Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
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A49543
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A sermon preach'd before the Honourable House of Commons on the anniversary fast for the martyrdom of King Charles I by E. Langford ...
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Langford, E. (Emanuel), b. 1657 or 8.
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1698
(1698)
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Wing L386; ESTC R7375
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16,818
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30
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the absolute Pattern of what he taught As His Doctrine was the most Sublime Instruction that was ever given to Mortal Men so it was most highly requisite that His own most Blessed Example should fully answer it in all Exactness and Perfection Mat. 3.15 or in His own words to John the Baptist It became Him above all to fullfill all Righteousness Joh. 3.46 And thus we find him appealing to His own Innocency Which of you convinces me of sin This alone one would think without his other mighty Deeds had been enough to assert the Truth of His Doctrine His whole Life and Death being as it were but one intire and uninterrupted Miracle This made Him in His Discourses appear as one having Authority and not as the Scribes Thus both the Old and New Testament represent Christ as sent to be a most singular Example to the World Hence Isaiah foretelling the Peaceable State of his Kingdom How the most Furious and Outragious Tempers should be quieted and composed by his gentle Precepts and mild Conversation thus expresses it by way of Parable The Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb c. 11.6 and the Leopard shall lie down with the Kid and the Lion with the Calf and a little Child shall lead them Men of all Humours and Conditions shall be reconciled to one another and their Captain or Leader shall be Himself as Harmless and Innocent as a sucking Child Again the same Prophet tells us c. 53.3 He was to be a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief He was to be oppressed and afflicted to be brought as in the words of my Text like a Lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb so was he not to open His Mouth He was not to cry nor life up his Voice in the street He was not to break the bruised Reed nor quench the smoking Flax That is c. â—3 2 3. not to discourage the broken and contrite heart nor neglect any one that had the least spark of goodness left in him And all this he perfectly made good from the very Manger to the Cross Nay He did not despise the Virgins Womb. How highly reasonable and weighty then must St. Pauls command be Let the same mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus He spake his mind Phil. 2.5 yes and exactly perform'd it too Tho He thought it no Robbery to be equal with God yet he made himself of no Reputation V. 6 7 8. He humbled himself and became obedient to Death even the shameful Death of the Cross What art thou then O sinful Worm that shall think thy self too great for any Condescension Hereunto says St. Peter are we called 1 Ep. 2.21 because Christ also suffered leaving us an Example that we also should follow his steps And to instance in no more let those words of our Blessed Saviour suffice If any one will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross daily Luc. 9.23 and follow me Do you think this daily Cross signifies only Persecution Affliction or Tribulation No it is as St. Hierome explains it Every Temptation likewise from the World the Devil or our own deceitful Heart Whatever is uneasy to a sanctify'd Mind and the taking it up is here declared to be our Mastering of it by self-denial after Christs own Blessed Example To some weak and willful sinners indeed such as are too much given up to their Lusts and Enslaved to their Passions this may seem a hard saying Custom I confess is another Nature and therefore must allow those words of the Prophet to be the very Truth its self Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his Spots Jer. 13.23 then may ye also learn to do good that are accustomed to do evil But this is spoken of Men perfectly Dead in Trespasses and Sins Men utterly given over to a Reprobate mind whose hearts are by continual practice so hardned As to Drink in Iniquity like water with all manner of greediness and delight For if there be any Serious Remorse of Conscience remaining at any time the Flax is still smoaking there is some little hopes of Life yet left A Sense of Sin and desire of Amendment are two previous Dispositions here always necessary to be supposed What then remains to do the Work but a constant and most earnest Endeavour with the Divine Assistance which our Merciful Father never witholds in such a Case We see in ordinary Cases of Human Life what mighty hard Tasks in a little time are overcome by only diligence and a serious application but here we have the vast advantage besides of Gods most Holy Spirit to direct guide strengthen and support us We know all Habits are acquired by often repeated Acts and by several Degrees and those that are bad as well as those that are good meet with an uneasiness and reluctancy at the beginning For I appeal to the Heart of any Man whether at the first breach of his Innocency at his first committing of any willful sin He has not had a Dispute with Himself before it was done and whether after his Heart did not smite him and make him unquiet tho afterwards perhaps by often falling into the same Vice by little and little his Conscience fell asleep and He then went on without any further Reflection at all On the other side whether in avoiding some occasion of sin or resisting some Temptation He has not met with the like Controversy and when he had overcome whether the Thoughts of his Escape have not fill'd his Heart with Joy and Gladness Now besides his sensual Appetite and Reason the outward and the Inward Man which wage this War there are with reverence be it spoken those Two Auxiliaries the Instigations of the Devil on the one side and the gracious Motions of the Holy Ghost on the other to carry it on And sure no Man will so far dishonour God as to say the Power of the Devil is in it self so great as that of His. If it seem so to any one it is because he makes it so by his own willful Apostacy For the Holy Spirit is always willing Behold says He I stand at the Door and Knock Rev. 3.20 if any Man hear i. e. obey my Voice and Open the Door I will come in to him and sup with him and he with me Who can doubt of Gods help being always ready or once question his Sincerity and Truth when he reads those most convincing words As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the Death of the Wicked Ezek. 23.11 but that he should turn from his way and live Turn ye turn ye from your Evil ways for why will you Die Surely we ought to think the bare Word of God might have been enough but for our Encouragement he hath bound it with an Oath and because He could swear by no Greater He Swore by his
the Dates of his with those of their Commissions and Declarations Nal. p. 14. But above all Dug 1â—â— when his Standard was set up at Nottingham he there offered a Treaty before one Stroke was struck but was Proudly and Scornfully rejected So fully was that saying of David verify'd in him I labour for Peace but whilst I speak to them thereof Ps 120.7 they make them ready for battle What a Divine mixture was there of Modesty and Humility with his profound Learning and Understanding Not the very Fathers of our Church could better have Defended it than He did against Dr. Baily and others of the Popish Party as also against Henderson Caryl and other sticklers for the Covenant Yet â—e all along laid by the Authority and Majesty of a King and contented himself only with the Ornaments of a quiet and meek Spirit Learn then of Him ye Scribes and Disputers of this World that Religious Controversies are not to be managed with Heats and Jerks of Wit but by solid Dint of Argument exprest with all Fairness Calmness and Christian Compassion When He was brought before his pretended Judges it is impossible for meer Man to comport Himself with more Majesty and Gravity with more Christian Wisdom and Magnanimity of Spirit or with a more steddy and even temper than he did For Sixty or Seventy Commoners to sit arraign try Judge and Condema their undoubted King rudely to check him all along and interrupt him again and again to over-rule as they call it or rather to over-power and suppress what they could not answer Not to suffer his Reasons to be heard and the like are such Transcendent Indignities as I profess my self utterly unacquainted with Language to express them by Yet thro this whole Scene of Scorn not one Ill Rash or Unbecoming Word fell from his Lips Wherefore let all furious Sons of Wrath blush and for ever after be asham'd to say or think that any vile Behaviour in Discourse can under the Light and Power of the Gospel be too injurious or too provoking for Flesh and Blood to bear Behold here an High-born and most Mighty Prince an Humble but most Illustrious Precedent of this Perfection to the contrary C. 3.2 For St. James allows me to style him so If any Man offend not in word the same is a perfect Man He could very well P. 113. as he said himself have held his Peace but silence at that time might perhaps with Vulgar and Inconsiderate Minds have seem'd to argue Guilt Yet it was to vindicate his People's Rights more than his own that made him offer at what he did Nay from the pious Concern for the Souls even of those over-forward and outragious Wretches there before Him He tho with much ado at last wedg'd in that Wife and Charitable Caution to them 〈…〉 A hasty Judgment is not so soon recall'd How incomparably did He bare the Insolencies and Affronts of the Barbarous Guards When they pufft their noysome Tobacco in his Face a thing most odious and offensive to him without any further Notice He only turn'd His Head away or gently fenced it off with his Hand nay one had the Incorrigible Impudence to spit in His Face 〈…〉 yet He past on without out one Word and meekly wipt it off with His Hankercheif They cry'd out Justice Justice which in the Jews Language of old was Crucifie Crucifie Out of the Abundance of Pity and Compassion of His Royal Heart for once he open'd his Mouth and said Poor Souls for a piece of Money they would do as much for their Commanders He heard the History of his Saviour's Bitter Passion the Morning before he left this Life read unto him by Bishop Juxton out of the 27th of St. Matthew's Gospel He thank'd the Bishop for his Choice thinking that he did by Design pitch upon that Portion of Scripture as being most suitable to his present Condition But when he understood it to be the ordinary Lesson appointed by the Calendar for that day he exceedingly rejoyced at the Blessed Conjuncture and magnify'd the Gracious Providence of God who had call'd him in that very Day to follow the Example of his Master there most happily set before Him by our Church 'T was this which as if it were a Message sent from him that encourag'd and strengthned him He with Chearfulness call'd upon his Attendants as he past thro the Park to make more haste saying He now went before them to strive for a Heavenly Crown with less Sollicitude P. 113. than he had ever encouraged his Soldiers to fight for an Earthly Diadem Hear Him next upon the Scaffold I have forgiven all the World even the chief Causers of my Death pray God forgive them But this said He is not all P. 114. my Charity must go yet further I wish they may repent They have committted a great Sin I pray God with St. Stephen that this be not laid to their Charge You see how heartily he could have used our Saviour's Words Father forgive them Happy had they been if he could have added they know not what the do Fâ—â— the Jews indeed Act 3.17 1 Tim. 1. as both St. Peter and St. Paul testifie were ignorant that they crucisied the Lord of Life but these knew too well whom they Destroy'd He out of his tender Bowels and Compassion for their Salvation had long before bid them be ware of so Horrid a Fact Remember said he I am your King your Lawful King Think upon it Think well upon it before you heap Sin upon Sin and bring down God's Judgments upon this Land But how then should I will not say the Scriptures have been fulfill'd but what God had design'd and they themselves tho Hypocritically had said that he should be made a Glorious King Being just now entring into the Rest of his Righteous Soul He had these most Excellent Reflexions on if I have a Good Cause and a Gracious God on my side I go now from a Corruptible to an Incorruptible Crown where no Disturbance can be P. 117. Where there was such a solid Rock of Faith such a firm Anchor of Hope as this Dug P. 373. there needed not those Cords and Staples of Iron which those poor Spirited Miscreants had prepared to tie him down to the Block For as He was the Meekest Prince upon Earth so like a most Heroick Champion of Jesus Christ with a Resolution unchangeable and a most Undaunted Courage He quietly yeilded his Sacred Head to the Fatal Stroke Thus he valiantly fought a good Fight like an absolute Conqueror over the whole World and all the Powers therein He finished this Course like a most Experienc'd Master of the Christian Race he kept the true English Apostolick Faith Firm and Spotless to his last Gasp and is now gone to receive the Crown of Righteousness prepar'd for him in Everlasting Rest And there I shall leave Him for it would be a