life that kill him 2. None knowes that he must dye so as a godly man whose care it is to dye preparedly A godly man he knows he must dye and this knowledge makes him prepare for a dying time to live every day as his last day The Prophet he spake of death in the former part of Psal 90. that the dayes of man are threescore and ten See what followes So teach us to number â—ur dayes that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom he doth mean by numbering our dayes to live so exactly as to count the number of our dayes to be so few every dayâ— as if this were the last day and this time as the time of the coming of Christ to judgement 3. None but a godly man knows of his dying so as to consider that there is a necessity that sin must dye in him before his body dies 〈◊〉 an Heathen could say Let thy vices dye before thee There must not be only a suspension but a mortification of sin A godly man considers though I live blamelesly that men cannot say Black is mine eye to any outward practice yet I must have my inward lusts and corruptions dye before my body dye and therefore they ought to be conversant in things that tend to mortificationâ— this is to know death considerately and affectionately whereas wicked men consider of death notionally their senses tell them that all must die They say all men men young and old rich and poor must dye but this is but matter of discourse in them but the godly know it with savoury knowledge Thirdly Iobs Piety was in that he doth represent death to himself not in a formidable and dreadful way but under a comfortable representation For I know thou wilt bring me to deathâ— and to the house c. He doth represent the grave under the notion of a house as he represents it elsewhere From thence observe this point That a child of God that hath not allowed guilt upon his conscience he may and ought to re-present death to himself in such familiar representations as may make it lesse dreadful and more desirable Sometimes it is represented as going to bed They shall rest in their bed A godly man when he lyeth upon his death-bed and by sicknesse is weary of his life tossing to and fro till the dawning of the day let him think the grave will be but a bed of rest unto him so death is often stiled a sleep And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt Death is embalmed with sweet and comfortable language The grave is the house for all the living to be lodged in If I wait the grave is mine house I have made my bed in the darknesse The grave is the house that I must go to as after a hard dayes labour in my house I go to bed in a dark night So we go to our beds as into our graves for a long night going to bed is but for a short night but going to the grave is for a long night death is somtimes represented with dreadful considerations but with amiablenesse too There is an abhorrency in nature against death it is embalmed by Jesus Christ he lay in the grave three dayes to embalme the grave to you though your beds be cloudy and dark yet ye rest in them till the Resurrection-day For the opening of the doctrine I shall dispatch these two Queries 1. I shall shew you why the grave is compared to an house 2. I shall shew you what kinde of house the grave is For the first Query why the grave is compared to an house 1. This Reason some Authors give because in ancient times as hath been hinted among the Egyptians their graves and sepulchres they were made after the fashion of houses with Arches and such kind of superstructures therefore they say it is called an house 2. Other Authors give this reason because that as a man after a dayes labour abroad he comes to his house for rest so a man after a lifes labour in this world he comes to his grave as to his house for rest The second Query is this what kinde of house is the grave Now I will give you these four properties of this house 1. It is a desolate and a lonesome house 2. It is a dark house 4 It is an old house 4 It is a silent house For the first the grave is 1. A desolate and a lonesome house I shall be said Iob with Kings Counsellers of the earth which build desolate places for themselves that is they build tombs and monuments where they shall lye and then they shall leave all their attendance When I shall bring thee down with them that descend into the pit with the people of old time and shall set thee in the low parts of the earth in places desolate of old with them that go down into the pit that thou be not inhabited Job 17. 14. I have said to corruption Thou art my Father and to the wormes Thou art my mother and my sister there is all the company you will have corruption and the wormes friends bring you to your grave and there they leave you 2. Your grave is a dark house I have made my bed in the darknesse that is in the grave The grave is like the sleeping room in a house not like the dining room and working room The dining room is to be light and so the working room but the sleeping room is dark 'T is but the stopping of the mouth of the grave and it is but the drawing of the Curtains of the bed where thou shalt lye in darknesse till the Resurrectionâ— day In the grave there is neither the light of the body which is the eye nor the light of the aire which is the Sun the Sun it shall not shine there nor the body see there Therefore Eccl. 11. 9. Rejoyce Oh young man in thy youth and let thy heart cheere thee in the dayes of thy youth and walk in the wayes of thy heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee unto judgement And vers 8. He had said remember the dayes of darknesse for they shall be many The meaning is this The continuance in the grave which is the house of darknesse shall be long even to the end of the world 3. The grave is an old house as old as Adam he digged his grave with his owne fingers Wherefore as by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned The grave it is a lasting house a house where thou must stay a great while Eccles 11. 5. Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high and fear shall be in the way and the Almond tree shall
them passes to go to Jerusalem to worship God and incouraged them therein notwithstanding the rage of his father who had forsaken the true worship of God and set up Calves at Dan and Bethel Others think the goodnesse of this young Prince was in this that he would not consent to his father in taking away the government from the house of David but where the Scripture hath not a tongue to speak we have not an eare to hear and therefore we shall not undertake to determine what the Scripture hath not determined There are many collaterall observations which I shall deduce from the severall circumstances in the text and but name some of them From the consideration that this good Abijah died Good men and usefull and hopefull instruments may be taken away by death when wicked men may live long upon the earth Bad Jeroboam lived long his good sonne died soon so true is that of Solomon A righteous man may perish in his righteousnesse when a wicked man may prolong his dayes in his wickednesse Briers and Thorns and Thistles wither not so soon as Lilies and Roses they may be taken out of the world of whom the world is not worthy and they remaine behind who are not worthy to live in the world 2. From the consideration of the death of godly Abijah when wicked Nadab the other son of Ieroboam lived Observe That good children may be taken away by death from their parents when ungodly children may live to be a shame and a curse to their parents 3. From the consideration of the cause why this gracious young man died so soon it was for his fathers sins as we may gather from vers 9 10 11 12. That good children as well as bad may be outwardly punished for the sins of their parents 4. From all Israels lamenting the death of this hopefull young man Observe That good men who have been and might be further usefull in their lives should be much lamented at their death they that have lived desired should die lamented 5. From these words he shall go to his grave in peace It is a great blessing to go to ones grave in peace in times of war and common calamity He was good towards God He is good indeed who is so to God as well as unto men many are good in mans sight that are not so in the sight of God There are two other circumstances upon which I shall a little inlarge my selfe before I come to the main point I intend to handle From the age of this son of Ieroboam who is here commended for his goodnesse it is said he was a childe vers 12. Whence it may be observed It is very commendable to see goodnesse in young people to see young men good men is a very commendable thing There were many good men in that time but to be good so soon as Abijah was when he was a child the Scripture records this to his praise 1. I shall shew you that it is a commendable thing to see young men good men This I prove First Because the Scripture makes very honourable mention of young men when good men as first of Obadiah that he feared the Lord from his youth And it is recorded to the honour of Timothy that be knew the holy Scriptures from a child Ierome conceives that Iohn was the most beloved disciple because he was the youngest of all God remembers the kindnesse of our youth God takes more kindly the kindnesse of our youth then of our age It was matter of joy unto Iohn that he found children walking in the truth Secondly Because God commends morall and common goodnesse in the young man in the Gospell Christ is said to love him for his moral goodnesse and naturall ingenuity 2. The reason why it is so commendable in a young man to be a good man is this because their temptations are more and their affections are stronger to carry them from God youth hath a stronger aptitude and proclivity to sinne then any other age their blood is sooner stirr'd up to choler and their strength to lust As every relation hath its speciall sin so every age of a mans life old age is peevish and covetous middle age proud malicious and revengful young men are usually rash lustful and voluptuous and therefore Paul bids Timothy fly all youthfull lusts and therefore seeing youth is exposed to so many temptations and subject to so many corruptions it is rare to see young men good Oh then be exhorted you that are young to become religious betimes and to quicken you hereunto Consider 1. If you be not good in your youth you can never use the Psalmists arguments Cast me not off O Lord in the time of my old age for sake me not when my strength faileth v. 9. and his argument he had before v. 5. for thou art my hope and hâ—st been my trust from my youth and who would be without such an argument on his death-bed 2. Consider there are recorded in Scripture many young men that were good of al sorts and conditions and of all callings and the Holy Ghost doth not only set down their goodnesse but their age in which they were good Solomon a young King Obadiah a young Courtier Daniel a young Prophet Iohn a young Apostle Timothy a young preacher and here Abijah a young Prince and all these were good men and are recorded for our example and incouragement 3. Consider that God in the dispensations of his grace bestows it upon young men and passeth by the elder Thus Abel the younger was righteous and Cain wicked Iacob the younger brother loved and Esau hated Thus David the youngest of Iesses sons and yet the best of them and the chosen of the Lord. God doth many times do as Iacob did when he blessed the children of Ioseph he stretched out his right hand laid it upon the head of Ephraim the younger so doth God in the dispensation of his grace many times pitch on the youngest God saith as Ioseph of all the rest bring me Benjamin and gives him a double portion 4. The time of your youth is the freest age of your life to betake your selves to the exercise of religion and duties of godlinesse Young men that are servants have more freedome and lesse cares then when they grow in yeers and the cares incumbrances of a family fill their hands and clog their hearts 5. Consider if thou art not gracious in youth the fins of thy youth may trouble thy conscience in thy old age Many young men who are active and venturous in the heat of their youth get those bodily bruises and blows that they feel the ache thereof to their dying day Thou that givest a blow or a bruise to thy conscience in thy youth mayest feel this in thy old age Those sins which now thou feelest not
take notice that David made three Psalmes when he lay upon his sick-bed Psalm 6 Psalm 30. Psalm 39. and in all those Psalmes there are divine raptures and holy meditations about death Iob. 17. 1. My breath is corrupt my dayes are extinct the grave is ready for me He doth not mean an ill savour in his breath but it was an obstruction and stopping in his breath that is he was short-breathed and straitned under a violent disease It is conceived that Job had that disease which is called the Tissick and the consideration of this disease made him think that the grave was ready for him So Heman lay undâ— a violent disease Psal 88. 3 4 5. For my soul is full of trouble and my life draws nigh to the grave I am accounted with them that go down into the pit I am as a man that hath no strength free among the dead like the stain that lye in the grave whom thou numbrest no more and they are cut off from thy hands When sicknesse is in the chamber then death is at the window Diseases are but the messengers harbingers and fore-runners of death in the Prophets phrase Death is come up into our windowes When diseases are in the house then death is at the threshold So Job reckoneth When I lye down I say when shall I rise and the night be gone and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day and then he saith My flesh is clothed with wormes and clods of dust My skin is broken and become loathsome First Vse is to condemn those that when they lye on a sick-bed they hope for life but never think of death their own guiltinesse and their own wickednesse of living doth so fill them with fear and horrour that the thoughts of death are irksome and tedious to them Just like Lewis the eleventh King of France when he lay sick of a dangerous disease he charged his servants and attendants that they should not speak of death in his hearing Many mens bodies are Magazines and Hospitals of diseases who when they are living never think of death though there is but little betwixt them and the grave Second Vse is to those that are healthful and strong 't is true diseases are the immediate harbingers and fore-runners of death in an ordinary way yet you may soon dye though a disease seize not on you As the fruits of a tree do more perish by extraordinary windes and tempests then do stay upon the tree and are gathered by the husbandman So violent diseases may soon kill you though marrow be in your bones and strength in your joynts Paracelsus a skilful Physician he gloryed that if any man would follow his Physical Prescriptions he should not dye any violent death but meerly through age and yet that boasting man before he was forty yeares of age he himself dyed of a Feaver Thus I have done with the first consideration the Reasonablenesse of this I am under a sore disease and therefore I do think of death Secondly the Particularity of Johs speech is to be observed Job doth not stand upon that general conclusion There is no man that liveth but he shall see death Psal 88. 48. He doth not speak in general so but I know I must die From thence observe this point That general Conclusions about death should be enforced upon the soul by particular applications Beloved we should not only have general notions and empty speculations about death but practical and particular conclusions concerning our death such as may lay an awe upon the conscience Thus in the case of the godly said Eliphaz Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age like as a shock of Corne cometh in his season and then he addes vers 27. Lo this we have searched it hear it and know thou it for thy good General Conclusions that all must dye must be enforced upon the soul with particular applications to turne you from the world to beget in you serious thoughts touching your future and eternal welfare General truths do not carry that force upon the conscience unlesse they are drawn by applicative inference and therefore Ps 73. ult The Psalmist saith not only It is good to draw near unto God but it is good for me The third particular is the Piety of Jâ—bs speech in these words Thou wilt bring me to death Now there are three particulars in it which note Iobs Faith and Piety 1. He doth not ascribe dying to fate and fortune but to the Providence of the most High From thence observe That it is the property of the godly to see Gods band in taking away men by death It was but the dotage of the Heathen that knew not God to ascribe events to blind fortune and it was the corruption of the Chaldeans to overlook the Deity in all fatal events Yet Iob he desired to see and submit to death and to Gods hand in bringing it upon him Thou wilt bring me to death Another thing observable is this I know thou wilt bring me to death It is not a notional and bare knowledge of the understanding but such a kinde of knowledge that is considerate and practical which works upon the affections From thence observe That though all men do know notionally they must dye yet only godly men know it practically and considerately To know practically of your dying consider before hand how shall I do to launch into the eternal gulfe what shall become of me in another world when I leave this Is my peace made with God Is my person justified Am I in a state of grace Now Iobs speech hath latitude in it I know thou wilt bring me to death that is I do so know it that I will provide for it and I will prepare for it and I will lay a foundation for eternal life Solomon speaking of Funeral solemnity saith he It is better to go to the house of mourning then to go to the house of feasting that is the end of all men and the living will lay it to his heart I but all men that do do not lay death to heart they may perhaps talk of death at a Funeral but the living they shall lay it to heart lay it upon the heart as the Hebrew they shall lay it to heart and lay it upon their hearts so Tremelius A wicked man layes it upon his tongue but a godly man layes this truth upon his heart There is none but a godly man that so knowes any thing of dying as to know it so practically affectionately and considerately and so as to do these three things 1. None but a godly man considers of his dying that he dies deservedly he tastes the bitternesse and feels the burden of sin in his diseases and sense of approaching death he considers with himself that it is not a disease that will bring him to his grave but the sins of his
sleep but we shall be changed therefore at the last day they shall not be buried and the grave not the house of all men but those that are then living shall be suddenly carried up to Heaven To this I answer that at the last day though men shall not come to the grave yet they shall be taken up when the trumpet shall sound and shall goe through the fire and they shall in their translation undergoe something that shall be equivalent to a death and to a buriall 2. Lastly we are tied to this decree of death though God be not tied Rom. 5. 14. and Rom. 9. 27. By those places we are to understand all men doe deserve to die though God may exempt some as those that live to see the end of the world from a death as ours is Death is the end of all men and the grave is the house appointed for all living Death hath passed upon all men because all have sinned All deserve to die and even those that are changed at the last day undergo something equivalent to death it selfe FINIS An Alphabeticall Table A ADmiration of mens persons page 22 Affections rather then actions evidence the truth of grace 54 Strong assurance 26 Strong affections 121 Why we should be carefull to preserve our first affections 126 Holy affections arguments of grace 160 Our All to be ascribed to Christ 189 B BAd company a snare 12 Good in bad places commendable 13 Misery to live in bad places ib. We must shun bad company and places 11 Against boasting of our own merit 189 193 None blameable but our selves if we want grace 197 C GOod company 16 Be not content with measures of grace 25 Communion of Saints 29 Reasons why we must not content our selves with a little grace 33 Complaint of our corruptions 41 Little comfort of much grace 49 God will cherish least measures of grace 57 Comfort of grace may be lost 78 Experienced Christians must comfort others 82 Cases of conscience about temptation 92 About corruptions 104 Strong corruptions cōsistent with strong grace 105 Case of conscience about affections 127 Case of conscience about the comfort of grace 128 A man may have grace and want comfort 131 A godly man hath right to comfort 142 True grace is communicative 155 How grace is said to be in Christ 176 Christ is the author of grace 177 Christ commissionated by God the Father to give grace 197 D. BEst must die 4 Dependance on duty 19 Dependance on divine influxe 27 Why there are different degrees of grace 28 Desires after more grace 43 Desires supernatural and active earnest after grace 44 Devils malice and knowledge in tempting us 98 Devil shal never have his wil on Gods people 101 Devil may mar our comfort 139 Divers Christians have divers gifts 148 Of division in the Church 150 Decay of gifts unexercised 151 152 We must not despise the least grace 199 Diseases should mind us of death 202 We should meditate on death 204 And on our particular death 205 Gods hand must be seen in Death ib. Sin cause of death 206 E. VAine excuse of wickednesse 46 Evidences of the growth and strength of grace differ 49 Good example 72 Exercise grace 139 Former experiences comfortable 146 One may excel in one gift and not in another 148 Eminent for grace in great esteem 175 We must have our eye on Christ 192 F FAlling from First love 19 Precious Faith alike in all Believers 36 Frequency in sinning 103 Men of great gifts may fall away 162 Christ a Fountaine 179 All fulnesse in Christ 178 God the Father and Christ one 179 Against Free-wil 186 G. SAving grace unloseable 12 Smallest measures of grace are cherished by God 16 Some of Gods children have but small measures of grace 18 Different degrees of grace 19 A little grace not so useful nor so evidential 34 True grace wil grow 36 We must grow in grace 74 Commands and promises of growth 75 Not to grow better is to grow worse 78 Glory of Gods Attributes seen in succouring us in great temptation 97 God a free agent in giving grace or comfort of grace 134 Glory of grace due to God 141 Though believers have the same Spirit yet not the same gifts 147 Little grace better then great gifts 156 Difference between gifts and grace 157 None have so much grace as they should 168 Glory in heaven proportioned to our grace here 173 It s of the nature of grace to grow 174 Grave is an house 218 H. COrruptions are to humble us 104 Humiliation suitable to corruptions 102 They that have much grace have much cause to be humbled 167 Christ a head 178 What kind of house the grave is 220 I. INjuries to weak Christians 64 Judgement and spiritual knowledge 119 Holy jealousie 136 Indulgence to any lust marres our spiritual comfort 138 Improvement of grace 163 We are justified by Gods free grace and not by grace inherent in us 166 Joseph a type of Christ 182 Joshua a type of Christ 181 Christ gives grace irresistibly 193 We must endeavour to get grace 195 Interest in Christ and then in his grace 196 K KNowledge of the mysteries of the Gospel 83 Weak in knowledge 23 Practicall knowledge 201 Considerate knowledge of death 204 L. SPiritual light in the soule 40 Love of the Word and of the Saints 46 Little grace shall be lasting and shall not be extinguished 54 165 Losse of first love and first affections 106 128 Spiritual lazinesse 138 M. AGainst Popish merit 35 Of the least measure of grace 39 Ministers must use loving insinuations 71 Ministers should grow in grace 72 Mistakes about measures of grace 86 VVe must not measure our grace by our profession or gifts c. 87 Natural melancholy hinders comfort 135 N. NEglect of our callings 21 Some affectionate by natural temper 121 All things new at first conversion 123 O. OLD-age may make affections flag 9 P. WE are not perfect at once 27 66 Gods power can preserve weak grace 31 Purpose of soul to leave sin 40 Promises made to the desire after grace 43 We must labour after perfection 47 Promises must be believed though Providences seem to crosse them 82 Pride checkt by temptations 98 Strong Christians must not presume 101 Professors sins gratifie Satan 105 106 Spirituall pride 109 Pride in our gifts 153 Pride of Papists and Pelagians 185 Christ gives grace proportionably 194 Preparation for death 206 Q. OF quenching the Spirit 137 R. REigne of lust 115 Christ a Root 178 Reproach rowled away from Christ 182 Socinians enemies to the Righteousnesse of Christ 183 Rest in the grave 212 S A Note of sincerity to be good in bad places 12 Signes of weak grace 20 Spiritual failings and sins 21 A scrupulous conscience ib. God wil not try us beyond our strength 38 Christians have a strong God a strong Saviour strong promises 53 God sees the least sin in believers 62 Satans Sieve
they be placed alone in the midst of the earth that you give all diligence to adde to your faith vertue and to your vertue knowledge and to your knowledge temperance and to your temperance patience and to patience godlinesse and to godlinesse brotherly-kindnesse and to brotherly-kindnesse charity that these graces may be in you and abound that you may be neither barren nor unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus No Christian should content himselfe with any measures of Grace attained for he is like to make use of all the grace he hath had he a Benjamins portion The time is comming when one dram of true grace will be of more worth then all the world The comforts of grace the joy and peace of believing will be Cordials to you when you are dying and will set up such a light in the soule which the shadow of death shall neither damp nor darken But alas most men are labouring more after wealth then faith more after greatnesse in the world then true grace of whom when they die it may be said They had laid up goods for many yeers but it cannot be said In them was found some good thing towards the Lord. Men doe usually lay up riches for a deare yeere they 'l say they know not what need they may have before they come to die Be then as wise and provident for your precious souls Your temptations and trials may be such that you may have use for all your faith and patience Eate said the Angel to Elijah for the journey is long It is no short way to Heaven nor is the opposition small thou shalt meet withall in thy passage thither Oh then get thy soule well stored with spirituall provision of grace and the comforts of it It is true thy safety is in the being but thy comfort stands in the strength and activity of thy graces Weake Grace is saving but strong Grace is comfortable truth of grace shal be rewarded with heaven growth of Grace doth as it were antedate heaven The least true grace wil bring thee to Heaven but the more Grace thou hast the fitter for and surer thou wilt be of Heaven The Lord make these and all the labours of his servants profitable to his Church Ye therefore beloved seeing you know these things before beware lest ye also being led away with the errour of the wicked fall from your own stedfastnesse But grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to him be glory both now and for ever Amen Reader we remain Ready to serve thee in thy Soul-affairs EDMUND CALAMY SIMEON ASHE JEREM. WHITAKER WILLIAM TAYLOR London February 13. 1651-52 Sermon I. At Lawrence Jâ—y London March 9. 1650 1. 1. KINGS 14. part of the 13. verse Because in him there is found some good thing towards the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam THis Chapter conteins in it Ahijahs Prophesie foretelling what dismall judgements should befal Ieroboam and his posterity for his Idolatry in worship and defection from the Government and house of David For which sins God did destroy him and his posterity and not only the bad but the good were punished for their fathers guilt For so it is intimated in this verse out of which the Text is taken Here was a young man Ieroboam's son that should die for the fathers fault and yet here was a mitigation of the punishment that he should not die after the same manner that the rest did he shall goe to his grave in peace because in him there is found some good c. Behold the goodnesse of God! a little good in him and yet the great God takes notice of the little good in him God found as it were one pearle in a heap of pebbles one good young man in Jeroboams houshold that had some good in him towards the Lord God of Israel In the whole verse three parts I. A lamentation for the death of this son of Jeroboam It is said all Israel shall mourn for him and so they did v. 18. which argued there was goodness in him for if he had not been desired and prized while he lived he would not have been so lamented at his death II. A limitation of his punishment he only of Jeroboams family shall come to the grave the rest of his posterity that died in the City dogs should eat and him that dieth in the field should the fowles of the ayre devoure vers 11. III. The commendation of his life in him was found some good c. of this I am now to treat He is commended by the Holy Ghost for his goodnesse is set forth 1. By the quality of his goodnesse it was a good thing not a good word only or a good purpose or inclination with which too many content themselves but it was a good action 2. By the quantity of it it was but some little good thing that was found in him and yet that little good God did not despise or over-look 3. By the sincerity of his goodnesse there are two notable demonstrations of this young mans goodnesse 1. It was towards the Lord God of Israel 2. It was in Jeroboams house 1. His goodnesse was towards the Lord God of Israel This argued Pauls sincerity that in his speaking writing and actions he could and did appeal to God That Religion saith the Apostle is pure and undefiled that is so before God and the Father Many Hypocrites may be good towards men who are not so towards God to be rich indeed is to be rich towards God True repentance is repentance towards God and he is unblamable indeed that is void of offence towards God as well as towards men 2. He was good in the house of Jeroboam A wicked man may seeme good in a good place but to be good in a bad place argues men to be good indeed To be good in Davids house this was not so much but for this young man to be good in the house of Jeroboam his father whom the Scripture brands for his Idolatry that he made all Jsrael to sin and yet could not make his son to sin this argued he was sincerely good as it did argue Lots sincerity to be righteous in Sodom for Job to be good in Chaldea and to be Saints in Nero's Palace and to feare God in Jeroboams family this is goodnesse indeed There is onely one difficulty in the Text viz. What was that good thing that was found in Abijah For answer to this 't is true the Scripture doth not particularly expresse what that good thing was which was found in him but Tostatus and P. Martyr affirme from the Hebrew Rabbins that when the Jews of the ten Tribes did on their appointed times repair to Ierusalem to worship according to the command of God and Jerboam commanded Souldiers to intercept them this Abijah did hinder the souldiers to kill them and gave
Gods people have appealed unto God concerning the uprightnesse of their hearts meerly by their desires so saith the Church The dâ—sire of our soul is to thy name and the remembrance of thee and with my soul have I desired thee in the night 2. God hath made many gracious promises not only to the acting and exercising of grace but to the desires after grace Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after Righteousnesse for they shal be filled If any man thirst saith Christ let him come unto me and drink nay there is a general and universal invitation to every one that thirsteth to come to the waters and God hath promised to give to him that is at hirst of the fountain of the water of life freely The Lord hath promised to fulfil the desire of those that fear him and wil heare the desire of the humble So that by these promises it doth appear that hungring and thirsting desires after grace are graces in Gods account and acceptation Now lest men should rest in lazy and sluggish desires and thereby neglect the exercise of grace I shall give you an account in what sense the Scripture reckons upon desires after grace to be grace 1. They are supernatural desires 'T is true there are natural desires in the soul after that which is good it is the language of nature Who wil show us any good now these desires may and do arise from the motion of the natural and unsanctified will of man and these desires are after happinesse and not after holinesse such were the desires of Balaam who said Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his This was but a natural desire But true desires in the soul are after heaven for holinesse sake Bernard notably sets out these desires of natural men That they have a desire of the End and not of the Means 2. Desires after grace are joyned with holy indeavours and therefore the Apostle joyns desire and zeal together to intimate that true desires are alwayes joyned with zealous indeavours Thus the Apostle also joyneth a readinesse of will and performance together God will never accept the will for the deed unlesse there be an indeavour to performe what we say we are willing to do And therefore Solomon rightly describes how pernicious desires are without indeavours The desires of the flothfull saith he kil him because his hands refuse to labour Bernard describes the lazinesse to the life Carnal men love to obtain but love not to follow Christ they will not indeavour to seek him whom they desire so finde 3. Desires which are true and gratious are unsatisfiable thus David speaks of his desires My soul saith he breaketh for the longing it hath to thy judgments at all times yea he further describ es the ardency and unsatisfiablenesse of his desires by the Harts panting after the water-brooks The Hart is naturally the most thirsty of all creatures but this thirst is much increased when the poor beast is chased with dogs even so the true desires of the soul after grace are earnest ardent and vehement desires 4. You may know true desires after grace by their Object Desires they are not gracious if they be more after outward things then after God So David My soul thirsteth after God after the living God My soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth after thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is Thus his soul longed and did break with longing after Gods judgements Now therefore wouldest thou know whether thou hast any begining of grace in thy soul examine what thy desires are perhaps thou canst not pray but thou desirest to pray perhaps thou canst not mourn for sin but dost thou mourn that thou canst not mourn Perhaps thou dost not believe as thou fearest but dost thou desire to believe Perhaps thou canst not repent but dost thou desire to repent and dost thou labour to repent Then thou mayest conclude that thou hast some beginnings of true grace in thy soul 5. We may know the truth of grace though it be little by the earnest desire after the Word and the means of grace Thus Peter sets forth our desires As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby There is in a child a natural instinct as soon as ever it is born to desire after the mothers breast the Apostle makes it a resemblance of a spiritual man a man spiritually new born wil desire after the Word the means of grace that he may grow in grace 6. An indeared love to those that have grace By this you know you are past from death to life because you love the brethren Casuists upon this text say that love to Gods children is the first grace and first appears in young converts The natives in New England it is observed upon their conversion for God hath begun there to bring some of those poor creatures from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to himself the first appearance of grace in them is in their love and respect to those that are truly gracious Thus I have shewed you an answer to the question what are the least measures of grace without which or some of them a man cannot be said to have grace and wheresoever any of these are that mans condition is safe and these little measures of grace will bring a man to heaven I shall here lay down some cautions to prevent mis-application Though these small measures of grace are saving yet you must not content your selves with them Take heed lest what I have said for the support of the weaknesse of some Christians become not a pillow for the idleness of others But let us striue to go on unto perfection We must not sit down with any measure of grace And to perswade you hereunto 1. Consider that things meerly necessary and sufficient to maintain a natural life wil not content a man what man is content though he hath clothes enough to hide his nakedness and food enough to keep life and soul together But he desires not onely clothes for nakedness but ornament not only food for hunger and necessity but delight Now shall men be unbounden after their desires for outward things and shall they sit down and say they have enough for heavenly things 2. Consider if thou contentest thy self with a small measure of grace though thou shalt have the fruit of thy grace when thou diest yet thou wilt want the comfort of thy grace whilest thou livest It is strength of grace that gives assurance Weak grace will bring thy soule to heaven but it is the strength of grace will bring heaven into thy soul The work of Righteousness shall be Peace and the effect of Righteousness shall be quietness and assurance for ever A childe of
flourish and the Grashopper shall be a burden and desire shall faile because man goeth to his leng home and the mourners go about the streets 'T is a long home a kinde of a house of eternity a long while till Christs comming to judgement our long home in opposition to our present houses that is our short home Your houses are your short homes but the graves are your long homes 4. The grave is a silent house Psal 31. 17. Let me net be ashamed Oh Lord for I have called upon thee let the wicked be ashamed and let them be silent in the grave The Psalmist prayes here for deliverance from his Persecutors here is nothing but clamour persecution and opposition and one shall not have a good word from them But as Iob comfortâ— himself in the grave There the voice of the Oppressor shall not be heard So may we we shall be at rest and silence there there the weary shall be at rest and there the Prisoners shall rest together For the Uses of this point The first Vse is an use of comfort to the godly they may be comforted upon this doctrine This doctrine is a doctrine that is dreadful to wicked men their graves are dungeons to them but to Gods children the grave is an house Now you may be comforted upon these four consideratious 1 That though the grave be an house yet be comforted it is a resting house Iob 3 17. There the wicked cease from troubling and there the weary be at rest He speaks here of the grave in vers 13. For now should I have lien still and been quiet I should have slept then had I been at rest There is no work to be done in this house Eccles 9. 10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest Isa 57. 2. They shall rest in their beds 2. That though the grave be a house yet be comforted it is but a sleeping house it is not a house where thou shalt be everlastingly Beloved though it be a house yet it is but a sleeping house it shall not alwayes keep your bodies that is the meaning of Pauls exultation O death where is thy sting Oh grave where is thy victory He refers it to the Resurrection the grave though it compasse us yet it shall not conquer us 1. Though the grave be a house yet be comforted it is but a hiding house such a house as is but a hiding place for Gods people Job 14. 13. Oh that thou wouldst hide me in the grave that thou wouldest keep me in secret untill thy wrath be past that thou wouldst appoint me a set time and remember me Times may be so calamitous that there may be more safety under ground then above ground they that have layen a long time in their graves may be more happy then those that are living Isa 26. 20. Come my peeple enter thou into thy chambers and shut thy door about thee hide thy self as if it were for a little moment until the indignation be overpast Though some refer this to a temporal deliverance yet others refer it to the grave where God lodges his children when he takes them from the evil to come Though the grave be a house yet be comforted it is a perfumed house a house imbalmed and perfumed by Christs lying in the grave All the acts that Christ did they were for our sakes Christ died to save us by dying Christ lay buried in the grave to make the grave a bed of rest he rose again from the dead to sanctifie our resurrection and by his presence there he hath persumed this bed this house the grave Second Vse for instruction 1. Here is matter of meditation when you are in your own houses bethink your selves thus Now I am here walking in my house from chamber to chamber but ere long my chamber shall be in the dust Now I am comming to my bed in a dark night but ere long God wil put out the candle of my life and wil lay me in the grave as in a bed of darknesse Now I am in my own house but ere long my house wil cast me our to my grave and that is the house that wil take me in 2. Let it check in you all covetous and inordinate desires after worldly things Thou shalt come from lying in the dark house in the womb to lye in the dark house of the grave Oh what a vast company of inordinat and luxurious desires are there in the hearts of men In the womb one foot in the cradle three foot wil content you and in the grave six foot but when thou livest in the world a whole world wil not content you there is such inordinate and luxurious desires in mens hearts when they have all affluence and confluence of creature comforts Now they must have their variety of Houses a Countrey-house a Summer-house a Winter house yet thou must exchange thy many houses for one house 'T is worthy your notice that passage you read of in Scripture 1 Sam. 10. 24. Samuel when he had anointed Saul King and the people had chosen him what signal doth he give him to confirme him anointed it was to goe to Rachels Sepulchre now the reason is this that he might not be glutted with the preferments honours he was entring upon The Emperours of Constantinople in their inaugurations on their Coronation daies had a Mason came and shewed them severall Marble-stones and asked them to choose which of those should be made ready for their Grave-stone And so we read of Joseph of Arimathea that he had his Tombe in his garden to check the pleasures of the place Now in thy house thou hast superfluity and abundance I can goe now to variety of houses buâ— one day thou shalt leave all thy houses and go to one house and there leave all your company and your friends But how can this be true when the Scripture saith Joh. 8. 51. Verily verily I say unto you if a man keep my saying he shall never see death To this I answer that this Scripture intends not a natural and corporal death but a spiritual and eternal death and it is said John 11. 25 26. I am the resurrection and the life he that believes in me though he were dead yet he shall live and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die That is though he die naturally yet he shall live eternally But you will say Enoch was not buried and Elijah was carried up in a chariot Particular examples doe not frustrate general rules though they were not laid in their graves yet they underwent something equivalent to death There was a particular reason why God translates Enoch and Elijah because they were to be types of Christs Resurrection and pledges of ours But some wil say 1 Cor. 15. 51. We shall not all