owne soule Secondly consider when a man sleepes and slumbers in sinne how unfit he is for any Christian dutie and exercise for the maine parts of Godlinesse and Christianitie How unfit is a sleepie man for the actions of life and of his calling and how unfit and unable and indisposed is a man that slepes in sinne to the actions of spirituall life There be some maine parts and branches of our generall Calling to which this sleepe makes us unable The first of them is the exercise of godlinesse the maine thing in the profession of a Christian to exercise himselfe in godlinesse how unfit is a sleepie Christian for this who sees a man that is asleepe that workes in his Calling that can doe any good in it So how can a Christian exercise himselfe in the actions of his generall Calling when he sleepes in his praying in his hearing in his reading if these duties be done coldly what are they worth Actions that are done in a mans sleepe they come to nothing so a man that sleepes in sinne let him doe never so many good actions they are of no value A second maine branch of our Christian Calling is the spirituall combate to fight against our corruptions Now alas how unfit is a sleepie man either to expect or to repell an enemie when he is asleepe hee lies open to all disadvantage Sisera himselfe a strong and noble Captaine was so weake that a silly woman Iael slew him when he was asleepe therefore we know this part of our Christian calling cannot hold as long as wee sleepe in sinne Thirdly another part and maine branch of Christianitie is to expect our Masters returne to waite for the comming of our Lord that we may enjoy that sweet blessednesse that he hath promised and made us expect and waite for now how unfit is a sleepie man to waite for his Masters comming to set things in order Thus we see in these particular maine duties of Christianitie they cannot be performed by men that are asleep therfore we had need to wake our selves if we will either honour God or profit our selves if will be fit to doe service to God or to his Church wee must keepe our selves awake especially in the maine duties of Christianitie Thirdly consider while we sleepe and are secure the enemie never sleepes he is then most watchfull against us We may sleep and thinke we doe well enough to take our ease but Satan sleepes not we have a watchfull enemie to deale with And then he hath some advantage by our sleeping in Mat. 13. in that Parable The enemie sowes tares while men slept hee comes into the field of the heart where the word of God the good seed is sowne and what doth he doe there he sowes a croppe of thornes and they make the heart of a Christian like the field of Solomons sluggard Prov. 24. I passed by the field of the sluggard and it was all thornes c. Thus is the heart that is neglected of a man that is sleepie and secure in sinne When doe robbers and theeves assault the house In the dead time of the night when they may take men at advantage in their first sleepe then they come and breake into the house Shall theeves and burglaries watch at midnight to breake the house and cut mens throates and wilt not thou watch to save thy selfe Further consider as the enemie never sleepes so Gods mercy never sleepes Gods mercie is ever watching over us to doe us good and it watcheth to keepe us watchfull for what should all the mercies of God doe to us but keepe us watchfull Our God that we serve is not as Baal the God of Idolaters perhaps hee is asleepe and must be awaked or hee is chasing his adversaries No no the strength that keepes Israel slumbers not nor sleepes Therefore let not Israel slumber nor sleepe because God watcheth over his children let them watch with him and keepe themselves neere to him Fiftly if this will not move thee then consider as Gods mercie sleepes not so Gods judgements sleepe not That man that sleepes in sinne let him know that Gods judgements sleepe not As Balaam when he was out of the way the Angell watcheth him and catcheth him in this corner and in that corner he could goe into no corner but the Angell with his drawne sword was ready to meet him and to slay him And the Apostle saith of those that were led away by false teachers Their damnation sleepeth not Gods judgements are alway waking thou maist sleepe on both sides in sinne but Gods justice sleepeth not And thou that art the Lords if thou sleepe know that correction and chastisement sleepeth not and they will awake thee thou wert better to awake by slighter meanes To conclude all consider that all of us there is no man upon the earth but we are all going to meet the mortall slâ—…epe of death and if we shall when that meets us have our owne consciences tell us that we have also a spirituall sleepe within us that we carrie a spirituall sleepe to meet that mortall sleepe what a miserable and mournfull state will that be when the heart of a man or woman that is comming to die shall say and speake aloude and witnesse against his Master O thou hast beene a sluggish and sleepie Christian thou hast had good meanes but thou hast not kept thy watch thou wouldest sleepe doe what the exhortations of the Word could thou wouldest be a drowsie Christian Hence it comes to passe that so many when on their death-bed they come to grapple with that mortall sleepe and then conscience proclaimes against them then they crie Oh that I had but one day but one houre more that I might waken and strengthen the things that are readie to die and that it might be better with me then it is But alas now their short day is past and one perpetuall night to come and now it is too late as it proves many times Therefore let not time goe but know that that mournfull day must come upon us we must meet that mortall sleepe Let us labour to shake off spirituall sleepe drowsinesse of spirit and make our peace in the meane time that conscience may witnesse with us and for us at the day of death and judgement Let us labour to be watchfull and desire to be readie for the Lord and to have our accounts readie for him This shall suffice for the words Now for our occasion because this is my first occasion of this kind I must enter with a preface and that is this that as I have ever beene in the course of my ministerie so I shall bee very sparing in the praise of the dead because I know that these exercises are appointed for the instructing of the living and the consolation of those that survive and not for the praise and commemoration of the dead Besides I know and see by daily
what greater enmitie therefore it was the speech of that parrabolicall King in the 19. Luke which is Christ the king of the Church these mine enemies that would not that I should reigne over them bring them hither and slay them before mee Such is the state of all those men that have wealth and abuse it consume it upon their lusts as Saint Iames speakes upon their pride in excesse in apparell meates c. that have wit and spend it like Turtullus to crie downe the wayes of God to harden themselves and others in the course of sin that have greatnesse and authoritie and mis-imploy it to the crushing of good persons and good causes these and the like are stewards that abuse their Masters goods mis-imploy them to his dishonour these Christ counteth his enemies and hee will not beare it There is a third thing that God expects of all his stewards and that is this that they should doe him Homage that they should appeare at his Court dayes Gods Sabbaths are Gods Court dayes wherein hee calleth and assembleth his servants together Hee will have every one to waite there upon him that they may know his will as Cornelius bringeth his familie together and saith he Wee are all present to heare what is commanded thee of God So God I say will have his servants present at his Court dayes and not only so not only to be present there to heare his will and to understand his mind but to submit to his orders to yeeld obedience to his lawes to be governed by his rules God hath certaine rules to which hee will have every man subject there be rules for Magistrates for Ministers for Masters for Parents for servants for children for all and hee is a rebell and carrieth not himselfe as Gods steward that doth not keepe the rules that God hath set up in his owne house Againe fourthly God expects this from all his stewards that whensoever hee sendeth his Bayliffs for rent that they returne him the fruit of his owne ground Every soule is Gods ground from which God expects some fruit or other and hee sends his Bayliffs his servants continually to gather these fruits from men When hee sends a poore man to the rich there 's a Bayliffe sent to him to gather some fruit of his wealth When hee sends an oppressed man to those that are in authoritie there 's a Bayliffe sent to him to gather the fruit of his power and greatnesse When he sends an ignorant man to those that have wisedome and knowledge there 's a Bayliffe sent to him to gather the fruit of his knowledge And so wee may say of all things whatsoever whatsoever indowments of body or mind or estate any man hath if another need it that other is Gods Bayliffe sent to him to call for his rent to call for the fruit of his ground and thou must returne it by such a one for thou art but a steward and you know how fearfull the proceedings of the great King was in the 21. Matt. Hee sent his servants to the husbandmen to those to whom hee had let out his ground to receive the fruits of it and there was none what was the issue of it Hee was full of wrath and commeth upon the husbandmen and slew them So when God shall send the poore to thee for reliefe and thou helpest him not shall send the ignorant to thee for instruction and thou informest him not shall send any one to thee that may have use of thy gifts and abilities and thou doest not imploy them that way thou deniest the great Lord the fruit of his owne ground and art of the number of those husband-men that must expect this at his hands to bee slaine in his wrath Yee see the point opened that all men are Gods stewards both in respect of what God hath bestowed on them and what God doth expect from them I come briefly now to make some use of this Are all men Gods stewards Then certainely there is some worke required of every man in the world by vertue of this title put upon him that hee is Gods steward It concernes therefore Every one to looke to his place There are two things required of every steward First a dispensation Secondly a right ordering of his dispensations First a Dispensation For a steward yee know is appointed for laying out hee is made for others not for himselfe for the good of the familie in which hee is set not for his owne benefit God hath made every creature to bee for the use of others and not for it selfe those heavenly bodies the Sunne and Moone and Stars their motion and influences are for us for the service of the world the Earth with the fruits of it the Beasts and all are for the service of man So every man in his severall place hath some worke to doe for others some abilities given him for the service of others Hence it is that the Magistrate is said to bee the minister of God for the peoples good Hence it is that Ministers are said to be the servants of the Churches I am a debtour saith Paul to the Iew and to the Gentiles to the Greekes and to the Barbarians Hence it is that a Master of a familie is said to bee worse then an infidell if hee provide not for those of his owne house And every other Christian though hee stand not in these relations to others hee hath some gifts or other that are to bee layed forth for the use and advantage of others and every private person in the world hee may be of some use or other in the place in which hee is set Hence it is that the name of Brother is common to all Christians and yee know Ioseph acknowledged that hee was preferred to those honours and that authoritie and place for the good of his brethren for his fathers house so should all Gods people acknowledge other Christians their brethren and that whatsoeuer parts they have they have them for the good of the familie Hence it is that Christians are called members one of another Every member is of use to the whole bodie so must every Christian bee of use to another to some by the riches of the body to some by the riches of the mind to some by the abilities of their estates every one according to the treasure hee is intrusted with and the Talent that is committed to him This is the first thing that men must make conscience to doe to be dispencers of their goodnesse of any thing they have to bee communicative to defuse and extend themselves to others as occasion shall bee offered And indeed where there is any goodnesse in a man hee will expresse it this way by doing all the good to others he can Secondly it is required of a steward that hee consider of the manner and right ordering of his dispensations There be two rules for
an enemie that it doth not cease till it hath dragged the soule into the presence of God and after from his Tribunall to the torment of eternall fire in Hell That succeedeth death for naturally of its owne nature it tendeth to the destruction of man because it is a fruit of sinne and therefore must needs be the perdition and overthrow of the soule For sinne bringeth destruction in regard it makes God angrie with us and separateth from him and by consequence from all manner of comfort and in regard it separateth from him it bringeth all manner of ill his wrath his hatred and ill will the greatest of all Death I say properly and of it selfe intendeth and seekes to draw all those that it layes hold on to a state of everlasting unhappinesse therefore it is an enemie So you see the second point opened The third is that Death is the last enemie after which there shall bee no more But I must tell you to whom it is the last not to all For there are a generation of men that shall feele death to be the least of enemies and in a manner the first But to the Saints and those that are prepared for death and those that will use the remedie to these and these alone death is the last enemie after once they have grappled and fought and encountred with this enemie they are at peace and rest as he saith Happy are they that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours There is no more toyle and miserie to a good man after death And why Because death seperateth sin from his soule as well as the soule from the body and so taking away the cause of unrest it must needs take away miserie and unhappinesse it selfe Indeed properly Death doth it not but the Lord Iesus Christ by death For it pleaseth him when his servants leave this world then they are fit to enter into a place of happinesse in another world which they could not be except they were freed from sin Death is the daughter of sinne and with a happy patricide as it were at once it destroyeth it selfe and sin and therfore it takes away all misery because it takes away all sinne Therefore it is the last enemie because it killeth the worst of our enemies for when we are dead there shall be no more enmitie betweene God and us and so no more enemy This is the third point The last is that this enemie shall bee destroyed A thing is destroyed abolished when it selfe ceaseth to be and is tooke out of the way and when all the ill effects that it would produce and effect or hath are removed So the Lord Jesus Christ abolisheth Death he destroyeth it that it shall never againe be knowne in the world or felt by his servants and he preventeth all those evill effects that it would worke in the soule for eternitie and removeth all the ill effects of it that it hath wrought on their bodies for the present time Death takes away a mans goods for the present Christ abolisheth that he giveth everlasting substance in heaven Death takes away friends Christ abolisheth that hee sends us to heaven where we have more friends and better Death brings the body to rottennesse and corruption it laieth it in the dust turnes it to putrifaction Christ abolisheth that at the Resurrection it shall rise againe in glory How that is done the Apostle tells us in the end of this chapter The body shall be laid in the dust a weake and feeble a mortall and naturall body but it shall bee clothed with immortalitie This mortall shall put on immortalitie this corruptible shall put on incorruption then shall bee fulfilled that saying Death is swallowed up in victorie But this is also limited it shall bee destroyed to whom To those that use the remedie those that partake of Christ those that have put on him that is the Resurrection and the life Thus I have laid before your eyes briefly these foure things that the Apostle leadeth us to treate of concerning death That it is That it is an enemie That it is the last enemie And that it shall be destroyed Now I desire to apply this and to make use of it First I shall be bold to play the Examiner to search each conscience a little Brethren let the word of God enter into your soules Yee heare that there is a death and that this death is a sore and bitter enemie and yee heare that to some sort of men it is the last enemie that ever they shall encounter with and bee freed from all the hurt of it it shall be utterly destroyed Now doe so much as discend every one into himselfe and inquire what care there hath beene to prepare for death to make use of the remedie against death what time and paines hath beene bestowed to seeke to get that that is the only meanes to escape the Dart of this enemie and that that is the only cause to procure this enfranchisement to the soule from that that else will destroy all A man hath not fitted himselfe to encounter with his enemie when hee lookes after wealth and followeth the pleasures and contentments of this life these things will doe no good they will be rather a burthen to the heart and vexe the soule and increase the mischiefe laying more sin upon the soule and giving death darts to pierce the soule with But when is a man fit for death and who may encounter with this enemie with safetie I will tell yee That man that takes the greatest care to disarme death of his weapons to arme himselfe with defensive weapons against death If an enemie come upon a man with good weapons in his hand and find him altogether unweaponed it is hard for a naked unarmed man to deale with him it is hard for a man that never thought of it before to fight with one that is skilfull at his weapons Death I told yee is an enemie and an enemie that is skilfull in his weapons and the weapon of death it is our owne sinne Death bringeth nothing with it to hurt a man It findeth with us and in us that whereby to hurt us So many corruptions as are in thy heart so many weapons So many idle words so many bad deedes so many swords to pierce thy heart Death maketh use of those weapons it findeth in our selves and with them hee destroyeth and killeth and brings us to perdition Now what have yee done beloved to disarme death what care have yee taken to breake sinne apieces that it may not be as a sword ready drawne for the hand of death when it commeth as Arrowes in a Bow to shoot at you when Death laieth hold on you That man that hath tooke no care to overcome sinne in the power of it and to get himselfe free from the guilt and punishment of it is unfit for death If death come upon him and find his offences
your names to be glorious and to make a faire shew in the world but to get grace and to get faith and hope and love and repentance none of your thoughts almost runne that way scarce any of your thoughts are so bestowed Is not this to be children in understanding Againe he is a foolish man that knoweth he shall meet an enemie and will not prepare If a man should heare of twenty or thirty thousand souldiers were gathered against the Citie and besieged it to destroy it He would not be so foolish and so simple then as to bestow himselfe in his trade and to follow his businesse and to give himselfe to merriment but hee would get his weapons and he would looke about him helpe to arme the City and to make it strong Why doe yee not consider that your soule is as a Citie Death will come against it and batter you with sicknesse with paines and at last will certainly take it and if the soule be not prepared will carry it to Hell fire Why will you be so retchlesse and senslesse to eate and drinke and labour to grow rich to bury your selves in earthly labours and never thinke how to escape how Death may be kept out that will destroy soule and body I presume you are ashamed of this folly by this time I hope yee will goe away with remorse and sorrow for so carelesly neglecting a thing of so great importance to be provided for In the third place therefore I entreate you begin this great worke this day Consider if you have not begun the enemie lieth in waite for thee oh man or woman if thou bee never so young thou maist meet with him before night if thou bee old thou must meet with him ere long Prepare for him betime thinke what an enemy may encounter thee in the way If a man be to travell though he be not assured to meet with an enemie yet he will strive to get good company and weapon himselfe he will carry his sword something he will doe that if a theefe come to robbe him he may be able to prevent the danger Beloved thinke that there is an enemy that way-laies us as we goe along in the world one time or other he will be sure to come upon us therefore stirre up your selves begin this day to prepare for this enemie How shall I prepare for Death I told you before it is not amisse in a word to repeat it Get Faith in Christ and Hope and Charitie and Repentance These will be meanes to prepare and helpe thee against Death Therefore if hitherto thou have not lament and bewaile the sinfulnesse of thy nature and life Assoone as thou art out of this place get thee into a solitarie roome fall upon thy knees lament thy sinnes the ilnesse of thy nature and carriage rehearse thy wayes as much as thou canst condemne thy selfe before God mightily crie for pardon in the mediation of his Sonne and never leave sobbing and mourning till he hath given thee some answer that hee is reconciled And then strive to get faith in Christ call to mind the perfection of his redemption the excellencie of his person and merits that thou maist repose thy soule on him that thou maist say though my sinnes be as the Stars and exceed them yet the merit of my Saviour and his satisfaction to the justice of God it is full in him he is well pleased and reconciled I will stay on him Lord Christ thou hast done and suffered enough to redeeme mee and Man-kind thou hast suffered for the propitiation of the world though my sinnes deserve a thousand damnations yet I trust upon thy mercie according to the Covenant made in thy Word Thus when a man laboureth to cast himselfe on Christ to lay the burthen of his salvation and to venter his soule on him now he hath beleeved this Breast-plate Death is not able to thrust through And then labour that this faith may worke so strongly that it may breed Hope a constant and firme expectation grounded on the promises of the Word that thou shalt bee saved and goe to Heaven and be admitted into the presence of God when thou shalt be separated from this lower world Hee that is armed with this hope hath a Helmet Death shall never hurt his head it shall never be able to take away his comfort and peace He shall smile at the approach of death because it can doe nothing but helpe him to his kingdome And then labour for Charitie to inflame thee to him againe that hath shewed himselfe so truly loving to men as to seeke them when they were lost to redeeme them when they were captives and to restore them from that unhappinesse that they had cast themselves innto Oh that I could love thee and thy people for thy sake thou diddest die for them shall not I be at a little cost and paines to helpe them out of miserie Thus if yee labour to be furnished with these graces then you are armed against Death those will doe you more good then if you had gotten millions of millions of gold and silver As you have understanding for the outward man as you have care to provide for that to preserve and comfort life while you are here so have a care for the future world and that boundlesse continuance of eternitie If a man live miserably here death will end it if he be prepared for death he shall live happily for ever but if a man live happily as we account it and die miserably that misery is endlesse Yee mistake beloved yee account men happy that abound in wealth and honour that have great estates I say yee mistake in accounting men happy that enjoy the good things of this life that can live in prosperitie to the last time of their age possessing what they have gotten If such a man be not prepared for death Death makes way for a greater unhappinesse after death For the more sinne he hath committed the more miserie shall betide him his life being nothing but a continued chaine of wickednesse one linke upon another till he settle upon a preparation for Death And in the last place here is a great deale of comfort to those that have laboured to prepare for death though to them Death is an enemie yet it is an enemie that is utterly destroyed The Philosopher said that Death is the terriblest of all terrible things so it is to nature because it doth that that no other evill can doe it separateth from all comfort and carrieth us we know not whether Death is terrible to a man that is unarmed for death but to the poore Saints that have bestowed their time in humiliation and supplication and confession that have daily endevoured to renew their faith and hope and repentance Death hath no manner of terriblenesse in the world if it bee terrible to a Christian at the first it is onely because he hath forgot himselfe a little he
First by way of comfort Against the feare of Death or against over-much sorrow for those that Death takesaway It is true Death is an Enemie But to whom only to the wicked that are out of Christ to those that have no benefit at all by his Death and Resurrection and ascension When Death commeth and findeth out these they may say as Ahab did to Eliah and more truly a great deale hast thou found me oh mine Enemie It is the worst Enemie they have in the world It is a cruell Sergeant that catcheth them by the throat and arresteth them for a debt that they are never able to pay It dragges them to the Jayle casteth them into the Dungeon to the chaines of Darknesse I have not a word of comfort to say to them They have no more comfort in Death then they have in Hell where though they shall lie in torments and paine they shall not have a drop of water to coole their tongue But to the faithfull in Christ there is comfort upon comfort For though Death be an Enemie yet remember first it is a subdued Enemie Secondly a reconciled Enemie Thirdly and lastly an Enemie that one day shall not be at all It is a subdued Enemie that is one comfort The strength and sting of it is gone When a Bee hath lost his sting and is a Droane it can hurt no more So Death is a Droane to a Christian it hums and buzzeth it doth no hurt it cannot sting the sting is gone Against all those Enemies that I formerly told yee of that are attendants on Death here is comfort First it is true Death commeth with ill Harbingers it bringeth sicknesses and aches and paine but there is comfort against this For when God sendeth paine remember hee promiseth to send patience too that he will put his hand under to helpe His left hand shall bee under us and his right hand over us to catch us hee hath promised comfort upon our sicke beds to make our bed in our sicknesse Wee need not make such an Allegorie as Ambrose doth this sweet flesh of ours the Bed of our soule it is under infirmities and weaknesses God helpeth us he makes our bed hee saith to the sicke of the Palsey Take up thy bed hee turneth our bed in our sicknesse either he sends us health so some expounds it hee turnes the bed of sicknesse into a bed of health or God turneth our bed for us in our sicknesse that is he refresheth us giveth us ease when we lie upon our sicke beds It is a Metaphor borrowed from those that attend sicke persons that helpe to make their Beds easie and soft and turne them that they may lie at ease So God hath promised his children in the painfull time of sicknesse to make their Beds easie and soft to cause them to lie at ease by the Patience that he will give them Secondly it is true Death bringeth dissolution and dissolveth the frame of nature it separateth and divorceth those two loving companions the Soule and the Body But there is comfort in this For though it divorce the Soule and the Body yet it cannot destroy the soule and the body even the body is in the hand of God when it is rotting in the earth as the Soule is translated to heaven Againe though they be separated yet it is but for a time one day they shall meet more joyfull and glorious then ever before and after that they shall never be separated againe Lastly though he separate the soule from the body and the body from the soule yet neither from Christ nor Christ from them Nay it is so farre from separating that it helpeth to unite us to Christ as I said before the dissolution of those shall bee the conjunction with him I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ. Thirdly it is true the horrour of the Grave attendeth Death and the putrifaction of this flesh of ours that must turne to corruptnesse it makes it terrible and fearfull But there is comfort against this For after that time of putrifaction there shall bee a time of restitution and though the wormes devoure this flesh of ours yet in that very flesh of ours wee shall see God another day These eyes shall see him There is comfort in that that when God shall come to restore us with himselfe what the Grave hath clothed with corruption he will cloath with glory these vile bodies hee will make them like the glorious body of Christ without all corruption Fourthly it is true Death depriveth us of worldly friends of worldly imployments this makes it terrible Yet there is comfort against this Though we be deprived of worldly friends it carries us to heaven to better company to Angels to the spirits of just and perfect men to God the Iudge of all to Iesus the Mediatour of the New Testament Nay besides one day hee will restore againe those very friends of which here we are deprived though wee lose them for a time in heaven wee shall meet againe and there renew a perpetuall league of societie and love So though it deprive us of worldly benefits it cannot of heaven and those are better they are not pleasures of sinne that last for a season but at the right hand of God that endure for ever So though it deprive us of worldly services it carrieth us to heaven to those that are better that are high and proper to the Church triumphant such as befit the Church to sing Hallelujahs and such as are profitable to the Church militant by the memorie of good examples and by the prayers they offer to God not in particular for they know no mans particular wants yet for the generall and common good of all Fifthly and lastly It is true the consideration of sinne and of Judgement and our uncertaine estate after death makes it terrible like the face of an Enemie Yet there is comfort against these For sinne I told you that though there bee a sting in the Serpent yet Christ hath drawne out that sting so that being a Serpent without a sting we may doe as Moses take it in our hand put it into our bosome and it will never doe us hurt to them that die in the Lord Death rather came by sinne then for sinne It is not betweene sinne and damnation but betweene sinne and salvation For judgement It is true Death presenteth judgement but it presenteth it with comfort for the day of Judgement is the day that the godly looke for and long for as the day of redemption not of confusion when they shall receive the sentence by which they shall bee absolved and not condemned For they know when God shall come to be their Judge hee shall come to be their Saviour And so for the uncertaintie of our future estate after death It is true the state of the dead in regard of naturall understanding it may be a thing
him and lie in his Bosome And that man cannot for his life when hee seeth the sweetnesse of the grace of God in Christ but resolve to obey him and determine to walke in the wayes of holinesse and take paines and use industrie for the overcomming of all sinne and by the vertue of Christ he shall prosper in this I beseech you therefore set your selves aworke about this great businesse to get Repentance and Faith and New Obedience it is much more needfull then sleepe then meat then attyre there is nothing in the world so requisite for thy welfare as these things Scrape thou riches together in the same quantitie that Solomon did and ten thousand times more yet thou shalt see Death once within a hundred or halfe a hundred yeares Get wisedome yet thou shalt see Death after a few yeares Take pleasure with as much greedinesse as he did once when he forgate himselfe for a space yet thou shalt see death These things that the foolish world hunts after with so much earnestnesse of desire will not secure thee from the sight of the King of feares Death as Iob calleth it But if thou once get Faith and Repentance and new obedience then thou hast obtained that that all the riches and honour and pleasures and learning or whatsoever seemeth desireable in the world will not helpe their possessors to What will you doe brethren Grovell still on the earth and still be mad after backe and belly Or will you now begin to thinke I must die I must shake hands with that dismall enemie pale-faced Death that is able to strike terrour into the strongest heart and amazement into the stoutest soule that is not well confirmed and if this Death find mee destitute of true Repentance and Faith and New Obedience it will seize upon me and dragge me before the Judgement seat of God where I shall bee Henced away with a malediction and curse and be forced to take my place with the Divell and his Angels in unquenchable flames Oh what shall I doe then to secure my selfe from the great from the strong arme of death I will repent now I will begin Lord draw mee helpe me that I may doe it I will beleeve now Lord doe thou worke Faith that requirest it I will obey Lord inable me to performe such needfull duties as thou commandest me Shall this be your practice when you come home Will you thus studie to practise Repentance and Faith and Obedience and studie to cry and call for it and use all your indeavour Or what will you doe will you be as idle and carelesse as negligent and slothfull in making after these graces as before Will you be as greedy of the transitorie vanities of this life as in former times Oh abuse not the word of God If thou goe out of the Church without a full purpose to apply thy selfe from hence forward either to begin or to proceed in the practise of the saying of Christ Cursed bee thou in thy hearing cursed be that houre that thou hast spent and cursed be thy misbestowed labour thou dissembling hypocrite But if thou labour to practise this of Christ namely to keepe his sayings the Doctrine of the Gospell to repent to beleeve and to obey blessed art thou in thy hearing and in thy doing and in thy obedience happy is the time and the place and all things that concurre together to draw thee to so needfull a worke I pray Brethren set not your labour upon gold and silver and money and trash not upon the pleasures and delights and contentments of the world not on any other thing but mainly and principally above all things let your chiefe care bee for Faith and Repentance and Obedience If you strive for these things earnestly and heartily and constantly as sure as the Lord is in heaven hee will bestow them upon you and with them the benefit of benefits Freedome from Death And now I shall speake comfort to those few that are in the world that keepe these sayings of Christ. Let them bee of good comfort if their capitall enemie the King of feares and the King of Afflictions be held from a possibility of doing them harme nothing can harmethem Hee that Death cannot hurt paine cannot hurt povertie and disgrace cannot hurt nothing can hurt him You know if the King of an Armie be reconciled to a place hee will keepe his Souldiers from spoyling and burning and destroying that place If Death be put out of power to doe thee hurt and God bee reconciled in Christ because thou keepest the saying of Christ nothing can hurt thee thou art the happiest man under the Sunne Why should the poore sad afflicted grieved mourning lamenting Saints of God envie them that are rich and jolly and merry worldlings any of their pleasures and profits any of those things wherewith they like Idiots make themselves laugh at What hath not God given thee better things then hee that thou shouldest murmure and whine and weepe for want of them art thou still complaining for want of them Remember what Saint Iames saith Let the brother of low degree that is abased and despised in the world rejoyce yea rejoyce with great boasting and glory in his Exaltation This is the exaltation of the Saints Christ writing his sayings in their hearts and inclining them through the operation of his Spirit and the powerful worke of his Word to repent and beleeve hath freed them from the danger of Death and interessed them into eternall happinesse and that blisse that no tongue can expresse nor no heart conceive This is thy happinesse it is not to be rich or to be great for these cannot deliver the owner from the hurt of Death naturall nor from the danger of Death eternall But to have Faith and Repentance and Obedience this is riches and exaltation for he that hath them shall not alone escape the Dungeon of eternall darknesse but bee advanced to the Palace of everlasting felicitie The Saint is the happy man the penitent beleever and true practiser of Christian obedience he is the sole and only happy man under the Sunne for whatsoever storme hee suffereth in this present world hee shall certainly escape Death and obtaine Glory Blesse God and blesse thy selfe in God magnifie him rejoyce in him take comfort in thy lot and portion Death that devoureth Kings that destroyeth Emperours that conquers Captaines and men of valour shall not be able to approach thee for thy hurt for thou keepest the saying of the Lord Iesus Christ. Rejoyce I say in this magnifie him that is the Authour of it and account thy selfe happy that thou hast received from him so excellent a gift as to bee in some measure inabled to keepe his saying Yea if it were so may some Christian heart object then I should esteeme my selfe the happiest man alive but alas where is this Repentance you describe where is this New Obedience in mee that still still find my selfe captive
all the enemies of a Christian are either reconciled or conquered and foyled and what then need he feare them For God that is an enemie to every man naturally he is reconciled Christ hath made our peace with God hee hath made our attonement we need not feare him slavishly though wee may and must feare him with a filiall feare we must not bee afraid of him with horrour as to runne from him but wee must so love him as to reverenâ—…e before his foot-stoole Againe in regard of the evills of the world they are enemies too but how Christ hath beene pleased to sweeten these to us all things in the world saith the Apostle speaking of afflictions Rom. 8. they worke for good to them that feare God Shall a man be afraid of his owne good Nay there is nothing in the world that more workes our good then afflictions and losses and crosses we might spare any thing better then them shall we be afraid of that that workes our good Death it is reconciled and made our friend It was the greatest enemie Christ hath pulled out the sting and changed the nature of it he hath made it the birth-day of eternitie a sweet passage to a better life Death brings not evill to a man that is in covenant with God but rather terminates all evill that he is molested with in the world So then some enemies are reconciled and made our friends and these wee have no reason to feare Againe there are some that are irreconcileable and they are conquered and overcome The Divell will never be friends with us therefore Christ hath spoyled principalities and powers and trampled Satan under-feet and now if he walke about yet hee is in his chayne he can bite but he can hurt none but those that willingly betray themselves into his hands For sinne it is of a condemning nature but those that are in covenant with God and walke with him it is removed as farre from them as the East is from the West it is throwne into the bottomelesse sea of Gods mercy so that it shall never anger God or hurt us any more then if we had not committed it Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect Nay more God hath bestowed his Spirit whereby hee hath freede our hearts and whereby if a man labour to stirre up the grace of God in him and to walke comfortably as he might in the presence of God he might through the power of God free his heart from these horrours and feares for saith the Apostle yee have not received the Spirit of bondage to feare againe but yee have received the Spirit of adoption whereby wee cry Abba Father The Spirit of bondage casts downe the soule with horrour and feare but wee have the Spirit of God to assure us that wee have God for our Father reconciled in Christ and so by consequent that our sinnes are pardoned that death is overcome that Principalities and powers are spoyled and all things in the world though contrary in themselves yet they shall worke for our good So you see the ground of it a Christian hath no enemies some enemies are reconciled and others are trampled under foote that they cannot hurt him And wee receive this freedome by the Spirit of God that if wee would stirre it up and labour to walke as becommeth Christians we may make our lives very comfortable Briefly for Application First let us all take notice of the command that God gives to Abraham of this incouragement and make use of it to our selves and know that the power of grace and Religion must reflect upon a mans selfe He beloved shall be accounted the best Christian before God and in the sight of judicious men whose Religion is practicall and reflects upon himselfe Now there are many busie ones in the world that meddle with the conversations of others and are still talking and complayning of things without themselves but surely he is a happie man that reformes himselfe and that sets in tune his owne affections and passions as this in particular to labour to be without slavish and inordinate feare Alas wee may complaine of many that finde fault with many things but if they looke within there is a combustion of a great many unruly affections and passions and these are the things we never complaine of wee finde not fault with our selves as wee should wee should take notice of the Law of God that it is spirituall to set in order our hearts and mindes and soules as well as our tongues and hands The law of man reacheth but to the outward man if a man keepe himselfe in order in regard of these thought is free and the Law doth not take hold of a man for his affections but the Law God doth therefore you know that lusting after a woman in Gods account is reputed adultery the hating of a mans brother in his heart is accounted manslaughter he is accounted a murtherer that hates his brother so he that is angry unadvisedly you know what he is in danger of and that man is accounted guiltie before God that cannot order his affections in regard of those unruly passions that are within him This I observe by the way God in Scripture takes especial notice of it I am perswaded it is an infallible distinguishing character between an hypocrite a sincere child of God an hypocrite labours to wash the outside hee hath a demure countenance cleane hands smooth language c. these things are good but he goes no further he makes no conscience of secret contemplative wickednesse of the lusts of his heart and the thoughts of his minde these things he never enters into himselfe to mortifie But that man that is conscionable so walkes with God as that a wrie affection an inward lust after somewhat that is evill troubles him and humbles him before God the vanitie of his thoughts in secret cause him to mourne before God this is a signe of a man that walkes before God and accounts God a Spirit that searcheth the hearts and tryeth the reynes and therefore if ever wee will approve our selves to God let our Religion bee practicall and reflect upon our selves and among other things upon our inward man to set that in order Secondly by way of instruction we see what happy men and women we might be if we were not our owne foes If wee could attaine this pitch to live without feare that nothing should trouble us were it not a happy condition surely it is a thing feazeable some Saints have attained it in a great measure you know David when Ziglag was taken his wives gone all the spoyle taken and the people were ready to stone him what did poore David hee can incourage himselfe in the Lord his God notwithstanding this So it may be with a poore Christian his friends may forsake him perhaps the world is gone riches take to themselves wings it may bee his body is
commended in practise of the Saints If any of thy brethren among thee be poore saith God thou shalt not harden thy heart thou shalt not shut up thy hand against thy poore brother The not opening the hands to relieve him God accounts that as proceeding from the hardnesse of the heart Thou shalt not harden thy heart against thy brother c. Cast thy bread upon the Waters for after many dayes thou shalt finde it Is not this the fast that I have chosen for a man to give his bread to the hungry and that a man should release those that are in Captivity and to let the oppressed goe free The Apostle wisheth that as they abounded in knowledge and in vertue and in faith and goodnesse so they might abound also in this Grace of God The Grace of God that he there speaks of is the willing readinesse to the doing of good To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased You see there by doing good he meanes distribution the latter word doth prove the former and both explaine this Text. You have it likewise commended in the practice of the Saints I need not bee large in discoursing to you the carriage of Abraham of Lot of David of Iob the practice of Cornelius yea of Christ himselfe The Scripture is plentifull in this I and that which is more to bee observed that although Christ himselfe were relieved by others yet out of that hee gave a share to the poore It will appeare likewise in reason that this is a necessarie dutie and these may be taken First from the equity of it for it is equall you should thus employ your time and estate and those advantages of life which God hath made you doner of partly to that purpose and a man commits an injurie in neglecting these holy duties and is not only become an unmercifull but an unjust man and so in the plainest phrase a dishonest man hee is not just that doth not thus Therefore with-hold not the good from the owner thereof sayth God when it is in thy power to give The poore is owner of the estate of the rich so farre as his necessitie requires it and it proves but a matter of justice and equitie to bestow his riches where it ought to bee bestowed and a man is unjust in that respect if hee doe it not Riches are called unrighteous Mammon as hath beene expressed before when they are urighteously with-held from them to whom they should bee given as well as when they are unrighteously gotten So that detaining it from those unto whom it is appointed by Gods direction converts that riches perchance honestly procured into the Mammon of unrighteousnesse Secondly as it becomes a matter of justice so it proves likewise a matter of wisedome a man makes wise provision for the present and the future also by this course And therefore it makes way for the felicitie of the servants of God to employ their endeavours in the execution of this dutie and to lay fast hold on the forehead of opportunitie First it proves a consequent of wisedome for themselves in procuring their owne good Blessed is the man that judgeth wisely of the poore why so the Lord will consider him in the day of evill and he will not give him over to the will of his enemies What is the thing that a man is most subject to feare in this World but that which David sayth concerning Saul I shall fall sometime or other by the hands of some enemie of some mischievous person or malicious person or other You see the Lord hath here promis'd a large assurance of safetie and protection from the malice of his adversaries in the day of evill if hee wisely consider the poore Againe it makes much for the good of his posteritie The good man is mercifull c. and his feed inherits the blessing It may bee he perceives not such sensible and apparant fruits or outward successe in his owne life upon this course yet his seed inherits the blessing and the lesse hee enjoyes the more shall they receive of Gods goodnesse towards them as a recompence for his benevolent kindnesse towards the people of God And what greater legacie can man bestow upon his posteritie then to leave them by his particular meanes in the loving favour of the Almightie And as it is so for the present so it becomes a course of wisdome for the future also Charge the rich men of the World that they be ready to doe good c. laying up a good foundation for the time to come And by this meanes a man may provide well for eternitie Make you friends sayth Christ of your unrighteous Mammon that when you faile they may receive you into everlasting habitations The way for a man to provide for eternall good is to use his tallent of wealth and estate for the present to the good of many Thus wee see the Reasons plainly verified To make use of it briefly and hasten to that which remaines Is it so then that it is writ downe to bee the dutie of Gods servants to mannage the opportunities of this life for this end and in this course of doing good that is of distribution and reliefe Then it serves to reprove those that neglect this dutie and account it not a businesse of their life onely they conceive of it as a matter of praise and commendations a thing that they doe well in performing and not very ill in omitting They conceive it to bee of no absolvte necessitie but voluntary charitie as a matter arbitrarie but not as a dutie necessarie and for this cause they appeare but slack and indifferent they conceive this as a dutie to lay up wealth but never remember the necessity of laying out wealth to bee commanded for a greater dutie then the former they take it for their dutie to get all they can but forget the following precept to doe all the good with that they get as they can And here is the reason why there are such lavish expences bestowed upon every vanitie that the portion of the poore and such as ought to bee relieved with our estates in point of equitie and by vertue of Gods Cōmandement is swallowed up by every vanity It is spent in excessiue apparell for the satisfaction of the vaine fashion-monger in superfluity of dyet for the Glutton and the Epicure in Haukes and Hounds and Dogs to please the humour of the voluptuous person it is consumed in raising up vaine and unnecessarie Buildings by earth-wormes that make their habitations below and lay a foundation for themselves on earth neglecting that goodly building given of God to the re-edifying of their soules in the kingdome of Grace And thus is the portion of the poore consumed and themselves for want of the same exposed to all the miserie that this World can inflict Some cry they cannot doe
of this sweetnesse of mercie as a precious oyntment and become good examples unto others and improve the gifts and abilities which God had given them to the same purpose Shee was not onely mindfull of those at home but her goodnesse extended to the Saints abroad And not in respect of Nature onely because they were come into the Countrey where shee was borne I speake now of those that live in distresse and exile of the Palatinate and Germany but in respect of Grace Shee was wondrous industrious and laborious to procure all the meanes that might bee to send over to helpe them and even refreshed the bowells of the Saints that I may truly say the loynes of the poore blessed God for her in many places In what place hath shee lived and hath not left a savour behinde her nay almost in what company hath shee conversed but this particular dutie hath been as a precious oyntment to sweeten the conversations of all that were about her and to worke in their mindes a vertuous intention and propensenesse to this dutie Beloved here you have her in her carriage and example What shee was in her behaviour towards her Husband and her Children I need not speake there are enough can witnesse it shee carried her selfe as became Wife to him and a helper of the servants of Gâ—…od with prayers and desires and often provocations and incitings that way But for her Children shee seem'd to undergoe a second travaile with them till Christ were formed in them being full of earnest desires and petitions for the working of Grace where it was not begun and for the perfecting thereof where it was newly entred Shee rejoyced exceedingly in any expression of good and more for that of Grace then any other inclination or respect Beloved this was obvious and common to all and any man might take speciall notice thereof dayly and observe it constantly In her servants as there appeared the mere grace in any so much the more respect she extended towards them In the poore as shee perceived the more grace in any the more reliefe they received from her c. 〈◊〉 say nothing what in all this shee suffered those that were acquainted with her disease know what paines shee under-went in respect of her bodie and with what patience shee submitted to the hand of God in all things And many know the wrong shee endured from the World for her desire and care to doe good when she obtain'd opportunitie Some thought her over-bold some to busie others thought her proud and vaineglorious because of her often frequenting of company and speaking openly for the provoking of others to the exercise of goodnesse The Lord smite their hearts that are guilty of mis-judging that which wee are to suppose in respect of her forward disposition is this Shee was naturally of a free spirit which being sanctified with Grace and sharpned with love and zeale for the glory of God made her the more resolute and familiar in frequenting good company not to magnifie her selfe by their societie but that her continuall conversation with them might give her the better occasion to incite and stirre them to goodnesse Let those that are guiltie of misprision leave to censure her Vertues and convert them into an example for themselves to walke in if they doe not the neglect will loade their soules with more woe for such contempt then shee hath received joy for her labour What concern'd her in her sicknesse briefly I have not much to say in that they which were about her dayly know more then I can relate Shee did not onely expresse a satisfaction and assurance of heart that her reconciliation was made with God in Christ but besides that a willingnesse and desire to bee dissolved for that reason that shee might hee with Christ. A Minister that was with her asking how shee that had a Husband and Children enjoying an estate and 〈◊〉 other comforts could be willing to forgoe so many blessings and exchange them all for death She from that inward sence and perswasion of Gods love to her in Christ concluded my Husband is deare and my Children are deare to me but Christ is dearer Therefore I am willing to forgoe Husband and Children and all the contents you can number in this life that I might live with Christ to partake of greater felicitie then this world can afford me And now the Lord Jesus hath received her into his owne protection and satisfied her expectation with the performance of his love But wherefore have wee spoken all this what that wee might adde any praise unto the dead no But to quicken those that are living and incite them to the like dutie Some may thinke it impossible there should be such activenesse in doing of good and such unweariednesse in performing of the acts of mercy and where say they shall we find such an example you have it before your eyes and know that examples will rise in judgement against you and condemne you as well as precepts If you follow them not while they invite you The Text saith Doe good to all especially to the houshold of faith And here is an example before our eyes of one who tooke her time and opportunitie to doe good to all especially to them of the houshold of Faith Goe thou and doe likewise FINIS DEATH PREVENTED OR MORTALITIE CHANGED LAM 3. 58. O Lord thou hast pleaded the causes of my soule thou hast redeemed my life JOB 33. 29. 30. Loe all these things worketh God oftentimes with man to bring backe his soule from the pit to bee enlightned with the light of the living LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Ralph Mabbe 1639. DEATH PREVENTED OR MORTALITIE CHANGED SERMON XL. JOB 14. 14. All the dayes of my appointed time will I waite till my change come THis Booke of Iob comprehends the History of a good man and of his many tryalls Though goodnesse deliver from Hell yet it privildgeth not from temptations or crosses yea the more eminent Holinesse is many times the more it is exposed to sharpe and manifold assaults Iob is set upon on all sides he found the Divell a sore enemie and his great estate a suddaine shipwrack his Children in a moment crusht to peeces Hee had but three Points of Land to looke at in this troublesome sea and every one of them seemed rather to augment then to lessen the storme His Wife whose breath should have sweetned and eased his griefe was an impatient vexation His friends whose counsells and compassions should have beene an easie harbour and tender reliefe they became his bitter and censorious judges Yea his God who by his owne testimonie hee served and feared with singular uprightnesse and whose bowells are ever tender and compassionate to such and upon whose gracious acceptance hee thought to quiet and anchor his troubled spirit yet anon he seemed not onely a stranger but an enemie and this went deepe that even Mercie it selfe seemed cruell and
more then that such a numbring as is joyned with an applying of our hearts to wisedome and the reason is because wisedome it directs to the choyce of such particular actions and works as tend to happinesse so should a man after his serious consideration of death applie himselfe to such wayes and such actions by which hee may comfortably close up his life with death it is a great point of wisedome to sute actions with their ends to fit and square the wood before wee build the house to learne and discipline a troope before they goe to battell to rigge and trimme and furnish the shippe before wee launch to sea this is preparation indeed Now this preparation for death consists in two things First in an undoing of that which unfits us to dye Brethren hee who is not fit to live hee is not yet fit to dye and that which ever masters the life will be of greatest force in death The Father spake it boldly on good grounds I am not ashamed to live nor afraid to dye now that which unfits a man to dye is sinne it makes him finde a bitter enemie of death Oh when this King of terrours shall present himselfe by thy bed side with his arrowes in his hands I meane thy sinnes hee will wound thee with infinite amazement and horrour the sting of death is sinne saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. Thou dost not prepare thy selfe for death if thou dost not undoe thy sinnes which thou hast done in thy life the which consists First in a narrow search of thy sinfulnesse both of nature and practice Secondly in a secret humbling of thy soule for them Thirdly in an unfeigned repentance and forsaking of them Fourthly in a constant imploring and obtainig of mercie for them in the bloud of Christ. If thy soule doth give sinne its discharge now death shall give thy soule a discharge hereafter Secondly in the quallifying our persons for the conquest of death there are three things by which wee shall bee able cheerefully to meet and assuredly to conquer death First by having interest in the Lord Jesus The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law but thankes bee to God who hath given us victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. If thou hast gotten Christ into thy armes by faith thou carriest thy peace strength and advantage both through life and death For wee are more then conquerours through him that loved us sayth the Apostle Rom. 8. 37. And to mee to live is Christ and to die is gaine sayth the same Apostle Phil. 1. 21. if thou hast a good Christ thou mayst bee confident of a good death Secondly renewednesse of our nature What Saint Iohn spake of the Martyrs as some conjecture Blessed and happie is he that hath part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power that say I of a person renewed by the sanctifying qualitie of Gods Spirit I happie is hee hee shall have power even over the first death The Spirit and the Bride sayth come if a man hath gotten the heavenly Spirit which beautifies the soule with the ornaments of Grace as the Bride is with her ornaments hee is a fitted person hee may well say to Death come and to Christ come Lord Iesus come quickly Thirdly uprightnesse of conversation Righteousnesse delivers from death sayth Solomon and the righteous hath hope in his death if a mans worke be Christs service if hee have a heart enclined to keepe a good conscience in all things to keepe himselfe exact to the rule and to walke with God Blessed is that servant which his Master when he commeth shall find so doing that man that hath looked to Gods Word to guide his life may confidently look up to Gods mercie to comfort him in death Remember O Lord sayth Hezekiah Isa. 39. how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart Now all this doth the wayting for our change import in the Text to wit a serious expectation of it first by undoing those sinnes of ours which else for ever will undoe us and by interesting our persons into Christ from whom we must likewise receive the Spirit to change our hearts and uprightnesse to forme a-new our conversation But then you will say Why must there be such a wayting for this these grave clothes are too sadde for the freshnesse of our life and would you have us be like the mad-man in the Gospell who lived among the Sepulchres Nay I beseech you let us consider and settle our thoughts a little and you shall be stayed with reason there are many strong Arguments and reasons why we should thus waite both by expectation and preparation First it is the maine errand of our life God did not send us into this world to sinne and to adorne our selves with the creature but to bring him some honour and then to dye the factor is not imployed to take his pleasure abroad but to doe his Masters worke and then to returne home Tertullian confesseth he was a great sinner and therefore borne to repentance therefore doth God give us life as the Master allowes the servant a candle to worke by that we may repent of our sinnes and get our hold in Christ and worke out our salvation and doe the great businesse of beleeving to be good and to doe good and so by Death to goe up to heaven Secondly death is but once and that needs to bee well done which can be but once done if there might be another space after death a second edition to correct the faults and escapes of the former then a present and speedie preparation were not altogether so necessarie but saith the Apostle It is appointed for all men once to dye and after death to come to judgement Heb. 9. 27. no more but once Wee usually shadow out Death with an houre-glasse A fit Embleme but that when an houre-glasse is runne out it may bee turned againe but this once out can be set up no more thou shalt never live to amend thy errours in dying O then how needfull is it before-hand to prepare for Death Thirdly when death hath done with thee then God will begin with thee thou must once die and after this come to Judgement Heb. 9. 27. To judgement what is that thou must bee presented before the holy and just and great God who is the Judge of the quicke and the dead and with all that thou art and with all that thou hast done there must appeare then before him all the courses of thy life all the bent of thy affections all the secrets of thy heart shall then be pulled in peeces and opened and all thy workes and all thy words shall bee exhibited scann'd and surveyed and that with severity and righteousnesse how say you then is it not fit to be preparing for Death to fit thy soule to reforme thy heart and life wilt thou
the â—…er words of the Prophet I will 〈◊〉 them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the grave I will redeeme them from death hee that will redeeme them from death can in no sâ—…se bee sayd to bee the cause why they die but why they die not Besides both hee and Iarcht stumble at the same stone to wit the word debâ—…ica which they derive from dever signifying verbâ—… or causa whereas they should have derived it from dever signifying pestâ—… or a plague Thirdly for Saint Ierome his translation though it differ somewhat from the originall yet it is no Antithesis to the Text but an elegant Antanaclasis or at least a Metonymie generis pro specie mors pro peste I will bee thy death for I will bee thy plague Fourthly for the translation of the Septuagint which Saint Paul most seemeth to follow because writing to the Gentiles who made use of that translation and understood not the originall hee would not give them any offence nor derrogate from it which was in great esteeme among all in regard of the aâ—…tiquitie thereof and it stood the Christians in those dayes in great stead to convince the unbeleeving Jewes It well agreeth with the Analogie of faith and the meaning of the holy Spirit and the Hebrew letter also will beare it for Ehi as Buxtorphius the great Master of the holy tongue out of David Kimchi observeth signifieth ubi where as well as ero I will bee and a venemous sting and pestis the plague differ but little so that although the words in the originall seeme to bee spoken by an affirmation but in Saint Paul and the Septuagint by an interrogation in the one by a commination inthe other by an insultation yet both come to one sense and containe an evident prophesie of Christ his conquest over Death and Hell I have plucked away the thorne and now I am come to blow the flower and open the leaves of the words O Death I will bee thy plagues that is I will take away from Death the power of destroying utterly and from the Grave the power of keeping the dead in it perpetually If wee take the words as spoken by way of insultation ô mors ubi est aculeus tuus O Death where is thy sting thus wee are to construe them as a hornet or serpent when his sting is plucked out can doe no hurt to any other but soone after dyeth it selfe so Death is disarmed by Christ and left as good as dead for as David cut off Goliahs head with his own sword and Brasidas ran through his enemie with his owne speare so Christ conquers over Death by death in as much as by his temporall death hee satisfied both for the temporall and eternall death of them that beleeve in him And as hee conquered Death by his death so hee destroyed the Grave by his buriall for suffering his bodie to bee imprisoned and afterwards breaking the gates and barres of the prison hee left the passage open to all his members to come out after him their head These sacred and heavenly mysteries are shrined in the letter of this Text for although the Prophet speaketh to the Isralites and maketh a kinde of tender unto them of redemption from temporall death and deliverance from corporall captivitie yet to confirme their faith therein hee bringeth in the promise of eternall redemption from whence they were to inferre if God will redeeme us from eternall how much more from temporall death if hee will deliver us out of the prison of the grave how much more out of common Gaoles What though our enemies have never so great a hand over us what though they exceed in their crueltie and put us to all extremitie and doe their worst against us their crueltie cannot extend beyond death nor their malice beyond the Grave but Gods power and mercie reacheth farther For he can and he promiseth that hee will revive us after wee are dead and raise us after we are buried he will plucke deaths sting out of us and us out of the bowells of the Grave Death hath not such power over the living nor the grave over the dead as God hath over both to destroy the one and swallow up the other into victorie For therefore the Sonne of God vouchsafed to taste death that Death might be swallowed up by him into victorie Although Death swallow up all things and the Grave shut up all in darknesse yet God is above them both therefore when wee are brought to the greatest exigent when nothing but death and torments are before us when we are readie to yeeld up the buckler of our faith and breath out the last gaspe of hope let us call this Text to mind O Death I will bee thy plagues neither Death nor the Grave shall be my peoples bane because I will bee both their bane and change their nature which destroyeth all nature For to all them that beleeve in mee Death shall not be a posterne but a street doore not so much an out-let of temporall as an in-let of eternall life and though the grave swallow the bodyes of my Saints yet it shall cast them up againe at the last day Thus the words yeeld us singular comfort if wee take them as a commination and they afford as much or more if we take them as Saint Paul and S. Chrysostome do by an insultation As a man offering sacrifice for victorie and full of mirth and jollitie he leapes and tramples upon Death lying as it were at his mercie and sings an Io Poean a triumphant song wherewith Gerardus a great friend of Saint Bernards breathed out his last gaspe of whom hee thus writeth In the dead time of the night my brother Gerard strangely revived at midnight the day began to breake I sent for to see this great miracle found a man in the very jawes of death insulting upon death and exulting with joy saying O death where is thy sting Death is not now a sting but a song for now the faithfull man dyeth singing and singeth dying And so having plucked away the prickles and opened the leaves by the Explication of the letter I come now to smell to them and draw from thence the savour of life unto life Ero pestes tuae ô mors As Saint Ierome writeth of Tertullian his Polemmicall Treatises against hereticks â—…uot verba tot fulmina Every word is a thunder-bolt so I may truly say of this verse quot verba tot fulmina So many words so many thunder-bolts stricking Death dead by the light whereof wee may discerne three parts 1. The menaced or partie threatned Death 2. The menacer or partie threatning I. 3. The judgement menaced plagues 1. The menaced impotent mors Death 2. The menacer Omnipotent Ego I. 3. The judgement most dreadfull pestes plagues 1. First of the partie menaced Death Christ threatneth destruction to none but to his or his Churches enemies But here he threatneth Death Death therefore must needs be an
enemie and so the Apostle tearmeth it the last enemie that shall bee destroyed is Death For albeit Death by accident is an advantage as oftentimes an enemie doth a man a good turne which occasioned that excellent Treatise of Plutarch wherein he sheweth us how to make an Antidote of poyson and a good use of other mens maâ—…ice yet is it in it selfe an enemy alwayes to Nature and to grace also it sets upon the elect and the Reprobate the beleever and the Infidell the penitent and the obstinate but with this difference it flyes at the one with a deadly sting but at the other without a sting the one it wounds to death the other it terrifieth and paineth but cannor hurt But there being divers kinds of death which of them is here meant Death is a privation and privations cannot bee defined but by their habits that is such positive qualities as they bereave us of for instance sicknesse cannot be perfectly defined but by health which it impaireth nor blindnesse but by sight which it destroyeth nor darknesse but by light which it excludeth nor death but by life which it depriveth us of Now if there bee a fourefold life spoken of in Scripture viz. 1. Of nature 2. Of sinne 3. Of grace 4. Of glory There must needs be a foure-fold death answerable thereunto 1. The death of Nature is the privation of the life of nature by paâ—… soule and bydy 2. The death of sinne is the privation of the life of sinne by mortifying grace 3. The death of Grace is the privation of the life of grace by reigning sâ—…ne 4. The death of Glory is the privation of the life of Glory by aiâ—… and finall exclusion from the glorious presence of God and the kingdome of heaven and a casting into the lake of fire and brimstone prepared for the divell and his angells Of Death in the first sence David demandeth who is hee that liveth and shall not see death and shall hee deliver his soule from the hand of hell Of Death in the second sense Saint Paul enquireth how shall wee that are dead to sinne live any longer therein Of Death in the third sense Saint Paul must be meant where he rebuketh wanton Widowes Shee that liveth in pleasure is dead while shee liveth Of Death in the fourth sense Saint Iohn is to bee understood Blessed is hee that hath part in the first resurrection for on such the second death hath no power Saint Austin joyneth all these significations and maketh one sentence of divers senses hee is dead to death that is Death cannot kill hurt or affright him who is dead to sinne And another of the Ancients makes a sweet cord of them like so many strings struck at once hee that dyeth before hee dyes shall never die hee that dyeth to sinne before hee dyeth to nature shall never dye to God neither in this world by finall deprivation of grace neither in the world to come of glorie Of these foure significations of Death the first and last fort with this Text for that the first is to bee meant it is evident by the consequence here O grave I will be thy destruction And by the antecedents in Saint Paul When this corruptible shall put on incorruption c. And that the second is included may bee gathered both from the words of Saint Iohn And Death and bell were cast into the lake of fire and of our Saviour I was dead and I am alive and have the keyes of Hell and of Death And so I fall upon my second Observation viz. the Person menacing I the second person in Trinitie our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The word here used Ehi is the same with that we reade Exod. 3. Ehi Ashur Ehi I am that I am and if the observation of the Ancients be current that wheresoever God speaketh unto man in the old Testament in the shape of man or Angell we are to understand Christ for that all those apparitions were but a kind of preludia of his incarnation then the Person here threatning can bee no other then he besides the word Egilam in the former part of this verse being derived from Gaal signifying propinquus fuit or redemit jure propinquitatis pointeâ—… to our Saviour who by assuming our nature became our Alic by blood and performed this office of a kinsman by redeeming the inheritance which we had lost But we have stronger arguments then Grammaticall observations that he who here promised life to the dead and threatneth plagues to Death was the Sonne of God the Lord of quick and dead for the same who promiseth to redeeme from the Grave threatneth to plague Death but we all know that Redeemer is the peculiar style of the Sonne as Creator is of the Father and Sanctifier of the Holy Ghost tu redemisti nos thou hast redeemed us to GOD by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and Nation To the redemption of a slave that is not able to ransome himselfe three at least concurre the Scrivener who writeth the Conditions and sealeth the Bonds the partie who soliciteth the businesse and mediateth for the captive and layeth downe the summe agreed upon for his ransome and the person in whose power the captive is and who accepteth of the ransome Which of these is the Redeemer you will all say he that is at the cost of all so it is in our redemption from spiritual thraldome the holy Spirit draweth the condition and sealeth the bonds the Father receiveth the ransome the Sonne both mediateth for the ransoming and layeth downe the summe For we were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold but the pretious blood of Christ as of a Lambe without blemish hee tooke part of our nature that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the divell and deliver them who through the feare of death were all their life time subiect to bondage Hence we gather that hee that destroyed Death must die but to affirme that the immortall and eternall Spirit of God expired is blasphemie and to say that the Father suffered is heresie longagoe condemned in the Patro-passions we conclude therefore with the Apostle that the second Person Christ Jesus hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortalitie to light by the Gospell And so I fall upon my last Observation the judgement here mentioned Devorica 3. Thy plagues there is no tittle or iota in holy Scripture superfluous some mysterie therefore lyeth in the number plagues in the plurall not plague in the singular which I conceive to be this that Christ put Death to many deaths and foyled and conquered it many wayes first in himselfe secondly in his members First in himselfe by destroying sinne the sting of Death Secondly by breaking the bonds thereof in his powerfull Resurrection wherwith it was impossible that hee should be
this is a truth concernes you in particular Judge your selves so farre profited by the Word you heare as you can make good application of it to your owne estate and condition Whensoever men come to heare the Word they come to heare somewhat that concernes themselves therefore whatsoever wee say befalls them that are in Christ apply it your selves and make account this is my case if I bee in Christ. Fourthly hence we might note thus much also that When a man is in Christ there is a reall change There is an evident change from what hee was before hee was in Christ. For so the Apostle reasons now you are in Christ there is such a change as from death to life there is a mervellous great change in you If there bee not this change in you neither are you in Christ and all the hopes you build on of being in Christ they are without a foundation they are upon an imaginarie Christ not upon Christ that is yours indeed If you bee in Christ let it appeare in a change let us see how you are changed since you were in Christ from that you were before for this make account of conclude thus much for your selves that all that are in Christ are changed But fiftly and lastly hee expresseth wherein this change consisteth and hee makes choice of such termes as are most acquisite and fit for his purpose He would expresse this spirituall change and marke what expressions hee useth to manifest it by no lesse then life and death There is such a change when you are once in Christ from what you were before as there is between a man that was dead and is now alive or a man that was alive and is now dead and this is that that I will insist now upon wherein note these particulars First the Analogie and proportion the aptnesse and fitnesse of the termes wherein the Apostle expresseth the spirituall change of those that are in Christ how fitly they may be sayd to be dead and alive Secondly it is observeable in what order the Apostle expresseth these first dead and then alive Make account that the worke of Grace in the effectuall change in your hearts it proceeds in this order First you are dead and then alive dead to sin first and then alive to God Thirdly note the certaine connexion of these two together so there is not onely a certainty in the object but a certainty in the subject too not only a certaintie that those that are in Christ shall live but it is certaine to you make account of this make this conclusion for your selves build on it know it for your selves as he sayd to Iob it is certaine if you be in Christ you are dead with Christ and you shall live with Christ make account of this Lastly the efficient cause of this great change exprest in these termes it is Iesus Christ our Lord make account of this if you be in Christ there comes a vertue from Christ an effectuall working of Christ by his spirit in your hearts such a powerfull worke as will conforme you to Christ dead and to Christ risen that you shall be dead to sinne and alive to God not by any strength in your selves or any excellent endowment in your owne natures not by any naturall inclination and abilitie but through the vertue and power of Iesus Christ our Lord working in you Thus you have the Text opened Wee will speake first of the Analogie and proportion the agreement betweene the metaphors here used and the things exprest by them That which the Apostle would expresse is that there is a marvellous spirituall reall change in all those that are in Christ from what they were before Now let us see how fitly it is exprest in these words that he sayth you are dead to sinne and alive to God that hee choseth to expresse it by life and death Had it not beene fit to have sayd thus much you are changed in your dispositions in your inclinations in your intentions in your actions you are changed in your conversations you are other kind of men in the inclination of your hearts you bring forth other fruit you lead other lives then you were wont to doe But hee expresseth it here yet more fully that is by that that includes all these and if there be any thing more may be added it includes that too yee are dead and alive Then we will consider First generally how death and life expresse the state of them that are in Christ. Secondly consider them in their particular application how death expresseth the first part of a mans change in sanctification and life the second part First wee take them in generall and let this bee the point that A man that is indeed effectually changed by vertue of his union with Christ hee hath such a change wrought in him as in a dead and living man as in life or in death Now first take it in generall you know life and death they imply first a generall change when a man is alive or when a man is dead there is not a change in some part onely but in the whole So it is here when a man is effectually changed from what he was by vertue of his union with Christ. A member may bee dead and yet neverthelesse the man alive but if the man be dead there is a general change that goes throughout it possesseth every part every member so that now there is no member of him but death rules in it then hee is a dead man So it is in this when a man is dead spiritually there is not a change in some particular actions onely in some particular opinions onely there is not an alteration of some of his old customes onely but it is a generall change so it goes through the whole man It is a change in the understanding he judgeth things otherwise then hee was wont to doe And there is a change in the will the inclination of it is to other objects then he was wont to bee inclined to And thence there is a change in his intentions he propounds other ends to himselfe then he was wont So there is a change in respect of the whole the Word is the rule of all a mans actions There is a change from particular evills from one as well as another that when any thing is discovered to him to bee a sinne to bee a transgression of the rule hee is turned from it So likewise when any thing is discovered to him to be a dutie agreeable to the rule according to the will of God revealed in his Word hee is a vessell of honour prepared for it and that is it the Apostle especially means when he compares them to vessells and he describes them thus they are vessells of honour fit for the service of their Master prepared for every good worke So that now as the Apostle sayth there remaineth no more conscience of sinne That is
there remains not now any sinne to cleave to the conscience to defile it to cleave to the conscience so as a ruling enemie would doe that would take away all true and perfect peace all boldnesse and accesse to the throne of Grace there is no such conscience of sinne This making conscience of every sinne is that that frees conscience from being defiled in that sence with any sinne So much for the first Well secondly it is expressed by death and life to shew the orderlinesse in the proceeding of this change When a man is changed by the effecacie and working of Christ to whom hee is united it proceeds in such a manner as the change in death or life You know death or life begin within first it begins in the inward man in the heart first And as in naturall death or naturall life there is a dying first of the root and a quickning first at the root So likewise in spirituall death or life it is an orderly proceeding it begins first within Our Saviour Christ gives this direction First make the inside cleane and then all will bee cleane against the hypocrisie of the Scribes and Pharisees that looked more to outward actions So this change it is not onely a meere civilizing of a man a conforming of him to that societie hee converseth with in outward actions but renewing of a man in the spirit of his minde Rom. 12. 2. So the change begins from within Hence it is that first hee is good and then hee doth good according to the speech of Christ make the tree good and then the fruit will bee good we will not stand upon it you see the Analogie and agreement holds betweene these two in generall Now we come to take them apart more specially First how this being dead to sinne agrees with that change that is in a man that is in Christ from sinne Reckon this sayth the Apostle make account of this that you are dead to sinne that is now there is such a change and turning from your evill courses from whatsoever it is that is truly and properly called sinne in Scripture you are changed from it Now in whatsoever sence a man may be said to bee dead in that sence a man in Christ is changed from sinne there is somewhat in his change expressing that death Now there is a threefold death A Civill Judiciall Naturall Death We begin with the judiciall first as Gods great Worke begins in the judgement There is a judiciall death so one that is alive now in respect of naturall life may yet bee sayd to bee judicially dead when hee is dead in sentence when by the Judge he is condemned to death when hee is adjudged to die So reckon yee your selves dead to sinne make account of this that now in your judgement there is a sentence passed out against sinne that it shall bee slaine that it shall bee mortified thus your judgement stands and thus you lookeupon it as a thing dead in sentence and that is the first It is that in Ezek. 36. 31. saith the Lord When I shall bee pacified to thee this shall follow upon it thou shalt judge thy selfe worthy to bee destroyed for all thine iniquities and abhominations When God is reconciled to a man which is as much as to say when a man is in Christ for by Christ we are reconciled to God this followes upon it that man comes now to judge sinne to bee a deadly thing to judge sinne to bee dead and to judge himselfe worthy to bee destroyed for it Hee lookes on sinne as it should be looked upon his opinion is right concerning it hee accounts it an iniquitie a thing against that rectitude against that equitie and righteousnes wherewith man was once indowed in the Creation and from which so farre as hee swerves so farre hee is plunged into death As you know that curse was denounced against man when he sinned he should die so hee cannot looke upon iniquitie upon that that is contrary to that righteousnesse wherein hee was made but hee lookes upon it as on death it selfe and a deadly thing hee lookes upon it as upon an abhomination That looke as persons that sinned capitally were an abhomination to the Land and people among whom they sinned as the Scripture speakes of murtherers and the like the land was defiled if the sentence of death were not executed so it is here in the opinion and judgement of a man that is in Christ he accounts this the greatest defilement that his soule remaines so farre polluted and defiled as there is any life left in sinne That is the first thing reckon this then that sinne is dead imediatly that is that you now come to passe as Judges do a sentence of death against sin and that howsoever a Malefactour bee not naturally dead when he is judicially dead yet hee is in an order to it the next thing that followes will bee to be cut off So it is with sinne when a man comes to judge himselfe for his iniquitie worthy to be destroyed for his abhominations this is the next thing that followes hee will not rest till that bee slaine and subdued till that Mallefactour bee condemned to death and cut off and tooke out of the way Here is the first thing herein this change is like death Secondly there is a civill death too so one that lives naturally may bee dead civilly so one that is under the subjection and power of another such a one is dead civilly The civill Law accounts any one that is under subjection to bee Civiliter mortuus as they speake that is he is in that sence not accounted among living men hee is one dead because hee is not annimated and acted by his owne will but by the will of him that rules him so reckon yee your selves dead saith the Apostle Make account that when you are in Christ sinne is no more to be ruler and commander to act and animate and quicken you to obey its lusts that you should beacted and animated by it that as soone as sinne tempts you should obey presently make account in this sence you are dead to sinne that is sinne is dead in you civilly it hath not a ruling power it comes not now as one that hath power to sway all before it that is it the Apostle saith in this Chapter sinne shall not have dominion You have a new Master a new Lord you are no more under the rule and dominion of sinne that is the second Thirdly there is a naturall death as well as a judiciall and civill death so things are said to be dead naturally two wayes Imperfectly Inchoate Perfectly Consummate Naturall death imperfect and but begun is this as when there is a great blow given with an axe to the roote of a tree whereupon certainly it will wither and die and bee made altogether unfruitfull for the time to come though for the present it