Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A40680
|
Perfection and peace delivered in a sermon / by Tho. Fuller.
|
Fuller, Thomas, 1608-1661.
|
1653
(1653)
|
Wing F2453; ESTC R29917
|
11,114
|
34
|
Original Though give me leave to say the youngest child is most like the father and the newest Translation herein most naturally expresseth the sense of the Hebrew Let none cavil that such laxity in the Hebrew words occasions uncertainty in the meaning of the Scripture For God on purpose uses such words importing several senses not to distract our heads but dilate our hearts and to make us Rechoboh Room for our practice in the full extent thereof Psal. 119. 92. Thy commandement is exceeding broad and is penned in words and phrases acceptive of several senses but all excellent for us to practice So that both Translations may be happily compounded in our endeavours Mark the perfect keep innocency and behold the upright and take heed to the thing that is right for the end of that man is peace and that shall bring a man peace at the last Begin we with the description of the dead Perfect and what is a good Comment thereon Vpright Object It is impossible this world should afford a perfect man What saith David Psal. 14. 2. The Lord looked down from Heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek after God They are all gone aside they are altogether become filthy there is none that doth good no not one But what saith Solomon Eccles. 2. 12. For what can the man do who commeth after the King even that which hath been done already But what shall he do that cometh after the King of Heaven can Subjects hope that their discoveries will be clearer then their Soveraigns shall man living on earth see more then God looking from heaven he could not meet with one good where then shall we mark a perfect man Answ. David in the place alledged describes the general corruption ad prae varicationem of all mankind by nature in the latitude whereof we confess the perfect man in my Text was involved As all Metals when they are first taken out of the earth have much dross and oar but by art and industrie may afterwards be refined so the man in my text was equally evil with all others by nature till defecated by grace and by Gods goodness refined to such a height of puritie as in some degree will endure the touch and become perfect In a four fold respect may a servant of God be pronounced Perfect in this life 1 Comparatively in reference to wicked men who have not the least degree or desire of goodness in them Measure a servant of God by such a dwarf and he will seem a proper person yea comparatively perfect 2 Intentionally The drift scope and purpose of such a mans life is to desire perfection which his desires are seconded with all the strength of his weak endeavours He draweth his bow with all his might and Perfection is the mark he aimeth at though too often his hand shakes his bow starts and his arrow misses 3 Inchoatively We have here the begining and the earnest as of the Spirit 2 Cor. 1. 22. So of all spiritual graces expecting the full not payment because a meer gift but receipt of the rest hereafter In this world we are a perfecting and in the next Heb. 12. 23. we shall come to the spirits of just men made perfect But blame me not Beloved if I be brief in these three kinds of Perfections rather touching then landing at them in our discourse seeing I am partly affraid partly ashamed to lay too much stress and weight on such slight and slender foundations I hasten with all convenient speed to the fourth which one is worth all the rest A servant of God in this life is perfect 4 Imputatively Christs perfections through Gods mercy being impuâ—ed unto him If I be worsted in my front and beaten in my main Battel I am sure I can safely retreat to this my invincible Reeâ— In the agonie of temptation we must quit comparative perfection Alass Relation is rather a shadow then a substance quit intentional perfection being conscious to our selves how oft our actions cross our intentions Quit inchoative perfection for whilest a servant of God compareth the little goodness he hath with that great proportion which by Gods law he ought to have he conceiveth thereof as the pious Jews did of the Foundation of the second Temple Haggai 2. 3. Is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing But stick we may and must to imputative perfection which indeed is Gods act cloathing us with the Righteousness of Iesus Christ This is the reason the Saints are unwilling to own any other perfection for though God Iob 1. 1. is pleased to stile Iob a perfect man yet see what he saith of himself Iob 9. 20. If I say that I am perfect it shall also prove me perverse God might say it Iob durst not for fear of pride and presumption Indeed Noah is the first person who is pronounced perfect in Scripture Gen. 6. 9. But mark I pray what went in the verse before But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord Not that his finding grace is to be confined to his particular preservation from the Deluge which was but one branch or sprig of Gods grace unto him But his whole person was by Gods goodness accepted of Noahs perfection more consisting in that acceptance then his own amiableness approved not so much because God found goodness in Noah but because Noah found grace in God Come we now in the description of the Dead to what he is The end of that man is peace Object Some will object that daily experience confutes the truth of this Doctrine what more usual then to see Gods servants tossed tumbled tortured tormented often ending their painful lives with shameful deaths Cushi being demanded by David to give an account of Absaloms condition 2 Sam. 18. 32. made this mannerly and politique return The enemies of my Lord the King and all that rise up against thee to do thee hurt be as that young man is But some will say if this be a peaceable end to lead an afflicted life and have an ignominious death may the enemies of God and all goodness the infringers of our Laws and Liberties the haters of Learning and Religion the destroyers of Unity and order have their souls surfet of such a peaceable end Resp. In answer hereunto we must make use of our Saviours distinction the same for substance and effect though in words there be variation thereof Being taxed by Pilate for treason against Caesar he pleaded for himself Ioh. 18. 36. My kingdom is not of this world So say we to salve all objections our peace that is the peace in our Text and God make it ours not only to treat and hear but partake thereof is not of this world consisteth not in temporal or corporal prosperity but is of a more high and heavenly nature Indeed this peace is in this world but not of this world begun here in the calm of a
is predominant plainly appears in their discoveries The Covetous man marks but whom those who are rich and wealthy The ambitious man but whom those that are high and honourable The lascivious man marks but whom such as are beautiful and wanton few there be of Davids devout disposition who mark the Perfect behold the Vpright for the end of that man is peace 2 Vse Let all who desire this peaceable end labour whilest living to list themselves in the number of those who are perfect and upright King Ahaaz coming to Damascus was so highly affected with an Idolatrous Altar which he there beheld that he needs would have that Original Copyed out 2 King 16. 10. And the like made at Ierusalem according to the fashion of it and all the workmanship thereof Fool to preferre the pattern of the infernal pit before the pattern in the Mount But this his prophane action will afford us a pious application You that have marked the Just and beheld the Upright ought to be affected with the piety of his life cannot but be contented with the peaceableness of his end This therefore do Such who are pleased with the pattern of his perfection and uprightness go home and raise the like fabrick erect the like structure for all considerable particulars in your own soul Vain and wicked was the wish of Balaam Numb. 23. 10. Let me dye the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his He would commence per saltum take the Degree of Happiness without that of Holiness like those who will live Papists that they may sin the more freely and dye Protestants that they may be saved the more certainly But know that it is an impossibility to graft a peaceable death upon any other stock but that of a pious life 3. Vse Let it retrenoh our censuring of the final estate of those whom we know led godly lives and we see had shameful deaths Let us expound what seems doubtful at their death by what was clear in their life A true conclusion may sometimes be inferred from false premises but from true premises the conclusion must ever be true Possibly a good life in the next world may follow a bad one in this namely where though late sincere repentance interposeth But most certain and necessary it is that a good life here must be crowned with a good condition hereafter What then though Iohn Baptist lost his head by Herods cruelty he still held his head in the Apostles phrase Col. 2. 19. By a lively faith continuing his dependance on and deriving life and comfort from Jesus Christ in which respect he may be said to have dyed in peace There is a sharp and bitter passage in Scripture Luk. 9. 23. And yet if the same be sweetned with a word or two in my Text it may not only easily be swallowed but also will certainly be digested into wholsome nourishment the words are these and let him take up his Cross daily and follow me His Cross some will say I could comfortably comport my self to carry such a mans Cross his is a slight a light and easie mine a high a huge and heavy Cross Oh but children must not be choosers of that rod wherewith they are to be corrected that is to be let alone unto the discretion of their father Men may fit cloaths but God doth fit Crosses for our backs no Cross will please him for thee to take up but thy Cross only that which his providence hath made thee the proprietarie thereof Well take it up on this assurance that the end thereof shall be peace Take up thy Cross Is it not enough that I be passive and patiently carry it when it is laid upon me What a Tyranny is this for me to cross my self by taking up my own cross But God will have it so thou must take it up that is First thou must freely confess that nothing hath befaln thee by chance or fortune but by Gods all-ordering Providence Secondly Thou must acknowledge that all afflictions imposed upon thee are the just punishment of thy sins deserved by thee if inflicted more heavily seeing all things is mercy which is on this side of hel fire This it is to take up thy cross do it willingly for it will be peace at the last The last is the worst word Daily Not that God every day sends us a new affliction but he requires that every day we should put on a habit of patience to undergo whatsoever cross is laid upon us This I conceive to be Davids meaning Psal. 73. 14. and chastened every morning Daily superstitious Fryers never esteem themselves ready till they have put on their Crucifix and religious Protestants must never accompt themselves ready till they have put on their cross The Papists have besprinkled their Calendar with many festivals having no foundation in Scripture or ancient Church History One day they call the Exaltation of the Cross which is May 3. another the Invention of the Cross which is September 14. But we must know there is one day of the Cross more Day which continueth from the beginning to the end of the year namely the Assumption of the Cross every one must take it up daily do it do it willingly for the end thereof wil be peace And yet there is a fourth thing remaining in the Text when we have took up our Cross we must follow Christ it is not enough to take it up and then stand still as if suffering gave us a supersedeas for doing but God at the same time will have our hands back and feet of our soul exercised hands to take up back to bear our Cross and feet to follow him and happy it is for us though we cannot go the same pace if we go the same path with our Saviour for the end thereof will be peace O the amiableness of the word Peace oh the extensiveness of the word End Peace what can be finer ware End what can be larger measure The amiableness of Peace especially to us who so long have prayed for it and payed for it and sought for it and fought for it and yet as yet in England have not attained it For the Tragoedy of our war is not ended but the scene thereof removed and the Element only altered from earth unto water Surely had we practised Davids precept Psal. 34. 14. Eschew evil and do good seek peace and ensue it before this time we had obtained our desire It is to be feared we have been too earnest prosecutors of the last and too slow performers of the first part of the verse great have been our desires but small our deeds for peace Had we eschewed evil and done good God ere this time would have crowned our wishes with the fruition of peace The Marriners Act. 27. 30. men skilful to shift for themselves at Sea had a private project for their own safety namely to quit their crazie ship with the souldiers and passengers