shall wickednesse deliver those that are given to it The proofe of this is as needlesse as to prove the going downe of the Sunne from our Horizon which every eye may daily behold and see neither is it strange for There is some sinne some corruption in the best there is that seed Reasons 1 which bringeth forth death as the moth eates the garment the worme in the tree makes him moulder the leak in the ship letteth in the water untill at length it sinke so sinne where it once entreth once taketh up his abode death doth ensue and follow after as the threed followeth the needle as r Ruth 1.16 Ruth followed Naomi as Ionathans Armour-bearer said to him Å¿ 1 Sam. 14.7 turn thee behold I am with thee according to thy heart so may death say to sinne for which way soever that turnes or goeth before it death doth without faile ensue and follow t Rom. 5.12 after it This is the u Rom. 6.23 wages belonging to it the payment never faileth as Salomon saith of other buildings w Eccl. 10.18 by much slothfulnesse the building decayeth and through idlenesse of the hands the house droppeth through So may I say of these our earthly Tabernacles through our corruptions these weake buildings of our bodies doe decay and through the sinne which is within us this house droppeth through till at length it falleth to the ground commeth to the grave sinne is the mother and death the daughter x Lam. 3.42 43. Lam. 3.42 43. Reasons 2 This sutes with the present condition of Gods people they are y 1 Pet. 2.11 Pilgrims this is not their z Heb. 11.9 14. Country now they are a 1 Cor. 9.24 Travellers and tend every day to their journies end and as Israel could not come to Canaan but through the b 1 Cor. 10.1 Red Sea no more can Gods people attaine their journies end but by death when the prison walls are beaten downe then they who are kept in fetters there may goe forth c 2 Cor. 5.1 2. We know saith the Apostle that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved wee have a building of God a house not made with hands eternall in the Heavens This maketh them also in some sort Reasons 3 conformable to Christ their head Our Lord and Master hath drunke of this cup trodden this path before us and the d Mat. 10.24 Disciple must not looke to bee above his Master but as in other things so in this we must be made like him to this we are e Ro. 8.29 ordained wee must first be like him in his sufferings and then we shall be like him in his raigning f 2 Tim. 2.11 It is a faithfull saying if we be dead with him we shall also live with him if we suffer we shall also raigne with him Therefore as Gideon said unto his Souldiers g Judg. 7.17 Looke on me as yee see mee doe so doe yee so must we looke on our Gideon our Christ our Captaine and doe as wee have seene him doe before us This workes the utter destruction Reasons 4 of sinne in them as Sampson by his h Judg. 16.30 death destroyed the Philistines his enemies so the righteous by their death destroy their corruptions sinne is like a subtile Fox that cannot bee taken till his holds be destroyed like ivie in the wall which cannot be totally taken away till the stones be pulled asunder Israel could not be freed from the i Exo. 14. Morte peccati praecisionem homo lucratur ne malum immortale esset ita poena ipsi in misericordiam cessit Nazian Orat. 38. Egyptians till they came to the red sea no more can Gods people of their sinnes till they come to the grave by death doe the righteous gaine the cutting off of sinne and death which was a punishment is turned to a mercy to all that walke uprightly But Christ hath dyed for them and their sinne is forgiven Gods Justice is fully satisfied how then can God bee just in bringing death on them Quest Shall the principall be arrested and cast into prison when the surety hath formerly paid the debt for him Resp Christ who hath paid the debt for us was freely k Joh. 3.16 given of God to us given not instantly to conferre upon us an actuall freedome from all evills but in due time after we have beene exercised with variety of tryalls God doth not onely give Christ but also apply him unto us and when there is a full application of Christ to beleevers then there shall be a compleat l Ephes 1.14 redemption from all evils and thus though Christ have paid the ransome yet God doth us no wrong in suffering us to be exercised with many troubles because there is not yet a full application of this ransome and because God gave him in such a way and manner to bring his chosen to salvation as seemed best to his own wisdome God promised Canaan to Israel but yet he led them through the red sea before he brought them thither and in so doing did them no wrong Death to the people of God is not evill the curse is taken away Death is like Moses m Exod. 4.3 4. serpent it may at first sight make the people of God afraid as that did him but as Moses afterwards tooke the Serpent in his hand and it did him no harme so is death to the righteous like a Serpent without a sting like a Souldier overcome and his weapons taken from him n 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. O death saith Saint Paul where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory the sting of death is sinne the strength of sinne is the Law but thankes be unto God which giveth us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Death is ordained of God to be the destruction of sinne in his children as David cut off o 1 Sam. 17 50 51. Goliahs head with his owne sword so will God destroy sin by death which is held as a sword in sinnes hand Death is to Gods people as the red sea to Israel the destruction of the enemies of their salvation an end of all miseries a passage to everlasting life so that Gods people have freedome from the evill but not from the necessity of dying and herein is the wonderfull power wisdome and goodnesse of God very clearely seene even in changing the nature of death and making it to his people so usefull which in it selfe is so hurtfull Vse Doe the godly the dye are not the righteous exempted must they taste of this cup It is then in vaine for the wicked unrighteous unmercifull to dreame of escapall As the Apostle said in another case p 1 Pet. 4.17 if judgment begin at the house of God what shall bee the end of them which obey not the Gospel of God and as our Saviour also said in another case q Luk. 23.31
if they doe thus to the greene tree what will they doe to the dry So in this case if death seize upon and spare not Gods family the house-hold of faith the holy and righteous r Isa 61.3 trees of righteousnesse Trees of Gods owne planting as the Prophet calleth them where then be the hopes of the prophane mans deliverance If holinesse if being in Christ in covenant with God preserve not the righteous the mercifull man from death Oh thinke not then O profane man that riches honour worldly abilities will preserve thy life these be shields of no strength to defend us from the darts of death foundations of sand unable to beare us up like that whereon the foolish man built his house Å¿ Mat. 7.27 Mat. 7. Whereon when the Windes blew and the waves beat it fell and great was the fall thereof such will be the end of all that build upon the sand of earthly powers whose very strength is weaknesse It was neither the strength nor height of the tree nor fairenesse of the leaves nor abundance of the fruit nor extent of the shadow could preserve it from the sentence of the t Dan. 4.12 13 14. woe the which Nebuchadnezar beheld comming downe from Heaven in his vision so death when it once commeth when the God of Heaven sends it will shake off the leaves break downe the branches take away the beauty of the fairest the might of the strongest not regard the wealth of the richest but new downe the Tree and cast the body into the grave v Ps 82.6 I have said saith the Lord of them that be most rich most potent most mighty on earth yee are Gods and all of you are children of the most High but yee shall dye like men and perish like one of the Princes As the fire burnes both the shrub and Cedar so death spares neither poore nor rich The Lords wrath will seaze upon all the wicked alike as the w Is 5.24 the fire devoureth the stubble the flame consumeth the chaffe so their root shall be rottennesse and their blossome shall goe up as dust because they have cast away the Law of the Lord of Hoasts and woefull miserable and wretched will their death be For It shall end all their joyes then their x Job 18.5 6. Candle will be put out as the y Dan. 5.5 hand writing in the wall marred Belshazzars feast so will death marre the wicked mans mirth It will rob him of all his pompe as z Dan. 4.30 Nebuchadnezar was turned from his glorious Palace to eate grasse like an Oxe so will death turne the profane man out of all his dignities bring his a Isa 14.11 pompe to the grave and make him a b Mat. 25.41 companion with the Devill and his angels It will leave him as an abomination upon the earth his memory shall c Prov. 10.7 rot as a dead beast casteth an ill savour when he dyeth so the man that is in d Psal 49.23 honour and knoweth not is ignorant of God destitute of his feare void of his grace shall be like the beast which perisheth It shall be the beginning of those miseries which never shall have end it shall intangle them in that snare whence there is no escaping and bring them to those burnings where is no e Luk. 16.24 quenching to that f Jude v. 7. fire which is everlasting it shall cast them into that g Rev. 21.8 lake from whence there is no out-going To this slaughter-house must thou come O riotous O covetous O uncleane and carnall man and though thou doest escape a little while yet it will not be long thou mayest cheere h Eccles 11.9 thee in the dayes of thy youth and walke in the wayes of thy heart and in the sight of thine eyes but for all these things God at length will bring thee to judgement Gellius saith of Sejanus horse no man ever sped well that was owner of him Such a horse is sinne no man ever speeds well at last but takes a fall that rides this horse and is carried head-long to destruction over-whelmed with everlasting torments before he is aware of it over-taken as a woman by her i 1 Thess 5.3 travaile it will come as a theefe in the night season As Absaloms servants fell on Amnon and murdered him when his heart was k 2 Sam. 13.28 merry with wine so when the hearts of men are merry with the pleasures of sinne when they be satiated and glutted with worldly and fleshly delights then sorrow shame death everlasting woes the servants of sinne shall fall upon them as Absaloms servants upon Amnon The pleasures of sinne are but for a l Heb. 11.25 season they be but a m Ps 39.5 spanne long as the afflictions of the righteous be but for a n Rom. 8.18 moment so the o Job 20.5 pleasures and triumph of the wicked and one houres torment in Hell will swallow up the pleasures of a thousand yeeres on earth Are the righteous subject to a bodily dissolution Are they taken away as well as others Then let the Saints and holy servants of God learne not to set their hearts on things here below but to be as p 1 Pet. 2.11 strangers upon the earth to live as Tenants at will in a continuall preparednesse to depart The Lord pressed the Prophet to this by presenting before him the changes which hee would worke Behold saith the Lord q Jer. 45.4 5. that which I have built I will breake downe and that which J have planted I will pluck up even this whole land and seekest thou great things for thy selfe seeke them not to this the Apostle perswadeth the people of God by the consideration of their new conditions r Col. 3.1 2. If ye be risen with Christ seek the things which are above To this hee urgeth the Hebrewes by setting the inconstancie of their outward estate before them Wee have no Å¿ Heb 13.12 13. continuing Citie here but seeke one to come therefore let us goe forth without the Campe bearing our reproach let us forsake the Earth deny our selves be willing to be dissolved that wee may enjoy our desired home And this was of old the exhortation of the Prophet t Mica 2.10 Arise you and depart for this is not your rest And therefore as our Saviour said unto the Disciples concerning Judas v Mat. 26.46 rise let us be going behold he is at hand that doth betray mee So let me say to you of death arise let us goe hence let us take our hearts from things here below for death which will take our life from us is at hand And as Matthew w Mat. 9.9 arose from the receipt of custome and followed Christ So let us arise every man from his sinne from his prophane way from his evill custome and become sincere humble diligent and constant
be you upright be yee constant as Eliah was and you shall at last have a fiery Charet as Eliah had Walke with God without wavering as q Gen. 6.9 Noah did as he ceased not froÌ„ building the Arke whatsoever discouragement was ministred no more doe you cease to ad grace to grace as the builders doe stone to stone till you attaine perfection and then as Noah had his Arke was preserved in it when others perished so shall you have safety peace joy comfort and everlasting tryumph when others shall perish in the deluge of Gods judgements Be constant as r 1 Sam. 17 33.34 David was and then as he overcame the Beare the Lyon the great Goliah and enjoyed the Crowne at length so shall we the Crowne of glory at the last if we Å¿ Rev. 2.10 be faithfull unto the death therefore with Moses seeing him that is t Heb. 11.26 27. invisible and having an eye to the recompence let us chuse rather to endure affliction with the children of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season and knowing that we have an u Heb. 10.34 abiding substance in Heaven let us with the primitive Christians take the spoyling of our goods joyfully This is the property of true grace this is peculiar to the man that is truely pious w Prov. 4.18 to shine more and more like the light unto the perfect day the Trees of Gods planting be known from all other trees by bearing x Ps 92.13 much fruit in their old age this is that which hath the promise who shall reape but hee that y Gal. 6.9 fainteth not And who shall bee saved but he that z 1 Mat. 13.13 continueth to the end That corne alone which holdeth out unto the harvest is gathered into the garner Vse 3 Is the future estate of Gods servants so pleasant so eminent so transcendently glorious Then this must cause the children of God to entertaine death with all cheerefulnesse how terrible so ever in it selfe though it be as the Philosopher saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all fearefuls the most fearefull or as Iob stiles it the Å¿ Job 18.14 King of terror though looked upon in it selfe it be to the people of God as once the face of Esau a terror to Iacob yet looking upon the glory dignity and fulnesse of all blisse which doth attend it it should be to the people of God as the face of Esau was at last to Iacob even as the t Gen. 33.10 11. face of God in the thought of this we should rejoyce as the hireling in his thoughts of the Evening as the traveller in the thoughts of his bed as the warriour in the thought of the day of his triumph For I may say to you of death as Hugh Laverock said to his fellow Martyr Iohn a Price of the Lord of LondoÌ„ Be of good comfort my brother for my Lord of London is our good Physitian he will cure thee of all thy blindnesse and me of my lamenâ—sse this day so beloved all yee that truly feare God all that put away all filthinesse of the flesh and perfect holinesse before him in feare be of good comfort Death will be your very good Physitian it will cure all your diseases end all your miseries set you free from all troubles And therefore as the people came readily to u John 5.4 5. Bethesda to be healed of their infirmities as we come cheerefully to the Physitian so should wee to the grave for what is death to the people of God what is it to them to die but as the Inhabitants leaving of an old and ruinous house the Musitians laying downe of a Lute whose strings are broken the Carpenters putting aside of a worne Instrument unfit for any longer service or imployment what is Death to Gods children but as a guest making hast out of his Inne to his long his lovely and desired home as the putting off of a worne rotten and ragged suite of apparell to put on rich and comly rayment for while we live we are like w Zach. 3.3 4 5. Josua the high Priest clothed with filthy garments but when we die then we are like Iosua with a fair Mitre upon his head and comely rayment about his back And therefore we should earnestly desire to be x 2 Cor. 5.8 absent from the body that wee might bee present with the Lord. For the day of Death to the body is as one saith the birthday of eternity to the soule Seneca who saw the immortality of the soule the future felicity of it but as through a Cloud by ifs and ands yet professeth that when hee thought but a little of it and had some pleasant dreames thereof hee loathed himselfe and all his trifling greatnesse Socrates also sweetned his cup of poyson with his discourse of the soules Immortality to the amazement of the beholders how much more should christian and sanctified soules be ravished affected enflamed with the meditation of it O how should this cause us to thirst after death as y 2 Sam. 23 15 16. David after the waters in the wells of Bethlem and to breake thorough all difficulties to attaine that immortall and ever-blessed estate which to the people of God attendeth this life as Davids Worthies brake thorough the hoast of the Philistins to fetch them waters and as Laurence Saunders kissed the stake and said wilcome be the crosse of Christ well-come be everlasting life my Saviour began to me in a bitter cup and shall I not pledge him so should wee entertaine death as a very well-come guest as a very deare friend our soules should say within us welcome bee death welcome bee everlasting life my Saviour is gone before me and shall I not goe after him As the Lyon desires to goe out of the grate the Eagle out of the cage and the prisoner out of the prison-house so should we with Paul desire to be z Phil. 3.23 dissolved and to bee with Christ Vse 4 This should moderate our griefe and sorrow conceived at the departure of our godly friends For 1 Freedome 1. This is the day of their Freedome who is not comforted to see his friend come forth of prison to see him set free from all persecution and trouble After Eliah went up in his fiery Charet Iezabel could no more make him flie she had no more power to molest and persecute him 2 Honour 2. This is the day of their Honour now with Eliah they ride in their fiery Charet into heaven now as Salomon said of the a Eccles 4.12 poore wise child may I say of all that are b 2 Tiâ—â— 12 wise unto salvation though poore though afflicted during their abode on earth yet now they shall come out of prison out of a troublesome and low estate to c 2 Tim. 2.11 12. reigne with Christ in his kingdom And I may wel say to all that
this behalfe as Pharaoh of c Gen. 40.38 39 Ioseph Can we finde such a man as this was a man in whom the spirit of God was surely there are few so discreet and wise as he was 3. He was diligent and laborious in his calling a good Steward ever breaking the bread of life amongst you a loving Nurse alwayes drawing forth his breast unto you he was not a cloud without raine a Well without water he did not hide his talent in a napkin hee did not put his light under a bushell but as the Sun doth often visit the earth so did hee this place as Paul said of the Macedonians in regard of their contribution to the Saints to d 2 Cor. 8.3 their power and beyond their power they were willing so this man in his calling was willing to his power and as some conjecture beyond his power in regard of his bodily infirmities 4. He was not onely diligent in his calling but also profitable in his teaching it was not e Ier. 23.28 chaffe but good wheat which hee sowed amongst you not the sand of humane devices but the firme and sure Rocke of Gods Word did he lay as a foundation for you thereon to build hee sought not with humane eloquence vaine flashes idle quirks phantasticall conceits and f 1 Cor. 8.3 inticing words of mans wisedome to please men but his labour was to speake and preach in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power that your faith might not stand in the wisdome of men but in the power of God and this indeed is not the least part both of the wisdome and fidelity required of Gods messengers to stoop to the capacitie of the people to present the counsell of God plainely to their understanding Bonorum ingeniorum est insignis indoles saith Augustine in verbis verum amare non verba quid enim prodest clavis aurea si aperire quod volumus non potest aut quid obest-lignea si hoc potest quando nihil aliud quaerimus nisi ut pateat quod clausum est This is a singular property of wisedome in words to love the truth and not the words what doth a golden key profit if it cannot open what we would have unshut what doth a wooden key hurt or hinder if it can open when as wee desire no more but that which is shut may be opened that which is hidden may be unfolded he is surely in Gods schoole the best scholler in Gods Church the most eminent and worthy teacher that doth with most clearenesse plainenesse power fulnesse and evidence of the spirit open and apply Gods counsels to the consciences of the hearers 5. He was also in his discourse very holy and profitable a seeds-man alwaies sowing a light alwaies shining very constant in doing good by his communication 6. Hee was in the order of his conversation very sincere and upright so farre as ever I observed and I am perswaded it was the joy and g 2 Cor. 1.12 rejoycing of his heart that he had his conversation in sincerity and uprightnesse and not in fleshly wisedome 7. Hee was very friendly to Gods people with them hee delighted to converse Gods image true goodnesse in them was a load-stone very powerfull to move and draw his affection 8. He was open-handed to such as needed ready out of his fulnesse to powre plentifully into such vessels as hee found empty 9. By his conversation he gave a good example hee did not build with one hand and pull downe with the other but his doctrine and his conversation were at a sweet agreement like Ruth and Naomi they went hand in hand together 10. He was not one in publike another in private but every where the same as they said of Valerins Court so may wee say of his house it was a Church of God in regarded of the holy orders orderly there observed and religious duties there performed Now therefore walke ye in that light which hee hath caused to shine unto you bring forth the fruit of that seede which he hath sown among you and build up that sacred and saving truth which hee hath proposed and set before you And now lastly If the death departure losse of Gods faithfull Ministers bee so deeply to be bewailed if our estate without them be so wretched so uncomfortable then you must shew your selves very carefull in repairing the losse which you have now sustained doe not ye say as Galienus the Emperor when hee had lost Aegypt cannot wee bee without the hempe and flaxe of Aegypt and when he had also lost France two great and mighty Countries cannot the Lord said he stand sine sagis trabeatis without these souldiers cassockes which France doth send us Beloved I beseech you do not so say of the departure of Gods Ministers doe not slight the losse of them as if it were but the losse of a little flaxe hempe or a few souldiers coates but looke upon it I intreate you and consider it and be affected with it as with one of the greatest losses could ever be sustained and accordingly declare and shew your wisedome circumspection care diligence faithfulnesse and conscionablenesse for an able supply And for your better direction in this behalfe let it be your care 1. To goe to God and by prayer fasting seeke his counsell and assistance as the people in the dayes of Ezra by h Ezra 8.21 prayer and fasting sought of God a way for them and their little ones so doe you now by prayer and fasting seeke of God an able and faithfull Minister to guide both you and your little ones in the way that leadeth to peace and everlasting happinesse As the people after the death of i Jud. 1.1 Ioshua went to God and asked him who should goe up for them to fight against the Canaanites so must you now after the death of your spirituall Leader goe to God and aske of him who shall goe up for you to fight for you in this warre against sinne and Satan this is not more holinesse then is requisite for thus the Disciples sought to God by k Act 1.24 prayer and fasting to direct them in the choice of a successour in the roome of him that fell 2. Seeke not too much to please your selves be not too indulgent to your owne affections but let your speciall ayme be at the glory of God and the generall and saving good of the people of this place let that man which in all probability and upon good evidence will be most zealous for Gods glory and doe best service to the people of this place be without any by or sinister respect the man of your choice This doe or else for any thing I know God may require the bloud of this people at your hands 3. Bee carefull that the man whom you choose be a man after Gods owne h heart a holy man a man able to feed you with knowlege and understanding a man experienced in the worke of Gods word upon his owne soule for as Christ was made like unto us in allm things sin excepted that he might have compassion on us in all our estates and conditions so it is requisite the Minister of God should be made like the people in all things I meane in being sensible of the burthen of sinne of the trouble of an afflicted conscience of the buffetings of Satan of the worke of Gods word and spirit upon his owne heart and then shall he be fit to compassionate comfort teach the people and know how to minister a word in due season 4. Remember that of the Lord to Samuell n 1 Sa. 16.7 judge not after the outward appearance and take this for a sure rule that God doth not alwayes doe the greatest works by men of greatest earth-abilities the Lord over-turned the Midianitish hoast by a o Jud. 7.23 barley cake by p Judg. 6.15 Gedion whose family was poore in Manasseh and that was the liast in his fathers house the Lord caused the q Exod. 17 6 waters to come forth out of the rocke by no other no worthier instrument then the stroke of a rod. It was not in Sauls armour but with a r 1 Sa. 17.54 sling and a stone that God enabled David to overthrow Goliah and delever Israel They were Trumpets neither of gold nor silver but ſ Ios 6.20 rams hornes contemptible things in the eyes of men which God caused the Priest to sound and at whose sounding the walles of Iericho fell And the Psalmist telleth us that God hath ordained strength out of the 〈◊〉 8.2 mouthes of babes and sucklings and the Apostle layeth it downe as a generall and constant rule the u 1 Cor. 1.26 27 28 29. foolishnesse of God is vviser then men and the weakenesse of God is stronger then men for yee see your calling brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble men are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wife and God hath chosen the weake things of the world to confound the things which are mighty and base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought things which are and he rendreth the reason of the Lords so doing that no flesh should glory in his presence Thinke on these things and be not wise in your owne eyes this have I spoken not as vnder-valuing abilities humane but as advising that you fasten not your eyes too much upon them least they prove a sandy foundation And as for him that shall succeed your now deceased Pastor my prayer is that as the spirit of Eliah was doubled upon Elisha so the spirit of this man may be doubled on him that shall in this place succeed him that hee may prove to you as a bright and a shining starre to leade you as the starre led the wise men to Christ Iesus and as the fiery pillar conducted Israel form Egypt to Canaan so may he lead you from the Egypt of sinne and bondage of Satan to the heavenly Canaan that place of glory rest peace and all fulnesse which God hath provided for his children in the holy and higest heavens Laus Deo soli FINIS