grave not shaking the hands of others but wringing their own hands in a woful farewel the fingers pidling with the bed-clothes Animam quod imodo inter dentes habentem August id Epist Joan. tract 10. Aristaeas Proconnesis Hujvs animam corvi specie visam ex ore evolantem tradiderunt Plin. Hist lib. 7. Jo. Franc. Picus Mirandula praenot lib. 9. cap. 2. Maximus Tyrius Platonicus Serm. 22. and the Soul now standing upon the lips like a bird ready to take her flight and if it were visible should be seen like his soul which was said to be seen to flie out of his body in shape and colour of a Crow that then at last alas too late it should come to this sober and sad reckoning O let me die the death of the righteous and let my later end be like unto his Num. 23.10 Children when they are asleep look the prettiest the Godly man is a fool in his life yet the worlds deepest heads would be no wiser in their deaths his last sleep has form and comliness in it Our Prophet intends iâ— these words to tel us as much thaâ— under the hard shell of death hâ— findes a sweet kernel of life hâ— is taken away from evils anâ— troubles quietly to rest as if he were laid in his own Bed chamber This Prophet has many drops to comfort Gods Servants he writes like an Evangelist our Saviour and his Apostles dwelt much in his leaves for he spake the Gospels Language of consolations Verse 3. Musculus in Praefat. ad comment in Esay the New Testament has honoured him above other Prophets with quoting his Prophesie 60 times from Chapter 40. to the end of the whole Prophesie it is like Canaan full-stream'd with milk and hony almost altogether consolatory This very Chapter among the rest is not so short as sweet having goodly beams come from it First It gives a bright and clear beam to stand like a light over the grave of the Rightâ—â—â—s to let us see how they are buried in â—eace to the third verse Secondly a sharp piercing â—eam of reproos for conviction of the ungodly of divers sins mocking of the Holy Idolatry c. to the thirteenth Verse Lastly an heating beam of comfort promises of favour reconciliation and peace to stay the tears of all Zions mourners to the end of the Chapter These words otherwise may be named the short Table or view of the Child of God in his life and death 1. In his life and so he is described two ways 1. God-ward so he is righteous Life 2. Manward so he is merciful 2. In his death which we consider two ways 1. How expressed Death 2. How respected 1. Expressed two ways he is said to 1. Perish 2. Be taken away out oâ— the world 2. Respected two ways 1. Of God he respectâ— them with care to free them from the evil to come 2. Of wicked men theiâ— respect is respectlesness set out Two ways by two Phrases of careless neglect 1. They never take it to heart 2. They little consider or minde it Or more briefly the whole may be summed into these two Heads 1. Gods Judgment in the death of the Righteous taking them away to himself when he means to punish the world 2. The worlds want of judgment and consideration of Gods end of it None considers it none lays it to heart Let some light of explication make clear the words The righteous Rom. 3.10 Eccl 7.20 Righteousness is hard to finde Are there some Righteous is it not the voice of the Scripture there is none righteous no not one Not a Just man upon earth True when we name Righteousness we call to mind our lost Pearl God made man Righteous This Apple of our eye was given away for an Apple of the Tree of Knowledge If we speak of men Righteous and Just in respect of their deeds among men we mean upright and honest dealing if we speak of Righteousness in respect of God then we mean no more a righteousness of inherence that is gone but of adherence and cleaving to Christ by faith Christs Righteousness and merits are imputed to us Just and righteous is that stile holy and good men are honoured withal in the Scriptures denoting fruits of righteousness in an upright life according to that 1 Joh. 3.7 Mat. 1.19 Act. 10.22 he that doth righteousness is righteous Thus Joseph is called a Just man so Cornelius where the word Just notes the universal and general carriage in uprightness holiness and Gods fear Perisheth This word sounds harshly as to die miserably untimely but surely the righteous so perish not unless the Prophet speak after the opinion and in the phrase of the ungodly Wisd 3.2 Perishing is taken for any ordinary or natural kind of death as well as violent Job 34.15 Prov. 31.6 to him that is ready to perish that is ready to die In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die or perish and their departure is taken for misery yet to perish is expounded afterward to be nothing else but to be taken away and depart this life No man layeth it to heart No man that is very few or none mind to take care for the worlds loss of the Righteous their hearts are nothing at all moved or toucht with it Things that come near the heart most affect us To lay to heart is a common phrase in Scripture and is expounded after by the word consider It is used again verse the eleventh Thou hast not remembred me nor laid it to thy heart It seems to imply three things First to understand the thing we would consider Secondly To consider and earnestly to think of the causes and consequents of it Thirdly to be affected with it upon that consideration so as the heart joys in it if it find it good is greatly grieved and sorry for it finding it evil the affection of sorrow arising in a matter deplorable of joy in a thing comfortable So then none lays it to heart is thus much None considers at all Gods anger intended to the world in the death of the godly none repent of their sins or stand in fear of some ensuing Judgment Mic. 7.2 Psal 12.1 Significat pro natura loci vel benigne acceptum a Deo vel benignum erga alios Tarnov in Psal 4. ver 4. Merciful men The word signifies Good or kinde men and it is Translated Good or Godly in other places To shew us that Mercy is a great part of Godliness It is taken passively for one that has receiv'd mercy from the Lord or Actively for one that shews mercy to others in which acception it stands here Are taken away Colliguntur are gathered together so the Patriachs dying are said to be gathered to their fathers which is not so meant of their bodies which were it buried in Tomb purchased by their Kindred for a burial place to that family but especially it is meant of the Souls
by directinâ— them into the way of Goâ— fear In four actions may we sheâ— our merciful disposition First In bearing for mercy hâ— an ingredient of patience to beâ— wrongs Secondly In forbearing revenge and shewing a meek and gentlâ— nature Thirdly In giving whetheâ— corporal or spiritual Alms. Fourthly In forgiving yea praying for our persecutors a high degree of mercy so to foâ— give as we can pray for God mercy to forgive our enemies Motives to this might be many but that one most powerful the the Judicatory Sentence of Christ Judging the world shall pass according to the works of mercy done or omitted Mat. 25.34 I was an hungry and you fed me naked and you clad me c. Therefore Come you blessed Children of my Father c. For the mercy of a crum you shall have the mercy of my Kingdom On the contrary how dreadful is that voice I was sick and you visited me not naked and you clad me not c. Therefore go you cursed c. you shall have Judgment without mercy because you have shewed no mercy Jam. 2.13 Canes ante mensam impastos esse non patimur homines extrudimus Ambros offic lib. 3. c. 7. How deeply will that wound the merciless heart when Christ shall lay it to his Charge The dogs were fed and my Children famisht These Actions of mercy are that which procures God to be our Orator when he in the general concourse of all them that ever lived upon earth will mention and declare the Alms and compassion of the good man to his Children What Abel suffered how Noah preserved the World Abraham kept the faith Christ tells not of these at the last day but Angels and all Saints shall hear of the bread that the poor have eaten of the clothes that have covered their nakedness of the drink which quencht the thirst of their throats Some wish the Crown of Jobs passion I desire the recompense rather of his compassion happy is he that hath skill to pronounce his language of mercy Job 29.12 13 15. I delivered the poor that cried the fatherless and him that had none to help him The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me and I caused the widows heart to sing for joy I was eyes to the blind and feet was I to the lame I was a father to the poor and the cause which I knew not I searched out Doct. 2 Gods Righteous and holy Servants must die as well as others At one common door all enter the Womb at one common door we all go out the Grave All men came upon the Stage of life upon this condition that having acted our parts we should go off There is a way that is called the way of â—ll flesh Christ himself if he take â—pon him mans flesh mortality â—eizes upon that which is mortal â—e dies I may take Davids words speaking of another Gate â—nd apply them to this Gate of â—eath This is the Gate of the Lord Psal 118. â—ven the Righteous shall enter in â—hereat Gods Servants even â—is best must be taken away and â—hat in a threefold respect In respect of Nature they must â—lie whose Candle is not infinite â—t cannot burn always it was â—ighted upon this condition that â—t should once die out The Week â—hich burns and the matter â—hich feeds it is elementary ends to corruption 1. This Candle is sometimes â—iolently dasht out as Abimelechs â—andle of life with a stone thrown â—t it Judg. 9.53 2. Sometimes a great winde lows it out as Herods breath pufâ—ed out John Baptists light 3. Sometimes it burns it self to â—e very last and spends it self in the Socket as Methusalem and Abraham dying in their old age and full of days 4. Yea often this Candle is no sooner lighted up In puncto temporis salâ—e pariter valeque dixerunt Hieron de Ausonio subito proficiscente Ad Julian epist 34. but it is presently thrown down and put out so died the Innocents and so many young Children the world had scarce bid them welcom and they turned their backs and bad it fareful The Clew of life though it were not violently cut yet voluntarily would it in time unwinde it self and let it appear that humane life is wound up but upon a bottom of Clay Righteous men in the world are Flowers among Grass and Weeds yet are they but Flowers these Lillies must wither these Roses must cast their leaves 1 Pet. 1.24 For all flesh is grass and the glory thereof as the flower of the field the grass withers the best flower will fade In respect of Grace it is necessary they die will God put off his Children with the first-fruits of his Spirit no he inâ—eads to perfect all Grace and to fill them with all Divine fulness to make them full Heirs in bringing them to the Fountain and Well-head of life Achsah gets the upper-Springs granted to her as well as the nether so God has upper-Springs of perfection for his Children whose best Graces are here mixt with many imperfections the Grace of Sanctification is here perfect for the nature Eph. 4.13 Prov. 4.18 Mors Hebraice Mavet Met. per Metathesin Tom Tam in nostra patria sonat apud sinceros maternae linguae scrutatores perfectum Innocens In hac enim vita nihil est perfectum sic Rabbi Jacobus apud Nic. Crogerum in Amphitheatr mortis conflict 13. because it is holy divine and comes from God but not for the stature the strength and growth of it it is always a growing here there is a perfect measure and stature of the fulness of Christ which once attained and must be attained by death it is ripe and grows no more then all planting and watring shall cease by Word and Sacraments the Tree of Grace being come to full growth It is called The righteous mans perfect day now thaâ— which is perfect cannot come till that which is imperfect 〈◊〉 done away which is by death that conveys us to our estate anâ— place of perfection so some havâ— drawn the Original of Death tâ— signifie that which is perfect Theâ— shall our Wheat grow without either Straw or Chaff when temptations and imperfections shall nâ— more trouble us all corruptioâ— being perfectly weeded out of thâ— heart which cannot be her whiles we are absent from thâ— Lord. 3. Lastly the Righteous muâ—â— die in respect of the miseries oâ— this life that their afflictions anâ— troubles may die and have an end The world laughs and the godlâ— weep But shall the Righteouâ— mans Cheeks always be an Islanâ— compassed with Tears No thâ— Lord has told of a time whereiâ— all tears shall be wiped from hâ— eyes Who is persecuted mockt scourged the Butt of Satans temptations the subject of the worlds â—corn but the Servants of Christ â—hall this time last always No â—urely the Lord has a time for â—hem called Rev. 21.4 The time of refresh â—ent
when they shall be fuller of â—lory and rest than ever they â—ere of troubles and miseries We are here set in a warfare Act. 3.19 asâ—aulted with fightings without and errors within 2 Cor. 7.5 Exoothen machai esoothen phoboi we are compast â—ith an unruly body of flesh we â—re laden with corporal maladies â—ains infirmities pestered with â—piritual faintings qualms and â—eak fits that if we had not betâ—er comfort brought us for the fuâ—ure to free us from these cumâ—ersom anxities a servant of God â—ere of all men most miserable but â—weet Death looses our Chains â—nd sets us free Upon this ground â—id the Holy Father build that â—ghing prayer of â—is to God Domine solve hanc tunicam ita mihi gravem ponderosam da mihi leviorem Nazianz. O Lord saith he â—elp me off loose â—nd unbuckle this â—eavy Coat meaning the flesh full of infirmitie which lies with such a pondeâ—â— pressing weight upon my shouldâ— and give me a lighter and easier gâ—ment meaning the garment eternal life so pleasant so easâ— and free from all troubles whiâ— death brings us and clothes withal If there were 〈◊〉 such Sugar at the bottom the Christians Cup and the bâ— Wine kept to the end of the Feaâ— he had the worst fate of all meâ— but he may with a patience digâ— these earthly troubles because tâ— Lambs Supper shall make amenâ— for the worlds sharp Dinner Psal 27.15 I hâ— utterly fainted saith David 〈◊〉 that I believed verily to see the goâ— ness of the Lord in the Land of thâ—â—ving That is meant of this liâ— much more may thoughts of etâ—nal life keep us from fainting Tâ— hope of death is the hope of 〈◊〉 life it is necessary we die that 〈◊〉 sorrows may die Use 2 Must the very Righteous dâ— let it lead us to consider of aâ— conclude that universal deluge Gen. 2.17 â—riginal corruption wherein all â—ankind lies drowned It is too â—rue that being made of dust sin ends us to returâ— to dust again Who will defend nature to be imâ—aculate and unwounded â—eaths Weapons could not enter â—lesh had not our original impuâ—ity weakned us and strengâ—hâ—ned â—im Man first brought sin into â—he world sin brought death Rom. 5.12 Let one be so bold as to defend naâ—ure to be untainted unless he â—an bring this Argument to â—rove it Here is one free from â—eath Ergo free from that sin We are born Heirs and Coheirs annexed with Adam of sin â—nd death Pray we and strive we against Original lust yea repent we of this sin as that which put death in office and reached the dart into his hand Use 2 This might stir us up that seeing all men even the Righteous must die that we should labour to die Righteous The Righteous mans eye is all on God in his life and Gods eye as at other times so especially is set on him at his death to fetch him to a blessed Mansion We must die but oh that that last Act were made the Axle-tree Deut. 32.29 on which all the actions of our life might turn about by continually thinking on our later end A paper newly written is kept from blotting if dust or sand be cast upon it The remembrance that we are but dust and ashes often and daily cast upon our hearts and meditations would keep us in an holy watchful course that our lives should not be stained with so many blots of impiety and neglect of Gods worship Death indeed shall come to all but our lives are that which makes death bitter or sweeâ— unto us For he shall come to the wicked and rigtheous in a different manner 1. To the wicked and unrighteous he shall come as a man of War to a man where sin lives as long as he lives where Sataâ— sways the Scepter of his Monarchy in his Soul living impenitently in fleshly lusts deaths message is astonishing to such a one Such a sinful wretch looking approaching death in the face his Conscience cries a loud 1 Kin. 21.20 1 King 14.6 Hast thou found me O mine enemy as Ahab to Elias To whom death answers with no better answer than Ahijahs to Jeroboams wife I am sent to thee with heavy tidings a hard message I have brought thee thy wages of sin which is death And then doth the desperate sinner tremble and quake Rom. 6.23 remembring how bad a life has made way for death and death to torment then too late his sins affright him and he cries out but one day longer to repent as did that man in his death O spare me Chrysaorius in morte clamabat Inducias usque mane Gregor Hom. 12. in Evang. and give me but respite and truce till the morning that I die not in my sins and for my sins O where are those many hours neglected in vanity 2. But to the Godly and Righteous Soul his appearance and face is glorious and amiable he speaks a comfortable language to him I cannot hurt thee thy Saviour has taken thy weapons from me 1 Cor. 15.55 his death was my death was my death for his Children I come but to be thy Bridge that thou mayest pass over me into eternal life So great a difference is there 'twixt the Godly and the wicked Christian get thy debts paid in Christ and thy Bond cancelled in his blood get into the croud and touch but the hem of his Garment by faith to draw vertue holiness and his righteous-making merits then shall there be no terrour in deaths Vizard that will sweeten the bitterness of the Grave unto thee and finding that thou art righteous and accepted in Christ thou mayest challenge him O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory O! by repentance keep thy Soul from dying and the death of the body wilâ— be a blessed prelude to immortality And so much for a general viewâ— of the necessity of death to the very righteous Doct. The Souls of the Saints at their death are gathered to the Lord and by the Lord into blessedness This Conclusion has inclusively in it two parts 1. That in this life there is a mixture of good and bad 2. That in death God gathers the Souls of the righteous into aâ— happy unmixt society by themselves Eccl. 3.20 Do not all go to one place saith Solomon yes for bodies in death the Grave is the common receptacle of good and bad a Murderer and a Martyr may be laid in one Grave together but for Souls they change Countries The Sanctum Sanctorum is for those Souls which have been Kings and Priests to God the Righteous are gathered into Heaven but the wickeâ— they shall be gathered into another place they shall be turned into Hell into the Company of all them that forget God Psa 9.17 This Phrase of being gathered together in death may be an allusion to the custom of the Jews who in death are said to be gathered to their
Fathers when they died Gen. 23.9 Gen. 49.29 Gen. 50.25 Rut. 1.17 2 Sam. 19.37 for bodies as well as Souls because they purchased burial places for their family aapart So both Jacob and Joseph charged their Children to carry them out of Egypt and bury them with their Fathers and theiâ— own people in Canaan Whicâ— desire of theirs to be buried neaâ— their holy Kindred did 1. Shew their love to one another desiring their company being dead whom they loved living 2. They did it to testifie the faith in the Resurrection hopinâ— by this means at the last Resurrâ—ction they should all rise togetheâ— in glory 3. Not to mention a third sâ—perstitious reason by which pâ—â—haps they might be induced 〈◊〉 opinion of receiving some woâ— or acceptableness to God by â—â—ing near to those in the Graâ— who for holiness were dear to hiâ— and beloved of him Thus Jâ—ahs death was a gathering to his â—thers of his Body to the Sepâ—â—chres of his Fathers and of his Soul to the company of all the Holy Fathers that died in the same faith pose may be seen To this purin the knowledge of the words Sanctuaria Brandea Habeo sepulchrum super quod jaceam commenda biliorem Deo futurum est me credam quod super sancte corporis ossa requi escam Ambros de excessa fraâ— Saty. in cap. 2. Baron Annal how far this Superstition afterward grew which Scolars may inquire after Our Saviour tells of this happy gatering I say unto you that many shall come from the East and West and shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven Our departure out of this life wheresoever we live East West North South sends all holy Souls to sit at the same Table of Glory with all Patriarchs and Believers that have been since the beginning of the World Here we sit at Table hand over-head Judas has his hand in the same dish with Jesus Goats and Sheep go in the same Pasture good and bad are mixed but hereafter there shall be a seperation there shall be a society of the blessed where no unclean thing shall enter The Godly shall sit at a Table by themselves none shall come there without a wedding Garment Here is Mega Chaos a great confusion Habak 1.4 but there wil be a time when there shall be Mega Chasma a great Gulfe seperating distance whereby sinners anâ— Saints shall be kept from blending together Luke 16.16 That same last division which shall be made iâ— fearful to think on when Goat shall go among Goats and Sheeâ— with Sheep yea that we maâ— quake and tremble at it of thoâ—â— many hundreds that hear me thâ— day there shall be a divisioâ— some shall go to the right hanâ— other shall be gathered to the leâ— we are all gathered together herâ— there will be a seperation Mat. 24. â—â— 4â— yea two that sit in one Seat of tâ— that lie in one bed the one shâ— he taken and the other left the 〈◊〉 gathered to glory the other tuâ—bled into a lake of wrath neâ— to meet again To confirm tâ— doctrine of gathering we have the Parables of our Saviour of the Wheat and Tares which here grow together but at length shall be seperated Mat. 13. when Wheat shall be gathered to the Barn The Jews Liturgy print at Venice Of ancient this was the common Epitaph Sit anima cius in fasciculo viventium Hen. Kornmannus in lib. de mirac mhrtuor cap. 30. and Tares to burn The modern Jews have a prayer for their dead which has more of Babylon than Zion in it 1 Sam. 25.29 The Lord say they have mercy on the Soul of N. or such a one who is gone to his World therefore I vow to give alms for him that his Soul may be bound up in the bundle of life with the Souls of Abraham Isaac Jacob Sarah Rebecca Rachel Leah and the rest of the Righteous men and women Amen Though part of this prayer be foolishly superstitious to pray for the dead yet that which is for our purpose in hand is the phrase of the bundle of life which the Scripture acknowledges Which manner of speaking instruct us that God keeps all the Souls of his Saints bound up by themselves as it were in one blessed bundle A bundle it is called first to signifie that they were once disperst one from another here on earth but are there collected into one company and place 2. To signifie the unity of the blessed These flie not asunder in discord there is perfect agreement and concord A bundle a tied up Fagott a Wheat Sheaf is an embleme of unanimity 3. To signifie the firm perpetuity of their estate God has bound them up fast and surely and what can break Heaven's bundles 4. It notes their felicity and happiness it s a bundle of life and glorious immortality Thus are they gathered all the faithfuâ— Members one to another and alâ— to their Head Jesus Christ Deatâ— gathers Souls but the great gathering day is when Bodies and Souls shall all be gathered together unto Glory Why should not the Saints be gathered together by themselves they never desired the society of the wicked yea it is an heavy part of their Cross that there are Ishmaels in the same family with them Here living among the wicked their bodies are joyned but their affections heaâ—ts and wills are distinct and seperate Reason 2 They have had many gatherings by themselves Luke 10.20 1. They have their names and they only all written and gathered in one Book of Life by Election Mat. 24.11 2. They all flie and are gathered like Eagles unto one Carcase and food of life Jesus Christ to seed on him in Word and Sacraments 1 Cor. 19. Use 3. How far so ever they be separates they are all gathered into one common communion of Grace and why should they not be gathered at last into one communion of blessedness and Glory Are the Saints Souls gathered in death till then must there be a mixture This will meet with them who accurse the Moon for some spots they find in her such as will either throw away the Church or themselves out of the Church because the Fringes of her Coat are somewhere rent off all is not aright in her True it is and O that the Lord would purge his Temple and set up Pastors after his own Heart that there is something in the Church as black as Tents of Kedar Cant. 1. for which good hearts will mourn but withall in many other things she is comely as the Curtains of Solomon for which we owe the Lord much praise It is one thing to live where means of pure worship are wanting Greenh in his common place of religion chap. 13. Title the Church another to be where false worship is erected for the first we are not to flie the Church but by purges and patience to stay the
blessed ones Do we envy their happiness would we have them break off their blessed company for ours and have their Souls re-inspired into these Clay-Tabernacles and then to live again below in these smoaky Houses of sin and vanity No let us set a period to our plaints and say Blessed be God who hath delivered these our Friends from all mundane miseries and gathered them so near unto himself 2 Sam. 12 23. We shall go to them but they shall not come to us as David said of his dead Child 2. To the person dying Death indeed seems terrible but shall we fear it as that which destroys all our joy What is there else that we need fear if we fear God Doth thy Conscience witness within thee that all thy indeavours have bin to honour the Lord in thy life never start then for fear of death all the harm he will do thee is a gathering of thy Soul unto the Lord and to the society of the blessed Socrateâ— could fly to this to sweeten his poysoning Cup of death to which he was condemned saying Count ye it not an high matter to have conference in another life with Orpheus Musaeus Homer Hesiod Xenophon O how shall I swimm in abundant pleasures when I shall meet with Palamedes and Ajax and other fasly condemned Truly saith he I would willingly often go out of this life if it might be to find these men my Companions Lo Christian blush before the Heathen who could warm himself with these poor Chipps and this cold comfort How far sweeter will be the Heavenly inhabitants when thou shalt see Adam Abel Abraham that glorious Friend of God and Father of the faithful Moses and Elias those pickt out by Christ to conferr with at his Transfigurations There shalt thou see David and Samuel Paul who hath filled the world with sweetness by his honied leaves Paulus John the darling of Christ yea that Jewel of women Mary the blessed Mother of Christ and Christ himself the Lord of Glory with all the faithful Saints that ever the world had yea all our dead Friends departed in the faith of Christ Would he go often to see such blind Heathens whose Heaven it is to be suspected is Hell and shall we be afraid once to be transported into such a glorious Clew of Heavens Citizens Go out therefore undaunted O my Soul fear not death thou goest to God thou art gathered to Christ to Angels to Saints glorified to the society of the Spirits of just men made perfect Shall the Souls of righteous c. Use 4 Learn we farther from it these things 1. It will teach us what becomes of the wicked in their deaths they also are gathered together among themselves as the Godly among themselves to make a bundle of life so are these Tares bound up in the bundle of death to feed eternal fire Hear O drossy Hearts you sons of Abaddon have a great mercy that you live mixt with Saints whose examples might be made unto you at occasion of blessedness but from their lives you will not learn holiness you shall not be always together hereafter you shall be seperated and go Goats with Goats The righteous when they die go to Heaven Gen. 30.25 and the blessed Canaan that is their own place as the earthly Canaan was called Jacob and so wicked men when they die they go the Kingdom of perdition that is their own place as Judas when he perished They have a place of their own Act. 1.25 where no righteous man shall come among them they have wrought for it and they shall have it the place of darkness and horrour Which made the Prophet cry out O Lord Ps 26.9 gather not my Soul with sinners nor my life with bloody men O what mirth and joy is here upon earth Drunkards made songs of me Psal 69.12 when a knott of lewd and licentious livers that hate Christ and laugh at his Word do meet together and he is the happiest counted of this unhappy Crue that can coyn some scurrilous and base jest upon a Christian that walks after Pauls rule circumspectly strictly Eph. 5.15 or as they call it precisely yet these blind wretches in their death shall wish to be the Dogs that might but lick the Crumbs which fall from the Table of these Children of the most High whom they have despised and reviled O sinner learn betimes the way of the righteous Without holiness no man shall see the Lord. If thou diest unreconciled to God thou shalt not have part with the righteous thou shalt be gathered among thy miserable Companions as the faithful are gathered into Abrahams bosome so shalt thou be gathered into Judases bosome the Patriarch of them that perish with Cain Perditorum Patriarcha Saul Demas Herod Julian c. And all that wicked crue which hated Christ 2. Seeing the Righteous shall be gathered together hereafter let it exhort us to love their companions in Heaven seek out the Godly man affect his society talk with him walk with him for he walks with God As he that rubbs his hands on Musk or Civit shall savour of it so by thy society with the righteous Cant. 5.5 thou shalt get a savour of good things his conference will quicken up thy Graces his zeal provoke thee his hands drop myrrhe upon thee 3. Hate all wicked associates partners in sins shall be partners in sins scourge As thou desirest not to be gathered with the wicked men and their black Angels hereafter so hate thou to be gathered into their counsel and company here When the Righteous go from among us some Judgment is to be feared is coming towards us It is to be suspected that some great evil is ready to fall on that people out of whom God selects them When mercy gathers the godly some judgement is like to come and scatter the ungodly God in this may be compared to a careful Husband whose House beginning to burn here he snatches his Plate there he gathers up his Jewels conveys away his Trunks of Linnen and Goods oâ— most worth as for baggageâ— wood-vessels and other cheap anâ— baser Furniture he lets that burâ— because he has saved that he loveâ— the best Thus doth God wheâ— a sinful nation is kindling hiâ— wrath against it in some judgmenâ— the Lord before it begin or in thâ— beginning takes and snatcheâ— away here an holy man and therâ— an holy woman he gathers uâ— these his Jewels and choiceâ— Plate to lay them out of thâ— reach of the fire that only thâ— wicked may perish in those flameâ— their own sins have kindled Seâ— it in Lot so long as he is in Sodoâ— their Table is not spread for Godâ— hot banket of fire and Brimstoneâ— but assoon as the Lord has goâ— him out Gen. 19.22 Non posse se dixit quod sine dubio porerat per potentiam non poterat per justitiam Aug. cont Gaud. l. r. cap. 30.