yea too many are apt to deceive themselves saying that they do believe and repent and obey too and that they do many things and that they are better then many other men are Thus the Pharises Luk. 18. He can say God I thank thee I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this Publicane And he did many good things too and yet he did but deceive himself In like manner Saul can meet Samuel with a great deal of confidence and say blessed be thou of the Lord I have performed the commandment of the Lord 2 Sam. 15.13 yea Samuel hath much a do to convince him He stands to it v. 20. Yea. saith he I have obeyed the voice of the Lord and have gone the way which the Lord sent me When as all the while he was in the very way of rebellion and stubbornesse ver 23. And are there not many who have far lesse to say for their works and yet can boast much more of their faith and though their words be never so evil and their communication never so corrupt and their actions never so vile yeâ— they can blesse themselves and thank God they have a very good heart and a strong faith and are as good christians and as sound believers as the best And what is this but as Mr. Shepard rightly calls it a bramble faith Sound believers p. 72. which indeed layes hold upon Christ but as the bramble doth upon our skin it only pricks and Scratcheth him causing nothing but reproach to his name and grief to his spirit Rom. 2.24 Phil. 3.18 19. And what will be the end of such deceit but as the Aposile saith destruction to them that trust to it Use 2 Lastly unto such as are true believers indeed this is a word of unspeakable and endlesse comfort Christ is the resurrection and the life to them All that ever he hath done or suffered hath been for them That he took on him the form of a servant and humbled himself to the death of the crosse was laid in the grave and for a time continued under the power of death That he rose again from the dead and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Majesty on high Whatever he was in his humiliaton whatever he hath been or is in his exaltation he hath been and he is wholy for believers For their sakes saith Jesus Christ I sanctify my self that they also might be sanctified through the truth Joh. 17.19 For their sakes I sanctify my self i.e. Offero me tibi in sanctam victimam Chrisost homil 81. Piscator in loc I offer my selfe an holy sacrifice And by once offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 For their sakes it is hat he ever liveth making intercession for them Heb. 7.25 So that whatsoever times or changes may come they are sure it shall go well with them Even when there shall be signes in the sun and in the moon and in the stars and upon the earth distresses of Nations with perplexity as the sea and the waves roaring Luk. 21.25 When the sun shall become as sackcloath of hair and the moon shall become as blood And the stars of heaven shall fall unto the earth even as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs when she is shaken with a mighty wind When the heavens shall passe away like a Scroule and the element shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works that are therein will be burnt up And every mountain and Island shall be moved out of their places And mens hearts shall fail them for fear And the Kings of the earth and he great men and the rich men and the chief captains and the mighty men and every bond man and every freeman shall â—ide themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains And shall say to the mountains and rocks fall on us and hide 〈◊〉 from the face of him that sitteth on the â—hrone and from the wrath of the lamb â—et saith Jesus Christ unto believers when â—e shall see the son of man coming in a â—loud with power and great glory Even â—hen these things begin to come to passe â—â—en look up and lift up your heads for your â—edemption draweth nigh Luk. 21.28 â—ehold the day cometh that shall burn as â—oven and all the proud yea and all that do wickedly shall be as stubble and the day that cometh shall burn them up saith the Lord of hosts that it shall leave them neither root nor branch But unto you that fear my name shall the son of righteousnesse arise with healing in his wings Mal. 4.1 2 This is the portion of believers and of them alone a stranger doth not intermeddle with their joy To them only is Jesus Christ the resurrection and the life and to them he is so be their condition what it will He that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live Which brings me to the third point of doctrine raised from the Amplification of Christs power from the extent of it He can and will raise them be their condition never so desperate Though he were dead yet shall he live Obser 3 The power of raising of believers unto life spirituall and eternall in all the degrees of it is so fully and absolutly in the hands of Christ that nothing can hinder him from raising of them when he will All power saith Jesus Christ is given unto me in heaven and in earth Matth. 28.18 That is An absolute and supreme authority over all things both in heaven and earth is committed to the hands of Jesus Christ as he is mediatour for the good of his Church And if all power in heaven and earth be in the hands of Christ then he may do what he will in heaven and earth nothing can let him 1 He can remove all hinderances If any thing could hinder Jesus Christ from raising of believers unto life erernall death and hell would do it but these cannot I have the Keyes of hell and of death saith Jesus Christ Rev. 1.18 By his having of the keyes understand the power and authority of his office he hath the chief authority and command over these And these are the greatest and most powerfull enemies of believers Death is the king of terrours And Hell is the second death even death Job 18.14 eternal the utmost issue and effect of sin which is the sting of death Moreover death and hell are comprehensive viles they contain under them al the miseries of this life and of that which is to come if at least it may be lawfull to call in life weakness and sickness in the body shame and reproach to the name losses in the estate crosses in relations grief and vexation in the mind and lastly the separation of the soul from the body and of both from God and to be given up to the worm that never dieth and to the fire that never
had to their brothers weaknesse and their own modesty Suitable whereunto is the message which they send wherein they prescribe nothing as to his comming or sending or doing but only commend-his case to Christ saying Lord behold he whom thou lovest is sick v. 3. and so leaving him to the freedom of his own will to do as seemed good unto him Which argues the sobriety ond meeknesse of their spirits that in a matter of the greatest weight even in a case of life and death they were so ready to submit unto his pleasure whereunto we have 2 The answer which Jesus Christ return'd by the messenger sent him wherein he aslures them of life and safety to the sick and of advantage to the glory of God and of Christ This sicknesse saith he is not unto death but for the glory of God that the son of God may be glorified thereby v. 4. And this we may be sure to gain by an hummble and submissive addresse to Christ in the sicknesse of the body though we may not be sure to be freed from death temporall yet we may be sure of comfort in the promise of being freed from death eternall However this ought to support the spirit of a Christian that Christ shall be magnified in his body whether it be by life or by death Phil. 1.20 3 The discourse which Iesus Christ had upon this occasion with his disciples wherein he signfieth to them his purposes to return into Judea to raize up Lazarus from death wherein he suffers not himself to be discouraged from his duty by the danger which they suggested might attend him in the doing of it with all giving them to understand that one special end which he proposed to himself in this undertakin was the strengthning of their faith v. 15. And not of theirs only but also the begetting increase and perfecting of faith in all the elect that remained yet to be called in And to that purpose this being one of the greatest and last miracles that ever he wrought while he was conversant in the world and also a most remarkable demonstration of his almighty power and Godhead He hath caused it the more particularly to be recorded by the Evangelist with all its circumstances As the place where it was don near Jerusalem they that doubted needed not to go far to inquire out the truth of it the time when it was near the Passeover when the Jewes in great multituds from all parts resorted to Jerusalem The means whereby he effected it were the same by which he still upholds the world even by the word of his power The witnesses in whose presence he did it they were many and those of all sorts men and women friends and foes some that believed and some that were hardned who went their wayes and accused him to the Phaisees ver 46. All which circumstances are so exactly recorded to the end that they which were present might the better remember it and that they which were absent might the easier believe it Ut inde rem pene natura sua incredibilem diligenti circumstantiarum descriptione credibilem redderet To the end that a mater which in its own nature was in a manner incredible by an exact description of all its circumstances might be rendred apt to be believed 4 We have also here at large set down that consolatory discourse which Jesus Christ held with Martha upon the occsiaon of the death of her brother Wherein we may observe the course which Christ takes and the subject which he makes choise of to comfort and restore her grieved and afflicted spirit And that is the doctrine of the resurrection and of life eternall wherein he especially laboureth to regulate and confirme her faith As to the main that there should be a resurrection she no way doubted but concerning the power of Christ and his interest in that work she did much need to be farther instructed In the 21. v. She seemes too much to confine the power of Christ to his corporall presence Lord saith she if thou hadst been here my brother had not died As if according to his Deity he were not every where present or as if the distance of place could hinder his power from working of miracles In the 22. v. she seemes to ascribe all the power that Christ had to do any thing for her unto the prevailency of his prayers to God Implying that she did not believe that he was able to do it of himself when she saith but I know that even now whatsoever thou wilt aske of God God will give it thee And whereas v. 23. Christ had promised that her brother should rise again v. the 24. She captiously diverts it or turns it off applying it to his rising again in the resurrection of the last day As if Christ could not make good his word till then or as if the consolation which she might receive from the doctrin of the last resurrection were but of light concernment This weaknesse or wavering of her faith Christ corrects in the words of my text where he informs her that he is not only the ministeriall or instrumentall cause as she seemed to suppose but the very author and principall effioient cause of the resurrection and the life I am the resuerection and the life c. Which words I shall consider 1 Absolutly as they are in themselves 2 Relatively with respect to the context 1 As they are considered absolutly they contain two distinct affirmative propositions In the first of which we have anassertion of the power and interest which Jesus Christ hath in the resurrection and the life Jesus said unto her I am the resurection and the life In the second we have the specification of the proper and adaequate subject or materiall cause of the resurrection and the life and that is the believer He that believeth in me shall live Whereunto he also adds an amplification of his power from the extent of it and that both in respect of the quantity of the Subject it reacheth to every one that believeth be they never so many He that believeth it is indefinitly expressed in this verse but yet explained in the next verse to be understood as universall where he saith whosoever believeth in me And also in respect of the quality of the subject whatsoever his condition may be be it never so desperate Though he were dead yet shall he live 2 As they are considered relatively 1 They are inferred by way of argument for the correcting and curing of Martha's ignorance unbelief and Errour 2 For the moderating and quieting of her passions now apt to be distempered by immoderate grief 3 For the regulating and improving of the present dispensation of providence in the death of her brother and of her mourning upon that occasion Before I come to the observations I shall endeavour to unfold the terms And 1 in order to the opening of the first propositon I shall shew what we are to understand
righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption his meaning is that Jesus Christ is he that doth make us wise and righteous and holy c. So here when Christ saith I am the resurrection it is as if he had said I am he that doth raise the dead Martha had said concerning her brother I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day And Christ replyeth in effect Thou mayest as well believe that he may be raised now Per quem tunc resurget po test modo quia ego sum resurrectio August since he is present by whom he shall be raised then for saith he I am the resurrection and I can as easily do it now as then I am the resurrection and the life first the resurrection and then the life quia prior est restitutio a morte in vitam quam vitae status Calvin the restoring from death to life is before the state of life The resurrection from the death of sin must go before the life of grace and the resurrection both from death temporall and death spirituall must go before a full enjoyment of the life of glory This may suffice for the opening of the terms of the first proposition I come now unto the Second He that believeth in me shall live In which proposition we have the proper subject of the resurrection and the life He that believeth the act that qualifieth and diposeth that subject and that is faith The object that gives life and virtue to that act and that is Christ he that believeth in me And lastly the grace that is promised to reward and crown it and that is life He that believeth in me shall live The subject of the resurrection in generall is that which is fallen as hath been said The subject of the resurrection at the day of judgement are the dead bodies universally both of good and bad The subject of the resurrection and the life or from the death of sin to life spirituall and eternall are all and only the elect which the father hath given unto Christ for all they and only they do come unto him by faith Joh. 6.35 37 39 40 44 47 53 54. All and only they do performe that act whereby they become fitly qualified and disposed to partake of such a grace And that not only in generall way as they are a body but every one for himself every one that is thus to be raised by Christ is to believe for himself The just shall live by faith Therefore he saith He that believeth in me And yet he spakes indefinitly so that it is all one as if he had said every one that believeth in me as Joh. 6.40 or whosoever believeth in me as in the next verse after the text Which notes also the object of faith Jesus Christ And to receive and rest upon him as the Christ the son of God as the only author of life and Salvation is to belive in him as appears by Martha in her answer v. 27. which is also the same with Peters Mat. 16.16 And He that beliveth in Christ is every one that by a true faith doth lay hold and rest upon Christ for life and salvation And he that thus believeth in him shall live that is shall live spiritually and eternally He shall forthwith receive that life which shall never have an end He shall never die that is spiritually and eternally This also may serve for the unfolding of the terms of the second proposition I come in the third place to the amplification of the power of Christ in these words Though he were dead yet shall he live Wherein he sets forth the exceeding greatnesse of his power in regard of the extent of it and that 1 In respect of the quantity or number of those that are to be raised up be their multitude never so great howsoever dispersed of whatsoever nation kinred or tribe whether Jews or Gentiles Barbarians Scythians bond or free 2 In respect of their quality be their condition never so desperate yet he that believeth whosoever believeth every one that believeth Though he were dead yet shall he live That is say some Though he were dead in the body Piscat in loc yet shall he live again the body unto life eternall Menoch in loc as he that believeth not shall rise again but unto death eternall Or though he were dead Cartw. Metaph. in loc yet seing I am the resurrection and the life if it be for the glory of God I can and will as often as I please restore him unto life again nether need I stay for the last day There are others that understand it especially of the spiritual death of the soul Calvin Maldonat or of the souls being dead in sin and by the power of Christ to be quickned to a new and spirituall life yet not without respect to the body which though dead naturally yet by his power should be raised up again But which way soever of these two the words are to be understood there may arise a doubt 1 If Christ speakes of the death of the body how doth he require faith of the dead can the dead believe The dead praise not the Lord neither any that go down into silence Psal 115.17 And as they can not praise him so neither can they believe in him In death there is no remembrance of him Psal 6.5 They that goe downe into the pit cannot hope for thy truth Isaiah 38.18 2 If he speake of the spiritual death of the soul by sin and of the raising up of such to the life of grace what is this to the businesse in hand The question is of restoring life to Lazarus his dead body and he speaks of giving life to the soul that is dead in sin For answer unto these there is no doubt but that Christ's answer to Martha is both proper and pertinent though every one may not so readily apprehend it But to the doubts themselves To the first we may say that he doth not require faith of the dead sensu composito that is that those that are dead in body should believe but of the living as if he should have said He that while he liveth doth believe in me though he were even now dead yet shall he be raised up again and live in the body and that eternally and thus he seemes to explain himself in the very next words where he saith whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die Again when he saith though he were dead yet shall he live it is to note either his omnipotency in that he can and will give life unto him and cause even the dead to live Or that although he be dead in respect of us yet he is still alive in respect of Christ in whom all believers live and shall never die And thus he is to be understood when he saith of Lazarus his sicknesse that was not unto death v. 4. and
goeth out Now thy dominion over these is in the hands of Jesus Christ he hath them all in his power and at his dispose He hath vanquished all these enemies and triumphed over them And by death destroyed him that had the power of death that is the devil And delivered them who through fear of death were all their life time subject unto bondage Heb. 2.14 15. He hath led captivity captive And he must raign till he hath put all his enemies under his feet 1 Cor. 15.25 He shall have a full and absolute conquest over them They shall be so thoroughly subdued that they shall never rise again 2 As he can remove all hinderances and oppositions that nothing may resist him So he can command all helps furtherance what ever may be requisite He can command the sea to give up the dead that are in it and death and hell to deliver up the dead that are in them Rev. 20.13 even with more ease and better successe then a conquerour can command his captives that are at his mercy He can give power to all meanes that they shall be effectuall if he speake but the word it shall be done By the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the hosts of them by the breath of his mouth and all power both in heaven and earth is in his hands as was shewed even now And if this be so that the power of raising of believers from death to life spirituall and eternall be so fully and absolutly in the hands of Jesus Christ then how much doth this commend and magnify the priviledge and happinesse of believers He that is their Lord and Master their brother and friend head and husband who is so inseparably and unchangably theirs and hath loved them better then his own life hath all things in his own power life and death both temporal and eternall are in his hands and he can dispose of them at his pleasure so that they may boast and glory in this saying with the Psalmist He that is our God is the God of salvation Ps 68.20 And I may say unto every believer as the women said unto Neomy Blessed be the Lord which hath not left thee this day whithout a kinsman who shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life and a nourisher of thine old age for thy daughter in law which loveth thee which is better to thee then seven sonnes hath born him And blessed be God for Jesus Christ whom he hath given unto thee and who hath loved thee better then his own life behold even he it is that hath the power in his own hands to be the restorer of thy life yea the raiser of thee up unto eternal life And it is better that it is in the hands of Christ then in the hands of any friend in the world were there but such a power put into the hands of a father or brother or kinsman or friend we should be apt to rejoyce in it and to esteem it a great priviledge and yet it is possible they might faile us But it is impossible that Christ should faile Yea it is better then if it were in our own hands for had we such a priviledge and were but left to the liberty of our wills as Adam was we should be as apt to commit a forfeiture as he was And therefore that the foundetion of God might stand sure and that the Lord might know who are â—is He hath reserved it in a surer hand God hath raised up the Lord and will also raise up us by his own power 1 Cor. 6.14 and 2 Cor. 4.14 But here it may be Questioned that if there be such a full and absolute power in the hands of Christ of raising up believers when he please and that to life spiritual and eternal in respect of all the degrees of it even a full power of raising them up from the death of sin to the life of grace and of recovering them after all their relapses the raising them up to higher degrees and at last to raise them from death naturall to life eternall and from the grave to glory Quest 1 1 Why should Jesus Christ suffer so many of those whom the farther hath given him to lye so long dead in their sins before he raise them up to live the life of grace Quest 2 2 Why should it be so long ere he raise them up to perfection in grace Quest 3 3 Why should he suffer the bodies of believers which are holy the temples of the holy ghost and members of his own body to lie so long in their graves to corrupt and putrify and that there should be no difference between the condition of the believer and unbeliever neither that their dust shall be capable of being distinguished the one from the others For answer unto these though there were no other reason to be given but this in generall that it is the will and good pleasure of God to have it so yet that were sufficient to set bounds to our curiosity in inquiring after the reasons of his dispensations But yet it may be farther said though all that I shall adde will be in order to the better understanding of that Ans 1 To the first That Jesus Christ doth suffer many of those whom the father hath given him to lie long dead in their sins before he raiseth them up unto the life of grace I answer first Negatively 1 He doth not do so by all some are sanctified and raised up in the very womb 〈◊〉 1.15 Jer. 1.5 and from the womb Some in their youth and some not untill they are ready to drop into the grave 2 That he raiseth up some sooner or more early then others doth not proceed from any worthiness that is in one more then another either in respect of birth that one is born of better and more gracious parents then another or that one hath had better education then the other or that the one hath better natural or acquired parts or hath had better means or opportunities or naturally had better inclinations to be wrought upon Manasseh the son of good Hezekiah who in all likelihood as he had the priviledge to be born of a very Sincere and gracious father who doubtlesse was not wanting in the duty of a father either in precepts example or prayers besides other good meanes were not wanting neither for any thing that appears did he want parts to apprehend and approve them And yet we see it was long ere he was raised up Josiah the son of wicked Amon in a worse time and under lesse means and yet he is raised up betimes 2 Chron. 34.3 3 I answer affirmatively It is 1 To manifest the liberty and power of his own will in the dispensation of his grace It is in his power to do with his own as he please Neither have they that were called in at the first hour reason to boast of themselves or to envy at
others that come in after them that they are made equal unto them Nor they that are raised up as it were in the last hour cause to murmur that they had not a more early call Mat. 20.15 Is it not lawfull saith he for me to do what I will with mine own 2 To magnify the exceeding riches of his goodness in his for bearance long-suffering untill the sinner hath filled up the measure of his iniquity and is become in a manner ripe for judgment and when in mans apprehension nothing was to be lookt for but that the reward of his hands should be given him As who would ever have thought having seen Manasseh acting over all those horâ—id abominations 1 King 21 Idolatries witchcrafts murthers with all their severall aggravations even to an obstinate resisting 2 Cron. 33 10 and rejecting the means which were vouchsafed him for his reformation that yet the Lord should retain any thoughts of mercy and grace towards such an Apostate And that even then he should cause a spirit of light and life to enter into him and to raise him up by a sound and thorough repentance and to cause him to live the life of grace This must needs be to the praise of the glory of his grace and to provoke men Gal. 1.24 to glorify God in them and to cry out O the depth of the riches not only of the wisdom and knowledg of God as the Apostle in another case but also of the bounty and love of God our Saviour Ro. 11.33 not unto the wise and prudent not unto the righteous or just which need no repentance Psa 68.18 Tit. 3.3 4 5 But to the rebellious also to the foolish and disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hatefull and hating one another Act. 9.1 Even while they are yet breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the Saints Surely may they say it is not by works of righteousnesse which we have done but according to his mercy that he saveth us Quest 2 To the second question why it is so long ere he raise up believers to perfection in grace seeing it is in his power to give them perfection as soon as a being 1 It may be answerd that it is not through any defect on Christs part but through the incapacity of the subject Christ by one offering hath perfected forever them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 that is he hath done all that was required on his part for the perfecting of them by the merit and efficacy of his death he hath purchased for them and bestowed upon them reconciliation with God remission of sins the purification of their consciences and eternall redemption But such is the incapacity of the subject that is of believers in respect of that masse of corruption that is allwayes resisting of the workings of Christ by the spirit that it will not suddenly be subdued There are many graces to be exercised and improved which cannot be perfected on a sudden knowledge and faith and Love and hope and patience must have time to grow in The spirituall man as well as the naturall hath different estates to be passed thorough an estate of infancy and childhood before a full stature A child though of never so able and learned a teacher cannot presently be made a perfect Schollar it is a work of time The master may have much to communicate but he must be content to waite the time till the Scholar be able to receive it I have many things to say unto you saith Jesus Christ to his disciples but ye cannot bear them now Joh. 16.12 I could not speake unto you brethren as unto spiritual but as unto carnall 1 Cor. 3.1 2 Hebr. 5.11 12 13 14. even unto babes in Christ I have fed you with milk and not with meat for hitherto ye were not able to bear it neither yet now are ye able 2 The ordinary way of Christs working is in the use of meanes Now the meanes by which he raiseth up the elect from the death of sin to the life of grace are his ordinances which he hath also appointed Rom. 10 14.1 Cor. 1.21 1 Pet. 2.3 2.2 Ephes 4.11 12 13 Col. 1.28 for their building up unto perfection which they in time attaine unto by the effectuall working of his spirit Whereas should they be as soon perfected as they are regenerated many prophesies promises and institutions of Christ in his word would remain unaccomplished and uselesse 3 Jesus Christ doth take the more time 2 Tim. 3.16 17. for the raising up of believers unto perfection That he may have the better oportunities for the glorifying of â—he wisdome and power of the truth â—nd faithfullnesse and of the patience â—nd goodnesse of God The Lord could as soon have given â—nto the children of Israel the possession of the land of Cannan as the promise of it Act. 13.18 but chose rather to delay them for a long time in Egypt And to suffer their manners forty years in the wildernesse that he might get him honour by the destruction of his enemies and preservation of his people In like manner though he could as suddenly perfect as regenerate believers yet he takes more time that he may the more advance his own name in the manifestation of his speciall providence over them and in the better preparing them for glory Quest 3 To the third question it may be an 〈…〉 1 That the Lord pleased to 〈◊〉 the members of his mystical body to he so long in their graves even untill the number of their brethren be fullfilled that the members may be perfected together Such is the answer which is given by the Lord himself to them that were slayn for the word of God and for the testimony which they held when they cryed with a loud voice saying How long Lord holy and true doest thou not judge and avenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth And it was said unto them that they should rest for a little season untill their fellow-servants also and their brethren that should be killed as they were should be fullfilled Rev. 6.9 10 11. 2 They are suffered to rot and putrifie and to be turned into dust and to be mingled without distinction That the power of God may be the more manifested in their resurrection and because the time of setting a difference between the righteous and the wicked is not till then vid. Petr. Martyr iâ—â— 2 Reg. c. 4. f. 280. B. I have done with the observations arising from the text absolutely considered I come now unto those which have been raised from it as considered with relation to the context The first whereof being the fourth in order is taken from the words as they containe a doctrine delivered and asserted by Jesus Christ for the correcting and curing of Marthas ignorance and errour concerning his almighty power and Godhead Whence we have observed that
merentes mortui fuerant duty of nature and humanity They will at least bear with us if according as we are †Dr. Feat Cav myst p. 831. taught we take it to be as much if not more a duty of Christian charity to keep alive our friends good name as to bury his dead body And indeed it is of a far more lasting obligation This is but once to be performed but that is ever to be maintained This is the duty but of a day but that of our whole life A good name is that which all good men do much set by as that which is as necessary for themselves in respect of others as a good conscience is for themselves It is better than precious ointment saith the wise man Oyntment be it never so precious doth but affect the outward sense but a good name affects the hearts of those to whom it comes The savour of a precious oyntment may fill the house but a good name fills the Countrey Joh. 12.3 Mar. 6.14 That continues but for a little space but for a moment but this for ages for generations it out-lives the Owner is too strong for death and triumphs over the grave Precious oyntment may be common to all that are rich but a good name is peculiar only to such as are good Therefore it is also said That a good name is rather to be chosen then great riches Prov. 22.1 Honor hominis praecipuus thesautus est Baldus cas consc l. 4. c. 1. c 15 Pro. 15.30 It is of more value silver and gold cannot purchase it It doth more good to him that possesseth it it quiets and comforts the soul and maketh the bones fat It procures more and better friends every good man will be a friend to him that hath a good report It doth more good to others by provoking and incouraging them to the study and practice of goodness by which only a good name is to be acquired It is one of those special blessings which God hath promised to such as love and are beloved of him Gen 12.2 Pro. 10.7 To do well is our duty and to hear well a great part of our reward Heb. 11.39 And therefore by how much the more precious it is and by how much the more every man is concerned in it by so much the more carefull we should be to preserve our own Periculum famae aericulo vitae crudelis esse putatur qui famam suam negligit Bald. ibid. Exod. 21.24 Levit. 24.20 Deut. 19.21 and by so much the more tender of staining or blemishing that which is anothers And if the Lawes of God and of man be so severe against such as spoil their neighbour of any part of his estate or deprive him of any limb or member of his body There is little reason for such as do him a greater injury as in robbing him of his good name to expect an easier Judgment But as God will not suffer his servants to want such as shall bear witness to their graces and cause the savour of their good report to sprend abroad So Satan who is the envious one wants not his instruments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim 3 3 communicating with him both in nature and name are ready to follow them with a flood of calumnies and reproaches Quanto ille cui invidetur successu meliore profecerit tanto invidus in majus Prov. 27.4.4 incendium livoris ignibus mardescit Cyprian de zelo et livore And indeed envy is the ordinary lackey at the heels of vertue which ever increaseth with the merit of its object and wisheth and designeth the worst evil to the greatest good even to annihilate or to reduce it into nothing And hence as hatred is one of the worst of passions so envy is one of the worst and most dangerous effects of hatred Wrath us cruel and anger is outragious but who is able to stand before envy surely not our first parents in their innocency before the envy of the serpent nor Abel in his righteousness before the envy of Gain nor Joseph in his integerity Prov 14 30. Job 52 before the envie of his brethren nor Jesus Christ in his perfection before the envie of the Pharisees no northe envious man before himself Envy is the rottenesse of the bones And envy slayeth the silly one He is grieved at that good in another which never hurt him but from which he might receive much good and by which he might be made much better Yea he often repineth at that good in another which he loathes Acts 13 44 45 and hates to receive in himself And where envy is once conceived in the heart evill speakings will soon breake out in the tongue and secret whisperings into open backbitings Rom. 1 29 30 2 Cor. 12 20 1 Pet. 21 These are the ordinary attendants on envy And an evil report being usually at first but whispered in the eare Parva metu primo saith the poet is readily taken up Virgit by such as to whom it is as rare to speake good of others as to do good themselves And being once set on foot it makes a shift to spread though it be but reeling from Taverne to Taverne and from Alchouse to Alehouse the common shops where such wares are vented Bacchatur fama per urbem It is an elegant description of Fame which is given by the Poet. Monstrum horrendum ingens Aeveid l. 4 cui quot sunt corpore plumae Tot vigiles oculi subter Tot linguae totidem ora sonant tot subrigit aures A dreadfull monster saith he that hath as many eyes and eares and tongues as a bird hath feathers To note how quick she is in espying how curious in listning and how busy in divulging of evil He calls her indeed a Goddesse but with all gives her an attribute suitable to her deity Dea foeda The uncleane Goddesse that pollutes and desiles every thing she toucheth the tongues of such as report and the eares of such as hear and the hearts of such as give her the readiest entertainment and especially the names of such as she traduceth It being her designe to disguise the fairest and most unblemished names and so to expose them to publike censure under the deformed vizor of an evill report How much the name and repute of this worthy gentleman upon whose account this is tendered to thy view hath suffered in this way is more then enough known already and how unjustly may in part appear by that which followes in the close of this discourse what is there delivered is as hath been said much more then I use but yet far lesse then he deserved The truth is however in ordinary converse he was most affable yet in affaires of consequence he was sufficiently reserved It was his use when his occasions did require it to have recourse to such as by reason of their callings and employments were most
Obser 4 To be rightly informed in the doctrine of the power and interest which Jesus Christ hath in the resurrection and the life is an especiall meanes to cure the ignorance and to prevent the errours we are apt to be corrupted withall conceruing the power and Godhead of Christ That which hath been already spoken in the handling of the first observation I suppose may save me the labour and the time that otherwise might have been employed in inlarging upon this There you have heard that Jesus Christ is the author or efficient cause of the resurrection and the life And in the application we made use of it for the confirming of our faith in the Godhead of Christ I shall therefore adde no more for the proof or application of this point but only this That he which doth know and believe that Jesus Christ is the author and efficient cause of the resurrection and the life cannot doubt but that the fullness of the Godhead dwelleth in him bodily or substantially 2 From the words in relation to the context Whereas Jesus Christ for the moderating quieting and comforting of Martha's spirit now apt to exceed in mourning and grieving for the death of her brother doth especially make choise of and insist upon the doctrine of the resurrection and the life and the informing her in and affecting her with his absolute power in it and Soveraignty over it Obser 5 The observation is this Rightly to be informed in and to be affected with the doctrine of the resurrection and the life and of Christs power in it is of especiall use to comfort the sorrowfull and mourning friends of such as die in the faith I say to be informed to exclude ignorance and to be rightly informed to avoid errour I say first to be informed in it and then to be affected with it Because the information of the judgment must go before the motions of the will and that not only as a guide to conduct unto the right end but also as a counseller to advise unto the proper meanes and also as Gods minister in some sort to command that is not by any power or authority of its own but by manifesting what is the will of God whereunto our wills are to be subject and by proposing the promises and threats either to quicken the dullnesse or to check the unrulinesse of our affections And I say both to be rightly informed and affected because both are necessary To have the mind inlightned and the heart not affected is to have light without life and much affection without knowledge is but distempered passion Jam. 3.6 not unlike to hell fire which hath much heat but no light There is neither profit nor comfort in the want of either But to have the mind rightly informed in the truth of the docrine of the resurrection and the life and of Christs power and interest in it and to have the heart sincerely affected with it quiets the minde and revives the spirit And he that layeth his friend in the grave being perswaded of his interest in Christ will have his fears so tempered with hope and his grief with patience as it is with the husbandman Amos 9.13 in a time of peace when the plowman overtakes the reaper and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed Jam. 1.2 The believer is allwayes sowing and reaping together he reaps good out of evil and comforts from crosses and joy in temptations The life of a christian is much like unto that of those Troglodites in Ethiopia amongst whom it is said toto anno seritur ac metitur All the year they are sowing and reaping Scalig. Exercit 249. distinct 2. The use of this piont is to shew the vast difference that is between the sunerall mournings of Christians and heathens The heathens indeed made death a Goddesse because of her power beatting down all before her but yet they gave her no divine honours nor temple nor priest nor altar nor sacrifice nor festivall dayes because they looked upon her as one that did them all the mischief and from whom they hoped for no good And for a like reason they crowned Pluto by whom they signified death or the grave with the leaves of the Cypress tree The like is said of the Piâ—e tree which also for that cause is used by some for an emblem of death which as they say is a tree of that nature that being once cut down never buds nor grows again And therefore it is not to be marvelled at if they exceeded in sorrow for their dead Since it is manifest they were men without hope But for Christians it ought not to be so with them To such the Apostle speaks Brethren I would not have you to sorrow even as others which have no hope 1 Thes 4.13 Eph. 2.12 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him 1 Thes 4.13 14. They that die in the faith die in the Lord they sleep in Jesus Christ is still their head and they his members and if he be risen they must needs rise also As long as the head is above water the members cannot be drowned The heathen complaind that their dead were ingratefull Flebant Ver. Aeued l. 6. cineri ingrato suprema ferebant Though they cryed never so loud yet there was no reply though they performed never so many rites and services yet there was no return but for believers their faith speakes when they are dead Heb. 11.4 Their faith in God their covenant with God their prayers to him and all that ever they did or suffered for God are written in Gods book and are as so many speaking remembrancers before the Lord. Exod. 17.14 1 Sam. 15.2 Isa 37.35 Exod. 20.5 6. Deut. 9.27 Wicked mens evill works speak also but it is for vengeance upon their wicked off-spring the speaking of believers is for good to their posterity that walke in the same faith 2. Use This shewes what they are concerning whom their friends may thus comfort themselves in their death they are beliâ—â—â—rs and none but they None but such as believe in Jesus do sleep in Jesus and none but such as sleep in Jesus will God bring with him If ever we desire that our friends may have any thing to comfort themselves withall concerning us when we are dead we must be of the number of those that die in the faith otherwise we leave our friends comfortlesse and to mourn without hope But here it may be questioned 1 What is it to die in the faith 2 Who are they that as we may judge do die in the faith For answer 1 To die in the faith is to die in a constant dependance and reliance on the truth and faithfullnesse of God in the promises for remission of sins and life eternal in Christ in whom all the proses are yea and amen that is made and