ENOCHS WALK AND Change Opened in a SERMON At Lawrence-Jury in LONDON Febr. 7th 1655. AT THE FUNERAL Of the REVEREND Mr. RICHARD VINES Minister of the GOSPEL there With a short Account of his LIFE and DEATH With some Elegies c. on his death By THO. JACOMBE Minister of Martins-Ludgate in the City of London The Second Edition ZECH. 1.5 Your fathers where are they and the Prophets do they live for ever LONDON Printed by T. R. and E. M. for Ralph Smith at the Bible in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange Anno Dom. 1656. To the Inhabitants of Lawrence-Jury in the CITY of LONDON Honoured and Beloved in our Lord Jesus HOw many of our Starres in this City have of late fallen or rather ascended into a higher Orbe I neeâ— not tell you What is your duty under this threatening Providence you also know and it will be well if you do it as well as know it The Eclipses of glorious lights-have been as frequent and as sad with you as any and I feare whatever the over-daring Astrologers of our times do say from their Eclipses to amaze and terrifie us these do portend something in a way of judgement T is not long since the violent axe bereaved you of one a milder blow from God Himselfe hath now taken away another the Reverend Mr. Richard Viâ—es an able and godly Minister a man of singular worth none but himself would deny it none but himself could expresse it I here present you with the Sermon which not many weeks ago I preach'd at his Funeral He was your Pastour called and presented by your selves whilest he liv'd â—e â—eceived much love and encouragement from many of you since God took him your bounty and chaâ—ity hath been highly expressed to his sad and mournful widow for which I hope the Lord will abundantly requite you whilest I weighed these things with my selfe I could not but make use of your Parochial body in this Dedication But alas in so poor and worthlesse a Present why do I so much trouble you or my self about it Give me leave to tell you I was very unwilling to engage in this work for though I looked upon it as very honourable yet I judged my self every way unfit for it Importunity prevailed with me and meerly that And now 't is done let me assure you many would have done it with more-ability none with more affection to him who was your precious Minister my loving Countrey-man and worthy friend I was forc'd into the Pulpit then and now unto the Presse though I confesse more willingly and with lesse reluctancy for though love to the person of the deceased could hardly make me preach yet that being done love to his name and memory did more easilie encline me to print I look for many censures but I must shadow my self under the name of Mr. Vines Well such as the Sermon is you have it and this Epistle doth not come to beg your Protection Alas 't is below envy who will meddle with so harmlesse and inconsiderable a thing but your Acceptation and I hope your candour will run parallel with Gods mercy which accepts of goats haire when no silver or gold can be brought For the matter here handled 't is weighty and very necessary Mercy and Duty are the two poles upon which all Religion turnes you have them both here set before you Here 's your duty in a holy life here 's Gods mercy in a happy death If I be not mistaken it may be a word in season to you God hath endowed many of you with great parts and understanding take heed of being headstrong or top-heavy Oh walk humbly God hath blessed you with great estates you have pounds to others pence blesse God for it but yet be above all these things Walk with God and be Heavenly minded your thousands will be but ciphers when you come to die your chests will not take away the feares of a coffin Oh do not lose Christ and the Power of Religion in the croud of worldly emploiments You are a people that make Profession of the wayes of God look to sincerity This is well but see that Jacobs voice and Jacobs hands go together Let the great fervour of your spirits appear in the interest of Religion and in the concernments of Gods glory I might runne over many things which are here handled which as I conceive do hit you very right for indeed this Discourse was not so much calculated for the meridian of the dead as of the living Reade and ponder and the Lord give you a right understanding in all things I have taken the boldnesse in the closure of my Sermon to suggest a word or two to you by way of advice which the sad occasion leads me to Again and again I would put you upon this to look back upon the precious Labours of your removed and dead Ministers and live up to them The Sower is gone but yet the seed may grow up This your last deceased Minister was very averse to printing and we are very sorry for it what good might the Church of God have reaped had he made publick his excellent notions by printing which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet we are not under despaire as to this Clem. Alexand. Strom l 1. but that by the help of his faithful and learned * Mr. A Burgesse friend once your Pastour too some of his Papers may see the light But whether we have this mercy or not you that were his Auditours and Parishioners do you live so holily so spiritually so firmely established in the Truth and especially in the Doctrine of Justification which he was almost perpetually clearing up to you that we may see his Sermons printed in your Lives That 's a blessed thing when Ministers die and their Sermons live and are made publike in the carriage of them that heard them I thought to have inserted something here concerning the suddennesse of his death upon which may be some are too forward to passe strange Interpretations And this I thought the rather to do because I understand in his own Pulpit one lately gave this as his observation that since ex tempore prayer he had observed there was more ex tempore death then ever there was before But upon second thoughts I blotted out all this as very unnecessary I shall only advertise you of one thing in order to the Sermon and I have done When I preach'd I resolv'd I would not be tedious and therefore omitted many things Here I have taken the liberty to insert them as being very necessary to the subject in hand And yet here too I have put them in with much brevity without any great enlargement lest the work should swell to too great a bulke Ne duplo te oneret minus suavis oratio si longa fuerit Bern. de confid l. 1. and so come to you rather as a Tractate then as a Sermon or rather lest it should be
when you shall come to that serious businesse you may pitch upon one who by his Doctrine and Life may build upon the same foundation upon which your worthy Pastours hitherto have done My advice may be will give offence but I hope my prayer will not I heartily pray that God will direct you herein to do that which may be most for his glory and your soules good Lastly I shall speak to you the near and dear relations of this our deceased brother you mourn you have cause to mourn we mourn with you we lament for the publike we sympathize with you for your private affliction You have lost much a dear husband a loving father but mourn not as without hope quietly submit to God who hath put this cup into your hand 1 Thess 4.13 1 Sam. 3.18 It is the Lord be silent He is gone but whither to be with God He is not but he is He is not with you but he is with Christ He is taken but God hath taken him He that gave he took say though it be hard Blessed be the Lord. If you lov'd me you would rejoyce because I go unto my Father Job 1. ult John 14.28 He is better where he is then where he was for here a poor decaying man but there a glorious triumphing Saint The Lord make up this great losse to you to the Parish to the City to the whole Church of God FINIS RICHARDVS VINES Anagramma Charus Dei Sinn UNa deest Anagrammate litera sed tibi nullus O dilecte Deo desideratur apex It 's true our Anagram doth limp a little That speaks thy blisse but it wants not a tittle William Spurstowe D.D. In memory of that eminent Servant of Christ Mr. RICHARD VINES deceased lately the learned and faithful Pastour of Lawrence Church in London Numb 13.23 A Ponderous Cluster once did give a taste Of Palestines fertility and pleasure To Zions Denizons who in the Waste Valu'd that Present as a royal treasure How fruitful was the Vine which bare that Clustre How fertile was the soile which bred that Vine How fragrant all its Vines then in their lustre Psal 16.6 How sweet a Paradise was that holy Line Their Lines I grant were faire our Lot is better Theirs but a type was of our Promis'd Land Their rich enjoyments were the bark and letter Of what we look for in the Heavenly Strand Micah 7.1 But wo is me when Vines begin to fail Whence can we Grapes expect or Cordials In howling Desert Zions Pilgrims quail At the report of Babels towering walls How many Vines of late have been transplanted From wildernesse to Paradise whose graces Whose gifts and pains we in our journey wanted Men of Seraphick principles and paces Their choice Perfections did in Thee unite As in a common Centre all the Lines Both Nature Art and Grace thy name make bright Each of them was a Vine but thou art Vines Roger Drake Pastour of Peters Cheap RICHARDUS VINES 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hic rarus Videns * 1 Sam 9.9 Agite eamus ad Videntem nam qui Propheta hodie antiquitùs vocabatur Videns HIc est ille Videns quo non est rarior alter Assertor Fidei quo non nervosior alter Malleus Haeresium quo non solertior alter Praeco Dei verbi quo non divinior alter Nec vitae absimilis voci non sanctior alter Huic plures Deus alme pares concede Videntes T. D. Ad Tumulum Viri quà m Clarissimi RICHARDI VINES Aulae Pembrochianae nuper Praefecti Malos Iambus enecat beat bonos VIator haud novum fero fero malum Diu est quod omne Triste non novum siet Jacet sepulta Veritas Sciens perit Diémque vidit ultimum Pius suum At Ilias mali sequuta tot mala In uno habemus omne Vinius cadit Malo vel ausus esse saeculo Bonus Minúsque dives esse quà m pius minus Frequenter Angliam dolere perfidam Solumque Patrium solebat O potens Fide imminente sistere à ruina At heu Ruit Columna ponderi impar impari Ad haec Sacrata Jura Numinis petens Amoris ille plenus in Deum nisi Sacrum nihil dein sapit nec appetit Quam in infimis morari obire maluit Suprema quaeritans Abit beata Mors Modis oportet hisce Episcopum mori P.V. Th. B. On his receiving the Lords Supper the day or rather some houres before his death STrange miracle Elijah's blest repast In fourty dayes brought him to God at last But stranger this Our Vines to God does go In some few houres and without fasting too And yet in me it shall no wonder move A Raven did bring that but this a Dove Delicious fare He relish'd nought beside But tasting of it lik'd it not and di'd Yet stay I 'me out for know he is not dead But after such a Supper went to bed Pet. Vink M.C. Lond. Upon the Death of so many Reverend MINISTERS of late STill we do finde black Cloth wears out the first And fruits that are the choicest keep the worst Such men so many and they die so fast They 're precious Death Oh do not make such waste Scarce have we dri'd our eyes for losse of one But in comes tidings that another's gone Oh that I had my former tears agen All but those few laid out upon my sin Had I an Helicon in either eye I have occasion now to verse them dry Triumph Licentious Age lift up thy Song Presbytery sha'n't trouble you e're long Those that tormented you before your day Are now apace removing out o' th' way Yea rather tremble England stand agast To see thy glorious Lamps go out so fast When Death like Sampson thus layes hold upon The Pillars of the Church the Building 's gone When we do see so many stars to fall Surely it boads the worlds great Funeral London look to 't and think what Heaven is doing Thy flames are coming when thy Lots are going Well may we all feare God intendeth wars When he commands home his Ambassadours That venerable Synod which of late Was made the object of mens scorne and hate For want of Copes and Miters not of Graces Are now call'd up with Moses and their faces When they return shall shine God sees it fit Such an Assembly should in glory sit The learned Twisse went first it was his right Then holy Palmer Borroughs Love Gouge White Hill Whitaker grave Gataker and Strong Perne Marshal Robinson all gone along I have not nam'd them half Their only strife Hath been of late who should first part with life Those few who yet survive sick of this Age Long to have done their parts and leave the Stage Our English Luther Vines whose death I weep Stole away and said nothing in a sleep Sweet like a Swan he preach't that day he went And for his Cordial took a Sacrament Had it but been suspected he would die
through the prevalent Intercession of our Lord and Saviour in whom we are Thy Soul-Friends and Servants SIMEON ASHE EDMUND CALAMY March 10. 1655. All Mr. VINE's Sermons are newly collected into one Volume and printed for Abel Roper at the Sun against Dunstans Church in Fleetstreet ENOCH'S WALK AND CHANGE Opened in a SERMON Preached at the FUNERAL of the Reverend Mr. RICHARD VINES GEN. 5.24 And Enoch walked with God and he was not for God took him THis Chapter is a short and yet a long History 't is called ver 1. The Book of the generations of Adam that is A Summary Description of the Genealogies Descents Life and Death of the old Patriarks who lived in the first Age or Period of the world Ushers Annal. de i. à mund aetat Nisbets Script Chronol from the Creation to the Flood which space of time consisted of 1656 years according to the general Computation of Chronologers so that the world was then just as old from the Creation to the Floud as now it is from he Incarnation of our Lord to this Age. Amongst these Ancients Enoch was one and one of the best too A Star of the first Magnitude for he stands here upon record commended for his walking with God In the Text you have him described 1. By his Holiness or good Conversation He walked with God 2 By his Happinesse or blessed Translation He was not for God took him I shall before I fall upon the matter it self premise a word or two concerning the Person For the Person Enoch know there were two of this name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joseph l. 1. c. 3. one was the son of Cain of whom you reade Gen. 4.17 And Cain knew c. and he builded a City and called the name of the City after the name of his Son Enoch which City Henochia haec conditarum urbium quotquot unquam fuerunt in or be terrarum prima antiquissima putatur Drus Enoch cap. 3. as Drusius observes was the first that ever was built in the world The other was the son of Jared of the line of Seth of whom you reade in this Chapter Gen. 5.18 And this is the Enoch the Text speaks of How long he lived the 23. verse tells us All the dayes of Enoch were 365 yeares How he lived the Text tells us as also what became of him after his thus living He walked with God and was not for God took him The New Testament also takes notice of him you have him in Lukes Genealogy Luke 3.37 Jude speaks of him in his Epistle Judas frater Jacobi parvam quidem quae de septem Catholicis est Epistolam reliquit quia de libro Henoch qui Apoeryphus est in ea assumit testimonia cum plerisque rejicitur Hier. Catal Script Eccl. the Divine Authority of which is not to be questioned because it mentions Enochs Prophesie concerning which there are so many disputes amongst the Learned no more then some of Pauls Epistles are to be questioned because therein he cites common Authors as Menander Aratus c. And Enoch also the seventh from Adam prophesied of these saying Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints Paul puts him amongst his Worthies as to faith Heb. 11.5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found because God had translated him for before his Translation he had this Testimony that he pleased God By the way Where had hee this Testimony I answer in my Text for though in the Hebrew 'tis He walked with God yet the Greek Version reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. He pleased God and the Apostle partly to honour this Translation and partly for the great use of the Greek language in that Age doth here and in some other places Vid. Capel Crit. Sacr. l. 4. leave the Hebrew and follow it yet from hence we must not inferre that their Translation is Authentick Amam Antibarb Bibl. l. 1. Err. 1. and to be preferred before the Hebrew Text. But here I digresse Not to trouble you with the impertinent ridiculous fables of the Jewish Doctors concerning this Enoch this is clear of him He was a good man and that too * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Xenoph. which adds much to his worth hee was good when the times were bad R. Salomon ait Enoch justum quidem fuisse sed mente instabili ac ad impiè agendum propensâ ac propterea Dcum celeriter ac praematuraÌ„ morte eum abstulisse Cartwr in Gen. Vixit dum vixit laudabiliter quanquam sunt qui eum insimulant levitatis inconstantiae Drus Exibilandi Hebraei qui tradunt Henoch ante tempus raptum quòd levis lubricus esset adeò non pudet eos tam aperta mendacia divinare Mâ—lvend He was like a fish that keeps his freshnesse in falt-water like a found body that 's healthfull in a pest-house the world was now overflown with a deluge of sin and was shortly to be overflown with a deluge of waters but now Enoch walked with God and he lost nothing by it for he was not God tooke him There is a future state for man distinct from this present state This is so great a truth that God would have it known in all Ages and therefore till the Word was written to reveal it God will give some visible specimens of it In the times before the flood Enoch shall be thus translated as obses testis utrinsque vitae so Tertullian in the times after the Flood Elijah shal go to Heaven in a fiery Chariot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodorus Quaest in Genes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Datâ sententiâ mortis voluit Dominus ducere homines in spem vitae quod fecit in patribus utriusque statûs scilicet Naturae Legis Gratiae Vnde in primo statu dedit spem evadendi necessitatem mortis hoc est in Henoch in Lege in Heliâ in tempore Gratiae in Christo Aquin. Videntes Habelem justum à Caino interfici potuerunt aliquâ tentatione vexari sed cum posteà pro suâ fide pietate ita Henochum assumi viderent statim judicare licuit sanctos crucem gaudia haec obituros cum utrumque haec exempla ostenderent Pet. Martyr and so both Ages are instructed in this weighty and fund amental Truth This notion I had at first from a Divine of our own But since I find others before him did touch upon it But I come to the matter here laid down Hee walked with God c. Here is the summe of mans duty and the zenith of Gods mercy Here is the morning of Grace and the mid-day of Glory Here is the work of Earth and the wages of Heaven Here is a Christians walk and rest and both with God There are two General Propositions or Doctrinal Observations that offer themselves to us from the Text. 1. Propos A true Christians
doctrine of the Saints Perseverance Heb. 3.12 Heb. 10.3 Mat. 10.22 Revel 3.11 2 Epist of Joh. 8. as now But there 's no disputing from the meteor to the fixed Star Hold on in your way do not depart from the living God If any man draw back my soule shall take no pleasure in him 'T is your perseverance that must crown all He that endureth to the end he shall be saved Recedente justitia recedat necesse es corona Cypr. de Unit. Eccl. 2 Pet. 2.21 Hold that fast which thou hast that no man take thy Crown Lose not that which ye have wrought but receive a full reward Better ye had never entred upon this walk then not to continue in it Can ye be better then in Gods wayes Are Egypts onions better then Canaans grapes Will you leave the joyes of holiness for the pleasures of sin Are you not within sight of the place of rest and will you now turn back Turpe est inextremo deficere Luk. 14.34 will you repent of your walking with God when you come to die if you leave him will you be any thing but salt that hath lâ—st its savour that 's good for nothing but to be thrown to the dunghill The Lord even God our Father so establish you that you may so walk and so run 1 Cor. 9.24 that ye may obtain I have done with the Directive part I now come to the Perswasive part to exhort and press you to this blessed walkking with God To prevail with you herein I might lay before you several Arguments drawn from the present state As First 't is the safest walking He that walks with God he 's under the Protection of Heaven nothing can hurt him He shal dwell on High his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks Isa 33.16 Psal 90.1 Iob. 5.24 He shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty His Tabernacle shal be in peace Secondly as there is safe protection so there is abundant provision in this walking with God Here 's no danger to be feared here 's no good to be wanted Psal 34.10 The young Lions do lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing Bread shall be given him his waters shall be sure Isa 33.16 Thirdly this is the sweetest walking What are all the joys of carnal men to the joyes and comforts which are to be found in an holy life Wisdoms wayes are wayes of pleasantness Prov. 3.16 Isa 64.5 and all her paths are peace Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousness those that remember thee in thy wayes Fourthly this is the most honourable and glorious walking It puts a glory upon the creature to walk with his Creatour as 't is an honour to the beggar to walk with a King Holy men are glory it selfe Vpon all the glory shall be a defence Isa 4.5 Faith puts a Glory upon the Person and Holiness upon the Life Fifthly this walking pleases God Enoch had this testimony that he pleased God Heb. 1.5 His walking with God was pleasing God I might very much enlarge upon these and such other Arguments but I pass them by and shall onely insist upon the great Motive in the text Walk with God on Earth and live with God in Heaven And he was not for God took him And so I passe from Enochs Holiness to Enochs Happiness Here I might enter upon a very large discourse from this clause but I 'le onely open the sense of the words and then shew you what there is in them to stir you up to walk with God To all the rest it s said And he died And he died but here 's a variation of the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was not c. In the Hebrew 'tis And not he for God took him Some make the words to hold out Enochs death And not he that is he died God took him that is away by a sudden and untimely death And so 't is parallel to that Gen. 42.36 Joseph is not and Simeon is not and Jer. 31.15 Rachel weeping for her Children refused to be comforted because they were not viz. they were dead and so for the other expression saith Elijah 1 Kings 19.4 It is enough now Sumpsit eum Deus i. e. mortuus est Aben-Ezra O Lord take away my life And thus the Jewish Doctors do expound the words But this is directly contrary to what we have in the New Testament Heb. 11.5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death Oleaster sayes from hence 't is probable he did not dye and Drusius with his wit would enervate the strength of the place Drus in Praef. ad Henoch Perer. de trans Enoch quaest 1. Rivet Exercit. 49. in Gen. Non erat quia non mori eum fecit Deus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuag by several evasions which he suggests but both are censured Pererius blames the one and Rivet the other In the general all the learned agree in this that Enoch did not die but that he was in an extraordinary manner translated hence so the Targum renders it God made him not to dye so the Septuagint just as you have it Heb 11.5 He was not found for God had translated him But if we come to particulars we shall find a difference betwixt the Protestant and the Popish Writers and that in two things 1. As to the Place whither he was translated 2. As to his unalterable permansion or continuance in that place whatever it is For the first the Papists say he was translated into Paradise where Adam and Eve were put in the state of their innocency There Enoch and Elias and some others are placed by God there to continue in a very happy state for some time Many of the Papists themselves do not greatly fancy this opinion for some of them do agree with us Rev. 2.7 as to Enochs Translation into to the Paradise of Heaven and others deny that that Paradise into which our first Parents were put is yet in continuance No 't was lost in the Vniversal Deluge Percr disp de Enoch But others of them are very hot upon it as Bellarmine Lessius Sextus Senensis c. And some of the Ancient Fathers are of their side Dicere Henoch Eliam non esse translatos in illum Para. disum terrestrem inibique versari est contra divinam Scripturam à fidei regulâ exorbitare Sixtus Sen. Bibl. l. 5. Annot. 36. Just Mart. Quaest resp ad Orthod in Resp ad Qu. 85. Dicunt Presbyteri qui sunt Apostolorum Discipuli eos qui translati sunt illuc translatos esse Iren. Adv. Haeres l. 5. c. 5. Justin Martyr speaks expresly the same so doth Irenaeus and some others and the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodor. Qu. in Gen. Inter. 45. rest of them generally speak modestly as being rather for a sober
to work â—pon your sorrow that now you have lost him but chiefly â—hat God may have glory in raising up such an instrument â—o rarely qualified and accomplished for his service I shall â—o it very plainly The Pearle needs no Art t is beautiful eâ—ought in its own lustre He was a burning and a shining light An Interpreter one of thousand of very great and eminent parts taller by the â—ead and shoulders then his ordinary brethren A man â—ighty in the Scriptures another Apollos in that exquisitely accomplished in all parts of Learning a perfect Master of â—he Greek tongue a good Philologer an excellent Oratour fitnesse his curious and ingenious Oration at the Funeral of â—he Noble Earle of Essex in whose affections he had a great â—â—terest He was a ready and piercing Disputant and so he â—pproved himself to admiration in those two famous Treaâ—es the one at Vxbridge the other at Newport in the Isle of â—ight He was a solid and most judicious Divine who read such and concocted what he read one who was able to give a â—eighty and pithy decision in any controverted point He â—as a notable Confuter of errours He seldome spoke to them â—ut he hit the bird in the very eye and made them die not a â—ngring but a sudden death Tit. 2.2 In the course of his Ministery â—e was highly Orthodox sound in the faith very powerful very spirituall his whole design and drift in his preaching was to clear up that great doctrine of Justification in which he was eminently studied to debase the righteousnesse of man In cordemco iste unusregnat Articulus in quem fluunt refluunt omnes mâ—ae Theologicae cogi rationes d ù noctuque Luther Isa 50.4 and to exalt the righteousnesse of Christ He was one that knew how to speak a word in season to wounded spirits There was a great * Mr. Angell of Grantham 2 Cor. 11.23 Vultis ut Do minusmeos advenier s me offendatotiosum Calvini dictum Vid. Bcz. in vitâ Calv. Pasce ve bo pasce exemplo pasce subsidio Pasce verbo praedicationis doctè place exemplo converfationis sanctè pasce subsidio charitatis piè Greg in Pastor Light who is now with God who being under a sore desertion did receive much comfort from him His diligence in his work was great in labours much in preaching much and to the last his great weaknesses could not keep him from his Masters work that which would have made some kept their beds could not keep him out of the Pulpit The day before he died being the Lords day here he preached once and administred the Lords Supper and the day he died on he was to preach a Funeral Sermon at Clements Danes As he preach'd so he liv'd by his parts he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by his graces he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what he preach'd to others he practis'd himselfe and was not like a way-mark that shews others the way but never stirs it self For his natural temper he was a man of a brave undaunted spirit Some called him Luther indeed he was another Luther he feared not the faces of any in the discharging of a good conscience In his carriage he was somewhat blunt and inobservant but not in the least proud or supercilious He was so unblameable and inoffensive that nothing can justly be charged upon him Two things I know are in the mouths of many His often removing from place to place His covetousness For the former there is no question but that in some cases a Minister may * Vid Bowles Past Evangel l. 3. c. 7. remove though herein for the avoiding of offence it concernes us to be very wary And as to his particular case I understand what his grounds were in all his removals excepting only one and am fully satisfied that his removings upon them were lawful and warrantable and so I suppose would his censurers be too if they did but rightly understand how things were with him For his covetousnesse I suppose by this time that reproach is washed off by what he hath left behinde him it abundantly appears His heart was not much in the world if it had sure there would have been more of the world in his purse 'T is not convenient to speak out particulars but this I may confidently say There path not been a Minister of any repute in this City for some yeares who died with so mean an estate as he and indeed if the truth was known they that censure him for this would rather censure him upon another account But to shut up all Take him as a Christian he was another Enoch a true Walker with God a very holy man more I can speak of none lesse I cannot speak of him Thus he was but now he is not he is gone we shall never hear him nor see his face more Oh! that 's a cutting word Acts 20.38 His life was like Enoch's life and his death very like to Enoch's Translation He died suddenly He went well to bed slept and died His death was a sleep indeed being weary and spent with his work God took him to Heaven there to give him a Cordial from the Pulpit he went to the Throne as soon as he had ended his Sabbath here he entred upon his everlasting Sabbath in glory He went warme from his work to his wages That 's a blessed thing for a Minister to be found by death about his Lords businesse His work was done he had finished his task was weary and feeble God his good Master takes him to himself crownes him with life and immortality and in stead of hard labour here calls him to that joyful work of singing forth praises and Hallelujahs to his God and Father And here we leave him God grant that hither we may follow him May be some will go home and say I have spoke too much My conscience beares me witnesse I have spoke my heart and what is the truth He was a person of so much worth that he doth go beyond all that I have spoken for I may say of him with the Comedian De quo non possum it â magnificè loqui Terent. Id virtus quin superet sua But others will say I have spoke too little that I confesse is a truth but that is my weaknesse not my fault I must answer this too with that of the Poet. Lucan Quòd si digna tuâ minus est mea pagina laude At voluisse sat est I shall crave leave to adde foure words to you my sad and serious Auditours and so I shall dismisse you I shall speak to you in a fourefold capacity As private Christians As Ministers As Parishioners As Relations First as you are private Christians and in that consideration let me hint a few things to you 1. Be deeply affected with such black Providences as this is The losse of a Minister is a great losse The death of a private