domesticks to enjoy him in any constant receptions or addresses as some of his friends and many others oft did to their great content and none either more welcomly or more deservedly than the liberal and noble soul of Mr. Thomas Rich Esq of Sunning in Barkshire of whose ready heart and large hand to works of charity I could here give a particular and great account upon my motion to him but that his modesty hath oft severely forbad me to speak of it being satisfied with Gods reward which I pray he and his may never want It is enough to say of that worthy Citizen that generous Gentleman and most charitable Christian that his name deserves to be with honor thus registred and engraven to all posterity That he was the special friend of Bishop Brounrig An honor as great and deserved as that which the Lord Brook affected to make his Monumentremarkable to after ages by his inscribing and Friend to Sir Philip Sidney § Of this Bishops excellent endowments and manners I may say as Suetonius doth of Augustus his Looks Forma per omnes aetatum gradus constanti he was not only in all ages a very comly person but did all things at all times steadily and handsomly The indignities and afflictions which were cast upon him by the torrent of times as a Bishop and counter byassed to them yet as a rock in the sea or a brazen wall he indured them unmoved unmolested his constant and judicious wisdom remained with him while he saw factious and giddy spirits wasting themselves while they foamed out their own shame he enjoyed a bright and unblemished fame with a good conscience having had no hand in the mutation or misery of Church or State § Indeed he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nazianzen said of Athanasius to commend him is to commend verrue or wisdom or health or the light of the Sun not that as St. Augustine says of another Casta magna illa anima humanas laudes aut cupit aut curat that good and great soul either living desired or now departed needeth the sparks of humane praises to set forth its splendor Quem caeli habent laudabilem laudatum quid de novo in cipiam laudare super terram as St. Bernard speaks he that is as praise-worthy praised now in heaven with Well done good and faithful servant is not concerned with our praises on earth § But we and the ages to come which are like to be dark and blind enough and the more for his absence do need the radiancy and beams of such illustrious and exemplary worth which the more indignly it was treated and buried alive by some mens envy or malice the more studiously do I endeavour that he and his deserving name or rather the instances of Gods glory in him may live after his death Paterns of moderate vertues may like lesser gems or sparks of Diamonds be frequent but compleat ones like Paragon jewels are few in any age such he was and so to be valued § The truth is the world was not worthy of such a man that is the partial plebeian factious parasitick paralitick giddy ungrateful world though it needed such as Antidotes and Physicians being very sick and so distempered as not to endure any remedy Having been long surfeited with former peace and prosperity poisoned with factions and discontents yea and cloyed with a kind of wontedness and satiety of Religion The concurrence of excellency in him § As it was said of old In uno Homero omnes Poetae in uno Cicerone omnes Oratores in uno Aristotele omnes Philosophi in one Honter were all Poets in one Tully all Orators and in one Aristotle all Philosophers and in one Varre Polybius or Plutarch all the good learning of all learned men So I may say there was in one Bishop Brounrig the quintessence of all good Christians all good Schollars all good Divines all good Preachers and all good Bishops In him one might find the sincerity of the anitent Fathers and the solidness of later Divines the Schoolmen did not exceed him in acuteness nor the best Casuists in exactness nor the soberest Monasticks in devotion and sanctity § His liberal and charitable soul He had the learning of Nazianzen Basil or Jerom the courage and constancy of Athanasius and St. Ambrose the eloquence of St. Chrysostom and Chrysologus the mildness and gentleness of St. Cyprian or St. Austin the charity and benignity of Paulinus and Martinus sect His contentedness and patience when stripped of all c. When he could not have common equity from others yet he exacted Christian charity from himself to others he would give de modico almost de nihilo of that little meal and oyl that was left him or by others supplied to him and if he could not give de suo yet he would de se of his paternal prayers and benedictive comprecations nor was any man more exact and faithful in the distributing other mens charities committed to him as some good Obadiahs did of later years when even among the Prophets of the Lord good Ministers then were so many pittiful objects of charity to the joy and triumph of the Jesuites and Roman Priests as much as to the reproach and shame of the Reformed Profession which some pretend to without equity or charity When the storms of the times had stripped him of all publick emoluments as to the revenues and perquisites of his Bishoprick yet aequiore animo sua damna pertulit quà m alii sua lucra he shewed a greater mind in bearing his losses than others did in getting their gains yea he was more deeply affected for the wickedness of those that lay under the real guilt or vehement and just suspition of so foul a sin as Sacriledge than for the loss he sustained by it he was prone to say chearfully If others had more right to those Lands and Houses than the Bishops and other Churchmen in Gods name let them take them but they that either alienated or bought or fold them had need to have a better title than either the present proprietors and possessors had by Law or the Church and State in equity or the King by Soveraignty or the Donors by their Deeds or God as Lord Paramount to whose glory they were devoted In the alienation of these Church estates he looked more to the hand of God which was probative and punitive than mans which was predatorious and passionate I once heard him after his wonted smiling yet venerable manner of speaking profess that he took it a little unkindly that those Lords and Gentlemen who heretofore had professed an ambition to see him a Bishop and did with great courtship congratulate his coming to sit in the House of Lords not only that they should be great sticklers to destroy all Bishopss as to their honor and estates but that they would not now so much as let him have their Committee power to gather
family and how shall others as Sons pay respect to them as Fathers if they either doubt or deny that relation Iohn 10.1 If every one may affect new ways by-paths and postern doors or climb over the wall or use force and faction to consecrate himself or any other a Minister in the Church according as himself or his party in every family conventicle or congregation fancies best we may look for good store of Jerobohams calves and Idols as well as Priests such as vulgar folly faction and presumption lists to set up to themselves § But of Eliahs and Elisha's few or none may be expected when once Ordinations are various novel defective mutually destructive spurious and so dubious as no learned judicious and upright-hearted Schollars or other sincere Christians can in conscience or prudence be satisfied with them either as to holy duties to be done by them or as to authority inherent in them or the succession derivable from them or lastly as to the reverence and honor to be paid to them § Certainly there is but one regular authentick Catholick and compleat way of Ecclesiastical Ordination and Succession as this reverend Bishop sometimes expressed his sense to me What that was by Bishops and Presbyters no man can be ignorant that is not so willingly for the light of Scripture and Ecclesiastical history is clear as the sun at noon day and although he with others of our learned English Bishops thought it may be venial or tolerable in some cases of persecution necessity and civil obstructions which either Prince or people may sometime put on the Church for some Christian Pastors and people to divert to new and by-ways such as they are permitted to walk in yet they desire and approve the better and more excellent way yet there is no wisdom of Reason or Religion for any Church to forsake the good old way Ier. 6.16 when they might happily walk in it onely to give themselves the popular and pittiful pleasure of diverting to such odd broken ways as possibly may with much scrambling scratching and difficulty bring them at last to the same journeys end with the other yet so as through briars and thorns But I have done with the person of Elisha as here nominated and designed for Eliah's Successor Secondly I come to the Vision in which we are to consider 1 The object What he saw The strangefiery apparition of Eliah's assumption 2 The act or seeing The Object It That is all that strange apparition the wonderful and supernatural manner of Eliah's assumption by a fiery chariot and horses of fire which did gently slide under him and so took him up that he appeared tanquam auriga lucis as sitting in the chariot driving and managing the horses of it like an holy Phaeton not fabulous and fictitious but real and visible to Elisha's bodily eyes All which heavenly pomp and parada was no other but a manifestation of the glory of God by such Angelick ministratious in the way of fire figured like chariot and horses The Observation in general is obvious from Scripture histories Observ 1 Of Gods glory manifested by fire How God is pleased to make his special presence and glory appear to men by way of fire Exod. 3.2 either First immediately and in mercy so to Moses in the bush which was on fire yet consumed not an emblem First How God oft chuseth to reveal himself not in the ways of worldly wisdom and power or greatness as in tall cedars and strong okes but in shrubs and bushes weak and contemptible means Secondly Of the state of the Church in this world which may seem to be all on fire by persecution as the bush or three children in the furnace yet is not burned or wasted thereby Thirdly To shew there is most of Gods presence where the soul is most inflamed with the love of God and zeal for his glory which is a fire not consumptive but refining not predaticious to any but propitious to all true Saints destructive to nothing but our sins and corruptions which are our dross Or secondly Mediately Angels appear in fire Psalm 104.4 Heb. 27 God makes use of the Angels as Ministring Spirits in the similitude of flaming fire In both to shew not only that spiritual purity activity and potency which is in God and proportionably in the holy Angels but also how terrible he can be and will be at last to the wicked men and Angels too to whom he will be as a consuming fire the breath of the Lords anger kindling the fire of Tophet with everlasting burnings which none can quench From the renown of such fiery apparitions and Gods appointment of holy fire Levit. 6.12 5.24 which first came down from heaven to be ever kept alive on his altar The Heathens had those high fancies of fire That it was a god and the Conqueror of all things so worshipped by the Caldeans and venerated by the Romans which their Vestal virgins were to keep unextinguished that they might have this emblem at least of their gods and their souls immortality Secondly Observ 2 We may observe the different dispensations of Gods power and pleasure in the way of fire The different events of Gods fiery dispensations 1 Penal either in judgement or mercy for good and evil for preservation or destruction His Justice rains hell fire from heaven upon the impudent and preposterous sinners of Sodom and Gomorah Gen. 19.24 unnatural lusts are punished with preternatural fires He destroys Nadab and Abihu by fire for offering with culinary Nâ—mb 3.4 and 10.3 common or strange and unconsecrated sire their incense and sacrifice to shew that he will be sanctified in all that draw near to serve him which they must do after his own prescriptions not mans inventions in the matter essence and substance of his worship He blasteth some of Jobs flocks with fire or lightning Iob 1.16 which came from the aerial or first heaven by Gods permission of the devils impression He sends fire from heaven at Eliah's word upon those surly and supercilious Captains with their Fifties who carried themselves to the Prophet Eliah with such pride rudeness and irreverence 2 Kings 1. as was a reproach to the God of Eliah and that Prophetick authority with which he was invested Yet the same God as we have shewed began his first familiarity of talking with Moses face to face by the vision of fire in the bush 2 Propitious He after continued the visible sign of his presence and perfection to the Jews in the wilderness by a pillar of fire shining in the night Exod. 40.38 So to Prophets Ezek. 1.4 and â— 2 and other holy men as to Manoah as to Eliah God manifested his acceptance of their persons sacrifices and prayers by fiery apparitions of his glory yet in a way of mercy So here again in Eliah a fiery messenger is sent to take him out
when he ordered his designation to the Crown to be signified by setting him on his own Mule 1 sther 6.8 or as Haman fancied himself in Ahasuerus's when he chose the Royal Robe and Horse and Crown to express to the people whom the King delighted to honor There is an Embassie of Angels sent a Troop of the host of heaven Gods immediate guard or a triumphant chariot and horses of fire such as the divine Majesty is pleased to own and use for the special Harbingers Convoys and Attendants of his glory these must as ministring spirits wait upon Eliah as a person greatly beloved of God and now to be highly honored beyond all mortals at his decessit which must not be by the common way of death but of such a transport and change to glory as might be to others a presage and preludium as of the ascention of Christ so of the general resurrection when Christ shall appear in flaming fire to take vengeance of ungodly men that obey not the Gospel 1 Thess 1.17 2 Thess 2.8 but to make a general assumption of the godly to himself first into the air then into the Empyrean or highest heaven of glory to be ever with the Lord Psal 116 1◠so precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints especially of his Prophets and faithful Ministers and such honor in time shall they all have in their several degrees and proportions how scurvily and contemptuously soever the world notes them for a time as it did the very Son of God who was first crucified and then ascended to glory not in Eliah's fiery chariot but in a cool and refreshing cloud to shew the different spirit which Christians under the Gospel Acts 1.19 as followers of Christ must be of from that of Eliah under the Law Luke 9.54 55 as our Saviour told his Disciples when they urged the practice of Eliah for a president to justifie their hot spirits thirsting for fire from heaven to execute their revenge which he tells us is now to be done by Christians with prayers and patience with a quiet departure without any more ado than shaking the dust off their feet as a witness against those that refused to entertain them and their doctrine Luke 2.1 As Christ came into the world in a time of profound peace when Augustus had shut the gates of Janus so he continued all his life and at last left the world without any perturbation of civil affairs But it is time for me to wind up the contemplation of Eliah's fiery rapture Vse Eliah's rapture not to be envied with some useful meditation which teacheth every good Christian to admire indeed but not to envy or repine at this so glorious and miraculous assumption As we say of thunderbolts Poena ad unum terror ad omnes The stroke may fall on but one yet the terror upon many so are these peculiar indulgencies of God to one holy man the ground of general comfort to all If we have the same graces we shall attain to the same glory alia via but ad eandem patriam by another road but to the same home and house of our heavenly Father Iames 2.22 Abraham was called the friend of God so is every one that is a true son of faithful Abraham though kept at greater distance and used with less familiarity Noah and Lot the three children and Daniel had signal preservations so mayst thou proportionably expect Matth. 17.5 and have if thou hast the same God Peter James and John saw the transfiguration of Christ but all the Apostles and all true believers rejoyce in that news as a pledg and glimpse of glory whereof they shall at last be all spectators and partakers 2 Cor. 12.2 St. Paul had his high rapture to the third heaven so hath every good Christian whose soul is no stranger to the holy extasies of humble judicious fervent and devout affections Many Martyrs had their fiery chariots and horses which carried their souls by flames of fagots to heaven The parallels to Eliah's rapture as that of holy Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna and Angel of that Church when St. John wrote the Spirits letter Rev. 2.8 whose body the modest fire would not touch while his soul was in it the executioner was forced first to kill him before he could burn him Ardor affectuum claritas fidei charitatis flamma candentes gratiae certitudo gloriae hi sunt ignei currus equitatus as St. Bernard The holy fervor of our love to God and our charity to others our unfeigned faith and refined graces our earnest desires and blessed hopes to depart and be with Christ Phii. 1.23 these are the fiery chariots and horses of every sincere Christian Daily reading meditating on the Word of God with holy ejaculations of our spirits to God and warm inspirations of Gods Spirit in us these as St. Jerom commends to a Lady this circle of devotion are as the chariot and horses of fire to carry thee up to heaven yet alive and in the body these are as Jacobs Angels ascending and descending there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacred feavers or holy calentures in which every good Christian must take care to live that so he may die in them It is to be wished by every good Christian ut nec vivat nec moriatur sine febre take heed of earthy lukewarm cold and dull tempers living lest when we die our hearts be as Nabals or Achitophels dead desponding or desperate within us No chariots or horses of fire no good Angels no inspirings or aspirings can be looked for at last by those that only mind things earthly sensual and devillish The antient word of the Church was Sursum corda Col. 3.2 and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lift up your hearts look upward set your affections on things that are above where Christ is he will give his Angels charge of thee to be thy conducters to heaven as here they were of Eliahs for where the soul is Luke 16. there is the man as the historical parable of Lazarus and Dives imports when one is said to be in Abrahams bosom and the other in hell long before their bodies were raised Carry God while thou livest in the chariot of thy zealous soul and thou shalt not want his chariot and horses of fire to attend thee when thou diest Secondly The act or intuition Having thus seen the Object we are now to consider Elisha's Vision as to the act or intuition it self He saw it he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an eye-witness by a real view and ocular perception not by another relation or any imagination or inward apparition to the fancy only This is here so emphatically set down not only to assure the truth of the transaction but because it was the only condition upon which Elisha's having a double portion of Eliahs spirit did depend Vers 10 It shews