see in our people Well there is no remedy we are borne to dye sorrow will not helpe it a good plausible ground for patience in Reason But know we religious patience hath another ground Psal 39. I was dumbe saith Dauid and opened not my mouth why because thou O Lord didst it This is Christian patience to moderate our affections vpon this ground because we know it is the Lord that doth it and death of friends betides vs by Gods appointment It is appoynted to all men once to dye Vse 3 There are sundry other vses inferred by Gods spirit vpon this doctrine that God hath appointed our death Iob hauing at large treated of this point thus inferres for his owne vse seeing God hath numbered my dayes and determined the number of my moneths decreed my death and dissolution Therefore all the dayes of mine appoynted time will I waite a Iob. 14.14 vntill my change shall come his meaning is that his whole life should be nothing but a Continuall meditation of death Our people haue taken vp an euill by word when they will expresse their vtter and extreme forgetfulnesse of a thing not thought of they vse this comparison I thought as little of it as of my dying day Alas and is that dying day of all things least thought of Haue we not euery day spectacles of our Mortalitie and carrie we not in our bosomes the principles of our dissolution how comes it to passe then that the day of death should be of all things least thought of and farthest out of remembrance and yet it is too true as appeares by those long hopes wee promise to our selues Almost no man so old or so diseased but hee thinkes hee may draw on one yeare longer A dangerous dreame as euer Sathan could send vpon men taking away all care of preparation and opening a gappe to all dissolutenesse of life and Conuersation take we heed of it Vse 4 I might also hence inferre as our Sauiour doth b Ioh. 9.4 that while the day lasts wee should worke the workes of God because there comes a night when as no man can worke He alludes to the Câ—â—tome and vse of men as Dauid hath expressed it in the Psalme the sunne ariseth c. Man goeth out to his worke and to his labour vntill the Euening at night when darkenesse hath couered all things he retires him to his rest because he wants day light to direct him in working So is the terme of euery mans nâ—turall life God hath giuen it to the sons of Men that therein they should worke things pleasing vnto God Whiles this day lasteth worke we the workes of God There comes a night vpon vs that couers all with darkenesse and leaues no time for men to worke in Therefore sayd the Apostle while we haue time a Gal. 6. let vs do good and Salomon b Eccl. 9.10 whatsoeuer thine hand shall find to do do it with all thy power for there is neither worke nor inuention nor knowledge nor wisdome in the graue whither thou goest Proceede we to the second thing the subiect of death Men i. all men If any shall obiect that Enoch and Elias were translated that they should not see death and that Gods Children suruiuing at the day of iudgement shall not sleepe but shall be changed 1. Thes 4. Let him consider first that Extraordinaria non euertunt regulam a few extraordinary instances impeach not the course of generall ordinances And howsoeuer the suruiuers at the last day shall not suffer death as it is a seperation of the soule and the body yet as it puts an end to this animall life they may be sayd after a sort to dye at least this change is vnto them insteed of death or lastly the Apostle here speakes of the ordinary course as it is now stablished amongst men by the appointment of God Now mankind in Scripture are all ranged into these two ranckes Elect and Reprobate Beleeuers and Vnbeleeuers And of both sorts it is true that the Apostle here speakes it is appoynted vnto them all once to dye Now because it may seeme strange that Gods Children freed by Christ from the whâ—â—e curse of the Law should yet be subiect to a necessity of dying it shall not be amisse a little to enquire the reasons of this Gods ordinance in respect of his Children Papists as appeares in all their tracts of Purgatory vsually thus explaine it that Gods Children must therefore dye because by Christ they are freed from none but eternall punishments due for their sinnes As for temporall iudgements as sicknesses Death c. They still remaine vnto vs in the nature of punishments by suffering whereof we must expiate our veniall sinnes as they terme them And therfore it is their constant Doctrine that Christ hath satisfied for none but sinnes mortall freed vs from no punishment but Euerlasting there is a remainder of satisfaction left for vs whereby Gods iustice and wrath must by vs be appeased Now the Apostle a Gal. 3.13 hath taught vs that Christ hath redeemed vs from the Curse of the Law i. from the whole Curse due for our sinnes And who can read Deut. 28. but he must acknowledge bodily sufferinges to be a part of our Curse Isay teacheth Chap 53. that the Chastisement of our peace was laid vpon Christ i. the Chastisement whereby our peace and reconcilement with God was perfectly wrought And the Apostle a Heb. 10.11.14 affirmes that Christ by his one offering of himselfe hath perfected foreuer them that be Sanctified Yea take wee but euen Popish concessions in this kinde they grant that Christ hath deliuered vs perfectly from the guilt of our sinnes Now the guilt is nothing but a Consequent of sinne wherby we stand in account as sinners and are liable to punishment for our offences Now then hath Christ perfectly freed vs from the guilt of our sinnes then stand we as innocent in the sight of God and are reputed of God for Christes sake as if wee had neuer commited our sinnes therefore also are freed from subiection vnto punishment For shall wee say the Lord punisheth a man guiltlesse farre be it from the iust God to punish the guiltlesse as the guilty the guilt is remoued therefore all punishment But wee see these temporall paines and death it selfe remaines to Gods Children after iustification Obiect It is true Sol. the things remaine the same for substance but their habit vse condition is altered They remaine not in the nature of punishments properly so called for they tend not to satisfaction of Iustice nor as parts of the Curse from which Christ hath freed vs but temporall paines remaine as preuentions as admonitions as restrainements as instructions as nurturings as reducements as abatements of Corruption Death not as the wages of sinne to Gods Children nor as a part of the Curse but as the period of misery and a gate into heauenly happinesse But leauing them
wrath I would to God it were seriously meditated amongst our people that the multitude were not still transported with that fury of Atheisme to think sinnes excusable their sinnes no sinnes because they sort in the euent with the secret appointments of Gods counsell Generally yee may obserue sinnes fathered vpon prouidence which are damned in Gods word and haue no other cause but the malice of the committers Fate and fortune Christians heathenishly cry out of and God made Authour of that whereof he is vltor Theeues and murtherers and bloudy Traytours when vengeance seizeth on them blame destinie or Planets or harder fortune as well their sinnes as their vengeance are resolued to God as to their first Cause Yet Dauid taught vs that God is not a God that willeth iniquitie And S. Iames God cannot be tempted with euill neither tempteth he any man Our Sauiour points vs to the truest fountaine of all vitious euills Out of the heart come Adulteries murthers thefts blasphemies or if there be any thing else that naught is And Iames Euery man is tempted of his owne concupiscence being thereby drawne away and intised And though it be true God hath his action euen in euill his action I meane as Damescene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of permission yet workes he not therin by way of impression or inclination He determines to permit the sinner to the Swinge of his owne corrupt heart to suffer his doing of that euill whereto he is selfely inclined and to order it to his Glory Neither may any quarell that he restraines or reformes not First God is Agens liberrimum not bound to his creature secondly bonds he hath giuen vs sufficient to restraine from euill First His law secondly his threatened vengeance thirdly our own Conscience A threefold Cord is not easily broken yet the vitious heart of man findes meanes enough to breake these bonds asunder to cast away these Cords from them And which passeth all measure of impietie looke if not for recompense from God yet for excuse with him because they fulfilled his secret appointments Had Zimri peace that slue his Master yet accomplished he the secret appointment of God Actions are neuer regular till they sute with Precept howsoeuer congruent they may be to Gods secret ordinance The application of all to Iehu remaines Let Iehu therfore beware like Trayterous attempts least happily he tast like vengeance of God How followes the Argument from one particular to another from one instance to the generalitie of murtherous Traytors Must Iehu all Traitours expect so dreadfull death because such was Zimries fate Behold how many miscreants see we prosper in euill how rare are examples of Gods visible vengeance At this stone how many soules stumble how many haue so stumbled that they haue fallen into the neathermost Hell To see Gods patient forbearance of many in like sinnes so rare particulars culled out to be ensamples Confessedly wonderfull is Gods patience his tolerance great of many vessels of wrath prepared to destruction Diuines giue reasons of it Therefore saith Austin some are here punished that we may know there is a prouidence taking notice of all Therefore not all that we may beleeue there is a iudgement to come And haue we not seene worst men become Parents of holiest Children That Ahaz matchlesse for impietie was father yet to good Hezekiah And out of Ammon a reuolt from his fathers pietie issued Iosiah peerelesse for piety amongst the Kings of Israel and Iudah Pregnancie after humane equitie respits the death of the most notorious amongst women Iustice wisely considers it sauours much of iniurie to make the innocent Infant abortiue for the sinne of the mother and hopefully presumes the childe may be instrument of good to the common-wealth if mans forbearance on such occasions be thought sutable to Iustice why not Gods much more to like intentions 3 There is an height and full measure of sinning whereto prouidence will haue miscreants ascend before the last vengeance sweepes them away fill vp the measure of your iniquitie sayd our Sauiour to Iewes that on you may come the bloud of Prophets the wickednesse of Amorites is not yet full therefore their vengeance hath foure hundred yeares respit Yet what if we say no man sinnes without his vengeance there is inseparably accident to the transient act of sinne a threefold mischiefe 1. Macula 2. Reatus 3. Poena the staine the guilt and the punishment properlie so called yet the staine and guilt haue in them penaltie First The soule is blemished the eximious pulchritude thereof defiled Secondly Conscience trembles at the guilt and obligation to punishment before other extremities fall vpon the sense so that Plutarchs obseruation was as true as elegant As malefactours in the Roman Empire had this as part of their punishment to beare their Crosse to the place of execution so beares euery sinner his Crosse his torture while he is but in viâ ad extremum supplicium Lastly as in blessings promised to obedience God sometimes deales by way of exchange so in punishments exchanging bodily for spirituall insteed of death or famine or the sword sends horrour of Conscience and astonishment of heart so that they become as Pashur terrors and no lesse then burthens to themselues or obstinacie of will and hardnesse of heart that they may neuer repent but be eternally damned that had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse But to the point First the old saying is what betides any one may befall euery one Let all sinners tremble at any sinners vengeance It may be their fate that hath befallen another Secondly the Argument well followes from a particular to the generalitie where is like reason of all The cause of vengeance is alike in al And in such singulars for the paritie of the sinne may well be expected equalitie of vengeance So farre therefore the inference is current Yet its true her application is erroneous to the person of Iehu Iehu is not as Zimri a subiect but now an annoynâ—ed King Gods selected minister to take vengeance of the house of Achab comes with commission from the great Lawgiuer to this seeming breach of the generall precept his fact is not as Zimries treason but obedience in respect of the speciall warrant and command of God giuen vnto him Ly dispensations or exemptions in matters of this Nature that is a question which popish spirits easily on any occasion apprehend and are readie to inferre that as the great Lawgiuer to Ehud and Iehu so his vice-gerent on earth may giue indulgence and dispensation in such moralities Ans It hath anciently bin questioned in Schooles whether morall precepts be dispensable by authoritie of God himselfe and was neuer but with cautionate distinction affirmed But that man should dispense with Gods morall commandes hath rarely bin disputed neuer till of late by any determined The greatest flatterers of Popish pride and ambition anciently thus resolued Papa etsi sit super omne Ius purè positivum yet is
let vs see for what ends the Lord hath appointed death for his owne Children One is the abolishing of the reliques of sinne that euen after regeneration sticke in vs. By a wonderfull wisedome God hath ordained that during the dwelling of the soule in the body there shall be also a dwelling of sinne in our mortall body partly to exercise vs by resisting the assaults thereof partly to shew vs from how great a bondage Christ hath deliuered vs But by death hee puts an end to sinne in respect of all practice and inhabitation Through enuy of the deuill sinne entred into the world and death by sinne Through the wisedome of God death puts an end to sinning And this is one end of this appointment of God A second is to put an end to the sensible miseries of this life for as there continues a remanent of the old Adam euen after grace so some portion of afflictions still remaynes to Gods Children not as Papists teach for satisfaction but partly to giue vs a taste of those miseries from which Christ hath freed vs partly to tame and subdue Corruption partly to conforme to the Image of Christ Now death brings an end to all sensible euills And for this cause also hath God prouided death as a remedy lest too long endurance of euills should ouercome our patience Thirdly that the soule might be admitted into the presence of God which made Paul desire a Phil 1.23 to be dissolued because he knew his soule should persently be admitted into the presence of Christ Vse 1 Now seeing God for these good ends hath ordained the death of his Saints methinkes it should teach vs contentment at least if not reioycing in the death of all those that dye in the Lord. And surely if any man haue knowne and felt the misery of subiection vnto his sinnes the strong rebellion of Corruption against grace I doubt not but hee is thus minded that in that respect he would change conditions with the meanest of Gods Saints that haue dyed in the Lord. And therefore well is it with the dead they rest from their labours their workes follow them and which is not the least blessing they are freed from the miserable bondage to Corruption Now as touching the wicked the Reason of their dying is because death is to them a part of the Curse due to their sinnes and there must be an end put to their pleasures in sinning a bringing of their soules to those vnsufferable torments God hath prouided for impenitent sinners And therefore I wonder not Vse if as the wise man speaketh the very remembrance of death bee bitter vnto them it is their iudgement their Curse the end of reioycing the very suburbes and gate that leades into Hell See we now the last thing .i. the consequent of death After that comes the iudgement I hope I shall not need to vse many words amongst vs Christians to euidence this truth being so plentifully taught in Scripture consented vnto by the Heathen testified by our conscience euidenced by particular iudgements The Scriptures are plentifull in this point how often occurre these and the like sayings God shall bring euery worke vnto iudgement with euery a Ecles 12. vlt. secret thing whether it be good or euill We must all appeare before the b 2 Cor. 5.10 iudgement seate of Christ that euery one may receiue the things he hath done in his body whether they be good or euill The Heathen had their tribunall after death and Aeacus Minos and Rhadamanthus presidents of proceedings therein Yea aske but the Conscience of the vilest Athiest it will be a thousand witnesses of this truth how often are they filled with vnspeakeable horrours especially in death wherefore but because they know there is a iudgement that followes it See but particular iudgements which are as praludia iudicij vniuersalis the ouerthrow of Sodom the deluge of the old world particular iudgements on particular persons what else doe they testifie but a iudgement to come some sinnes are here punished that wee might know there is a prouidence and a iudge that takes notice not all here punished that wee might expect a greater iudgement to come Yea that very Confusion of things as they terme it which some haue brought as an argument to ouerthrow both prouidence and iudgement viz the present prosperity of the wicked and the afflicted estate of Gods Children it is argument sufficient in Pauls diuinity to proue a iudgement to come c 2. Thes 1.4.5 The present persecutions of Gods children are an euident Demonstration of a iudgement to come and Salomon d Eccle. 3.16.17 before him in his suruiew of vanities I saw sayth he a place of iudgement and â—oe there was wickednesse a place of Iustice and behold iniquity what inferres he therefore no prouidence therfore no iudgement to come Nay but the contrary I sayd in my heart surely God will iudge the iust and vniust for a time there is for euery purpose and for euery worke See we a little what this iudgement importes Iudgement implies three things First Examination and withall discouerie of euery mans workes whether they be a Eccl. 12. vlt. good or euill then b 1 Cor. 4.5 come your close and secret adulteries then your priuie and coloured bribery then your hypocrisie then your euery euill worke to be scanned and examined The c Apoc. â—0 12 bookes are opened first of Gods d Mal. 3.16 remembrance wherein are registred euery of our sinnes euen to an e Math. 12.36 idle word secondly of our owne Conscience which serues to bring in records against vs of all our vngodly deedes which wee haue vngodlily committed Secondly After Examination followes sentence giuing First of Absolution to Gods Children howsoeuer here laden with reproaches and scandals condemned for Hypocrites The Lord shall then euidence by fruites of faith that sure their faith was vnfained Secondly of Condemnation vpon the wicked here blearing the eyes of men with I know not what pretenses of their good hearts and good faith to God The Lord shall then make their madnesse and dissembling knowne to all men by lacke of true Good workes to grace their pretended faith with all Math. 25.35.42 Thirdly After sentence follows Execution .i. A happie admission of Gods Children into possession of the kingdome prepared by the father purchased by Christ Iesus Secondly A heauy and vncomfortable dismission of all impenitent and incorrigible sinners into that lake that burnes with fire and Brimestone before the throne of God for euer and euer Vse Now Brethren I could wish in applying of this doctrine I had a measure of the Apostles spirit that I might with it pierce into the Consciences of vs all S. Paul a 2. Cor. 5.11 hauing breifly mentioned this doctrine of last iudgement thus sayth that by this terror he perswaded men And surely if this terror perswade not to repentance I know not what will