THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH OVER DEATH Or The Just Man's Memoriall Compris'd in a Panegyrick and Sermon at the Funerall of the Religious most Learned Dr. COMBAR late Master of Trinity Colledge in Cambridge and Deane of Carlile Delivered in Trinity Colledge Chappell By R.B.B.D. the 29. of March 1653. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiritus Sanctus non incolit nisi virum fortem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chry. 1 COR. 15.55 O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory LONDON Printed by J.G. for R. Royston at the Angel in Ivy-lane 1654. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE JEROME Earle of PORTLAND c. Right Honorable IT is an high prerogative of nature and priviledge of Grace when Good is annex'd to Greatness And it is better to be without this than not to be great in goodnesse But when both meet in one they make a glorious and an happy conjunction commanding by a secret power both imitation and honour Men usually honour those that are great whose natures lead them to imitate the Good My honour'd Lord though I am a stranger to your Person yet not so to your fame and though you may justly wonder at my hardy attempt in fronting this Treatise with your noble Name yet in this forward act I want not a President even the learned Austine Lib. 4. c. 14. Quem non noveram facit sed amaveram bominem ex Doctrinae fam◠c. who in his Confessions makes an acknowledgement to God of a piece of boldnesse in dedicating a Book to a great Oratour of Rome by Name Icherius whose face he had never seene However if this be objected as a crime I cannot but promise to my self your Lordships pardon especially when your Goodnesse shall reflect upon the Spring of this hasty motion It was the prevailing importunity of the dearest friends of our late reverend Deane which forced me to the Presse and put me upon this bold Dedication that so they might give to the World a cleare Expresse of their gratitude to your Lordship for your high favours to the most renowned Doctour now deceased who was a Magazen of Learning and an exact Modell of vertue a Picture of Patience and a Patterne of Devotion It addes not a little to your Lordships honour that you had relation to Him as your Tutour who ever had an high esteeme of your noble Person thus not unknown to me who know that men not rancord with envy usually love in others what they see in themselves and therefore He whom Combar loved and honourd must needs be rare and excellent My Lord all that I humbly beg is this that your Honour would grace Him now dead with your Tuition who living did adorne you with His in our Society which owes much to your Lordship in promoting Him to be Master of it who was it's happy Crown and Glory In that promotion my selfe with many others had a share and as a Testimony of a thankfull brest I humbly crave your Honours acceptance of this ensuing Worke which falls as short of the Deceased's merit as He outstripp'd the men of this proud Age in knowledge and sweetnesse of Spirit With it your Lordship has a tender of my most hearty Devotions I shall ever supplicat the Almighty that when you have finished your Course with the glory of those two Graces which are oft joynd in the * Rev. 2.19 13.10 Heb. 6.12 Scripture and like Eros and Anteros in the Fable live and die together I meane Faith and Patience you may inherit a blessing in the Land of Promise the †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Haven of everlasting rest and happinesse This is the unfained wish of Your Honours devoted Servant R. Boreman Jan. 9. 1654. EPITAPHIVM Reverendissimi Doctissimique Domi. Do ris Combar c. qui devotam Deo animam reddidit 28. Feb. 1653. postquà m annos 78. plus minus cum celebritate nominis compleverat COs priscae pietatis atque lima Sincerae Solidae Piae sed acre Novae hujus Logodaedalae Sonorae Fucatae meretriciae Flagellum Atlas Religionis Orthodoxae Tibicen fidei Columna veri Falsi Malleus haeresin retundens Retundens quoque Schisma Hypocritarum Doctrinae jubar eruditionis Fundus Fax Criticae politiorum Fons linguarum idiomatumque nidus Cunctas tam benè continens loquelas Loquelas veteres eruditas Eos quotquot habet quot Occidensque Nido scilicet adde quas ad unguem Modernas tenuit cubabat isto Chaldaeus Syrus Aethiops Arabsque Hebraeus Samarita Persa Coptus Flumen nectaris ingenî Scatebra Thesauri sed Ausonî Pelasgi Penus Flos Latialis Vmbra Tullî Athenae merae Attici Leporis Favus mellis Hymettii alveare Torrens eloquii Medulla Suadae Dicendi Veneresque Gratiaeque Sagax arbiter elegantiarum Legendi sine fine dipsas atrox Librorum helluo litterarum abyssus Aevi surculus aurei renascens Morum stella nitens in his tenebris Exemplar probitatis atque gemma In hoc stercore temporum refulgens Candor Simplicitasque Comitasque Et mista gravitas suavitate Frons jucunda decor verendus oris Iecur felle carens cor absque fuco Ingens pectoris integri serenum Musarum meliorum amor voluptas Et gentis decus dolor togatae Hoc uno partitèr facesse livor Quo Combare jaces jacent Sepulchro J. Duport Gr. Linguae Professor R. Joannis Morini Blesensis de reverendissimo decano Doctore Combar Testimonium ALius praeterea codex nempe Samaritanus celebratur dicitur esse Archiepiscopi Armachani ab eo è Palaestinâ in Hyberniam exportatus qui Leydensibus Academicis nonnullo tempore fuit commodatus Istum codicem vir clarissimus Doctissimus Thomas Combarus Anglus quem honoris officii reddendi causâ nomino cum textu Judaico verbum e verbo imo literam cum literâ maximâ diligentiâ indefesso labore comparavit differentiasque omnes juxta capitum versuum ordinem digestas ad me misit humanissime officiosissime Excerpt è Morin Animadvers in Censuram Exercitationum p. 419. Errata in concione corrigenda PAge 16. Line 29. redundant linguis p. 17. l. 21. for but read heat p. 19. l. 8. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE LIFE AND DEATH OF THE Reverend and Learned Religious Dr. COMBAR WE never read of any that were blamed for drawing too much Water out of the well of Life The saying of a learned Divine Dr. F. Neither can we possibly give too much honour to the Lord of glory and King of Saints though wee should put our inventions upon the Rack and scrue up our expressions to the highest There are many wayes and diverse meanes whereby God may be glorifyed by us but none more effectuall and powerfull to the advancement of his glory then by acknowledging with due Prayses the many eminent vertues which as so many Rivelets streame into the Soules of the Saints from the everlasting Spring of Divine Grace They glorifyed God
c. Sixthly Ipsam demum Charitatem omnium virtutum matrem inquirat Let him by a strict scrutiny and narrow search enquire into his breast and see whether that be the seat of Charity the mother of all Vertues and if he finds there the love of God and his Neighbour so rooted and settled that he could be willing to die and is ready to do any thing for God and stands in this frame and posture of mind toward man that he doth to others what he would have done to himself being of a mercifull disposition and bountifull Spirit Quisquis est hujusmodi Deum Rectorem Habitatorem esse non dubitet whosoever he be that is of this heavenly temper he may assure his Soule that it is the mansion or habitacle of God his Maker Orat. 44. I might adde to these three other markes out of Nazianzen in one of his orations where he ascribes three speciall operations to the spirit of grace 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A purifying An enflaming An elevating work or operation They whose soules are purified from fleshly lusts and worldly desires They who are zealous in Gods cause 1 Pet. 1.22 1 John 3.3 Tit. 2.4 and zealous of good works They whose soules are not only like unto fire but heat of zeal which enflames them and love to God but like fire too in that they are ever soaring and mounting upwards upon the wings of Prayer and Meditation upon the wing of contempt of things here below The Spirit of God Psal 143.5 6. Psal 119.48 Col. 3 2. that descended upon the Apostles in the likenesse of fire dwells in such Souls and at the great day the great God that rais'd up Jesus from the dead will raise up their bodies by virtue of that powerfull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Holy Spirit of grace This is the position a comfortable Thesis the second generall part of my Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall quicken c. i. e. Resuscitabit ad vitam immortalem beatam exemplo Christi capitis primogeniti mortuorum Estius ad Generall part He shall raise them to life and glory that with Christ their head and Saviour in Heaven they may be for ever happy This is the fructus inhabitantis Spiritus the blessed fruit or effect of the spirits dwelling in us which is the first particular of the last generall part of my Text which is also seconded with another and that is per quem accrescit nobis fructus by whom this happinesse of being rais'd to life eternall is derived unto us This is effected by the H. Spirit by the spirit immediatly whose instrumentall action is used by the Father and Son who likewise co-operate and concur though mediatè in this great and glorious worke of the Resurrection as is evident by the Text John 5.28 and the 5. of St. Iohn where our Saviour speaking of himselfe sayes The houre is comming in the which all that are in the Graves shall heare his voyce c. To wave all other doubts and doctrines concerning the Resurrection wherein I might enlarge my meditations I shall close all with some few short Uses by way of Application Use 1 First this Text methinks speakes to every man as Dalilah did once to Sampson Iud. 16.9 Vp for the Philistines are upon thee c. Thou hast a mortall body death is at the doore O therefore thou mud-wall of frailty be not proud whilst the Sun-shine of prosperity reflects upon thee one blast of death by a sicknesse his harbenger may blow thee into thy first dust and tumble thee with thy unrepented sins into hell one glimpse whereof in the judgement of Bellarmine were enough to make a man from a dissolute one turn Monk or which I say is better a strict Christian Think of your houses of clay your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your mortall bodies and you cannot you will not be proud or covetous Use 2 Luke 2 10. Againe methinkes this Text sounds in my delighted eare that joyfull message of the Angel to the Shepheards Fear not death O mortalls for I bring you good tidings of great joy although your bodies be crumbled into dust yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that raisd up Christ from the dead shall quicken and restore them unto life Therefore grieve not much for a friend deceased that lived in the feare of God and died in the armes of his mercy as Moses and this our deceas'd friend a second Moses did Grieve not for him who is passed from a Sea of troubles to an Haven of everlasting rest 1 Cor. 6 17. But rejoyce in this that God is your Father and Christ your Saviour that you are made one with Him by his Spirit and that by meanes of this happy union you have a communion in his merit in all the benefits of his Death and Passion whereby you are made partakers of Grace here and shall be of Glory hereafter Use 3 Againe when we read mortall this should minde us of our fraile condition that we carry corruption in our bosomes and death in our bodies as well as in our names 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 methim in the Iewes language signifies men both living dead O therefore seeing death watches for us let us watch and waite for death as holy Job did All the dayes of my appointed time will I waite Job 14.14 till my change come Wait Jugiter orando Poenitendo Benefaciendo By being frequent in prayer Pray continually 1 Thess 5 17. By repenting daily of your sins it is Repentance that turnes death into life and drives out his venome which is sin makes it a drone that it cannot hurt Thirdly waite for it by being much in duty and in the works of Charity Then mayst thou say with greater security then that heathen Phylosopher did Epictetus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let death surprise me so speaking and so doing c. Fourthly if mortall then so because of sin which stings our bodies Use 4 unto death O then expell and hate this bosom enemy let our hatred be implacable without reconciliation constant without intermission and generall without permission of our selves to live in any the least unrepented sin †Non nisi corpus condignum habero potest caput Christum Aug. Mat. 9.11 How can a dead body accord with a living head Thou deceivest thy self O man who being a rotten nominall Christian yet pretendest to be in Christ who is a sound Physitian who came to heale sin not to harbour sinners We read that he went in to sinners conversed with Publicans but sinners shall not go in to Him never be admitted into his glorious Presence I meane such sinners that delight in uncleannesse and are unwash'd from their habituall actuall pollutions Oh therefore wash ye make you clean Is 1.16 for why will ye die venture upon damnation The
in me Gal. 1.24 So S. Paul of himselfe Gal. 1. who though he styled himselfe out of the depth of humility the chiefest of sinners and the least of Saints 1 Tim. 1.15 yet in Gods esteem he was as great as the greatest of the latter and lesse then the least of the former Now to the glory of God which is the aime of my weake endeavours to the prayse of his eternall goodnesse which should be the object of yours I shall by his blessing and divine assistance discharge a duty which is patterned to us by the practice of Heathens Jewes and Christians in all ages It is to present to the view of your Meditations one of the fairest Flowers in the Garden of Gods Church one of the highest Stars in the lower Firmament whilest I embalme the memory of the late Reverend most learned and pious Saint Doctor Combar once Deane of Carlile and Master of Trinity Colledge with a just Encomium and Prayses due to his rare and transcendent perfections In the doing whereof I shall performe a double commendable worke First a duty of civility and Christianity to the dead Secondly a duty of Piety to the living whilst we stir up your devotions to an imitation of the vertues which shined in the life of the deceased 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To speake in the language of the Learned Nazianzen whose tongue the tongue that sored so high in the praise of Athanasius and St. Basil would suite well with this great worke better than mine who when I have said what I can being not able to speake enough may incurre that censure of going about or endeavouring to fit a Dwarfs shoe to a Giants foote But to hold your expectation no longer in suspence I shall lay the foundation of this structure in his Birth and Education and then lay upon it the weight of an holy Life and happy death This done refer all to your Godly imitation and so commend you to God First for his Birth We have here a Righteous Branch sprung from a righteous Stock his Father a Gentleman of an ancient extraction as appeares by a large Testimony under the hand of Clurentiaulx the King of Armes Anno 1571. In the 13. yeare of the Renouned Queene Elizabeth He lived at Shermanbury in Sussex a Southerne moderate Climate the nurse of many choyce mild tempers He was a Councellour at Law which he managed with that reputation for his justice and equity that for this together with his great Hospitality he was honoured in his generation Ecclus 44. and was one of the glories of his times He dispersed abroade and gave to the poore by which meanes he found in blessings attending him and his That pauperum fundus est faecundissimus that the seede of Almes sown in the poore mans field Aug. will be so watered with the dew of Gods Benediction that it shall spring upward even to Heaven for a reward and beare fruit downewards to bring downe a blessing upon ours here on Earth The Generation of the righteous shall be blessed Psal 12 2. Hee was indeed blessed with a numerous issue whereof this was the 12. All like so many Arrowes in the hand of a Giant which the good Gentleman their Father shot up to Heaven againe from whence they came by devoting and giving them up to God in a vertuous education to be his servants which they were as I am informed in a constant practise of Piety and Justice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They were all Gods servants This whom we now commemorate marked out to be his Chaplaine to weare the Ephod with Samuel This was the Jabez 1 Chro. 4.9 more honorable then his Brethren This the Joseph the youngest Sonne but one as Ioseph was This the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fruitfull bough Gen. 49.22 23. The Covenanters even a fruitfull bough by a Well whose branches runne over the wall At whom too the Berethites the Archers shot to their shame and his griefe but his bow abode in strength and his Armes were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob. Although he were as yee have heard the youngest Son but one by birth yet he was the eldest in life and knowledge He surpassed all survived all by which meanes he had the blessing of the first-borne no great nor small inheritance which fell unto him by descent from his first progenitours Thus the rich jewell of his learning being set in Gold shined with a greater lustre in the eyes of the Worlds minions who either despise Learning the prop of Religion and speak against it which is the marke of a foole or a prophane Julian or looke on a learned man oppressed and obscured by poverty as on a Diamond in dung as a Rose set in a Dunghill they behold and looke upon his learning with pity and disdaine Truly said the Lyrick Poet Pindarus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was verified in our most knowing Deane He was a starre that blazed in bounty to the poore at home and to the foreiners from abroade who found his heart an Inne to harbour strangers He was a starre that flamed even before and after he was torne out of his Sphere with a great lustre and glorious brightnesse He was borne 1575 on New years day the day on which our Lord Christ was circumcised He was as it were sent by God into the World for a New years gift to the Church his Spouses benefit His Life was an Epiphany his Death not without glory agreeable to the glory of that day on which he was baptized This was on the day of Epiphany in which the Magi were led to Christ by a starre The 12. Child of his Father borne and baptized on two Holydayes dedicated by the Church and observed in all ages to the honour of Christ This juncture of time This combination of days and actions did prefigure the holinesse of our deceased Saints person This glorious Starre of grace and knowledge who was both a Theopompus and an Ephorus one whose forward diligence needed a bridle as there was neede sometimes of a Spur to his meeknesse He tooke his first rise for learning in a publique Schoole at Horsham in Sussex where he met with a Master that was rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no Orbilius no Dionysius no Tyrannus but an Isocrates one of a gentle spirit not like those now a days who make their Scholars to hate the Muses by presenting them in the shapes of Fiends and Furies but one who as it seemes had as Shoolmasters should doe made a Grammar of his boyes natures and reduced them to generall rules and finding this Deodate's disposition to be ingenious and industrious He therefore applied himselfe to his milde yet agile temper with all activity and meeknesse knowing that a frowne to such a spirit would be as bad as a correction and a correction as bad as a gibbet And in all his life
nobis spiritus Deâ— efficit c. Berv. Ep. 107 Spirit that he is reconciled to God that God is his Friend his Sinnes which God hates and which makes him an enemy being pardoned whence his person is justified and God is more delighted with him because he beholds him in his Sonne Christ Jesus as cloathed with his Righteousnesse than displeased with his sinnes and daily infirmities There is more good in Christ for a godly man than there is evill in sinne against him and God would not have left this Jebusite in the Land I meane sinne in the Soule of a righteous man if notwithstanding that he could not have loved him Chamier 1 John 4.19 God loaths the sinne whilest he loves the person Et qui certus est Charitatis Dei erga se idem certus est salutis suae We love him because he loved us first Our love to God is but a reflex beame darted into our Soules from that Eternall Sonne of Love which burnes hot without wasting or the least Diminution The second worke of the Spirit as Lord in us is opus supprimens to suppresse all bad motions to sinne arising either from the corruption of our natures from the World without or the Devill about us and withall to stirre up good affections and motions to Piety and godlinesse amongst which inward motions the most principall are these First an utter dislike of sinne as sinne for that our good God is thereby displeased and offended Secondly an hungring and thirsting after Grace an eager desire above all things in the World to be at unity with God in Christ and to be reconciled unto him when we have provoked him by any hainous sin c. The third worke of the Holy Ghost in us is opus vivificans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. In Symb. Oriental Eccles. apud Epiph. ad finem Anchorati a quickning or enlivening worke It is the Spirit that quickneth Iohn 6.63 As in the first Creation God Created Light before there was life in the Creature to bring forth and multiply Gen. 1.3.14.20.24 So in our Regeneration which is a new Creation Psal 51.10 there is ever a Principle of Light infused into the Soule before we can have life or be quickned in the exercise or doing of good That spirituall light is a clear and full perswasion of Gods love to us in Christ that He is our Father and we his Children that Christ is our Saviour c. Such a strong Faith is the Adamant that nothing will breake the Palme that sinks not under the most weighty burden The Oyle that ever swimmes above the Water be this poured in never so great quantity upon it It is such a powerfull Chimist that turnes Death into Life Sorrow into joy makes riches of Poverty nay all things of nothing 2 Cor. 6.10 as having nothing yet possessing all things Lastly it turnes cold feares into warme hopes sighs and groans into triumphant and joyfull songs trembling into leaping and clapping of hands witnesse Paul and Silas in the stocks witnesse too Acts 16.25 that renownd for undanted constancy Dr. Taylor of Hadley who when he came within two miles of the place where he was executed fetched a leape or two and withall said Now lack I but two stiles and I am even at my Fathers House he meant Heaven witnesse likewise that famous Hawkes in the booke of Martyrs who being desired to give a signe whether the Fire was tolerable to be borne promised it to his friends and after all expectation was past he lift up his hands halfe burned and being on a light Fire with great rejoycing strook them three times together Whence all this from what spring were derived all these streames of strength and comfort but from a lively Faith in Christ the fruit and effect of Gods Spirit and the cause of a lively Hope of happinesse which Hope is the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril Root and Seminary of good workes and the Mother of Patience In a word it is this wonder-working Faith that quickens and revives us first in Adversity Secondly in Death Thirdly in Duty First in Adversitie Let whole troopes of trouble let Sicknesse or Poverty c. seize upon or lay seige to a righteous Soule armed with a strong affiance in the Lord Jesus it defies this Host this tormenting Regiment of Sinne and Satan it sees * Cant. 2.9 Christ behind this Mud-wall and beholds a Saviour under this †Fides larvam detrabit Christo Aug. Vizard it discernes a mercifull hand through this black Cloud the hand of a wise God and indulgent Father the Heart of a tenderly loving elder Brother who knowing the mold whereof we be made doth exactly measure out every crosse unto us and will not loade us above the strength of our weake natures whose Foundation is frailty our composition dust and ashes Therefore a faithfull Soule having an Eye to this gentle Hand he solaces himselfe with this perswasion from that Principle his Faith extracts this infallible conclusion that this trouble or crosse is not the Axe of perdition but the pruning Knife of correction that God hath given a more strict charge to the army of afflictions 2 Sam 18.5 than Davids was to Ioab and his followers Doe the young man no harme doe mine anointed no hurt c. Nay he is assured not onely of the Negative but also of the Affirmative that is not onely of this that his crosse or affliction shall not hurt him â—quin but also doe him much good Hee knowes that affliction is Gods Physick Medicina animae and so it is sanativa mali praeteriti praeservativa à malo conservativa in bono it is administred to us by our heavenly Physitian to cure us of our sinnes past by driving us to repentance to prevent sinnes to come by begetting in us humility and a carefull watchfulnesse over our wayes And lastly to preserve and keepe us in well-doing whilst God denies a man health and riches which He knowes would be to him the fâ—mes of sinne and wickednesse upon these considerations a faithfull Soule rejoyces in the crosse and triumphs in his afflictions which he entertaines with joy and embraces with thankfulnesse knowing that comfort is laid up and hid for him though for the present it be hid from him light is sown for the Righteous and that as the crosse came from Heaven Psal 97.11 so it will carry us thither upon the back or rather merits of our crucified Lord Iesus Secondly as in Adversity so in Death it selfe Faith hath a quickning vertue to support us in our encounter with that Giant with that great Goliah who defies all the Host of Infidells holds them in bondage all the dayes of their lives and makes their whole life no better than a living Death Onely Faith encounters with this Giant and grapples with him as a vanquished underling insulting over him as much as he doth over the
Motto which was in Julian's crest may well be fitted and applied to every sinfull man It was an Eagle shot through with a dart feather'd with a quill taken out of his own wing Thus an impenitent sinner suffers that to nest in his bosome which is his deadliest enemy will prove his murtherer and bring him to eternall perdition c. Fifthly when we consider our bodies mortality This should Use 5 teach us patience because deaths cup is inevitable and by God appointed for all men to tast of Heb. 9. statutum est c. Heb. 9.27 It is a statute Law that is unalterable and cannot be repealed Let us then do that willingly which must once be done by us of necessity Death is but the pulling down of a ruinous rotten Cottage and erecting instead of it a glorious Palace Who will repine at this change but he that loves his fetters which speakes him guilty of folly and madnesse O then feare not Death in your selves nor lament this happy change in others They betray their faith forfeit their Christianity who for their friends departed grieve immoderatly 1 Thess 4.13 Sorrow not as those do that have no hope c. It is observed that the Aegyptians mourned for Jacob threescore and ten days Gen. 50.3.10 Ioseph but seven Gen. 50. Thus where and in whom there is more of faith in the promises there is lesse of griefe for the losse of our dearest and nearest alliances Use 6 Lastly the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shall quicken c. in my Text puts us in minde of a substantiall maine duty which will quite abolish and take away the feare of death from us It is that which is one of the ends of our redemption Luke 1.71 it is to live holily holinesse in this life takes hold on happiness This is holiness with its consummatum est Holiness compleated as holiness is happiness in the bud or initiated Without holiness no man shall see the Lord. It is a piece or part of the new man Eph. 4.24 Holiness to the Lord was the superscription of the high Priests Mitre Exod. 39.30 It implies a freedom from carnality and all earthly mindedness together with a giving up our selves wholy to Gods service It is that which S. Paul earnestly prayes to God to infuse into the Thessalonians 1 Thess 3.13 It is the beginning and pledg of eternall life 1 Pet. 1.15 16. Be ye therefore holy as the Lord of life our God is holy To conclude he that lives well will not be unwilling or afraid to die Aug. Nihil est in morte quod metuamus si nihil timendū in vitâ committimus Aristippus told the saylours who wondred why he was not as well as they afraid in a storm That the odds was much between him and them You said he feare the torments of a wicked life after your dissolution but I expect the rewards of a good one The vertues of a well-lead life do much facilitate and sweeten death Eph. 1.13 4.30 having the Seale of the Spirit which I pray God to bestow where it is wanting and increase where it is having this Seal of Grace in us we may be sure of our everlasting inheritance in the Heavens Aug. Selil c. 35 Vbi erit quicquid voles non erit quicquid noles Vbi erit vita vitalis dulcis amabilis ubi non erit hostis impugnans nec ulla illecebra sed summa secura tranquilitas tranquilla jucunditas Jucunda faelicitas faelix aeternitas aeterna beatitudo beata Trinitas Trinitatis unitas unitatis Deitas Deitatis beata visio quae est gaudium Domini Into which joy of our Lord may we all enter through the Merits of our Saviour and Lord Christ Iesus To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be ascribed all Adoration Honour Power and Praise c. Amen
under that Master he had but once a Taste of that bitter Cup which was to him as sharpe as death so great was his industy attended with a rare and stupendious memory which Plato calls the Mother of the Muses Thesaurus eloquentiae so it is termed by Rhodigin Venter animae so Austine that which receives containes and digests all the Soules notions It hath if good and dextrous two speciall properties facilè percipere diu retinere which were in our deceased friend rarely excellent The conjunction of two such Planets in his youth did presage much good unto him that he would be eminently for learning famous His learning was so great that as Seneca saith of himselfe Non ad usum modò sufficeret sed ad miraculum procederet He being able at eight yeares after the first and second reading to repeate a great number of Verses and to confirme the truth of this we had many an instance in his old age when he did often to the admiration of his hearers produce what he had treasured up in his youth out of Poets Historians Oratours and others so readily with that quicknesse that he plainly convinced Pliny of a mistake in this when he sayes speaking of memory ex omnibus animae partibus est maximè delicata fragilis in quam primum incurrit Senectus His memory lasted even till death when he that seldome or never forgate himselfe did devoutly remember God as hereafter shall be shewed By the strength of this rare gift having stored his soule with that knowledge being furnished with those parts which fitted him for the Vniversity This slip of grace was planted in our Society made famous by him as it uses to credit others He was at the age of foureteen when he came hither where he was commended by the Wisdome of his friends to the Tuition of a Gentleman then famed for his exemplary life one Mr. Tichborne under whose care and councell this Plant being watered with Heavens blessings shot up in a short time to that perfection that he grew as fast and as high in admiration being furnished before he was Bachellour besides his knowledge in the Arts and Sciences with a competent skill in the three Mother Languages the onely Key to let a soule into the Treasury of the Holy Scriptures Had you beheld his course in this quadrennium of his studies you would have seene an exact modell of a juvenis Academicus not short of that which we finde penned by Campian He shunned idlenesse as the common sewer that takes in all temptations and the poole that holds in all corruption The Devills pillow where he lies and his bed where he conceives and brings forth all kinde of wickednesse He did as S. Hierome reports of himselfe he ever found something to do that the Devill might never finde him at leisure for his service He begun his study with supplication to the God of grace and ended it with thanksgiving and what is written in the life of St. Bernard might well be said of him Vt legeret intelligendi fecit cupiditas ut intelligeret oratio impetravit ut inepetraret quid nisi vitae sanctitas promeruit Sic cupiat sic oret sic vivat qui se proficere desiderat An eager desire of knowledge was a spur to his great industry in reading and by prayer he attained to an high degree of knowledge and measure of understanding which adorned with an holy life made him renown'd in his generation He surely put in practice what he used to repeate to others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Had he spent six houres of the day in dressing and combing his soule had not beene polished with piety or decked with the gems of learning He well understood as he was of a most heavenly spirit that what Chrysostome affirmes is most true Chrys in Genesin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ever went together being never asunder when the body is pampered the soule is commonly starved when too much care of dressing that is used the soule is usually left naked and when the casket is too much regarded the jewell is too much neglected and the adding of too much beauty to the body breedes deformity in the Soule Being now by his great study and constant industry become scientiae virtutis domicilium one in whom much knowledge inhabited and vertue it selfe had taken up her lodging Thus shining in the eye of the Society with a great beginning which was varnished with the hope of a greater ending he was made fellow by the famous Dr. Nevel in an other great worke a benefactour to our Colledge in this a true founder by his choyce of so worthy a member laying as it were a sure foundation on which was built a vast Fabrick of learning which propagates by example one Scholler begetting another as one lights his Candle at the Candle of his Neighbour He conceived that a Fellowship and ignorance especially if debauched with loosenesse either in life or opinions are asustats as inconsistent as light and darknesse That a Fellow of a Colledge should not be like that fellow in Lycophron A Fellow of a Colledge what he ought to be by Name Nauplius who hung out a false light to the deceived Graecians ruine who were thereby led to quick-sands and fell upon Rocks but like a Standard-bearer in an Army holding forth in the Banner of his person the insignia of a painfull life joyned with holinesse and sobriety after which the younger sort may march in an exact conformity to His who by this meanes proves with safety and honour a Father though a fellow begetting to use St. Pauls phrase by his example Sons to learning and Souls to piety Thus did this great Antesignanus in all kinde of knowledge This Primipilus in sobriety and temperance This Signifer in industry and unwearied patience when he was shut up in his study he was looked upon being much in the then Scholars thoughts for admiration Seneca sayes Et magnum est quod à sapiente viro vel tacente proficias when hee was silent hee spake much his good life was a large Comment upon the word and a perpetuall Sermon Oh let me rather so Preach then talke or rather babble and do nothing Bona vita est perpetua oratio Thus he ever taught even when he was out of the Pulpit to which he was no stranger as is evident by his oft visits of Carlile and Worpesden in Surrey where he discharged his duty and satisfyed his conscience so oft as he could be dispenced with for absence from the Colledge where I have often heard him teach with that meeknesse and gravity as that his very looke was able to confute an Heresy And when he was upon another Text and amongst many upon that which I remember He that soweth sparingly shall reape sparingly 2 Cor. 9.6 Me thought his silent gesture composed even to a smiling sweetnesse made another Sermon and taught us this lesson Learne of
did in Calvin who had the Gowte a Feaver and Cholick all at one time But let us admire our Deare Friends invincible patience when he was as it were upon the Rack of torment my selfe then with others demanding by way of tryall how he did His constant reply was very well I thanke God Indeed he could not but be very well who had God for his Father Christ his Saviour and the Holy Ghost his Comforter whose Temple and house his soule and body was He had so resigned up his will to the Will of God which is the height of perfection that whatsoever God did and whatsoever He suffered he alwayes embraced as good Hee embraced his crosse and looked upon his troubles as the lot of Gods Children the Physick of the soule the Pledge of Divine love the badge of his Profession the Tryall of his Faith the exercise of his Patience the Testimony of his constancy the incentive of his Devotion and the Marke of his conformity with Christ his Head To whom that hee might by a closer Union be joyned now that his Soule was drawing towards Heaven he desired to receive his Viaticum that Heavenly Foode which might as it did strengthen his Spirit in its long journey to Eternity That which is a Sacrament as of thankfull Commemoration so of Confirmation for that it confirmes our Faith that Christ is and will be in all respects to our souls I had rather say to our persons what the Bread and Wine is to our Bodies Had you beene present and seene with what flaming devotion with what burning Affections and holy Reverence he received that holy Foode the Seale of his Pardon That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignatius when in a cold frosty morning being the Lords Day hee tooke off all his Caps and sat up in his Bed Bare-headed in honour to his dread Soveraigne the King of Heaven his Lord Jesus exhibited as Crucified in that Sacrament for our sinnes Had you but seene this and heard the Heavenly expressions that fell from his Lips you would have concluded that as he was a rare Saint so a most worthy Receiver and that they who contemne this Sacrament cannot be Saints Having thus got faster hold on Christ and grasping his Saviour in the Armes of his Faith and Thankefulnesse Luke 2.29 Hee ever after sang old Simeons Song Domine nunc Dimittis c. Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace He longed after his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee desired to be released from his Prison the body is no more to the soule Hee often wished to be dissolved and to be admitted to a neerer familiarity with Christ And having sent from the Chamber where he lay sick many messages to his Wifes aged Parents wishing them and another almost as aged in this Towne to prepare themselves for their Death which was approaching having discharged this last great act of Charity declaring thereby that he was loth to goe to Heaven alone To be happy without company Hee suggested this more than once to his beloved Consort that when shee saw him close his Eyes shee should not be troubled but conceive that hee was asleepe Death was no more to him which was entertained with moving of his Lips and lifting up of his Hands to Heaven even when hee could not stirre nor speake His Body after many Toiles and Travells in Gods Service is now asleepe for a time but his Soule is awake in Heaven Wearing the Crowne of Perseverance and Singing with the Heavenly Chorus of Saints and Angells a Triumphant Hymne to the Lambe Christ Jesus Sitting upon a Golden Throne who will at the great Day raise up his Body from its long sleepe by vertue of that Spirit which Raised up Christ from the Dead and dwelled in a ful measure in the Soul of this our late Reverend Learned Master who me thinks does bespeake us on Earth from Heaven in the words of S. Paul Eph. 5.1 Be ye followers of me as I was of the Lord Jesus in Faith and Love in Humility and Patience Weep not for me but turn your Tears into practice of my Vertues Judg. 9.48 As yee have seen me do so do ye likewise Thus if we do in a strict and holy conformity we shall be happy as He is and partake with him of Glory Trin-unî Deo Laus Gloria Amen THE TRIUMPH OF FAITH over DEATH ROMANS 8.11 If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall Bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you IT is a true saying of Athenagoras Lib. de Resurrect that Christian Philosopher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is no Truth though never so ancient and grounded upon the Word but hath a lie attending and cleaving fast unto it which must not be understood of the nature of Truth it selfe that Virgin Daughter of Almighty God but to the malice of the Devill and to the madnesse of Heretickes and others his instruments that do corrupt and blast it It is a Principle all the World over except among Atheists that omne verum est à Deo omne falsum à Diabolo omnis error ab homine All Truth is from God as the prime authour of it all falsity from the Devill all errour from man The last goes alwayes under the vizard of the first i.e. errour under the mask of Truth But the Second i. e. falshood confronts Truth to the face and stands in open defiance of it So bold and daring are Hereticks that they have in their audacious writings strook at the very Essence Power Mercy Truth and Justice of God of this latter sort are they who deny the Resurrection 1 Tim. 2.18 they strike at Gods Power and overthrow his other Attributes as Wisdome Truth and Justice Thus did Hymenaeus and Philetus Men given up to carnall delights as their Name imports The like did the Valentinians who asserted most falsly that Christ redeemed onely our Soules and not our Bodies and so contenting themselves with vaine Phantastike Speculations they slighted all good works as unprofitable and of no use living in the meane while in all lewd profanesse Crames Aâ—b And no marvell Nam qui Resurrectionem carnis non credit quid ille boni credat aut faciat He that believes not the Resurrection of the Flesh after Death what good can be expected to be done by him in this Life To these we may adde the Manichees who rejected the Resurrection as fabulous and maintained that our Soules should be saved without our Bodies What will not Men dare say who reject the Scriptures A blushing shame would have stained their Consciences and a recantation of their errour seiz'd on their Tongues had they but read and believed that portion of Gods Word which I have now read unto you If the spirit c. He shall quicken or restore to Life your mortall and dead Bodies which now
whilst you live may truly be said to be dead because they have the Seale of Death as it were stampt upon them being by reason of sinne Aug. lib. 1. de peccatorum meritis c. 4. mortis necessitati facta obnoxia ut quasi jam habeantur dicantur mortua So St. Augustine where he affirmes against the Pelagians and Philosophers that if man had not sinned he should not have died out of any necessity of nature as they maintained and with them Eugubinus upon the second of Genesis Against these we must assert with the forenamed learned Father Corpus mortale non moriturum si nimirum in Innocentiâ persisteret nunc autem post peccatune mortuum Aug. Ibid. That man before the fall had a mortall body yet so that he should not have died if he had persisted in innocency but now being wounded by sin it is a dead body and fraile Man a composition of Sinne Death and Misery The Text doth branch it selfe into these two Generalls First Suppositio Secondly Positio a Supposition and a Position or positive assertion If the Spirit c. Here is the Supposition He shall quicken c. This the Position In the first Generall I shall unfold or open these foure particulars First Quis. Secondly Cujus Thirdly Quare Fourthly Quid. Who this Spirit is Whose Why called Spirit and what is meant by his dwelling in us If the Spirit of Him c. In the second Generall observe with me these two parts First Quis fructus inhabitantis spiritus The fruit or benefit of the Spirits dwelling in us Secondly quomodo aut per quem accrescit nobis How or by whom it is derived and conveyed unto us our mortall or dead bodies shall be quickned or raised to life by the power and efficacy of the same Blessed Spirit He that raised up Christ from the dead c. I shall lead your Meditations through these six stages and begin First with the Quis who this spirit is And whilst I undertake this and my next laborious task I shall implore that holy spirit in the words of Divine Nazianzen Orat. de Spir. San 1. defending the Deity of the Holy Ghost against the Macedonians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. First by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit in my Text we must not understand with the Macedonians and Socinians who joyne issue in their impious Heresies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as it is in the Socinian Catechisme virtutem ceu efficaciam quâ homines fideles sanctificantur Divinis usibus consecrantur A bare action efficacy or power of God in the Hearts of Men sanctifying their natures and consecrating them to Divine uses This was the cursed Opinion of Samosatenus concurring herein with the forenamed Hereticks but by the spirit you must conceive the third person of the glorious Trinity who with the Father and the Sonne is the same in the Essence of the * 〈…〉 3 Deity and most powerfull dignity And therefore the Scholemen conclude that this Holy spirit is the Third Person Non gradu sed ordine The third in order not degree the third non naturae diversitate aut Majestatis inaequalitate sed susistendi ordine because He is equall to the Father and the Son as in Being or Nature so in Power and Majesty Revel 22.1 We reade in the Apocalyps that St. John saw in a Vision a pure River of living Water or water of life cleare as Christall proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lambe that pure River of living water what is it sayes Justin Martyr but the everliving most pure and loving spirit John 7.30 who is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 living Water John 7. and proceeds after an ineffable manner from God the Father and the Sonne Aug. who is Agnus et Leo a Lamb and a Lyon a gentle Lambe to the Saints and a feirce Lyon to his Enemies This forenamed Justin Martyr adds and sayes As a River is of the same nature with the fountaine from which it proceeds so the Holy Ghost doth so proceed from the Father and the Sonne that He partakes of the same nature and Essence with them as is evident first by all those Divine properties which are ascribed to Him equally with the Father and the Sonne viz. Gen. 1.2 Psal 139.7 1 Cor. 2.10 Psal 33.6 Es 61.1 1 Cor. 12.4.12 Eternity Omnipresence and Omniscience Secondly by his Divine workes as Creation the mission or sending of Christ The gifts of Tongues and Miracles There are diversities of gifts but the same spirit To another is given the working of Miracles c. All these things worketh that one and the selfe same spirit 2 Part. This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The consubstantiality of the Holy Ghost with the other two Persons is confirmed by the next which is the second particular of my Text the Cujus Him If the spirit of Him c. Him that is the Father and the Sonne as God who by the power of the God-head raised himselfe as Man Hee was quickned by the spirit 1. Pet. 3 1◠that is by the strength or vertue of the God-head 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Theophylact The Holy Ghost is said to be the spirit of the Father and the Sonne because he proceeds from both which is an Article of our Creed The manner of which procession if I should goe about to declare out of the Fathers Schoolemen and other Moderne Writers I might either speake and not be understood or seeme not to understand what I speake their termes are so obscure and the modus of it so difficult Onely this I shall commend to your better understandings thus much you must know and believe against the Pneumatomachists that this Procession of the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Sonne denotes his Communion with both in the Essence or Substance of the Deity that he is as Beza observes from this place Verus deus a true Consubstantiall God who together with the Father and the Sonne as it is in the Athanasian Creed is for ever to be worshipped and glorified As for those Racovian Hereticks the Socinians in Poland and their English followers the Crellianists who maintaine the contrary Coriolan Epit. Concil I heartily wish they may not finde in their Soules and Bodies the weight of that heavy curse in the * This councell was held under Pelagius the second 589. Toletan Councell pronounced against the Adversaries of the Holy Ghost it is this Quicunque spiritum sanctum non credit aut non crediderit a Patre Filio procedere eumque non dixerit co-eternum esse Patri Filio Co-essentialem Anathema sit i. e. Whosoever doth not or shall not hereafter believe that the Holy Ghost proceedes from the Father and the Sonne and shall not say he is Co-eternall and Co-essentiall with the Father and the Sonne let him be accursed The third Particular proposed 3. Part.