Saints not to note an absolute perfection in them But first because they haue Christs holinesse imputed vnto them through faith For the holinesse of Christ that is to say that integritie and puritie which Christ had from the first moment of his conception and kept also in all his thoughts words and deeds yea euen in his desires and thorowout his whole life euen vnto his last end in the death of the crosse is part of that righteousnesse which is imputed vnto vs by which wee are iustified In this sense the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 2.30 But of him are yee in Christ Iesus who of God is made vnto vs wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption Secondly because they haue inherent holines wrought by the Spirit in all the powers of their soule and in euery part and member of their body For sanctification is entire and thorowout the whole man according to the Apostles prayer 1 Thess 5.23 And the verie God of peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole spirit and soule and body be preserued blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ There is no part nor power of body or soule but feeles the vertue of Gods Spirit purging away corruption and fastening impressions of holy qualities It may bee this power of Gods sanctifying Spirit appeares not alike euidently in euery part yet hath euery particle his seasoning with sanctitie Thirdly because in imitation of the holinesse of God according to his Commandement 1 Pet. 1.16 Bee yee holy for I am holy they labour to expresse holinesse both in their thoughts before God and in their words and deeds before God and men Because it is written Heb. 12.14 Follow peace with all men and holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord. Fourthly to distinguish them from all the world of the vngodly which bee termed in Scripture Gal. 1.4 This present euill world and be said all of them to lie in wickednesse in these words of S. Iohn Wee know that wee are of God 1 Iohn 5.19 and the whole world lieth in wickednesse Thus yee see who in the world be Saints and why they be so called being yet aliue vpon the earth Vse 1 The Vse This serues to condemne that ignorant sort that all this while in the cleare light of the Gospell To condemne their ignorance that thinke there be no Saints vpon earth haue not learned thus much that there be Saints vpon earth Nay as it seemes some lie so plunged in this gulfe of ignorance that not only they doe not know that there bee Saints vpon earth but that they dare breake out and say that they will neuer beleeue it I will neuer beleeue said one that any be Saints vpon earth Oh gracelesse speech I Oh damnable ignorance I wish all you that heare this be better instructed in this point But marke what I say I speake it to thee that art of the minde that there bee no Saints vpon earth Thou thine owne selfe art either a Saint or a Deuill And if thou be no Saint thou hast no faith in Christ For none that hath faith in Christ but he is a Saint Againe marke this if thou bee not a Saint vpon earth before thou doest die thou shalt neuer bee a Saint in heauen after thou art dead And therefore if thou wilt neuer beleeue that any bee Saints vpon earth I will neuer beleeue that euer thou shalt bee a Saint in heauen For death doth sanctifie none Neither will God make any one a Saint in the kingdome of heauen which was not before his death made a Saint vpon earth Consider of it and receiue instruction The death of his Saints THere bee two or three things more to bee noted in these words The death of his Saints whereof one ariseth as the former point from the very mentioning of the Saints death The best â—re subiect to death Heb 9.27 and 11.13 Zâ—â—â— â— 5 and that is this that Doct. 2 Doct. The best men are liable to bodily death The holiest Saints that liue in the world must make this account that they shall one day die The Apostle maketh no exception when hee saith to the Hebrewes It is appointed vnto men once to die And of certaine of the Saints he saith These all died in faith And Zechariah saith Your fathers where are they And the Prophets doe they live fâ—r euer Death is the way of all the earth as Ioshua and Dauid said when they were ready to die And behold this day I am going the way of all the earth n = a Iosh 23.14 And Dauid I goe the way of all the earth n = b 1 King 2.2 Adam n = c Gen. 5.5 Sheth n = d Gen. 5.8 Enosh n = e Gen. 5.11 Cainan n = f Gen. 5.14 Mahalaleel n = g Gen. 5.17 Iared n = h Gen. 5.20 Methushelah n = i Gen. 5.27 Lamech n = k Gen. 5.31 Noah n = l Gen. 9.29 though their liues were long for they liued all of them many hundreds of yeeres yet they are dead and gone Likewise Abraham n = m Gen. 25.8 and Sarah n = n Gen. 23.2 Isaac n = o Gen. 35.29 and Rebekah n = p Gen. 49.31 Iacob n = q Gen. 49.33 and Rachel n = r Gen. 35.19 Iob n = s Iob 42.17 Dauid n = t 1 King 2.10 Solomon n = u 1 King 11.43 Hezekiah n = * 2 King 20.21 Iosiah n = x 2 Chro. 35.24 Samuel n = y 1 Sam. 25.1 and the Prophets n = z Ioh. 8.53 are dead All these were Saints yet they haue tasted of deaths cup with many thousands more Question But why should the Saints die seeing Christ hath died for them Answer It is true that Christ hath died for them yet they must die Reason 1 First because there is no such end of Christs death The ends of Christs death as the freeing of the Saints from bodily death For these be the ends of Christs death First to proue the truth of his manhood Secondly that the faithfull Martyrs might haue true comfort against death and know assuredly that it is no small honour to them to suffer for Christs sake Thirdly to sanctifie our death and to take away the sting thereof that we should not doubt but with comfort commend and surrender vp our soules into the hands of God whensoeuer he doth call vs. Fourthly to ratifie the eternall Testament and Couenant of grace Heb. 9.15 16 17. Fifthly that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is Heb. 2.14 the Deuill Sixthly to deliuer vs from the feare of death Seuenthly that we also might die to sinne Heb. 2.15 and sinne might not reigne in vs. Eighthly Rom. 6.11 12. that wee should be Christs being married to him as a wife to a second
husband after the death of the first Rom. 7.2 3 4. Ninthly that they which liue should not henceforth liue to themselues but vnto him which died for them 1 Cor. 5.15 and rose againe Tenthly that we might know the loue of Christ vnto vs 1 Ioh. 3.16 and publish it vnto others Eleuenthly that whether we wake or sleepe we should liue together with him 1 Thess 5.10 Twelfthly that we should not doubt to lay downe our liues for his sake 1 Ioh. 3.16 and the brethren Thirteenthly that he might abolish sinne Fourteenthly that he might abolish death Rom. 6.10 the wages of sinne These bee the ends of the death of Christ 2 Tim. 1.10 but the discharging of the Saints from bodily death is none of them Obiection But if among the ends of Christs death this be reckoned for one that he might abolish death it seemeth then that the Saints should not die For what is it to abolish death if it be not quite to take it away that it should not bee at all How death is abolished Answ If ye vnderstand it of death eternall which is the second death it is quite taken away in respect of Gods elect according to that speech of our Sauiour Christ Iohn 11.26 Whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in mee shall neuer die The second death hath no power on the Saints As saith Saint Iohn Reu. 20.6 Blessed and holy is hee that hath part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power But if ye referre it to the first death to wit the death of the body the sting of it is taken away so that it is no more a curse for the sinnes which wee haue committed nay it is turned into a blessing and made a ioyfull passage and entrance into heauen But if yee apply it to the death of the soule which is another kinde or another branch of the first death that also is vanquished ouercome and we recouer out of it when we are spiritually quickned with the life of grace 1 Cor. 4.11 Ephes 4.18 called by S. Paul the life of Iesus the life of God and it is also called the life of the spirit And though this death hang about vs as long as we are in this tabernacle Rom. 8.23 Rom. 7.24 and make vs groane within our selues and crie out with the Apostle O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from the body of this death Yet it cannot hurt vs and it daily abateth as the life of grace increaseth And when our change is come we shall be fully and for euer discharged from it For death is vanquished but the time is not yet come that it must be vtterly destroyed For the Apostle hath taught vs that it is the last enemie that shall be destroyed 1 Cor. 15.26 The last enemie saith he that shall be destroied is death It is captiuated and brought vnder the power of Christ the Conquerour and comfort your selues euery kinde of death shall be fully destroyed and quite abolished in the due time Reason 2 Secondly the Saints must die the death of the body because it is an infirmity which we are forced to endure in this nature Now Christ hath not suffered to free vs from any infirmity to which our bodies are made subiect without sinne but to take away the venome of it and to sanctifie it vnto vs that that which at first came by meanes of sin and in it selfe is a curse for sin the wages thereof may be turned into a blessed meanes to further our happinesse And thus also we are weary and hunger and thirst and feele paines many and manifold although Christ also hath suffered all this for vs. Conceiue it then that in respect of the Saints death is abolished both the first and second of the soule and the body as it is the wages of sinne for what haue we to doe with the wages of the workes which we doe not attend but yet we must still suffer it as it is an infirmity to which our bodies are made subiect and we must passe thorow it as it is the way and gate into that glorious life in the kingdome of heauen Reason 3 Thirdly the Saints must die that the discerning of the elect from the reprobate may bee reserued vnto the last day the day of iudgement According to the words of the Prophet Malachi Mal. 3.18 Then shall yee returne and discerne betweene the righteous and the wicked betweene him that serueth God and him that serueth him not Now if onely the reprobates wicked men and hypocrites did die and the elect not die then might it bee discerned who were elected and truly sanctified before that day come Reason 4 Fourthly that it may appeare no vaine word which God spake to Adam saying Gen. 3.19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread till thou returne vnto the ground for out of it wast thou taken for dust thou art and vnto dust shalt thou returne Reason 5 Fiftly that by tasting of bodily death they may feele Gods mercy the sweeter in freeing of them from death eternall which they had likewise deserued and learne to set the more store by the riches of his mercy and accept it the better and be prouoked to seeke it and also receiue it with the earnester desire and the greater thankfulnesse To that end are wee forced to passe thorow the death of the body And indeed let vs consider well the pride of our owne nature the false ouerweening and vaine selfe-trust wherewith we be puffed vp how stubborne we be against the Lord and at how low a rate we prise his goodnesse and wee shall finde that to doe vs good and to bring vs to life he must be faine to make vs passe thorow the gates of death And why To keepe vs in awe and humble vs to make vs to know our selues and how rich he is in mercy in his dealing with vs to the intent we may yeeld the more honour and reuerence to our onely wise immortall and good God And may say euery one of vs alas I might iustly haue beene sunken before this day to the bottome of hell and if God were not wondrous mercifull what is due to my whole life for my manifold sinnes I haue deserued to die not only the death of the body but the second death euen the death of soule and body eternally Thus you see how it is good for the Saints to be kept in awe and taught humilitie by being appointed to die Reason 6 Sixtly that they may be made partakers of the glorious resurrection at the end of the world For to borrow a similitude from the Apostles words 1 Cor. 15.36 as the corne which is sowen is not quickened except it die so is it with vs wee cannot partake of the resurrection of the iust except we die For they that remaine aliue at the comming of the Lord shall
incertiuo and be alwayes in a readinesse that whensoeuer death comes it doe not take vs vnprouided There is nothing more certaine than that death will come nor nothing more vncertaine than at what time it will come By experience we see it true To day a man to morrow none It behoueth vs therefore to bee prouided at all times Wee see as young as healthie as strong as rich as noble and religious Aequa lege necessitas sortitur ir signâ—â— imos Hor. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mac. Hom. 4. Iob 14.5 as any of vs all are taken away before our eyes And we cannot alwayes liue here Wee must goe the way that this our brother and many thousands more haue gone before vs. And how soone or whose turne may be the next we doe not know Our dayes are determined the number of our moneths are with the Lord hee hath appointed our bounds that we cannot passe And hee that tarrieth longest Iames 4.14 shall not be long behinde For what is our life It is euen a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away Bee wee therefore ready to depart at all times when the Lord shall call vs. Foure thinâ—s to be done to be alwayes ready for death And that we may bee alwayes ready first let our houses bee set in order and euerie mans last will written if hee meane to make any that whensoeuer the Lord shall call vs nothing may trouble vs that way Secondly let vs bee continually doing the will of our heauenly Father That whensoeuer hee shall come Matth. 24.46 he may finde vs so doing Blessed is that seruant whom his Lord when he commeth shall finde so doing Thirdly by liuing in continuall expectance of death not flattering our selues with a vaine hope of long life like the rich man in the Gospell Luke 12.18 9. which built him greater barnes perswading himselfe that hee should liue many yeeres about at his owne ease and content but making account that euerie day nay euerie houre may be our last houre and the houre of our death Fourthly by furnishing our selues with sundry Christian resolutions and meditations Six godly meditations against death as namely with these and such like First that it is better and more acceptable to God to offer that for a free will offering vnto God I meane our soule and spirit which otherwise we are bound to restore as a thing that is due and shall bee compelled to restore when the time is come and doe what wee can Eccles 8.8 For there is no man that hath power ouer the spirit to retaine the spirit neither hath he power in the day of death and there is no discharge in that warre neither shall wickednesse deliuer them that are giuen to it And indeed what win the stubborne fort by their desirousnesse of life and loathnesse to die but this to bee ouercome by force when they haue struggled and striuen as if they would sight against God and resist his will Secondly that as God hath set vs here so he ought also to haue the authority to take vs away againe when he listeth himselfe Thirdly that euery child of God ought to be alwaies willing to goe whithersoeuer God calleth him Cum accersitionis propriae dies venerit incunctanter libenter ad Dominum ipso vocante veniamus Cyp. de Mortal sect 17. and whensoeuer God giueth him any token that he will take him out of the world it behooueth him alwaies to haue one foot onward in the way as if he should say loe here I am Lord I am ready to answer thy call and to come vnto thee Fourthly that this world is but a pilgrimage and that we must hold on to passe apace thorow it to come to our inheritance which is in heauen This minde was in those of the ancient Patriarkes of whom the Apostle saith that they confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth Heb. 11.13 Fiftly that in as much as Christ Iesus is our head he will draw vs vp to himselfe into the glory whereinto he himselfe is entred already that we may bee with him Ioh. 17.24 where he is to behold his glory which the Father hath giuen him so we keepe fast hold of him by a true and liuely faith and be not separated from him by growing weary of well doing nor by embracing this present world nor yet by continuance in sinne Sixtly that the Saints of God which haue liued in times past seeing their death to approach haue not resisted it nor beene dismaied but haue put themselues into the hands of God and haue prepared themselues willingly to die As Iacob Gen. 49.33 when he had made an end of commanding his sonnes gathered vp his feet into the bed and yeelded vp the ghost And Moses Deut. 32.48 49 50. 34.1 7. when God sent him vp into the mountaine Abarim vnto mount Nebo and told him that he should die there repined not but shewed all obedience and prepared himselfe vnto it when hee saw it was Gods will that it should bee so And Pauls time drawing neere he speakes of himselfe as if when he were executed he should be offered vp in sacrifice vnto God For I am now ready to be offered 2 Tim. 4.6 and the time of my departure is at hand And before that when Agabus the Prophet had shewed the danger that hee should be in if he went vp to Ierusalem and both they of his owne company and the men of that place that is of Cesarea had besought him earnestly not to goe vp he was much troubled with their teares and with the adoe which they made about him but nothing at all with his owne afflictions and death For he made them this answer Acts 21.13 What meane ye to weepe and to breake mine heart For I am ready not to be bound only but also to die at Ierusalem for the Name of the Lord Iesus I should be long to speake of Aaron of Samuel of Dauid and of a great number of faithfull Martyrs Yet I cannot omit the example of Christ which is the chiefest of all who after he had drunke of the cup of his fathers wrath the bitterest cup that euer man drunke of before his departure commended his soule into his Fathers hands Luke 23.46 and gaue vp the ghost These examples we must beare in minde and ponder vpon them to learne thereby that whensoeuer God shall call vs out of this world we may not sticke to goe willingly vnto him On the one side is misery on the other a Crowne on the one side a pilgrimage on the other our saluation and death is betweene Shall we be afraid of death There is no cause For its sting is gone and when we haue passed thorow it there shall be an end of our misery and we shall haue the crowne of righteousnesse our pilgrimage shall cease and we shall receiue the end of
his Saints Moreouer from this that the Saints death is here said so expresly affirmed to be precious in the sight of the Lord I gather this comfortable meditation that Doct. 6 Doct. The Saints are neuer neglected of their louing God neither doth death befall them without his speciall prouidence God regards his Saints both in life and death If in their life time they meet with calamities so that they mourne hee regards their teares which made Dauid pray saying Psal 56.8 Put thou my teares into thy bottle And at their death he looketh after them Yea both in life and death he hath a gracious respect of them His Angell in their life time encampeth round about them and when they die they are caried by the Angels Psal 34.7 as Lazarus was into Abrahams bosome that is to say Luke 16.22 into the place of blisse where Abraham now is with the rest of Gods elect which be departed this life This care hath God of euery one of his Saints So that nothing can befall them in life or death but as he disposeth it What time he will haue them to liue so long they shall liue as he will haue them to bee tried with sundry afflictions so are they euery one tried and when his time is come that he will haue them to die then and not before they shall depart this life And which is most comfortable when that day comes hee will draw neere vnto them and make them feele by experience that which they haue learned and beleeued long before that precious in his sight is the death of his Saints Vse 1 The Vse Now then beloued see what a gracious God the Saints haue in heauen It is most true Take notice of Gods goodnesse to his Saints and too too commonly seene that generally amongst men the Saints of all others are least regarded but with the Lord of heauen there is none regarded with any speciall fauour but onely the Saints and these hee respects after a speciall manner as the Psalmist faith Behold Psal 33.18 34.15 the eye of the Lord is vpon them that feare him vpon them that hope in his mercie Many parents are very carefull for the welfare of their children but no parents care can be compared with the care which God hath of his Saints For notwithstanding the greatest care of the best parents in the world yet some things they shall see to befall their children which they cannot doe to and which they were not able for their liues to preuent but in respect of the Lord there is no such thing can befall his Saints but whatsoeuer he pleaseth and whatsoeuer his hand and his counsell hath determined before to be done that only shall befall them both in life and death Vse 2 Secondly this serues to banish from the heart of euery good man To banish distractions all distracting thoughts whether concerning maintenance bodily safety protection from dangers or whatsoeuer thing else and to make vs cheere vp our selues learne that good lesson which Dauid giueth vs Psal 55.22 saying Cast thy burden vpon the Lord and he shall sustaine thee he shall neuer suffer the righteous to be moued Behold and know that the Lord careth for the righteous and sendeth foorth his holy Angels which are all ministring spirits Heb. 1.14 Ps 42.11 43.5 to minister for them who shall be heires of saluation Dost thou beleeue this then let not thy soule be disquieted within thee but hope in God Be doing good and fulfill thy duty in that place which God hath set thee He will surely blesse thee and keepe no good thing from thee and at the last thy death shall be precious For God himselfe will haue the whole ordering of it both for the time the manner the place and euery way else Vse 3 Thirdly this also is comfortable for them that mourne for the death of any that liued in the feare of God Comfort ouer the Saints death Consider this speech well Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints For this beeing true that the Saints death is precious in the sight of the Lord it must needs follow that whensoeuer they die bee it sooner or latter they die in the due time that is to say in that time which is best for them in respect of their good It is the portion of bloudy and deceitfull men not to liue out halfe their daies Psal 55.23 Iob 5.26 but it is otherwise with good men as Eliphaz saith Thou shalt come to thy graue in a full age like as a shocke of corne commeth in in his season Oh then thinke when thy Christian friend is taken from thee that he died not by chance he died not before his time but his time was come and God hath 1296 sent him to his graue in his season yea euen in that time when it was best for him and most for the comfort and saluation of his soule What couldest thou desire more Therefore mourne not excessiuely but comfort thy selfe and make ready for the time which God hath appointed for thee It will not be long ere thou shalt goe the way which thy louing friend thy guide and thy comfort is gone before thee For death is the way of all the earth Vse 4 Fourthly this meditation that the Saints are neuer neglected neither in life nor death of their louing God Encourâ—gement to serue God and trust 1 in him should both embolden vs come what will come to goe on in his seruice not being dismaied with any crosses or afflictions and also make vs to trust stedfastly in him yea euen then when we can discerne no tokens of his fauour vnto vs. For of this wee are certaine that if we walke in holinesse howsoeuer it bee with vs all our life long that God watcheth ouer vs and our death when it comes shall be precious in his sight And this we haue further for our comfort in this case that we shall not die when the vngodly would haue vs die but at that time which God hath set For as Dauid saith so we may euery one say My times are in thy hand Psal 31.15 and 41.5 The vngodly may say by vs as they did by him when shall hee die and his name perish But neuerthelesse wee shall runne out our race and come to that period which God hath appointed for vs. Thus farre of the Proposition Now remaineth the Proofe thereof in these words of the Text In the sight of the Lord. In the sight of the Lord. DAVID proues the death of the Saints to bee precious by an argument not fetched from the consideration of the thing it selfe but taken from without it to wit from the testimony and authority of God in these words In the sight of the Lord as if he should say can it chuse but bee precious which the Lord himselfe approueth and highly esteemeth of It is not possible
snares of sinne and sendeth them into true libertie As long as the soule continueth in the body the bonds of temptations hang as fetters about it and bring it into captiuitie to the law of sinne neither can it get free from these bonds and shackles but when it departeth from the body it is loosed from the bonds of temptations and goeth into a blessed and heauenly freedome To this effect saith Paul Rom. 6.6 He that is dead is freed from sinne After death the temptations cease which all the life time did tye the soule and leade it into captiuitie to the law of sinne So that now there is no such tying nor leading captiue of the Saints but an enioying of perfect freedome for euermore Reason 6 Sixthly because it taketh away the Saints out of this present euill world in which if they haue outward peace which is also sickle and vncertaine yet they shall be sure to haue bodily paine and vexation of spirit For that sentence cannot be reuoked Iob 14.22 But his flesh vpon him shall haue paine and his soule within him shall mourne This is the lot of the liuing neither can we be freed from it vntill death come And a thousand things there be to disquiet and grieue our mindes but nothing more than the risenesse of sinne For as the filthy conuersation of the wicked Sodomites vexed Lot as Peter witnesseth saying 2 Pet. 2.7 8. That righteous man dwelling among them in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their vnlawfull deedes So the Saints at this day cannot choose but be vexed in seeing and hearing so many enormous vices to be daily committed Such renting of God in peeces by fearefull oathes such cursing and lying such excessiue drinking and drunkennesse such breaking of the Sabbath such deuices and slanders to disgrace Gods children and to hinder the free passage of the Gospell with a thousand enormities more make euery Christian heart ake and fill it full of vexation from day to day From this also death frees vs. Reason 7 Seuenthly because it puts an end to the most dangerous combat in the world which we are forced to endure as long as we liue here and in which we must either suffer blowes I meane the buffetings of Satan or else fall one of the two What doe we alwaies in this life but fight continually against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darknesse of this world against Spirituall wickednesse in high places Besides we haue combating with couetousnesse with inordinate lusts with angrinesse with vaineglory Our minde is enclosed and beset round about with the assaults of Satan and with manifold temptations and these come so thicke one vpon the necke of another that it can scarce meet with euery one of them and them that it doth meet with it is hard to resist almost any one of them If couetousnesse be subdued lust ariseth if lust be mastered vaineglory stirres if vaineglory be vanquished angrinesse comes in place pride swelleth enuie vrgeth and heat of spirit breakes forth and makes discord The world also and our owne flesh make many assaults vpon vs and much annoy vs. Of all this and a great deale more doth death make an end And what shall I say more For the time would faile me to produce all the meditations that make for this purpose And that which hath beene said doth abundantly proue that the death of the Saints as the Psalmist here saith is precious Obiection It by the preciousnesse of the Saints death is not visible But some may thinke that all this is but words and that he sees no such matter in the death of the Saints but that they die as other men doe If their death be so precious why doth it not appeare so Answer Their death is precious but yet it doth not appeare so first because it is no treasure of this world but an heauenly treasure I say the preciousnesse of the Saints death is an heauenly treasure and therefore hid from the sight of carnal eies in that treasurie of the Lords in Iesus Christ by whose death it is made precious Secondly notwithstanding it appeare not yet we haue a most sure word for it euen the word of the Lord that cannot lie witnessing that it is so And that is better for vs than if it did appeare For our eies might deceiue vs as theirs that tooke Christ for a spirit and our iudgements are dimme and not able to iudge in such matters but Gods word cannot deceiue vs but put vs out of doubt in the matter Thirdly the time is not yet come that it must appeare but it will come and then it shall be manifest to the whole world that it hath beene so Fourthly though it appeare not to mortall eyes yet we see it by faith Our eies are no iudges in this case and the world is worse than our eies For the glory is not earthly nor knowne to the men of this world whereof we speake but the treasure is spirituall and of the spirituall man it is discerned Know thy selfe that by faith thou art Christs and he thine that he died for thee and thou liuest by him that thou art a member of his body of his flesh and of his bones and whatsoeuer is his is thine haue this faith and now come and see and thou shalt see all the rubies and precious things in the world lesse precious than the death of such a man as thou art Thy faith if it could comprehend more assurance of the preciousnesse of the Sunne yet shouldest thou see the preciousnesse of it aboue all thy thoughts For who can comprehend how precious that is which is prcious in Gods sight Vse 1 The Vse First we behold in this the great goodnesse of God See Gods goodnesse in changing euill to good to his children Rom. 8.28 who changeth euill into good vnto his faithfull seruants that it may be euery way and for euer true which the Apostle saith We know that all things worke together for good to them that loue God to them who are the called according to his purpose All things in generall euen those that seeme most to hinder our felicitie are made of God to serue as helpes and furtherances thereof When it commeth to death in which is some token of Gods wrath death is turned to our gaine and profit so that we haue cause to reioice in all respects and to hearken to the Apostle when he saith All things are yours 1 Cor. 3.21 22. whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours that is all are for your good Vse 2 Secondly by that which hath beene said it is also apparant that there is a great difference betweene the bodily death of the godly of the vngodly There is great difference betweene the death of the godly and the vngodly This appeares
many waies For the godly die in the Lord the vngodly die in their sins The godly haue their death turned into a blessing the death of the vngodly remaineth stil a curse To the godly to die is gaine Phil. 1.21 to the vngodly to die is losse for they lose the comforts which now they enioy the kingdome of heauen which they hoped for The death of the godly is a passage into life Iohn 5.24 the death of the vngodly is a passage to damnation The godly being dead doe liue to God Luke 16.22 23. the vngodly doe die eternally The soules of the godly when they depart from the body be carried by the Angels into heauen the soules of the vngodly goe to torment in hell Isa 57.2 The death of the godly is the end of their misery for when they die they enter into peace and rest the death of the vngodly is the beginning of their torment and euerlasting paine The death of the godly is precious Mors peccatorum mala pejor pessima sed bonorum mors bona melior optima â—eâ—n Mors justi est bona propter requiâ—m melior propter nouitatem optima propter securitatem Idem the death of the vngodly is most vile and shamefull To be short the death of the vngodly as Bernard saith is bad worser worst of all but the death of the godly is good better best of all Good by reason of the rest that it bringeth with it Better because it renueth vs Best of all because it putteth vs out of danger and secureth vs for euer Vse 3 Thirdly considering the preciousnesse of the death of the Saints let euery man boast himselfe as he will some of their Parents and noble progenitors Reioice in this that thou art a Saint some of riches some of horses some of one thing some of another and let the prophane of the world make a scoffe at holinesse and abhorre to the death the very name of a Saint and let them hinder the meanes of holinesse as much as they can speaking euill of the waies of the Lord this let others doe Yet thou if thou wilt attaine vnto such a death as is precious in Gods sight which onely is comfortable and a passage into life doe thou boast thy selfe of a sanctified heart yea glory of this that thou art a Saint and further the meanes of holinesse to the vtmost of thy power as the faithfull preaching of the word the priuate reading of the Scriptures the repeating and conferring of Sermons and the like Vse 4 Fourthly considering as the Psalmist saith that the Saints death is precious Judge aright of the Saints wee learne to bee of another iudgement than the world is of concerning the Saints vpon earth The Saints zeale in religion and integrity of life is oftentimes such that it causeth men to neglect them yea to maligne them yea to cry our vpon them peraduenture also to persecute imprison and put them to death And when the world sees this they thinke them forlorne and miserable creatures But loe their death is precious and happinesse is treasured vp in heauen for them Therefore wee should count them happy and be of the minde to adioyne our selues to their company and become like them which are so little regarded and so hardly thought of for their holinesse sake Vse 5 Fiftly this also is for the comfort of the Saints of God against the persecutions of vngodly men Comfort against cruell persecutions Let all the vngodly band themselues and lift vp their hands against thee what can they doe They cannot deuise the meanes to doe thee any finall hurt Rom. 8.28 All things shall worke together for the best to thee that louest God It is not possible for man to alter this Looke vpon thy death that is precious and gainefull They can doe nothing vnto thee but that which in the end shall make for thy good Looke further also throughout the bounds and compasse of the whole heauen and earth and with pure eies euen with the eies of faith thou seest excellent things thou seest the first sorrow cast out with shame death trodden vnder feet hell abolished the Angels encamping about thee Saints and Angels before thee a blessed immortality lengthening thy daies and the glory of God is before thine eies 2 Cor. 3.18 and with open face thou beholdest it as in a glasse Vse 6 Sixtly heere is comfort for the Saints against the feare of death approaching Build vpon this Comfort against the feare of death if thou beest a Saint thy death shall be precious There is no euill in it that thou needest to feare And although thou must of necessity passe that way with all other creatures for it is the way of all the earth yet doth God take thee and keepe thee as his chosen child And if thou beleeuest that Iesus died and rose againe 1 Thess 4.14 so assure thy selfe that thee also and all them which sleepe in Iesus will God bring with him Vse 7 Seuenthly to conclude this point is a good ground of comfort to the friends of the dead Comfort to the friends of him that died a Saint Died he a Saint nay liued he a Saint for if he liued a Saint there is no question of his death but he died a Saint For hee cannot die euilly Non potest malè mori qui bene vixcrit August who hath liued well The disease may be such that either the speech may be hindered or else idle and accompanied with some vnseemely motions and gestures which none must be dismaied at but take in good part euen in this regard Cuivis quod cuiquam because we our selues may be in the like case I say not therefore died hee a Saint but that euery ones comfort may be the fuller liued hee a Saint For we must not thinke so much of the manner of the death Non mola mors putanda est quam bona vita praecesserit August as of the tenour of the life Neither must we thinke that death to bee euill before which there hath gone an holy life So then heere is the comfort Hath he liued a Saint and is he dead He is blessed in heauen Why mourne ye weepe not for him his death is precious Weepe for your selues Foure comforts for them that mourne ouer the dead And yet weepe not excessiuely but remember First that God gaue him you but for a while and therefore ye must not take it grieuously if he hath called him againe from you Secondly that he shall in a glorified body be restored vnto you and ioyned with you in the next life Thirdly that it goeth well with him that is deliuered from so many perils and mischiefes as the Lord hath foretold should fall out in this last age Lastly that he is well prouided for before the Lord and in farre better case than we that be aliue Precious is the death of
of all towards his latter end And this I dare auouch that the Saints of the Lord can be discerned by no one signe better than by a due respect to the Ministers of the Word For our Sauiour saith He that receiueth whomsoeuer I send John 13.20 Luke 10.16 receiueth me and hee that despiseth you despiseth me As he that despiseth a Minister in respect of his calling and faithfull paines in his Ministery doth euidently bewray himselfe neither to haue any grace nor yet to desire any because the grace which either he hath or can desire ordinarily is attained by the Ministery as I could shew at large so hee that loueth and reuerenceth a Minister for his workes sake as this worthy man did he doth shew that he hath found the ministery of the Word to be the power of God to his saluation 5. A louer of the Saints He honoured the Saints and made much of them that were truly religious but vile and naughtie persons in whom was no religion nor knowledge of God were odious in his sight and their fond delights and vaine mirth and pastime were a vexation to his heart Which is one good note of a childe of God as the Holy Ghost doth witnesse saying that he shall abide in Gods Tabernacle Psal 15.1 4. and shall dwell in his holy hill In whose eyes a vile person is contemned but he honoureth them that feare the Lord. 6. A man gracious in his talke He delighted much to conferre of points of Religion and of the present estate and duties of a true Christian And in his conferences hee would often complaine of the rifenesse of sinne of the negligence and bad doings of diuers in the Ministery of the omitting of the due execution of iustice for sundry ordinary offences of the corruption of his owne flesh and of his owne vntowardnesse and dulnesse in Gods seruice and inueigh seriously and to good purpose against excessiue drinking and other vices of the times 7. Patient vnder the Crosse He was patient vnder the crosse of which he hath had much and long experience more waies then one For it pleased the Lord to exercise him certain yeeres before his death with diuers temptations both inwardly and outwardly in all which hee abode constant submitting himselfe quietly to the will of God making vse of all to the glory of his name and being so farre from being discouraged that his zeale his loue of the truth his patience and other vertues encreased still to his dying day 8. Sober and graue He was a sober graue discreet frugall temperate and chaste man Hee contented himselfe with plaine apparrell and neither affected costlinesse nor new fashions therein He went alwaies plainer and a great deale more meane than many others which in estate were farre inferiour to himselfe 9. Without ambition He was not ambitious He coueted no titles of honour nor places of publike seruice but wondred at others what they saw therein to couet and desire the same and contented himselfe with his owne estate 10. Not high minded He was nothing high minded but made himselfe equall to them of the lower sort according to the Apostles rule Rom. 12.16 Be of the same minde one towards another Minde not high things but condescend to men of low estate 11. A louing husband He shewed alwaies great loue and fidelitie to his wife He was a very carefull father for the godly liuing and well-doing of his children 12. A carefull father 13. A vertuous master He banished from among his seruants many horrible vices which as they be vsuall now adaies in great Families so no doubt they will pull downe the fearefull iudgements of God vpon them I meane swearing and swaggering and such other enormities and he so gouerned admonished and ordered them that some haue departed out of his house more godly sober frugall and honester men than they were before they came vnto him 14. A perfâ—rmer â—â—nsel â—â—f good duties at home He performed himselfe the ordinary duties of Religion in his house at home if no Preacher were present 15. Prouident in his businâ—sses Hee was wise and prouident in managing his affaires and left none of his buâ—inesses at six and seuen but was a carefull ouerseer of all himselfe 16. Bountifull to the poore Hee was plentifull in releeuing his poore neighbours a peaceable liuer and one that put vp a great number of trespasses 17. Peaceable 18. Able and willing to giue good aduice He afforded his counsell willingly for their best direction that stood in need of it and especially for the good estate of the place and Parish in which he liued vnto the people whereof and to many others he bare good affection Neither did he manifest his affection in word and tongue onely but by shewing himselfe forward in any good cause for their instruction and profit any manner of way The truth whereof if we did not sufficiently see whilest wee enioyed him I doubâ— we shall too well feele by wanting of him now he is gone 19. No nouice in vertue Neither was hee a nouice in the practise of any of these things but a well experienced souldier of many yeeres standing 20. Constant to the end in well-doing And vnto all this was added constancie and perseuerance vnto the end His well-doing was not by fits nor for a while only as it hath proued by some but till the end of his daies Witnesse his bountie and liberall contribution to haue the Word often preached Neither was hee weary of that which hee did Nay he was so farre from being weary that notwithstanding both the death of one of them that ioyned with him and that the vnfaithfulnesse of some which haue fallen from their word had caused him to be at more charge than at the first he had thought of yet of his owne accord hee charged himselfe somewhat further than his owne compartners in that businesse did know of And being motioned to some course whereby to be discharged from all he spake no word to approue of it but all to the contrary Then it being signified vnto him that some further course must be taken and what was expected his answer was that it was as little as could be August 5.1622 And all this not long before his last sicknesse By which it appeares how his minde was setled not to faint in well doing but to continue to the end 21. Mindfull to set his house in order before his sicknesse Hee was taken in the night with a dead palsie in halfe his body on August 15. 1622. Before his last sicknesse he had made his will and set his house in order But in the time of that sicknesse which was about the space of nine daies hee had but little vse of his speech neither was he able to expresse himselfe in diuers things to the vnderstanding of his friends which appeared by certaine tokens