Saints not to note an absolute perfection in them But first because they haue Christs holinesse imputed vnto them through faith For the holinesse of Christ that is to say that integritie and puritie which Christ had from the first moment of his conception and kept also in all his thoughts words and deeds yea euen in his desires and thorowout his whole life euen vnto his last end in the death of the crosse is part of that righteousnesse which is imputed vnto vs by which wee are iustified In this sense the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 2.30 But of him are yee in Christ Iesus who of God is made vnto vs wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption Secondly because they haue inherent holines wrought by the Spirit in all the powers of their soule and in euery part and member of their body For sanctification is entire and thorowout the whole man according to the Apostles prayer 1 Thess 5.23 And the verie God of peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole spirit and soule and body be preserued blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ There is no part nor power of body or soule but feeles the vertue of Gods Spirit purging away corruption and fastening impressions of holy qualities It may bee this power of Gods sanctifying Spirit appeares not alike euidently in euery part yet hath euery particle his seasoning with sanctitie Thirdly because in imitation of the holinesse of God according to his Commandement 1 Pet. 1.16 Bee yee holy for I am holy they labour to expresse holinesse both in their thoughts before God and in their words and deeds before God and men Because it is written Heb. 12.14 Follow peace with all men and holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord. Fourthly to distinguish them from all the world of the vngodly which bee termed in Scripture Gal. 1.4 This present euill world and be said all of them to lie in wickednesse in these words of S. Iohn Wee know that wee are of God 1 Iohn 5.19 and the whole world lieth in wickednesse Thus yee see who in the world be Saints and why they be so called being yet aliue vpon the earth Vse 1 The Vse This serues to condemne that ignorant sort that all this while in the cleare light of the Gospell To condemne their ignorance that thinke there be no Saints vpon earth haue not learned thus much that there be Saints vpon earth Nay as it seemes some lie so plunged in this gulfe of ignorance that not only they doe not know that there bee Saints vpon earth but that they dare breake out and say that they will neuer beleeue it I will neuer beleeue said one that any be Saints vpon earth Oh gracelesse speech I Oh damnable ignorance I wish all you that heare this be better instructed in this point But marke what I say I speake it to thee that art of the minde that there bee no Saints vpon earth Thou thine owne selfe art either a Saint or a Deuill And if thou be no Saint thou hast no faith in Christ For none that hath faith in Christ but he is a Saint Againe marke this if thou bee not a Saint vpon earth before thou doest die thou shalt neuer bee a Saint in heauen after thou art dead And therefore if thou wilt neuer beleeue that any bee Saints vpon earth I will neuer beleeue that euer thou shalt bee a Saint in heauen For death doth sanctifie none Neither will God make any one a Saint in the kingdome of heauen which was not before his death made a Saint vpon earth Consider of it and receiue instruction The death of his Saints THere bee two or three things more to bee noted in these words The death of his Saints whereof one ariseth as the former point from the very mentioning of the Saints death The best â—re subiect to death Heb 9.27 and 11.13 Zâ—â—â— â— 5 and that is this that Doct. 2 Doct. The best men are liable to bodily death The holiest Saints that liue in the world must make this account that they shall one day die The Apostle maketh no exception when hee saith to the Hebrewes It is appointed vnto men once to die And of certaine of the Saints he saith These all died in faith And Zechariah saith Your fathers where are they And the Prophets doe they live fâ—r euer Death is the way of all the earth as Ioshua and Dauid said when they were ready to die And behold this day I am going the way of all the earth n = a Iosh 23.14 And Dauid I goe the way of all the earth n = b 1 King 2.2 Adam n = c Gen. 5.5 Sheth n = d Gen. 5.8 Enosh n = e Gen. 5.11 Cainan n = f Gen. 5.14 Mahalaleel n = g Gen. 5.17 Iared n = h Gen. 5.20 Methushelah n = i Gen. 5.27 Lamech n = k Gen. 5.31 Noah n = l Gen. 9.29 though their liues were long for they liued all of them many hundreds of yeeres yet they are dead and gone Likewise Abraham n = m Gen. 25.8 and Sarah n = n Gen. 23.2 Isaac n = o Gen. 35.29 and Rebekah n = p Gen. 49.31 Iacob n = q Gen. 49.33 and Rachel n = r Gen. 35.19 Iob n = s Iob 42.17 Dauid n = t 1 King 2.10 Solomon n = u 1 King 11.43 Hezekiah n = * 2 King 20.21 Iosiah n = x 2 Chro. 35.24 Samuel n = y 1 Sam. 25.1 and the Prophets n = z Ioh. 8.53 are dead All these were Saints yet they haue tasted of deaths cup with many thousands more Question But why should the Saints die seeing Christ hath died for them Answer It is true that Christ hath died for them yet they must die Reason 1 First because there is no such end of Christs death The ends of Christs death as the freeing of the Saints from bodily death For these be the ends of Christs death First to proue the truth of his manhood Secondly that the faithfull Martyrs might haue true comfort against death and know assuredly that it is no small honour to them to suffer for Christs sake Thirdly to sanctifie our death and to take away the sting thereof that we should not doubt but with comfort commend and surrender vp our soules into the hands of God whensoeuer he doth call vs. Fourthly to ratifie the eternall Testament and Couenant of grace Heb. 9.15 16 17. Fifthly that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is Heb. 2.14 the Deuill Sixthly to deliuer vs from the feare of death Seuenthly that we also might die to sinne Heb. 2.15 and sinne might not reigne in vs. Eighthly Rom. 6.11 12. that wee should be Christs being married to him as a wife to a second
husband after the death of the first Rom. 7.2 3 4. Ninthly that they which liue should not henceforth liue to themselues but vnto him which died for them 1 Cor. 5.15 and rose againe Tenthly that we might know the loue of Christ vnto vs 1 Ioh. 3.16 and publish it vnto others Eleuenthly that whether we wake or sleepe we should liue together with him 1 Thess 5.10 Twelfthly that we should not doubt to lay downe our liues for his sake 1 Ioh. 3.16 and the brethren Thirteenthly that he might abolish sinne Fourteenthly that he might abolish death Rom. 6.10 the wages of sinne These bee the ends of the death of Christ 2 Tim. 1.10 but the discharging of the Saints from bodily death is none of them Obiection But if among the ends of Christs death this be reckoned for one that he might abolish death it seemeth then that the Saints should not die For what is it to abolish death if it be not quite to take it away that it should not bee at all How death is abolished Answ If ye vnderstand it of death eternall which is the second death it is quite taken away in respect of Gods elect according to that speech of our Sauiour Christ Iohn 11.26 Whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in mee shall neuer die The second death hath no power on the Saints As saith Saint Iohn Reu. 20.6 Blessed and holy is hee that hath part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power But if ye referre it to the first death to wit the death of the body the sting of it is taken away so that it is no more a curse for the sinnes which wee haue committed nay it is turned into a blessing and made a ioyfull passage and entrance into heauen But if yee apply it to the death of the soule which is another kinde or another branch of the first death that also is vanquished ouercome and we recouer out of it when we are spiritually quickned with the life of grace 1 Cor. 4.11 Ephes 4.18 called by S. Paul the life of Iesus the life of God and it is also called the life of the spirit And though this death hang about vs as long as we are in this tabernacle Rom. 8.23 Rom. 7.24 and make vs groane within our selues and crie out with the Apostle O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from the body of this death Yet it cannot hurt vs and it daily abateth as the life of grace increaseth And when our change is come we shall be fully and for euer discharged from it For death is vanquished but the time is not yet come that it must be vtterly destroyed For the Apostle hath taught vs that it is the last enemie that shall be destroyed 1 Cor. 15.26 The last enemie saith he that shall be destroied is death It is captiuated and brought vnder the power of Christ the Conquerour and comfort your selues euery kinde of death shall be fully destroyed and quite abolished in the due time Reason 2 Secondly the Saints must die the death of the body because it is an infirmity which we are forced to endure in this nature Now Christ hath not suffered to free vs from any infirmity to which our bodies are made subiect without sinne but to take away the venome of it and to sanctifie it vnto vs that that which at first came by meanes of sin and in it selfe is a curse for sin the wages thereof may be turned into a blessed meanes to further our happinesse And thus also we are weary and hunger and thirst and feele paines many and manifold although Christ also hath suffered all this for vs. Conceiue it then that in respect of the Saints death is abolished both the first and second of the soule and the body as it is the wages of sinne for what haue we to doe with the wages of the workes which we doe not attend but yet we must still suffer it as it is an infirmity to which our bodies are made subiect and we must passe thorow it as it is the way and gate into that glorious life in the kingdome of heauen Reason 3 Thirdly the Saints must die that the discerning of the elect from the reprobate may bee reserued vnto the last day the day of iudgement According to the words of the Prophet Malachi Mal. 3.18 Then shall yee returne and discerne betweene the righteous and the wicked betweene him that serueth God and him that serueth him not Now if onely the reprobates wicked men and hypocrites did die and the elect not die then might it bee discerned who were elected and truly sanctified before that day come Reason 4 Fourthly that it may appeare no vaine word which God spake to Adam saying Gen. 3.19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread till thou returne vnto the ground for out of it wast thou taken for dust thou art and vnto dust shalt thou returne Reason 5 Fiftly that by tasting of bodily death they may feele Gods mercy the sweeter in freeing of them from death eternall which they had likewise deserued and learne to set the more store by the riches of his mercy and accept it the better and be prouoked to seeke it and also receiue it with the earnester desire and the greater thankfulnesse To that end are wee forced to passe thorow the death of the body And indeed let vs consider well the pride of our owne nature the false ouerweening and vaine selfe-trust wherewith we be puffed vp how stubborne we be against the Lord and at how low a rate we prise his goodnesse and wee shall finde that to doe vs good and to bring vs to life he must be faine to make vs passe thorow the gates of death And why To keepe vs in awe and humble vs to make vs to know our selues and how rich he is in mercy in his dealing with vs to the intent we may yeeld the more honour and reuerence to our onely wise immortall and good God And may say euery one of vs alas I might iustly haue beene sunken before this day to the bottome of hell and if God were not wondrous mercifull what is due to my whole life for my manifold sinnes I haue deserued to die not only the death of the body but the second death euen the death of soule and body eternally Thus you see how it is good for the Saints to be kept in awe and taught humilitie by being appointed to die Reason 6 Sixtly that they may be made partakers of the glorious resurrection at the end of the world For to borrow a similitude from the Apostles words 1 Cor. 15.36 as the corne which is sowen is not quickened except it die so is it with vs wee cannot partake of the resurrection of the iust except we die For they that remaine aliue at the comming of the Lord shall
A Curse become a Blessing OR A SERMON PREACHED IN the Parish Church of S. John the Baptist in the I le of Thannet in the County of KENT at the Funerall of that vertuous and worthy Gentleman Mr. PAVL CLEYBROOKE Esquire By WILLIAM STONE Preacher of Gods Word on Tuesday September 17. 1622. REVEL 14.13 Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their workes doe follow them LONDON Printed by Iohn Haviland for William Sheffard and are to be sold at his shop at the entring in of Popes-head Alley out of Lombard street 1623. TO THE WORSHIPFVLL AND VERTVOVS GENTLEWOman Mistris MARY CLEYBROOKE Grace and Peace WEre there nothing else to proue that the death of the righteous that is of euery beleeuing and repentant sinner is a most excellent blessing of God euen this were sufficient that it is pretious in Gods sight For what can befall to the deare children of God which is an excellent blessing of his vnto them if that for one bee not such a blessing of which he saith that it is pretious in his sight Of all terrible things death seemes most terrible but it is not so indeed to them that be in Christ to whom many things happen more bitter and heauy than death it selfe This Sermon being a little enlarged beyond that which was deliuered in the latter points of the text I present vnto you to whom of right it belongs It is all that I am able to offer vnto you in token of my thankfulnesse for the loue and kindnesses both of the dead and of the liuing Accept it I beseech you reade it at your leisure and I pray God to blesse this little mite that it may both further your present comfort and the saluation of your soule Your Worships in the Lord WILLIAM STONE TO THE READER CHristian Reader thou hast here in few words the definitiue sentence of the Holy Ghost touching the death of the Saints that Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints From which after the exposition and diuision of the Text is obserued first that there be Saints vpon earth Secondly that these same Saints be liable to bodily death Thirdly that they be the Lords and that after a speciall manner And fourthly that their death is precious which being further confirmed by the iudgement of the Lord is both comfortable to them that mourne and directs euery one how to iudge aright of all things and euents Pray reade meditate and practise and the Lord giue the increase December 5. 1622. Farewell W. S. A FVNERALL SERMON PSALME 116.15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints BEfore I say any thing of the occasion of this our meeting let vs first consider this present Text and the instructions thereof Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints It is a matter of great consequence and a ground of no small comfort to vnderstand aright what to hold of the death of the Saints For to the vngodly it seemes a very jest and a laughing sport They are glad to see the death of the best men and most zealous because then they thinke that all things shall goe presently as they desire to haue it And to the godly themselues it seemes fearefull and miserable for the present time Now touching this matter the sentence of the Holy Ghost is propounded vnto vs in the words which yee haue heard to this effect That it is precious in Gods sight Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints In handling this Text both for helpe of memory and plainenesse sake I will obserue this method first declare the meaning of the words Secondly shew the parts thereof And lastly handle the seuerall instructions from thence arising In giuing the meaning of the words I will follow the order of the Text first declaring them seuerally as they lye in the Text and then gather into one summe that which hath beene said both plainly and briefly Precious Precious The originall word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jakar which the Septuagint translate most commonly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n = a 1 Sam. 3.1 2 Sam. 12.30 1 King 5.17 and 7.9 10 11. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n = b Iob 28.10 Psal 72.14 Prou. 20.15 Isai 43.4 which signifie precious once 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n = c Zach. 11.13 approued once 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n = d Ezek. 28.13 profitable good or commodious and once 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n = e Prou. 1.13 of great price and worth In our English Bibles of the new Translation it is rendred most commonly precious n = f 1 Sam. 3.1 and 26.21 Prou. 3.15 and 6.26 and 12.27 and 20.15 and 24.4 sometimes costly n = g 1 King 5.17 and 7.9 10 11. once noble n = h Ezra 4.10 once better n = i Eccles 9.18 and once goodly n = k Zach. 11.13 In the sight Neither can I but remember what one hath noted saying Dicitur autem pretiosum quod rarum non omnibus obuium est that is to say That thing is called precious which is rare and not to be met with of all Out of this I gather that Precious in this place is as much to say as of great esteeme an excellent thing exceeding profitable good and honourable In the sight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 begnene The Hebrew signifieth in the eyes Properly the Eye is that member of the bodie whose faculty is to see lightsome things and to direct our way Now diuers members of the body of man are attributed to God as the head the hands the heart the feet and here the eyes but not properly but figuratiuely for properly God hath no such members The eyes of God The Eyes of God doe signifie either first the good will and fauour of God n = l Psal 17.8 and 33.18 34.15 1 Pet. 3.12 as in that speech of the Psalmist The eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous And of Iob n = m Iob 36.7 He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous Or secondly the prouidence of God n = n 2 Chro. 16.9 as in that speech of Hanani the Seer to Asa King of Iudah For the eyes of the Lord runne to and fro throughout the whole earth Or thirdly the knowledge of God that so wee might vnderstand that God is not ignorant of any thing but knoweth all things both secret and apparant past present and to come as perfectly and throughly as if he looked vpon them and saw them with his eyes Thus Solomon saith The eyes of the Lord are in euery place Prou. 15.3 beholding the euill and the good Or else finally the iudgement and account of God touching any thing whatsoeuer as in this place touching the death of the Saints The sight
the crosse then his soule could not had beene locally separated from his body but his soule was locally separated from his body or else he dyed not truly therefore the body of Christ nor yet his soule was not euery where then And as it was then so is it now for his body is the same which then it was and hath the same proprieties which then it had And if his body nor yet his soule Of his Saints were not euery where then neither be they euery where now It followeth Of his Saints The Hebrew word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lachasidau which is as much to say as Of his deerely beloued ones or of his tender hearted meeke and mercifull ones or of them of whom he hath pittie and on whom he hath mercy For the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chasid importeth such as to whom God sheweth mercy and so are made also to trust and rely vpon his mercy and goodnesse and to shew themselues pittifull mercifull and godly in their conuersations It occurres much oftner in the booke of the Psalmes than in all the rest of the Bible Most commonly it is translated by the Septuagint in their Greeke translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n = a Deut. 33.8 2 Sam. 22.26 2 Chron. 6.41 Psal 4.3 12.1 16.10 18.25 30.4 31.23 31.6 37.28 50.5 52.9 c. holy once 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n = b Psal 89.19 a Sonne once 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n = c Mic. 7.2 venerable or religious and once 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n = d Pro. 2.8 reuerencing In our English Bibles also of the new translation I finde it diuers waies translated Most commonly Saints n = e 2 Chron. 6.41 Ps 30.4 31.23 37.28 50.5 52.9 79 2. 85.8 97.10 132.9 16. 145.10 148.14 149.1 5 9. Pro. 2.8 sometimes holy n = f Deut. 33.8 Psal 16.10 86.2 89.19 145.17 thrice godly n = g Psa 4.3 12.1 32.6 twice mercifull n = h 2 Sam. 22.26 Psal 18.25 and once the good man n = i Mic. 7 2. Out of which I gather that by Saints in this place are meant Gods Elect and beloued children effectually called iustified and sanctified people that are holy righteous sober and godly Thus haue I gone thorow with the words of the text taking word by word Now let vs gather into one summe the totall of the things which haue beene deliuered touching the meaning thereof Precious that is to say of great esteeme very profitable and honourable in the sight of the Lord that is to say in the iudgement of the Lord and in his account is the death that is the bodily death of his Saints that is to say of his elect whom he hath called and sanctified and to whom he hath vouchsafed his speciall fauour and the grace to liue soberly righteously and godlily in this present world denying vngodlinesse and worldly lusts Thus haue I done with the first thing touching the meaning of the words The second followeth touching the parts of the Text. The parts of the Text. THis Text hath two parts First a proposition or theme secondly an argument of confirmation or a proofe thereof The proposition is this that the death of the Saints is precious precious is the death of his Saints The proofe is in these words in the sight of the Lord. In the proposition there be two things to be considered First the subiect or antecedent Secondly the attribute or consequent The subiect containes the matter whereof the speech is in these words of the text The death of the Saints The attribute shewes what is spoken of this matter in these words is precious And thus haue I done with the second branch of my promise The third remaineth which is concerning the instructions that arise from this Text which I will propound vnto you according to the order of the parts as now yee haue heard them The Instructions FIrst then I haue to begin with the proposition and namely with the subiect or antecedent thereof in these words of the text the death of the Saints Neither let any man maruell that I beginne with the last words of the text first The learned doe see the reason for it For the parts are inuerted in the order of the text The proofe being inserted betweene the consequent and the antecedent and both the consequent and the proofe being set before the antecedent But let the inuerted parts be placed in order and the text stands thus The death of his Saints or the death of the Saints is precious in the sight of the Lord. In this order the parts doe plainly appeare and this order must I follow To proceede then with the subiect the death of the Saints first note this that in the Scripture there is a twofold death attributed to the Saints the one spirituall and the other bodily The spirituall death attributed to the Saints The spirituall death attributed to the Saints is likewise double one before their calling most miserable and wofull another after their calling most blessed and comfortable Before their calling they are dead in sinnes and trespasses Ephes 2.1 4 5. As the Apostle saith And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sinnes And againe a little after But God who is rich in mercy for his great loue wherewith he loued vs Euen when we were dead in sinnes hath quickened vs together with Christ What death in sinne or spirituall death is This spirituall death is a priuation of communion and fellowship with God and of the grace of God quickening vs together with Christ and is incident to the elect together with the reprobate before their calling Three branches of spirituall death in the Saints But after their calling they haue experience in themselues of another manner of spirituall death of which there be these three branches first vpon the right vnderstanding of the doctrine of the Law to be brought to see and feele that they are dead and most wretched 1. A death at the comming of the commandement and that there is nothing in themselues saue matter of death and eternall damnation by reason of their sinnes and so they are stirred vp to seeke succour elsewhere Thus Paul died as he saith But when the commandement came Rom. 7.9 sinne reuiued and I died That is to say when I had the right vnderstanding of the commandement of God and had considered well of it sinne did rage and trouble my minde which had lyen still before and by reason of my sinne I saw nothing in my selfe but matter of death and damnation and so I was driuen to seeke helpe in Iesus Christ that my soule might be saued Secondly the Saints are dead to the Law 2. A death vnto the Law Gal. 2.19 as the Apostle saith For I through the Law am
not die to attaine vnto the resurrection 1 Cor. 15.51 1 Thess 4.15 16 17. but they shall all bee changed and bee hindmost in the company that shall meet the Lord in the aire Vse 1 The Vse First then is it true are the Saints subiect to death We must ponder vpon this that we are subiect to death Let vs ponder vpon it that we deserue such an vnhappy condition And that were it not for Gods mercy vnto vs in Christ contrary to that which we haue deserued we must all die and be damned for euermore Let vs thinke vpon it Neither let any thinke it strange because Christ hath died for vs and rose againe and are dead with Christ and risen againe with him and when as our sinnes are forgiuen and quite done away which brought death vpon vs that yet neuertheles God will not release vs but make vs drinke of deaths cup. For although we ought to be glad of it because God proceedeth dealeth in such wise that we be nothing hindred thereby but that we may come boldly vnto the throne of grace and call vpon him quietly and without distraction and at the houre of death may commend our soules into his hands and pray for the glorious resurrection of our bodies and as it were cast our selues into his fatherly lap although I say we ought to be glad of this yet is it good for vs to haue some feeling of the miserie into which we haue plunged our selues not only to humble vs and that we should set the more store by his mercie as I said before but to make vs iudge our selues that we be not iudged of the Lord and to make vs by faith to lay the faster hold vpon his gracious promises and the more carefully to serue him with such reuerence and feare as is requisite for vs. Vse 2 Secondly this consideration that wee are subiect vnto death should rouze vs out of sinne Awake from sinne and leaue it and make vs shunne it and hate the verie motions of it For sinne is the cause of all our miserie and mortalitie As the Prophet Ieremiah saith in his Lamentations Wherefore doth man complaine Lam. 3.39 a man for the punishment of his sinnes Intimating that man by his sinnes doth bring punishments vpon himselfe And the Apostle Paul saith Rom. 5.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mac. Hom. 11. Iude 23. Mic. 3.1 2. Amos 5.14 15. As by one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne and so death passed vpon all men for that all haue sinned Hee makes sinne ye see the cause of all mens mortalitie Wherefore shun sinne and as the Apostle Iude saith Hate euen the garment spotted by the flesh And be not like those heads of Iacob and Princes of the house of Israel of whom Micah saith that they hate the good and loue the euill Be not like to them but as Amos saith Seeke good and not euill And againe Hate the euill and loue the good For say wee must die and cannot auoid it whatsoeuer wee doe yet take away sinne and the sting of death is gone For as the Apostle saith The sting of death is sinne 1 Cor. 15.56 Let sinne therefore be away and death when it comes shall doe vs no hurt nay it shall be aduantage and gaine vnto vs as the same Apostle saith Phil. 1.21 For to me to liue is Christ and to die is gaine This therefore should rouze vs and driue vs from sinne Tell mee who but a mad man would giue aduantage to his vtter enemie whereby to spoile him Now death is this enemie and our sinne is the aduâ—tage If we liue in sinne wee giue death the aduâ—â—â—age to kill vs eternally but if we coufesse and forsake our sins death hath no aduantage against vs and come when it will it shall doe vs no hurt I beseech you consider of it and turne from sinne from couetousnesse pride and from whatsoeuer God forbiddeth Vse 3 Thirdly are the Saints subiect to death Then are they after a sort subiect to that which is the chiefest curse that is fallen vpon mankinde Good and bad subiect to death and the liâ—e afflictions but with great difference For death is the chiefest curse and containeth vnder it all the curses n = a Gen. 2.17 that be fallen vpon mankinde Howbeit this vnderstand that the Saints bee not subiect to death as it is a curse but as it is sanctified and become an entrance into life And as they are subiect to death so are they subiect likewise to all other miseries that this life affords to hunger nakednesse imprisonment sorrow hatred slanders and manifold persecutions and temptations So that the Saints cannot bee discerned by their outward state But neuerthelesse betweene the same afflictions and manner of death falling vpon the Saints and vpon the vngodly there is great difference because the one are in Christ the fountaine of all goodnesse and blessednesse by whom all curses are quite taken away according to the words of the Apostle Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the Law being made a curse for vs for it is written cursed is euerie one that hangeth on a tree But the others to wit the vngodly are our of Christ and therefore vnder the curse Remember it then that howsoeuer the same affliction and deaâ—h may befall to the good and the bad yet there is such a change made by meanes of Christ that they are farre vnlike vnto the one and the other When Ioah had slaine Abner Dauid lamenting ouer him spake these words Died Abner as a foole dieth So wee may say 2 Sam. 3.33 Died Lazarus as the rich glutton died or die the Saints as the vngodly doe die yea it is most certaine as it happeneth to the vngodly so it happeneth to the Saints euen one thing befalleth them all they all goe vnto one place all are of the dust and all returne to dust againe But loe what followes the Saints die to liue but the vngodly die eternally In the death of the Saints God is not their enemie but in the death of the vngodly God is their enemie The Saints death hath no sting but the death of the vngodly hath a most venomous sting But notwithstanding this difference yet let the common condition of good and bad bee carefully marked to weane vs from the world to make vs minde our home in the kingdome of heauen and not to seeke our felicitie in this present life For here haue we no continuing citie but wee seeke one to come And there is no bodily miserie Heb. 13.14 euen vnto the death that the vilest miscreants be subiect vnto but the best that breathe are subiect to the same Vse 4 Fourthly can it not bee auoided but that the Saints also must die then must we prepare Prepare and be alwayes ready for death Certa stat omnibus mortis sententia hora autemnihil
know your place in heauen already But doest thou know thy selfe Canst thou tell me what thou art thy selfe thou that after this fashion doest make a scorne of other mens holinesse and of the blessed title of a Saint I must tell thee plainly that both thou and all others that make a scoffe at holinesse and that scorne the title of a Saint yee are none of Gods children yee are vnholy Atheists and very Deuils incarnate Consider well of it and pray God to enlighten you and turned our hearts And as for the children of God Foure comforts against reproaches for holinesse they haue many good meditations to comfort themselues with against these kinde of reproches and namely these First that it is a great honour to bee of the number of the Lords Saints And if the vngodly will turne their glorie in to shame yet as they desire not to haue the Sonne of man to be ashamed of them when bee commeth in the glorie of his Father with the holy angels so must they not be ashamed to professe themselues his Saints which is their glorie They must suffer none neither by reproches nor any other way to take this crowne from them For the state of a Saint is not such a state that they need to be ashamed of it Secondly that the Lord calleth them to be his Saints and maketh his promise with them to preserue and keepe them And faithfull is hee that calleth them 1 Thess 5.24 who also will doe it Hee will neuer leaue them nor forsake them Thirdly that all the malice which men doe beare them and the scoffes that they are reproached with are occasioned by their holinesse which is Gods gracious gift vnto them Their holinesse is the cause which enrageth the vngodly Eccles 4.4 As Solomon saith Againe I considered all trauell and euery right worke that for this a man is enuied of his neighbour this also is vanitie and vexation of spirit But God will arise and maintaine his owne cause and auenge all their wrongs 2 Sam. 10.7 c. no otherwise than Dauid did the indignities of his seruants vpon Hanun the sonne of Nahash the King of the children of Ammon Fourthly that when vngodly men doe stout them with their sanctitie and holinesse that they are neere and deaâ—â— vnto the Lord. For they are his friends they are his people they are his seruants his children his spouse yea as the tenderest members of his body vnto him For as saith the Prophet Zechariah Zech. 2.8 Hee that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye And so long as the Lord doth acknowledge them for some of his and doth account them so neere and deare vnto himselfe they need not greatly cure for any reproaches of men For his fauour is enough to counteruaile all So that as Elkanah said to Hannah comforting her against her barrennesse Am not I better to thee 1 Sam. 1. â— than ten sonnes So may euerie one of vs say of the fauour of God when all men reproach vs and none care for vs Is not the fauour of God better to vs than all the kindnesse and fauour of the men of this world And thus may wee comfort our selues against all manner of reproaches for holinesse sake Thus farre of the subiect of the proposition Now the Consequent followeth in these words is precious Precious is the death of his Saints Or more plainly The death of his Saints is precious WHat meanes this The death of his Saints is precious For this may seeme a Paradox and beyond the credit of all men that the death or any should come to be precious seeing death came by sinne and is a common looking-glasse and record vnto vs of Gods curse not vpon one or two folkes but vpon all mankinde Answer The meaning is that the death of the Saints is of great esteeme and honourable in Gods account and very profitable for themselues But not in it selfe but by accident only that which in it selfe is the wages of sinne and a curse being by the grace of God and the death of Christ turned cleane about and made an excellent blessing Remember it then that Doct. 5 Doct. The death of the Saints is a matter of great price It is much set by in the sight of the Lord The Saints death is precious Mors Sanctorum est finis meta laborum consummatio victoriae carina vitae perfectae eternaequeÌ„ securitatis ingressio Bern. and in regard of themselues it is truly precious as being the end of their labours the consumination of their victorie the gate of life and an entrance into most perfect securitie Wee haue a world of meditations to cleare the truth of this Reason 1 For first the Lord affirmes it who is truth it selfe and cannot lie that precious is the death of his Saints And how can it bee otherwise seeing they die vnto the Lord and sleepe in Iesus as the Scripture speakes Reason 2 Secondly Rom. 14.8 1 Thess 4.14 16. by death they are more neerely vnited to their soueraigne and chiefest good euen to God Almightie For the further off that any is from sinne so much the neerer he is ioyned to God that pure and perpetuall and immortall good to cleaue fast vnto him and to bee alwayes with him whose of-spring he is as the Apostle saith For we are also his of-spring Acts 17.28 Reason 3 Thirdly because by death they are gathered to the ancient Patriarkes to the holy Prophets and Apostles to the assembly of the Saints to their owne deare parents children brethren sisters kinsfolke and friends which are gone to heauen before them and which is more than all this to Iesus Christ their Redeemer into the house of their heauenly Father in which he hath prepared a placefor vs Heb. 6.20 and 10.20 into heauen whither the forerunner is for vs entred euen Iesus Christ by a new and liuing way which he hath consecrated for vs through the vaile that is to say his flesh And whither he is gone before that we might follow him whensoeuer he shall please to call vs. Reason 4 Fourthly because it puts an end to all the cares sorrowes teares and miseries to which all are subiect in this life For this cause death is preferred before life and the condition of the dead before the condition of the liuing Eccles 4.1 2. in Ecclesiastes where Solomon saith So I returned and considered all the oppressions that are done vnder the Sunne and behold the teares of such as were oppressed and they had no comforter and on the side of their oppressors there was power but they had no comforter Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the liuing which are yet aliue Death takes vs away from their enuie that now liue and sets vs free from all feare of them which are yet to come Reason 5 Fiftly because it looseth the Saints from the bonds of temptations and the