Honourable Earl of Manchester to be Pastor of Uttington in Lincoln-shire GReat was the Jewel hid within this field A Pearl more precious than the earth doth yield One grace surpasseth Gold and Gems as far As the Sun shining doth the brighter Star This parti-colour'd coat wrought such debate And caus'd thy brethrens envy their hate That from thy place and people thou wast sent To suffer sharp and severe ' prisonment Far worse than that of Joseph in the pit Who afterwards was sold to th' Ishmaelite And by that Merchant-man who came from far To the Kings Provost-Martial Potiphar Where he was prosperous yet by the wile Of her who would by sin his soul defile Was stript of 's coat to keep his conscience His feet were fettr'd for his continence Tell me bless'd Saint what was not this thy fate If thou wast not far more unfortunate For in his bonds good Joseph was more free Who favour found was loos'd honourably But 't was otherwise with thee dear brother Who wast sent from one prison to th' other 'Till death by a Habeas Corpus did remove Thy flesh to th' earth thy soul to heaven above In those thy bonds thou wast so comfortable As made adversity amiable For Divine Truth was girdle to thy loyns And uprightness the brest-plate of thy reins A Faith most firm a shield of thy defence And an incomparable patience Hope was the only helmet of thy head The Gospels peace did light thee to thy bed Thy feet thus shod thou fearest no surprize But could'st defend thy self ' gainst injuries Thou having gotten these to good degree Obtain'st a conquest over Calamity Sore were thy life's troubles sweet thy rest Thy smel 's as of a Field that God hath blest Richard Moore Vpon the Death of many Reverend Ministers since Bartholomew 1662. IF passion be a spur to poetry Sure it should teach me for to verifie Were there but Sympathy who can but weep To see so many Pastors laid to sleep What shall the poor Sheep do now these are dead But dread likewise they shall be scattered The Lord hath smitten many Cedars tall How should poor poplars chuse but fear a fall Are Israels chariots and horsemen gone How should we chuse but weep and make great moan Old Ash foreseeing what a dearth would be Of Sions Seers fell fell down suddenly Although it proved his death yet would he grieve And buried was on Barthol'mew Eve As father Ely bowed his aged head First when the news came thy two sons are dead But when he heard once that the Ark was lost It brake his heart his neck his life it cost Vines Naulton Cawdry Calamy went hence Like Nard and Camphire trees of Frankincense Still sending forth their aromatick scent Till twice extinct from us to Heaven they went Learned Vines went away as in a sleep And Zealous Naulton who was wont to weep Calamy for London he loved so well When in the Fire he heard her passing-Bell Cawdry crowded on Caryl White and Strong Gouge Gataker Hill whitaker and Young Gravely judicious Burges and Hall Who was Tom-tell-troth Baker and Burdall Pale death why do'st thou make such haste And the true Churches Treasure waste Tell me in truth what is there no reprieve That such renowned Worthies might survive See that a Supersedeas thou grant That such the Clergies benefit may'nt want Though thou accostest them with swiftest wing I 'me well assured thou hast lost thy sting They 're now made more than conquerors since dead And are triumphant who were conquered Their Captain Christ hath got the Victory And soon O Death will make an end of thee In the mean time thou canst not surely kill A Child of God but cure him of his ill His Soul 's above thy reach and in a trice When once dismiss'd shall mount to Paradice Nor hurt the Body only lay 't to bed In th' Grave or Coffin where it 's buried RICHARD MOORE De Immortalitate BRight Marble nor the gilded Monunuments Of valiant Heroes nor the rare Contents Of wealthy Monarchs shall out-last thy fame Immortal Scholar of eternal name Neither shall time thy praises e'r divide As learned yet as e'r was on our side Fierce Mars his Sword may Statues overturn And wealthy Cities into Ashes burn Spoil and deface the works of costly plates High Spires and Temples prized at dear rates Yet cannot blur nor these thy Works o'return Immortal Hall who sleepest in thine Urn Art dead do'st speak by Books thou 'st left behind Sight to the faithful eyes unto the blind Bright Orient Pearls to light through misty vales O're gloomy Mountains and obscurest dales When Kingdoms are o'return'd like Troys sad Town The brightest Gem thy lofty front shall crown Posterity Halls learned Name shall boast When this our Isle and Europe quite is lost Aeternitati Comparatum omne tempus breve Popham Gardiner An Epitaph on the never-to-be-forgotten Divine Mr. Thomas Hall STay Passenger in this cold dusty Urn Read carefully in reading see thou learn Life's brevity the shortness of mans days How soon his glory fadeth and decays How soon his honour 's brought unto the Grave How soon the worms their satisfaction have What does his Learning him at all avail When once his vital Spirits dying fail If literature could free learn'd Men from death This Golgotha and dormentorious earth Halls Skeleton should never yet have found Who did with copious works so well abound Genius of art thy loss we do lament Mellifluous Orator who still time spent In reading seeking hearing sapience But now alas from us he is snatcht hence That makes us weep weeping we do deplore Tears blur our writings we can write no more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Life's Shortness Life 's a bubble Full of trouble And a vapour Or a tapour Life 's a flower Lasts an hour Soon it blasteth Sooner wasteth Then think how soon Mans pleasures fly away Since all his life-times but a winters day Like to the flower that with the Suns uprise His bud unfolds and in the ev'ning dies His swift concurrent motions like th' Sun With winged paces suddenly are gone Then think on God on grisly death's strong hand How thy poor soul at Gods just bar must stand Therefore prepare his aid see thou implore When that thou com'st his bar to stand before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Solon Have God in mind him serve with filial fear And think how soon thy dying time is near Lord shall my soul when body it doth die Lord-liking climb the heavens Canopie Then farewel Earth Place of my Birth Adieu vain Pleasures Heaven yieldeth Treasures Far better than this tottring Stage doth yield Where we can't act but presently are kill'd O grisly pale-fac't death why so unkind To take him hence and leave me here behind Because I am not ripe too green of years To full this Corn-field of destroying tares If t' were not so thou wouldest take me hence To Heaven above thy dear's ones recompence Where Saints do triumph when the prize they 've won When this my body may out-shine the Sun When Moses-like I view the three in one FINIS Books to be Sold by Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and three Crowns in Cheapside In Folio SErmons upon the whole Epistle o◠St. Paul to the Colossians By Mr. John Daille translated into English by F. S. 2. An Exposition of Temptation on Mat. 4 v. 1 to the end of the 11 v. A practical Exposition on the third Chapter of the first Epistle of St Paul to the Corinthians with the Godly Mans Choice on Psal 4. v. 6 7 8. By Anthony Burgess Forty six Sermons upon the whole Eight Chapter of the Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Romans 8 Sermons upon the whole fourth Psalm 10 Sermons upon the whole forty second Psalm 19 Sermons upon the whole 51 Psalm 9 Sermons upon the whole 83 Psalm All Five by Tho. Horton D. D. Left perfected for the Press under his own Hand a little before his Death XXVI Sermons upon several Texts of Scriptures By the Learned and Reverend John Donne D. D. Quarto's The Morning-Exercise against Popery or the principal Errours of the Church of Rome Detected and Confuted in a Morning-Lecture preached lately in Southwark By several Ministers of the Gospel in or near London Mediocria or the most natural and plain understanding according to the Scripture of the great Doctrines of Election Redemption Justification the Covenants the Law and Gospel and of Perfection Large Octavo Captives bound in Chains made free by Christ their Surety or the Misery of graceless Sinners and their Recovery by Christ their Saviour By Tho. Doolittel The Faithfulness of God considered and cleared in the great Events of his Word or a second Part of the fulfilling of Scripture By the same Author Speculum Sherlockianum or a Looking Glass in which the Admirers of Mr. Sherlock may behold the Man as to his Accuracy Judgment Orthodoxy The Childs Delight together with an English Grammar The true way of reading and spelling English Both by Tho. Lye Small Octavo A Religious Family or a Treatise in which is 1. The Beauty and Excellency of a pious and well-ordered Family described 2. The single Mans Family-Book faithfully prescribed By Phil. Lamb. Index Biblicus Multijugus or a Table to the Holy Scripture wherein each of its Books Chapters and divers Matters are distinguished and epitomized The almost-Christian Discovered or the False-Professor tried and cast By Matth. Mead. The Godly Mans Ark or the City of Refuge in the Day of his Distress with Mrs. Moores Evidences for Heaven By Edm. Calamy The true Bounds of Christian-Freedom By S. Bolton The sinfulness of Sin and the Fulness of Christ By Will. Bridge A Discourse against Transubstantiation or an Answer to the ordinary Question whether a Man may be saved in the Roman Catholick Religion By I. C. D. D.
Hall away Our reverend Pastor to a bed of Clay Tell me blest Saint in sooth how couldst So great a Master in Divinity Could not at least our sighs our pray'rs thou die Prevail that thou might'st live old Nestors and tears Injurious Fate because thou couldst not get years The Pearl Would'st therefore spoil the Cabinet What wilt thou put no diff'rence 'twixt faces Not spare th' Saints for their transcendent graces Sure thou art neither blear'd nor brib'd nor blind Thou tak'st the best and leav'st the worst behind T' should seem from Death ther 's no prescription then The Preacher dies as well as other men Had I but tears to spare that are not spent Upon my sins I would give Sorrow vent I 'd drench the earth wherein his body lies And fill the air with Lamentable cries I 'd wet his Coffin and would wash his Tomb Till I another Niobe become But stay my Muse what means this Lamentation Sure his was not a Death but a translation H'walk'd with God and he hath took him hence Not to his loss but to his recompence And yet he lives methinks I see him still In 's doing good eschewing what is ill ' Specially in th' works he hath left behind The pious product of 's Prophetick mind London look to 't he foretold thy burning Thy Plague and poverty for not returning If Gods House be not built within th' Nation Yours and ours will be desolation Seeing those City-Comets that God sent As in fiery Chariot t' Heaven he went Were 't not Ambition I could wish that he Had lay'd the lap of 's Mantle on me Richard Moore An Epitaph upon Mr. Thomas Hall WIthin the period of Davids Span Behold the Sepulture of this Grave man Who whiles he liv'd fear'd not th' face of any Good counsel living dying gave t' many And though he chastly led a single life Held his School's Children and his Church his Wife To which he did impart most liberally His Books in 's life unto her Library The residue almost of what he had He gave the poor to make their faces glade Th' heaven born Jewel's gone the Grave contains Within her womb only those few remains Which though entombed now abide they may Unto the last resurrection day The Soul will then again resume this dust To the habitation of the Just R. M. Vpon the Death of that dear Servant of Jesus Christ Mr. Thomas Hall THou need'st no Trophees to adorn thy Herse Thy virtues serve t' imbalm thy Name in Verse And this I 'll say since death hath stopt thy breath Thy life was Priest-like Prince-like was thy Death In Truths defence thou wast a brazen wall ' Gainst execrable heresies a Mawl Witness thy Guards which still unrouted stand ' Gainst Tom Collier and that sooty band What Guard the Font the Schools and Pulpit too Which of your Mothers Sons have done like you But yet thy Comments writ on sacred story Most justly may deserve the greater Glory On th' Prophets those thy Lucubrations And those on Paul Doctor of th' Nations Live and thy other works of Charity Now thou art dead with God follow thee Those thou hast begot cry out my Father Which by Sage advice to God did'st gather Some of all sorts of these it doth them ease To trail a tear at thy sad Obsequies With blubred cheeks and countenance wan They sit and sing this Epicedium Let sad April cease her wonted showers And mornful May forbear t'yield its flowers Since this fair Flower 's cropt and with dry eye So many do slight this sad Destiny Richard Moore Vpon the much-lamented Death of Mr. John Ley who was Chair-man of the Assembly of Divines and late Rector of Solyhull His Character THe grace of God which in thy name did shine Was a Divine Spark like generous Wine Which was infus'd in thee without asswage Into thy heart and parts even in old age Which shews to all impartial Judges how That thou hast kept the good wine until now How many Learned within the Nation Like Conduits run wine at th' Coronation Whose parts soon flag grow flat and faint and wast Whil'st thine like wine on th' LEE when old do last Like Mâ—ason an old Disciple's rather Like Moses was this Reverend Father For in old age he had a Sp'rit like him His strength did not abate nor 's eyes wax dim His Pentateuch in th' tipes was partly seal'd Till by this Pen unvail'd the truth reveal'd The Christian Sabbath was by him maintain'd Against all sorts who would have it prophan'd A learned Schoolman much for moderation One able to give Laws for disputation He was skill'd in th' Tongues curious at his Pen A most just Censor both of Books Men He was a Load-stone in 's lovely Carri'ge An Adamant for unconquer'd courage He 'd speak the truth where ere he had bin And lov'd the person but reprov'd the sin More than most are from passion h' was free More mov'd to pity than most are was he He weekly made provision for th' Poor That constantly attended at his Door He 'd sympathize with such as were in bonds And had great skill in setting broken bones A rare Casuist and hath been sent for far Toth'sick to see what their distemperswere And how to heal them by his heav'nly Art H' hath powred balm to many a broken heart And that which crowns the rest is yet behind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 H' was high in parts and lowly in his mind Like God he had respect to men After the Good he saw in them This was the chief ingredient for which He prized any person poor or rich And such as these if they had need of them Should have his heart his horse his purse his pen. I wish no worse to 's Successor than he Just such another Rector there may be Richard Moore Vpon the much-lamented Death of Mr. Burdal Minister of the Gospel at Walshall in Stafford-shire WHat art thou dead too another Burgess a healing Barnabas and Bo'nerges Who could'st convert thy self to every form Of sp'rit and speech thy flock to reform When Rhet'rick and Metaphysicks would not do 't Thou sought'st by sound words to woo them to it Thy Speech was above Books or humane Art Thou melt'st the stone in many frozen heart More hard than that thou fear'dst would thee torment Till thy last sand was run and breath was spent These pains did not prevent thy powr'ful Preaching Or travel of thy mind in th' constant teaching And as thou trad'st with God in pray'rs and tears He gave thee a return above thy fears Thou dy'd'st in th' fiftieth year with little pain And an eternal Life in Heaven did'st gain Richard Moore Vpon the Death of that humble and holy Servant of Jesus Christ Mr. Henry Field born at Kings-norton bred up under Mr. Thomas Hall and sent to Pembroke-Colledg in Oxford and from thence removed to Christs-Colledg in Cambridg where he was Fellow and so preferred by the
to excel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 follow him as he follows Christ Now give me leave to acquaint thee good Reader with the occasion of this my undertaking I was desired by some Friends to write what I knew concerning the Life of Mr. Hall which I did with some unwillingness and happily no less waywardness and no wonder for besides my personal knowledg of him and what I gathered out of his own Works I could be informed little of him by his Friends except about the manner of his Death I could neither procure to see the several Occurrences of his Life written by his own hand nor a sight of the Sermon preached at his Funeral and hearing that his Life written by himself was lost and being lost that one so well deserving of the Church of God should not be more publickly spoken of I was perswaded to print these plain Sermons together with his Character Life and Death wherein happily I may expect to meet with some morose reception from the malevolent but it matters not contra sycophantarum morsus non est remedium As touching me it is a small matter for me to be judged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 1 Cor. 4.3 August cont Fass l. 22. c. 34. mans day Non curo illos Censores qui non intelligendo reprehendunt vel reprehendendo non intelligunt My Comfort is this That how mean soever the undertaking is yet the intenton of the Author is to bring honour to God and imitation to Men. Go and do like to him Ibeg of thee Courteous Reader to pardon my boldness in this my undertaking and where thou meetest with any Errata's correct them with thy Pen or cover them with a Mantle of love considering with thy self Humanum est errare errare possum haereticum nolo esse Mistakes may be occasioned by my distance from the Press or through the Printers being unacquainted with my hand Farewel Horace his Epistle Si quid novisti rectius istis Candidus imperti si non his utere me Thine in the dearest Lord. Richard Moore SERMON I. 2 COR. 4. 7. But we have this Treasure in Earthen Vessels THe great Apostle of the Gentiles begins the Chapter with v. 1. a Remonstrance of Gods meer Mercy in calling him to the Ministry in the faithful discharge of which though afflicted he will go forward without fear or fainting and in this Case he commends himself and his Colleagues to the Corinthians Conscience and hereby takes away all suspicion v. 2. of arrogancy in that they sought not their own Gain their own Glory but v. 5. 2 Cor. 1. 24. Christs not to rule over their Faith but to relieve their Joy And here he seems to wipe off an Aspersion of the false Teachers tending to the contempt of his Person and the discredit of his Preaching They seem charge him as if he had not light and 2 Cor. 10. 10. sight to fit and qualifie him for the dispensation of the Gospel To this St. Paul answers 1. By way of Assertion God hath v. 6. shined into our hearts and given us out of his rich Treasure Wisdom and Knowledg 2. By a Concession he yields that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he and others who were authorized by Christ to preach the Gospel and to represent his Person were Earthen Vessels In the words you have these Parts 1. A Precious Pearl dispensed viz. The Gospel 2. The Steward 's intrusted with it The Apostles and all Faithful Pastors We have it 3. The great Proprietor that communicates it God who causeth Light to shine out of Darkness 4. The Pots or Pipes wherein this Pearl is put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Earthen Vessels 5. The End intended in it that the Excellency of the Power may be of God and not of us Herein the Apostle alludes to earthly Calvin in loc Pearls which usually are not put into a costly Cabinet but into a vile Vessel so the Lord is pleased to make use of frail miserable men to be his Ministers to bring their brethren to Christ that his Power hereby may be the more apparent As the Text hath reference to the foregoing Verse it seems to be a Metaphor taken from Lanthorns and so the Apostles did not hide their Light that shined into them but let it out to enlighten others but according to the Original Word it may be rendred Vessels made of Oyster-Shells by an allusion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Precious Pearl that is found in Shell-fish Hence you may observe Doct. That the Gospel is a Pearl of Price a choice Treasure 2. Christ Embassadours are Earthen Vessels intrusted with this Treasure 3. The Gospel should not be in less esteem with you because it is dispensed from or in Earthen Vessels In the handling the first Point I shall shew what a Treasure is what kinds of Treasures there are What a Treasure the Gospel is the Reasons why it is so and the Causes why worldly men do not so account it 1. A Treasure is something of Price and of account laid up closely and charily for future use in Chests or Cabinets in peace from the pilfering of Thieves and in War from the plundering of Souldiers And it is either 1. An Earthly Treasure as Gold and Silver Pearls and precious Stones Jam. 5. 3. which worldly men heap up for the last day wherein they place their chief happiness yet which shall be as fewel to put on fire the Wrath of God against them These have their Names written Jer. 17.13 c. 41. 8. in the Earth and their Conversation only their Treasure is in the Field 2. A Heavenly Treasure viz. Christ the Graces of the Spirit and the Gospel which Believers hide and hoard up in their hearts and lay out as the Merchant Luk. 12.33 upon Exchange doth his Money that he may receive it with advantage in another Country so Christians that are trading in and travelling towards Phil. 1.27 c. 3.20 another Country are laying up and laying out for that where they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Burgess-ship they live by the Laws of that Country which is Psal 119. 11. Heavenly and hide them in their hearts Thy Word saith the Prophet have I hid in my heart This is the Treasure I am now to treat of More to be desired Psal 19.10 than gold yea than much fine gold More precious than jewels the price of it is Job 28.16 17 18. above rubies The Gospel is that Treasure hid in the Field which cannot be too far Mat. 13 44 fetcht or too dear bought 1. It is a precious Treasure to be preferred before thousands of gold and silver Psal 119. 72. it 's better than precious Stones Prov. 8.11 M. Bolton Job 28. 15 16. all the Pleasures nay all the Treasures in the world are not to be compared to it though the Mountains were Pearl and the whole Globe a shining
life and light and health and strength and time and talents before dim eyes and sailing hands and feeble feet and sainting hearts through the infirmities of old age come upon you You are called Labourers and must not loyter Souldiers and must fight sea-faring Men and must hoise up Sails whiles the wind sits Husbandmen and must plow up your fallow ground Stewards and must give an account You have your task set and have played the truants too long already and if you do not hasten you will hardly have done your work before the Lord comes Therefore while it is called to day barden not your hearts Be not like little children that consume their Candle in play and Psal 95.8 Heb. 3.8 sport and are forced to go to bed the dark 7. Now since both the Text and the Time leads me to it I cannot but take notice of two Occurences of Divine Providence that have hapned to the Inhabitants of this Parish and to my self as concerned herein this present Month of April 1. The first was the Lords gracious goodness and the Kings Royal Indulgence in restoring me to my Ministry at this place who wâ—â— before civilly dead and here I have continued a year compleat with the love good liking of my Heâ—â—ers not without the opposition and contradiction of some who are envious at my preaching and cast contumelies upon my person but none of Acts 20. 23 24. these things move me Homo sum nihil haec à me aliena puto Only the fruits of the affliction and the success of my service Oh that I could see more of this that I might not complain of running in vain nor you of dry brests or a miscarrying womb My preaching I well know hath been in much weakness and in fear and trembling 1 Cor. 2.3 For as that grave Father told Libanius the Rhetorician Non Oratorum filii sumus sed Piscatorum we are not the sons of Orators but of Fishermen It is a sufficient excuse to say what you have heard came to you through an Earthen Vessel and therefore pray unto God who made mans mouth the dumb to speak and the blind to see that he would cause this light to shine out of darkness into your hearts that so the excellency of the power may appear to be of God and not of Man 2. The second Occurrence this Month is likewise memorable for the Death of Reverend Mr. Hall some-time a Preacher in this Place but a faithful Pastor in the Parish where he served as he said a double Apprenticeship of whom though I have said something heretofore yet I can never say enough His Life was a Transcript of his Teaching and his Soul was stored with a Treasure of many Divine Graces and Gifts which he hid not in a Napkin or put under a Bushel but expended for the publick good Yet having this Treasure in an Earthen Vessel the Lamp of his Life went out by enlightening others yet without waste for the savour of this Ointment hath yielded a sweet perfume in the CHURCH of GOD. The End of the Second Sermon His CHARACTER HE was a man of middle Stature his Hair blackish which he wore very short scarce to cover his ears his Face pale and somewhat long his Spirit brisk and lively active and able to bear the brunt of business and was seldom or never known to be cast down with discouragements though often menaced and imprisoned by Souldiers and pestered with Sectaries of all sorts His Eyes were sparkling especially when he was intent upon the delivery of matters of worth and weight The cloaths he wore were rather coarse than costly his carriage and behaviour courteous â—nd attractive his temper and constiâ—ution inclined him to choler and he would break out sometimes into passion â—ut would soon recal himself and that â—or the future he might not sin in his â—nger he would resolve to be angry â—or nothing but Sin One thing hath been observed in him he would be over-credulous say some in receiving Reports upon trust without examining the Truth of what was told him especially when it came from such as he had a good opinion of for Godliness which I impute not so much to his weakness as to the sincerity and simple plainness of his own heart his own words being the issues of his upright heart he judged so of other men For his judgment however it was in the matters of the world yet doubtless it was deep in the search and discovery of the Mysteries of the Gospel and of Godliness which he got by frequent Communion with God and walking in his fear all the day long and the secret of the Lord is with such as Psal 25. 14 fear him He could see more in these sacred Riddles by Prayer than by his Learning and much labour in Reading For his Judgment about Discipline he was of the Presbyterian Perswasion and happily he was held too rigid by his Brethren that dissented from him in this and though more more mildness and moderation was desirable especially towards Dissenters who serve the same God and seek jointly to advance the Interest of Jesus Christ in the power and purity of his Ordinances yet doubtless what he did was out of a zeal for the Truth which he took this to be And to my knowledg he I can witness that he gave a Legacy at his death to one who was of a contrary judgment to him in Discipline and Church-Order had a Catholick Charity for all such in whose hearts he perceived the Seed of true Grace to be sown though they differed far from him in Judgment for his love to the Saints was not grounded upon an identity of Opinion but on a sweet suitableness and harmoniousness in Grace and whoever he found to have in him aliquid Christi was the Object of his Love and though he had a hatred towards the sins of all were they never so great in place yet not to their persons which he would pity and pray for and reprove And as he was jealous over this houshold of God with godly jealousie so Prov. 4.23 in particular over his own heart which he kept above all other keepings with much Christian caution well knowing that if the Spring were clear the streams would soon clear themselves and lest the flesh should wax wanton and kick he would keep it down by severe mortification and abstinence giving himself much to private prayer and fasting Indeed he was at all times temperate in the use of the Creature even at Feasts he would feed very sparingly upon a few Dishes and would commonly rise from the Table before others had half-dined But of all other things he was most spare of his time which he esteemed a choice Treasure and the loss of it irreparable and what shreds of it he could scrape together from a double publick imployment he had he spent in writing Books In composing of which he studied very hard
and confirmation in his Faith probably by Fire falling Judg. 6. 21. upon the Sacrifice but he had not so to Cains which was all the ground 1 King 18. 3. of the grudge he had against him This Faith of Abels is further illustrated 1. By the Evidence of it he obtained witness that he was righteous 2. By the recompence of it he was rewarded and regarded of God by his Faith the Lord took care of him avenged Calvin upon the Text. his Death reputed him among his Saints whose death is precious in his sight His Blood cried to God and Psal 72. 14 Gen. 4. 10. the ground that received it uttered a Voice and was clamorous against the Murderer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by it he being dead yet speaketh or rather as the Learned Criticks translate it is yet spoken of Nempe in Scriptura saith Beza Where-ever Abels Faith is spoken of whether in the Scripture or preached of and published to the world though since he were dead yet still there shall be a memorial of him as if he were yet alive as was said of that Woman in the Gospel by our Lord and Saviour Where-ever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world Mat. 26.13 there shall also this that this woman hath done be told for a memorial of her Doct. That the renowned fame of the Saints who lived by and died in the Faith shall be recorded as well as recompenced and rewarded after their death The righteous shall be had in everlasting Psal 112.6 remembrance their good name and renown shall not only be lasting when they shall be laid asleep in the dust but it shall be for an everlasting remembrance Wise Solomon makes out the proof of this by Contraries Contraria juxta se posita magis elucescunt The memory of the just is blessed and the Name of the wicked shall not Prov. 10.7 Abels Sacrifice shall have a savour of acceptance Maries Ointment shall smell sweet in the Nostrils of God and good Men and Demetrius shall have a John 3. good report of all and even of the Truth it self When Cains Murder Judas his monstrous Treason and Absoloms Rebellion shall be an everlasting abomination See for the further opening of the Point 1. What it is to live by the Faith of Jesus Christ 2. Who they are that do so 3. How a Believer is said to speak not only living but dead 4. Why a Saint is said so to do 1. The just man is said to live by his Faith Hab. 2. 4. Thus the holy Apostle Paul dead by the Law revived by the Gospel from the time of his Conversion to the time of his Dissolution whilst he abode in the body of Flesh he lived by the Faith of the Son of God and being dead yet Gal. 2. 2. speaketh in the lively Oracles of the Word of Life In allusion to this speech of the Apostle Behold saith Reverend Dr. Rivet upon his Death bed I am dead I am risen again I live no more in my self but I live in the life of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me 2. To live by Faith is to seed upon a Hab. 3. 17. Promise in the failure of outward provision and to draw out from thence supports and supplies to bear up the spirit Heb. 10. 38. 11. 38. of life in a Believer When there is no visible appearance in the Creature no blossom on the Fig-tree nor fruit in the Vine then Christ must be the Christians life breath and bread he will interest himself in a Promise of the Word as his present portion and provision Heb. 11.39 though he have not yet received the things promised in hand but only hath it in hope And were we to pass sentence who is a rich Man we would not so much look into his Purse to see how much Gold he hath but into his Chest to see what Deeds and Indentures what Bonds and Evidences he hath So if you would see whether you are Rich and Righteous towards God be sure search what Promises you have treasured up in your hearts For as he is a rich Man who is rich in Bonds so the Believer that can plead the Promise in prayer and put these Bonds in sute 3. As the true Believer lives to God so he hath laid up for him a goodly heritage and though for the present he be but as the Heir under age yet he is Psal 16.6 Gal. 4. 1. sealed with the holy Spirit of Promise which is the Earnest of the Inheritance Ephes 1. 14. until the Redemption of the purchased Possession Every Believer is an Heir of God and a joint-heir with Christ and Rom. 8. 17 hath an assurance of the heavenly Inheritance here 1. By Purchase 2. By Promise 3. And in the first-fruits of the Spirit which is a part of the whole as an Earnest is a part of payment for the Purchase 3. A Believer is said to speak not only living but dead 1. By his Blood 2. By his Example 3. By his Precept 1. By his Blood And in this sense the Blood of Christ is said to speak better things than the blood of Abel it Heb. 12. 24 speaks peace pardon remission and reconciliation with God but the Blood Gen. 4. 10. of Abel cries and calleth for punishment revenge and vengeance The glorified Saints cannot be said Rev. 6. 10. Rom. 12. 19. thus to speak properly they seek not revenge but leave it to God whose Prerogative it is it is meant only of the provocation of their suffering 2. Believers may be said to speak by thâ—ir Example for the worlds imitation and admonition not only living but 1 Cor. 10. 6 11. Jam. 5.10 dead So the Apostle Take my Brethren the Prophets for an ensample in suffering who have spoken to you in the Name of the Lord. The Prophets were now dead yet they had left such renowned Presidents and Examples of Patience behind them that they even speak yet to us by their heroick and impregnable Faith and Fortitude in bearing injuries and forbearing enemies in taking patiently the spoiling of their Goods knowing this that they had in Heaven a more induring substance 3. Believers may be said to speak not only living and dying but even when dead by the lively Precepts they left behind after they went off the stage of this world and were buried with their Fathers thus they are said to speak with us at this very day Faith hath this mighty force and efficacy in it that it works wonders Isa 26. 19. in Heaven and Earth and in the Grave by virtue of it many received Heb. 11. 35. their dead to life again as the Widow of Sarepta the Sbunamite and the Friends of Lazarus Faith hath a force to remove Mountains and true justifying Faith is not beneath Miracles Jesus Christ is the Prince and Principle of Life and his People are
the only Heirs together of the Grace of Life and all 1 Pet. 3. 7. such as believe in him though they were dead yet shall they live nay John 11. 25 26. they shall never die and if they shall never die they shall ever speak for Life is the Principle of Speech I shall not need to tell you how great things have been done this way by Art if we might believe what is said in History of Mnemons Statue recorded by Mnemonis Saxea Effigies vocalem sonum reddit Tacitus It is sufficient what we receive here from the Divine Oracles of the Word Abel here though dead so many hundred years ago yet his Faith makes him a speaking Doctor to the Church even to this day Learn by his Example how to make all your Persons Duties and Services acceptable to God even by mixing them with Faith in the Blood of Christ 1. Your Prayers will never prevail at the Throne of Grace if you do Mat. 21. 22. not ask in Faith 2. You cannot profit by the Word preached except you mix it with Heb. 4.2 Faith in your hearts 3. The Sacramen is received without 2 Cor. 13. 5. Faith are unfruitful Cyprian was used to call upon those that went to the Lords Table Non parare fauces sed fidem Not to sharpen their Teeth but to quicken their Faith Vse 1. It serves to shew forth the miserable state of all such who live after the flesh and not by the Faith of the Son of God such indeed are dead whilst they live and are detestable when dead they live undesired and die unlamented and as their sensual Gen. 16.4 lives did bespeak them bruitish so their death shall be abominable and their Psal 9. 6. memorial perish with them as that of the Beasts and as their life was not worth a prayer so their death shall not be worthy of a tear As was said of Jehoiakim None shall take up a lamentation for them saying Ah my Brother or ah Jer. 22. 18 19. my Sister ah Lord or ah his Glory but they shall be buried with the burial of an Ass and if there be any mention at all made of them it is in contempt and detestation Lo this is the man now the Monster to be pointed at once so Psal 52.4 mighty now so miserable that made not God his strength but trusted in the v. 7. abundance of his riches and strengthened himself in his wickedness Oh! that such would consider this who are sensual in their lives and who feast themselves without fear and make it their main care to cater for their carkasses or to lay up for themselves treasures upon the Earth and to build stately Tombs to be a memorial of them when they are dead Alas these Sepulchres will be opened and your rottenness will be discovered before God Angels and Men not so much by the shew of your Countenances as by the light of your Consciences the guilt of which you will be no more able to abide or avoid than Cain was the Cry of his brothers Gen. 4.10 14. blood 2. As you desire to leave a renowned Fame behind you in the places where you live and a sweet perfume to your Names when you die live much by Faith in this life The Lord reckoneth of our life by our belief and so much we are said to live to God as we believe in Christ and no more when we relie upon him in the use of lawful means or in the want of Creature-comforts Hab. 3.17 Oh! that the blind and bruitish world were convinced once of the truth of this who are apt to think that they live by their Lands and by their Labours in their lawful Callings and will trust God no further than they have his present pawn Oh! that the profane and unclean crew who live as they list after their own wills and ways and works in the lusts of the flesh and in the pleasures of sin would but be perswaded that they are dead even whiles they live as the prodigal and her that lived in pleasure Luke 15. 24. are said to be The debauched Adulterer and your swinish swiller are deceived by Satan to believe they have the finest life of it because they know no better Were you but once brought over to Jesus Christ by believing you would never desire to turn again to your former vomit Ah How could you be without these bitter sweets that have a sting in the tail of them You that live by your wits and make no conscience of cozening and deceit in your Calling in your buying and selling lending or borrowing alas if you were once acquainted what it is to live by Faith how contentedly would you acquiesce under Gods providential dispensations without murmuring or seeking after unlawful means A Believer will live upon God when he hath nothing else to subsist by and believe him upon his bare word of promise without sight of present provision If there be but a little Meal in the Barrel and a little Oyl in the Cruise when he hath only the gleaning of the Vintage here and there a Cluster upon the upeprmost boughs or branches nay when the Figtree blossometh not nor the Vine doth not yield her fruit and the labour of the Olive fail c. For this Abraham was honoured with God and Man he for this cause was called The Father of the Faithful The Gen. 23. Hittites counted him a Prince of God and Jacob likewise was one that had princely power with God and our Saviour Mat. 8. 10. not only admires and wonders at but even commends the Faith of the Centurion and that of the Woman oâ— Canaan Mat. 15. 28. Oh woman Great is thy Faith These and many more that 's mentioned in the Gospel and in particular in thiâ— Chapter whence I take my Text lesâ— a good report behind them in that they lived by Faith Faith is as a sweet savour that refresheth the Soul in which it is seated more than Musk or Civet do the senses amidst the stench of evil courses and companies It is as a sweet smell to such as live by it in the midst of walking dunghils it chears up the mind in the midst of discouragements and clears the Conscience and comforts it and makes men as merry as the Martyrs were under their Bonds it even fatteneth the bones Upon this account Demetrius had a good report of all men and of the Prov. 15. 30. 3 Joh. 12. Truth it self Fabrianus the Martyr said first bitter and then sweet first battel and then victory every drop of my blood shall preach Christ and set forth his praise I know saith Mr. Bilny by Sense and Philosophy That Fire is hot and burning is painful but by Faith that it shall only waste the stubble of my body and purge my Spirit of its corruption One seeing a weak woman go chearfully to prison said Oh you have never
tasted the bitterness of death No saith she nor never shall For Christ bath promised that they that keep his sayings shall never see death A Believer may feel the stroke but not the sting of death Ignatius going to suffer Martyrdom triumphed in this that his blood should be found among the mighty Worthies and that the Lord when he maketh inquisition for blood will recount from the blood of righteous Abel not only to the blood of Zacharias but also to the blood of mean Ignatius It was a sweet saying of holy Mr. Hall in time of his health That the sweet rescent of a well-spent life would be matter of singular comfort at a dying day He would have his Hearers learn to know and know to do do to die and die to live In his sickness he said I am now going where I shall have rest from Sin Satan and from all fear weariness watching and from all the evils and errours of a wicked world for I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at Job 19. 26. the last day upon the earth c. Oh let my life be nothing but prayer and praises since God had dealt bountifully with me and even whiles he was breathing out his last breath he spake thus All the joys of this life are nothing nothing to the joys that are in Jesus Christ Come Lord Jesus And though he be now dead yet he speaks to you not by his Words but by his Works by Precept and by President Oh labour to lead his life that you may die his death for if you tread in the footsteps of his Faith though death bring your body to Corruption yet shall it never bring your souls to Condemnation I am now closing up the second year of my Ministry among you And Lord what have I been doing here all this while that so few of this Congregation have been brought from death to life to embrace Christ by Faith and to lead a holy life and to live to him Shall I say with the Prophet I have spent my strength in vain and laboured for a thing of nought I hope better things of you and I am perswaded better of some of you and that I may the better prevail with you to live by Faith Remember who it is that speaketh to you viz. one that is esteemed as dead And will you not credit such a Witness It was the request of Dives to Abraham Luk. 16. 30 31. that dead Lazarus might be sent unto his five Brethren he thought that if one came to them from the dead they would believe and repent Such a sight or report indeed might work upon the fancy but it is the Gospel preached that must work upon the affections For my own part I do believe the Truth of the Gospel upon surer Grounds and upon better Authority than if I had received it from one raised from the dead For such a Testimony if it be only Humane can beget but a humane Faith and should it be more than this we might see cause to question whether it were Divine or Diabolical for even Satan can transform himself into an Angel of Light Therefore be building up your selves daily in your holy Faith by Arguments drawn from the Doctrine of your Salvation that more sure Word of Prophesie and so your Faith will stand not on the Wisdom of Men but on the Power of GOD. 1 Cor. 2. 5 The Life and Death of Mr. Thomas Hall who died April 13. Anno Dom. 1665. THomas Hall was born in St. Andrews in the City of Worcester about July 22. An. Dom. 1610. His Father was Mr. Richard Hall a Cloathier in that City of a competent Estate his Mother was Mrs. Elizabeth Bonner descended of an antient Family but that which truly ennobled her was with the Bereans she Acts 17. 11. diligently searched the Scriptures These two lived together many years God giving them a plentiful Progeny of Sons and Daughters three of which Sons were brought up Scholars and afterwards proved godly Preachers The Mother being to them as an Eunice to Timothy or Monica to Augustine 1 Tim. 2.5 a careful Instructer in their Youth and lived to reap the Fruit of her endeavours in her old age Magnum est Dei beneficium pios nancisci Parentes ac praesertim Matrem qua pene tota filiorum A lapide educatio dependet like another Bathsheba she did bathe them with her Tears and Instructions and with her Prov. 31. 2 warm and melting Supplications This Thomas was first set to the Grammar-School under Mr. Bright and thence sent to the University of Oxford and admitted into Bayliole Colledg whence through the neglect of his Tutor he removed to Pembroke and became Pupil to Dr. Lushington a good Scholar but whose Principles As Plato saith of him were so poysonous that he might have boasted with Protagoras that he had spent many years in corrupting of youth Having taken his Degrees he returned into the Country and for a while preached and taught a private School at the Chappels belonging to Kings-Norton But as yet he was a Foe and no Friend to Gods Truth and People whom he opposed under the notion oâ— Puritans But as it was with St. Augustine who before was vitious in manners and erronious in judgment going to hear the Eloquence of Ambrose was reduced from his Errours so it fared with him being about that time a diligent frequenter of the learned Lectures of sundry Orthodox Divines at Burmingham he had here a sure and safe foundation laid of the true Religion and from that time he favoured the sincere Milk of the Word of God and intirely loved those that were born and begotten unto God thereby Not long after he was called to supply the Cure at Kings-norton under his Brother Mr. John Hall who had it annexed to the Vicarage of Bromsgrove and a while after gave it franckly to him the Free-School was also added to it for his further encouragement for though it were a large Parish yet the great Tyths being impropriate he had but a small Sallary and could scarcely have subsisted had he not embraced a single life for this cause chiefly as he said Yet after God had set a seal to his Ministry this great people were much upon his heart who ever sought Work rather than Wages that he would never be perswaded to leave them though solicited with a promise of far greater preferment and was in the time of War often accused cursed threatned with death plundred many times and five times imprisoned at the least He was a very hard Student though of a cold rheumatick Constitution he would impallescere Chartis even hazard his life to get Learning and the choice Observations he met with in good Authors he inserted into his Common-place Book and by his great industry he acquired a good measure of knowledg in Arts and Sciences especially in Divinity of God and his Word and Works of
weak yet he was strong in the Lord and in the power of his might and did mightily admire the free Grace of God in Christ in separating him from his Mothers womb calling him by his grace and setting him apart for the work of the Ministry though unworthy of that high and holy Calling so many that walked worthy of their profession and received with the heart the form of Doctrine delivered to them And in his Sickness though sometimes he might be heard to groan yet never to grumble but would always justifie God and condemn himself and soon silence any mutinous and murmuring thoughts that might seem to arise in his heart upon their first sallying forth In the words of the Prophet Shall a man receive good from the hands of the Lord and not evil He counted his sickness and his sufferings light and momentany the glory to come weighty great and so joyous as too big to enter into the soul that the soul must enter into it often mentioning that passage of the Apostle For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh 2 Cor. 4. 17. unto us a far more exceeding weight of glory March 22. 1665 his dear sister Mrs. Eleanor Smith came to visit him and attended upon him to the very day of his death and wrote down in her Book the most remarkable passages that she heard from him Many of which you will have wound up in the ensuing Discourse He said he had done his work meaning that he had run the course of his Ministry and accomplished that last Work of his upon the seventy-first Psalm and now longed for his Dissolution Psal 71. and to rest with his dear Lord Jesus And though he rejoiced much that he had compleated his former Works yet this was the quintessence of all that he was going to receive his Reward and counted not his life dear unto him since he should shortly see the lovely face of his dear Saviour And as St. Augustine when he meditated of that passage of God to Moses Thou shalt not see my face and live Lord saith he then Tunc moriar ut te videam let me die that I may see thy face So this serious and sincere Servant of Jesus Christ having seen him by the eye of Faith was now ready to sing old Simeons Nunc Dimittis Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace Nothing troubled him so much as that he was going to a place where he was to have so great Wages for so little Work And he not only at the last as it was said to be the Speech of Bellarmine upon his Death-bed Tutissimam est iter ad Coelum per merita Christi but he wholly in his health and sickness relied on Christ for Justification Life and Salvation freely by Faith in his Blood Rom. 3.24 He told Mrs. Smith he much rejoiced at her kind coming to him especially at the hopes he had of her continuance with him to the last which might be a means to free him from all scandals that might be cast upon him by the Papists or Quakers who he knew would spare him no less at his Death than they had done in his life he thought they would not stick to say he died raging an Atheist or a Papist or cast the like Calumnies upon him as they did upon Luther or Calvin But said he being now in perfect memory I do declare I die a sincere Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ and do detest from the bottom of my heart all their erroneous Opinions and Practices He said he thought he had been under as much contest with Satan the World and the Flesh as ever any man for his time of which he had left a particular testimony to be printed with his other works This was I conceive his Life written by his own hand which I never had the happiness to see though I much sought after it for the compleating of this his Narrative He often did reflect upon the evil of the times the reigning sins whereby God was dishonoured viz. Profaneness Atheism Idolatry c. were very grievous to him and he took it as a choice Mercy that God would take him out of the world in such a time as this Lord said he what am I that thou shouldst think on me and give me rest in such an evil day He much desiâ—ed to wait upon the Lord without distraction and diffidence knowing that his time was the best but rather if it were the Lords will and pleasure he desired to be out of the body that mortality might be swallowed up of life he would say O Lord how long holy and just why drive the Chariot-wheels on so heavily I long Lord to come unto thee And as he was comfortable in his Sickness so he gave much sweet counsel and encouragement to Ministers and private Christians that came to visit him especially to such as he had begotten to God by his Ministry or had fitted for the service of God in his Church A reverend Doctor coming to see him and speaking comfortable words to him he told him he was going to his rest and hoped the Church of God would have rest and that God would raise up and refresh his faithful Servants in the Ministry and though there might be a sharp storm coming he conceived that it would be but short He advised his Visitants to stand fast in the Faith and not to shrink though a trying time should come he would have them to continue constant to their Christian calling and not to be carried away with the errour of the wicked to forsake their stedfastness but to grow in grace c. prepare for death and judgment A young Minister coming to see him he exhorted him to adorn his Ministry with a holy life which if he did not he might do more harm by his Example than by all the Sermons he should preach He called for the four Youths in the Family under his inspection and gave them wholsome instruction viz. to remember their Creatour in the days of their Eccl. 12.1 youth he warned them to keep Gods watch to abstain from youthful lusts to observe the Lords Day strictly and to be obedient to their Parents which if they did it would be well with them and they should be a blessing to Posterity and bid them remember these were the words of their dying Master and so he blessed them particularly in the Name of the Lord. Ordinarily such of his Parish that came to see him he would caution them not to procrastinate their repentance but to be serious in the matters of God and his Service to break off all delays and to embrace the tenders of grace the motions of the Holy Spirit and set upon the practice of good works and to do nothing that might interrupt the peace of a good conscience which would witness for them or against them testifying that what he had taught them was the Truth of Christ