by the winters cold yet shall they be cloathed upon having a vest a Robe of eternall glory also put upon them being changed by Christ and made like unto his glorious body as the Apostle tels us Col. 3.21 Thus is that first Objection readily answered And so may most of the rest which are made use of to this purpose Of which let me take notice of those which are most considerable As for those carnall ones which sway much with the men of this World viz their parting with their Riches Carnal allegations not worth the answering their Pleasures their Honours and such other contentments as this world affords which maketh them so loath to leave it I look upon them as not worth the answering all these being but shadows the substance whereof is to be found in that other world to which death bringeth the soul that is weaned from this The Considerations which I shall take notice of shall be only such as may lay hold upon a sanctyfied soul all which we shall find the text in hand meeting with Such is that of parting with near and dear Relations Wife Children Friends Obj. 2 Parting with near and dear Relations and leaving them in an unsetled condition Loath I am may one say to leave them behind me specially to leave them in such a condition as I am like to do not well knowing how they shal subsist when I am gone But was it not so with our blessed Saviour here When he was to leave the world So did our blessed Saviour his Disciples and mother did he not leave his beloved Disciples and dear Mother and left them in a low and unsetled estate therein not unlike himself scarse having a house of their own to hide their heads in As for his dear Mother the story tels us how when he was hanging upon the Crosse he committed her to the care and custody of his beloved Disciple Saint John Joh. 19.27 not having of his own any subsistance to leave her And for his Apostles he well knew in what condition he was to leave them even as Sheep among Wolves as he told them when he sent them forth Matth. 10.16 in a wretched World where they should meet with Tribulation enough of which he had forewarned them Joh. 16. Last Yet doth not the thought hereof take him off from this act of obedience to his Father in being willing to dye when he will have him Repl Repl. I but may some say his case was herein different from ours But he did not leave them Comfortlesse Though he did thus leave his Relations yet he did not leave them comfortlesse That is his promise to his Disciples when he had told them of his leaving them I will not leave you comfortlesse Joh. 14.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Greek I will not leave you Orphanes Noe he promiseth that himself would have a care of them and that after a time he would come to them so it there followeth I will come to you Which he made good after his Resurrection And though himself were gone yet he sent his Proxie the Comforter to them according as he promised them Joh. 16.7 If I depart I will send him unto you viz. the Comforter the Holy Ghost who as he assures them should abide with them for ever Joh. 14.16 performing all needful offices unto them as the 26 verse there hath it But so cannot we do may some say to our Relations if we be gone all is gone with them What all gone Is your God gone too A. Surely not so Being your God he will be theirs God a Comforter to the Widow and Fatherless I will be thy God and the God of thy seed Gen. 17.7 And being so a God in Covenant with them he both can and will take care of them Many are
it is day Joh. 9.4 And the like do we whilest the day of life lasteth be we working the works of God that so we may have finished our work before the night of death cometh The labourer having wrought hard in the day and finished his work this maketh the night welcome to him and his rest sweet and comfortable And so will the night of death be to the soul that hath been working for God it will now be to it a quiet rest This made our blessed Saviour so willing now to dye he had finished his Fathers work I have glorified thee on earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do Joh. 17.4 And this made the Apostle so confident as not to fear his departure when he apprehended it at hand I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith 2 Tim 4.7 He had been faithful to his Lord and Mâ—ster in doing the work which he had committed unto him And thence he concludes that he should now receive his Crown that Crown of righteousnesse as he there cals it an ample reward which the righteous God would give him for all his service Whereupon he is not unwilling to think of his departure O that every of us may indeavour thus to approve our selves to God and Jesus Christ thus to work his work whilest our day lasteth Then when the evening of death cometh we shall be sure to have our Peny Which being assured of it will make us not unwilling to go to receive it 4. Be frequent in casting up our accounts Dir. 4 Be frequent in casting up our accounts betwixt God and our souls The day of death is the reckoning day wherein every one must give up his account unto God Give an account of thy Stewardship for thou mayest be no longer Steward saith the Master ' in the parable to his Servant Luk. 16.2 In this life we are all Gods Stewards being betrusted by him with many Talents which we are to improve for him And hereof at the day of death we must give an account to him O that the thought of that day may not be terible to us make up our account aforehand And this do we often They who are frequent in casting up their accounts are not unwilling to be called to a general reckoning which they who have bin remiss careless herein would be Surely this is one thing which maketh men so unwilling to hear of death when it cometh they have then all their accounts to cast up Take heed it be not so with us Be we strict and constant observers of our own hearts and lives Often calling our selves to an account making it our daily work Every night reflecting upon the day past call we to mind according to that trite direction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. wherein we have transgressed what evil we have committed what good we have done or left undone So making even betwixt God and our souls by suing forth our discharge in the name and upon the account of Jesus Christ This exercise being conscientiously performed it will be of speciall use to make this great reckoning day not unwelcome to us when it shall come 5. Dir. 5 That we may not be unwilling to depart hence Lay up a stock in heaven and to leave this world send somewhat afore us into that other world Laying up a stock in heaven 1. A stock for our selves That is our Saviours counsel For our selves a flock of good works Matth. 6.2 Laye up for your selves treasures in Heaven This do we by doing of good works as works of Piety so of Charity Sell that you have and give almes provide for your selves bags which wax not old a treasure in the heavens that faileth not saith that parallel Text Luk. 12 33. A man that hath his chief estate in another Country which he hath made over by bils of exchange or put into the banck there he will not be unwilling upon a just occasion to follow it Now such are acts of charity and mercy being done for Gods sake they are as so many bils of exchange made over for heaven a stock put into the banck where he who hath so put it out shal at his coming thither receive it again with abundant increase He that hath pity on the poor lendeth to the Lord and that which he hath given he will pay him again Prov. 19.17 O that rich men to whom God hath given abundance of this worlds goods and whose care it is to make the best improvement of what they have would but take this Course thus to make themselves friends of their Mammon as our Saviour adviseth them Luk. 16.9 that so when they fail when they dye they may receive them into everlasting habitations This would make them not so unwilling to dye as for the most part they are and that upon this account because they must leave what they have in this world and have no stock layed up in another 2. For others a stock of prayers And thus laying up a stock in heaven for our selves do the like also for others laying up a Stock a Stock of prayer for them Which whilest we do for all Gods people whom we leave behind us do it in a special manner for our near and dear Relations So did our heavenly pattern here The Lord Jesus whom in the Chapter before the text we find upon his knees putting up a devout prayer unto God his Father as for his Church in general so for his Apostles in speciall I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me Joh. 17.9 And the like let them do who are to leave near and dear Relations behind them Wives Husbands Children kinred friends lay up a stock of prayers for them in Heaven whereof they may reap the benefit when themselves have left them This will make them the lesse unwilling to leave those whom they have thus provided for In the sixth place Dir. 6 having thus laid up our best treasure in heaven Set the house in order now set we our houses in order upon earth That is the Counsel and charge which the Lord giveth to Hezekiah when he sent him those tidings that he must dye he bids him set his house in order Isai 38.2 Set thine house in order for thou must dye and not live A thing of great use as in reference to the living who shal be left behind so also to him who is to depart hence who having thus setled his temporal concernments in this world will be more ready for his removal into another when God shall call him to it And therefore let not this be neglected by those who have ought to dispose of Let them be careful to make their Wills and Testaments before hand So also did this our heavenly pattern the Lord Jesus who at his last Supper having ordered other things before he then finished his Will and Testament setting his Seal to it Of such use was that Sacrament then and there instituted the Sacrament of the Lords Supper being as a seal set by Christ to his Testament for the confirming of all his former grants and assuring of whatever he had promised Now what he did as to Spirituals let those who would be ready to dye when God will have them doe as to Temporals Setling them aforehand Not putting off this work as too many do to the death bed which as it is attended with many other inconveniences so it often proves no small disquietment to the spirit of the dying person making him loath to leave this world in so unsetled a condition as through this his former neglect in reference to his own relations and concernments he is like to do Set thy house in order Which being done Dir. 7 now in the last place to close up all what remains but to commit the Soul unto God Commit the soul to God Which that we may do quietly and comfortably in death as our blessed Saviour did who breathed out his Soul in those words Father into thy hands I commend my spirit Luk. 23.46 do we it before do it in Life So did David Psal 31.4 Into thy hands I commit my spirit So did the Apostle who making a confession of his faith to his Son Timothy 2 Tim 1.12 there tels him I know saith he whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day His precious soul this was his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Depositum that which he had committed to the custody of God and Jesus Christ And the like do we that we may be willing to depart hence as he was commit we our souls unto God aforehand Which do we first by Faith believing on him which the Apostle there saith he did casting our selves into the armes of his free grace and mercy through Jesus Christ Then by obedience committing the keeping of our souls unto him in well doing as unto a faithful Creatour as St. Peter exhorts 1 Pet. 4. last indevouring carefully and conscientiously to walk before him in all wel-pleasing all the daies of our life So doing now as we shall have comfort in life so when death cometh we shall have no cause to be afraid of it And thus have I now through a gracious assistance preached this doctrine unto you which I look upon as the hardest lesson in Christs school Now what remaineth but that we all beg it of our great Lord Master that he would so effectually teach it us that as occasion is we may practise what we have heard shewing our selves conformable to this our heavenly Pattern as in his Active so in his Passive Obedience being obedient to our heavenly Father as in doing so in suffering his Will even Obedient to death For which let us now pray FINIS