followers of the Lord Jesus and as the Virgins at the cry of the Bridegroomes comming arose x Prov. 6.10 11. and trimmed their lampes So we Beloved hearing now the cry of the comming of death O let us break off our sleep cast away our security prepare our lamps get the oyle of saving grace into our soules Let us not like the sluggard cry yet y Prov. 6.10 11. a little more sleep a little more slumber a little more folding of the hands upon the bed of sinne lest as poverty came on him as an armed man so death come on us as an armed man and take us unprepared and then we be undone for ever O therefore seeke not peace seeke not fulnesse seeke not felicity here as the Angel said of our Saviour z Luk 24.5 6. he is risen he is not here why seeke ye the living among the dead so may I say of these things why seeke yee them here below they are not here they are above our God our Christ our Heaven our home it is above and there O there let our hearts for ever be Are the righteous subject to a bodily dissolution Are the mercifull men taken away Then comfort your selves all ye that feare the Lord there is a Physitian comming will heale all your diseases a Deliverer at hand which will open all prisons a Conquerour which will overcome all enemies Therefore let mee charge you in this case as Moses charged Israel at the waters of the Red Sea a Exod. 14.13 Exodus 14.13 Feare not stand still waite a while the day of death will come and when that day commeth the enemies which you see the miseries and troubles which you undergoe you shall see them feele them undergoe them no more for ever It was Plutarchs comfort given to his Souldiers entring into a dangerous and bloudy battell that they should suppe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a place invisible the word signifieth in heaven in a place of peace and rest no doubt hemeant So let us encourage our selves whatsoever be our miseries troubles disasters in the dayes of our life yet in the Sunne-set in the evening of our age when death commeth we shall sup with the Lambe of God Christ Iesus and there will be great joy indeed for that is the b Rev. 19.7 8 9. marriage feast of the Lambe and our soules Be therefore patient c Heb. 10.37 Hee that shall come will come and will not tarrie The Lord will remove us when it shall be most for his glorie and our good the righteous shall die the mercifull men shall be taken away from the evil to come And thus are we come to the third thing Quare why the righteous die why mercifull men are taken away there is evill to come The Lord seeth there be many miseries many plagues and great troubles as warres famines pestilences strange and fearfull alterations comming and to the end holy righteous and good men may not see these evils feele these miseries God doth take them away Whence two things present themselves to our consideration 1. That death is a sweete mercie a great kindnesse to Gods holy servants 2. That the death and taking away of holy persons is a fearefull prediction of ensuing evils First a word or two of the former of these Doct. That death is a sweete mercie a great kindnesse to Gods holy servants It is Salomons Aphorisme d Eccle. 7 1 the day of a mans death is better then the day of a mans birth It is our Saviours proposition e Reve. 14.13 blessed are they that die in the Lord It is Saint Paules conclusion f Phil 1.23 to depart and to be with Christ is farre better For Reas 1 By death they are delivered from many incumbent evils inward and outward arising from the flesh from Satan from the world as the Husbandman at the harvest removeth the tares from the wheate as Abraham turned scoffing and persecuting g Gen. 21.14 Ismael out of the house from Isaac so God at the day of a good mans death takes away turnes out whatsoever might annoy him By death they are delivered from all ensusing miseries thus before the Lord Reas 2 brought evill upon the house of Ieroboam he tooke away his yong sonne because in h 1 King 14 10 11 12 13. him was found some good thing towards the Lord God of Israel therefore the Lord would take him away he should not see the evill ensuing By death they are brought to the fruition Reas 3 of all good i Reve. 1.4 5. all teares are wiped away and in Gods k Psal 16.11 presence there is fulnesse of joy and at his right hand pleasures for evermore This Vse if time would giue leaue to insist upon it would therefore teach us and worke in us 1. Carefull preparation for death 2. Vehement longings after it 3. Chearefulnesse in entertaining it 4. Moderation in our sorrow for them that be departed mourning for our owne losse but rejoycing in their gaine but to passe by this let us come to the second point Doct. The death and taking away of holy persons is a fearefull prediction of ensuing evils When Noah was entred into the Arke then the l Gen. 7.12 13. Deluge came When Lot was gon out of Sodome then m Gen. 19.24 fire and brimstone fell upon it and burned it When the Lord had determined the destruction of Ieroboams house as you heard before first he tooke away his child in whom there was some good thing found Thus when the Lord intended to bring evill upon n 2 Kings 22.16 17 18 19 20. Ierusalem and upon the people he would first gather good Iosiah the King whose heart was tender and humbled himselfe at the hearing of the Law to his Fathers and into his grave with peace and then the evill should come When o 2 Chro. 24.18 24 Iehoiada was dead Ioash left the House of the Lord God of his Fathers then the Syrians came with a small Companie and God delivered a very great Host into their hands they executed judgement against Ioash The truth of this is moreover manifest by five benefits arising to the place where good men are Their presence doth draw the love Reason 1 and favour of God to the place where they are they are deare to God as the p Zach. 2.5 8 apple of his eye and he will bee a wall of fire about the place where they bee and many times doth God spare the wicked as the Husbandman spareth the q Mar. 13.30 tares for the wheate growing with them Thus the Family was spared for Noahs sake and God would have spared Sodome and Gomorrah if there had beene r Gen. 18.32 ten righteous there the Lord gave ſ Acts. 27.24 Paul all them that failed with him they were delivered from the storme for his sake And surely as Paul said to the t Vers 31. Centurion
be you upright be yee constant as Eliah was and you shall at last have a fiery Charet as Eliah had Walke with God without wavering as q Gen. 6.9 Noah did as he ceased not froÌ„ building the Arke whatsoever discouragement was ministred no more doe you cease to ad grace to grace as the builders doe stone to stone till you attaine perfection and then as Noah had his Arke was preserved in it when others perished so shall you have safety peace joy comfort and everlasting tryumph when others shall perish in the deluge of Gods judgements Be constant as r 1 Sam. 17 33.34 David was and then as he overcame the Beare the Lyon the great Goliah and enjoyed the Crowne at length so shall we the Crowne of glory at the last if we Å¿ Rev. 2.10 be faithfull unto the death therefore with Moses seeing him that is t Heb. 11.26 27. invisible and having an eye to the recompence let us chuse rather to endure affliction with the children of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season and knowing that we have an u Heb. 10.34 abiding substance in Heaven let us with the primitive Christians take the spoyling of our goods joyfully This is the property of true grace this is peculiar to the man that is truely pious w Prov. 4.18 to shine more and more like the light unto the perfect day the Trees of Gods planting be known from all other trees by bearing x Ps 92.13 much fruit in their old age this is that which hath the promise who shall reape but hee that y Gal. 6.9 fainteth not And who shall bee saved but he that z 1 Mat. 13.13 continueth to the end That corne alone which holdeth out unto the harvest is gathered into the garner Vse 3 Is the future estate of Gods servants so pleasant so eminent so transcendently glorious Then this must cause the children of God to entertaine death with all cheerefulnesse how terrible so ever in it selfe though it be as the Philosopher saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all fearefuls the most fearefull or as Iob stiles it the Å¿ Job 18.14 King of terror though looked upon in it selfe it be to the people of God as once the face of Esau a terror to Iacob yet looking upon the glory dignity and fulnesse of all blisse which doth attend it it should be to the people of God as the face of Esau was at last to Iacob even as the t Gen. 33.10 11. face of God in the thought of this we should rejoyce as the hireling in his thoughts of the Evening as the traveller in the thoughts of his bed as the warriour in the thought of the day of his triumph For I may say to you of death as Hugh Laverock said to his fellow Martyr Iohn a Price of the Lord of LondoÌ„ Be of good comfort my brother for my Lord of London is our good Physitian he will cure thee of all thy blindnesse and me of my lamenâ—sse this day so beloved all yee that truly feare God all that put away all filthinesse of the flesh and perfect holinesse before him in feare be of good comfort Death will be your very good Physitian it will cure all your diseases end all your miseries set you free from all troubles And therefore as the people came readily to u John 5.4 5. Bethesda to be healed of their infirmities as we come cheerefully to the Physitian so should wee to the grave for what is death to the people of God what is it to them to die but as the Inhabitants leaving of an old and ruinous house the Musitians laying downe of a Lute whose strings are broken the Carpenters putting aside of a worne Instrument unfit for any longer service or imployment what is Death to Gods children but as a guest making hast out of his Inne to his long his lovely and desired home as the putting off of a worne rotten and ragged suite of apparell to put on rich and comly rayment for while we live we are like w Zach. 3.3 4 5. Josua the high Priest clothed with filthy garments but when we die then we are like Iosua with a fair Mitre upon his head and comely rayment about his back And therefore we should earnestly desire to be x 2 Cor. 5.8 absent from the body that wee might bee present with the Lord. For the day of Death to the body is as one saith the birthday of eternity to the soule Seneca who saw the immortality of the soule the future felicity of it but as through a Cloud by ifs and ands yet professeth that when hee thought but a little of it and had some pleasant dreames thereof hee loathed himselfe and all his trifling greatnesse Socrates also sweetned his cup of poyson with his discourse of the soules Immortality to the amazement of the beholders how much more should christian and sanctified soules be ravished affected enflamed with the meditation of it O how should this cause us to thirst after death as y 2 Sam. 23 15 16. David after the waters in the wells of Bethlem and to breake thorough all difficulties to attaine that immortall and ever-blessed estate which to the people of God attendeth this life as Davids Worthies brake thorough the hoast of the Philistins to fetch them waters and as Laurence Saunders kissed the stake and said wilcome be the crosse of Christ well-come be everlasting life my Saviour began to me in a bitter cup and shall I not pledge him so should wee entertaine death as a very well-come guest as a very deare friend our soules should say within us welcome bee death welcome bee everlasting life my Saviour is gone before me and shall I not goe after him As the Lyon desires to goe out of the grate the Eagle out of the cage and the prisoner out of the prison-house so should we with Paul desire to be z Phil. 3.23 dissolved and to bee with Christ Vse 4 This should moderate our griefe and sorrow conceived at the departure of our godly friends For 1 Freedome 1. This is the day of their Freedome who is not comforted to see his friend come forth of prison to see him set free from all persecution and trouble After Eliah went up in his fiery Charet Iezabel could no more make him flie she had no more power to molest and persecute him 2 Honour 2. This is the day of their Honour now with Eliah they ride in their fiery Charet into heaven now as Salomon said of the a Eccles 4.12 poore wise child may I say of all that are b 2 Tiâ—â— 12 wise unto salvation though poore though afflicted during their abode on earth yet now they shall come out of prison out of a troublesome and low estate to c 2 Tim. 2.11 12. reigne with Christ in his kingdom And I may wel say to all that
shall wickednesse deliver those that are given to it The proofe of this is as needlesse as to prove the going downe of the Sunne from our Horizon which every eye may daily behold and see neither is it strange for There is some sinne some corruption in the best there is that seed Reasons 1 which bringeth forth death as the moth eates the garment the worme in the tree makes him moulder the leak in the ship letteth in the water untill at length it sinke so sinne where it once entreth once taketh up his abode death doth ensue and follow after as the threed followeth the needle as r Ruth 1.16 Ruth followed Naomi as Ionathans Armour-bearer said to him Å¿ 1 Sam. 14.7 turn thee behold I am with thee according to thy heart so may death say to sinne for which way soever that turnes or goeth before it death doth without faile ensue and follow t Rom. 5.12 after it This is the u Rom. 6.23 wages belonging to it the payment never faileth as Salomon saith of other buildings w Eccl. 10.18 by much slothfulnesse the building decayeth and through idlenesse of the hands the house droppeth through So may I say of these our earthly Tabernacles through our corruptions these weake buildings of our bodies doe decay and through the sinne which is within us this house droppeth through till at length it falleth to the ground commeth to the grave sinne is the mother and death the daughter x Lam. 3.42 43. Lam. 3.42 43. Reasons 2 This sutes with the present condition of Gods people they are y 1 Pet. 2.11 Pilgrims this is not their z Heb. 11.9 14. Country now they are a 1 Cor. 9.24 Travellers and tend every day to their journies end and as Israel could not come to Canaan but through the b 1 Cor. 10.1 Red Sea no more can Gods people attaine their journies end but by death when the prison walls are beaten downe then they who are kept in fetters there may goe forth c 2 Cor. 5.1 2. We know saith the Apostle that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved wee have a building of God a house not made with hands eternall in the Heavens This maketh them also in some sort Reasons 3 conformable to Christ their head Our Lord and Master hath drunke of this cup trodden this path before us and the d Mat. 10.24 Disciple must not looke to bee above his Master but as in other things so in this we must be made like him to this we are e Ro. 8.29 ordained wee must first be like him in his sufferings and then we shall be like him in his raigning f 2 Tim. 2.11 It is a faithfull saying if we be dead with him we shall also live with him if we suffer we shall also raigne with him Therefore as Gideon said unto his Souldiers g Judg. 7.17 Looke on me as yee see mee doe so doe yee so must we looke on our Gideon our Christ our Captaine and doe as wee have seene him doe before us This workes the utter destruction Reasons 4 of sinne in them as Sampson by his h Judg. 16.30 death destroyed the Philistines his enemies so the righteous by their death destroy their corruptions sinne is like a subtile Fox that cannot bee taken till his holds be destroyed like ivie in the wall which cannot be totally taken away till the stones be pulled asunder Israel could not be freed from the i Exo. 14. Morte peccati praecisionem homo lucratur ne malum immortale esset ita poena ipsi in misericordiam cessit Nazian Orat. 38. Egyptians till they came to the red sea no more can Gods people of their sinnes till they come to the grave by death doe the righteous gaine the cutting off of sinne and death which was a punishment is turned to a mercy to all that walke uprightly But Christ hath dyed for them and their sinne is forgiven Gods Justice is fully satisfied how then can God bee just in bringing death on them Quest Shall the principall be arrested and cast into prison when the surety hath formerly paid the debt for him Resp Christ who hath paid the debt for us was freely k Joh. 3.16 given of God to us given not instantly to conferre upon us an actuall freedome from all evills but in due time after we have beene exercised with variety of tryalls God doth not onely give Christ but also apply him unto us and when there is a full application of Christ to beleevers then there shall be a compleat l Ephes 1.14 redemption from all evils and thus though Christ have paid the ransome yet God doth us no wrong in suffering us to be exercised with many troubles because there is not yet a full application of this ransome and because God gave him in such a way and manner to bring his chosen to salvation as seemed best to his own wisdome God promised Canaan to Israel but yet he led them through the red sea before he brought them thither and in so doing did them no wrong Death to the people of God is not evill the curse is taken away Death is like Moses m Exod. 4.3 4. serpent it may at first sight make the people of God afraid as that did him but as Moses afterwards tooke the Serpent in his hand and it did him no harme so is death to the righteous like a Serpent without a sting like a Souldier overcome and his weapons taken from him n 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. O death saith Saint Paul where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory the sting of death is sinne the strength of sinne is the Law but thankes be unto God which giveth us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Death is ordained of God to be the destruction of sinne in his children as David cut off o 1 Sam. 17 50 51. Goliahs head with his owne sword so will God destroy sin by death which is held as a sword in sinnes hand Death is to Gods people as the red sea to Israel the destruction of the enemies of their salvation an end of all miseries a passage to everlasting life so that Gods people have freedome from the evill but not from the necessity of dying and herein is the wonderfull power wisdome and goodnesse of God very clearely seene even in changing the nature of death and making it to his people so usefull which in it selfe is so hurtfull Vse Doe the godly the dye are not the righteous exempted must they taste of this cup It is then in vaine for the wicked unrighteous unmercifull to dreame of escapall As the Apostle said in another case p 1 Pet. 4.17 if judgment begin at the house of God what shall bee the end of them which obey not the Gospel of God and as our Saviour also said in another case q Luk. 23.31
sweetning of your mutuall conversation commerce and communication a great strengthning and a powerfull prevention of much evill 4. Constancy in all the waies of God having begunne in the spirit end not in the flesh be not weary of well doing having put your hand to Gods plow looke not back but come forth as the Psal 19.5 Sunne like a Bridegroome out of his Chamber adorned with all spirituall splendor and brightnesse and rejoyce yee like a mighty man to runne the race of Gods Commandements Isa 40.31 mount up like the Eagle walke on and faint not so shall you at the last embrace death as a friend rest in your grave as on a Bed of Downe have your soules carried in a fiery Chariot into Heaven be entertained with most sweete embracements by the LORD IESVS and have with IEHOVAH blessed for ever the full fruition of endlesse joyes in his most glorious Kingdome This He unfainedly desireth who ever resteth Yours in all holy services Alexander Grosse DEATHS DELIVERANCE Isai 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 evill to come He shall enter into peace they shall rest in their beds each one walking in his uprightnesse THe heaviest afflictions are sweet mercies to Gods Servants their greatest losse doth prove their chiefest gaine as the red Sea to Israel proved a a Exod. 14.28 29. grave to their enemies a passage to them from their Egyptian bondage as Sampson had b Judg. 14.14 honey in the Lion sweet out of the sowre meate out of the eater so the Lords people have light out of darknesse joy out of heavinesse peace out of trouble life out of death the wounding arrow the piercing sword that sticks in their sides doth prove a launcing knife the deadliest poyson a sweet purgation the most mortall enemy doth the labour of a kinde and loving friend as Pharaohs burdens fury violence and high hand drove Israel from working in an iron fornace from living under a miserable and slavish bondage so enemies afflictions sorrowes troubles sicknesse violent diseases and death it selfe turne to the singular good of all that love the Lord for if they perish if they dye if they lay downe their life oh it is for their advantage though others it may be doe not consider it for thus the Prophet here hath it The righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart and mercifull men are taken away none considering that the righteous is taken from the evill to come This Text is to a good man like the Travellers Inne bed and place of repose after his long and wearisome journey like the Mariners haven after many violent and stormy Tempests like the c Ex. 9.20 houses wherein the Egyptian Cattle were preserved from the grievous haile one day threatned and the next day inflicted for so the Prophet saith The righteous is taken from the evill to come he shall enter into peace they shall rest in their beds each one walking in his uprightnesse In the words we may consider 1. Quis. Of whom the Prophet here speaketh of the righteous and mercifull man 2. Quid. What he saith of him he perisheth is taken away the latter word doth well explaine the former 3. Quare Wherefore hee is taken away from the evill to come 4. Quomodo How in what manner he is taken away in peace he layeth downe his life in the feare of God resteth in his grave as on a bed till the morning of the Resurrection 5. Qualiter How the surviving men are affected with it they lay it not to heart they consider it not These be the streames flowing from this fountaine because time will not give us leave with Gideons many thousands to bow downe upon our knees and drink a full draught of these waters we shall be constrained with his 300. souldiers to d Judg. 7.6 lap a little and so away To begin therefore with the two first of these jointly Quis and Quid who perisheth who is taken away The righteous Gods people are righteous e Jo. 13.10 inchoativè as the morning the dawning of the day is light but hath darknesse mingled with it as Lazarus came forth of his grave he was risen but his f Jo. 11.44 grave-cloth bound him So Gods people are risen to a new conversation out of the grave of sinne but their corruptions are yet in some degree remaining in them a great hindrance to their holy walking 2. They are righteous g Mat. 5.6 Psa 119.5 affectivè they desire it hunger and thirst after it 3. They are righteous h Is 32.15 effective righteousnesse is their worke their fruit their walke 4. They are righteous i 1 Cor. 5.21 Rom. 4.6 imputativè and so they be perfectly righteous not a part but the whole righteousnesse of Christ is imputed to them They are as k Gen. 27.15 Iacob in Esaus their elder brothers garment and so they win the blessing from God as Iacob obtained the blessing at the hands of his Father Isaak The righteous man here is most properly the man which doth holy and righteous workes that walketh constantly and conscionably in the way of righteousnesse whose exercise is with l Act. 24.16 Paul to keep a conscience void of offence towards God and towards man this man perisheth is smitten with the arrow of temporall death falleth in this warre c. Mercifull men or men of kindnesse or godlinesse as the word also signifieth men easily m Luk. 6.36 moved to grieve at the miseries of others and to succour them men mercifull even as God is mercifull for in mercy there is the affection of pitie and the effect of helpe and succour the men thus righteous thus mercifull thus qualified are taken away by death whence observe Doct. That such as be most holy and gracious are subject to a bodily dissolution as well as others The sithe cutteth the beautifull and sweet smelling flower as soon as the fearne the Axe heweth downe the good tree as well as the barren being once laid to the root of it so is death impartiall as the Deluge n Gen. 7.19 over-flowed the meadowes orchards gardens as well as the wildernesse the most fruitfull as well as the more barren parts of the earth so death spares none God hath o Heb. 9.27 appointed it the sentence is irrecoverable and how p Eccles 2.16 dyeth the wiseman saith Salomon as the foole What is become of all the Saints that lived before us Have they not all drunk of this cup Have they not all runne this race Heare what the wise man saith q Eccle. 8.8 There is no man whether rich or poore high or low young or old holy or unholy that hath power over the spirit to retaine the spirit neither hath he power in the day of death and there is no discharge in that warre neither
them prescribed by Iethro k Exo. 12.21 to Moses an able man a man fearing God a man of truth hating covetousnesse a man in whom there was a sweet and powerfull concurrence of all requisite vertues for his calling and office and accordingly he proved a carefull Watch-man over this Towne and people he did not like the evill servant hide his l Mat. 25.30 talent in a napkin but his care study labour travell was I am perswaded for the publike common and true good of this place and people 3. He was in his domesticke Government like m Gen. 18.19 Abraham a man commanding and teaching his children and household after him to walke in the wayes of the Lord a man like David walking in the middest of his n Psal 101.3 house with a perfect heart 4. Hee was towards Gods people kinde loving amiable shewing that his o Psal 16.3 delight was in them that excell in vertue 5. Hee was in his conference cōmunication wise grave holy full of heavenly discourse p Pro. 1◠7 his lippes did disperse knowledge I speake these things not to disparage any living but to encourage such as knew him to a carefull imitation of what was found praise-worthy in him The richer his endowments the greater your losse the more should bee your griefe the greater your care to labour the reparation and to stop the breach which God hath made by his fall and whatsoever you have lost in him labour to repaire and increase in your selves 1. By growing in all grace by being filled with all goodnesse drawing nearer to God in all things make his counsell your q Psal 73.24 guide now that he may receive you to his glory at the last 2. By being diligent faithfull careful conscionable in the imployment you have received that so when you shall be as he is now you may heare that sweete and comfortable saying of our Saviour r Mat. 25.23 Well done thou good and faithfull servant thou hast beene Ruler over few things I will make thee Ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy LORD FINIS ELIAHS FIERY CHARIOT OR THE HOLY MANS TRIVMPH after Death A SERMON PREACHED at Plimouth the nineteenth of August 1631. At the Funerall of the late faithfull and worthy Minister of Jesus Christ MATTHIAS NICOLS Bachelour in Divinity and late Preacher to the Towne of Plimouth By A. G. 1 Sam. 25.1 And SAMVEL dyed and all the Israelites were gathered together and lamented him and buried him in his house at Ramah Printed at LONDON 1640. ELIAHS FIERY CHARET OR The holy mans Tryumph after DEATH 2 Kings 2.11.12 Behold there appeared a Charet of fire and horses of fire and parted them both asunder and Eliah went up by a whirle-wind into Heaven And Elisha saw it and he cryed my Father my Father the Charet of Israel and the horsemen thereof And hee saw him no more and hee tooke hold of his own cloathes and rent them in two pieces THE sorrowes of Gods people are often like the waves of the Sea one rowling upon the backe of another like stones in a building when one is fallen another tumbles after Wee multiply our transgressions and God doth multiply our miseries we are sometimes like men cast into a deepe and dead slumber and God must strike not once but twice before we will awaken our hearts are often very senselesse stony stupid and therefore as Moses stroke the rock a Num. 20.11 twice that waters might come forth so doth God often strike us sometimes in the feete in our Inferiours sometimes in the sides in them that are most deare unto us sometimes in the armes in them that be our chiefe Assistants sometimes in the head in them that are our Governours sometimes in the face in the eye the tenderest part in our Pastor and all this the Lord doth to draw from us the teares of true repentance I have beene to you of this place of late a Messenger like b 2 Sam. 18 Cushi to David bringing nothing but sad and sorrowfull tydings of the fall of your friends and acquaintance like the Messengers comming to Iob one after another with c Iob. 1. tydings of taking away the sheepe oxen asses the death and slaughter of his servants sonnes and daughters It was but on Tuesday last I brought you heavy tydings of the death of a pious and eminent Magistrate and now am come again with the like sad and dolefull message of the death and departure of your holy faithfull and painfull Pastor Of whom whiles they lived I may say as David did of Saul and Ionathan d 2 Sam. 1.22 from the blood of the slain and the fat of the mighty the bow of Ionathan turned not backe and the sword of Saul returned not empty so these The sword of the one in the Magistracie and the Bow of the other in the Ministery prospered and prevailed mightily of that sweet communion which was betweene them of the unparallel'd integrity of their conversations agility industry un-weariedns in their callings I may speak againe in the lāguage of David touching Saul Ionathan 2 Sam. 1.23 They were lovely pleasant in their lives and in their death they were not divided they were swifter thē Eagles they were stronger thē Lyons And as to you who lately enjoyed the benefit the comfort of their presence labours abilities I may say once againe with David there Ver. 24. Yee daughters of Israel weepe over Saul who clothed you in scarlet with other delights who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparell how are the mighty fallen in the midst of battel So in this case O Town O People O Congregation weepe over these men who lately sought your welfare studyed your good were instruments of your peace of your honour of your enrichment whose endevours whose desires whose labours were to adorne you with the choisest ornaments and to fill you with the sweetest delights O how are these mighty men fallen in the middest of this Battell And touching him whose corps lyeth now before us we may all say as David of Ionathan Verse 26. Wee are distressed for thee O holy and godly Pastor O zealous and and painfull Minister very pleasant hast thou beene to us thy love to us was wonderfull passing the love of Women O how is this mighty man fallen and the weapons of his war perished And as Elisha in the Text upon the sight of Eliahs translation so may we beholding the dissolution of this our Eliah cry out my Father my Father the Charet of Israel and the Horsemen thereof The words declare and set before us Eliahs translation ascension into Heaven signifying in all probability the Ascension of our Saviour for as Elisha waited to see the translation of Eliah so the Disciples waited and beheld the f Acts 1.10 11. Ascension of Christ It shadowed also our Resurrection Enoch was translated before the Law
sorrow for their religious deceased friends as William Hunter said to his Mother when hee was to suffer Martyrdome For a momentany paine I shall have a crowne of life and may you not be glad of that So they for a slender troublesome contemptible condition have a full a peaceable a glorious estate in heaven and have in that respect great cause of rejoycing 3. This is the day of their Ioy 3 Ioy. now they are d Hos 2.19 2 Cor. 11.1 2 3. betrothed but then the Marriage between e Rev. 19.7 Christ and their soules shall be consummate as the Marshals wife of France said to her husband at the stake Be of good cheere your wedding was but a shadow an earnest of the blessed marriage which the Lambe will now consummate This then is the Marriage day of the godly and who will not rejoyce at least a little with his friend on his Marriage day 4. Recompence 4. This is the day of their Recompence now their f Rev. 14.13 workes follow them now is their harvest though heretofore they have g Ps 126.5 6. sowne in teares yet now they reape in joy 5. God gave our godly friends to us but for a season we are tenents at will the Lord may put us out at his pleasure of all our possessions and therefore we should learne with Iob to submit our wills to Gods will and say h Job 1.21 the Lord gave and the Lord taketh blessed be the name of the Lord. 6. We shall shortly i 2 Sam. 12 23. goe to them they cannot returne to us it is but a little while and we shall for ever have k 1 Thes 4 13.14.17 their fellowship in the Heavens 7. God will be instead of all God will be to the widow to the woman that hath no husband instead of a husband to the fatherles child instead of a father c. As Elkāa said to Hannah grieving at the barrennes of her wombe because she had no children l 1 Sam. 1.8 Why weepest thou and why eatest thou not and why is thy heart grieved am not I to thee better then ten sonnes So may I say in this behalfe to every woman every child every parent every friend why weepe ye why eate ye not why are your hearts grieved Is not God to you in stead of ten husbands ten children ten friends surely in God is all fulnesse and as the Sun is instead of all Candles so should the Lord be to us instead of all others and infinitly more then all helpers guides staies friends and comforters Let then the thought of their advantage who are gone the way of all flesh before us and the meditation of Gods constant and never failing goodnesse mitigate the sorrow and sadnesse which doth usually attend our losse in this behalfe let their gaine asswage the griefe of our losse and also quicken us to a carefull preparation that whensoever the day of our dissolution shall come we may also have a fiery Charet with Eliah to carry us into the heavens Thus are we come to the last thing noted in Eliahs translation and ascension the instrumenta motus the Angels of the Lord whence observe Doct. That the holy Angels carry the soules of the righteous at the day of their death into the heavens they now m Psa 34.7 encampe about them they now n Heb. 1.13 minister for their good and at last will carry their soules to heaven as they carried o Luke 16 22. Lazarus into Abrahams bosome The ground of this their attendance upon the righteous floweth from the Communion and conjunction of Gods faithfull people with the Lord Jesus a woman joyned in wedlocke with the Prince is honoured reverenced attended not onely by the common subjects but also by the greatest Nobles in that Princes Court so the Spouse of Christ true believers being married to Christ are served attended waited on not onely by the common creatures but also by the glorious Angels O the dignity whereunto man through Christ Jesus is advanced O that the Name of God might be magnified by us according to the honour he hath bestowed upon us Thus from Eliahs Ascension let us descend unto and looke upon Elishas Lamentation wherein you may remember was presented to us a threefold motive The first externall he saw Eliah ascending and thereupon cryed Wherein you may see That the sight of dying or departing is very forcible to move the affections of the surviving Note p Lam. 3.51 mine eye affecteth my heart was the saying of the Church in her Lamentations but this I must now passe by The second motive was his internall affection My Father my Father Note Where also learne That Gods holy Ministers are spirituall Fathers and therefore they must be to Gods people as fathers to the children and must be loved reverenced honoured by the people as children love reverence honour them that be fathers over them The third motive was next Note drawne from the experience Elisha had of the safety and defence ministred to Israel by the presence of Eliah among them therefore calling him the Horsemen of Israel and the Charets thereof because as the horsemen and charets are the strength of the people and the instruments of their defence so may we hereby learn That Gods faithfull Ministers are a singular stay and defence to the people where God hath set them but because time will not give leave to speak of these particulars I will from the degree increase and signe of Elishas sorrow and from his affection crying renting his cloths mourning as for a father propose unto you this observation Doct. That the death and departure of Gods faithfull Ministers ought to be deeply affectionately bewailed by Gods holy servants as q 2 Sam. 3.22 David lamented and all the people wept over Abner when he was slaine being a great man in Israel a man that went forth to gather all Israel unto David so have we great cause to mourne for and bewaile the death of the spirituall Captaines and Leaders which are sent forth to gather the people unto God and to r 2 Cor. 5.18.19 reconcile them and bring them into Covenant with the Lord thus Elisha here bewailed the translation of Eliah and King Ioash afterwards in the same words lamenteth ſ 2 Kings 13 14. Elisha Now Elisha was fallen sicke of his sicknesse whereof he died and Ioash King of Israel came down unto him and wept over his face and said O my father my father the Charets of Israel and Horsmen thereof And this is a part of the Churches lamentation t Lam. 1.19 20. My Priests and mine Elders gave up the ghost in the Cty behold O Lord for I am in distresse and this was a principall part of the peoples complaint a great aggravation of their affliction u Psa 74.9 We say they see not our signes there is no more any